I'm leaning towards thinking this Acer would probably be the most solid option here. Since both the processor and the graphics card are from the newer generations and are fairly power-efficient, I guess it might actually be possible to squeeze at least 6 hours of battery life out of it.
I'd say you definitely need to have at least 16GB of RAM under your belt. As for the GPU, I'm honestly not entirely sure if any of those specific programs are actually going to push the limits of a GTX 1050 ti enough to make that extra power or VRAM feel necessary, but if this setup is meant for professional work and you're planning on keeping it for a while, I guess it might be worth just grabbing something more powerful to be safe.
It really caught me off guard. I went into this without knowing anything about the tragedy that actually happened, so the shock was pretty intense once it hit. I suppose it felt a bit like when that accident occurred over by Martha's Vineyard.
I guess that second-to-last HP model looks like the strongest option here. It’s got a solid processor, a decent graphics card, plenty of RAM, and an SSD. For the kind of software you're running, I suppose all those specs are pretty crucial
Maybe you could just grab a Ryzen with integrated graphics—it’ll give you desktop performance roughly on par with a GTX 1030—and then once prices settle down or this whole Bitcoin craze finally burns itself out, you can pick up a dedicated new or used GPU later on.
1 x AOC IPS 23.8" i2480SX, VGA, DVI 1 x AMD Ryzen 5 2400G Processor 1 x Gigabyte GA-AB350-Gaming WIFI, AM4, A350, D4, S3, ITX 1 x Intel SSD 545 1 x Patriot Viper4, 3000Mhz, 8GB (2x4GB), CL16 1 x Fractal Node 202, black without PSU, ITX 1 x Fortron SFX 400W power supply, 85+, A-PFC, bulk
That’s exactly why I was asking for clarification regarding his gaming setup and monitor size. A 32" screen isn't necessarily the right fit for everyone. He’ll definitely need Adobe, especially since he mentioned watching movies too.
A GT 1030? Honestly... if you aren't building this strictly for gaming, I’d say just throw in an AMD Ryzen 5 2400G instead. You could probably use what you save to pick up a much nicer monitor and maybe beef up the rest of the build a bit too.
I don't know, maybe I'm just a softie, but man, that movie really hits you right in the feels... It was honestly incredible, probably one of the best things Pixar has ever put out.
I'm looking for something on a budget that includes an SSD.
I guess I'm looking at a single Intel Core i3-6100 processor here, featuring an AM4 socket, clocking in at 3.1GHz with a 10MB cache, a QuadCore setup, and it comes bundled with the Wraith Stealth cooler. I suppose I'm looking at a single ASRock AB350M on the AM4 platform. I've got one MSI Aero GTX 1050 Ti 4GB 128bit GDDR5 available. I suppose I'm looking at one stick of 8GB Crucial DDR4 running at 2400 MT/s with CL17 timings. I suppose I'm looking at a single 256GB SanDisk X400 SSD. I suppose I'm looking at one 1TB Seagate Barracuda hard drive, a 3.5" model with a 32MB cache running on a SATA III-600 interface. I guess I've got one EVGA 450W 80+ Bronze power supply on hand. I've got one Zalman Z3, the black version with USB 3.0, featuring those three 120mm fans.
Total: $1741 I suppose I should probably weigh in on this, though I’m not entirely sure if my perspective actually matters here. It feels like there's a lot of noise surrounding these specific hardware configurations lately, and honestly, I find myself hesitating to commit to any single opinion without seeing more data. Maybe I'm being too cautious, but when you look at how these components interact—specifically when you're pairing something like an Intel Core i5-8400 with an ASUS Prime A320M-K—there are just so many variables that could go sideways. It isn't really a straightforward calculation, is it? You have the power draw from the EVGA 500W, the latency issues that might pop up with Corsair DDR4, and then you have to consider whether a GTX 1060 is even going to hold its own in modern titles given the way drivers are being optimized these days. I guess you could argue that it's a solid budget build, but I wouldn't go so far as to say it's foolproof. There are always bottlenecks lurking somewhere, whether it's the SATA speeds on a Seagate Barracuda or just general thermal throttling in a Corsair Mid Tower Case if the airflow isn't exactly right. I don't want to be overly blunt, but some of the suggestions I've seen floating around this thread seem a bit optimistic, perhaps even a little reckless. It's easy to talk about peak performance, but I tend to worry more about stability over a long period. If you aren't careful with your voltage settings or if you're trying to squeeze too much out of a limited power supply, you might end up regretting the whole setup. It's a delicate balance, I suppose, and I'm still undecided on which path makes the most sense for someone looking to build something reliable without breaking the bank.
