I think they're fine, but you can't find a single thing online regarding their warranty claims or returns. I got my motherboard, but I wouldn't exactly call it an "experience"—getting exactly what you ordered is just basic business. For context, I bought it from a boutique retailer based out of Chicago, though my board actually shipped out from a warehouse in Indiana.
None of these three companies are ever going to go bankrupt. They might scale back operations or pivot their strategy, but they aren't disappearing anytime soon. From a business standpoint, AMD is much smaller—Intel has about 10 to 11 times more employees—and since all three firms don't operate in the exact same niches, it’s all relative. Right now, AMD is seeing a massive resurgence, better described as a comeback. Nvidia is consistently growing and performing brilliantly, while Intel is facing some growing pains in specific sectors, like the server market and their manufacturing plants (due to current capacity issues and years of playing it too safe with process node advancements). Even so, Intel is still doing fine. They actually predicted their loss of CPU market share a few years ago and proactively laid off staff (nearly 1.5 times the size of AMD's workforce) and pivoted toward other areas to cover those gaps, so they remain profitable. Essentially, they grew beyond what was realistically sustainable because of their near-monopoly. As for the drama, history shows that Intel and Nvidia have often played the "villain" role, while AMD frequently played the victim. Recently, both giants have started acting a bit more predatory—especially in the deep learning and AI markets where billions are at stake—so it’s only natural that people feel more sympathy for AMD, especially considering the miracles they pull off with a fraction of the budget and manpower. We should welcome this comeback; stronger competition is always better for us consumers. You can see the proof in the CPU market: we went through an entire decade dominated by Intel quad-cores, followed by six years of hyperthreading at $2500-$1000, and even in the HEDT space, we were stuck with 8c16t from $3000 and such.
Regarding the fanboyism, that mostly comes from the general public—mostly teenagers or people who just don't understand the tech and act like brand slaves. Honestly, you should just buy whatever gives you the best value for your money. That's how you should look at things.
If I recall correctly, every monitor suggested in this thread supports FreeSync (which means you'll need an AMD GPU to use it). For most titles, the RX 570 4gb is going to be just a tiny bit weaker. I won't bore you with all the technical jargon, but basically, FreeSync helps smooth out the gameplay when performance isn't absolutely perfect—though honestly, it’s a level of finesse a kid probably wouldn't even notice. It really doesn't matter much whether you go with a slightly more powerful gtx 1060 3gb or stick with the RX 570 4gb paired with FreeSync; don't sweat the choice too much since, in practice, it's essentially the same thing for them.
If she doesn't mind picking up a 24" monitor, that would solve everything. I actually have this one right here under $333 (Samsung LC24F390fhux) : https://www.amazon.com/s?k=LC24F390fhux
Or there's that other one I linked earlier (it's available for $333 over on Instagram)
True, I hadn't considered that the installment plan might end up being about 10% higher than the cash price. Following crimsonstag84's suggestion, we'd be looking at roughly $2567 for installments (maybe even less, since I think Centro offers an 8% discount for cash payments). If that still feels too steep, he could always pivot to my idea or his and swap in a cheaper graphics card—the gtx 1050ti. Honestly, I wouldn't mess around with Pentium processors; it would be a real shame to pass up a hexa Ryzen at these prices like in my or crimsonstag84's proposal. Some games suffer from stuttering on a basic quad-core, let alone a dual-core with four threads. It wouldn't be great if the kid gets frustrated because things aren't running smoothly. Otherwise, it’s a very upgradeable setup; one day he can just pop in another 8GB of RAM and a beefier GPU, and he'll be set.
If we stick to the budget I laid out, I'd modify my proposal to swap out the gtx 1060 3 instead of the current one for this option, which allows him to take advantage of FreeSync on the monitor (just enable FreeSync on the monitor itself, and then in the Radeon drivers)
Nicole Garcia43, putting a build together shouldn't be an issue for you. Almost every major retailer, like Best Buy or Micro Center, offers free assembly if you spend over $667—it's how they handle their pre-built systems anyway. You just need a competent hand to give you a solid recommendation. For instance, here is what I would suggest: 😁
Configuration:
Links:
For a monitor, maybe look at one of these:
Honestly, buying retail Windows licenses at full price makes zero sense unless this is for a corporation. Your options are pretty simple:
- "Figure it out" (maybe a tech-savvy friend can install it for you) - Pick up a key for a few bucks on eBay (just make sure it's Windows 10 x64) - Ask the guys at the shop if they can handle the installation for you
Ryzen 5 2600 - $446 ($432 with a PCE discount) - nabava.net isn't showing Uzishop, which is about $25 cheaper than the lowest price listed on the comparison site
Honestly, I think a dedicated GPU is overkill for you. Integrated graphics should be plenty—especially for AutoCAD 2D, which everyone knows—and likely enough for your other software too. An integrated chip from a Core i5 8400 or a Ryzen 5 2400G would more than suffice. However, let's play it safe to account for those "other construction programs" and throw in at least a GTX 1030 GDDR5 alongside an AMD Ryzen 5 2600 (since that CPU requires a discrete card anyway because it lacks integrated graphics). We could also invest in a solid SSD. Using the Core i5 8400 might lead to some pricing headaches, and frankly, its multi-threading isn't nearly as strong as the AMD Ryzen 5 2600. Since you have the budget for a 6-core/12-thread setup, why settle for less? RAM speed won't make much difference in these types of applications—that's mostly for high-end gaming rigs—but we'll include it just to keep the price point attractive...
