Budget upgrade

[Altered]

In other words I want to upgrade my old system since the previous board and chip are sort of permanently mated (melted dont ask how ) I want to update a little without getting crazy with the $. I have been out of gaming, ocing, and building PCs for quite some time. It has been over a year maybe two when I was last looking at PC parts. I just want a little spunk back in the old machine nothing fancy. This PC is for General Purpose use.

So feel free to criticize, critique, and offer some other better alternative parts close to what I am looking at. I am all about bang for my buck. I just didn't want a total slug.
ASRock AB350 Pro4
AMD RYZEN 5 1500X

Any tips on the memory I have looked at these two but don't know what is maybe the better choice in the $170 range.
1.35V seems a little high but that may be normal these days.

Team T-Force DARK 16GB (2 x 8GB) 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM DDR4 3000 (PC4 24000)

• DDR4 3000 (PC4 24000)
• Timing 16-18-18-38
• CAS Latency 16
• Voltage 1.35V

Mushkin Enhanced Redline 16GB (2 x 8GB) 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM DDR4 2666 (PC4 21300)

• DDR4 2666 (PC4 21300)
• Timing 16-17-17-36
• CAS Latency 16
• Voltage 1.25V

 

[jboydgolfer]

If you don't need to overclock you can go without the X model. There's also some downgrading you could do on the motherboard as well to shave off some cost if the money is more important than performance or options. You could go w/ 8gb ram to cut some $ too

$60 even if you wanted to to keep the X chip, im pretty certain you can do it with this board too.
This is a decent board

only 1 PCIe x16 tho , it also appears to have been built within the world of Tron

 

[Altered]

If you don't need to overclock you can go without the X model. There's also some downgrading you could do on the motherboard as well to shave off some cost if the money is more important than performance or options. You could go w/ 8gb ram to cut some $ too

$60 even if you wanted to to keep the X chip, im pretty certain you can do it with this board too.
This is a decent board

That link isnt working for me.
I went with the X model just in case I get the bug to do something stupid like OC. Also why I went with the B350 chipset.

 

[flmatter]

I think if people knew what your total budget was they could help you better
My suggestion Is an i5 8400 $179 MSI Z370-A Pro $109 Kingston HyperX Fury Black 8gb $95, All on Amazon. @jboydgolfer suggestion is cool too. You may want to look for a newer gpu as well Check out the For Sale too I may get flamed for the mobo but you said for general use.

 

[jboydgolfer]

That link isnt working for me.

it will now, i fixed it.

sorry, i posted that earlier comment from my iphone

 

[Altered]

I think if people knew what your total budget was they could help you better
My suggestion Is an i5 8400 $179 MSI Z370-A Pro $109 Kingston HyperX Fury Black 8gb $95, All on Amazon. @jboydgolfer suggestion is cool too. You may want to look for a newer gpu as well Check out the For Sale too I may get flamed for the mobo but you said for general use.

I dont have a total budget per say. I try to be $ reasonable I am not well off. I am not looking at high end and I don't want very low end either.

Looking for speeds equivalent or close to the AMD RYZEN 5 1500. I went with the X and the minimal board that had OCing provisions (B350) and I was looking at 16 Gigs of memory just so I know what ever I want to do within reason I will have enough. It appears that is ballpark right under $300 for the chip and board and right under $200 for some memory.

I never flamed anyone and dont plan to start today I am a 50yr old man I can take criticism.

it will now, i fixed it.

sorry, i posted that earlier comment from my iphone

Man that is a sweet looking board. I never did micro before (big fat fingers) but maybe now is the time. I really like saving $ and still getting performance. Thanks you for that sweet suggestion.

 

[jboydgolfer]

Man that is a sweet looking board. I never did micro before (big fat fingers) but maybe now is the time.

im also a "large handed" man, if you can work with an ATX board well enough, Matx will be no different, as only the board footprint s reduced, but the components are standard from ATX-mATX-iTX, etc. so same ram slots, same CPU socket, PCIe lanes, i/o interface. i went through a stage years ago where i wanted to build a smaller footprint build for the fun of it, and ever since , ive enjoyed building "sleeper" pc's a computer that is tiny, but is a beast in Performance.

 

[Space Lynx]

You have really bad timing mate, I just bought my ram off Newegg last week on a lightning sale. $176 for 2x8GB Team Dark Pro 3200 14-14-14-31 (better timings than even GSkill makes)

 

[Altered]

You have really bad timing mate, I just bought my ram off Newegg last week on a lightning sale. $176 for 2x8GB Team Dark Pro 3200 14-14-14-31 (better timings than even GSkill makes)

My life story.

 

[jboydgolfer]

My life story.

i dont know if that Ram mentioned is some special Ram, but this stuff is $160 for 2x8Gb sticks

 

[Final_Fighter]

for your consideration if you are getting a asrock ab350 pro4

Super Talent DDR4-3200 F3200UA8G

i have this ram on an asrock ab350m pro 4 and it works great. i tried it with a msi b350 pro carbon and it would not work. it works with my board and my brother asrock x370 killer sli/ac. so if you are looking at an asrock board like the ab350 pro4 i would consider this memory sense its xmp works from the start. the board needs to have bios p3.40 and later for the xmp on the ram to work. i tested it on 2 ab350 boards so it seems consistent. i was even able to get it to 3333mhz steady too. just search the model number on ebay and its the only listing of it.

 

[Altered]

i dont know if that Ram mentioned is some special Ram, but this stuff is $160 for 2x8Gb sticks

The ones I was looking at no there was nothing special as far as I know. I looked at the ones you found but in reading the reviews i found this from the GSkill Mfg

Dear Customer

Great to hear the RAM can boot up in your system. Unfortunately, the G.Skill AEGIS series is not designed for AMD CPUs or motherboards, so maximum performance may be limited. The Fortis and Flare X series are the ideal memory kits for AMD. Check to see if you have the latest BIOS for the motherboard as updates can improve compatibility. For further assistance or any questions, please feel free to contact us directly.

