First Build Advice (Mainly Gaming) - so far I have these: Ryzen 7 1700 and RX 580 8GB

[heeebsinc]

I am currently looking online for computer parts to get my first build started and came across the ryzen 5 2400g (has a dedicated graphcis card). Because I plan to slowly upgrade the computer over time, is this a good place to start in the build? I can add better gpus to the build afterwards right? I am only going to be using the computer for gaming (Fortnite, Apex, etc.). Also, if i were to go ahead and use the ryzen 5 2400G, which motherboard and case should I use (considering some room for future upgrades)

any info would be an amazing help!

UPDATED by Quote from post #57:

Hey everyone
I am currently building my first PC and so far I have these:

1. Ryzen 7 1700
2. RX 580 8GB

I have looked online for motherboards but I keep finding mixed reviews for most party. I definitely plan to overclock the CPU (as much as possible) and possibly add additional GPU for cross-firex in the future.
My first question is does cross-fire really make a substantial difference (for games like fortnite/apex)?- as this has been the major dilemma for me.

And the motherboards I have been deciding between are ASUS TUF X470-Plus, MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon, ASUS Prime X470-Pro, and ASUS ROG STRIX B450-F.

I read that they differ in their OC capabilities and their audio. Between these, or any others you guys might know, which is the best board for under $180

Also, please mention any RAM that you know will be supported by the Motherboard. There are so many different options when it comes to RAM it is overwhelming lol.

Really appreciate it everyone. This website has helped me so much already

 

[ne6togadno]

https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/...onents-please-make-sure-you-read-this.253915/

 

[Countryside]

Welcome

For an matx build i would recommend ASrock B450m Steel, Case MasterBox Lite 3.1 TG If i understood correctly you are planning to use igpu so 16gb ram is recommended as 2gb will be used by igpu.

 

[kastriot]

Sure it's OK, small steps small steps.

 

[heeebsinc]

Welcome

For an matx build i would recommend ASrock B450m Steel, Case MasterBox Lite 3.1 TG If i understood correctly you are planning to use igpu so 16gb ram is recommended as 2gb will be used by igpu.

I saw online that some mother boards might require an update of some sort because the hardware may be outdated. Would that be the case for the motherboards you provided?
Also, is it possible to use the iGPU than install a separate GPU (Geforce 1060 or 1070 8gb)? Sorry if these are simple questions I just want to wrap my head around everything before I start making purchases

Again, thank you so much for your help!

 

[Countryside]

I saw online that some mother boards might require an update of some sort because the hardware may be outdated. Would that be the case for the motherboards you provided?

The Asrock b450 steel has support for all the current ryzen cpus so no bios update is required. You can check from this link.

 

[heeebsinc]

The Asrock b450 steel has support for all the current ryzen cpus so no bios update is required. You can check from this link.

Also, is it possible to use the iGPU than install a separate GPU (Geforce 1060 or 1070 8gb)? Sorry if these are simple questions I just want to wrap my head around everything before I start making purchases

Again, thank you so much for your help!

 

[ne6togadno]

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/mxBqnH

 

[Countryside]

Also, is it possible to use the iGPU than install a separate GPU (Geforce 1060 or 1070 8gb)? Sorry if these are simple questions I just want to wrap my head around everything before I start making purchases

Again, thank you so much for your help!

Yes you can, make sure that you insert the monitor hdmi cable into the motherboard hdmi slot then you are using the igpu.

In the future when you buy an gpu you have to connect the monitor with gpu not with the motherboard hdmi slot.

The b450 steel motherboard has HDMI and Displayport it does not have old monitor connectors like Dvi and VGA.

 

[notb]

Also, is it possible to use the iGPU than install a separate GPU (Geforce 1060 or 1070 8gb)? Sorry if these are simple questions I just want to wrap my head around everything before I start making purchases

Yes, you can use the iGPU for the time being.
That said, when do you plan to buy the GPU? 1060 and 1070 are being phased out.
If it's a matter of weeks, why not buy the whole thing? Less compromises, less work.

 

[heeebsinc]

Yes, you can use the iGPU for the time being.
That said, when do you plan to buy the GPU? 1060 and 1070 are being phased out.
If it's a matter of weeks, why not buy the whole thing? Less compromises, less work.

