New desktop build ideas?
in Desktops ·
Hey everyone, I could really use some help (and maybe a little more than just a tip 😁 )
. My old laptop is basically gasping for air at this point, so it hit me that I should probably just bite the bullet and buy something new—and actually good this time.
I’ve been staring at different builds and individual components for a few days now, drowning in endless reviews and comparison charts, and honestly, I am completely lost. 😵
My brain feels like absolute mush right now and I have a million questions.
1. Processors—is Intel better or is Intel better? (I’m assuming all those Celeron and Athlon things are ancient relics, so I’m not even bothering with them). I get the general idea of the hierarchy with the i9, i7, i5, i3 and the Core i7, 5, 3, but there’s so much tiny detail buried in there.
Is a Core i5 better than a 1600? Where does a 7 1700 fit in? Is it better than both?
And is an i5 from the 9th gen better than an i7 from the 7th? Or maybe the 8th? And I assume all those extra letters and numbers after the model mean something important, right?
2. Graphics cards—an RX 590 is better than a 580 or a 570, but by how much? And is a 570 with 8GB better than a 580 with 4GB? Or even a 560 with 8GB?
How do you even rank the GTX series? A 1660 is better than a 1060, but falls behind a 1070 or a 1080, right? But then wait, isn't a GTX 1080ti actually better than an RTX 2060?
Also, what’s the deal with names like Gigabyte, MSI, and AsRock? Does the brand actually change anything about how they perform?
3. RAM—how much does frequency actually matter in real-world use? What’s the actual difference between 2666 and 3000 MHz and everything else out there?
Is it better to go with 1x16GB, 2x8GB, or maybe 4x4GB? And which manufacturers can I actually trust?
As for anything else, I know even less. All those motherboards look pretty much identical to me. And don't even get me started on the whole mess of WD Blue, Red, Black, Purple, and those beasts from Western Digital.
Basically, I’m looking for an all-rounder. I’m not some hardcore pro gamer, so I don't need a massive monster of a rig, but I’d like to spend somewhere around $900 to $1,000 max. I just want something that won't be obsolete in two years and won't overheat if I'm watching two HD streams at once. 😁
For example, this one caught my eye: https://www.newegg.com/desktop-computers/product-link-placeholder
or something along those lines. (I know it's a bit pricey, but I've seen similar setups for cheaper).
I know I’m rambling and clearly have no clue what I’m doing, but that’s why I’m asking! If you guys have any suggestions or advice, I’m all ears.
Thanks.
. My old laptop is basically gasping for air at this point, so it hit me that I should probably just bite the bullet and buy something new—and actually good this time.
I’ve been staring at different builds and individual components for a few days now, drowning in endless reviews and comparison charts, and honestly, I am completely lost. 😵
My brain feels like absolute mush right now and I have a million questions.
1. Processors—is Intel better or is Intel better? (I’m assuming all those Celeron and Athlon things are ancient relics, so I’m not even bothering with them). I get the general idea of the hierarchy with the i9, i7, i5, i3 and the Core i7, 5, 3, but there’s so much tiny detail buried in there.
Is a Core i5 better than a 1600? Where does a 7 1700 fit in? Is it better than both?
And is an i5 from the 9th gen better than an i7 from the 7th? Or maybe the 8th? And I assume all those extra letters and numbers after the model mean something important, right?
2. Graphics cards—an RX 590 is better than a 580 or a 570, but by how much? And is a 570 with 8GB better than a 580 with 4GB? Or even a 560 with 8GB?
How do you even rank the GTX series? A 1660 is better than a 1060, but falls behind a 1070 or a 1080, right? But then wait, isn't a GTX 1080ti actually better than an RTX 2060?
Also, what’s the deal with names like Gigabyte, MSI, and AsRock? Does the brand actually change anything about how they perform?
3. RAM—how much does frequency actually matter in real-world use? What’s the actual difference between 2666 and 3000 MHz and everything else out there?
Is it better to go with 1x16GB, 2x8GB, or maybe 4x4GB? And which manufacturers can I actually trust?
As for anything else, I know even less. All those motherboards look pretty much identical to me. And don't even get me started on the whole mess of WD Blue, Red, Black, Purple, and those beasts from Western Digital.
Basically, I’m looking for an all-rounder. I’m not some hardcore pro gamer, so I don't need a massive monster of a rig, but I’d like to spend somewhere around $900 to $1,000 max. I just want something that won't be obsolete in two years and won't overheat if I'm watching two HD streams at once. 😁
For example, this one caught my eye: https://www.newegg.com/desktop-computers/product-link-placeholder
or something along those lines. (I know it's a bit pricey, but I've seen similar setups for cheaper).
I know I’m rambling and clearly have no clue what I’m doing, but that’s why I’m asking! If you guys have any suggestions or advice, I’m all ears.
Thanks.