Posts by wiredotter14

It all boils down to what you actually plan on doing.

Both the i9 9900K and the AMD Ryzen 7 2700 are 8-core/16-thread processors; the big difference is just that the i9 clocks higher.

You won't "have" to swap out that 2700 in two or three years because it’ll likely still be plenty for whatever you need.
But eventually, you'll have the option to jump to 12 or 16-core CPUs on a newer 7nm process, which will be absolute beasts for multitasking compared to the 9900K.

Plus, the 9900K pulls way more power.

EPYC is a server platform—don't even bother looking at it.
Threadripper is AMD's High-end desktop platform, so you could jump straight to a 16-core chip there, but I don't think it makes sense for you. Based on what you've said, you don't need a massive amount of PCIe lanes or memory bandwidth, and those things come at a much higher price.

Still, it's worth keeping in mind since what we're really waiting for from AMD on the AM4 platform is exactly that: getting those 16-core chips down to this level.

Wrong subforum. There's already a dedicated thread for that.

Just watch my video link above regarding liquid cooling and decide for yourself—short version: when it comes to performance and noise, water cooling doesn't offer any real advantage.

As for the CPU, you could go Intel, but if you do, you might as well push all the way to the i9 9900K since the 9700K lacks Hyperthreading.
You'll need a solid motherboard too, because that thing pulls a lot of power, so good cooling and a decent PSU are mandatory.
Assuming you can afford it, you won't be disappointed with the quality of the 9900K.

Honestly, though, I think what Kimberly Gomez34 recommended is a much more rational move. You still get an 8-core, 16-thread processor that handles everything you throw at it, but for way less money. Plus, you have an upgrade path to future chips built on 7nm that will likely hit 16 cores—more than anything else on the market right now.

Usually, I wouldn't suggest buying a chip just because you can upgrade to something better later, but with AMD on the AM4 platform, that's actually a viable strategy.

The thing about liquid cooling is that the difference is practically nonexistent when you compare decent air cooling against high-end water cooling.

Kimberly Gomez34 gave you a cheaper air cooler simply because the suggested processor doesn't need more; its clock speeds aren't being throttled by heat.

If you want top-tier cooling and you're willing to drop the cash, just go for an absolute beast of an air cooler like the

https://www.amazon.com/noctua-nh-d15-se-...m_medium=click

Here’s a comparison of an even weaker air cooler versus the Corsair H115i, which is actually a pretty solid liquid setup.


Plus, liquid cooling is inherently less reliable for obvious reasons.

Look, it's basically a choice between pure practicality versus the "fancy factor" of water cooling. You can't really make a wrong move here.

Regarding the CPU, your requirements are incredibly broad.

Specifically, playing two demanding games at once while streaming—that's a scenario where you can't have a weak rig if you want it running smoothly across monitors at those resolutions and refresh rates.

Running dual 1440p 144Hz setups is brutal for any system. Based on those specs, you really should be looking at an i9 9900K paired with an NVIDIA RTX 2080 Ti, since that's pretty much the gold standard right now.

But that requires a massive budget, and honestly, your demands might be unrealistic because trying to play two games simultaneously is tough (what, two mice and two keyboards?).

I think AMD Ryzen is a great choice for multitasking. If you go with the 2700, which is 8c/16t, it handles streaming and multitasking like a champ.
And if you're aiming that high, there's another perk: you can eventually upgrade to one of those future 12 or 16-core monsters (likely sometime in 2019), whereas with Intel, you'll probably be stuck with whatever 8-core chip is available now.

If we're talking about the more realistic needs you mentioned (one game plus dual video playback), it’s basically the same load as just the game itself. Video playback isn't heavy, so we're back to your actual bottleneck... realistically, the GPU. Since you're aiming for 1440p 144Hz, you need to grab the best graphics card you can afford.

The power supply should be fine with an AMD Ryzen build and, say, an NVIDIA RTX 2080, but if you pivot to something else, we'll have to take another look.

True, the 2600X is better if you plan on overclocking it.

I suggested 6-core because "heavy multitasking" is such a vague term. Unless you're talking about heavy video rendering or high-end streaming while gaming, a 6-core/12-thread setup can handle just about anything. For a long time, 6c/12t was basically considered HEDT territory.

Honestly, if it were me, I’d go with the AMD Ryzen 5 2600X, even on this kind of budget, and then try to squeeze an NVIDIA RTX 2080 in there later.

The reality is, with new AAA titles, you're mostly going to hit a GPU bottleneck if you settle for an NVIDIA RTX 2070. The AMD Ryzen 5 2600X is a solid deal—minimal performance trade-offs and it sets you up perfectly to swap in a 7nm chip down the road.

Bottom line: more power right now, and an easier path to an upgrade later for roughly the same price.

If you're aiming for 1440p at 144Hz, you can't cut corners on the GPU. It’s just not happening. So, what’s the actual budget here? Honestly, those parts Kimberly Gomez34 linked are solid choices.

I don't get why you'd pick up another one like that. How are you even going to play on two monitors at once? Especially if they're both high-end refresh rate setups.

What resolution and refresh rate are you planning to play on?

Look, you can overclock that CPU to maybe 3.8GHz on this board—it'll be rock solid—or just stick to stock settings if you prefer predictable performance.

