You don't really need a Z chipset. Since you can't even overclock that processor, it feels like a waste of cash to me. That GTX 1050 Ti isn't worth it at that price point; it should be closer to $467 but it’s definitely overpriced here in the States. I'd probably look at an R9 280 instead.
And one more thing—what kind of power supply are you running? You've got those cheap 500W units for $33 that barely put out 200W, then there are the actual 500W units for $167 that actually deliver. It'd be helpful if you could just list the brand and model.
Kimberly Gomez34 said:I didn't mean to sound paranoid, but honestly, I've had my doubts since the very first post. There’s just something off about this woman. 😬 It immediately occurred to me that this user just decided it was time to level up their game and started playing the victim card by acting like a marginalized minority or some kind of social justice warrior. 🤣
It’s pretty simple: the soul of a story stays fundamentally the same, and you can really feel that essence coming through.
You're absolutely right. This isn't just some exaggeration; it’s straight-up terrorism.
Regarding the power consumption of AMD graphics cards, this is what’s being discussed:
It’s likely spot on, or at least very close to the truth. Even if you step up to a higher-end AMD GPU, you're still going to need some seriously heavy-duty power supplies—especially if you're looking at the R9 390 or 390X. As for the 380 and 380X, it looks like they'll just be a rebranded version of the R9 290 and 290X.
An AMD manager just dropped some news that's hard to ignore: it looks like they've already developed a GPU SoC that utilizes stacked die High Bandwidth Memory. But honestly, the real shocker isn't the memory tech—it's the power draw. This GPU SoC uses a 2.5D discrete design, yet it's pulling a massive 300W TDP. According to the manager, this stands as the first 300W GPU SoC ever created. If that's true, it heavily implies that AMD might be doubling down on the 28nm process node.
It’s honestly a bit disappointing to see the reliance on GCN 1.1 ( Graphic Core Next) for the 380 and 380x models. It essentially signals that we aren't getting much architectural variety this cycle, aside from the single new Fiji chip powering the 390 and 390x cards.
Where The R9 380 series will be a rebranded R9 290, the 370 is simply going to be a refresh of the existing R9 285. However, calling it a "rebrand" is a bit of an oversimplification—it really just means they are sticking with the exact same chip architecture. You might see some minor tweaks to clock speeds or slight optimizations, but that's about the extent of it.
Also, I wasn't even going to say anything, but I had my doubts. Man, what a character.
Roger Mitchell4 said:I wouldn't mind an R7 260, I could probably overclock it easily enough. Maybe you could save some cash by using a 400W power supply and swapping in that ASUS Prime, though that one's 25 miles pricier.
That store doesn't even carry any decent budget power supplies.
- 20 miles - 130 miles - 28 miles for 320GB - 46 miles - 54 miles - 142 miles - 68 miles
- The 260, which I guess is slightly weaker than the 260X version (meaning maybe a few less FPS, but you could probably just overclock it to match performance) - A 6-core processor that'll let you throw a much beefier GPU in there later on - Motherboard... ideally you'd want a Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3P, but this one should do fine. It comes with a taller cooler so it won't bake the VRM unnecessarily, plus there's a passive heatsink on the VRM itself, so it should be okay - 4GB of RAM; once you save up some more cash, you can always add another 4
Just reuse your old case, find one for 12 miles or maybe ask them if they have some cheap used junk lying around, and you're set
Honestly, that i3 is solid enough and will definitely hold its own for gaming. Go ahead and grab it; maybe in a couple of years you'll just swap in an i5 and be back in the game.
With that second one, you’re probably looking at either a dead motherboard, overheating issues, or just both.
Of course it isn't good; if they leave that stock cooler on, it’s basically a death sentence.
Don't you have some local shop where you can just walk in with a list and say, "I want this and that"?
I guess I'd go with an i3 build first and then just drop in a Hex later—400W should be plenty—plus you could always swap in an i5 and a better GPU down the road...
Propeller 🤣 It's a Ventilator, we aren't on a boat 😁
You could always grab a new Ventilator for $10 and swap it into the power supply, though it’s probably a waste since the fan might end up costing more than the unit itself. Honestly, it's a miracle it's even running after eight years if you bought it back in $33.
Anyway, it's an ATX power supply and follows the standard, so any new one you pick up should work. If you're planning on upgrading other parts soon, I'd suggest grabbing something decent for $100, but if you just want the PC to stay alive for now, you could just get the cheapest new one you can find (or maybe some used Corsair or EVGA stuff).
As for how long it'll last—who knows? I guess it just depends on how hard you push it and how much heat it's putting off.
Does it need to be portable? - If yes, get a laptop. - If no, go desktop.
Buying a laptop just to let it sit on a desk in one spot doesn't make much sense to me. Especially since desktops are way easier to upgrade or fix, and you generally get much better specs for the same price. What are you even planning to do with it?
I’d probably lean toward the Gigabyte—it seems like a better bet since you get more upgrade options with those slots (2x PCI and PCI-e x4), plus it has some decent cooling on the VRMs
copperwolf89 said:Is the price a bit steep? 😲 My PC has been running for about two years now and it’s been serving me incredibly well, though I did run into one annoying issue: my C drive is only 60GB, so it feels like it's constantly hitting capacity. Looking back, I really should have opted for a larger SSD from the start. As for upgrading the graphics card, I think I might hold off on that for a moment and focus on getting a better monitor instead... I'm still weighing my options, honestly.
On another note, does anyone have an idea of what I could get for this setup if I decided to sell it? Would it make sense to add the cost of a new graphics card to the sale price and just trade it all in for something newer and more powerful as a complete bundle? Thanks!
What’s even filling it up? If you set everything up right—like moving all your personal folders to an HDD and only installing the essentials like browsers on the SSD—there shouldn't be anything taking up space. I guess.
Is it just the fan being loud? I guess you could tear the PSU apart, clean everything out, and check the capacitors while it's open just to make sure nothing looks bulged. Maybe try some WD on the fan, though honestly, you're probably better off just replacing it. Which Corsair series are we talking about here?
There’s some room for tweaks here: swap the current board for an ASUS Prime Motherboard; it’s a bit better. I guess you should probably steer clear of Intel LGA 1155 due to those shaky voltage regulator issues.
Regarding the SSD, just toss in a $33 above, though maybe they should just grab the 120GB model since they're dirt cheap right now.
I’d skip the Corsair VS series if I were you—it’s nothing special. Might be better to go with something like an EVGA 400W Power Supply instead.
Did you happen to rip any stickers off while you were swapping out the thermal paste? If not, I guess you should be fine with the warranty without any issues.
Maybe check out both stores' websites first (just in case you aren't paying cash or whatever). Honestly, they both seem pretty fair and legit, so just pick whichever one you prefer