Arthur Bishop24 said:I think I'll take everything from them except the GPU, which I'm keeping, so I'll go with Seasonic. It's a massive power supply, but since the price difference is so negligible, I don't know if it's even worth opting for a smaller one unless it's going to draw way too much power by default?
I hear you; I've seen those price gaps for the 550-750W Focus models, and they really aren't significant. Having extra headroom won't hurt you at all.
If we want to get technical, most power supplies hit their peak efficiency at about 50% load (though we're talking tiny fluctuations within 1% across various loads). So, if your system were running at, say, 30% load under a full workload—it wouldn't be operating at its absolute maximum efficiency point—but honestly, the differences are peanuts, nothing to worry about. The real perk of an overkill PSU is the "zero dB mode," where it features semi-passive cooling (which that Seasonic has). Up to a certain load—usually around 50%, though I can't recall the exact spec for that specific Seasonic model—the fan doesn't even spin. This means when you overspec your PSU, you practically guarantee a silent experience because the fan stays off most of the time. I run a Ryzen 1600 OC at 3.9GHz paired with an HD7850 2GB, and my RM550X (550W) fan almost never kicks in. With a beefier unit, you’re basically guaranteed that silent operation.
Actually, a recommendation for a 1TB HDD would also work if any of the cheaper ones are decent, since I've already stretched my budget a bit.😁
Regarding the SSD, Samsung is top-tier, but in my opinion, it would be a mistake not to grab a cheaper 480/500/512/525GB SSD given current prices. You can pack plenty of games on one without a second thought. Unfortunately, the best deals at Newegg are already gone, but if you're looking for the best value, check out this. If you want raw speed, then go with the one you linked, but honestly, speed is overrated for the average user (Windows, Office, gaming, etc.—you won't notice the difference). The real advantage there is actually the 5-year warranty (I believe Newegg isn't doing that 2-year limit anymore). If you want something larger and faster that still carries a 5-year warranty, then this is your best all-arounder. Or rather, You could get it from here, though you'll be paying a bit more for it.
I’d go with Seasonic—you just can't beat that double warranty. Honestly, you don't even need a power supply this beefy unless you're running some serious hardware. If you aren't buying the entire build from them to save on assembly costs, but you still want to cut down the price without sacrificing that long-term peace of mind, grab this
A little more expensive? Go with this one instead. You'll have it within a day, maybe two at most . By the way, if it turns out it’s an MBB issue, go ahead and advertise yours (then you can just flip it later for whatever), but don't let them walk over you . Also, check those standoff screws that William Richardson12 was talking about; you might have an extra one lying around or something is sitting in the wrong spot, causing a short .
A motherboard can't be "too small" for a graphics card. Honestly, that guy is talking nonsense. There's a standardized PCIe slot that’s been the industry benchmark for about 12 years now, so once you have that connection point, the motherboard and GPU compatibility is a non-issue. The only actual constraint would be if your PC case is too compact to physically fit the card, but in that case, you wouldn't even be able to plug it in. Bottom line: get a second opinion from someone who actually knows their hardware. As for buying from those overseas retailers—if you end up having to deal with an RMA, you'll quickly regret trying to save a few bucks, especially with companies like eDigital.
Also, I find it hard to believe that motherboard $67 is more expensive here in the States. Either you were looking at some overpriced boutique shop, or you were checking the price on a refurbished unit rather than something brand new.
Newer platforms (like those based on Ryzen or Kaby Lake, etc.) don't officially support Windows 7.
Second point—is this actually a fresh installation of Windows 7, or are you reusing an old one? Regardless of what people claim or how "fine" it seems to work for some, you shouldn't carry over old installations from a previous system. If you want 100% certainty, a new motherboard means a completely new Windows installation.
Thirdly, how can you be sure the GPU is actually functional? If you're seeing artifacts or dealing with driver instability, there's a good chance the card itself isn't healthy.
Bottom line: you've got several potential issues on your hands here. Just install Windows 10 or Linux, and you'll have already eliminated the first two variables. From there, all that's left is to test that GPU—it might work perfectly right away, but if it doesn't, try plugging it into another PC.
In a broad sense, you won't notice any tangible difference in actual usage regardless of which path you take—even if you eventually pair it with a much more powerful GPU down the road. However, opting for an AM4 motherboard gives you much better longevity for future upgrades, allowing you to swap in beefier processors later on. Plus, if your board happens to die after the warranty expires, finding replacement parts for the AM4 socket will be significantly easier (judging by how Intel has handled their last five or six Z-series chipsets). While an i5 is technically superior for gaming, those are really edge cases—think something like running a GTX 1080 Ti or pairing a GTX 1080 with a 144Hz monitor at 1080p. Even then, in a real-world scenario, you can't truly feel the difference in that specific fps range.
If they just want to handle this, they can simply shoot an email over to Newegg to request a BIOS update (assuming one is even necessary), and that should be the end of it.
Arthur Bishop24, looking at that RAM you found, I’d bet money it’s DDR3—it's labeled PC-10666 and the price point definitely suggests it. As for the specifics, everything really hinges on which graphics card you're running right now. Honestly, if I were in your shoes, I'd stick to the plan; it’s still a pretty capable GPU, and you could always pick up something built on a 7nm process a year from now.
To's actually the cheapest option that can still pull off 60Hz. Those even older, bottom-of-the-barrel cards—like a GT 710—usually cap out at a measly 30Hz.
If you’re looking for performance parity with an R9 270, this RX 550 is actually a step backward. It's overpriced, and honestly, having 4GB of VRAM doesn't mean much if the chip itself can't keep up. In my opinion, this GPU is worth maybe $100 at most; I have no idea why they're charging more for this RX when its NVIDIA equivalent sits right around that same $100 mark.
No way am I paying that much; that price is ancient history. Honestly, you can grab a brand-new laptop today for even less money that comes equipped with a gtx 1050 ti and a crisp IPS display. There is absolutely no chance that Alienware M18X R2 is packing a GPU like that, and don't even get me started on how inefficient it must be.
You aren't losing out on anything. At least, not unless you're expecting those insane fiber-optic speeds.
Watching TV through a monitor
- if the monitor comes with a built-in digital tuner - by picking up a digital TV tuner for your monitor or PC - via software using a website or an app (like a streaming service)
Look, there isn't much else to say here. Realistically, you aren't looking at a massive leap in performance, but if you’re dead set on buying something brand new from a retail store, then the GTX 1060 3GB is really your only play. Otherwise, you might be better off grabbing a more efficient card that comes with a solid 3-year warranty.