Because I am only intending to get the rig for gaming purposes (mostly a single game), I figure I start out with a more affordable rig that is easily upgradable. I know I mentioned the 1060 and 1070 but if I really get committed to PC gaming I would go as far and upgrade to a 1080.

If I get a very good graphics card in the future and decide to restart a build, can I remove the graphics card from one build and add it to another?

Also, I consulted with some peers that like to think of themselves as "experts" in gaming, and they mentioned that for price, the 2200g may be a better purchase than 2400g?

Looking at the ASrock b450 motherboard, I saw that it does not support 32gb of ram. Is there a motherboard you guys know of that supports 32gb ram and ryzen 5 2400g with no bios update. I am not planning on getting 32gb off the back but I would like to know i have the option for the future as i may or may not want to stream with the computer (once i upgrade to geforce 1080)

 

[dirtyferret]

Because I am only intending to get the rig for gaming purposes (mostly a single game), I figure I start out with a more affordable rig that is easily upgradable. I know I mentioned the 1060 and 1070 but if I really get committed to PC gaming I would go as far and upgrade to a 1080.

If I get a very good graphics card in the future and decide to restart a build, can I remove the graphics card from one build and add it to another?

Also, I consulted with some peers that like to think of themselves as "experts" in gaming, and they mentioned that for price, the 2200g may be a better purchase than 2400g?

Looking at the ASrock b450 motherboard, I saw that it does not support 32gb of ram. Is there a motherboard you guys know of that supports 32gb ram and ryzen 5 2400g with no bios update. I am not planning on getting 32gb off the back but I would like to know i have the option for the future as i may or may not want to stream with the computer (once i upgrade to geforce 1080)

What game? Certain games play better on certain hardware.

 

[krusha03]

Because I am only intending to get the rig for gaming purposes (mostly a single game), I figure I start out with a more affordable rig that is easily upgradable. I know I mentioned the 1060 and 1070 but if I really get committed to PC gaming I would go as far and upgrade to a 1080.

If I get a very good graphics card in the future and decide to restart a build, can I remove the graphics card from one build and add it to another?

Also, I consulted with some peers that like to think of themselves as "experts" in gaming, and they mentioned that for price, the 2200g may be a better purchase than 2400g?

Looking at the ASrock b450 motherboard, I saw that it does not support 32gb of ram. Is there a motherboard you guys know of that supports 32gb ram and ryzen 5 2400g with no bios update. I am not planning on getting 32gb off the back but I would like to know i have the option for the future as i may or may not want to stream with the computer (once i upgrade to geforce 1080)

What's your budget? And where do you live? To get the best advise we need to know a bit more info

 

[Countryside]

If you are relying on igpu then the 2400g is slightly faster but igpu uses 2gb of your ram so 16gb is a must because if you have an 8gb ram youre left with only 6gb
so to be honest its cheaper to get an ryzen 1200 pair it with an rx 570 4gb its only 130 usd it can't get better than that, and you do not have to buy 2x8 ram.

So quick math
B450m Steel 90usd
ryzen 1200 95 usd
rx570 4gb 130-160usd
8gig 2666 ram 50usd
Decent PSU 650W Seasonic, EVGA, Be quiet! 65usd

Edit: I found an ryzen 1600 on newegg for 139usd if you can get it for a similar price at your local shop then its an excellent buy and a better fit for pairing it with an higher end gpu.

 

[eidairaman1]

Ryzen AM4 is a good upgradeable platform.

Yes You can use the IGP, just make sure the resolution is not too high

 

[heeebsinc]

What game? Certain games play better on certain hardware.

Mainly fortnite. Maybe games like Apex and Call of Duty in the future.

If you are relying on igpu then the 2400g is slightly faster but igpu uses 2gb of your ram so 16gb is a must because if you have an 8gb ram youre left with only 6gb
so to be honest its cheaper to get an ryzen 1200 pair it with an rx 570 4gb its only 130 usd it can't get better than that, and you do not have to buy 2x8 ram.

So quick math
B450m Steel 90usd
ryzen 1200 95 usd
rx570 130usd
8gig 2666 ram 50usd
Decent PSU 650W Seasonic, EVGA, Be quiet! 65usd

Edit: I found an ryzen 1600 on newegg for 139usd if you can get it for a similar price at your local shop then its an excellent buy and a better fit for pairing it with an higher end gpu.

