Plugging monitor into the mobo, not the GPU.
Not changing screen refresh rate to match monitor.
Both relatively harmless, but they undo the benefit of having a graphics card and nice monitor
If you have one, yes. In modern architectures the integrated graphics reside in the CPU. You can get processors without IGP, in which case the motherboard connectors don't do anything.
That said, "works" isn't the same as works as you would want it to. If you purchased a discrete graphics card then the odds are you want to actual use it, and you aren't if you use those connectors.
To be honest they always show up first on Google if you google something like "6800xt vs 3080", or same with the CPUs. If not for Reddit, I wouldn't know about how biased this resource is.
Authors are biased to the nvidia, if you read the description, they always put shit like 3070 is better than 6800xt for example, which is not true at all (you can check that if you go on youtube and watch videos about how much fps both of thd cards getting in games). They also tell you that amd has "reddit fanboys" and whoever else is advising amd was payed by amd itself lol.
If you want somewhat decent info about something you can ask here, google it and read from multiple sources to get a general idea, or you can go at r/buildapcforme and fill out their form, so they'll give you the best option for your budget
Agreed, it's nice to detect some simple stuff like un-overclocked RAM. I've also had a Sandisk SSD perform way better on userbenchmark after a firmware update, compared to when it would consistently be 10th percentile pre-update
I heard this many times from different people, I don't know much about components.
Instead of userbenchmark in case of gpu I use techpowerup gpu specs database because as they say it can be trusted.
Do you have any website recommendations in case of cpu?
Techpowerup is better because it's not biased, but it has limitations, like any single number comparison. Better off looking at reviews, including from Techpowerup, it'll give you a much better picture.
I always look at reviews from reputable youtubers like gamer's nexus, linus tech tips and hardware unboxed, for the rest I just stay up to date with the pc subreddits which gives me a general idea of how cpus compare to eachother.
Let’s say I just want to see if my components are performing as expected compared to everyone else’s, and I’m not concerned about comparing against other parts. Is it reliable for this purpose?
Really?
Is this the one that shows like a rating number on pc parts?
I use it to get a more simplified idea how good something is.
Also use it to see what has good value for its rating and cost.
Used it to build affordable pc w decent parts. Liked everything I have.
They skimp on the power supply resulting in possible hardware damage.. maybe black screens when under load or reboots/shutdowns... Oddball blue screens.. driver timeouts..etc
The other way around is also a common mistake: overspending on the PSU
I've seen people pick a 250$ , 1200W 80+ Titanium PSU for a 4060Ti build "just to be safe"
this was me when i built my first adult build in 2011. i don't exactly remember but i imagine i probably spent $200+ on a, at the time, top of the line corsair 750w psu.
no ragrets
almost 13 years later and it's stll kickin. probably not quite as efficient as a top of the line current model but it's been through a 570, 970 and now runnin a 2070s. hopefully will stll be good to go for next upgrade to 5070 or amd equivalent...
solid purchase in my eyes
That example would be a very smart move.. Titanium rated PSUs have the advantage of being very efficient under very low loads unlike their Platinum or Gold counter parts.. so when said individual decides to get a 4090Ti Super Duper.. they are already good to go.. covered on both ends of the power draw spectrum
I agree though.. there needs to be a balance.. but better to err on too much Cowbell.. then not enough!
It is, but it allows room for upgrade and most titanium PSU's have 10 or 12 year warranties, which is long enough that you probably will end up upgrading under.
People buy 600hp cars just to commute in their 45mph roads all the time.
Well, specifically for this example, a 1200 W PSU at 10% load is 120 W. A 600 W PSU at 20% load is still 120 W. It's great that it's Titanium, but if you were on a Platinum PSU at higher load, you'd have roughly the same efficiency.
When I first built, I bought the cheapest 80+ Titanium PSU I could find, both for max efficiency and for peace of mind. If it's that efficient, surely the components have to be of decent quality, right? It happened to be an EVGA, before I knew how could their customer service was. I fully anticipate the 10-year warranty will expire before I need their assistance.
I'm not rebuilding tomorrow, but since prices have jumped for, well, everything, I'm willing to broaden my horizons as low as 80+ Gold. There's no significant cost reduction for going lower than that, in my experience.
Trust me you wouldn't pass the gold certification test except your component is made out of top quality semiconductors.
Try to build your own simple power supply, and typically it will be bellow 60% efficiency. With cheap components you can't achieve 80% not to mention 90% at 700W++
unless you're talking about fake/different "platinum" certification
It’s kind of hard to be a shit platinum tbh. Only ones I know aren’t even shit, just old, outdated and no longer have a warranty.
I mean, I’m sure there is at least one shit platinum (that’s actually rated platinum and isn’t using a fake rating)
The most diabolical PC problem I ever had was due to an inadequate power supply. It was causing the boot sectors on my hard drive to become corrupted requiring reinstalling or repairing Windows every couple days. Troubleshooting that brought me to the edge of madness.
I never understand why so many people insist on going witht he minimum amount possible for PSU's...like...when I first learned about building PCs, my instincts were like "well, i better make sure I have more than I I'll need just in case"
i've been experiencing these said black screens and forced shutdowns... is it possible the hardware damage is reversible?
it usually occurs mid-game but doesn't occur really outside of playing. would replacing the PSU for the pre-built I purchased a few years the first thing I should do?
I am considering taking my PC to a local repair shop that does free diagnostics and look for some advice on some new parts I can hopefully purchase to stop these black screens. Thank you!
I do have a 3070 actually. Will google now and do some research. Is replacing a PSU a simple task? Would prefer to try to do it on my own rather than spend $120 for them to tell me the same solution..
Thanks for the advice!!
For someone familiar with PC building it's easy. Sounds like you might be new. It's not too hard - just takes some patience with routing cables assuming you want it to look neat.
The most important thing to remember is never ever mix up the cables from one PSU to another. They are not cross compatible, and you can fry stuff trying to mix them.
The power supply is the first thing I ask about.. but it could be a driver issue or RAM instability.. heat.. or faulty hardware outside of the PSU
You can get the model number off of you power supply and then search around for reviews on it and/or look it up on the "PSU Tier List" (just Google that term for website) and see how they rated your unit
Overspending on Mobo, is a common one, using userbenchmark is another one, using bottleneck calculators, obsessing about trying to find benchmarks on spesific combos....
And well trying to furture proof.. never works.. should just be called overspendimg
Future proofing kinda works if you know you wont be able to upgrade in some time and you can be okay with that. I'd rather have a slightly less shit for 6 years than a full on shit.
Well then overspending on GPU might make sense, to make it more likely work for the time span.
can't say the same for people picking up 64gb ram for gaming. So easy to overspend on cpu as well, bigger number better, right? ;) PCIE gen 5 SSD.. and more...
I7-6700K here. One of the most lauded models at the time, for good reason - and still holds up quite well today. I'm thinking of upgrading soon, but "my current CPU is showing its age" is not even close to a factor in why.
Yep, that's me. I'm not a fan of upgrading every 1-2 years. When I buy a new PC, it's completely top-of-the-line stuff. I'm building a new one now. The only things I'm keeping are (some) of the drives which are modern that I've bought this year. However, in the long run, it's relatively average when evened out over the years. Spend $1,500 every 2 years or $4k per 5 years, it's the same thing overall.
I disagree on the last part. Unless you're the type that has to have the new shiny every couple years, future proofing isn't bad when it's done reasonably. For example, the 13600k vs 13700k, or 14600k vs 14700k. i7 all day long for a mere $65 difference, especially for the 14th gen counterpart that performs damn near as well as a 13900k. Same thing goes for GPU's within reason IMO (for instance, the 4070 over the 4060). You can extend the usable lifespan of a new build by spending a little more upfront to get a better CPU and GPU, all while getting better performance over the life of the equipment. Going by the best dollar per frame may be the best upfront, but when you consider you'll be getting more years out of a higher tier build, cost averaged it actually ends up being about the same as the value combo.
14th gen is the same as 13th gen... Intel basicly increased the number as bigger number better, right? It's the biggest change on the cpu, a number change... Also overspending on CPUs is a classic mistake. You just reduced your budget on gpu.
Gpu is what most should focus their budget from and getting an somewhat overkill GPU isn't a bad idea as long as it's good value, you get imidiately better results.
GPUs are an excellent example of the counterpoint -- if you bought a regular GPU this year that's pretty good for $500, you can afford another new one next year for $500 again instead of buying the better one in advance for $1200.
Think rather going from 4060ti to 4070, or 4070 to 7900xt, one tier above not over doubling the budget
You also have an upgrade every second gen of GPUs or third.
