Long overdue upgrade MB, CPU & RAM - advice plz

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UsandThem

Elite Member
May 4, 2000
16,068
7,383
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I just looked into this myself. I've seen and heard of some crazy crap but damn, cryptocurrency mining with video cards. WTF?
Maybe they should just make mining specific cards and let us users get back to buying and using video cards for video. Now I'm priced out of buying a new video card without getting ripped off. I'm going to really have to wait this mining craze out. Damn

Yeah, I knew AMD cards were priced sky-high, but I didn't know it affected Nvidia cards until last night when I looked at the for sale forum here. I saw someone selling some used Nvidia cards and the prices were so high I thought "Are they insane?". I then looked and saw how high prices were. For example, the GTX 1060 I bought in December is $100 more expensive than it was then. The retailers are definitely enjoying much higher profit margins right now.
 

EL Pistoffo

Member
Apr 19, 2017
54
2
16
I finally decide to upgrade my 6 yr old video card and it's at the moment that video card prices are artificially inflated to absurd prices. Just my luck.
New PC builders are pretty much screwed right now, unreal.

I don't know how long this mining craze will last but hopefully no more than a few months.
 

Indus

Lifer
May 11, 2002
15,608
10,876
136
I finally decide to upgrade my 6 yr old video card and it's at the moment that video card prices are artificially inflated to absurd prices. Just my luck.
New PC builders are pretty much screwed right now, unreal.

I don't know how long this mining craze will last but hopefully no more than a few months.

Yes I am holding off on a video card upgrade. Still using my GTX 660 @ 1440p but even I know it needs an upgrade.
 
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EL Pistoffo

Member
Apr 19, 2017
54
2
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BTW... how did the Windows 10 install go...?

It went rather well. I made a boot USB with an image file of Win 10 LTSB and then installed quickly without a hitch. I'm actually liking Windows 10 a lot more than I thought I would. My system is snappy and all the Windows features and operations work flawlessly, it's really surprising. I activated my copy and all is good.

My biggest issue now is video. I'm starting to play newer games and my HD 5870 is struggling pretty badly and I have no recourse to solve it. All the video cards I'm interested in and/or willing to buy are out of stock, EVERYWHERE! When they are back in stock they sellout within seconds, literally. Scalpers are selling a few at ridiculous prices, sometimes double MSRP. The crypto-miners are really doing a number on the supply and price and it just seems to be getting worse. I was a few months too late.
This is reminiscent of the ammo shortage years ago. Getting your hands on just about any caliber of ammo was nearly impossible with high prices from scalpers.
 

UsandThem

Elite Member
May 4, 2000
16,068
7,383
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This is reminiscent of the ammo shortage years ago. Getting your hands on just about any caliber of ammo was nearly impossible with high prices from scalpers.

Yup that really sucked. I couldn't buy normal priced 22lr ammo for years. Stock at normal stores sold as soon as it came off of a truck.

Hopefully the mining will soon peter out pretty quickly like it did last time. So many new people are entering into it right now, it will eventually be over-saturated. I know it sucks to wait, but you will be glad you didn't overpay. It's the same reason I refused to buy a Nintendo Classic for my kids.....I'm not paying 4x the MSRP for it.
 
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EL Pistoffo

Member
Apr 19, 2017
54
2
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Yup that really sucked. I couldn't buy normal priced 22lr ammo for years. Stock at normal stores sold as soon as it came off of a truck.

Hopefully the mining will soon peter out pretty quickly like it did last time. So many new people are entering into it right now, it will eventually be over-saturated. I know it sucks to wait, but you will be glad you didn't overpay. It's the same reason I refused to buy a Nintendo Classic for my kids.....I'm not paying 4x the MSRP for it.

Yeah, 22lr was the toughest. I had to search hard to scrape up whatever I could at Walmarts. I now keep a healthy surplus of ammo so as to avoid this next time, maybe even make a little extra money.

The vid card will have to wait. The Vega will be rolling out soon. I'll have to see how that affects the supply of other cards as well as the planned advent of specialized mining cards.
 
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dlerious

Platinum Member
Mar 4, 2004
2,084
890
136
I managed to pick up a RX580 in March without too much trouble. Looked for a 2nd one too late, I wasn't going to pay double or more. Got tired of waiting and grabbed a Strix GTX1070 OC for $389 (cheaper than the 580's that were in stock). Waiting to see what Vega looks like.

The upside: Once the craze is over, you might be able to pick up a 580 for $100 or less.
downside: You have to wait.
 

dlerious

Platinum Member
Mar 4, 2004
2,084
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That's the big question. Nvidia has mining specific cards, AMD was supposed to be working on one. Ethereum will hit proof of stake before year end.

Personally, next week would be great.
 

EL Pistoffo

Member
Apr 19, 2017
54
2
16
Maybe in time for Black Friday? LOL That's a long time to have to play Dark Souls III on 720p.

I just glanced at new egg, RX 580 4GB in-stock around $700, 8GB $800. Now that the miners have decimated the AMD supply and prices they are turning their attention to Nvidia. GTX 1060 6GB are starting to hit $700. Bastards!!!
 

UsandThem

Elite Member
May 4, 2000
16,068
7,383
146
Maybe in time for Black Friday? LOL That's a long time to have to play Dark Souls III on 720p.

I just glanced at new egg, RX 580 4GB in-stock around $700, 8GB $800. Now that the miners have decimated the AMD supply and prices they are turning their attention to Nvidia. GTX 1060 6GB are starting to hit $700. Bastards!!!

That's also Newegg milking the situation. Just like they do when a new console launches and they force you to buy a $1000 bundle. You know AMD and Nvidia did not increase their wholesale prices that much.

//EDIT//

It seems like those prices are from 3rd party sellers. All of those cards show out of stock when selecting Newegg as the seller. Try using this site to catch cards in stock. I used it when the 960 EVO was hard to come by:

http://www.nowinstock.net/computers/videocards/
 
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dlerious

Platinum Member
Mar 4, 2004
2,084
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I was checking nowinstock for a month or so. Looking at recent history, the RX580's were selling out within 10 minutes or less.

Newegg had raised their prices by about $30-$50, they must not be getting much stock in because they limit you(or me at least) to 1 per order. Last I looked OutletPC was one of those 3rd parties charging outrageous prices. Made sure to note that, as I will avoid buying anything from them (they come up on pcpartpicker).
 

EL Pistoffo

Member
Apr 19, 2017
54
2
16
I was checking nowinstock for a month or so. Looking at recent history, the RX580's were selling out within 10 minutes or less.

I think you're being generous there. My last few notifications for RX 580's being in stock were sold out within seconds.