Posts by Ryan Gonzalez4

Intel Core I5 9600 k 3.7-4.6GHZ 9MB 6 Core 6 Threads $410
Intel Core I5 8600K 3.6-4.3GHZ 9MB 6 Core 6 Threads $380

It’s really not that big of a deal; you won't even notice those extra $30 missing from your bank account. Honestly, I think I've finally made up my mind on which processor to pull the trigger on 😁 Since there is an additional 21% discount applied to the $410 price tag, we are looking at roughly $733 for the I5 9600 k

wiredotter14 said:Ultimately, it all comes down to what they actually want to achieve.

If this video editing is just a hobby that takes up a few hours here and there—nothing professional where time is literally money—and the priority is maximizing gaming FPS, then honestly, the 8600K is the better bet since it holds the edge in pure gaming performance.

On the other hand, a 2700X can shave significant time off rendering tasks compared to an i5, which, for larger projects, could mean finishing several hours sooner. Of course, that really depends on which specific software suite is being utilized.

I would also suggest considering the monitor setup.
If we are talking about high resolutions, the i5 and the Ryzen will essentially perform the same; however, if the goal is hitting those 120Hz+ refresh rates, the i5 pulls ahead.

Conversely, if streaming is part of the equation, the Ryzen is significantly more capable than the i5.

Regarding cooling, that Corsair unit offers performance comparable to some higher-end air coolers, though it’ll likely be louder—I’d wager those fans are pushing well over 1500RPM.
Liquid cooling definitely adds a certain "sexy factor" to a build, but in 99% of cases, an AIO isn't actually any better than a solid air cooler. Custom loops are a completely different beast, but that is an intense and incredibly expensive hobby.

https://www.techradar.com/news/best-cpu-coolers

I don't know, I find those air cooler blocks to be hideously ugly; if I were building it, I'd always go with liquid. As for the CPU, I think I'll wait a bit longer to see how the new Intel i5 series shakes out.

When it comes to the actual PC usage, I'll be spending way more time gaming than doing any kind of content editing that would necessitate an AMD chip. I'm looking at HD or maybe 2K resolution at most.

Alexander Moore67 As if I haven't heard this all before.
I don't particularly care to join either the Intel or the AMD fanboy camps; I find the tribalism a bit exhausting. In my estimation, if you're looking at value, the Ryzen 7 2700X is simply the smarter buy.

AMD is just... AMD. $200 It might cost you a bit more upfront, but looking at the big picture, the i5 8600k really holds its own in terms of raw performance. Besides, once you factor in the overclocking headroom, Intel just seems to play in a different league compared to what AMD is offering right now.

Timothy Kim60 As I was saying:
If we’re talking about the H80, let's be honest: it’s nothing to write home about. Honestly, you can pick up a decent air cooler for around thirty bucks that’ll actually run cooler and quieter—think along the lines of a Noctua or those classic Thermalright Macho models. Don't go thinking you're going to push a chip to 4.9 or 5GHz with that thing and still expect reasonable temperatures. It just isn't built for that kind of heavy lifting.

I wouldn't go betting the farm on the quality of Corsair's liquid coolers, either. I’ve seen far too many people complaining about the exact same issues—everything from kinked tubing to fans that sound like a jet engine taking off, not to mention pumps that are unnecessarily loud. Honestly, it feels like a total pain in the neck and just isn't worth the premium when you could pick up an incredible air cooler that does the job without all the extra headache.

I’ve been running an H80 for about six or seven years now, and honestly, it hasn't performed any worse than the day I unboxed it. I haven't run into a single issue in all that time, which isn't surprising since I’ve stuck with Corsair for my power supplies and cooling setups for quite a while. You also have to account for the fact that some people can be a bit clumsy with their hardware; you really need to be gentle with those tubes and let them settle into a natural position so they aren't under unnecessary tension. As for the noise levels, you have different modes to choose from to dial things in—though if you decide to crank it to max speed, don't be shocked when your PC sounds like a Boeing 747 preparing for takeoff.

I was just sitting here weighing my options, thinking about whether I should hold out and grab the i5-9600K instead of sticking with the i5-8600K. It looks like it’ll be hitting the shelves fairly soon, around October 19th, and from what I can gather, the price tag is going to be pretty much identical to the 8600K. I’ll admit, I’m a bit skeptical about the actual performance jump, but if the cost remains essentially the same, I figure why not give it a shot?

crimsonstag84 As it turns out, according to crimsonstag84:
It’s essentially the same deal; I made the jump to an i5 8600k using that exact same socket, and everything lined up perfectly without any headaches.

If you ask me, I’d much rather go with air cooling. 😛 To be honest, I find the prices they're asking for water to be absolutely ridiculous considering what you actually get in return.