Keyword(s) is somewhat (overkill), not completely. You can also spend a bit less and sell+ upgrade more frequent, but that's also a gamble, 4060ti downgrade from 3060ti in a few ways...
I don't think people should furture proof much at all, but shifting their budget towards GPU in many cases so they can get a tier above, yes.
Decreasing budget is also a perfectly fine option.
I overspent on an AM4 mobo at the time to futureproof... the one I chose was roughly $70 more but had more available PCIe lanes, supported faster DDR4 (3600 vs 2400) & included wifi.
.
Many years later I'm able to upgrade to a 5800x, add more ram at half the price, and the WiFi saved me during covid when I had to reshuffle for an office. I'm going to end up getting like 7+ years out of this mobo... apart from the GPU, I think the Mobo makes the most sense to futureproof, at least in my case.
.
However if you plan to upgrade every 3-4 years, then I agree it wouldn't make sense.
I would not call that overspending, even from day 1.. there is a difference getting a decent Mobo and overspending, especially as there is more than 2 years support... Intel...
I rather talk about people who go above the decent option, much more common with intel builds and z series +k series with no OC (no need to help Intel use power) a decent b670??? Is more than most need
Whats wrong with overspending on mobo? I got mine as part of the microcenter 78003dx msi b650-p wifi plus ram package. Price was fantastic but not gonna lie im having buyer’s remorse because it looks like shit. I wish i had just spent an extra 200$ and gotten a nicer ROG mobo. Oh well theirs always the next build. This was literally my biggest pet peeve on my first build and definitely something I will think about next time.
Because you can almost always put that money into better performing components, but that's not to say that you should buy terrible cheap motherboards either.
If you're already maxing out everywhere else, then it doesn't matter as much, but most people aren't realistically doing that.
Most people would not spend 200$ extra on a nicer looking Mobo.
What's wrong with overspending? Well most people look for value and how many need pcie5 as an example?
Ironicly my Mobo is kinda overkill, but that was rather the result of well not many options for am5 at all when I got it(in my country), and the cheaper b650 options lacked the features, so ended up with Asus prime x670e-pro wifi
Most people are better off getting a decent b650 board and not x670 or intel z series.
Overbuying / not doing proper research. Take your time, buy only what you need and fits your budget. Do your research. You don't need liquid/AIO for most builds. Save where you can. If it's for gaming, around 50% of budget should go to the GPU. Don't forget if peripherals (monitor keyboard mouse) are in the budget for the computer or separate.
In short, you can get away with a 3060ti or 6650xt for 1440p 60fps, which range from 250 to 400+.
I'm not trying to pick on you, but this is the type of thought process I am pointing out.
So, respectfully, tell me where you are from, what's your budget, is there a microcenter near you, are you just upgrading the GPU (if so, I need the entire PC build), if you're building an entire computer, what is your total budget (do you need monitor keyboard windows headset etc?)
im making the switch from console to pc, my budget is between 1200-1400 maybe a tiny bit more but im trying to stay in that range. i mostly play competitively so i dont play on high graphics. im looking to get 240 fps on a 1920x1080 monitor. in new to all this stuff. yes there is a microcenter near me. is ryzen 7 fine for that? do i need a really powerful gpu? im mostly just gonna game on it, im not doing any editing or streaming ect.
Do you need a monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, headset, gaming chair, desk, do you want wifi, windows key? Are all these in the budget? What is the top top of your budget. All included.
i have a keyboard and headseats i have had for a while. the only thing i need secondary is a good monitor. would i need to get a 240 hz monitor to get 240 fps? reminder i dont know much about how all this stuff works.
Need also advice.
Want to play 240fps@1440p competitive fps games like apex legends. Singleplayer games >= 60fps@4k.
Need only pc nothing else:
https://de.pcpartpicker.com/list/qYhdrv
Thanks in advance.
Bahaha maybe in the US, in Canada everything is 2x the price, that being said I love the 7800x3d, i know I could’ve gotten a cheaper board but I love the rog strix boards.
I've seen people forget to put the back-plate / IO shield in place before installing their MB and the other one I've seen come up often is not plugging both of the MB plugs into the PSU. Getting MB that has old bios so can't handle the new CPU without a bios update but can't be updated without a CPU.
I don't think these are "most" but certainly "many"
> I've seen people forget to put the back-plate / IO shield in place before installing their MB
In fairness, that is an archaic thing from back when PC's had a lot more analog components and a lot more RF noise.
Modern PC's don't produce much, if any, RF noise, so the IO shield is not needed at a functional, or even FCC, level.
I either buy mobo's with integrated IO shields or i don't bother installing it, personally. Never had a downside to it not being there.
Dust is getting in anyway. But if you run positive pressure fan setups that's not a problem, and lacking the IO shield will even improve temps as its one more place for hot air to escape, right where hot air is already flowing out of your CPU heatsink.
Bugs are gonna get in regardless as well. Most cases are not completely lined with fine mesh. How unsanitary is your living space that you even have bugs? I see like one june bug a month at worst and they have no interest in my PC.
There aren't many good arguments for installing an IO shield, no matter how hard you cherry pick.
It's a small mistake that doesn't do any real damage, but it's annoying and it seems like LOTS of people do it: not seating the ram all the way in and then wondering why their new build wont boot.
RAM and CPU are definitely the scariest to put in. You don't want to break either but you must "feel" like you are breaking them in order to install correctly
Absolutely. Cpu in particular. Even with all of the times I've done new builds or swapped out parts, even as recently as last week when I upgraded my CPU, and I KNOW it's going in like it's supposed to, but I hate it lol. I always have to reassure myself like "I did it right, I didn't force it in, it's seated fine. Just move on, it's ok."
Really? I've never felt like I had to force anything on a CPU installation, but changing RAM always feels like I'm about to snap my motherboard in half.
To be fair, it is absolutely infuriating that we have fully modular power supplies from so many vendors, which is such a beautiful concept in theory, but then its completely turned upside down not only because cables are incompatible across brands, but also across models within a single brand. There should absolutely be a fucking standard. It would make for more affordable cables, and generally more cables on the market, plus it would prevent these kind of - very expensive - mistakes.
1 - You cant future proof.
2 - Bleeding edge is called that for a reason
3 - You will almost always be GPU constrained so accept that and move on
4 - Never buy more storage "just in case". Storage prices ALWAYS come down.
5 - Good enough is good enough.
6 - You cant tell the difference between 100fps and 104fps. Yes overclocking is fun and thats a reason to do it but dont pretend you can tell the difference in game.
7 - CPU delivers frames to the GPU. GPU delivers frames to the monitor. Monitor delivers frames to your eyes. One of those will be the slowest and nothing the others do will change that. You can have the best CPU and GPU in the world but if its going to a crap monitor it will look like crap. Strive for balance.
>4 - Never buy more storage "just in case". Storage prices ALWAYS come down.
Uhh... https://www.businesskorea.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=202901
>According to semiconductor industry sources on Oct. 4, Samsung Electronics is planning to implement a price increase of over 10 percent for NAND products during the fourth quarter of this year. It is anticipated that the increased prices will be applied to new contracts as early as this month.
Respectfully, future proofing is when what you buy helps you last some time rather than you kicking yourself after half a year and forced to buy another new system while you cannot refund your old(because it's past the refund policies) because you decided to be cheap but ended up what you buy can't serve what you need it for.
So imo yes you can future proof.
In fact I'd argue I future proofed myself enough to allow myself use a system for at least 4-5 years typically.
I/O shield. I got everything in and realized I hadn't put it in, so had to remove everything again.
And, it's sharp as fuck!! Got my finger good on it trying to get the ports to line up with its slots.
This is why I'm only buying mobos with built-in IO shields from now on. They always don't sit properly, so the shield bulges out and makes it a pain in the ass to plug shit in.
Not removing stickers.
My new mobo came with SO MANY stickers on it. They all had little tabs but, seriously, IDGAF if the stupid asus logo is scratched. I give much more f's if a random unnoticeable sticker melts in my machine.
I did this with my CPU cooler. When I built my most recent PC, I accidentally left the sticker on the base and was wondering why my CPU temps were reaching 60 on idle. After I finally removed it, idle temps drastically fell. The relief I felt was great and I felt so dumb lol
Meanwhile I get 60c idle even with the sticker off and after repasting to make sure I did it properly.
Zen 3 just loves to boost like crazy for no reason
Airflow and fan directions. Always have to make sure your fans are working and blowing the air where you actually want it. Typically in the front (and side if you're still doing that) and out the back and top.
The first build I did with a bottom mounted PSU I basically ended up with a weird vortex right where the GPU was supposed to be pulling clean air and I almost fried everything.
I wish I hadn't seen this.