Do the brands on the power supply matter as much as the other components? I found many different options on ebay at very good prices (25-50 usd) as oppose to brand names that are 75-100 usd.

And does the b450 motherboard support 32GB of RAM? To start, I am only going to put 16gb but i like knowing i have the option to make it 32gb.

The last part that is stumping me is finding ram that will definitely be compatible with the motherboard (B450). I checked the qvl list on ASRock and could not find many of the tested ram online. I was able to find some versions of corsair RAM but im not sure if the model/version i found is the same found on the ASRock's site. Take a look at the list to see what I mean.

https://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/B450M Steel Legend/index.asp#Memory

thank you guys so much again im learning so much

 

[Countryside]

The list gives you the overall info about the Vendors ram that has been tested so you dont have to specifically buy ram that on the list.

For an example there are alot of Corsair rams on the list so buying an let's say 8gig 2666 Corsair ram is totally okay.

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

Mainly fortnite. Maybe games like Apex and Call of Duty in the future.



Do the brands on the power supply matter as much as the other components? I found many different options on ebay at very good prices (25-50 usd) as oppose to brand names that are 75-100 usd.

And does the b450 motherboard support 32GB of RAM? To start, I am only going to put 16gb but i like knowing i have the option to make it 32gb.

The last part that is stumping me is finding ram that will definitely be compatible with the motherboard (B450). I checked the qvl list on ASRock and could not find many of the tested ram online. I was able to find some versions of corsair RAM but im not sure if the model/version i found is the same found on the ASRock's site. Take a look at the list to see what I mean.

https://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/B450M Steel Legend/index.asp#Memory

thank you guys so much again im learning so much

32Gb of ram will not be useful to you in Gaming for the next five years at least since Games do not tend to exceed console memory requirement limits much if at all and they wont be going beyond 16GB before yours and all our Pc's are too old anyway imho, so don't concern yourself with it.

Recent Bios releases have eased the memory compatibility issues on Ryzen but one things still true, you Can't go wrong with any memory that has Samsung B-die chips fitted to it, they tend to be the dearer version of memory within its class and spec and it's often listed specifically as a selling point, I got Gigabyte Aurus RGB memory (really made for their motherboards but hey ,it's mine now) as it listed B-die and does its XMP 3200 (highest tested speed)without the slightest tweak or issue.

it is not on my QVL list btw.


and thinking about it, your on ebay, I have many Gpus , ebay does someone will sell you a better gpu then that APU has for 30-50 maybe get a system off Ebay even, you really dont need the newest kit to game in pc land, you could find a bargain.

 

[Countryside]

32Gb of ram will not be useful to you in Gaming for the next five years at least since Games do not tend to exceed console memory requirement limits much if at all and they wont be going beyond 16GB before yours and all our Pc's are too old anyway imho, so don't concern yourself with it.

Recent Bios releases have eased the memory compatibility issues on Ryzen but one things still true, you Can't go wrong with any memory that has Samsung B-die chips fitted to it, they tend to be the dearer version of memory within its class and spec and it's often listed specifically as a selling point, I got Gigabyte Aurus RGB memory (really made for their motherboards but hey ,it's mine now) as it listed B-die and does its XMP 3200 (highest tested speed)without the slightest tweak or issue.

it is not on my QVL list btw.

Samsung B-die is very good but expensive last time i checked the cheapest 2x8 i found was 150usd.

 

[NdMk2o1o]

Do the brands on the power supply matter as much as the other components?

They matter more, why would you spend $500 on other components and trust a tin weight unknown brand cheap PSU to deliver clean and stable power to all of them? a good 500-600w (corsair, antec, evga, seasonic etc) should be fine and you can get good deals if you shop around but don't go buying a paperweight from ebay that claims 800w for $30 cause as well as just blowing it could take out your other components, so now tell me, was that $30 saved a good choice?

 

[Countryside]

Do the brands on the power supply matter as much as the other components?

Oh i missed that one, power supply is one of the most important components in your system never cheap out on PSU, i mentioned few vendors on post #14.

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

Samsung B-die is very good but expensive last time i checked the cheapest 2x8 i found was 150usd.

Worth a recheck then possibly, I mean your right it's dear and not the cheapest but I was quite shocked last night when i checked prices, they're dropping here.

