Posts by swiftfalcon89

I don't even need to run the benchmarks to know that 3200MHz at CL16 is going to outclass the exact same frequency running at CL18 any day of the week.

That RAM isn't doing you any favors. Honestly, what’s the point of 3200MHz if you're stuck with CL18? You’d be better off putting that extra cash toward a faster NVMe SSD or a higher-quality case. As for the 750W power supply, that’s mostly about getting a longer warranty and keeping things quiet—less strain on the unit means less heat and less noise. Plus, it gives you some breathing room if you decide to upgrade to a bigger monitor down the road.

1 * Monitor 27" AOC C27G1, VA, 144Hz, 1ms, Curved, VGA/DP/2xHDMI, FreeSync, Black
password: aoc-c27g1 - $726

1 * AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
password: 0400500 - $961

1 * MSI B450 Tomahawk, AM4, DDR4, U3, m.2, ATX
password: msi-b450-thawk - $330

1 * G.SKILL 16 GB (2x8 GB) DDR4, 3200 MHz, DIMM, Ripjaws V
password: F4-3200C16D-16GVGB - $256

1 * Intel SSD 660 p Series (1.0TB, M.2 80mm PCIe 3.0 x4, 3D2, QLC) Retail Box Single Pack
password: SSDPEKNW010T8X1 - $365

1 * Gainward GF RTX2060Super Ghost, 8GB
password: gai-2060s-gh-8g - $1127

1 * Thermaltake Toughpower Grand RGB 750W Power Supply
password: 0151347 - $230

1 * NZXT H500 Black, ATX (No PSU included)
password: nzx-h500-black - $238

Total: $4233 (-2%=$4.25)
Free assembly and shipping

Price includes sales tax

Honestly, I don't see the point. Why would you even bother with a power supply higher than 600W? I can't wrap my head around the need for more. For what you're doing, 600W is plenty.

Adam Moore3 said:Intel Core i5 9400F NVIDIA GTX 1660
Gigabyte B450M DS3H
G.Skill Aegis DDR4 16GB (2x8GB), DDR4 2666, CL19
GIGABYTE SSD 480GB, SATA III, 3D NAND TLC
SilentiumPC Vero L2 500W, 80+ Bronze
Zalman Z1 NEO mid tower
ASUS ROG Strix GTX 1660

Total: $1763 (-2% with the forum discount $1728)

It’s a bit pricey, but I don't think it's worth cutting corners elsewhere. If you try to swap to an SSD+HDD combo, you'll just end up spending another $20 more anyway.
Maybe you could save a few bucks on the case$33 if this feels like too much.

And where's the (seal of approval) monitor? 😁

1 * Samsung 23.5" LED IPS 24MK430H, VGA, HDMI, 75Hz
Code: lg-24mk430m - $311

1 * Intel Core i5 9400F NVIDIA GTX 1660 (6C/12T, 3.4/3.6GHz Boost, 19MB, 65W, AM4) box, with Wraith Spire
Code: YD1600BBAEBOX - $333

1 * GIGABYTE GA-AB350M-DS3H (S.AM4, 4xDDR4, RAID) mATX
Code: GA-AB350M-DS3H - $170

1 * Corsair VENGEANCE® LPX 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4 DRAM 3000MHz C15
Code: CMK8GX4M2C3000C16- - $143

1 * NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 4GB GDDR5 Black Edition
Code: XFX-RX-570P4DBD6 - $400

1 * GIGABYTE SSD 480GB, SATA III, 3D NAND TLC, 550MBs/480MBs
Code: GP-GSTFS31480GNTD - $143

1 * SilentiumPC Vero L2 600W Power Supply, 80+ Bronze
Code: 29190435 - $133

1 * Zalman S3, 1x120mm, USB3.0
Code: ZAL-S3 - $88

Total: $1721 (-2%=$1.75)
Free assembly and shipping

You get a 2% discount there since you're a forum member. Just mention the discount and give them your username and you're all set.
The monitor supports FreeSync, so you can take advantage of that with this GPU for smoother gameplay without any screen tearing.

frozencrane10 said:Greetings,
I don't need a keyboard or a mouse...