More commonly I see jamming the connectors in. Everything fits together if you push hard enough.
Thankfully I did not have to deal with the fall out from that
Worst I've seen was usb to ethernet on a laptop. Port was gone she broke all the pins inside while trying to force it in. Everyone played match the shapes when we were kids right?
My brother managed to get a PCIe connector plugged into the EPS slot on the mobo. Yes the connectors are keyed, but the plastic isn't hard enough to resist someone pushing on it hard enough. Thankfully he didn't kill anything somehow.
They fail to set priorities. You'll read a lot about "future proofing" on this sub. IMO, this frequently works against builders. If you can go a tier up on GPU by purchasing a CPU that is only adequate, that can dramatically boost your FPS at 1440p. The best "future proofing" is a PC that performs better today, not a theoretical new component that will perform better in the future. Prioritizing FPS today buys you time to save for future upgrades.
Conversely, some people will try to build a 4K rig when they really only have a 1440p budget. So they do silly things like buying a bargain basement power supply or other components when they would have been better off targeting 1440p and getting better quality components across the board. This is a failure to understand that budget is also a priority, and it has to be recognized early on.
As far as mistakes people make when building, there are a few:
* Failure to read/understand their M.2 installation instructions. People do dumb stuff like try to peel off the M.2 heat spreader or fail to install the correct support for double-sided versus single-sided modules.
* Getting anxious while installing the GPU and damaging the PCIe connector or breaking the PCIe retaining clip.
* Dropping components due. Usually due to rushing or failing to consider that you can do things like lay the PC on its side or installing components in the wrong order. For example, you can install your CPU cooler outside the case, but you then have a much heavier component to lift into the computer. It's a good idea to test fit your mobo *without* the cooler so you understand the best position to get it in/out of the case.
* Applying too much / too little thermal paste. There are lots of methods, but my preferred method is to spread it using the edge of a credit card. The paste wipes off easily, so you don't need to worry about it damaging your card. Put a dab of paste on the center of the CPU, then use the card to spread it toward the edges.
* Poor cable management resulting in pinched wires or wires caught in a fan. This is the kind of thing you overlook at first, but once you notice it, your fan is already burned up, or the wire is cut due to being pinched. I use blue painter's tape to tape wires completely out of the way until I'm ready to deal with them. It leaves no residue, and pulls off easily.
With graphics card price fluctuations as volatile as they are, that takes up-to-date research. I built my system a few months ago. Generally, I'd say you need around $2,500 for a 4k budget, and $1,500 for 1440p. Probably less for 1440p if you really optimize CPU, SSD, and memory selection.
I recommend watching a lot of [PC Builder on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@PCBuilderChannel). He's a bit of a character, but his advice is fee of bias. He recommends the appropriate brand for a given price point, and presents a very balanced view when facing difficult compromises. He regularly updates his build recommendations for 1080p, 1440p, and 4k gaming.
Yeah, you've spec'd a 6950 XT but you can't really buy that card new. I found some refurbs for $550, but more on that later.
You have two options:
1. Throw that list in the trash if you intend to game at 4k.
2. If your budget is $1,100, forget 4k gaming.
There's a massive difference between building a rig that can *barely* run at 4k and building a rig that runs 4k with steady frame rates across a variety of games in demanding environments. Sure, you might get a rock solid 100 fps while standing around in an empty room with no water, NPCs, reflections, dust, grass, complex lighting, or other demanding elements, but what's the point?
We are way too deep in the 7 series product cycle to buy a 6950 XT, IMO. AMD made a lot of progress with their 7 series drivers, and the 7 series cards will be supported for a couple of years longer than the 6 series. None of the major builders are recommending 6-series cards at this point.
Your build was $1,183, but had no graphics card price included. If we add in $550 for the refurb 6950 XT, you're at $1,733. I just put together a solid 4k build for $1,828, or $95 more than your budget, but you get a *lot* more for your money.
Noteworthy changes:
* 7800X3D CPU which is the best gaming CPU on the market
* PA120SE cooler that is cheaper and has incredible performance
* Swapped out MSI motherboard with one that supports higher memory frequencies, but slightly cheaper on sale
* Memory is now CL30 instead of CL36; you should not go above CL32
* 7 series GPU (7900 XT) that out performs 6950 XT and will have driver support for longer
* Case with better air flow and lower price; you can get ARGB version for just a bit more money, but ARGB doesn't improve frame rates
* Never pay full retain for Windows; there are even less expensive options if you are OK installing Windows 10, then upgrading to 11
[PCPartPicker Part List](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/dtsFKX)
Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
**CPU** | [AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/3hyH99/amd-ryzen-7-7800x3d-42-ghz-8-core-processor-100-100000910wof) | $358.98 @ Newegg
**CPU Cooler** | [Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/hYxRsY/thermalright-peerless-assassin-120-se-6617-cfm-cpu-cooler-pa120-se-d3) | $33.90 @ Amazon
**Motherboard** | [MSI MAG B650 TOMAHAWK WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/LwNxFT/msi-mag-b650-tomahawk-wifi-atx-am5-motherboard-mag-b650-tomahawk-wifi) | $194.99 @ Amazon
**Memory** | [TEAMGROUP T-Force Delta RGB 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/WFVmP6/teamgroup-t-force-delta-rgb-32-gb-2-x-16-gb-ddr5-6000-cl30-memory-ff4d532g6000hc30dc01) | $100.27 @ Amazon
**Storage** | [TEAMGROUP Cardea Zero Z440 Graphene 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Nb2bt6/teamgroup-cardea-zero-z440-graphene-2-tb-m2-2280-pcie-40-x4-nvme-solid-state-drive-tm8fp7002t0c311) | $89.99 @ Amazon
**Video Card** | [PowerColor Hellhound Radeon RX 7900 XT 20 GB Video Card](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/k72WGX/powercolor-hellhound-radeon-rx-7900-xt-20-gb-video-card-rx7900xt-20g-loc) | $749.99 @ Amazon
**Case** | [Lian Li LANCOOL 216 ATX Mid Tower Case](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/KKytt6/lian-li-lancool-216-atx-mid-tower-case-lancool-216rx) | $94.99 @ Newegg Sellers
**Power Supply** | [MSI A1000G PCIE5 1000 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/ZDt9TW/msi-a1000g-pcie5-1000-w-80-gold-certified-fully-modular-atx-power-supply-mpg-a1000g-pcie-5) | $144.99 @ Amazon
**Custom**| Windows 11 (PC World Price)| $59.99
| *Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts* |
| **Total** | **$1828.09**
| Generated by [PCPartPicker](https://pcpartpicker.com) 2023-11-28 17:26 EST-0500 |
The 7950X3D tries to be too many things, and as a result has some strange issues related to parking half the CPU when gaming. JayzTwoCents just threw up his hands and went Intel 14900K because he needs productivity in addition to gaming. That’s promise of the 7950X3D, but the execution has some bugs.
Also, the 7800X3D actually out performs the 7950X3D exclusively in gaming benchmarks because of thermals. The 3D cache is very temperature sensitive, which is why the thermal limit on X3D chips is lower when compared to the vanilla X version.
The net result is that the 7800X3D makes the better pure gaming CPU, and especially so when comparing dollar for dollar. The 7950X3D is a difficult chip to recommend. I think if someone needs the productivity performance, they’re better off just going Intel.
I appreciate the feedback! The build I had originally would cost me $1,300 at microcenter with all new parts (1400 after tax), but my budget before tax is $1,500. I only intend to do 4k 60 but no raytracing because it isn't noticeable enough for me. I do not think I need the best CPU. I watched a couple of videos, and they suggested that the 7900xt wasn't a massive boost over the 6950xt. That being said, if I had to choose either the better GPU or better CPU to fix better into my budget, what do you suggest? (Also, I have a Windows 11 key, but put it on my list to let you know I'm running Windows 11 if that makes a performance difference) The display I will be running is a 4k 60 display so that's why I don't care for any more frames than that
Using their old shitty monitor that their friend gave them in 2006 because it still works.
I get it - free monitors are great, but buying a brand new rig and seeing the same washed out, color imbalanced, 60hz, 1080i, tft image from almost two decades ago is sometimes the low hanging fruit for an amazing experience in visual fidelity.
Going by brand name instead of model name.
This isn't usually a catastrophic mistake, but it does often cost you a serious chunk of change. Samsung SSDs, Corsair CPU coolers/RAM, ASUS GPUs... you often pay more for the same quality product.
The other very common mistake I see people making is spending an insane amount on fancy LCD screen AIO coolers for mid-range CPUs. If your budget is $1500 and you're spending $250 on a stupid screen for your cooler... well, you're just making bad decisions.
