Question Partial rebuild for Ryzen 3900x

[Fardringle]

Answers from the "sticky":

1. I'm looking to (finally) upgrade my very old main home PC. Primary uses are light gaming and heavy distributed computing (BOINC projects).

2. I'd really like to keep the budget around or below $800. Definitely need to keep it under $1000. I know that limits things, but it's all the boss (wife) will agree too. If she had her way, I wouldn't upgrade at all.

3. All parts will be purchased in the US.

5. Not a fanboy, but the Ryzen 3900x seems to be the best option for me right now to get as many fast CPU cores as possible on a limited budget for distributed computing projects.

6. Current PC is i7-3770, 32GB DDR3 RAM, 512GB Samsung EVO 850 SATA SSD, 2TB Western Digital HDD, EVGA GTX 1060, Corsair CX500 PSU, Corsair Carbide Air 540 case.
I'll be keeping the case, the SSD, the HDD, and the GTX 1060 (will probably upgrade the SSD to a cheap NVMe and maybe the GTX 1060 to something else eventually, but not any time soon). Might need to replace the PSU since it has two 6-pin PCIe connectors but only one 8-pin CPU connector and is only 500 watts.

7. Very light overclocking, if any at all. Not necessary, especially if running at stock will make it so the CX500 PSU will work.

8. 1080p light gaming

9. Want to build as soon as I sort out the best parts to get, but I can wait if price drops are expected in the near future.

10. No software really needed, but a 'discount' Windows 10 license could be useful to find in case my current license (upgraded to 10 from Windows 7) won't transfer.

These are my current thoughts on parts, but I'm not stuck on any of them except the Ryzen CPU:

CPU: Ryzen 9 3900X with Wraith Prism cooler: $450 from lots of places. Don't see it offered anywhere without the cooler. Microcenter has it for $399, but the closest one is about 800 miles away. I'd REALLY love to get the 3950X, but at almost twice the price it won't fit my budget.

Motherboard: Don't know. x570 is the best overall, but seem to all be well over $300. I've read that B450 boards are a good option for much lower cost for people who aren't using NVMe 4.0 drives (I won't be). A couple of sites recommended MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon (about $150).

RAM: Corsair Vengeance 3200MHz CL16 2x16GB - $147 and Crucial Ballistix 3600MHz CL16 2x16GB - $186 seem to be most recommended budget options, assuming they are on the QVL for the motherboard. 3600MHz is definitely preferred for my primary usage (distributed computing), but 3200MHz is fine if needed to fit the budget. I don't care about the color of the RAM, and definitely don't care if it has LED lights. Prefer not to have LEDs...

If the chosen motherboard has 4 RAM slots, then I can start with 2x8GB for now to save some money and get another 2x8GB later, but I will definitely want 32GB total eventually as some DC projects use a lot of RAM and I don't want to starve the 24 cores/threads of the CPU. If the board only has 2 slots, then I need to get 2x16GB right away.

PSU: If the current Corsair CX500 PSU will work, that's ideal as it leaves more of the $800 budget goal for RAM/motherboard. If not, then a good budget suggestion is appreciated. If the CX500 is borderline but will work short term, then I can get better RAM/Motherboard now and a better PSU later. I've run the build through several PSU calculators and all say that the system at 100% load will pull around 400 watts. I can also pull the 2TB HDD for a while if that will help make the CX500 work. The HDD just stores my movie collection so it doesn't necessarily have to be connected continuously.

 

[Fardringle]

Thanks again for the advice.

I hope that the BIOS is current enough that CPU compatibility won't be a problem out of the box, since the X470 doesn't appear to support BIOS Flashback, and I don't have access to any other AMD processors to stick in the board to do an update...

 

[mopardude87]

Amazon says they will have the Fuma 2 back in stock for $60 in about a week on 5/7, and Microcenter dropped the price a little on the Seasonic Focus Plus 650 Watt Gold PSU making it slightly less painful on the budget.

However, everywhere I've looked online says that the Gigabyte Aorus Elite X570 (and the wifi version) is out of stock with no expected stock dates, so I'd appreciate a pointer to someone that has it in stock. Or if not, a good alternative board that is in stock and compatible RAM to go with it.

Thanks!

I had to keep that mobo open the non wifi version in another tab for Newegg shopping, supply on it kept going in and out of stock. I finally had the funds for the thing then it was in stock AGAIN and i jumped on it on late Thursday evening. I also opted for the B450 Tomahawk Max as a cheap alternative and hold me over. Luckily landed the GB. Pairing it with 16gb of 3600mhz ram and a 3900x. Folder/gamer build here hopefully can do both same time later on with dual gpu and new psu perhaps. Will see how that holds up.

I got the very same psu, its pretty awesome. My first time using the brand and sold. I used to be into those cheap CX units myself for budget builds but this one is gonna be in a realm of overkill and well it felt better to spend coin on the life of the rig so to speak.

 

[Fardringle]

I had to keep that mobo open the non wifi version in another tab for Newegg shopping, supply on it kept going in and out of stock. I finally had the funds for the thing then it was in stock AGAIN and i jumped on it on late Thursday evening. I also opted for the B450 Tomahawk Max as a cheap alternative and hold me over. Luckily landed the GB.

I've been doing the same thing with tabs on NewEgg, BHPhoto, Amazon, and BestBuy, for both the normal and wifi versions of hte Gigabyte and ASUS boards, refreshing the tabs occasionally, hoping to catch one in stock. No luck so far.