1 * Fortron Hyper 500W Power Supply Part number: fsp-nap-hyp-500 - $133
1 * SilentiumPC Armis AR3 Black Case, 2x120mm fans Part number: 29150648 - $120
Total: $2142
This includes free assembly and shipping. Regarding storage, I picked the Samsung 970 because it's arguably the best on the market, and since this is for work, you want your OS and main software running on the fastest drive possible. For general storage, a standard SSD will do fine 😁. If you find yourself needing even more space, you can always add a 1TB or 3TB HDD. If you decide you want a beefier graphics card, look into a GTX 1050 2GB (or an RX 560 4GB if the price is similar), then move up to a GTX 1050 Ti, a GTX 1060 3GB, or even a GTX 1060 6GB.
Click here for monitors — I’d suggest playing it safe with a 24" 1080p display. Getting a high-end series (like UltraSharp) ensures you don't end up with pixelated images on a 27" 1080p screen or a 1440p resolution that feels too cramped on a 27" panel. By the way, all these prices include sales tax, and you can also purchase this via a business invoice.
AutoCAD 2D vs. 3D? Does any of this other software actually rely heavily on the GPU?
I’m asking because I might be taking on some graphic design work with this specific setup. If we're strictly talking 2D, then investing in a high-end graphics card would basically be throwing money down the drain.
Regarding the monitor—27" is a solid size, but the resolution is the real question mark here. For a screen that large, 1080p can feel a bit grainy unless you're sitting quite far back from the desk. Moving up to 1440p makes much more sense for clarity, though those monitors definitely come with a higher price tag.
They’re delidding. It’s becoming a massive trend with Intel builds lately; a buddy of mine dropped his Haswell temps by over 20°C using this method, and you can definitely pull off similar results on Coffee Lake. Honestly, it's ridiculous how stingy these manufacturers act with their thermal paste when better options exist.
There's this guy over at PC Gamer (who probably runs ads on Craigslist too) who spent a few hundred bucks on a top-tier delid kit, high-end thermal compound, and all the necessary gear. To make his money back, he sends these kits out to people for $17 so they can just follow a tutorial and handle the job themselves.
You can't really bank on hitting 5GHz, let alone pushing past it, especially if you aren't delidding. That said, an i5 8600K paired with a GTX 1080Ti definitely makes more sense if you're aiming for 1440p at 144Hz. Personally, I wouldn't waste money on a Zalman case within that budget; just grab a Phanteks 400s for around $60.
@Joshua Hall14/">@@Joshua Hall14 They're around there somewhere—just look at the competitors.
If there’s any room left in the budget, you might consider stepping up to a motherboard with a more robust VRM—even if you aren't planning on pushing for 5GHz speeds (something like an extreme 4 Z370 from Asus or similar) . Also, opting for a semi-passive power supply, such as a Seasonic Focus or a Corsair RM series, would be a smart move.
What's actually going on with your laptop? What kind of CPU are we talking about here? Honestly, I don't see why you'd bother replacing the whole thing. Just drop in an SSD, maybe upgrade the RAM if you have to, and you're good to go...
Regarding panel types (you can find plenty of comparisons on YouTube), VA panels offer superior blacks and contrast, whereas IPS panels tend to deliver more vibrant colors.
If you're looking to maximize your budget, here's my take:
But look at it this way—even though the second option is technically higher quality, you have to ask yourself if it really makes sense to pay nearly double for a screen with the same resolution, a smaller size, and an identical refresh rate.
First off—you absolutely have to hunt down a cheaper retailer. You can order from one of those big, well-known budget shops; they’ll usually handle the assembly for free and cover shipping, plus you can just pay cash on delivery when the package hits your doorstep. Are you even paying with cash upfront?