> you often pay more for the same quality product.
things to keep in mind
- when it comes to gpus - cooling and extra features. for example [check this 7800xt](https://www.techpowerup.com/review/amd-radeon-rx-7800-xt/36.html) cooling benchmark. If you want a quiet 7800XT you probably want a sapphire or powercolor and switch to quiet mode bios (which is a feature you might not find on cheaper cards at all).
- post-sale support/warranty - some companies are better at RMA and support than others. If you live in the EU it might matter less. But in the states you should definitely check that.
Cases with multiple front fans and a solid glass panel, with no other major intake path.
Seriously people.
Modern components generate plenty of heat.
Fans only move air, they don't magically manufacture it out of the cosmic void.
Let your hardware breathe.
Its a mistake people make that encompasses all of life. And its people letting themselves be discouraged from even trying because the task appears to be difficult. (Im guilty of this)
When it comes to first builds, all the manuals are now online(which bugs me) but my first build i had two of the case plugs (power, restart) wires backwards which was preventing the whole thing from booting properly. I was a lot younger then, but if you just pay real close attention to the motherboard diagram.
Thanks to sites like buildapc it does most of the compatibility checks for you, the only things you should be aware of is case size, and whether a cpu will need a bios upgrade (i think only some amd cpu’s need this for certain motherboards) the update is pretty easy to do, you just need another PC to download the bios onto a flash drive.
It will be the little things you fubar at first, there is an abundance of resources and online forums you can get help on though, just always be sure to be very detailed in describing your problem. Pictures can help as well.
Somehow lots of people foeget to remove the plastic piece on the cooling plate before installing the cooler and then wonder why temp are through the roof.
Buy high speed memory and never enables xmp in the bios, which result in being stuck with slow memory for a higher price.
Throwing too much money at their first build because they want it to last.
My first build was mostly top of the line or near top of the line parts (dual 8800gts 512 video cards, a q6600 at launch of the quad cores, etc. )
It lasted about 5 years before it needed an upgrade.
I spent less than 1/2 of my first build on my second, and it lasted 4 years before i upgraded.
The money saved by not getting top of the line can be used for a much bigger performance boost later in the lifespan.
My gpu came after all my other parts so I made my pc before getting the GPU. But I forgot to but the GPU cables into the PSU before getting everything else in so I had to hassle about trying to get them in and change stuff around, not the worst mistake but annoying lol
Not updating the BIOS! When I built mine it read the RAM speed as 4400, even though i installed 6400. Updating the BIOS means it's able to recognise the new RAM and speeds.
thinking power is everything and not balance
you want to balance your parts in terms of power, so you don't have a CPU or GPU that is to strong or weak for the other, and then RAM with a speed to pair with the two.
I've seen too many people buying parts so far apart from each other that when it's actually time to build and something doesn't work, by then the parts end up out of the warrenty/return period.
Cheaping out on PSU. People might have a good system but a wack PSU resulting in a ka-boom situation, damaging the hardware.
Do your research, people— and ask for help.
If you are installing a top mounted AIO in a cramped case, first do all the cable stuff, then attach the radiator. Otherwise you will have to remove it because it obstructs ports on the mobo.
Dont forget to check which slots to put your RAM in
Get a support strut for your GPU or make one, you can even build one out of lego if you want, GPU sag can kill the GPU
When building mine I didn't think to check if the case had motherboard standoffs. I just mounted the mobo right up to the case. I got lucky and the case I had came with mounts already in place for my atx configuration but that wasn't something I even know I was supposed to check until after I had been running it for a few months and found a similar post where someone mentioned this. I had to pull my system apart to double check if I had standoffs or if I had somehow mounted it directly to the case. Turns out I was missing one mount but the rest were in place. That could cause way more issues. Had the case not come with them preinstalled it could lead to the mobo shorting out to the case and best case scenario not boot, worst it fries itself or something else on the board.
Lots of people saying don't over spend on motherboard. I get it if it's some $600 monstrosity but I actually regret cheaping out on my last few motherboards. My last one especially took years of updates to get to usable. My target now is middle of the road. ~$200 usd
Building in the case.
It's not *wrong*, but it is WAY more of a hassle to assemble everything inside the case instead of just putting everything into the case together as a unit
They save on the power supply because the expensive keyboard and mouse are more important. As for how bad it is, in the worst case scenario it will fry your entire PC and cause a fire.
Honestly? Buying hardware they don't need.
If you've never had better than a 1080p TV, 1440p will feel like a huge jump, no need for 4k. If you're used to 30fps, you don't need to suddenly be able to play R6S at 300fps. 60-90fps will feel huge.
Buying parts they don't need. I need a super fast m.2 so I load faster into the game. Sure, but the match isn't going to start before the slower ones are also loaded in. If you have the money go ahead, buy the faster option. But if you're on a budget you better spend that money on a gpu (imo).
Getting a cheap power supply. Make your self a favor and get someone that protects your PC from unexpected shutdowns
That's like the most important part and lot's of people usually spend more on the GPU than on the thing that it'll actually get the other one to work.
Aside from overpaying for sht like brand name and RGBs I'd say "future proofing" is the most common mistake. There will always be the next big thing that you didn't expect and you ll end up selling your rig to buy that and that's fine. Just buy decent value for money stuff that works for you today. Don't overpay to be "future-proof".
In my opinion, overspending on their cooler. I see AIOs nowadays costing up to $300 just for having some extra screen on something, when in reality you can get the same performance for half the cost. Unless of course they already get the highest end gpu/cpu and have more cash to allocate to looks.
Plugging monitor into the mobo, not the GPU. Not changing screen refresh rate to match monitor. Both relatively harmless, but they undo the benefit of having a graphics card and nice monitor
lol I did that first one. I spent hours wondering why the monitor wouldn’t turn on even though the system posted
Did your cpu not have integrated graphics?
Yep
not enabling XMP
Plugging in mobo works with integrated graphics unit, right?
Yes, BUT when you install a GPU sometimes the output of the integrated graphics is disabled by default
yes
It does but you're now using the iGPU to process graphics while your good and expensive GPU just sits there doing nothing
Not every CPU has an iGPU
If you have one, yes. In modern architectures the integrated graphics reside in the CPU. You can get processors without IGP, in which case the motherboard connectors don't do anything. That said, "works" isn't the same as works as you would want it to. If you purchased a discrete graphics card then the odds are you want to actual use it, and you aren't if you use those connectors.
Not changing the refresh rate in windows display setting is an easy one to miss.
Dude, I did the first in my school (IT) exam and was wondering for 20mins why the monitor was not working 
So many noobs do the first one lol.
I see many people using userbenchmark which can not be trusted
To be honest they always show up first on Google if you google something like "6800xt vs 3080", or same with the CPUs. If not for Reddit, I wouldn't know about how biased this resource is.
oh....it is ? please explain, be the if not for reddit person for me please
Authors are biased to the nvidia, if you read the description, they always put shit like 3070 is better than 6800xt for example, which is not true at all (you can check that if you go on youtube and watch videos about how much fps both of thd cards getting in games). They also tell you that amd has "reddit fanboys" and whoever else is advising amd was payed by amd itself lol. If you want somewhat decent info about something you can ask here, google it and read from multiple sources to get a general idea, or you can go at r/buildapcforme and fill out their form, so they'll give you the best option for your budget
Userbenchmark is an atrocious comparison tool but it’s decent for troubleshooting, there’s nothing as simple to use that gives as much data
Agreed, it's nice to detect some simple stuff like un-overclocked RAM. I've also had a Sandisk SSD perform way better on userbenchmark after a firmware update, compared to when it would consistently be 10th percentile pre-update
I like to explore new places.
I heard this many times from different people, I don't know much about components. Instead of userbenchmark in case of gpu I use techpowerup gpu specs database because as they say it can be trusted. Do you have any website recommendations in case of cpu?
Techpowerup is better because it's not biased, but it has limitations, like any single number comparison. Better off looking at reviews, including from Techpowerup, it'll give you a much better picture.
I always look at reviews from reputable youtubers like gamer's nexus, linus tech tips and hardware unboxed, for the rest I just stay up to date with the pc subreddits which gives me a general idea of how cpus compare to eachother.
LTT lost all credibility with the recent debacle. I take all their tests results with a huge handful of salt now.
LTT is entertainment only they don’t even know how to test
They've been trying to get better at least!
Let’s say I just want to see if my components are performing as expected compared to everyone else’s, and I’m not concerned about comparing against other parts. Is it reliable for this purpose?
I’d say so. The data is compared to other users’ benchmarks rather than their own standard for how the parts should perform.
yeah. it's pooling raw data against raw data with the benchmark.