Honestly, I’m beyond satisfied with the setup; it's a closed loop, and I haven't had to touch the Corsair components once since I installed them. You really can't compare this to an air-cooled rig, though that’s mostly because you're paying a premium, but then again, the thermal performance is objectively superior. Not that anyone should care if they aren't willing to drop $150 or $200 on a high-end kit, but let's be real—it looks sexy as hell when you have a tempered glass side panel showcasing the build. 😒 😁

crimsonstag84 said:The 8700K is pretty much ancient history at this point $1267, so I wouldn't touch it if I were you. It’s just not worth the money anymore.

https://www.newegg.com/p/example-link-1

https://www.amazon.com/p/example-link-2

Throw in some 2x16GB sticks of the cheapest 3000MHz RAM you can find. Honestly, I don't think you need to bother replacing your processor cooling system.

EDIT: Regarding the GPU, take a look at how an RTX 2070 would perform and see if that shifts your overall budget. Upgrading the graphics card alongside the RAM is usually the path of least resistance, and let's be honest, the GTX 970 isn't exactly a paperweight yet.😁

To be perfectly honest, I have no idea where I put all my extra hardware—the mounting screws, the thermal plates, and things of that nature. I'm sitting here wondering if I'll even be able to mount my current cooler onto this new motherboard since the socket might be different. That could turn into a bit of a headache. Besides, I've had this cooler since practically the day it hit the shelves, so it might actually be a decent time to just get something new.

analogtiger19 As requested by crimsonstag84:
You neglected to mention what you actually intend to do with this machine...

Between the daily grind of work, binge-watching movies, editing video and photos, and diving into high-end gaming or even VR, my needs are pretty broad. Honestly, I have my doubts about whether someone would actually pick out this specific set of components for professional, official use. 😛 😉

crimsonstag84 said:So, what exactly are you running under the hood these days?

I’m still running an i5 3570K clocked at 4.2GHz, which honestly feels like I'm driving a vintage muscle car on a modern interstate—it’s got soul, but you definitely feel the age when everyone else is passing you by.
I’ve been looking back at my old hardware logs, specifically regarding that Samsung SSD 850, and it really makes you realize how much the landscape has shifted since I first put that drive together. It was a reliable workhorse for its time, providing that essential jump in responsiveness that we all eventually came to take for granted. Looking back at my build history, it feels like a lifetime ago when those early high-speed drives were the absolute gold standard for anyone trying to escape the sluggishness of traditional spinning disks.
I’m currently looking at my storage situation—specifically a mix of 1TB, 2TB, and 500GB hard drives—and honestly, it’s becoming a bit of a headache to manage.
I’ve been looking back at my setup from a few years ago, specifically that PC upgrade 2018 I put together, and I can't help but chuckle at my past decisions. Back then, I was convinced I had everything figured out, settling on the Corsair H80 to keep things running smoothly. It served its purpose for a while, providing just enough thermal headroom for the components I was rocking at the time, but in hindsight, it was always a bit of a tight squeeze. It’s funny how you convince yourself a specific piece of hardware is "enough" until you actually start pushing the limits and realize you were just playing it safe.
I’ve been looking at this Corsair 4x4GB DDR3 2400MHz kit lately, and honestly, it feels like a bit of a relic from a different era of computing. It’s one of those components that reminds you just how quickly the hardware landscape shifts under our feet.
I’ve been spending some time lately thinking about my power supply situation, specifically looking at the Corsair HX850i. It’s one of those components you rarely think about until things start going sideways, much like the plumbing in an old house in Chicago—you just assume it’ll work until you’re staring at a puddle on the floor. But when you're building a rig that actually matters, you can't just cheap out on the heart of the machine. This particular unit from Corsair has always had a reputation for being reliable, which is exactly what I need when I'm running more demanding hardware.
The GTX 970 GV-N970G1 GAMING-4GD
I find myself revisiting my old NZXT Phantom 410 lately, and honestly, it brings back a certain sense of nostalgia for an era when PC cases actually felt like they had some structural integrity. It’s a massive, imposing chassis—definitely not for someone trying to hide their rig under a desk in a cramped studio apartment—but there was something undeniably satisfying about how much room you had to work with. Back then, we weren't all obsessed with tiny, minimalist builds that look like high-end office equipment; we wanted something that looked like it could survive a minor impact. It served me well through several iterations of hardware, providing enough breathing room for components that, by today's standards, seem almost quaint.

I’ve been sketching out a list of components I’m planning to pick up, and I was hoping to run them by you all to see if anyone has better ideas—ideally with a bit of reasoning behind the suggestions, if you don't mind. Thanks.

