Looking for Advice on Building New PC

[Phillip WNY]

It is amazing I have kept my desktop running without feeling it becoming obsolete for over seven years now, but I suspect the time may be right to consider building a new one. I haven't really been studying the latest in chip technology and motherboards so I am out of touch with what is considered the sweet spot of price/value vs. performance.

I'd love to get some input from users here about what I should consider.

My current machine is running:

Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2600K CPU @ 3.40GHz with 32GB of RAM

3.40 gigahertz Intel Core i7-2600K
128 kilobyte primary memory cache
1024 kilobyte secondary memory cache
8192 kilobyte tertiary memory cache
64-bit ready
Multi-core (4 total)
Hyper-threaded (8 total)

Board: ASRock Z68 Extreme7 Gen3

Not a game player so using on-board video and audio. I do some video file processing which could benefit from a better processor, but do not need top of the line hardware at a premium price.

 

[cartman0208]

If you go with a current-line Intel core (something like Gen 12 or up) with build-in graphics, you could use the onboard GPU acceleration for video processing.
It's not as potent as a dedicated gpu, but still way faster than CPU encoding alone.

 

[RedFox 1]

Nothing wrong with the 2700K Sandy Bridge. 2700K is an i7 so it runs at at least 3.8GHZ which is plenty. I can t recommend anything unless I know how much you want to spend. The 2500K, 2600K and 2700K were all the first Intel mobos to use SSDs. I had one back in 2017 and it was solid as a rock.

 

[DQ]

Listen to Redfox 1. Many of us here are older folks who have been doing all this stuff for sometime. We all have alters dedicated to Refox 1

 

[whatever_gong82]

Listen to Redfox 1. Many of us here are older folks who have been doing all this stuff for sometime. We all have alters dedicated to Refox 1

I think you meant altar, but your point remains the same.

The word alter means to change, make different; modify.

 

[Lonald]

You have a solid platform and as long as it is compatible with current OS requirements, there is likely no reason to change.

I bought a system from silentpc a couple of years ago and do not regret the choice. All the tech details are the price of entry. Having a quiet PC is just so nice.

Enjoy!

 

[DQ]

I think you meant altar, but your point remains the same.

The word alter means to change, make different; modify.

Maybe I meant that, maybe I didn't.

 

[Homiker]

Hello, I am actually also trying to build a new PC, preferably for gaming and productivity. Here are my current specifications:

Antec Performance Series P100 Black ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Dell Ultra Sharp LED-Lit Monitor 25" Black (U2518D)| 2560 X 1440
Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4790 CPU @ 3.60 GHz
MSI Z97-Gaming 5 LGA 1150 Intel Z97 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Ti
Corsair RM1000x (2021) Fully Modular ATX Power Supply - 80 PLUS Gold - Low-Noise Fan - Zero RPM - Black
LG Electronics WH16NS40 16X Blu-ray/DVD/CD Multi compatible Internal SATA Rewriter Drive, BDXL
16.0 GB RAM
64-bit operating system, Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC

I was hoping to upgrade to a Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite AX motherboard, Intel i9-14900K, G.SKILL Trident Z5 RGB Series (Intel XMP 3.0) DDR5 RAM 32GB, and ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 4070 Super White OC Edition. I could be wrong, but I do believe that the i9-14900K requires a liquid cooler. Anyway, I also thought about the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D because that one seems to require less cooling, and might be better for my computer case. I am worried that I will not be able fit everything including the liquid cooler into my case, which is why I might get a different CPU from the i9-14900k. Of course, I would also like to be able to keep my optical drive in this case. Will I need to replace my case or is the current one sufficient? I would greatly appreciate any help with this.

 

[tectpro]

Looking at the specs of the Antec casing:

 https://www.antec.com/product/case/p100

Maximum CPU Cooler Height:
6.7" (170 mm)
Motherboard Support:
Mini-ITX, MicroATX, Standard ATX

It should even fit the DARK ROCK PRO 5 or DARK ROCK PRO 4.
On the Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite AX with an Intel i9-14900K.

https://www.bequiet.com/en/cpucooler/4466

https://www.bequiet.com/en/cpucoolercheck

I am using the DARK ROCK PRO 4, I call it "monster cooler", on an AMD RYZEN 9 5950x. I live in a country with an average daily temperature of 32 degrees Celcius and humidity above good and evil (75% and above), and it keeps it nice and cool. The weather is also a reason I do not use liquid cooling.

As for the memory, I would aim for 64GB if possible, nowadays 32GB seems to be too little, that is my opinion.

Is the ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 4070 Super White OC Edition available as a Ti version?
You might want to check that on the ASUS webpage if that is mentioned.
Also, check the size difference. ASUS webpage should have a comparison.

https://www.asus.com/motherboards-components/graphics-cards/tuf-gaming/tuf-rtx4070ti-o12g-white-gaming/

The Ti version should have two NVENC encoding engines if you plan to use it for video encoding, however I am not sure about the price difference.

https://developer.nvidia.com/video-encode-and-decode-gpu-support-matrix-new

Your RMx Series™ RM1000x — 1000 Watt 80 PLUS Gold Fully Modular ATX PSU should be sufficient.

 https://www.corsair.com/us/en/p/psu/cp-9020201-na/rmx-series-rm1000x-1000-watt-80-plus-gold-fully-modular-atx-psu-cp-9020201-na

Regarding the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Ti, you may be able to use it as a secondary GPU in your machine, depending on the motherboard you choose.

If your hardware fits properly, there is no need to remove the LG Electronics WH16NS40. However, manual measurements may be necessary.

In case anyone wonders why I avoid using liquid cooling, here's the reason: high temperatures and humidity can accelerate the deterioration of certain cooling system components, such as rubber hoses and seals, which can eventually cause leaks or system breakdown. Additionally, cooling systems that are exposed to high humidity may require frequent maintenance to prevent mould growth and ensure that all components perform properly. There is also the risk of condensation.

 

[cartman0208]

If you are looking into serious gaming, you should go for a different Monitor ... your current one is capped at 75 Hz refresh rate.
Usual gaming monitors nowadays are at 144 Hz, there's also a lot with 165 or even 240Hz
The 4070ti should be able to do that with WQHD resolution (depending on the game)

I was also facing the question of 32 or 64GB of RAM. I went for 32 and did not find myself in a situation where that was not enough.
Of course looking ahead in the future and if you have no budget issues, go for the max

 

[DrXenos]

Nothing wrong with the 2700K Sandy Bridge. 2700K is an i7 so it runs at at least 3.8GHZ which is plenty. I can t recommend anything unless I know how much you want to spend. The 2500K, 2600K and 2700K were all the first Intel mobos to use SSDs. I had one back in 2017 and it was solid as a rock.

I love me some Sandy Bridge! My current transcoding rig is that architecture. It's rock-solid and runs cool. I've had it running for weeks, transcoding. Never a crash or temp issue.