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Thread: Looking to Build a Desktop

  1. My PC (old intel NUC) had a meltdown a while back with a BSOD, corrupt system files, and just all around wacky behaviour. After reinstalling Windows 10 and giving it a good cleaning, it worked normally again.

    Until yesterday. It started doing weird things, and eventually became unresponsive. Now it only has one working RAM slot. The physical connector is fine, and both of my 8GB modules test fine in the one good slot. I can live with half the RAM, but single channel mode comes with a significant performance hit, especially when it comes to the integrated GPU, and I'm afraid it's only a matter of time before something else fails.

    I need to get something new, and I may as well get something that can at least handle 1080p gaming. There doesn't seem to be any tiny PCs that are up to it, and I'd rather not have to deal with tiny high-pitched fans anyway, so it looks like I will end up building something.

    Is AMD the way to go now?

  2. Mostly, but right now you can't find a 5000 series CPU.

    Intel has a really sweet deal on the i5-10400f, which can be paired with a lower class motherboard. But, you can't run higher speed ram with those budget boards.

    https://www.amazon.com/Intel-i5-1040.../dp/B086MHSTWN

  3. I was hoping to wait until later this year, but I need a reliable system.
    What I would ideally like to do is get a very good case, power supply, and motherboard, and then go cheap on an APU and RAM.
    I can upgrade the CPU, get more RAM, and get a real GPU whenever I find good deals.

    In the meantime, I'm using my spare 8GB module to test an old fanless i5 embedded system that I had in the closet. The HDMI port doesn't work(which is why I have it - an old employer was throwing it out), but I can use VGA, and with an SSD it's dead quiet. I was saving it for a MAME cabinet, but it'll work fine for browsing the web and watching movies on until I get something new.

  4. That would be the Ryzen 5 3400G, with integrated Radeon 11 graphics. Pair it with something like the Tomahawk B450 motherboard and you've got a good upgrade path.

    https://www.shopblt.com/item/amd-ryz...x~b6qp162.html


    https://www.amazon.com/MSI-Crossfire.../dp/B07F7W5KJS

    But with people over-charging (because of supply) for the Tomahawk, you can settle on an Aorus B450 motherboard for $80.

    https://www.amazon.com/GIGABYTE-B450...53368911&psc=1
    Last edited by gamevet; 04 Jan 2021 at 10:03 PM.

  5. Just a heads up. You might want to secure that APU and motherboard, sooner than later. The prices of CPUs and PC parts are starting to skyrocket, because of the recent spike in cryptocurrency mining. People looking for GPUs are already SOL, because miners are buying up all of the stock.

  6. I was looking at B550 mobos just for future proofing, but I think I can put off building something for a little while longer.

    As it turns out, that old fanless PC I was talking about is faster than my NUC, but the OS stopped receiving major updates a few months ago. I still need to see about transferring my Windows 10 Pro license to it. I bought Windows 8 Pro many years ago, and then did the free upgrade, and then linked it to my MS account. I think I can still transfer to a new machine, but Windows licensing is so damned obtuse that I'm not sure.

  7. You can get a W10 Pro Key from CD keys for under $20, but usually MS will let you move it over.

    The 500 series boards are the end of the AM4 platform. AMD will be going to a new chipset when the 6000 series CPUs come out.

    Speaking of NUC, I need to quit dragging my feet on getting my Broadwell NUC up and running. I plan on turning it into an emulation box.
    Last edited by gamevet; 06 Jan 2021 at 03:48 PM.

  8. So, my 9900k shit the bed last night, and after over an hour of troubleshooting, I was convinced that either the motherboard or CPU had died. It turned off during a gaming session of Dirt 5 and started short cycling, as if I had put new memory in it. I got it to boot with 1 stick, but after adding a second stick of memory, I could never get it to boot again. I was thinking about the arduous process of going through an RMA (did that @ 2015 with my 4790k rig) and just how long it would take, and just all of the emails I’d have to go through just to send the dames thing off. I really loved the Asus Maximus XI board, as well as the 9900k, but I could get the 10700K (pretty much the same CPU) and another motherboard, or upgrade to the 10850k, with its 2 additional cores.

    I was starting to plan for the upgrade, before I looked up the error code I was seeing. It said something about NVRAM being full and removing the CMOS battery would clear it. I replaced the battery and was able to get it to boot with 2 sticks of RAM, but the storage drives don’t appear in the bios. The motherboard is attempting repairs on the drives, so hopefully this isn’t a motherboard issue. I sure hope not, because this build was awesome.

  9. I hope you can fix it, buying processors ain't cheap these days.

  10. Well, I priced the 10850K ($329) with an open box Asus Z4900 Strix E motherboard ($230), which would have put me out about $600. Luckily, I had an backup power supply (Shitty Thermaltake TR2 750) that I could test with, and it turns out that my Corsair AX-860 PSU was failing. I'd never expect that from a Platinum rated Corsair PSU.

    I ended up reserving an EVGA 80+ Gold Rated 850 watt PSU ($170 after tax) from Microcenter, just an hour before they'd closed. I got there with just 20 minutes to spare. I connected everything and it's back to its old GLORY!


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    Last edited by gamevet; 30 May 2021 at 09:02 PM.

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