So I went to looking and found the G.SKILL FORTIS Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) $159.99

for your consideration if you are getting a asrock ab350 pro4

Super Talent DDR4-3200 F3200UA8G

i have this ram on an asrock ab350m pro 4 and it works great. i tried it with a msi b350 pro carbon and it would not work. it works with my board and my brother asrock x370 killer sli/ac. so if you are looking at an asrock board like the ab350 pro4 i would consider this memory sense its xmp works from the start. the board needs to have bios p3.40 and later for the xmp on the ram to work. i tested it on 2 ab350 boards so it seems consistent. i was even able to get it to 3333mhz steady too. just search the model number on ebay and its the only listing of it.

Ill keep that in mind if I go with that board. I am kind a intrigued with the thought of the MSI micro board that was suggested since it does save me some money and will make the build different since I never built a micro pc.

 

[jboydgolfer]

The ones I was looking at no there was nothing special as far as I know. I looked at the ones you found but in reading the reviews i found this from the GSkill Mfg
So I went to looking and found the G.SKILL FORTIS Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) $159.99

It strikes me as a very poor business model. Why in the hell would a company create memory that would only work for Intel?

Anyway there are others pretty close to that price ,that I'm sure would work with amd or intel. You can get 16 GB of RAM for around $160-$190. just use PCpartpickercom You should locate a few lower priced deals with it no problem

example.
16Gb DDR4 $160

 

[Altered]

It strikes me as a very poor business model. Why in the hell would a company create memory that would only work for Intel?

Anyway there are others pretty close to that price ,that I'm sure would work with amd or intel. You can get 16 GB of RAM for around $160-$190. just use PCpartpickercom You should locate a few lower priced deals with it no problem

example.
16Gb DDR4 $160

From what I read the memory works it’s just not optimal. Considering the differences in Intel and AMD I can see how making some brand specific to be a better performing product could happen. Probably happened from a performance view to capture more market not to cut out market share.

All just a guess on my part but who knows.

 

[peche]

@Altered what parts do you have right now?
is intel an option for you ?

Regards,

 

[Altered]

@Altered what parts do you have right now?
is intel an option for you ?

Regards,

Look at my system specs. That is whats being reworked. The only stuff that is ruined is the board and cpu. The memory is DDR3. So that is why I was looking to looking at memory cpu and board.

 

[peche]

Look at my system specs. That is whats being reworked. The only stuff that is ruined is the board and cpu. The memory is DDR3. So that is why I was looking to looking at memory cpu and board.

If so, why not give the chance to intel? used i7 / i5 combo ?

Regards,

 

[Altered]

If so, why not give the chance to intel? used i7 / i5 combo ?

Regards,

I have just always like to think of it as supporting the underdog. Many moons ago when AMD was king (I said many moons ) I bought Intel. Now days Intel has had a free ride owning the market. The consumer in general really doesn't want AMD to die even if they don't know it. So that partially plays into my decision. Also I never had to have the fastest or most expensive to be content so AMD has been my choice the past few years that I built myself a pc. Let me retract that I did build myself a i5 when they first came out but gave it to my brother not long after. All the rest have been AMD for a long time.

I would possibly be open to a Intel its just not my 1st choice at this time. Throw your idea out there I wont hate on it. I didn't even think about a Micro board and right now I have it in my cart thanks to jboydgolfer suggesting it. Kind a got me more excited about doing this since I never did a micro build. Who knows what I may think of a Intel. Just keep in mind AMD is currently my 1st choice.

 

[Deleted member 67555]

That MSI board jboydgolfer suggested is actually a really good board.

 

[jboydgolfer]

Micro board and right now I have it in my cart thanks to jboydgolfer suggesting it. Kind a got me more excited about doing this since I never did a micro build. Who knows what I may think of a Intel. Just keep in mind AMD is currently my 1st choice.

the new Ryzen Chips are an undeniable value....12 threads / 6 cores for $210, or 8 cores/ 16 threads for $280....how can you beat those prices?? & its not like they are crappy chips either, AMD has a great lineup right now.

regarding that Matx MoBo , i just ordered one for a member here on TPU , and the reviews were decent for it, at $60 who can argue that value??

$210 -6c/12t cpu (with overclocking options) OR $280 for 8c/16t)
$60 - Matx mobo
$80- DDR4 (or x2 for $160 @ 16gb's)

$350 for a kicka$$ PC or $420 if You want a 16 threaded beast

 

[Deleted member 67555]

I hit 4.066GHZ on that board with a R5 1400 @ 1.56v...
Albeit with an ambient temperature of 60°f and more than adequate cooling..

 

[peche]

I have just always like to think of it as supporting the underdog. Many moons ago when AMD was king (I said many moons ) I bought Intel. Now days Intel has had a free ride owning the market. The consumer in general really doesn't want AMD to die even if they don't know it. So that partially plays into my decision. Also I never had to have the fastest or most expensive to be content so AMD has been my choice the past few years that I built myself a pc. Let me retract that I did build myself a i5 when they first came out but gave it to my brother not long after. All the rest have been AMD for a long time.

I would possibly be open to a Intel its just not my 1st choice at this time. Throw your idea out there I wont hate on it. I didn't even think about a Micro board and right now I have it in my cart thanks to jboydgolfer suggesting it. Kind a got me more excited about doing this since I never did a micro build. Who knows what I may think of a Intel. Just keep in mind AMD is currently my 1st choice.

if i were you i'll look up for a decent intel combo... or also replace the broken motherboard, save some pennies and wait to see intel's cannon lake