Processor: Thanks processor : Core i5-8600K
Cooling: Corsair H100i Pro
Motherboard: GIGABYTE Z370 AORUS Gaming 5
RAM: 2x Corsair 16 GB DDR4 3000 MHz Vengeance Black, CMK16GX4M1B30C15
Graphics Card: Now, here is where I am hesitating. I’ve been holding out for October 17th to see what the deal is with the RTX 2070 and its Ray tracing capabilities, but looking at how the RTX 2080 outperforms the previous generation by maybe 20-25% while carrying a massive 50% price hike, the math just doesn't seem to add up for me. So, I might end up settling for a GTX 1070ti, a GTX 1080, or perhaps even a GTX 1080ti.

So, that is the current state of affairs. I would love to hear your thoughts on this setup.

Kimberly Gomez34 said:Just a heads-up: if you're aiming for that 4.8-5GHz sweet spot with an Intel Core i7-7700K, you're looking at pairing it with a Z270 motherboard and a high-end cooler. That setup is going to cost you roughly double what you'd spend on a Ryzen 5 1600 paired with a B350 board and a budget cooler—especially since the Ryzen 5 1600 typically averages around 3.9-4GHz anyway.

With all due respect, this feels more like a theoretical ceiling than a realistic average.
(AMD recommends the same 1.35V maximum CPU voltage for long-term overclocks.)
So far, anyone managing to hit 4GHz has had to push well beyond 1.35V.

We aren't talking about what might happen in a perfect world; we're talking about what actually makes sense for longevity and stability. Theoretically, you could crank the Vcore up to +1.5 v, but how much life is that actually leaving in the silicon? If anyone happens to have some solid data or technical articles on the subject, feel free to drop them here. Thanks.

To be honest, I’m still struggling to reach a definitive conclusion regarding these processors; I follow everyone's arguments, but weighing them against each other to declare a winner is proving to be quite difficult...

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?

I've managed to push my i5 3570K up to 4.5GHz using a Vcore of 1.265V, and after running Prime95 for about six hours, it’s holding steady. Even under the MiniHeat test, the temperature peaks at around 77C, which I suppose is acceptable. At this point, I think I'll just leave the rest of the build as is and focus on picking up a monitor and a GPU. I already mentioned which monitor I have my eye on, though I'm feeling a bit skeptical about some reports regarding "backlight bleed." I don't quite grasp what that entails technically, nor why people claim you have to swap out several units before stumbling upon a "perfect" one, but if that's how the industry works, so be it...

On that note, I'm still stuck in indecision regarding the graphics card. Should I grab a gtx 1070, a GTX 1080, or maybe the 1080ti? Or is it wiser to just hold out and wait for the 2070?

Adam Moore3 said: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.

Between the monitor and a decent GPU, we're looking at roughly 15 bucks. $0.00 As for Ryzen, I'm not sure how much sense that makes when it isn't significantly faster in single-core or even quad-core tasks compared to what I've seen—I actually looked into the Ryzen 7 1800x versus the i5 7600K myself, and it seems like most people still argue that Multi Core performance isn't even being fully utilized in gaming yet, so why bother?

crimsonstag84 said:When you're gaming, there's honestly less than a 10% performance gap between an i7 running at 4GHz and a Ryzen 5/7 when paired with a mid-range GPU. If your friend has a similar setup and everything is running smoothly, I guess the issue might be on your end—maybe some background processes or a Windows Update are eating up your resources?

Nothing is actually notifying me that I have a problem in that regard. Furthermore, the issue seems strictly isolated to Star Citizen. For instance, Dishonored 2—which everyone seemed to complain about regarding its optimization—well, it runs flawlessly on my rig without a single hiccup...
So, I’m honestly not even sure why the processor is giving me grief specifically with Star Citizen.

Hmm, so I suppose the logical conclusion is to pick up a narrower, newer monitor, grab a new graphics card—though I'm still undecided on which specific model to go with—and perhaps overclock the processor even more than I am currently? I can't say for certain how stable all of that would be, though; my motherboard isn't exactly top-tier, and since my cooling solution is nearly five years old, I'd need to see how it handles the temperatures first.

The benchmarks show about a 25% performance jump from that i5 to the newer i5 model, which leaves me wondering if I should even bother stepping up to an i7 just for gaming purposes. As for my current processor—I can't quite put my finger on why—but when I try to run Star Citizen, the whole system starts acting up; the CPU usage spikes to 100% and everything becomes an unplayable mess. I'm not entirely sure how much of that is just due to Star Citizen being a notoriously unoptimized, work-in-progress disaster, but a buddy of mine with a pretty similar build doesn't seem to run into these exact issues at all...

