Robert Rodriguez2 said:Probably because it outpaces the Toshiba, plus you get that longer 5-year warranty.
crimsonstag84 said:There are fewer frame drops too; I guess you get a better minimum with an Intel Core i3 when the memory is running in dual-channel mode. A 500GB Western Digital is actually $33 more expensive than some 1TB drives, and it only comes in a 2.5" version... it just doesn't make much sense.
^ exactly. BlackRock has absolutely nothing to do with this; it's just total nonsense. $33 When you're working with a tight budget...
Why do you even care about RAM benchmark scores? These synthetic tests don't mean a thing. Your RAM is working just fine, so there's really no reason to stress over it at all.
Look, HERE it’s been explained to you plenty of times already why you should go with an AMD build instead of the i5. Either way, your math on those specs is all over the place. You ended up paying more than what things are actually worth, and honestly, with that total budget, you could have put together a much better gaming combo... But whatever, it is what it is. Since you're already committed, you might as well at least drop in a decent processor, specifically the one crimsonstag84 recommended to you.
I’d honestly go with the Pentium G4560 + RX 470 if gaming is the main goal here. You'll actually get some decent playtime out of that RX 470, whereas with the AMD build, you're basically just waiting around until—if ever—you decide to drop in something more serious.
Ryan Gonzalez4 said:Regarding the processor situation, I find myself in complete agreement here:
When looking at gaming performance across the board, you’re honestly still making a smarter play with a Core i7-7700K, or frankly, even a Core i5-7600K. As things stand, the entry-level Ryzen option—the 1700—is sitting right at the same price point as the i7-7700K, which is a bit of a letdown considering it isn't even the chip we’d suggest if you're hunting for the absolute best value in gaming. If you want to be practical, the Core i5-7600K is practically neck-and-neck with the 7700K but comes in at around $240, which saves you nearly $100 compared to that 1700. Plus, once you start pushing the overclocking, you can hit those 4.9 or 5.0GHz marks; and honestly, until we see a massive wave of titles actually demanding more than four cores, this remains your most logical path forward.
Any thoughts on this?
Kimberly Gomez34 said:To follow up on that point -
Kimberly Gomez34 already posted some solid links, check those out.
TL;DR — Ryzen 5 offers better futureproofing. If you want top-tier performance and you're a hardcore gamer, there's no question: go with the 7700K. If you need a compromise because an i7 isn't in the budget, then grab a Ryzen 5 since it's much better for the long haul than an i5.
Those extra 4 threads really matter when a CPU can actually be pushed. Take GTA V, for example. The i5 starts stuttering. In certain scenes where there's a lot to render, the FPS drops to ridiculous levels, like 6-7 FPS. Sure, that’s the minimum FPS and doesn't represent average performance, but it tells you everything about the game's overall smoothness. The guy also pointed out that this isn't just a statistical fluke or a random background process eating up CPU cycles; he tested it repeatedly and kept hitting the same numbers.
So, if you can't swing the i7, don't settle for the i5. Currently, Ryzen gives you roughly the same performance—except in cases where games specifically favor Intel (though that trend is dying down)—but it provides better longevity thanks to the extra threads. You can also see the CPU load in the video. The i5 might give you 90 FPS compared to Ryzen's 80, but it's doing it while pulling about 25% more CPU load. That should tell you enough. 🙂
It’s pretty wild how much smoother the gameplay feels in GTA V on Ryzen. We're talking about a 60 FPS experience versus the 6 FPS mess you get with an i5. And the guy specifically pointed out that this isn't just some statistical fluke or a background process hogging resources; during the actual benchmarks, the i5 just constanty stutters and hitches every single time he runs it. The best part? This game was released before Ryzen was even a thing on the market, so things are only going to get better and better for Ryzen thanks to those extra threads.
Let’s be real, high-end performance definitely belongs to the i7s—no debate there, especially when you're talking about gaming. But in his case, if he's looking for something more future-proof while staying in that Core i5 price bracket, then Intel just doesn't make sense compared to what else is out there. An i5 basically loses its purpose at that point. Now, if money isn't an issue, grab the i7 7700 k, push some heavy overclocking, and you can literally do whatever you want with it.
If you're actually worried about futureproofing, an Intel chip is going to beat a standard i5 because, as wiredotter14 pointed out, it simply has "more horsepower." The current trend is all about optimizing games to squeeze more performance out of multiple cores. Take Vulkan, for example. One of its biggest advantages is how much better it handles distributing workloads across several cores. So, if you're already running an i5 and looking for longevity, upgrading to a newer i5 is just throwing money away. If you're determined to make the jump to Intel, though, you should aim for the i7. But man, that's a pricey move 🙂
Man, you really should have mentioned the fact that you're running TWO GTX 970s in SLI here. 😬 In that case, jumping to something that performs less than a GTX 1070 makes zero sense; it would basically be a sidegrade, or even a straight-up downgrade in games that actually utilize SLI properly. Swapping out the whole platform isn't worth it either, especially if you're just moving to another i5.
So, like you were told—get an unlocked processor, a solid motherboard, liquid cooling => overclock that thing well, throw in at least a GTX 1070, and you're set. And obviously, grab a new monitor since you're aiming for 1440p anyway. If you're absolutely dead set on a CPU upgrade, go with a Ryzen or maybe an i7 if you're sticking with Intel, but that's going to be a massive upgrade involving some serious cash.
Look, at the end of the day, it’s simple: the more you pay, the more music you get. 😁 Right now, the RX 480 is a good value for hitting that FHD sweet spot; you basically don't have to compromise on settings at all (assuming the devs didn't totally butcher the optimization, obviously). If you're aiming higher than FHD, nothing is really "too much." If you want to hit 4K, even two 1080Tis wouldn't be enough. In your specific case, I think a GTX 1070 would be plenty for that resolution, though a GTX 1080 wouldn't be overkill either. You can play perfectly fine with a 1070, but since you mentioned futureproofing, well—the stronger, the better. G-Sync/FreeSync doesn't really have anything to do with futureproofing; those are just very useful features to have when you're dropping serious cash on a monitor.
True enough. People often forget that regardless of how cheap the G4560 is, entry-level Skylake motherboards always run over $133, whereas you can snag an A68 for about $33 less. You end up saving $67 on the CPU and motherboard combo by going with this FM2+ option, especially if you're already sitting on some DDR3 RAM. By the way, do H110 DDR3 boards support Kaby Lake—meaning the G4560—assuming you perform a BIOS update, of course?
crimsonstag84 balanced this build so well that there isn't much room left for upgrades. You could potentially swap in a beefier power supply just to have extra headroom, though it’s really unnecessary since this setup won't even hit 250W at full load. Nothing major to add here, really... 🙂
frozenfox10 said:I've got a Radeon 6770 HD 1GB DDR5, but the fan just died on me. I need to pick up a replacement, so if anyone has recommendations—nothing too pricey (under $333) but definitely an upgrade over my current one... ideally at least 2GB VRAM DDR5 so I can run newer titles on low or medium settings while staying compatible with my build...
here's my setup:
CPU: AMD ATHLON ii x4 641 quad core @ 2.8 GHz RAM: 8 GB PSU: Cooler Master RS 460W PCAP 13 Motherboard: Asus F1A75-M Le FM1 Resolution: 1440x900
That's actually a bit overkill for your resolution; you'll definitely be able to play everything smoothly at that res. You could probably even bump it up to high settings 🙂 CLICK
I mean, you’ve got Newegg and those UK retailers, but I'm not even sure if they all just ship everything straight from the US or how the logistics actually work.