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Question Built or Bought, is frankenstien recycleable?

K

kbeefy

Member
Howdy all, been a bit since I was around here.

A couple years ago my home built PC started randomly crashing. I believe it was either a graphics card or power supply issue, but it was pretty old so I pushed it aside and have been using a much less capable recycled work computer for my everyday needs.

I recently got the itch to do a little gaming again, and thought maybe I should put together a new machine. I'm not to familiar with all the current techno-jargon, so I thought I'd throw a post up here and see what happens. I've always got good input here. I would also like to recycle any still useful parts of my current computer into this build.
 
1. USE: (light)FPS gaming and driving simulation. Very Light Video editing.

2. BUDGET: Prefer 'best bang for the buck', pretty open budget but I don't like to waste money. $1000-1500 would be comfortable.

3. USA

5. BRAND PREFERENCE: Dont Care

6. Recycle: Anything useful, I suspect the case and HDD/SSD will be the only reuseable bits.

7.overclocking: Nope

8. resolution: At least 1920x1200

9. WHEN: August

10. SOFTWARE: Unless I can run win7, I'll need to buy an operating system.
 
For some reason it wouldn't let me post this all together, flagged it as spam.

Current machine (built in 2009) is an i7 920 w/ 6gb of ddr3 and a 80gb SSD Running win7 pro.

So whats the case for build vs bought these days? Is there an off the shelf unit that kills it?
Is there a semi-budget friendly build list around, or bundle that offers great value and performance?
I never had an issue with the performance of my last computer, it's just noisy and things are beginning to fail.
And I definitely do not care for windows 10+, but I did purchase a computer for my shop with it installed.


Thanks for any tips!!
 
You won't be recycling anything; this is an all-new build. Also means you'll be running Windows 11 going forward.

The biggest change since COVID is that GPUs got expensive. Luckily, you waited just long enough to dodge some of the worst of this. For a gaming PC, picking the right GPU is perhaps the central decision point. For a true budget build, the new Radeon RX 9060 XT (16GB) is the winner. If you're spending ~ $1500, that should allow you to get a 9070 XT.

The case for DIY building is that you can hand-pick all of your components. There are still some PC shops or retailers where you can pick your parts, but don't have to hand-build yourself (i.e. CyberPowerPC or Micro Center). There are gaming-oriented OEM brands such as HP Omen or Dell Alienware, but I don't think people on this forum favor that expensive/proprietary route.
 
OK, looks like I'm gonna have to learn a few new terms and do some research then.
I'll look into the Radeon, it's the same brand as my current card.

Thanks for the advice!
 
Here is an example build for you -

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/JVcCnp

PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/JVcCnp

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 7600X 4.7 GHz 6-Core Processor ($169.00 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler ($35.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus TUF GAMING B650E-PLUS WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard ($189.99 @ Best Buy)
Memory: TEAMGROUP T-Create Expert 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL38 Memory ($78.98 @ Amazon)
Storage: Silicon Power UD90 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($89.97 @ Newegg Sellers)
Video Card: Sapphire PULSE Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB Video Card ($379.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Phanteks XT PRO ATX Mid Tower Case ($68.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: MSI MAG A750GL PCIE5 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($99.97 @ Amazon)
Total: $1112.78
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-06-27 16:02 EDT-0400

For windows; I have bought dozens of keys from vipscdkeys over the last 7-8 years and never had an issue. Cost you around $20 that way.
 
The pcpartpicker builder feature makes it really easy, as you can see, and will warn you of any serious compatibility issues. It dynamically fetches pricing from all of the major retailers so you can just mix and match components to find what works best for you.

Free advice: Don't skimp on the power supply and motherboard, or settle for less than 12GB of vram on the video card. I'd avoid Intel 13 and 14 series CPUs too, as they have had historically catastrophic failure rates, and the microcode patches just keep coming. The latest being last month.
 
DAPUNISHER said:
The pcpartpicker builder feature makes it really easy, as you can see, and will warn you of any serious compatibility issues. It dynamically fetches pricing from all of the major retailers so you can just mix and match components to find what works best for you.

