Discussion What would you say to this person?

pr0t0typ3

Junior Member
May 13, 2016
3
0
36
My not-tech-savvy friend asked me to help building him a new PC for streaming and gaming. I told him that he is just in time, Ryzen 3000 is coming. He thought about it and said he refuses to build a Ryzen-based PC and also refuses to wait for 2 weeks for the reviews, he wants to build and Intel-based system right now. Mind you, Intel prices still haven't changed, the 9900K is still 500+ usd, while its (at least) equivalent has been announced at 320 usd, not to mention the upgrade path and the option to step up later up to 16 cores, as opposed to buying into a platform which is a dead end already.

I tried everything but his decision is final, his reason being "I had Intel+Nvidia for the past 10+ years and it has been working fine."

I have 2 questions for you guys:

1: what is your message to this person?
2: how hard should I flame him in 3 weeks when Ryzen 3000 goes up for purchase and he will be sitting there with a brand new intel 9th gen system?
 

GrumpyMan

Diamond Member
May 14, 2001
5,778
262
136
Either way he goes, he will have a nice system for years. Go with the flo and help him either way.
 
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fleshconsumed

Diamond Member
Feb 21, 2002
6,483
2,352
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Meh, it's his money, he can do whatever he wants with it. You gave it a shot, he didn't listen, I wouldn't bother beyond this point.

I'm just curious as to why he asked for advice at all. If he knows he wants to go intel, then there is no decision to make, just get the best intel rig that his budget allows.
 

ozzy702

Golden Member
Nov 1, 2011
1,151
530
136
1) You already did your part as a friend. Just help him build his soon to be overpriced system. It will still likely have the fastest gaming performance available so if that's his primary use, it's not a big deal.

2) If he's your friend, don't flame him, it's immature and a waste of energy.
 

NTMBK

Lifer
Nov 14, 2011
10,207
4,939
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If it's going to make him happy, who cares? If an AMD system is going to leave him unhappy, with a niggling doubt that he should have gone Intel, then the extra $150 is well spent. It's a toy and a hobby, its entire purpose is to make him happy.
 

Topweasel

Diamond Member
Oct 19, 2000
5,436
1,654
136
If it's going to make him happy, who cares? If an AMD system is going to leave him unhappy, with a niggling doubt that he should have gone Intel, then the extra $150 is well spent. It's a toy and a hobby, its entire purpose is to make him happy.

That a good point when helping a friend even if it's for the better if they are sold on one point and you talk them out of it they will blame that first with every issue and blame you for suggesting it. I had one friend per my req get a 290x because it was the fastest, but also much cheaper then the Nvidia alternative (well for a couple months there). But warned him to get proper cooling. So he decides after getting it to get an ITX setup. First was the overscan settings Nvidia tends to default so that picture extends a little past the screen, AMD where the picture is sucked in slightly. You don't realize the Nvidia setting easily unless you are looking but the AMD one is really easy to see. So I tell him how to change it. But he is screeming in the phone about how AMD is crap and he should have known better. Then of course it overheats and he eventually trades it at MC.
 
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scannall

Golden Member
Jan 1, 2012
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If it's going to make him happy, who cares? If an AMD system is going to leave him unhappy, with a niggling doubt that he should have gone Intel, then the extra $150 is well spent. It's a toy and a hobby, its entire purpose is to make him happy.
Well of course it's his money. I'd only argue that if someone wants me to help them with something for a hobby it needs to interest me. If the OP has no interest in helping him with an Intel system, then he shouldn't. That time is better spent doing something that interests them. We all have the right to say no of course. It just doesn't get exercised often enough. ;-)
 
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Kenmitch

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
8,505
2,248
136
I'd just let him live with his choices. If he's got his mind made already let it be. There's nothing wrong with telling him what you'd choose if it was your money.
 

DrMrLordX

Lifer
Apr 27, 2000
21,570
10,762
136
@pr0t0typ3

Dude just wants to run blue/green. It'd be like trying to tell me to get an Intel chip in 2021 if they come out with a 7nm barnstormer (odds are, I won't). Some folks are just helpless partisans.
 
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amrnuke

Golden Member
Apr 24, 2019
1,181
1,772
136
My not-tech-savvy friend asked me to help building him a new PC for streaming and gaming. I told him that he is just in time, Ryzen 3000 is coming. He thought about it and said he refuses to build a Ryzen-based PC and also refuses to wait for 2 weeks for the reviews, he wants to build and Intel-based system right now. Mind you, Intel prices still haven't changed, the 9900K is still 500+ usd, while its (at least) equivalent has been announced at 320 usd, not to mention the upgrade path and the option to step up later up to 16 cores, as opposed to buying into a platform which is a dead end already.