I honestly thought the price was in dollars... Second attempt
1 x AOC IPS 23.8" i2480SX, VGA, DVI 1 x Microsoft Windows 10 64-bit American 1 x AMD Ryzen 3 4C/4T 1200 (3.1/3.4GHz Boost, 10MB, 65W, AM4) box, with Wraith Stealth cooler 1 x MSI Main Board Desktop B350M_BAZOOKA 1 x Gigabyte GF GTX 1060 WF2, 3GB GDDR5 1 x HDD Desktop Seagate BarraCuda (3.5", 1TB, 32MB, SATA III-600) 1 x Patriot Viper4, 3000Mhz, 8GB (2x4GB), CL16 1 x Fortron Hexa 85+ 450W, 80+ Bronze 1 x Kingston UV400 120GB SSD, SATA 1 x Zalman Z1, USB3.0 black, 2x120mm
I've got a single Dell 24" LED IPS monitor on hand—specifically the 24MP59G model. It features VGA and HDMI connectivity, supports G-Sync, and has a 1ms response time. One copy of Microsoft Windows 10 64-bit, American version. I suppose I'm looking at a single Intel Core i3-8100 desktop processor, the 3.6GHz version with 6MB cache on the LGA1151 socket, still in its original box. I've got one ASRock Z370 PRO4, LGA 1151 socket. I've got one Gigabyte RX 580 GAMING available, featuring 8GB of GDDR5 memory and equipped with both HDMI and DVI ports. I’ve got one 1TB Seagate BarraCuda desktop hard drive sitting here—it's a 3.5" model with 32MB cache, running on a SATA III-600 interface. I've got one Patriot Signature DDR4 kit here, running at 2400MHz, consisting of 8GB total via two 4GB sticks. I suppose I’m looking at a single Kingston UV400 240GB SSD here—it's the standard 2.5-inch, 7mm variety, running on a SATA 6 Gbit/s interface. I've got one Zalman Z3, the black USB 3.0 version, featuring those three 120mm fans. Just one Fortron Hexa 85+ 450W, rated at 80+ Bronze. Total: $3068
I’d say grabbing an Intel Core i5-8600K along with 16 GB of RAM, then just picking out a motherboard to round things out, is probably your best bet. I guess the cooler should fit just fine too. If you can't find what you need locally, maybe try looking at some online retailers like Newegg.
I mean, they should probably just grab a used i5. A quad-core is a quad-core, after all. If the game actually requires four cores to run smoothly, it’s going to feel significantly better than anything an i3 could offer.
Personally, I've had some pretty solid experiences with both Apple and HP, so I don't think one bad run defines the whole brand. Plus, there's that five-year warranty to consider... This Dell seems to go against everything you said people were looking for. It’s bulky and heavy, which means it isn't exactly easy to lug around. I guess Nvidia might be the better call when it comes to laptops.
wiredotter14 said:Oof, at that price point, you might as well just grab a laptop with an SSD. An i3 7100 gets the job done, sure, but let’s be real—it’s nothing compared to any actual desktop processor.
I guess what I'm wondering is, what kind of power do I actually need for an HTPC? There are even cheaper options out there using the Pentium J3455, which I think could probably get the job done if we're just talking about movies, YouTube, and basic browsing.