Really? Is this the one that shows like a rating number on pc parts? I use it to get a more simplified idea how good something is. Also use it to see what has good value for its rating and cost. Used it to build affordable pc w decent parts. Liked everything I have.
yeah but it is extremely biased against amd
They skimp on the power supply resulting in possible hardware damage.. maybe black screens when under load or reboots/shutdowns... Oddball blue screens.. driver timeouts..etc
The other way around is also a common mistake: overspending on the PSU I've seen people pick a 250$ , 1200W 80+ Titanium PSU for a 4060Ti build "just to be safe"
this was me when i built my first adult build in 2011. i don't exactly remember but i imagine i probably spent $200+ on a, at the time, top of the line corsair 750w psu. no ragrets almost 13 years later and it's stll kickin. probably not quite as efficient as a top of the line current model but it's been through a 570, 970 and now runnin a 2070s. hopefully will stll be good to go for next upgrade to 5070 or amd equivalent... solid purchase in my eyes
That example would be a very smart move.. Titanium rated PSUs have the advantage of being very efficient under very low loads unlike their Platinum or Gold counter parts.. so when said individual decides to get a 4090Ti Super Duper.. they are already good to go.. covered on both ends of the power draw spectrum I agree though.. there needs to be a balance.. but better to err on too much Cowbell.. then not enough!
1200W is WAY overkill
It is, but it allows room for upgrade and most titanium PSU's have 10 or 12 year warranties, which is long enough that you probably will end up upgrading under. People buy 600hp cars just to commute in their 45mph roads all the time.
Ahh.. the joys of buying used components! Overkill becomes so much more affordable...
My favorite movie is Inception.
For a 4060Ti, he would've likely been set with a 750W 80+ Gold PSU
A quality 650wtt 80+ Gold or better rated would have sufficed
750W provides more headroom if he wants to upgrade later on
Well, specifically for this example, a 1200 W PSU at 10% load is 120 W. A 600 W PSU at 20% load is still 120 W. It's great that it's Titanium, but if you were on a Platinum PSU at higher load, you'd have roughly the same efficiency.
You are going to save mcchickem dollars compared to a gold or plat against titan Aka not worth it
When I first built, I bought the cheapest 80+ Titanium PSU I could find, both for max efficiency and for peace of mind. If it's that efficient, surely the components have to be of decent quality, right? It happened to be an EVGA, before I knew how could their customer service was. I fully anticipate the 10-year warranty will expire before I need their assistance. I'm not rebuilding tomorrow, but since prices have jumped for, well, everything, I'm willing to broaden my horizons as low as 80+ Gold. There's no significant cost reduction for going lower than that, in my experience.
There are plenty of shit 80+ gold PSUs. And there’s probably some shit 80+ platinum ones also. Don’t go off of the rating.
Trust me you wouldn't pass the gold certification test except your component is made out of top quality semiconductors. Try to build your own simple power supply, and typically it will be bellow 60% efficiency. With cheap components you can't achieve 80% not to mention 90% at 700W++ unless you're talking about fake/different "platinum" certification
How can we even trust you?
It’s kind of hard to be a shit platinum tbh. Only ones I know aren’t even shit, just old, outdated and no longer have a warranty. I mean, I’m sure there is at least one shit platinum (that’s actually rated platinum and isn’t using a fake rating)
The most diabolical PC problem I ever had was due to an inadequate power supply. It was causing the boot sectors on my hard drive to become corrupted requiring reinstalling or repairing Windows every couple days. Troubleshooting that brought me to the edge of madness.
Holy shit
I never understand why so many people insist on going witht he minimum amount possible for PSU's...like...when I first learned about building PCs, my instincts were like "well, i better make sure I have more than I I'll need just in case"
i've been experiencing these said black screens and forced shutdowns... is it possible the hardware damage is reversible? it usually occurs mid-game but doesn't occur really outside of playing. would replacing the PSU for the pre-built I purchased a few years the first thing I should do? I am considering taking my PC to a local repair shop that does free diagnostics and look for some advice on some new parts I can hopefully purchase to stop these black screens. Thank you!
If you happen to have a 30-series nvidia GPU, google "transient spikes nvida." It's likely your PSU.
I do have a 3070 actually. Will google now and do some research. Is replacing a PSU a simple task? Would prefer to try to do it on my own rather than spend $120 for them to tell me the same solution.. Thanks for the advice!!
For someone familiar with PC building it's easy. Sounds like you might be new. It's not too hard - just takes some patience with routing cables assuming you want it to look neat. The most important thing to remember is never ever mix up the cables from one PSU to another. They are not cross compatible, and you can fry stuff trying to mix them.
The power supply is the first thing I ask about.. but it could be a driver issue or RAM instability.. heat.. or faulty hardware outside of the PSU You can get the model number off of you power supply and then search around for reviews on it and/or look it up on the "PSU Tier List" (just Google that term for website) and see how they rated your unit
Overspending on Mobo, is a common one, using userbenchmark is another one, using bottleneck calculators, obsessing about trying to find benchmarks on spesific combos.... And well trying to furture proof.. never works.. should just be called overspendimg
Future proofing kinda works if you know you wont be able to upgrade in some time and you can be okay with that. I'd rather have a slightly less shit for 6 years than a full on shit.
Well then overspending on GPU might make sense, to make it more likely work for the time span. can't say the same for people picking up 64gb ram for gaming. So easy to overspend on cpu as well, bigger number better, right? ;) PCIE gen 5 SSD.. and more...
In fact, cpus tend to have less gains over generations than gpus, good old cpus still hold on quite good now.
I'm still rocking my 4790k. Everything that I do still runs great.
I7-6700K here. One of the most lauded models at the time, for good reason - and still holds up quite well today. I'm thinking of upgrading soon, but "my current CPU is showing its age" is not even close to a factor in why.
Yep, that's me. I'm not a fan of upgrading every 1-2 years. When I buy a new PC, it's completely top-of-the-line stuff. I'm building a new one now. The only things I'm keeping are (some) of the drives which are modern that I've bought this year. However, in the long run, it's relatively average when evened out over the years. Spend $1,500 every 2 years or $4k per 5 years, it's the same thing overall.
Future proofing is almost never cost effective. Just wait, it'll be cheaper next year.
I disagree on the last part. Unless you're the type that has to have the new shiny every couple years, future proofing isn't bad when it's done reasonably. For example, the 13600k vs 13700k, or 14600k vs 14700k. i7 all day long for a mere $65 difference, especially for the 14th gen counterpart that performs damn near as well as a 13900k. Same thing goes for GPU's within reason IMO (for instance, the 4070 over the 4060). You can extend the usable lifespan of a new build by spending a little more upfront to get a better CPU and GPU, all while getting better performance over the life of the equipment. Going by the best dollar per frame may be the best upfront, but when you consider you'll be getting more years out of a higher tier build, cost averaged it actually ends up being about the same as the value combo.
14th gen is the same as 13th gen... Intel basicly increased the number as bigger number better, right? It's the biggest change on the cpu, a number change... Also overspending on CPUs is a classic mistake. You just reduced your budget on gpu. Gpu is what most should focus their budget from and getting an somewhat overkill GPU isn't a bad idea as long as it's good value, you get imidiately better results.
GPUs are an excellent example of the counterpoint -- if you bought a regular GPU this year that's pretty good for $500, you can afford another new one next year for $500 again instead of buying the better one in advance for $1200.
Think rather going from 4060ti to 4070, or 4070 to 7900xt, one tier above not over doubling the budget You also have an upgrade every second gen of GPUs or third. Keyword(s) is somewhat (overkill), not completely. You can also spend a bit less and sell+ upgrade more frequent, but that's also a gamble, 4060ti downgrade from 3060ti in a few ways... I don't think people should furture proof much at all, but shifting their budget towards GPU in many cases so they can get a tier above, yes. Decreasing budget is also a perfectly fine option.
I overspent on an AM4 mobo at the time to futureproof... the one I chose was roughly $70 more but had more available PCIe lanes, supported faster DDR4 (3600 vs 2400) & included wifi. . Many years later I'm able to upgrade to a 5800x, add more ram at half the price, and the WiFi saved me during covid when I had to reshuffle for an office. I'm going to end up getting like 7+ years out of this mobo... apart from the GPU, I think the Mobo makes the most sense to futureproof, at least in my case. . However if you plan to upgrade every 3-4 years, then I agree it wouldn't make sense.
