TheLootGoblin

Enough said! Thanks for pointing me in the right direction!

Awesome. I figured I could disable the screen, but it seems like a bonafide system is the way. Thanks! 500 tabs is very like me. I just built my first gaming rig, and it feels great. But I don't have any windows laptop experience to compare it to. Was mac for quite a while. Mobility will never be an issue aside from moving it to replace the TV or moving it to another TV, but I don't see either of those happening often. I asked a few other places and got recommended the NUCs. Didn't realize it was a laptop CPU, kinda defeats the purpose. I appreciate the heads up! Now this is an idea I hadn't considered. Giving me something else to research!

Hey guys, Was in the process of brainstorming my next build. I had assumed I would be best off by building another PC to cater to my needs, but now I'm not so sure that that's the best call if a decent, pre-built laptop could cover all the bases. Here the deets from the sticky post. Approximate Purchase Date: no rush. Don't mind waiting for parts to come in, or for something to come back in stock. Budget Range: For a prebuilt, I'd like to stay under $1000. I have a bit more wiggle room if I'm assembling. System Usage from Most to Least Important: This will be used primarily to replace our cable box. I'm anticipating a lot of media usage. Playing video files off an external HD, netflix, etc. But also some light browsing, potentially streaming live events, as well. Are you buying a monitor: No, I'll be using my TV as the primary display. So, need a PC to watch movies on my TV. If I go with a laptop, it'll almost always be closed, so screen quality does matter too much. I'd like some extra RAM just to handle tabs. And it probably goes without saying, but I'd like it to be wifi and bluetooth compatible as I won't be using ethernet, and will be using a wireless keyboard/mouse. I know that's a ton of info, but I'm just getting back into the PC game, and there's a ton of options. I realize I don't need a monster rig to play movies, so I'm hoping there's a decent laptop out there that will be able to handle my needs. Links/specific models are much appreciated. And I'd be happy to provide more details if I left anything out. Don't be afraid to ask! Thanks!

Perfect, just the answer I was looking for. Thanks!

Hey there, Bit of a noob question, but hoping you guys can help me out. Looking at my MoBos Fan and ARGB headers and learning about amp limits. I'll be well within the limits using simple splitters on my CPU/CHA fan headers. But I was curious about using a SATA powered hub. Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RPFJH5B/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=A1XAGID4Z8INGK&psc=1 If you use something SATA powered for fans or an ARGB hub, should you be concerned with any kind of amp limit? Thanks!

Throwing together parts for my first build, and I'm looking to upgrade the fans that come with my AIO cooler. Would prefer something RGB, but they don't have to be. So far, I've been looking at: Corsair LL120s 3mmAq of static pressure 63 cfm Noctua NF-F12 2.61 mmAq 54.9 cfm Be quiet! Silent Wings 3 High Speed 3.37 mmAq 73.3 cfm EK Furious Vardar EVO 5.81 mmAq 107 cfm EK Vardar EVO 3.16 mmAq 77 cfm Anyone had experience with one of multiple of these that can steer me in the right direction? Thanks!

That's all I keep hearing. They're so close with the Ryzen 9 line. Makes me wanna wait for 10.... especially if I'm not in a hurry. AMD seems to be the way of the future. I can't help but imagine if they set their minds on a strictly gaming CPU. Intel would be extinct. I appreciate the help. Glad to hear a 240 AIO should be able to handle it. I intend to add as many case fans as possible, just to help out. The case I'm looking at in place of the NZXT has much more fan support. I should probably update my parts list, as the PSU has been replaced after everyone told me that's easily the most foolish thing in the list, as has the NVMe drives. The price tag just stings a bit. Thanks! Very well said! Makes it easy to understand, even for someone like me. I haven't looked into the potential capabilities of a 4000 series AMD CPU, but I would tend to believe you're right in saying that's where AMD fully takes over. Especially if they can price them the way they have everything else. Might just be worth waiting for. Here's hoping they utilize the same socket.

I'm new to the AMD/Intel debate, so forgive me for not being 100% up to speed on things. Are the up and coming AMD CPUs basically guaranteed to utilize the same chipset? I know that's a big selling point for them, but I dunno if they've come out and said as much. Also, any truth to them running cooler?

I actually have a list like that saved on pcpartpicker, oddly enough. Any reason to go AMD for a strictly gaming rig that you plan to OC?