To be clear, I’m not talking about pushing past 2K when it comes to monitors, nor am I suggesting I’d ever pick up an AMD's card. That part is obvious enough, but the real question remains: where do we draw the line? It's the same dilemma as deciding whether to grab a GTX 1080; the real issue is figuring out what actually makes sense for the wallet. Is it better to invest in something substantial now for $2267 and enjoy it for years, or should I just pick up a card for roughly $1000 and prepare to buy another one from $1000 in just a few years?

My current setup:
Samsung SyncMaster P2770HD.
1155soc, i5 3570K OC 4GHz
Corsair H80 High Performance Liquid Cooler
Corsair RAM 4x4GB, DDR3, 1600MHz
1155soc, MSI Z77A-G45 gaming
SLI (2x) Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 G1 gaming Samsung SSD 850
Samsung SSD 850 Evo 500GB
Corsair hx850i
1TB HDD
500GB HDD
nzxt phantom 410

What I'm planning to buy:
i5-7600K
Corsair 2x8GB DDR4 3000 C15, CMK16GX4M2B30C15
Gigabyte GA-Z270-Gaming K3
GPU ????

So, what I’m really trying to wrap my head around is the actual logic behind buying a graphics card. Is it better to just drop the cash on a high-end beast and ride it out for years, or does it make more sense to pick up a mid-range card every couple of years? I'm trying to figure out which path isn't just flushing money down the drain.

As it stands, I'm running everything on an old Samsung SyncMaster P2770HD at 1920x1080 that’s been sitting on my desk for about seven years now, powered by a GTX 970.

I’ve been eyeing an upgrade to a 2560x1440 setup, specifically looking at the Alienware AW2721H.
That brings me to a few questions regarding the jump. For instance, if I want to be truly future-proof, am I actually going to need a monitor with G-Sync? It seems like a pretty steep price hike just for that feature...

Regarding the GPU itself, we go back to my initial dilemma. Given that I currently have a GTX 970, should I be aiming for a GTX 1070, a GTX 1080, a GTX 1080ti, or would it perhaps make more sense to look toward Q3 2017 and grab something like a 2070?

The goal here is to hit a max resolution of 2560x1440 with video settings cranked as high as they can go—this is strictly for gaming. Which of these paths actually makes the most sense from a practical standpoint, and why?

Larry Ortiz5 said:Honestly, I’d probably leave everything else just the way it is—except for the graphics card. If you're looking at options, going with a GTX 1070 is definitely the way to go. 😁

I find this whole argument incredibly hard to swallow, primarily because the GTX 970 actually outperforms the 1060 in almost every measurable metric.

Hey everyone, I’ve been mulling over a potential upgrade for a few days now, though I’m honestly stuck in that classic dilemma: is this actually necessary, or am I just chasing ghosts? I can't quite decide if I should pull the trigger now or just sit tight and see how much longer I can squeeze blood from this stone 🤔

Specs:
LGA 1155 socket, i5 3570K overclocked to 4GHz
Corsair H80 High Performance Liquid Cooler
Corsair RAM 4x4GB, DDR3, 1600MHz
LGA 1155 socket, MSI Z77A-G45 gaming
SLI (2x) NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 Gigabyte Samsung SSD 850
Samsung SSD 850 Evo 500GB
Corsair hx850i
1TB HDD
500GB HDD
NZXT Phantom 410

My current thought process involves swapping out the processor, motherboard, and RAM altogether.
Specifically, looking at an i5 6600K or maybe an i7 6700K, paired with a Z170 board and 16GB of DDR4.

A buddy of mine suggested that instead of tinkering with internals, I should just invest in a better display. Right now, I'm running a Samsung SyncMaster P2770HD.

So, that's the situation. I'd love to hear your thoughts on which direction makes the most sense. Thanks 🍿

Hey everyone, I’ve been spending my afternoon browsing for a new laptop and stumbled upon this particular model:

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-XPS-15...Microsoft

The question weighing on my mind is whether a deal like this at $500 is actually realistic, especially once you factor in shipping and taxes to get it here to the States$0.00. I mean, I’ve never had any real issues dealing with Amazon before, but I’ll admit I’ve also never pulled the trigger on something where there's such a massive price gap between what they charge domestically versus what we see locally
.
On a different note, I'm curious about the performance—do you think I could reasonably expect to run most things on medium settings at 1080p, or am I dreaming? Thanks

goldenviper13 said:If you're heading over to that setting to switch things up for better performance, you might want to consider checking the box for "enable write caching" as well. It’s worth a look. 🙂

But that isn't really a solution, is it? Honestly, I can't wrap my head around how anyone could look at 20MB/s on a USB 3.0 connection and call that normal. It’s just absurd.