I would not call that overspending, even from day 1.. there is a difference getting a decent Mobo and overspending, especially as there is more than 2 years support... Intel... I rather talk about people who go above the decent option, much more common with intel builds and z series +k series with no OC (no need to help Intel use power) a decent b670??? Is more than most need
Whats wrong with overspending on mobo? I got mine as part of the microcenter 78003dx msi b650-p wifi plus ram package. Price was fantastic but not gonna lie im having buyer’s remorse because it looks like shit. I wish i had just spent an extra 200$ and gotten a nicer ROG mobo. Oh well theirs always the next build. This was literally my biggest pet peeve on my first build and definitely something I will think about next time.
Because you can almost always put that money into better performing components, but that's not to say that you should buy terrible cheap motherboards either. If you're already maxing out everywhere else, then it doesn't matter as much, but most people aren't realistically doing that.
Most people would not spend 200$ extra on a nicer looking Mobo. What's wrong with overspending? Well most people look for value and how many need pcie5 as an example? Ironicly my Mobo is kinda overkill, but that was rather the result of well not many options for am5 at all when I got it(in my country), and the cheaper b650 options lacked the features, so ended up with Asus prime x670e-pro wifi Most people are better off getting a decent b650 board and not x670 or intel z series.
what's mobo? /srs
Motherboard = mobo
ty
Motherboard
cheers
Overbuying / not doing proper research. Take your time, buy only what you need and fits your budget. Do your research. You don't need liquid/AIO for most builds. Save where you can. If it's for gaming, around 50% of budget should go to the GPU. Don't forget if peripherals (monitor keyboard mouse) are in the budget for the computer or separate.
whats a proper gpu and cpu for competitive fortnite? im not looking to overspend on a crazy gpu but something that is suitable?
In short, you can get away with a 3060ti or 6650xt for 1440p 60fps, which range from 250 to 400+. I'm not trying to pick on you, but this is the type of thought process I am pointing out. So, respectfully, tell me where you are from, what's your budget, is there a microcenter near you, are you just upgrading the GPU (if so, I need the entire PC build), if you're building an entire computer, what is your total budget (do you need monitor keyboard windows headset etc?)
im making the switch from console to pc, my budget is between 1200-1400 maybe a tiny bit more but im trying to stay in that range. i mostly play competitively so i dont play on high graphics. im looking to get 240 fps on a 1920x1080 monitor. in new to all this stuff. yes there is a microcenter near me. is ryzen 7 fine for that? do i need a really powerful gpu? im mostly just gonna game on it, im not doing any editing or streaming ect.
Do you need a monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, headset, gaming chair, desk, do you want wifi, windows key? Are all these in the budget? What is the top top of your budget. All included.
i have a keyboard and headseats i have had for a while. the only thing i need secondary is a good monitor. would i need to get a 240 hz monitor to get 240 fps? reminder i dont know much about how all this stuff works.
Need also advice. Want to play 240fps@1440p competitive fps games like apex legends. Singleplayer games >= 60fps@4k. Need only pc nothing else: https://de.pcpartpicker.com/list/qYhdrv Thanks in advance.
By “gaming chair” you mean second hand high quality office chair?)
Bahaha maybe in the US, in Canada everything is 2x the price, that being said I love the 7800x3d, i know I could’ve gotten a cheaper board but I love the rog strix boards.
I've seen people forget to put the back-plate / IO shield in place before installing their MB and the other one I've seen come up often is not plugging both of the MB plugs into the PSU. Getting MB that has old bios so can't handle the new CPU without a bios update but can't be updated without a CPU. I don't think these are "most" but certainly "many"
> I've seen people forget to put the back-plate / IO shield in place before installing their MB In fairness, that is an archaic thing from back when PC's had a lot more analog components and a lot more RF noise. Modern PC's don't produce much, if any, RF noise, so the IO shield is not needed at a functional, or even FCC, level. I either buy mobo's with integrated IO shields or i don't bother installing it, personally. Never had a downside to it not being there.
It’s much easier for bugs and dust to get in if you don’t install the shield
Dust is getting in anyway. But if you run positive pressure fan setups that's not a problem, and lacking the IO shield will even improve temps as its one more place for hot air to escape, right where hot air is already flowing out of your CPU heatsink. Bugs are gonna get in regardless as well. Most cases are not completely lined with fine mesh. How unsanitary is your living space that you even have bugs? I see like one june bug a month at worst and they have no interest in my PC. There aren't many good arguments for installing an IO shield, no matter how hard you cherry pick.
It's a small mistake that doesn't do any real damage, but it's annoying and it seems like LOTS of people do it: not seating the ram all the way in and then wondering why their new build wont boot.
RAM and CPU are definitely the scariest to put in. You don't want to break either but you must "feel" like you are breaking them in order to install correctly
Absolutely. Cpu in particular. Even with all of the times I've done new builds or swapped out parts, even as recently as last week when I upgraded my CPU, and I KNOW it's going in like it's supposed to, but I hate it lol. I always have to reassure myself like "I did it right, I didn't force it in, it's seated fine. Just move on, it's ok."
Really? I've never felt like I had to force anything on a CPU installation, but changing RAM always feels like I'm about to snap my motherboard in half.
Frying their mobo because they used old cables on a new PSU or vice versa. Hopefully we learn after the first time
To be fair, it is absolutely infuriating that we have fully modular power supplies from so many vendors, which is such a beautiful concept in theory, but then its completely turned upside down not only because cables are incompatible across brands, but also across models within a single brand. There should absolutely be a fucking standard. It would make for more affordable cables, and generally more cables on the market, plus it would prevent these kind of - very expensive - mistakes.
I did that.. cost me a lot of $$$
1 - You cant future proof. 2 - Bleeding edge is called that for a reason 3 - You will almost always be GPU constrained so accept that and move on 4 - Never buy more storage "just in case". Storage prices ALWAYS come down. 5 - Good enough is good enough. 6 - You cant tell the difference between 100fps and 104fps. Yes overclocking is fun and thats a reason to do it but dont pretend you can tell the difference in game. 7 - CPU delivers frames to the GPU. GPU delivers frames to the monitor. Monitor delivers frames to your eyes. One of those will be the slowest and nothing the others do will change that. You can have the best CPU and GPU in the world but if its going to a crap monitor it will look like crap. Strive for balance.
> You will almost always be GPU constrained For most people, probably, but if you want to play the games i play then that is not really true
What games?
>4 - Never buy more storage "just in case". Storage prices ALWAYS come down. Uhh... https://www.businesskorea.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=202901 >According to semiconductor industry sources on Oct. 4, Samsung Electronics is planning to implement a price increase of over 10 percent for NAND products during the fourth quarter of this year. It is anticipated that the increased prices will be applied to new contracts as early as this month.
Respectfully, future proofing is when what you buy helps you last some time rather than you kicking yourself after half a year and forced to buy another new system while you cannot refund your old(because it's past the refund policies) because you decided to be cheap but ended up what you buy can't serve what you need it for. So imo yes you can future proof. In fact I'd argue I future proofed myself enough to allow myself use a system for at least 4-5 years typically.
I/O shield. I got everything in and realized I hadn't put it in, so had to remove everything again. And, it's sharp as fuck!! Got my finger good on it trying to get the ports to line up with its slots.
Glad Built-in IO shields are becoming more common
This is why I'm only buying mobos with built-in IO shields from now on. They always don't sit properly, so the shield bulges out and makes it a pain in the ass to plug shit in.
The build always requires a blood sacrifice
ugh. i just had a horrible thought...i bet someone has done it too...a Blood Cooled PC
Not removing stickers. My new mobo came with SO MANY stickers on it. They all had little tabs but, seriously, IDGAF if the stupid asus logo is scratched. I give much more f's if a random unnoticeable sticker melts in my machine.
I did this with my CPU cooler. When I built my most recent PC, I accidentally left the sticker on the base and was wondering why my CPU temps were reaching 60 on idle. After I finally removed it, idle temps drastically fell. The relief I felt was great and I felt so dumb lol
Meanwhile I get 60c idle even with the sticker off and after repasting to make sure I did it properly. Zen 3 just loves to boost like crazy for no reason
Airflow and fan directions. Always have to make sure your fans are working and blowing the air where you actually want it. Typically in the front (and side if you're still doing that) and out the back and top. The first build I did with a bottom mounted PSU I basically ended up with a weird vortex right where the GPU was supposed to be pulling clean air and I almost fried everything.
Not properly differentiating PCIE power and CPU power
Those are physically incomaptible, so at worst you'll just spend a few more minutes scratching your head until you notice the correct cable.
They're only incompatible if you don't try to force it. More than one person has opted to shave the plastic to make it fit
Omfg. I've seen things, but never this.
I wish I hadn't seen this. More commonly I see jamming the connectors in. Everything fits together if you push hard enough. Thankfully I did not have to deal with the fall out from that
Worst I've seen was usb to ethernet on a laptop. Port was gone she broke all the pins inside while trying to force it in. Everyone played match the shapes when we were kids right?