And i did get non b die first, It was'nt on my QVL list either but i picked trusty corsair vengeance non rgb ,I did struggle to get it to run it's XMP of 3000 , but that was early on for the X470 motherboard's and those issues are less so, but I would wager most ram will work fine with Ryzen now, especially at jedec stock 2133,but likely at XMP upto 3200, not beyond(tweaks required beyond), and I would buy vengeance again for it.

 

[heeebsinc]

32Gb of ram will not be useful to you in Gaming for the next five years at least since Games do not tend to exceed console memory requirement limits much if at all and they wont be going beyond 16GB before yours and all our Pc's are too old anyway imho, so don't concern yourself with it.

Recent Bios releases have eased the memory compatibility issues on Ryzen but one things still true, you Can't go wrong with any memory that has Samsung B-die chips fitted to it, they tend to be the dearer version of memory within its class and spec and it's often listed specifically as a selling point, I got Gigabyte Aurus RGB memory (really made for their motherboards but hey ,it's mine now) as it listed B-die and does its XMP 3200 (highest tested speed)without the slightest tweak or issue.

it is not on my QVL list btw.


and thinking about it, your on ebay, I have many Gpus , ebay does someone will sell you a better gpu then that APU has for 30-50 maybe get a system off Ebay even, you really dont need the newest kit to game in pc land, you could find a bargain.

The reason I mentioned 32gb of RAM with the possibility I want to stream now and then for my friends. I know its not necessary whatsoever, but if i wanted, could I put two 16gb RAM and it will be supported?

 

[Countryside]

Worth a recheck then possibly, I mean your right it's dear and not the cheapest but I was quite shocked last night when i checked prices, they're dropping here.

And i did get non b die first, It was'nt on my QVL list either but i picked trusty corsair vengeance non rgb ,I did struggle to get it to run it's XMP of 3000 , but that was early on for the X470 motherboard's and those issues are less so, but I would wager most ram will work fine with Ryzen now, especially at jedec stock 2133,but likely at XMP upto 3200, not beyond(tweaks required beyond), and I would buy vengeance again for it.

Just did a quick recheck G.Skill 2x8 3000 145 usd.

 

[John Naylor]

I find it best to list the parts for the build that the user ultimately wants and then figure out the best pathway there. Then see what I need to cut from that budget and get there in the most efficien t way possible... "upgrading" almost always means wasted money.

1. Case / PSU - here my thinking is get what ya want from the getgo ..... ya are not going to get a good return when selling those old parts when ya upgrade to what ya wanted in the 1st place. You could buy a cheap PSU but there are excellent PSs available for great prices. The Seasonoic 520 / 620 M12 / S12 models are often $35 here in US and the Focus Gold Plus at $70 is a steal.

2. MoBo / CPU - again, this is true as you'd be lucky to get more than 50% of ya investment back. So let's say you want to be able to overclock with your "target build". If Your target MoBo / CPU combo let's say cost $400.... but because if budget restrictions, you are going to settle for $320. That means to get where ya eventually wanna be you are going spend $320 ... get back $160 if ya lucky and then spend $400. The other thing ... "budget" MoBos often come with substandard sound and LAN systems.

3. Storage - this is a good place to save money early. When budget is an issue, we start users out with an SSHD (2TB) with OS on it's own partition ... then when ready money available, add the SSD and migrate the OS over.

4. Cooling - Here, if ya get a CPU that comes witha cooler, that's fine as you probably won't want to jump into OCing right away. If it doesn't, I don't see any logic in investing $30 in a budget 3rd party cooler when a $45 Scythe Fuma will outperform anything up to $150.

5. Memory - Avoid the mistake of buying 1 x 8GB thinking you will add a 2nd stick later... always buy 2 sticks for dual channel MoBos. If the RAM does not come in the same package, it is not guaranteed to work.

6. Everybody **wants** at least a 1400p, 165 Hz, IPS panel w/ AUOptronics panel ... but they $600. A 1080p TN will serve just fine amd when ya can afford the other one it makes a fine 2nd monitor

7. GFX cards are the most significant part budget wise and frankly, I wouldn't bether going any lower than the 1660 Ti .... Was working with a user yesterday who said he was ready to build after setting aside $25 a week towards his build .... recommended, wait 6 weeks and buy then.