And when you eventually decide to jump to the next generation, you won't be left in the dust.
Truth is, the 2000-series processors aren't noticeably slower on X370 boards compared to X470.
The real kicker between the 1000 and 2000-series isn't the chipset; it's the memory controller, which lives right inside the processor itself.

👍👍

If you need Wi-Fi later on, just grab an Access Point. It’s basically like a router, but instead of plugging directly into the AT&T line, you hook it up to your existing router via a cable. Plug that into a Powerline adapter, and boom—you've got both Wi-Fi and Ethernet connections right where you need them.

Whether there's an outlet available is a whole other conversation; all this means is you aren't using up one of your sockets.

I wouldn't bother plugging a power strip into it unless I absolutely had to, though it probably doesn't matter much as long as you follow the device's wattage limits.
But whatever you do, don't plug the Powerline adapter INTO a power strip—it has to go straight into the wall, because any intermediate device just kills the signal.

I don't really get what you're asking regarding the 2.4GHz and 5GHz signals.

Powerline DOES NOT transmit a wireless signal, unless you happen to have a specific model with a built-in Access Point.

Powerline carries an ETHERNET signal through your walls; basically, it’s meant to connect your computer to the router via ETHERNET cable through the house.
You can plug the Powerline into an Access Point on the other side of the house (via ETHERNET), and then you'll have Wi-Fi there.

Look, Powerline is essentially just an Ethernet extension through your walls. It has nothing to do with wireless, which is its whole advantage. It doesn't matter how thick your walls are or what kind of Wi-Fi your PC supports. As long as your home's electrical wiring is decent, the connection will work, and it'll be just like being plugged directly into the router.

Adam Williams2 said:If I'm being honest, I haven't even checked yet. What do I have on my motherboard for an internet cable port? I mean, if it's there, then sure, though I'm not entirely sure how this Powerline stuff actually works—you plug it into the wall, then the router goes into it, and then on the other side, you plug it back into the wall and then into the PC? 🤷

In my house, the 5G signal is stronger and faster than 3G. The kids have new phones, so they catch the Wi-Fi in that room without any issues, while that old laptop struggles on 3G and can't even see the 5G. 🤷

Every motherboard has an internet port; it's just a standard Ethernet cable.

Yeah, exactly. You connect one Powerline adapter to the router via Ethernet, and the other one goes into the PC in the other room. Basically, it detects the signal through the wiring, so you can set up those connected to PCs anywhere in the house, while the one plugged into the router stays put.

5GHz is fast, but the signal drops off quickly. Devices that don't support 5GHz won't even see it.

As far as drivers go, Windows pretty much handles everything itself; just make sure you grab the latest one for your graphics card, especially if you're playing newer games.

Regarding the DVD drive, it doesn't matter much—just buy something online from a major retailer so you can actually return it if it's a dud (for the sake of the warranty).

When it comes to Wi-Fi, 5GHz is faster, but the signal strength always sucks compared to 2.4GHz or 3GHz networks.

Powerline might solve your problem; I recommended that to you from the start.
Besides, you wouldn't even need to deal with Wi-Fi then. I'm not even sure what you meant by trying to connect to 5GHz while using Powerline.

If you have those Powerline adapters, just plug the desktop PC directly into the Powerline adapter in the wall via a cable.

You could technically hook a Wi-Fi Access Point up to a Powerline adapter to get a wireless signal, but that’s really only useful for phones or laptops. For a desktop PC, just use a cable.

Why doesn't that motherboard have 4 RAM slots?
Is that the B75 G43 board? I used to own one just like it.
If that's the case, just grab another 2x4GB. No need to swap out what you've already got.

What exactly is showing up for you in the Control Panel? Is it just the Speakers-HD audio Device, or are there other options listed there?

Check out Best Buy, just search for Windows 10 under the software category

There are plenty of shops selling them for about $167 last time I checked, and they should be able to give you a proper receipt if an auditor ever shows up.

BTW, it doesn't have to be Windows 10 Pro; Home is perfectly legal for businesses too

In theory, it should

For a monitor, you could go with something like this:

It’s a solid deal. It uses a PLS panel, which is basically just the Apple version of an IPS.

It’s got G-Sync compatibility for the GPU we discussed, plus a 72Hz refresh rate—not much, but definitely a step up from the standard 60Hz.

Then there's this one, probably similar quality.
It’s curved, which isn't really a big win at 24", but it shouldn't be a dealbreaker either.
They claim to offer an extra 3 years of warranty, which sounds decent, and there's a discount if you use American Express.

If that specific motherboard isn't in stock, just grab this one instead and keep everything else the same.

https://www.bestbuy.com/product...ayz&code=93077

They'll put the PC together for you at no extra charge.
You can pick up a monitor there or somewhere else entirely.

You don't need a better power supply for a GTX 1060.

The RX 580 is actually a slightly better pick, plus it's cheaper (though that really depends on what you're playing).

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=rx580+8gb
There's also a 4GB version that's way more budget-friendly.

But yeah, with the GTX 1060, you won't have to sweat your PSU nearly as much.

Just whatever you do, stay away from the GTX 1060 3GB. It’s a total waste compared to an RX 570 4GB.