Best PC build for $1,500?

Hey there!

I’m looking to put together a new build. My budget is around $1,500—I can stretch it a little if necessary, so no big deal—but I’d love to hear what you guys would recommend for that price point.

I saw a similar thread recently, but I’m a bit confused. It seems like everyone is pushing Core builds, and I’m just wondering why. Not that I have anything against other brands, it just caught my eye. Also, if we're talking about a $1,500 setup, why wouldn't we go for the top-tier processor instead of an i5?
I know these questions might sound a bit naive, but I'm still pretty new to all this.

Anyway, is it possible to pull together an i7 configuration for about $1,500 with a solid graphics card? Ideally something more powerful than a GTX 1060.

Thanks in advance for the help!

Obviously, a $1,000 build isn't going to be stuck with a weak Nvidia GTX 1060.

Everyone's pivoting to AMD right now because Intel prices have spiked lately, especially in the budget and mid-range tiers. You get way more bang for your buck with Ryzen—though, obviously, that depends on what you're actually doing and how much cash you're dropping.

Anyway, I need a few details:

Is that budget strictly for the tower, or does it need to cover a monitor and everything else?

What kind of monitor are we talking about? What resolution and refresh rate are you aiming for?

Do you have specific gaming needs? Are you chasing high FPS in lighter titles like Overwatch, or are you looking for better graphics at higher settings? (Basically the same question as the monitor bit.)

So, here's the deal. I was thinking about picking up this monitor from Dell -

Basically, I need a rig for rendering and 3D modeling. Most newer software leans on the GPU for real-time work and final renders, so I really need a solid graphics card. On the flip side, I’m still actively using V-Ray, which relies on the CPU for rendering, so having a strong processor is also high on my list.

As for gaming—I’m not much of a gamer. I might install something once a year just for fun, but I’m pretty sure anything stronger than an Intel Core i5 paired with an Nvidia GTX 1060 should handle most things just fine.

I’m trying to keep the total cost, including the monitor, under $1,200.

Anyway, that’s the gist of it. 🙂 Thanks.

Don't drop $2,800 on that monitor. 😁 Seriously, we're talking about tech that's already three years old. You can definitely find something way better without emptying your bank account.

If you’re looking at this for professional work rather than just grinding games, here's the gist:

An AMD Ryzen 7 1700, 2600, or 2700.
16GB of RAM.
Nvidia GTX 1070
At least a 500GB SSD.

Figure out if you actually need Nvidia Turing cards or more RAM first.

futura-it.com

1 * AMD Ryzen 7 1700 8C/16T (3.7GHz, 20MB, 65W, AM4) box, includes Wraith Spire 95W cooler
Code: YD1700BBAEBOX - $563

1 * MSI B450 Tomahawk, AM4, DDR4, U3, m.2, ATX
Code: msi-b450-thawk - $283

2 * Corsair 1X8GB DDR4 3000 C16 LP
Code: COR-CMK8GX4M1D300C16 - $433

1 * SEAGATE HDD Desktop Barracuda Guardian (3.5/3TB/SATA/5400rpm)
Code: ST3000DM007 - $255

1 * Corsair Builder Series CX550, 550 Watt EVGA Power Supply, US version
Code: CP-9020121-US - $199

1 * Gigabyte GF GTX 1060 WF2 OC, 6GB GDDR5
Code: giga-n1060wf2-6gd - $852

1 * Corsair Carbide Series 100R Mid Tower Case
Code: CC-9011075-WW - $169

Total: $2754

+

NVMe SSD e.g.
https://www.newegg.com/ssd-500gb-samsung...m_medium=click

You could grab the Ryzen 1700X instead of the 1700. The 1700X is slightly cheaper and has higher clock speeds, but it doesn't come with a cooler, so you'll need to shell out about 200-$83 extra for one.
The 1700 option here is perfectly fine, even if you want to overclock.

Right now, the Ryzen 1700(X) is at an amazing price point. You get an 8-core/16-thread processor for around 1600-$567.

If gaming is the priority, go with a 1600 or 2600, but for rendering, this setup is incredible value.
With Intel, if you drop down to an i5, you're looking at noticeably worse performance for a higher price than this. If you step up to an i7, the cost jumps significantly while performance stays roughly the same for these tasks.

Stick with the GTX 1060 6GB. It's easy to swap the GPU in a year or two, and there's no point in dropping $500 more on a GTX 1070 or GTX 1070Ti unless you absolutely need it right now.

Plus, this build offers a great upgrade path. Next year, new Ryzens on a 7nm process (maybe even up to 16 cores) will be coming out and they'll fit the same socket.

P.S.

You might want to beef up the power supply with something like https://www.newegg.com/rmx-series-...-US/product/

The wattage isn't an issue for the initial build, but if you're going to be running renders constantly, you'll probably want something more reliable and efficient.

$850 for a Nvidia GTX 1060? I don't think so. 😛

I’ve got an AMD Radeon RX 590 Nitro+ for $783...

Phanteks Eclipse P400 White Edition, glass window, PH-EC416PTG_WT
AMD Ryzen 7 1700X BOX, 3.4GHz, 16MB Cache, s. AM4
ASRock B450 PRO4, AM4, 90-MXB8B0-A0UAYZ
Corsair CX550, 80PLUS Bronze 550W ATX 2.4, CP-9020111-DE
AOC Q3279VWFD8 Monitor, 31.5" IPS, 2560x1440, 16:9, 250cd/m², 5ms, 75Hz, 1x VGA, 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4, 1x DisplayPort 1.2
Samsung 970 EVO 500GB SSD, M.2 2280, MZ-V7E500BW
Arctic Freezer 33, Socket: 1150, 1151, 1155, 1156, 2011, 2011-3, 2066, AM4, ACFRE00028A
2x DDR4 8GB (1x8GB) PC4-24000U 3000MHz CL16 G.Skill Aegis, F4-3000C16S-8GISB
Sapphire RX 590 8GB Nitro+ Special Edition graphics card, 8GB GDDR5, 256-bit, 1560/2100MHz, 11289-01-20G

Total: $3240

And you'll still have room for an Nvidia RTX 2070 Windforce 3X if you decide you aren't feeling the AMD vibe for work.

EDIT: The shop is AMD.

crimsonstag84 said:$850 for a GTX 1060? Nah 😛

There's an RX 590 Nitro+ available for $783...

Plus, you've got room for an RTX 2070 WF3 if you can't deal with AMD for work stuff.

Yeah, that price for a GTX 1060 is garbage. I saw an RX 580 around there, but didn't see the RX 590.

The RTX 2070 isn't much more than a GTX 1070 or GTX 1070 Ti, and since it's Turing, it should be better for productivity and generally stronger than the GTX 1070.

But it depends on what "work" actually means here. Maybe the GTX 1060 is fine and the RX 590 isn't, or maybe they both work.

Bottom line: for pure gaming performance, the RX 590 is definitely a better value than the GTX 1060. If AMD works for you, go with that.

BTW Smartic, which shop is that?