Building new computer - please check my components

[Compnewbie01]

Last year I was going to upgrade my computer but after receiving advice from this board I decided to hold off until I could just build a new system. My old system has an i5-2500k with 8GB RAM and 7870 graphics card. Primary uses will be school work, gaming, internet, etc. Here is what I am looking at so far along with what I was aiming for in price:

Motherboard ($100)
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813132713&ignorebbr=1

CPU ($150)
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113284&ignorebbr=1

RAM ($100)
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231589&ignorebbr=1

GPU ($150-300)
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150770&ignorebbr=1

Power Supply ($80)
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817438053&ignorebbr=1

SSD ($150)
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA12K2GN1590&ignorebbr=1

Case ($50)
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147153&ignorebbr=1

OS ($100)
Windows 10 Home 64-bit

My thoughts:

- Wishing to keep budget around $1000 but will flex a little if upgrade is worthwhile
- Might consider dropping SSD to 250GB since I don't need much space. (This would save ~$88)
- I am not familiar with current market CPU / Motherboards so would appreciate any advice if the $150 CPU / $100 motherboard are good purchases or if I should consider something a little different. (Intel vs AMD?)
- I chose the 480 graphics card since the price seems good but I was also looking at 1060s. I am clueless about these cards right now but I usually buy a mid range card that will last me for 4 years or so. I don't care about ultra settings but medium-high at 1920X1200 is good enough.
- Another thing I notice is the newer graphics cards don't have DVI ports. Both of my monitors are DVI so can adapter fix this?

 

[UsandThem]

You don't want to be building an old AMD AM3+ system right now. AM3+ is soon to go the way of the Dodo. If you want to order the parts right now because you have to build a new PC, you should be going with Intel. That AMD CPU just does not really compete with Intel's offerings.

However, AMD Ryzen is going to be released soon, and from everything that's been released so far, it looks very, very promising.

So it will either:

1. Be awesome and the way to go if you want to stay with AMD.

2. Be awesome and Intel is forced to lower their prices on their CPUs and go that route.

3. It could totally be underwhelming, and you could skip it.

Here are a few benches looking at the FX-8350:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKR04WMP9sw

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/697?vs=1833 (i5 Kaby Lake)

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/697?vs=1829 (i3 Kaby Lake)

 

[UsandThem]

I also looked at your other components, and these are my suggestions:

1. With the 850 EVO over $180, save some money and go with a Crucial MX300: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820156151&cm_re=mx_300-_-20-156-151-_-Product

2. The EVGA G2 is a great unit, I own a couple of them. However, for the same price I would go with the G3 as they are smaller, newer, and highly rated as well: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16817438095

3. You should look at some non-blower cards. Those cards are great when you have a small case with little airflow, but they are noisier. Some people love blower cards, and swear by them because they exhaust their heat. Some people don't like them as the fans never stop running and they are generally louder. You'll just have to decide what style you like. AIB partner cards from MSI, Asus, XFX, and Sapphire are quieter and have better cooling (with some of them turning the fans off until the card hits 60c). There are several different flavors of AIB cards, you could find one you like and read a review on it to see if it's a good choice. A couple that I have seen people here talk about or own are:

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814137048&ignorebbr=1

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814126117&ignorebbr=1

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150773&ignorebbr=1

 

[Compnewbie01]

Thanks for the reply. When is this new CPU coming out? I was hoping to build in the next 1-3 weeks. Perhaps I should just consider going Intel since brand doesn't matter to me. I was just going off pricing and newegg reviews.

I am unfamiliar with blower/non-blower cards. Does blower imply that it blows all the heat out the back and not into the case hence no visible fans? Quiet is nice although not crucial to me. I am more concerned with performance for price since I want a solid mid-high mid card within my price range. Historically I've always gone for ~$200-250 cards and been happy. I also need to know why these newer cards don't have DVI ports.

 

[UsandThem]

Ryzen is coming soon. Possible pricing leaks have started showing up and are being thoroughly discussed in the CPU sub-forum. It should be released in that time frame, so worth the wait. The FX-8350 just isn't something you want to buy in 2017 if you don't want to have to upgrade your system within a couple years.

