Help me build my father a computer

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

So my dad is still running on an i5 2500K and all that old gen crap. He finally wants me to build him a computer. He doesnt do streaming/content creation or any of that. He will just use it mostly for single player games. I plan on upgrading everything. Down to the keyboard & mouse. He wont be retaining anything in his current setup.

Budget is around $3500-$4000 USD. This includes case, monitor, keyboard, mouse, headphones and system fans.

Should I go AMD or go Intel?

 

[TheLostSwede]

That's quiet the budget.

The question isn't AMD or Intel I would say, but rather, is this a build today or in 3-6 months time, based on what we know is coming?

Doing a brand new build today, that's meant to last as long, might be a bit foolish imho, especially as we're expecting new GPUs/graphics cards this year, which might be more important than the CPU.

 

[Fizban]

So my dad is still running on an i5 2500K and all that old gen crap. He finally wants me to build him a computer. He doesnt do streaming/content creation or any of that. He will just use it mostly for single player games. I plan on upgrading everything. Down to the keyboard & mouse. He wont be retaining anything in his current setup.

Budget is around $3500-$4000 USD. This includes case, monitor, keyboard, mouse, headphones and system fans.

Should I go AMD or go Intel?

Budget seems insanely overkill honestly. $1,500 is likely plenty for your dad to feel like a kid in a candy store if he's currently using a i5-2500k.

That's especially an overkill budget if you're not also planning to get a very high quality 4K monitor.

 

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

That's quiet the budget.

The question isn't AMD or Intel I would say, but rather, is this a build today or in 3-6 months time, based on what we know is coming?

Doing a brand new build today, that's meant to last as long, might be a bit foolish imho, especially as we're expecting new GPUs/graphics cards this year, which might be more important than the CPU.

Knowing what is coming in september if it were me personally, I would wait. However, going something like a 3080 in my dad's system is going to matter much over getting say a 2080 now. I could also sell the 2080, have him get the 3080 with the sale of the 2080 to make up some of the difference. Then again, how many months are we going to have to wait for the likes of EVGA and Asus to roll out their non reference cards and then to actually have them in stock? We could be looking at 2021 before those cards come out.

My father is also running Windows 7. I dont think there is going to be Windows 7 support for RTX 2080/3080.

Budget seems insanely overkill honestly. $1,500 is likely plenty for your dad to feel like a kid in a candy store if he's currently using a i5-2500k.

That's especially an overkill budget if you're not also planning to get a very high quality 4K monitor.

Im upgrading his ENTIRE system. He's not keeping the 2500k. He's not even keeping the hard drives he's got.

 

[Fizban]

Im upgrading his ENTIRE system. He's not keeping the 2500k. He's not even keeping the hard drives he's got.

I get that, I meant that if what he's used to so far is a 2500k, that even a $1,500 budget would allow a a huge upgrade from that.

You mentioned keyboard and mouse, but not monitor which was why I chimed in in that regard, as if he's keeping a monitor that isn't 4K, then high end hardware is likely to be wasted on his current one.

 

[HD64G]

A Ryzen 3800XT (incoming in June) with 32GB of fast RAM, a reliable board alongside a GPU that will reach over 60 FPS at the new monitor's native resolution will be great for anyone and your father ofc. Decide on monitor and the rest is easier imho.

 

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

You mentioned keyboard and mouse, but not monitor which was why I chimed in in that regard, as if he's keeping a monitor that isn't 4K, then high end hardware is likely to be wasted on his current one.

Actually, I stated in the second line right after the budget, that it would include a new monitor among other things.

 

[Decryptor009]

PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/YqGX7T

CPU: Intel Core i9-10900K 3.7 GHz 10-Core Processor ($529.99 @ Best Buy)
CPU Cooler: be quiet! Dark Rock 4 CPU Cooler ($74.90 @ Amazon)
Thermal Compound: Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut 5.5 g Thermal Paste ($26.88 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte Z490 AORUS ELITE AC ATX LGA1200 Motherboard ($216.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 CL19 Memory ($66.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial P1 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($128.99 @ Dell)
Storage: Crucial P1 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($128.99 @ Dell)
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER 8 GB Video Card ($699.99 @ Best Buy)
Case: Fractal Design Meshify C ATX Mid Tower Case ($99.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair RMx (2018) 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($125.00 @ Amazon)
Sound Card: Creative Labs Sound Blaster AE-9 32-bit 384 kHz Sound Card ($332.49 @ B&H)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-F12 industrialPPC-2000 PWM 71.69 CFM 120 mm Fan ($25.35 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-F12 industrialPPC-2000 PWM 71.69 CFM 120 mm Fan ($25.35 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-F12 industrialPPC-2000 PWM 71.69 CFM 120 mm Fan ($25.35 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Dell S3220DGF 31.5" 2560x1440 165 Hz Monitor ($449.99 @ Best Buy)
Keyboard: Das Keyboard Prime 13 Wired Standard Keyboard ($129.00 @ Amazon)
Mouse: Logitech G Pro Wireless Wireless Optical Mouse ($149.99 @ B&H)
Headphones: Sennheiser HD 650 Headphones ($487.99 @ Amazon)
Speakers: KRK VXT 6 180 W 2.0 Channel Speakers ($265.00 @ Amazon)
Total: $3989.21
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-06-09 15:55 EDT-0400

 

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

A Ryzen 3800XT (incoming in June) with 32GB of fast RAM, a reliable board alongside a GPU that will reach over 60 FPS at the new monitor's native resolution will be great for anyone and your father ofc. Decide on monitor and the rest is easier imho.

For as much as I want to go 4K for both myself and my father, I am having trouble finding a monitor at that size above 60hz and not costing a grand. Suggestions? Thoughts?

PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/YqGX7T

CPU: Intel Core i9-10900K 3.7 GHz 10-Core Processor ($529.99 @ Best Buy)
CPU Cooler: be quiet! Dark Rock 4 CPU Cooler ($74.90 @ Amazon)
Thermal Compound: Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut 5.5 g Thermal Paste ($26.88 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte Z490 AORUS ELITE AC ATX LGA1200 Motherboard ($216.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 CL19 Memory ($66.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial P1 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($128.99 @ Dell)
Storage: Crucial P1 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($128.99 @ Dell)
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER 8 GB Video Card ($699.99 @ Best Buy)
Case: Fractal Design Meshify C ATX Mid Tower Case ($99.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair RMx (2018) 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($125.00 @ Amazon)
Sound Card: Creative Labs Sound Blaster AE-9 32-bit 384 kHz Sound Card ($332.49 @ B&H)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-F12 industrialPPC-2000 PWM 71.69 CFM 120 mm Fan ($25.35 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-F12 industrialPPC-2000 PWM 71.69 CFM 120 mm Fan ($25.35 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-F12 industrialPPC-2000 PWM 71.69 CFM 120 mm Fan ($25.35 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Dell S3220DGF 31.5" 2560x1440 165 Hz Monitor ($449.99 @ Best Buy)
Keyboard: Das Keyboard Prime 13 Wired Standard Keyboard ($129.00 @ Amazon)
Mouse: Logitech G Pro Wireless Wireless Optical Mouse ($149.99 @ B&H)
Headphones: Sennheiser HD 650 Headphones ($487.99 @ Amazon)
Speakers: KRK VXT 6 180 W 2.0 Channel Speakers ($265.00 @ Amazon)
Total: $3989.21
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-06-09 15:55 EDT-0400

Might pass on those $500 headphones though lol.

 

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

Question: how did you come to your own system while it has around the same benchmark scores as my 10 years old Intel 6 core system.... I would then just keep the 2500K and upgrade other hardware

Okey, back to your question: No, indeed, that's the main feedback, how did you come to your own system and why is it difficult to "estimate" what can be sufficient for the new system? If it is the budget, then buy the best VR as well to make everybody happy.

What does my system have anything to do with anything here? Am I missing something? Why is VR getting involved?

 

[Hotobu]

My top 3 suggestions are

1) Wait
2) Wait
3) For the love of god wait!