A 1920x1080 monitor is more than enough for me.

My rotation: Rocket League, PUBG, Apex Legends, Overwatch...

1 * AOC 24" Curved LCD, 16:9, 1ms, DP
Part #: AOC-C24G1-Es - $513

1 * AMD Ryzen 5 3600, 6C/12T 3.6GHz/4.2GHz, 32MB, AM4
Part #: amd-r5-3600 - $577

1 * MSI B450-A PRO Desktop Motherboard
Part #: B450-A_PRO - $282

1 * Corsair 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 3000MHz C15, black
Part #: COR-CMK16GX4M2B30C15 - $243

1 * Gainward GF RTX2060 Phoenix GS, 6GB
Part #: gai-2060-pgs-6g - $1000

1 * GIGABYTE 480GB SSD, SATA III, 3D NAND TLC, 550MBs/480MBs
Part #: GP-GSTFS31480GNTD - $143

1 * 600W Power Supply, BE QUIET! System Power 9, 120mm fan, 80+ Bronze, PFC
Part #: 052.700.228- - $173

1 * Sharkoon TG4 Midi Tower ATX Case, no PSU, transparent front/side panel, red LED, black
Part #: 43338 - $126

Total: $3057 (-2%=$3.00)
Free assembly and shipping

Built at futur IT, you get a 2% discount as a forum member

swiftfalcon89 said:Hey, what would be the best mouse for under $350 $133 at Best Buy? (I have to use Best Buy because I've got a coupon for $33 off, plus it can't be cheaper than $100 or the discount won't kick in).
I've been eyeing the Razer Basilisk Essential, but is there anything better out there?
Cheers.

Ended up grabbing the Basilisk.

Hey everyone, I'm looking for some advice on the best mouse I can pick up for around $350-$133 at Best Buy. I'm specifically targeting them because I've got a coupon for $33 off, but I need to make sure the price doesn't dip below $100 or the discount won't trigger.
I've been eyeing the Razer Basilisk Essential for a bit, but I'm wondering if there's anything out there that actually performs better.
Cheers.

1 * General Electric 27 272B8QJEB/00 16:9 Quad HD (2560×1440) IPS Pivot W-LED, 5ms, 250cd/m2, VGA/DVI-D/DP/HDMI, USB3.0×2, USB2.0×2, speakers, black
Password: 43753 - $603

1 * Logitech G203, black
Password: 910-004845 - $121

1 * GAMENOTE Mechanical Keyboard HV-KB432L, RGB
Password: 6939119002749 - $116

1 * Intel Core i5-9400F (2.9GHz, 9MB, LGA1151) box
Password: BX80684I59400FSRF6M - $443

1 * CPU Cooler LC-CC-95, Intel/AMD, 90mm 4-pin
Password: LC-CC-95 - $37

1 * ASUS Z370M, Sck. 1151 CL
Password: Z370M_DS3H - $280

1 * GSkill Aegis 16GB (2x8) DDR4 3000MHz Memory
Password: F4-3000C16D-16GISB - $233

1 * SAPPHIRE PULSE RADEON RX 570 4G GDGD5 DUAL HDMI / DUAL DP OC W/BP (UEFI) 1284MHz / 1750MHz 256-bit
Password: 11266-67-20G - $416

1 * SSD Crucial P1 500GB 3D NAND NVMe PCIe M.2 1900/850
Password: CT500P1SSD8 - $210

1 * CRUCIAL MX500 1TB SSD SataIII
Password: CT1000MX500SSD1 - $360

1 * Fortron Hexa 85+ 550W Power Supply, 80+ Bronze, ATX
Password: fsp-nap-hexa85-550 - $156

1 * SilentiumPC Regnum RG2 TG Pure Black Case, 2x120mm, P/N: SPC217
Password: 29150689 - $100

Total: $3075 (-2%=$3.00)
Free assembly and shipping

Sample build at Future IT
Get 2% off as a forum member

What kind of budget are we looking at here? How are you planning to pay—cash or credit? And just to be clear, do you only need the tower, or are you looking for a full setup with a monitor and peripherals too?