A blower card has one small fan that always runs, and forces the air out of the back of your computer (it looks like the one you linked to). They are noisier and tend to run hotter. A card I was talking about has 2-3 fans, forces some of the air out of the back, but also releases some of the heat into the PC. A normal PC with good air flow is not really impacted by this. They are generally cooler and quieter because they have bigger fans and bigger heatsinks.

Most cards use HDMI and displayport. Although the cards I linked to all have DVI-D.

http://nvidia.custhelp.com/app/answ...at-is-the-difference-between-dvi-i-and-dvi-d?

 

[Compnewbie01]

I will probably go the fan route then for the graphics card. However, I have two monitors so I would need to figure a way to plug in both but there is only a single DVI output.

 

[UsandThem]

I will probably go the fan route then for the graphics card. However, I have two monitors so I would need to figure a way to plug in both but there is only a single DVI output.

They sell DVI to HDMI adapters on Newegg, Amazon, Best Buy, etc.

 

[imported_jjj]

You really really need to wait for AMD Ryzen, retail should be March 2 but watch out as it might sell out fast.
You'll need to decide if you want quad core between 100-200$, 6 cores between 200-300$ or 8 cores above 300$.

The SSD is not worth it, at the current 180$ price. If you go SATA get slightly lower perf at a much better price.
With Ryzen, you can also look at M.2 SSDs. This one is 220$ right now https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820249078
And you would get 2x the perf http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1700?vs=1822

The RAM would have to be DDR4 for Ryzen.
If you consider some better cooling, will depend on the final details. The mobo, a bit early to chose but there will be lots of options.
The case, do you care about cooling, about noise? Do you need optical drive bays, lots of HDD cages?
The GPU,not ideal timing, maybe there are some refreshes soon but there are some decent deals at least. You could also wait a few months for a new GPU and use the old one.

With 1000$ , you can build a nice enough system with Ryzen.
What matters to you is important, what you care about and where you invest more, where you can try to save some $.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Pros: - Performs as per advertised speeds
- Low heat, no noise
- Can run with default Windows 10 NVMe driver

Cons: - The drive shows a 3-second long giant Plextor logo upon PC boot which cannot be disabled



Hmm, hardware with forced ads now????

 

[UsandThem]

Pros: - Performs as per advertised speeds
- Low heat, no noise
- Can run with default Windows 10 NVMe driver

Cons: - The drive shows a 3-second long giant Plextor logo upon PC boot which cannot be disabled

The Plextor M8Pe, the version without the heatsink, is slower and throttles quicker the two variations that come with a heatsink. Even if a person buys the one with the heatsink, it is $245, and for $5 more the 960 EVO is faster and cooler. The only real + the Plextor has is it uses MLC and has a 5 year warranty.

 

[VirtualLarry]

That was from a Newegg review. Just commenting that the hardware, apparently forces ads on the user, when installed. Interesting concept. I hope that doesn't become like those "unskippable" DVD preview ads.

 

[UsandThem]

That was from a Newegg review. Just commenting that the hardware, apparently forces ads on the user, when installed. Interesting concept. I hope that doesn't become like those "unskippable" DVD preview ads.

Yeah, when I was deciding on what drive to get, I read a lot of user reviews. There were many where the people screamed bloody murder over that 3 second splash-screen. I don't think it would have bothered me personally, as I think it is about as long as you see your motherboard splash-screen. Now if it was something crazy like 10+ seconds long, that would get old quickly.

 

[Compnewbie01]

I am definitely going to wait for the Ryzen CPUs since that seems to be the way to go. I hope I can get one close to March 2 and won't have to wait a very long time. I think a ~$200 6-core will fit my budget but don't fully understand how more cores would benefit me. The only real multi-tasking I do on the computer is sometimes run CAD software on one monitor and have internet on the other.

I don't understand the differences between the two SSDs. One is SATA and other is PCIe? The PCIe is faster? I am coming from a 10,000RPM raptor SATA HD and was told an SSD would be a significant upgrade.

Heating and noise is not an issue to me. Sure, a quieter computer is better but I've never been bothered by fan noise and I don't intend to do any overclocking whatsoever so I think stock cooling will suffice. Also do not need many USB/add on bays. One hard drive is enough and I will probably skip a disk drive this time around.