Free advice: Don't skimp on the power supply and motherboard, or settle for less than 12GB of vram on the video card. I'd avoid Intel 13 and 14 series CPUs too, as they have had historically catastrophic failure rates, and the microcode patches just keep coming. The latest being last month.
Click to expand...

That website is pretty cool, it wasn't around when I built my last PC in 2009!

I think I'm gonna go with the 16gb GPU @manly mentioned, a Ryzen 5 9600x and probably the mobo and power supply you suggested unless I find a great deal on something else comparable.

I'm also thinking about trying one of the all-in-one water CPU cooler, just because I haven't before.
 
Anyone see any bottlenecks or suggest any changes to this:

partspicker

I'm great at upselling myself on stuff, so if I can spend a few more bucks for a significantly better item I'm game.
 
The warning is correct that the board may not have a bios new enough to work with the Zen 5 CPU. At least you can return the board in store if you get it from Best Buy. Though buying from Amazon would pretty much guarantee the board is compatible due to volume of sales. I would not pay that much for OEM windows, and the Phantom Spirit is more than enough cooling and much easier to install. But we want what we want.

FYI: Memory training can take a while so do not be impatient when hitting the power button the first time. It may take a few minutes to finish.
 
Only thing I can suggest in addition, is if you can stretch it, go with an 8 core CPU if possible, as it seems like more games going forward are recommending it. Something like the Ryzen 9700X, or possibly a 7800X3D if you can find one on a good sale.

I totally agree with Dapunisher, save money with a cheaper Windows key, and possibly a cheaper cooler.
 
The optimal situation for DIY builders in the U.S. is if they live within driving distance of Micro Center.

If not and you're buying online, you should be prepared to pull the trigger on best deals during Prime Day. (Even if you can't support AMZN, other retailers will compete.)

The SSD in the OP's build list is a good deal, but it's DRAM-less and QLC. For an all new gaming build, I'd prefer a better SSD.* (The top-rated Samsung 990 PRO and WD_BLACK SN850x are rather expensive at $150.) The Crucial T500 is also very good, and currently discounted to $125. Although Prime Day is next week, this looks like the type of price you'll get on sale.

slickdeals.net

2TB Crucial T500 PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 Internal Gaming Solid State Drive w/ Heatsink $125 + Free Shipping

Amazon [amazon.com] has 2TB Crucial T500 PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 Internal Gaming Solid State Drive w/ Heatsink on sale for $124.99. Shipping is free. B&H Photo Video [bhphotovideo.com] also has 2TB Cr
slickdeals.net slickdeals.net

* In reality, you won't notice the performance difference but I'd rather spend a bit more for quality.

At the $100 price point, I'd favor the Corsair RM750e.
The RAM kit should have a little better latency and support EXPO.

Finally, Corsair 4000D RGB is on sale for $90:

www.corsair.com

iCUE 4000D RGB AIRFLOW Mid-Tower Case, True White - 3x AF120 RGB ELITE White Fans - iCUE Lighting Node PRO Controller - High-airflow Design

The CORSAIR 4000D RGB AIRFLOW is a mid-tower ATX case with high-airflow design, three included CORSAIR AF120 RGB ELITE fans providing exceptional cooling for your components.
www.corsair.com www.corsair.com


tcsenter said:
I just notice you can get W11 PRO OEM (System Builder) on Ebay for a decent price. e.g. ~ $35. About twice the dubious 'key only' websites but you get genuine system builder pack with media.
Click to expand...
technically these must be sold with specific hardware. If you're breaking the rules anyway, I don't see why not a "gray market" online key OR Massgrave.
 
manly said:
That RAM will work, but here's the equivalent with AMD EXPO support:

Click to expand...


Haha... well, heres how dumb I am.

I figured out how to cancel the NewEgg order and did.
While rebuilding it to order the ram you suggested, I realized that was the one I ordered, but I just put the wrong item in the partspicker... so my new order was exactly the same as the original.

Oh well, thanks for looking out for me!
 
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