 

[mopardude87]

I've been doing the same thing with tabs on NewEgg, BHPhoto, Amazon, and BestBuy, for both the normal and wifi versions of hte Gigabyte and ASUS boards, refreshing the tabs occasionally, hoping to catch one in stock. No luck so far.

Good luck with whatever comes your way! Hopefully you land one soon.

 

[Fardringle]

Good luck with whatever comes your way! Hopefully you land one soon.

Me too. I have everything else ordered and on its way. But can't do anything without a motherboard..

I'll probably grab that X470 Taichi if I can't get my hands on one of the X570 boards in the next week or so.

 

[Meghan54]

Me too. I have everything else ordered and on its way. But can't do anything without a motherboard..

I'll probably grab that X470 Taichi if I can't get my hands on one of the X570 boards in the next week or so.

Gonna tell you now (as if you don't already see it happening)...you snooze, you lose.

My "local" MicroCenters are almost completely devoid of both B450 and X570 motherboards. Two weeks ago, they were awash with them.

And cpu prices are creeping. The AMD 3600X, 3700X, 3800X and 3900X have all increased prices slightly over the past few weeks....$10-$20 ea.

 

[Fardringle]

If anybody else needs one, NewEgg just got the X570 Aorus Elite Wifi back in stock. It probably won't stay that way very long.
Mine should be delivered on 5/8, just in time to put the system together this weekend.

 

[mopardude87]

If anybody else needs one, NewEgg just got the X570 Aorus Elite Wifi back in stock. It probably won't stay that way very long.
Mine should be delivered on 5/8, just in time to put the system together this weekend.

Nice congrats!

 

[StefanR5R]

I'm looking to (finally) upgrade my very old main home PC. Primary uses are light gaming and heavy distributed computing (BOINC projects).
[...]
Might need to replace the PSU since it has two 6-pin PCIe connectors but only one 8-pin CPU connector and is only 500 watts.

In theory, a single CPU connector should be fine, as long as any weird vendor presets in the BIOS are being corrected to sane values. (For instance, avoid PBO or overvolting.)

What's more, for 24/7/365 all core load, change the power limit from "bogus desktop mode" to "sane DC mode":

• 3900X turned into a 3900 and cinebenched with a powermeter
• 3950X computational throughput at stock and in eco mode
• @biodoc's posts on CPU power connectors, voltages, and further voltages

 

[mopardude87]

In theory, a single CPU connector should be fine, as long as any weird vendor presets in the BIOS are being corrected to sane values. (For instance, avoid PBO or overvolting.)

What's more, for 24/7/365 all core load, change the power limit from "bogus desktop mode" to "sane DC mode":

• 3900X turned into a 3900 and cinebenched with a powermeter
• 3950X computational throughput at stock and in eco mode
• @biodoc's posts on CPU power connectors, voltages, and further voltages

I didn't see anything for power numbers, i am contemplating adding a 1070 perhaps to my folder with the 1080ti as a hold me over till the 3080ti arrives then doubling down on those if the price is right. I am curious if a Seasonic Focus 650w Gold could handle all three assuming the cpu really does use that much less power in Eco mode?. Its that or prob a 1650 or the super variant perhaps.

 

[Fardringle]

I didn't see anything for power numbers, i am contemplating adding a 1070 perhaps to my folder with the 1080ti as a hold me over till the 3080ti arrives then doubling down on those if the price is right. I am curious if a Seasonic Focus 650w Gold could handle all three assuming the cpu really does use that much less power in Eco mode?. Its that or prob a 1650 or the super variant perhaps.

Since you mentioned Folding...
The 1080ti uses about 215-250 watts under full load.
The 1070 uses about 170-180 watts.

Ryzen 5 processors are rated to use about 65 watts but can spike to 80 or more if PBO is enabled.

The Ryzen 9 3900X is rated to use 105 watts and I've seen some reviews that show it using as much as twice that with PBO.

If you aren't stressing the CPU, you might be ok with two GPUs and a 650 Watt PSU. The problem will be that the Seasonic doesn't have four PCIe power connections (two for each GPU)...

 

[StefanR5R]

@mopardude87, the CPU is not going to use more than what is set as the PPT Limit ("package power tracking" limit, sometimes also called package power target). This works just like the Board Power Limit of the graphics cards.

The Ryzen 9 3900X is rated to use 105 watts and I've seen some reviews that show it using as much as twice that with PBO.

105 W is the practically meaningless TDP (by default).
The much more relevant PPT is 142 W (by default, and that's both rather high for a desktop processor in general, and needlessly high for a 12-core 7nm processor in particular).
I don't recall whether or not PBO changes the PPT; from a quick look at an early review with respectively early firmware, it does not.

Of course vendor BIOS defaults can be all over the place. Anybody who cares about power consumption is hopefully able to review the BIOS settings and correct graver mistakes that might have been made by the BIOS vendor.

 

[mopardude87]

Yeah i decided i will opt for a 850w-1000w then pick prob a 2060/1070. Not gonna bother with anything less. Prob the 1000w for good measure since i will get a new motherboard, perhaps a 32 thread 4000 series Ryzen and dual 3080/3080ti before end of year.

Thanks guys for the feedback.

 

[mopardude87]

Edit: forums running at snails pace i got error about it not posting i tried again and it became double sorry.