When March 2 gets closer I'll probably recompile my list and figure out exactly what I'll do so I can try to purchase right when Ryzen comes out. Thanks for all the advice so far!

 

[imported_jjj]

On the Plextor drive( or any other M.2 drive), the throttling depends on mobo choice and case airflow.
The positioning of the M.2 differs between mobos while some mobos have cooling plates or shields for the slot so it's not always worth spending on the one with extra cooling.
Gigabyte has the slot between the 2 PCIe x16 slots, should get some good airflow in a good case. Asus Crosshair has it in the lower right corner. Biostar provides a cooling plate, MSII has a shield.

I know that some measured the temps on MSI's shield and concluded that it makes things worse but that seems deeply flawed. The point of a heatsink is to get hot and what matters is the temp of the SSD and the perf not the temps of the heatsink.
Others have seen a small benefit https://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2017/01/03/msi-z270-gaming-pro-carbon-review/1
Inside a case with some airflow it is likely even better ofc.

@ UsandThem
The Samsung suffers a bit when the SLC cache runs out so depends on task if it's faster or not. And ofc it's close to 300$ right now on Newegg.https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147594
Given that price and the perf of other such drives(Patriot, Intel, WD, Adata) , the Plextor with no shield (with the right mobo and case) seems the best choice.

@ Compnewbie01
In 1000$ you could even fit an 8 cores or a GTX 1070 if you wanted to but not both. Your needs seem less than that on both so maybe you can spend less.
In the bit-tech link above you can see a M.2 drive and where it goes on that mobo. And ofc it's much much faster than a HDD.
On the case side, there are a bunch of new cases that get rid of the optical drive bays and tuck the HDDs and SSDs behind the mobo. They free up space that way and can achieve better airflow. You also can get sound dampening at reasonable prices nowadays.
The Define S for example (version with window available too) https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811352054
There are other similar cases from Fractal, NZXT, Corsair and so on.Not saying your choice is not fine just pointing out alternatives that could be worth considering for less noise, better cooling options at a reasonable price.

 

[UsandThem]

@ UsandThem
The Samsung suffers a bit when the SLC cache runs out so depends on task if it's faster or not. And ofc it's close to 300$ right now on Newegg.https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147594
Given that price and the perf of other such drives(Patriot, Intel, WD, Adata) , the Plextor with no shield (with the right mobo and case) seems the best choice.

Gonna have to disagree with you there. That link to Newegg is a 3rd party seller, and even though the 960 EVO goes in and out of stock, it is not difficult to buy one at the MSRP ($249 for 500 GB).

The only version of the 960 EVO that suffers from performance issues is the 250 GB version. All other capacities are faster than the Plextor, uses less power at idle and load, and runs cooler (less chance of throttling in typical desktop usage).

The Plextor is still a decent choice when it has a heatsink (I considered buying it at one point), but at the same price, the 960 EVO was a better choice.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/samsung-960-evo-nvme-ssd-review,4802.html

 

[imported_jjj]

@
UsandThem

The link you have provided doesn't look at the 500GB version so that's doesn't help at all as the conversation is about that version.
The Newegg pricing i have linked to is the lowest on Newegg at this time, checked again now to make sure.
For the cooling, as i said it depends on mobo and case and it's really not an issue under normal loads to begin with.
And lets not forget the topic, a 1000$ or less system with mild demands. Cost per perf matters and even 220$ might be too much for his needs.

 

[UsandThem]

@
UsandThem

The link you have provided doesn't look at the 500GB version so that's doesn't help at all as the conversation is about that version.
The Newegg pricing i have linked to is the lowest on Newegg at this time, checked again now to make sure.
For the cooling, as i said it depends on mobo and case and it's really not an issue under normal loads to begin with.
And lets not forget the topic, a 1000$ or less system with mild demands. Cost per perf matters.

http://www.techspot.com/review/1281-samsung-ssd-960-evo/

Most people can wait a couple days for a component to be in stock (especially one that offers better performance). Newegg isn't the only seller of the 960 EVO.

As far as the remembering the topic, the 960 EVO is the same price as the Plextor that has no heatsink.

