PC Hardware and building thread

[Fungal Infection]

Did a bit of shopping today and here's the setup I'd be looking at:

AMD Ryzen 5 or Intel I5 or higher
16 GB RAM
512 GB SSD
Mid-tier GPU
USB Optical Blu-ray/DVD writer

Is this achievable on $1500? Pre-built units would suggest no, but I'd stretch out the budget a bit more for a computer I wouldn't need to upgrade for another 8 years!!

[DELTAprime]

Did a bit of shopping today and here's the setup I'd be looking at:

AMD Ryzen 5 or Intel I5 or higher
16 GB RAM
512 GB SSD
Mid-tier GPU
USB Optical Blu-ray/DVD writer

Is this achievable on $1500? Pre-built units would suggest no, but I'd stretch out the budget a bit more for a computer I wouldn't need to upgrade for another 8 years!!

Everything except the GPU is very achievable in that budget.

Here are a bunch of very good parts that are not unreasonably priced given the current global semi-conductor shortage. https://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/9xc6bh

The issue is that GPU. Not only have GPU prices risen significantly over the past 8 years (as well as everything else in the system). 8 years ago a mid-range GTX 770 MSRP was $329 USD vs the current mid-range RTX 3070 with a $499 USD MSRP. You now have a global semi-conductor shortage affecting everything that goes into building a computer from the PCB on up to the GPU die its self. Fortunately, everything except the Ryzen 9 CPUs are easy to buy in the CPU space now as supply has recently met demand.

There is however no end in sight for GPU shortages and jacked up prices.

Nvidia is pumping out as many Ampere GPU dies as they can on Samsung's 8nm process. They are then selling them and the required memory to their AIBs like Asus, MSI and EVGA at the same price they did when the products launched. The issue with the price is either that the AIBs or their distributors (we don't know who) are then profiteering in multiple ways.

Nvidia might pump out X number of dies. Then the AIBs will sell Y number of cards to their distributors (there is a small difference in the number because of defects and review samples). However, only Z number of cards are making it to retail with Z being a much lower number.

For instance, Nvidia said they made plenty of 3060 dies to fill the supply chain before launch and hopefully end the shortage. AIBs said they made plenty of cards to once again hopefully end the shortage. Then the retailers said "we got jack all cards".

So we enter the realm of crypto miners and other shady people. We don't know who but either the AIBs or their distributors are doing back door deals selling their stock of gaming GPUs to crypto mining farms or to scalpers. We just don't know where all these GPUs are going, but it's really not good. Here's a guy that got his hands on 78 3080s right after launch for mining. https://www.techpowerup.com/276554/e...-cards-spotted

While AMD cards are not very good at mining and are seen as inferior by most consumers and here in Australia you can buy one easily, they are getting the same jacked-up prices that Nvidia cards are getting. A 6800 XT is supposed to cost under $1000 AUD. However, the cheapest you can buy is more like $1649 AUD.

I really suggest reusing your old GPU for now, or going with an Intel CPU with an iGPU and making do with that.

[Fungal Infection]

Funny you should mention the 770, that's my current card. I actually like the options from the link you posted so I might take a look at that - thanks for the advice! ?

[Trent]

New PC time.

After discussions with the missus, she convinced me a laptop is the way to go. I want something that I can game on and can handle Fusion 360 and probably Blender. Budget is $2-$3K.

Any suggestions?

[DELTAprime]

New PC time.

After discussions with the missus, she convinced me a laptop is the way to go. I want something that I can game on and can handle Fusion 360 and probably Blender. Budget is $2-$3K.

Any suggestions?

You should only buy a laptop if you 100% are sure you're going to need portability. While CPUs in laptops are very similar to desktop parts these days. The GPUs are nothing like the desktop version. You might look at a laptop and see a "4090" and think you are getting the same thing as the desktop part, but you're actually getting something more like an underpowered 4070.

So are you still thinking laptop or are you willing to go desktop?

[Trent]

You should only buy a laptop if you 100% are sure you're going to need portability. While CPUs in laptops are very similar to desktop parts these days. The GPUs are nothing like the desktop version. You might look at a laptop and see a "4090" and think you are getting the same thing as the desktop part, but you're actually getting something more like an underpowered 4070.

So are you still thinking laptop or are you willing to go desktop?

It needs to be a laptop. We need the portability. Believe me I would much prefer a desktop. And a lot of the time it’s gonna be hooked up to the dock in the study running through my 2 monitors. But we will have to move it on occasion.

[DELTAprime]

It needs to be a laptop. We need the portability. Believe me I would much prefer a desktop. And a lot of the time it’s gonna be hooked up to the dock in the study running through my 2 monitors. But we will have to move it on occasion.

Ok, well... Things are looking pretty grim from my browsing. Looks like the best you're going to be able to get for $3000 is a 4060. And remember that's a laptop 4060, not a more powerful desktop 4060. I'll ask someone I know who reviews laptops if he has any recommendations.