GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

wiredotter14,
I was just mentioning how those stock coolers tend to run incredibly hot...
For me, for example, the processor is sitting at a steady 63°F, yet the fan is already screaming along at 1760 rpm.

Alexander Flores3 said:Tim Cook,

I'm in a spot where I can't afford the top-of-the-line stuff. The cheapest cooling option I found is Cloud9 from $97, and it even works for those old 775 sockets...
I've only got enough cash for used gear, and people just keep making fun of me for it...
I barely scraped together enough for a used 19-inch Dell monitor...

As for the cooling...
sometimes, whenever the power flickers, my power supply fan starts whining...

So I'm thinking about maybe getting a newer PSU, maybe 550-600W, just so it has the 6 and 8-pin connectors... I really don't want to mess around with adapters...

There are all kinds of people out there these days🥱

By the way, while we're on the subject of monitors,
mine is actually a used one from back in 2008—it's just a 19'' display with a 1280x1024 resolution at 60hz (16:10 ratio)
and I've still got my VGA, DVI-I, and a 3.5 mm jack for speakers...

Wait, is someone actually trolling right now? 😁

swiftfalcon89 said:Wait, is this some kind of joke or what? 😁

🍿

Alexander Flores3 said:Tiki,

I’m in a bit of a spot right now. I just don't have the cash to drop on the latest, top-of-the-line gear. Honestly, what's the move? For me, the cheapest cooling option out there is the FaZe Clan setup. $97Wait, doesn't that work for the 775 socket too?

Wait, what?! Are you kidding me?
No money for an upgrade? So what are you supposed to do? Just sit there and stare at a screen for ten years? It’s frustrating, isn't it? $100 Looking for better cooling? Seriously, just grab any FaZe Clan cooler you can find. $50 I mean, you're basically Zlatan. For example: Hey. Or? Hey. Or? Wait, what? I don't understand. What was that? Is there more you wanted to say? Hey. Is it seriously any better? Honestly, I’m not seeing it. $6.75 It’s more expensive. Seriously, why would you waste your hard-earned money on a piece of junk?

Andrew Fox74,

I’m thinking about putting together a build down the road that’s just straightforward and functional—nothing flashy like RGB lighting, LEDs, or tempered glass cases...

To be more specific, I want to stick with my current case, grab a new power supply with at least 600W that has the right connectors for the GPU (either 6-pin or 8-pin), and hunt down these parts:

CPU: i7-6700
RAM: 16 GB at 2166 MHz
HDD:😳my old 500 GB drive
SSD: 120 or 240 GB (which one would you recommend?)
GPU: RTX 3060
Cooling: any decent FaZe Clan cooler
PSU: 600W (with 6-pin/8-pin support)

By the way, is it possible to secure an SSD using zip ties on the side of the case to stop it from vibrating, and then just plug it in with a SATA cable later on?

Alexander Flores3 said:Andrew Fox74,

I want to build something down the road that’s just normal—no RGB, no LEDs, no tempered glass nonsense...

Basically, keep this old case, grab a new power supply with at least 600W and the right GPU connectors (6-pin or 8-pin), and find these parts:

CPU: i7-6700
RAM: 16GB @ 2166 MHz
HDD:😳 my old 500GB one
SSD: 120 or 240 GB (whichever is better)
GPU: RTX 3060
Cooling: any decent FaZe Clan model
PSU: 600W (6-pin, 8-pin)

btw, can I just tape the SSD to the side of the case so it doesn't vibrate? Then plug it in with a SATA cable later?

An SSD won't vibrate because there are zero moving parts. Stick it wherever you want.

Thanks for the advice, User123.
I saw this video where a guy didn't have the actual mounting bracket for his SSD,
so he just used some screws to secure it directly to the side panel near the HDD and optical drive bays...

I'm currently deciding whether to toss in either a 120 GB Patriot Burst or this 256 GB Crucial 850...
It'll just be one of those two...

You could actually mount an SSD inside your case using some insulation if you really wanted to—since there aren't any moving parts, there’s nothing to vibrate like > was suggesting. I actually treated myself to this drive at the start of the year because the price-to-capacity ratio was just unbeatable... I picked up a 2TB 😲 https://www.amazon.com/product/example...98%2E600%2E150 for only $600. It’s looking a little pricier now, though...

Alexander Flores3 said:Thanks for the tip.
I saw this video where some guy didn't have the actual mounting bracket for his SSD,
so he just used some side screws to strap it onto the same section where the HDDs go...

I was thinking about throwing in either a Patriot Blast 120GB or maybe an EVO 256GB...
just one of those two...

That’s called an SSD tray, and you just slide it right into the HDD slot. You can find them on eBay for next to nothing. When I picked up an extra SSD a while back and didn't have any open 2.5" bays left, I had to wait about a month and a half for my order from overseas to arrive. In the meantime, the drive was basically just "hanging" inside the case, but honestly, it worked without any issues at all.

swiftfalcon89 said:It’s just an SSD mounting tray that slides right into the HDD slot. You can find them on eBay for next to nothing. When I picked up another SSD and ran out of 2.5" bays, I had to wait about a month and a half for my order from overseas to arrive—until then, the drive was basically just "hanging" inside the case, but hey, it worked perfectly fine.

Mall $4.25 trays, they even had z $3.00

Mine is literally leaning on just one screw on one side, and it's been like this for months.

Sent from my LG-M700 via Reddit app

Alright... this isn't really the main topic, but since you all have already given this guy advice, I guess you could toss me a recommendation for a 120GB SSD too.

Adata SU650 for $50

swiftfalcon89...

Does a Pentium count as an APU processor?

Alexander Flores3 said:swiftfalcon89...

Is a Pentium considered an APU?

No.

swiftfalcon89 said:An Adata SU650 for about $50

Thanks!

What kind of build would this end up being...?

•Processor: Intel Core i3 with integrated graphics – $250
•Motherboard: ASRock A320M-HDV R3.0 – $127
•Memory: 2x4GB RAM – $133
•Hard Drive: 500 GB / 7200 RPM – $100
•Case (no power supply included) – $57
•Power Supply – $83
SSD (Crucial BX500 240 GB):$95
Total:$845

Just trying to find the absolute cheapest way to get into gaming...

Alexander Flores3 said:What kind of build is this...?

• CPU: Intel Core i3 with integrated graphics – $250
• Motherboard: ASRock A320M-HDV R3.0 – $127
• RAM: 2x4GB – $133
• HDD: 500 GB / 7200 RPM – $100
• Case (no PSU included) – $57
• PSU – $83
SSD (Crucial BX500 240 GB):$95
Total:$845

Cheapest possible gaming setup...

For a couple extra bucks, you could get a 1TB drive...