 

[imported_jjj]

That review doesn't have the Plextor so hard to compare and it is somewhat limited.
Seems that at least Samsung itself and Best Buy do have stock at 250$ while Plextor varies between 220 and 280$ for the 3 versions- naked, cooled and PCI card.
The Evo 500GB is rated at 600MB/s sustained seq write so it should suffer there as the 1TB version is at twice that.

I guess the on topic question is if there is a need to go 200+$ instead of an average SATA SSD that can be had at half that with a decent deal.

 

[UsandThem]

I guess the on topic question is if there is a need to go 200+$ instead of an average SATA SSD that can be had at half that with a decent deal.

I recommended the MX300 over the 850 EVO to the OP because of price.

I only mentioned the 960 EVO to VirtualLarry when he posted about the Plextor M8Pe. We have had many discussions over many different NVMe drives, so it really wasn't a recommendation to the OP.

I agree that very few people really need the speed of a NVMe drive for their PC use..

 

[imported_jjj]

I recommended the MX300 over the 850 EVO to the OP because of price.
.

The MX300 is 150$ now and a bit on the slower side of mid range SATA. If SATA is the choice, the best approach would be to look for deals and act on w/e decent drive he finds at 110$ or so.
At 150$ for the MX300, even the silly Intel 600p could be a viable option given the 180$ price.

 

[UsandThem]

The MX300 is 150$ now and a bit on the slower side of mid range SATA. If SATA is the choice, the best approach would be to look for deals and act on w/e decent drive he finds at 110$ or so.
At 150$ for the MX300, even the silly Intel 600p could be a viable option given the 180$ price.

Except the 600p sometimes drops below the performance of SATA drives.

If he wants to get a cheaper planar NAND SSD, that's his choice. At least the MX300 has 3D NAND.

SSD prices have gone up across the board, so there aren't any 480 GB - 525 GB drives at this moment at $110. Below the $150 MX300 are the Sandisk Ultra II, the OCZ Trion 150, WD Blue, and the Mushkin Ehanced Reactor. I'd personally spend the extra $20 for the MX300.

 

[imported_jjj]

Except the 600p sometimes drops below the performance of SATA drives.

If he wants to get a cheaper planar NAND SSD, that's his choice. At least the MX300 has 3D NAND.

SSD prices have gone up across the board, so there aren't any 480 GB - 525 GB drives at this moment at $110. Below the $150 MX300 are the Sandisk Ultra II, the OCZ Trion 150, WD Blue, and the Mushkin Ehanced Reactor. I'd personally spend the extra $20 for the MX300.

There are deals, not sure what the rules are on posting such deals but there are plenty of deal sites and you can easily find deals at 110$ for 500GB.
The Intel 600p is using the same 3D TLC NAND and it might be poor it's better than MX300 at low QD or mostly read workloads.

 

[VirtualLarry]

but there are plenty of deal sites and you can easily find deals at 110$ for 500GB.

I wish! More like refurb. Though, Newegg's ebay site had a Mushkin Enhanced Reactor 480GB SSD (I think MLC) for $119.99 + ship (marked down $10). That's about the closest I've seen.

 

[UsandThem]

There are deals, not sure what the rules are on posting such deals but there are plenty of deal sites and you can easily find deals at 110$ for 500GB.
The Intel 600p is using the same 3D TLC NAND and it might be poor it's better than MX300 at low QD or mostly read workloads.

True, there are sales. I guess it will come down to how much time the OP wants to put in tracking prices, and how long they are able to wait.

As far as the 600p, if a person was willing to go up to $180 for it, they might as well spend the extra $7.50 and actually buy a good NVMe drive like the MyDigitalSSD BPX.

 

[UsandThem]

I wish! More like refurb. Though, Newegg's ebay site had a Mushkin Enhanced Reactor 480GB SSD (I think MLC) for $119.99 + ship (marked down $10). That's about the closest I've seen.

I thought it was another one of their TLC drives, but it is MLC. It looks like it is new as there is only one review. Also I'm seeing $139 on my end.

I don't trust Mushkin drives because it seems if you go and read reviews after people have owned them for 12-18 months, there are a lot of reviews on them suddenly dying without warning. There are enough of them for me to believe they are true. Now I will admit this trend is mainly on their TLC drives, but they have more of that kind than MLC models.