If you're playing at 144Hz, I’d be hunting down an Intel Core i7-9700 if I were in your shoes. Otherwise, maybe just hold out for the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X.

1 * Intel Core i9-9900K (3.6GHz, 16MB, LGA1151) box
password: BX80684I99900KSRELS - $1433

1 * Noctua NH-D14 Cooler, Intel/AMD
password: NH-D14 - $190

1 * MSI Z390 TOMAHAWK, socket 1151
password: msi-z390-tomahawk - $425

1 * GSkill Aegis 16GB (2x8) DDR4 3000MHz memory
password: F4-3000C16D-16GISB - $216

1 * Palit GeForce RTX 2070 Dual, 8GB GDDR6
password: pal-2070-dual-8gb - $1383

1 * Crucial P1 500GB 3D NAND NVMe PCIe M.2 1900/850 SSD
password: CT500P1SSD8 - $200

1 * CRUCIAL MX500 1TB SATA III SSD
password: CT1000MX500SSD1 - $414

1 * Thermaltake Toughpower Grand RGB 750W Power Supply
password: 0151347 - $233

1 * Fractal Meshify C, black with glass, no PSU
password: frac-meshfy-c-bl-t - $266

Total: $4759 (-2%=$4.75)
Free assembly and shipping included

Don't skip any steps here.
You already upgraded the RAM, and like I mentioned before, 8GB was plenty for gaming, so having 12GB under the hood now gives you more than enough breathing room.
Next move: swap out that power supply. Seriously, get that junk out of your case and grab something reliable from a decent brand. Once that's sorted, look into a new GPU—you're going to love the difference. If you're happy with how things run on the Core i7-2600, there's no immediate need to swap the CPU, but if you want to clear up those bottleneck issues, you'll eventually want an i7. Whether you go with a Core i7-2600 or a 3770 doesn't matter much; either one will handle an RX 570/580 or a GTX 1060 just fine.

Alexander Moore67 said:The guy is rocking an i5 2500k and he's looking at spending $133 on an i7 2600k just for specific performance gains in certain games, all while putting it on a motherboard that lacks a warranty and could fail any day now. Since I clearly don't know anything and this guy is obviously the smartest person here, I'm done arguing.
p.s. This board survived all these years on a crappy 400W unit!!!

It's because you're constantly talking out of your neck without doing any actual research or checking facts. You claimed the Core i7-2600k was laughable compared to a Ryzen 1600, saying that even at its absolute best, the i7 is only equal to it.

I already explained why. He’ll see better FPS in basically every game because his CPU won't be pinned at 100% usage and choking the GPU.
So what if it dies? What's the big deal? He's still spending $133 instead of almost $0.67 just to jump to a processor that's essentially the same power in gaming as that i7.

Don't start an argument if you aren't going to fact-check before spewing nonsense.

And who cares if it worked on a generic PSU? The board isn't pulling 150w—it's not like it fried the unit. I actually have an old LGA 775 build I picked up back in 2008 with a generic 400w power supply, and it ran on that for about six years. Now it's running on an EVGA CX430 with a Q6600 and a Radeon HD 6870, and my cousin's kid is still using it today for stuff like CS and CoD4.

At the end of the day, he can play just fine for $133 instead of dumping $0.67 into a CPU upgrade, so let him figure it out. Personally, I wouldn't go that route. I'd grab the i7, a decent new PSU, and maybe a used RX 570, 580, or a GTX 1060, then just run it until it's obsolete. With a Core i7-2600, he'll still have a perfectly smooth experience on a 60/75Hz monitor.