I tried everything but his decision is final, his reason being "I had Intel+Nvidia for the past 10+ years and it has been working fine."

I have 2 questions for you guys:

1: what is your message to this person?
2: how hard should I flame him in 3 weeks when Ryzen 3000 goes up for purchase and he will be sitting there with a brand new intel 9th gen system?

My questions for you:

- does he have a budget?
- does he have a timeframe?
 

Campy

Senior member
Jun 25, 2010
785
171
116
Spec a good Intel build for him. People will always be more satisfied buying the things they want, and you just know he'll blame you if there is ANY small problem or hickup if he goes with the AMD system you recommend him.

If he realizes in a few weeks that he should have listened to you, just laugh at him and say "I told you so". He will only be able to blame himself and maybe he'll be more open minded next time.
 

DrMrLordX

Lifer
Apr 27, 2000
21,570
10,762
136
just know he'll blame you if there is ANY small problem or hickup if he goes with the AMD system you recommend him.

Indeed. He'll just tell you, "Intel just works!" or what have you. Plus, if the guy is on a budget, trying to build a new Matisse system on X470 (or cheaper) may come with a mountain of headaches.
 

Kedas

Senior member
Dec 6, 2018
355
339
136
It's better he learns from it for the next generation, because people stop using a brand because they had one problem with it, it's just statistics you got lucky/unlucky.
But if he buys an AMD and he is part of these unlucky few he will blame AMD and you for it.
So let him buy an intel if he is the unlucky one this time he may even say, I should have listened to you and bought an AMD system ;) (it may not have changed his luck though)
 

BurnItDwn

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
26,065
1,550
126
Meh, for gaming and streaming, he's probably fine with an i3 and slap a decent GPU in there and 16GB of ram. He can get an i5 or i7 if budget allows, but, more or less anything decent should get the job done.

Next gen Ryzen will probably offer more bang for the buck, but, the choices these days are "good vs better" and not "right vs wrong"



edit:

This is typed on a i5 2400 running at stock speed with cheap old 8gb ddr :)
 
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ehume

Golden Member
Nov 6, 2009
1,511
73
91
. . . It's a toy . . .
While I agree that he should buy what makes him happy, I don't think of an i7 9900k as a "toy." Just for example, I am typing this on an i7 4770k system, six generations, six generations old and still going strong. You could probably say the same for an AMD system -- these top systems seem to age well.
 

NTMBK

Lifer
Nov 14, 2011
10,207
4,939
136
While I agree that he should buy what makes him happy, I don't think of an i7 9900k as a "toy." Just for example, I am typing this on an i7 4770k system, six generations, six generations old and still going strong. You could probably say the same for an AMD system -- these top systems seem to age well.

It's a luxury purchase purely for the purpose of entertainment; I class that as a toy. It's not a necessity, and he's not buying it to use as a tool.
 

NTMBK

Lifer
Nov 14, 2011
10,207
4,939
136
Meh, for gaming and streaming, he's probably fine with an i3 and slap a decent GPU in there and 16GB of ram. He can get an i5 or i7 if budget allows, but, more or less anything decent should get the job done.

Next gen Ryzen will probably offer more bang for the buck, but, the choices these days are "good vs better" and not "right vs wrong"



edit:

This is typed on a i5 2400 running at stock speed with cheap old 8gb ddr :)

Buying an i3 for gaming right now would be a mistake, in my opinion. Next gen consoles are coming next year, which means games are going to be built for 8 Zen cores instead of 8 Jaguar cores.
 

BurnItDwn

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
26,065
1,550
126
Buying an i3 for gaming right now would be a mistake, in my opinion. Next gen consoles are coming next year, which means games are going to be built for 8 Zen cores instead of 8 Jaguar cores.
Ehh, You are probably right, sooner or later there is bound to be a game that wants more juice.

I'd still consider buying an i3 for like $150 and then if/when an upgrade is needed in a few years, upgrade the CPU to a used whatever is faster that works in the same socket....
 
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ondma

Platinum Member
Mar 18, 2018
2,717
1,278
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I say more power to him. Support the "underdog", at least according to this forum.
 

Markfw

Moderator Emeritus, Elite Member
May 16, 2002
25,438
14,406
136
I say more power to him. Support the "underdog", at least according to this forum.
Give me a break... Intel may be in a slump, but you know they still OWN the market, at least for now. They don't deserve to, but they do, and they will as long as people like you keep feeding them cash with your purchases.

underdog......
 
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guachi

Senior member
Nov 16, 2010
761
415
136
You aren't being asked to help him, you're being asked to validate his choice.

"Good luck with that" is the appropriate answer.
 
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