First time building a PC, need some advice
I'm looking at starting to do a PC build and I'm a bit lost on which way to go CPU wise.
Proposed use case: linux, some gaming (usually older games), possibly trying to learn home lab/self hosting types of things probably in a VM but nothing really heavy. I do want to run Starfield when it comes out and maybe be able to try VR some time in the future.
I'd like to have a bit of a future proof system while getting value for my money, as in I'd like to spend less but I will spend more if it matters. This is where I'm sort of getting lost.
I tend to lean towards Intel because VM's and multitasking should work better (I think) but people seem to believe that AMD is better bang for the buck?
I feel like I'm likely not going to swap CPU's, but RAM, GPU, and storage are easy to swap so I'm not to worried.
https://pcpartpicker.com/ is a good resource for getting good deals, ensuring compatibility, and seeing others' builds.
Trying to future proof is a fool's errand. Think of what you'll realistically use the PC for over the next few years and build for that. Otherwise you'll end up buying a much more than you need.
I won't weigh in on AMD vs Intel, but I will say that AMD's entire AM4 platform is good value right now.
I guess that's fair. I just feel that certain old systems are still usable for stuff today even if that isn't gaming. I'd like to have that rather than a computer that's garbage in a few years
That makes good sense to me. I'll assure you that whatever PC you build today is highly unlikely to become garbage anytime soon.
For example: if you got a Ryzen 5600X (which is a fairly budget option), it would meet your use cases above (including playing starfield) for many years to come. (Don't just trust me though, do the research.) Maybe if you get a 7600 you'll be able to upgrade a few years later. Maybe not. You can save somewhere around $300 total (given cheaper mobo and ram) by going with the 5600X. So would you bet $300 on the longevity of the 7600?
You mentioned somewhere else in the thread that you have a 6600xt. If you're buying a new processor today, your GPU will almost certainly be your next upgrade point.
One part that's worth future proofing though is your PSU. They are impossible to sell used. It won't cost that much more to get a fairly powerful one with a 10 year warranty.
Ya... its really easy to double the budget by small increments. I didn't mention earlier, but I have 16gb or ddr4 memory (probably not fast stuff, i'm not sure) so buying something with ddr4 also saves me $100 on RAM in the short term.
I started looking more at am4 processors and maybe I'll do either the 5600g or the 5700g. The 5700 isn't tons more money but I'll be able to reuse my RAM and buy a cheaper motherboard. On board graphics would give me some flexibility in the future for using it in other systems. Then I can consider decent power supplies and just spend less money overall.
Don't buy the 5700G if you want to pair it with a dedicated GPU.
It is significantly worse than the non-G equivalents, as it has less L3-cache and worse boost speeds.
https://www.logicalincrements.com/ is probably the best thing ever to happen to PC building if you aren't aware of it already.
VR and Starfield are pretty high bars compared to the rest of your supposed use case, and not sure how easy those are/will be with linux.
No matter what, it helps to know your budget. For $2000 you can easily build something future proof, but that's pretty damn pricey. For $1000 it's less clear. GPU's are also a major pain in the ass cost wise right now.
If you pair logicalincrements with pcpartpicker.com it's hard to go wrong.
I forgot to add, I have a 6600xt currently.
As far as starfield goes, that GPU should barely run it, most new CPU's should be fine. On Linux hardware requirements should be the same and getting it to run... we'll see what it looks like a few months after launch.
I'm looking to spend < 1000 CAD and to get there by cutting corners where I can: stock CPU cooler for the time being, re-using my current SSD, buying a used case.
Logical increments looks solid, that will help a lot, thanks.
here's some basic guts (CPU, mobo, and RAM) for 650 CAD:
https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/tnRMBj
that Ryzen 7600 is the least-expensive AM5 CPU, you could easily substitute a 7700 or 7900 if you want the additional cores.
plus a "business" motherboard without any of the RGB lights you find on "gamer" motherboards. this is a personal preference, you could find a similar model with blinkenlights if you're into that.
and 32GB of RAM. you could switch to 64 for about $100 more.
It is possible. A second hand 12700K i7 set me back £250, and a brand new RTX 4060 is currently £280 on Amazon. Paired with a:
Cost about £835 for a Starfield-compatible build, or $1,076 - just over budget.
if you go with AMD (which I would recommend, it is definitely better bang-for-the-buck than Intel right now, and will handle VMs & multithreading without any issues) your next decision will be socket AM4 vs AM5
within AMD CPUs, Zen 3 (with 5xxx model numbers) use socket AM4 while Zen 4 (with 7xxx model numbers) use AM5. (yes, this numbering scheme is absolute nonsense)
the two aren't compatible, so for maximum future-proofing you'll want to go with AM5 if your budget allows for it. AM4 CPUs and motherboards are still perfectly cromulent, but would limit you from upgrading the CPU in the future. AM5 will be supported through at least 2025.
here's your options for AM5 CPUs
I just built my first PC since the 90s so I have some thoughts! These involve less the parts and more the physical quality of life of building the thing.
1.) You're gonna want a good ratcheting screwdriver.
2.) You're also probably going to want a right-angle screwdriver. Especially if you have a smaller case or a bigger GPU.
3.) Put your GPU in last. Make sure everything else is hooked up properly beforehand. I made the mistake of putting it in before I put the MoBo in and it made the entire rest of the build a giant pain in the butt to work around the GPU.