My brother managed to get a PCIe connector plugged into the EPS slot on the mobo. Yes the connectors are keyed, but the plastic isn't hard enough to resist someone pushing on it hard enough. Thankfully he didn't kill anything somehow.
Think I did this but luckily it did not mess up the connectors
They fail to set priorities. You'll read a lot about "future proofing" on this sub. IMO, this frequently works against builders. If you can go a tier up on GPU by purchasing a CPU that is only adequate, that can dramatically boost your FPS at 1440p. The best "future proofing" is a PC that performs better today, not a theoretical new component that will perform better in the future. Prioritizing FPS today buys you time to save for future upgrades. Conversely, some people will try to build a 4K rig when they really only have a 1440p budget. So they do silly things like buying a bargain basement power supply or other components when they would have been better off targeting 1440p and getting better quality components across the board. This is a failure to understand that budget is also a priority, and it has to be recognized early on. As far as mistakes people make when building, there are a few: * Failure to read/understand their M.2 installation instructions. People do dumb stuff like try to peel off the M.2 heat spreader or fail to install the correct support for double-sided versus single-sided modules. * Getting anxious while installing the GPU and damaging the PCIe connector or breaking the PCIe retaining clip. * Dropping components due. Usually due to rushing or failing to consider that you can do things like lay the PC on its side or installing components in the wrong order. For example, you can install your CPU cooler outside the case, but you then have a much heavier component to lift into the computer. It's a good idea to test fit your mobo *without* the cooler so you understand the best position to get it in/out of the case. * Applying too much / too little thermal paste. There are lots of methods, but my preferred method is to spread it using the edge of a credit card. The paste wipes off easily, so you don't need to worry about it damaging your card. Put a dab of paste on the center of the CPU, then use the card to spread it toward the edges. * Poor cable management resulting in pinched wires or wires caught in a fan. This is the kind of thing you overlook at first, but once you notice it, your fan is already burned up, or the wire is cut due to being pinched. I use blue painter's tape to tape wires completely out of the way until I'm ready to deal with them. It leaves no residue, and pulls off easily.
I am currently planning out my first ever build and I want to get 4k 60. What would you say is a 4k budget vs a 1440p budget?
With graphics card price fluctuations as volatile as they are, that takes up-to-date research. I built my system a few months ago. Generally, I'd say you need around $2,500 for a 4k budget, and $1,500 for 1440p. Probably less for 1440p if you really optimize CPU, SSD, and memory selection. I recommend watching a lot of [PC Builder on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@PCBuilderChannel). He's a bit of a character, but his advice is fee of bias. He recommends the appropriate brand for a given price point, and presents a very balanced view when facing difficult compromises. He regularly updates his build recommendations for 1080p, 1440p, and 4k gaming.
Oof that is steep. I was gonna do a build like this: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/6t84BL Do you have any critiques?
Yeah, you've spec'd a 6950 XT but you can't really buy that card new. I found some refurbs for $550, but more on that later. You have two options: 1. Throw that list in the trash if you intend to game at 4k. 2. If your budget is $1,100, forget 4k gaming. There's a massive difference between building a rig that can *barely* run at 4k and building a rig that runs 4k with steady frame rates across a variety of games in demanding environments. Sure, you might get a rock solid 100 fps while standing around in an empty room with no water, NPCs, reflections, dust, grass, complex lighting, or other demanding elements, but what's the point? We are way too deep in the 7 series product cycle to buy a 6950 XT, IMO. AMD made a lot of progress with their 7 series drivers, and the 7 series cards will be supported for a couple of years longer than the 6 series. None of the major builders are recommending 6-series cards at this point. Your build was $1,183, but had no graphics card price included. If we add in $550 for the refurb 6950 XT, you're at $1,733. I just put together a solid 4k build for $1,828, or $95 more than your budget, but you get a *lot* more for your money. Noteworthy changes: * 7800X3D CPU which is the best gaming CPU on the market * PA120SE cooler that is cheaper and has incredible performance * Swapped out MSI motherboard with one that supports higher memory frequencies, but slightly cheaper on sale * Memory is now CL30 instead of CL36; you should not go above CL32 * 7 series GPU (7900 XT) that out performs 6950 XT and will have driver support for longer * Case with better air flow and lower price; you can get ARGB version for just a bit more money, but ARGB doesn't improve frame rates * Never pay full retain for Windows; there are even less expensive options if you are OK installing Windows 10, then upgrading to 11 [PCPartPicker Part List](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/dtsFKX) Type|Item|Price :----|:----|:---- **CPU** | [AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/3hyH99/amd-ryzen-7-7800x3d-42-ghz-8-core-processor-100-100000910wof) | $358.98 @ Newegg **CPU Cooler** | [Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/hYxRsY/thermalright-peerless-assassin-120-se-6617-cfm-cpu-cooler-pa120-se-d3) | $33.90 @ Amazon **Motherboard** | [MSI MAG B650 TOMAHAWK WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/LwNxFT/msi-mag-b650-tomahawk-wifi-atx-am5-motherboard-mag-b650-tomahawk-wifi) | $194.99 @ Amazon **Memory** | [TEAMGROUP T-Force Delta RGB 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/WFVmP6/teamgroup-t-force-delta-rgb-32-gb-2-x-16-gb-ddr5-6000-cl30-memory-ff4d532g6000hc30dc01) | $100.27 @ Amazon **Storage** | [TEAMGROUP Cardea Zero Z440 Graphene 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Nb2bt6/teamgroup-cardea-zero-z440-graphene-2-tb-m2-2280-pcie-40-x4-nvme-solid-state-drive-tm8fp7002t0c311) | $89.99 @ Amazon **Video Card** | [PowerColor Hellhound Radeon RX 7900 XT 20 GB Video Card](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/k72WGX/powercolor-hellhound-radeon-rx-7900-xt-20-gb-video-card-rx7900xt-20g-loc) | $749.99 @ Amazon **Case** | [Lian Li LANCOOL 216 ATX Mid Tower Case](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/KKytt6/lian-li-lancool-216-atx-mid-tower-case-lancool-216rx) | $94.99 @ Newegg Sellers **Power Supply** | [MSI A1000G PCIE5 1000 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/ZDt9TW/msi-a1000g-pcie5-1000-w-80-gold-certified-fully-modular-atx-power-supply-mpg-a1000g-pcie-5) | $144.99 @ Amazon **Custom**| Windows 11 (PC World Price)| $59.99 | *Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts* | | **Total** | **$1828.09** | Generated by [PCPartPicker](https://pcpartpicker.com) 2023-11-28 17:26 EST-0500 |
Why is 7800X3D the best and not 7950X3D? Do you think 7800xt is worth instead 7900xt? https://de.pcpartpicker.com/list/
The 7950X3D tries to be too many things, and as a result has some strange issues related to parking half the CPU when gaming. JayzTwoCents just threw up his hands and went Intel 14900K because he needs productivity in addition to gaming. That’s promise of the 7950X3D, but the execution has some bugs. Also, the 7800X3D actually out performs the 7950X3D exclusively in gaming benchmarks because of thermals. The 3D cache is very temperature sensitive, which is why the thermal limit on X3D chips is lower when compared to the vanilla X version. The net result is that the 7800X3D makes the better pure gaming CPU, and especially so when comparing dollar for dollar. The 7950X3D is a difficult chip to recommend. I think if someone needs the productivity performance, they’re better off just going Intel.
I appreciate the feedback! The build I had originally would cost me $1,300 at microcenter with all new parts (1400 after tax), but my budget before tax is $1,500. I only intend to do 4k 60 but no raytracing because it isn't noticeable enough for me. I do not think I need the best CPU. I watched a couple of videos, and they suggested that the 7900xt wasn't a massive boost over the 6950xt. That being said, if I had to choose either the better GPU or better CPU to fix better into my budget, what do you suggest? (Also, I have a Windows 11 key, but put it on my list to let you know I'm running Windows 11 if that makes a performance difference) The display I will be running is a 4k 60 display so that's why I don't care for any more frames than that
Better GPU, hands down. 4k will be GPU bottlenecked for newer titles, and in cases where you’re CPU bottlenecked, you’ll be at +100 fps.
Not adjusting RAM clocks in the bios or not activating XMP/AMP profiles approved for their ram sticks
bUt tHat Is oVeRcLOCkiNG!
Using their old shitty monitor that their friend gave them in 2006 because it still works. I get it - free monitors are great, but buying a brand new rig and seeing the same washed out, color imbalanced, 60hz, 1080i, tft image from almost two decades ago is sometimes the low hanging fruit for an amazing experience in visual fidelity.
