Think of an i3 as a lower tier—kind of like how a Jetta sits below a Golf in the Volkswagen lineup. It isn’t really about how old the tech is. The reality is that things have shifted over the last few years; a modern i3 actually outperforms your older i5, even if it’s just by a slim margin. Nowadays, i3 chips are quad-core, similar to what you're running, while the newer i5 models have jumped up to six cores.
As for that motherboard, they're asking premium prices because supply is tight and demand is high from people in your exact situation. It's just basic supply and demand.
We don't know which motherboard you're working with, so give us the full model name. As for the CPU, let's say you're looking at roughly $133 as a realistic ceiling. People always try to ask for more, but honestly, for that kind of cash, you can step up to a modern platform . RAM should fetch around 200-$83 . Regarding the GPU, given how the market is acting right now, you might be able to push for 900-$333 .
Nothing has even come close to those Crucial MX500 deals yet. I picked up a 525GB MX500 about two years ago for less than $267 total, including shipping, tax, and everything else 😬
But yeah, standard retail prices have honestly never looked this good
coastaltiger2 said:It looks like they're sticking with wired. Ove I found them... they light up... he’s going to be absolutely thrilled... plus, it's his ninth birthday!
They seem alright. Honestly, they’ll likely just be a step up from the Sharkoon Rush models. I noticed some of them feature that leather padding around the earcups, which is a nice touch.
quietstag2 said:The issue is that I'm not from Washington, D.C.—specifically Iowa—so transportation is a hassle for me. As for buying things online using installment plans, I'm still a bit skeptical; mostly because I haven't actually done it yet, though there probably isn't much reason to worry. These two links I posted are for the branches in Savannah, which is the closest I can physically get to, but seeing those prices, it would be highway robbery to buy them there. It really comes down to preference, and from what I see, AMD is quite future-proof considering most games will eventually rely on DX12.
To be honest, this RX 580 Pulse caught my eye the most. Sure, it has RGB, but since I have a closed case, I don't care about that at all. My main priority is ensuring it can handle most games from 2017 onwards.
I'm currently running an FX 6300, and while I know there's a chance of bottlenecking, I'm keeping in mind that I'll eventually need to upgrade that too... the Ryzen 3 2200 seems like a solid choice. I'll obviously have to pick up a new motherboard as well since I'm on an AM3+ socket.
Well, if you had the cash on hand, you'd get free shipping and the option to pay COD when it hits your doorstep. If you have the option to buy online, go for it; there’s no reason to be afraid. But if what analogtiger19 said is true, it might actually be worth driving out there given such a huge price difference. 😁
Wait, you can find it at both Best Buy and Staples.
The Sapphire model at Best Buy (you'd have to order it) somehow has a 2-year warranty for about $400, and you also have the Gigabyte Windforce as an option.
At that price point, the Nvidia options come with a 2-year warranty, and if you decide on one of those...
Looking at location, price, and availability, the easiest move is to grab that MSI Armor. You can get the web price just by doing a quick registration on the site (like we do on the forum), then select the in-store pickup option (and pay at the shop), and boom—you've got the "web price."
Regarding the platform, you'll need to pick up some DDR4 RAM as well.
Where on earth are they finding these criminal prices?
It could be much better. I’ll filter for models with a 3-year warranty and dual fans, specifically looking at the AMD Radeon RX 580 option:
Personally, I’d go with the Sapphire Pulse first, followed by an AORUS model.
NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB:
Out of these, I’d pick the last one, the G1.
You can't really go wrong regardless of what you choose. The AMD Radeon RX 580 has a bit more raw power under the hood, whereas the NVIDIA GTX 1060 is more efficient. In terms of actual performance, they are practically identical across an average of about 20 different games.
Just grab yourself a classic from Logitech or Genius—whatever the top-tier model is that fits within your budget. You really can't go wrong with those.
You might want to check out that Microsoft mechanical keyboard; people say it’s an absolute steal for the price—provided you don't mind the RGB lighting and the loud clicky switches of a mechanical board.
In my opinion, if you're stepping up to 1440p, you don't really need 144Hz either, unless you're strictly playing CS:GO or Dota 2.
Essentially, you have two budget-friendly paths: go with a 27" 1440p monitor without the 144Hz refresh rate (just make sure it's not a TN panel), or stick with a 24" 1080p setup that features both a non-TN panel and 144Hz. Using an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 isn't overkill at all for 1080p if you plan on running at 144Hz.
It isn't built for modern AAA titles (though it still puts up a fight). If you're sticking to older games or anything that isn't particularly graphics-heavy, the card is still perfectly fine enough
That stock cooler she’s rocking isn't exactly cutting it. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if the manufacturers intended for people to swap in an aftermarket cooler immediately; there's just no sense in pairing a top-tier GTX 660 with a cheap, flimsy plastic blower
All the options are laid out right there, so you should probably decide what matters most to you. You could go for a larger SSD—maybe even ditching the HDD entirely if that's your preference—or focus on a more future-proof CPU, assuming you plan on dropping in a much beefier GPU down the road.
I wouldn't touch a cheap plastic blower card if I were you, especially for a GPU with this kind of power draw and heat output. Besides, the current price isn't even a steal; it's hardly a bargain at all.
Look, I'm telling you, the motherboard isn't the issue here. PCIe has been the industry standard for years, regardless of which version you're running. While a tiny handful of people might run into compatibility hiccups, it’s incredibly rare and certainly isn't a flaw in the standard itself.
What kind of case are you using? Just grab a ruler and measure the internal clearance. You can easily find the exact GPU dimensions online.