Spec me a new PC

Nameless_87

Nameless_87

Nameless_87

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Joined
8 Oct 2009
Posts
865
Hi,

My current PC (in my sig) is dying, so I need a new one.

What I use it for:
  • Browsing - youtube, facebook, research, etc
  • Watch movies - MPC HC, LAV filters, etc - I use good headphones (also have a mediocre 5.1 Logitech speaker setup)
  • Converting my owned Blu-rays to MKV
  • Occasional work (I'm a developer) when working from home

Tower:
  • Not sure whether to change the case (some fans stopped working, like jammed).
  • PSU is a Corsair HX850 (which maybe I can reuse?) :confused:
  • Graphics card is old so I won't use it since the onboard will be better. (Not sure I need a GFX since I don't do any gaming??).
  • Sound card is broken, so won't reuse it either (don't think I need a new one??).
  • My current SSD is SATA 3Gbps and only 160GB so will need a new one.
  • 2 Storage HDDs - reusable

Peripherals:
  • DeathAdder has the double click issue so I also need a new mouse - I like the ergonomics of this so would want something similar.
  • Lycosa I'm still debating whether to change it... some keys have fallen out but they stay in place when the keyboard is in upright position lol :eek:
  • Monitors still good, so will keep using them.

What I need (or think I need):
Case?
PSU?
RAM (16GB?)
Mobo
CPU (i5 or i7 ??)
SSD (Sata 6Gbps?)
Keyboard?
Mouse?
Anything else I might have missed?

Budget - around £800 but flexible

I'm looking for longevity so 5+ years of use, so I don't mind spending a bit more if it will last longer.

Since I bought my current PC seven years ago I am a bit out of date with current tech or what I should go for.

Any help is appreciated.
 
RAM: 16GB DDR4 3200 any brand or model but if there are lower latencies, the better
SSD: Samsung 960 Evo M.2
Mobo: with M.2 slot, maybe 2 of them
CPU: Any Ryzen 7 with 8-core/16-thread (I see you should need more threads).

Your videocard Radeon HD 5870 is good and you can still use it. I doubt that any integrated (onboard) graphics will remotely match the HD 5870.
 
Last edited:
4K8KW10 said:
Million miles apart. I'm shocked that there is such a question.
Click to expand...

I only asked because the 5870 is 7 years old and I thought new tech would be better.
I had bought it for gaming initially, but don't game anymore.

Re: CPU need to read up a bit on it as I said I'm completely out of touch with current tech.
 
Nameless_87 said:
I only asked because the 5870 is 7 years old and I thought new tech would be better.
I had bought it for gaming initially, but don't game anymore.

Re: CPU need to read up a bit on it as I said I'm completely out of touch with current tech.
Click to expand...

Well, the 5870 is 7-year-old but it was the highest end at the time of its release.
Intel's iGPU in i7-7700K is the lowest end of the spectrum. It is new but extremely poor.
In the first place, Intel has never been famous for their graphics, it isn't their primary business and they aren't doing well there.
 
thanks for that, will keep using the 5870 then, no need to get rid of it.

Regarding the CPU, which Ryzen would you suggest? Is the 1700 enough or better to go for the 1700X or the 1800X?

Also, what motherboard would be good if I may want to overclock in the future?
 
No problem, man. I'm glad to be able to help.

Yes, the pure Ryzen 7 1700 would be enough, it is slightly lower clocked but you can push it to the 1800X clocks at any time.
If the cooler for your current CPU has the option for AM4 mounting kit, you can use it with the Ryzen too.

You can choose between these motherboards (of course, there are also more others):

ASUS Prime B350-PLUS
ASRock AB350 Pro4
ASUS Prime X370-PRO

depending on your budget and wilingness to spend more or less money. The chipsets are B350 (the cheaper) and X370 (the more expensive and more feature rich).
 
Thanks again,

Unfortunately the CPU cooler is not an option as it's way to bulky which ended up bending the motherboard in long time and as you said I have no mounts.
Question: Can I use the AMD cooler that comes with the Ryzen? Or is it better to get an aftermarket? (I guess for overclocking an aftermarket is a must?) If so which one should I get?

Also regarding mobo, I was doing some research and I was considering the Asus ROG Strix B350-F which seems to be a better choice than the B350-Plus?
Of course the X370-Pro or the Crosshair VI Hero would be the best, but not really sure I need something that high end? :confused:
 
Yes, you can use the box Wraith Spire 95W cooler. The 1700 is rated at 65W only and this should be of no concern.
For oveclocking, yes, a bigger tower cooler would be better.

Asus ROG Strix B350-F is fine.
 
The Wraith cooler will handle a mild overclock without a problem. My Ryzen 5 1600 is running at 3.8 with the Wraith Spire.

It’s not bad for something that comes bundled with the CPU. It’s significantly better than the stuff Intel sends out with their chips.
 
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