New GPUs alone are enough to wait 3 months, but 4th gen Ryzen may be out around then too. Now is a bad time to get a new system


Feedback on what's been suggested:

PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/YqGX7T

CPU: Intel Core i9-10900K 3.7 GHz 10-Core Processor ($529.99 @ Best Buy)
CPU Cooler: be quiet! Dark Rock 4 CPU Cooler ($74.90 @ Amazon)
Thermal Compound: Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut 5.5 g Thermal Paste ($26.88 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte Z490 AORUS ELITE AC ATX LGA1200 Motherboard ($216.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 CL19 Memory ($66.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial P1 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($128.99 @ Dell)
Storage: Crucial P1 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($128.99 @ Dell)
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER 8 GB Video Card ($699.99 @ Best Buy)
Case: Fractal Design Meshify C ATX Mid Tower Case ($99.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair RMx (2018) 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($125.00 @ Amazon)
Sound Card: Creative Labs Sound Blaster AE-9 32-bit 384 kHz Sound Card ($332.49 @ B&H)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-F12 industrialPPC-2000 PWM 71.69 CFM 120 mm Fan ($25.35 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-F12 industrialPPC-2000 PWM 71.69 CFM 120 mm Fan ($25.35 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-F12 industrialPPC-2000 PWM 71.69 CFM 120 mm Fan ($25.35 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Dell S3220DGF 31.5" 2560x1440 165 Hz Monitor ($449.99 @ Best Buy)
Keyboard: Das Keyboard Prime 13 Wired Standard Keyboard ($129.00 @ Amazon)
Mouse: Logitech G Pro Wireless Wireless Optical Mouse ($149.99 @ B&H)
Headphones: Sennheiser HD 650 Headphones ($487.99 @ Amazon)
Speakers: KRK VXT 6 180 W 2.0 Channel Speakers ($265.00 @ Amazon)
Total: $3989.21
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-06-09 15:55 EDT-0400

- The ROI on the 10900K isn't worth it. The 10700K is enough and performs equally.
- Thermal paste comes with the Dark Rock 4. It's a waste to buy some separately.
- If you're spending this much on a system you can get memory with tighter timings. Find some 3600 CL16 if not faster, but that should be the minimum.
- He will not see any performance increase with two NVMEs (or 1 actually) 1NVME and 1 SSD is the better choice.
- Depending on your dad's level of audiophilia he may not need a soundcard
- ~$300 for a mouse + keyboard combo for single player games? Why?

 

[Decryptor009]

My top 3 suggestions are

1) Wait
2) Wait
3) For the love of god wait!

New GPUs alone are enough to wait 3 months, but 4th gen Ryzen may be out around then too. Now is a bad time to get a new system


Feedback on what's been suggested:



- The ROI on the 10900K isn't worth it. The 10700K is enough and performs equally.
- Thermal paste comes with the Dark Rock 4. It's a waste to buy some separately.
- If you're spending this much on a system you can get memory with tighter timings. Find some 3600 CL16 if not faster, but that should be the minimum.
- He will not see any performance increase with two NVMEs (or 1 actually) 1NVME and 1 SSD is the better choice.
- Depending on your dad's level of audiophilia he may not need a soundcard
- ~$300 for a mouse + keyboard combo for single player games? Why?

3500-4000 to spend and apprently i can't read, correct, i read through.

Perhap some people want some refinement to their experiences, perhaps add instead of instigating.

The soundcard makes sense to go with the KRK speakers, but.. i can't read.

 

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

- The ROI on the 10900K isn't worth it. The 10700K is enough and performs equally.
- Thermal paste comes with the Dark Rock 4. It's a waste to buy some separately.
- If you're spending this much on a system you can get memory with tighter timings. Find some 3600 CL16 if not faster, but that should be the minimum.
- He will not see any performance increase with two NVMEs (or 1 actually) 1NVME and 1 SSD is the better choice.
- Depending on your dad's level of audiophilia he may not need a soundcard
- ~$300 for a mouse + keyboard combo for single player games? Why?

-If I were to get the 10900K it would be so I could use my dad's machine as a cruncher for TPU (which is hold system is still doing as we speak)
-I already have thermal paste anyway
-Got some G.skill Triden Z 16GB with CL16 atm if I go AMD
-Onboard audio will suffice for him.
-Ive got a corsair mechnical keyboard in my list, and a logitech G604 lightspeed. His mouse and keyboard are probably close to 15 years old. It's crazy.

 

[HammerON]

Thread cleansed of off topic and attacking posts. Help the OP out or please move along.
Reply bans coming soon...

