Question Passion Project Build for my 5th Grader

[blckgrffn]

My 5th Grader is in a curriculum where each year they work on a “Passion Project” and learn about a topic and then do a presentation/demo of it for their class and then an open to the community booth, like a science fair.

Spoiler: The Long Story

When my son was in the same grade, his big project was learning about the parts of the PC and putting together his “new” one. He also changed into this school just for 5th grade so this whole thing was new to us, and he let us know how serious it was the weekend before it was due. Cue a trip to Microcenter (because!), breaking out the precious NIB GPU from my stash, and a multipart video he made where he “demonstrated” how to build a PC. Good times and he uses his computer a lot, it was a really popular project with the other students and parents alike.

So it’s time to do it again. GPU’s are super weird again because why not? She also got a mild refresh at the same time that I upgraded his setup. Currently she has a 9700K/32GB/1TB NVME setup with an AMD (like what you bought at AMD.com) 6700XT. For what she does - which is usually Minecraft and Roblox and Stumble guys (sigh) and the odd Helldivers or Halo she plays with me - it works really well despite a huge old pro 2560*1600 monitor.

So what to use? I’ve got three choices, below. My general thoughts:

1. Use the 12600K and 32GB of DDR5 I have on hand along with a new Z790 board to create a “modern” build (about $150)
2. Use a x470 and 32GB of DDR4 I have along with a 5700x3D to create a nice gamer PC but with some outdated bits (about $220). I have a 5700G in the board now, so it’s not like I have no CPU for this combo. The 5700G seems to be an exceedingly small jump from the 9700k, however.
3. Microcenter trip, go get a $400 9700x/B650 bundles with 32GB of ARGB ram and live in 2025

Budget is of secondary concern, we’ll be doing a new case, PSU and all fans to ensure the mechanical bits are as fresh as possible, the only old fans will be those on the GPU. But will she be able to tell is the real question?

Thanks @IEC for selling me the parts - that I had other plans for at the time - to make this complicated

Interested in your thoughts and why

 

[DAPUNISHER]

I think my son did it for 6th grade? IIRC it was a FM2 APU system he built.

I voted 3D for a single reason. It is looking like the last of the ZIF PGA platforms. Neat part of history to be a part of IMO, and good opportunity to learn about PGA vs LGA pros and cons.

Now second guessing myself. A trip to MicroCenter would be a good experience for her too. I've never been to one, if I lived near enough I'd haunt the place.

 

[igor_kavinski]

Hey, you know what would be really awesome? Your child putting together a 285K build and beating everyone on HWbot by discovering one neat little trick in the BIOS

 

[blckgrffn]

I think my son did it for 6th grade? IIRC it was a FM2 APU system he built.

I voted 3D for a single reason. It is looking like the last of the ZIF PGA platforms. Neat part of history to be a part of IMO, and good opportunity to learn about PGA vs LGA pros and cons.

Now second guessing myself. A trip to MicroCenter would be a good experience for her too. I've never been to one, if I lived near enough I'd haunt the place.

I think in this economy the correct answer is "Yes."

I just bought a nice board for the 12600k at what I feel is a fair price. A 1200k is a solid processor until we get another console refresh, IMO. I have an 8600K setup that I will likely retire to a local kiddo at a very affordable price while keeping my own kit "up to date".



I think I will also take her down to MC and pickup a bundle. Trying to figure it out, a little bummed that you have to go a 9900X - and its multi ccd wonkiness - to get a real premium board in an AMD bundle atm. 9700X is a big step up from a 9700K and I think it delivers most of the gaming performance of the AM4 x3D parts while being fully modern.

The X470 has a 5700G in it and it runs very well like that - I think that's the answer or swap the 5700G into my wife's desktop and move her 3600 into that for another pretty solid setup.

I don't like hearing how much more this stuff could cost soon. I can afford some technology hedging, I can't justify an "extra" car at the moment

 

[igor_kavinski]

That Velocita mobo is NICE!

Don't skimp on DDR5 speed.

This is cheap: https://www.newegg.com/corsair-32gb-ddr5-7000/p/N82E16820982106

Hopefully it's just a "Click XMP and it works!" kit.

 

[manly]

I'm a proponent of using what you already have, so I'd go with door #2.
I didn't really see any case for why this needs to be a 9700X or better?

Also saves you the trouble of reselling the old kit.