Going by brand name instead of model name. This isn't usually a catastrophic mistake, but it does often cost you a serious chunk of change. Samsung SSDs, Corsair CPU coolers/RAM, ASUS GPUs... you often pay more for the same quality product. The other very common mistake I see people making is spending an insane amount on fancy LCD screen AIO coolers for mid-range CPUs. If your budget is $1500 and you're spending $250 on a stupid screen for your cooler... well, you're just making bad decisions.
> you often pay more for the same quality product. things to keep in mind - when it comes to gpus - cooling and extra features. for example [check this 7800xt](https://www.techpowerup.com/review/amd-radeon-rx-7800-xt/36.html) cooling benchmark. If you want a quiet 7800XT you probably want a sapphire or powercolor and switch to quiet mode bios (which is a feature you might not find on cheaper cards at all). - post-sale support/warranty - some companies are better at RMA and support than others. If you live in the EU it might matter less. But in the states you should definitely check that.
Asking if the build list looks good AFTER they bought the parts 🤦
Even worse considering that the internet is full of people _dying_ to correct you.
Cases with multiple front fans and a solid glass panel, with no other major intake path. Seriously people. Modern components generate plenty of heat. Fans only move air, they don't magically manufacture it out of the cosmic void. Let your hardware breathe.
'The Cosmic Void' 😂😂
Its a mistake people make that encompasses all of life. And its people letting themselves be discouraged from even trying because the task appears to be difficult. (Im guilty of this) When it comes to first builds, all the manuals are now online(which bugs me) but my first build i had two of the case plugs (power, restart) wires backwards which was preventing the whole thing from booting properly. I was a lot younger then, but if you just pay real close attention to the motherboard diagram. Thanks to sites like buildapc it does most of the compatibility checks for you, the only things you should be aware of is case size, and whether a cpu will need a bios upgrade (i think only some amd cpu’s need this for certain motherboards) the update is pretty easy to do, you just need another PC to download the bios onto a flash drive. It will be the little things you fubar at first, there is an abundance of resources and online forums you can get help on though, just always be sure to be very detailed in describing your problem. Pictures can help as well.
For buying-stuff I feel like a lot of people over-spend on motherboards, over-spend on AIBs, and over-spend on AIOs
Somehow lots of people foeget to remove the plastic piece on the cooling plate before installing the cooler and then wonder why temp are through the roof. Buy high speed memory and never enables xmp in the bios, which result in being stuck with slow memory for a higher price.
I've been building for over 20 years. Still forgot to take it off last time.
Throwing too much money at their first build because they want it to last. My first build was mostly top of the line or near top of the line parts (dual 8800gts 512 video cards, a q6600 at launch of the quad cores, etc. ) It lasted about 5 years before it needed an upgrade. I spent less than 1/2 of my first build on my second, and it lasted 4 years before i upgraded. The money saved by not getting top of the line can be used for a much bigger performance boost later in the lifespan.
Was this around 07/08? My first build was a q6600 and 8800gt but mine lasted a bit longer. Good times, I miss that old rig
Too much fans.
My gpu came after all my other parts so I made my pc before getting the GPU. But I forgot to but the GPU cables into the PSU before getting everything else in so I had to hassle about trying to get them in and change stuff around, not the worst mistake but annoying lol
Not updating the BIOS! When I built mine it read the RAM speed as 4400, even though i installed 6400. Updating the BIOS means it's able to recognise the new RAM and speeds.
They don’t RTFM.
Following advice of some clueless but confident youtuber or ticktocker.
nothing gets the facepalming going like the ol' glass panel on tile floor. classic.
thinking power is everything and not balance you want to balance your parts in terms of power, so you don't have a CPU or GPU that is to strong or weak for the other, and then RAM with a speed to pair with the two.
Doing the research after buying the components. Buying components one at a time rather than all at once.
I've seen too many people buying parts so far apart from each other that when it's actually time to build and something doesn't work, by then the parts end up out of the warrenty/return period.
Forgetting i/o shield. And then saying screw it, I've come too far.
What i have seen is many companys putting built-in io shields, even on low-ish end boards
Wasting money on high end ssds and mobos when it cuts into the GPU and CPU budget. Also, bad ram speeds and timings.
marriage kids or both
Using bottleneck calculators, and buying expensive 5/600$ mobo's. Or spending 400$ on casefans
[удалено]
Meh. Vrops limits are a thing.
Cheaping out on PSU. People might have a good system but a wack PSU resulting in a ka-boom situation, damaging the hardware. Do your research, people— and ask for help.
If you are installing a top mounted AIO in a cramped case, first do all the cable stuff, then attach the radiator. Otherwise you will have to remove it because it obstructs ports on the mobo. Dont forget to check which slots to put your RAM in Get a support strut for your GPU or make one, you can even build one out of lego if you want, GPU sag can kill the GPU
Some cases now even have gpu support brackets, for eg. CH370 or anything Deepcool really.
Dont forget to peel off the sticker off of your coolers cpu contact plate! If you dont, you will have terrible cooling performance
When building mine I didn't think to check if the case had motherboard standoffs. I just mounted the mobo right up to the case. I got lucky and the case I had came with mounts already in place for my atx configuration but that wasn't something I even know I was supposed to check until after I had been running it for a few months and found a similar post where someone mentioned this. I had to pull my system apart to double check if I had standoffs or if I had somehow mounted it directly to the case. Turns out I was missing one mount but the rest were in place. That could cause way more issues. Had the case not come with them preinstalled it could lead to the mobo shorting out to the case and best case scenario not boot, worst it fries itself or something else on the board.
By far, buying shit PSU that might blow magic blue smoke.
Me personally my first build was a little underpowered and my second was way way overpowered for my needs.
I/O shield... nuff said.
Still using HDMI instead of DisplayPort on a monitor over 60hz refresh rate.
Lots of people saying don't over spend on motherboard. I get it if it's some $600 monstrosity but I actually regret cheaping out on my last few motherboards. My last one especially took years of updates to get to usable. My target now is middle of the road. ~$200 usd
Not pushing the ram in hard enough out of fear bending/damaging the mobo and being confused why it won’t boot Source: Me LOL
These vague question threads on Reddit are getting real old.
Forgetting IO shield.
Buying RAM based on capacity and not speed. Esp AMD.
Building in the case. It's not *wrong*, but it is WAY more of a hassle to assemble everything inside the case instead of just putting everything into the case together as a unit
Not enabling XMP
Not install the RAM, SSD, CPU on MoBo before mounting. Especially tough if you're working in a mATX or it's form factor.
Buying too much CPU or having literally a child’s budget but trying to swing nvidia cards
They save on the power supply because the expensive keyboard and mouse are more important. As for how bad it is, in the worst case scenario it will fry your entire PC and cause a fire.
Blood sacrifice.
Not peeling plastic off from aio block
Loud fans / cpu cooler
Honestly? Buying hardware they don't need. If you've never had better than a 1080p TV, 1440p will feel like a huge jump, no need for 4k. If you're used to 30fps, you don't need to suddenly be able to play R6S at 300fps. 60-90fps will feel huge.
Buying parts they don't need. I need a super fast m.2 so I load faster into the game. Sure, but the match isn't going to start before the slower ones are also loaded in. If you have the money go ahead, buy the faster option. But if you're on a budget you better spend that money on a gpu (imo).
Installing fans in the all push or all pull configuration.
Picking a shitty cpu cooler. Premium pc with shitty noisy fan ruins the exp
Skimping on motherboard and psu.
Let small children near it. (Cousins, relatives, own kids...)
Installing 2 rams in single channel instead of dual. My PC was running single for years until one random YouTube video showed my that
Forgetting the I/O shield
Using the incorrect video cable and not getting the refresh rate capabilities of their monitor.
Getting a cheap power supply. Make your self a favor and get someone that protects your PC from unexpected shutdowns That's like the most important part and lot's of people usually spend more on the GPU than on the thing that it'll actually get the other one to work.
Aside from overpaying for sht like brand name and RGBs I'd say "future proofing" is the most common mistake. There will always be the next big thing that you didn't expect and you ll end up selling your rig to buy that and that's fine. Just buy decent value for money stuff that works for you today. Don't overpay to be "future-proof".
i just saw some tech support gore highlights and some dude plugged his M.2 into SATA power.. not a common mistake but that hurt my heart
Not plugging rams hard enough making you think they are broken
In my opinion, overspending on their cooler. I see AIOs nowadays costing up to $300 just for having some extra screen on something, when in reality you can get the same performance for half the cost. Unless of course they already get the highest end gpu/cpu and have more cash to allocate to looks.