 

[evernessince]

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 3950X 3.5 GHz 16-Core Processor ($699.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: be quiet! Dark Rock 4 CPU Cooler ($74.90 @ Amazon)
Thermal Compound: Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut 5.5 g Thermal Paste ($26.88 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte X570 AORUS ELITE ATX AM4 Motherboard ($199.99 @ Best Buy)
Memory: G.Skill TridentZ RGB 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL15 Memory ($189.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial P1 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($128.99 @ Dell)
Storage: Crucial P1 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($128.99 @ Dell)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER 8 GB KO GAMING Video Card ($709.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Meshify C ATX Mid Tower Case ($99.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair RMx (2018) 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($125.00 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Corsair ML120 Pro 75 CFM 120 mm Fan ($27.99 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Corsair ML120 Pro 75 CFM 120 mm Fan ($27.99 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Lenovo Legion Y27q-20 27.0" 2560x1440 165 Hz Monitor ($549.99 @ Best Buy)
Keyboard: Logitech G Pro Wired Gaming Keyboard ($64.99 @ Best Buy)
Mouse: Logitech G305 (Black) Wireless Optical Mouse ($49.99 @ Best Buy)
Total: $3105.65
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-06-09 17:02 EDT-0400

Given that your father keeps his PC for a long time the CPU horsepower will come in handy. Not to mention, PCIe 4.0 support. It's about $1,000 under budget so you can upgrade to any PCIe 4.0 GPU in the future without compromising anything right now.

 

[TheLostSwede]

As I mentioned in a different thread, NAND flash prices are starting to go up, so regardless on when the final build takes place, it might be good to get a large "game drive" now, before that NAND flash price increase affects the cost of SSDs.

Also, waiting a bit, should mean cooler running PCIe 4.0 NVMe drives, if someone could get their finger out and launch drives based on the controllers that were shown off back at CES. Admittedly this whole virus thing most likely has something to do with the delay of those.

Anything less than 32GB of RAM wouldn't make sense if this is going to be a long term rig, as DDR4 is pretty cheap right now.

Also, don't knock old keyboards
I can't tell you how much I miss the old Keytronics in terms of typing comfort.
That said, these are pretty good, if you're willing to try something new https://wooting.io/

 

[dgianstefani]

Simple swap of the CPU/GPU when Rocket lake/Ampere arrive if you really need more performance.

A high refresh, g-sync, ultrawide monitor - sweet spot between 4k and 1440p.

You've got german engineered case, austrian engineered cooling - peak performance right there.

Motherboard with top tier VRM, I/O and audio.

Basically the fastest CPU/RAM/GPU combo. Could theoretically get a bit more performance by swapping to a 2080ti, but it's not really worth it.

Configured as is with 6x Noctua NF-A12x25 fans (2 on the CPU cooler), removing the stock fans, it would be virtually silent within that case assuming you tune the fans to never go above 65%.

Optical Keyboard/Wireless Mouse w/dock combo - luxurious.

A PSU and case that will last another 8 years no problem.

Air cooling for zero hassle maintenance.

There's little RGB, basically just the GPU, but that shouldn't matter.

No prices for the keyboard or PSU, but they'd bring the total cost to approx. $4k when factored in.

As for headphones - they're a hugely personal pick, I personally use V-Moda Crossfade M100 masters, with a Schiit Hel AMP/DAC, but you should let your father choose. Same with mouse to an extent.

For those recommending AMD builds - the guy just games, an i5 10600k beats every existing AMD cpu at gaming stock, so quit with the workstation recommendations.

System Builder

pcpartpicker.com

PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/TsvV8M

CPU: Intel Core i9-10900K 3.7 GHz 10-Core Processor ($529.99 @ Best Buy)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U12A 60.09 CFM CPU Cooler ($99.90 @ Amazon)
Thermal Compound: Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut 1g 1 g Thermal Paste ($9.18 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI MEG Z490 UNIFY ATX LGA1200 Motherboard ($289.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-4000 CL15 Memory ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-4000 CL15 Memory ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 970 EVO Plus 2 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($429.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER 8 GB STRIX GAMING Advanced Video Card ($784.99 @ Best Buy)
Case: be quiet! Dark Base 700 ATX Mid Tower Case ($189.90 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: SeaSonic PRIME TX 750 W 80+ Titanium Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
Case Fan: Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM 60.1 CFM 120 mm Fan
Case Fan: Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM 60.1 CFM 120 mm Fan
Case Fan: Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM 60.1 CFM 120 mm Fan
Case Fan: Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM 60.1 CFM 120 mm Fan
Monitor: Asus ROG SWIFT PG349Q 34.0" 3440x1440 120 Hz Monitor ($849.00 @ B&H)
Keyboard: Gigabyte Aorus K9 Wired Standard Keyboard
Mouse: Razer Viper Ultimate Wireless Optical Mouse ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $3712.91
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-06-09 17:20 EDT-0400