Of course you're noticing the difference. Honestly, 8GB is pretty much the baseline if you want a smooth gaming experience these days, and now that you've got dual channel running, it's a whole different story.

I put together a few more options for you here:

John Doe

John Doe

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It’s not actually about the wattage; it’s about the quality of the unit itself. Honestly, the power supply you’re running right now is bottom-of-the-barrel stuff—it’s basically a total gamble that could end up frying your entire build.

Alexander Moore67 said:Compared to the Ryzen 1600/1600x, which costs $293, the price for an i7 2600k is just ridiculous—especially since finding a motherboard for it is nearly impossible nowadays because they're so old. If the total for everything used is around $667, then I'd say it's a yes.

Why even compare them? It’s not like you’d drop $133 on a CPU or $293 on a GPU, plus you're looking at $500 for a board and maybe $350-400 for RAM.
As for why it's "ridiculous"—the i7 2600 actually holds its own in gaming, sitting right around where the Ryzen 1600/1600x performs.

Dennis Patel7 said:So, I just threw in another 8GB of RAM, which brings my total up to 10GB now.
The thing that’s really weighing on my mind, though, is whether I actually need to swap out my motherboard if I decide to upgrade the processor.

My power supply is an MSindustrial MS 400 ATX P4, so I'm assuming that'll definitely need an upgrade if I move up to a better graphics card.

Given everything, would you guys still be recommending the GTX 1060 over the RX 570?

You definitely need to swap that power supply before you try any other upgrades.

Honestly, there’s no need to go out and buy an entirely new rig. You can get most of what you need for about $83. Just grab a new 8GB stick of DDR3 1600MHz RAM and pick up either a GTX 1060 3GB or an RX 570 4GB. Just a heads-up on the RX—you’re going to need a decent power supply, at least 500W. We’ve talked about this before, but you didn't specify which exact PSU model you're running. That should run you roughly 600-$233, so for about 900-$333, you’ve tackled the heavy lifting. If you find that your games are running smoothly enough on the i5 2500, just leave it be. If they aren't, then look into swapping in an i7 for $133.
If you're feeling ambitious, you could always toss in a new 120GB SSD for around 140-$50, or maybe a 240GB one for about $67
.

Benchmarks and comparison charts don't mean squat when you look at how things actually play out in the real world. Just take a look at what an i5 2500 paired with a GTX 1060 does in CPU-heavy titles.



In Assassin's Creed Origins, the second you step into a city, the GPU usage drops to around 50-60% while the CPU just sits there pegged at 100%. It’s the exact same story with Hitman or GTA V—the CPU hits a wall and the graphics card just idles. Even in Battlefield 1, single player is okay, but once you jump into multiplayer, the performance takes a massive dive—we're talking more than twice as bad. I'm telling you from experience here; the video is just proof. Plus, even a Skylake i5 will outperform that old 2500k any day.
If you were running an i7 2600, things would be a totally different story because of the 8 threads. You'd see much lower CPU usage and the GPU would actually be pushed to its limit.

Dennis Patel7 said:Look, that PC belongs to a kid, which explains why he's playing those kinds of games in the first place; the real headache started because he’s trying to run PUBG and is pushing himself to play ARK, but neither of those titles are going to run smoothly on his current setup.

Anyway, my first move is to toss in another 8GB stick of RAM, and if that doesn't do the trick, I'm just going to grab a GTX 1060—I noticed they have them available starting from $300 onwards.

You can find them starting from $200 and up. Honestly, you could even grab an RX 570 or 580 for a bargain—just make sure you check exactly which power supply you have under the hood first.

As far as the CPU goes, I should mention that PUBG and PUBG iARC are real processor hogs. Having 4 cores and 8 threads would make things run a lot smoother. For instance, take this guy's build click. Dropping the price by another $30 would definitely make it a solid buy for $133, and that CPU still holds its own with mid-range graphics cards. I actually just saw a video of an i7 2600 paired with an RX 580 click.