 

[JustAnEngineer]

If you really like those Sennheiser headphones, there's a cheaper way to get them. https://drop.com/buy/massdrop-sennheiser-hd6xx I like mine for music, but for gaming the standard velour pads may be a bit warm. I went with the optional perforated leather on my new set.

For the PC build, if your father has waited since 2011 to upgrade, he might want to wait until September/October because of the new processors and especially the new GPUs that are scheduled to arrive then. If I had to buy a gaming CPU this month, I'd probably get that new Ryzen 7 3800XT.

I'll second the suggestion of the Dell S3220DGF monitor. 2560x1440 is the sweet spot for gaming. This monitor was $380 at Best Buy a few weeks ago, so watch for it to go on sale again in July.

 

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

If I had to buy a gaming CPU this month, I'd probably get that new Ryzen 7 3800XT.

I'll second the suggestion of the Dell S3220DGF monitor. 2560x1440 is the sweet spot for gaming. This monitor was $380 at Best Buy a few weeks ago, so watch for it to go on sale again in July.

When is the 3800XT scheduled to drop?

Is VA better than IPS? Ive really only used IPS outside a CRT.

 

[JustAnEngineer]

In general, VA LCD panels' blacks are darker than IPS LCD's blacks. If you turn off all the lights in the room, IPS panels will usually look gray rather than black. Of course, all you have to do to fix that is to leave a lamp on in the room. IPS is generally faster than VA (though some panels are better or worse than average for their type).

The "XT" Matisse refresh chips are expected to be announced next week, with availability on 7/7/2020.

 

[Hotobu]

-If I were to get the 10900K it would be so I could use my dad's machine as a cruncher for TPU (which is hold system is still doing as we speak)
-I already have thermal paste anyway
-Got some G.skill Triden Z 16GB with CL16 atm if I go AMD
-Onboard audio will suffice for him.
-Ive got a corsair mechnical keyboard in my list, and a logitech G604 lightspeed. His mouse and keyboard are probably close to 15 years old. It's crazy.

This is just more reason to wait. With gaming being the only thing you'd need the processing power for you can kind of rationalize going with an Intel system now (I'd still argue against it strongly because of Ampere coming out so soon), but with 4th gen Ryzen coming soon it'd best to evaluate the performance of the upcoming R9 processors.

 

[Fizban]

Just saying, because just playing single player games can be done on low to medium budget systems including a nice 144hz 2K monitor and maybe even on a nice laptop (remember it's still your father's system and you cannot exchange the hardware anymore once installed).

Is your father a stranger? Most of us know who our fathers are. We can order them parts in the future and upgrade their PC's.

 

[bug]

For the love of God, why is everybody recommending 20+ threads for a gaming PC? 8c/16t is all you need. And even then, it's overkill in many cases.
And screw the "get the tightest timings possible, Ryzen likes that" way of thinking. Get 32GB RAM instead, that will be way more visible (if your father likes to keep a lot things open at the same time).

 

[Fizban]

Storage: Crucial P1 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($128.99 @ Dell)

Not sure why anyone'd order this.

I'm sure it's not trash, but it's a 2,000/1700 MB/s SSD. You can get a Sabrent Rocket for about the same price. It's 3,400/3,000 MB/s.

It's significantly faster.

 

[bug]

Not sure why anyone'd order this.

I'm sure it's not trash, but it's a 2,000 MB/s SSD. You can get a Sabrent Rocket for about the same price. It's 3,400 MB/s.

Because for home users, sequential transfer speeds mean squat, that's why.
But I would try to get something that's not QLC, seeing as QLC isn't significantly cheaper than TLC. Mostly for peace of mind, but TLC comes with slightly better writes, too.