I was worried about that. Seems like the cooler might not be able to keep up with the wattage, as well. Might have to look at different options to keep things cool. Knew I forgot something. I haven't shopped for a monitor for the home set up yet, but it seems like anything less than 4k/144hz might be a waste on this setup. Still reading into 144 vs 240 hz and OLED technology. Happy to take recommendations on what to get to get the most out of this build, as listed! Thanks for such an informative reply. Not sure how I missed either of those cases in my initial search. Lian Li looks great, but it seems like I'd only be able mount the 240 AIO at the bottom. Not sure how much I like the idea of blowing hot air up towards everything else. Especially if the 9900k can get as toasty as everyone says. The N case looks great, but it's awfully pricey. No fans included, and I'm not sure I'm ready to totally ditch all RGB yet. I might have to end up going with that just to cool this setup, though. It was something I hadn't heard of before, so thanks for making me aware of it! Glad to hear there are ITX options out there, my vision is just narrowed to a few sites. Sliger may be the answer. The 570 and 580 look right up my alley. Glad to hear I'm at least somewhat correct on going intel. As much as I love the AMD/Intel debate, after a few hours, my head starts to spin. If I were streaming, or doing any video work, it'd be a much easier decision. I do plan on running higher refresh rates. 144 at a minimum. Have absolutely zero issue buying an OS key unofficially. Just didn't know if they were legit/reputable. Glad to hear some vendors are! Regarding the GPU, that's why I mentioned waiting. It feels like the 2080 has been out forever, and I find it hard to believe it's still hasn't been replaced by something. I have that feeling that some huge announcement is right around the corner. All the more reason for me to take my time planning. I'll have to reconsider the AIO cooler, especially after finding out I'd be pushing it to it's wattage limit with an overclocked 9900k. Maybe the KS could help that. Or maybe a 280 would handle it a bit better, but that'd change my case selection. I don't think I'm cool/confident enough to start bending tubes for a custom water cooled set up. I appreciate the input. These are exactly the type of answers I was hoping to receive. I know nothing, so any input is an improvement. At least that's my mindset. Seems like the case and the cooler are the only real issues. I was expecting a lot more problem!

Hey, all. Looking for some advice on building my very first PC. Finally looking to get into gaming after feeling a little stale towards console games. I’m coming from using Macs at home and at school, so I know there will be a bit of a learning curve, but I’m up for the challenge. Going into this totally blind to PCs and their components, but I’m the type who will spend months researching before making a big decision. And I've been researching enough that I feel confident in asking for help. Any and all input/criticism is more than welcomed. Approximate Purchase Date: Sometime in 2020, absolutely no rush. Willing to wait if better parts are about to be released. Budget Range: I’m the kind of person that follows the “buy once, cry once” style of advice. In other words, I’d rather spend money now and not have to worry about something breaking or being replaced. I’d like to save money where I can, but if I can get much better performance out of a $50 increase, I’d like to. Tentatively set the budget at $3500ish. System Usage from Most to Least Important: Almost exclusively for gaming in FPS. I may browse the internet, and use Spotify/discord, with the occasional word document and very rarely, a photo edit with Adobe Creative Cloud, but that’s it. Do you need to buy OS: Yes, I assume Windows 10 is the way to go here? Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Not opposed to buying online. Amazon, Newegg, and B&H seems like the norm, and I have no issue with any of those. I doubt I’ll find quality components locally. Location: In the midwestern portion of the USA. Parts Preferences: No real preference as far as brand loyalty, but I do certainly enjoy certain aesthetics. I enjoy the looks of RBGs and AIO coolers, but I’m not handcuffed to them, by any means. Would prefer an all matte black type of build. Overclocking: Yes. Would prefer to squeeze as much out of my CPU as I can, reasonably. Additional Comments: I’d like to have a smaller PC, I make smaller car trips a bit, and it would be nice to be able to bring my computer with me, if needed. Obviously, quiet is better, and I’d like at least one window on the case. I could definitely use help with case fans, though. https://pcpartpicker.com/list/cDr98M CPU: Intel Core i9-9900KF 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor ($478.89 @ Amazon) CPU Cooler: Deepcool Castle 240 RGB 69.34 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler Thermal Compound: Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut 1g 1 g Thermal Paste ($6.85 @ Amazon) Motherboard: Asus ROG STRIX Z390-I GAMING Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard ($213.99 @ Amazon) Memory: G.Skill Trident Z RGB 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($139.99 @ Newegg) Storage: Samsung 970 Evo 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($169.99 @ Amazon) Storage: Samsung 970 Evo 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($169.99 @ Amazon) Video Card: Asus GeForce RTX 2080 Ti 11 GB ROG Strix Gaming OC Video Card ($1199.99 @ Newegg) Case: NZXT H210i Mini ITX Tower Case ($109.99 @ Amazon) Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 1000 P2 1000 W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($249.99 @ Amazon) Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($109.99 @ Newegg) Keyboard: Corsair K70 RGB MK.2 Wired Gaming Keyboard ($169.99 @ Best Buy) Mouse: Logitech G502 HERO Wired Optical Mouse ($48.58 @ Amazon) Headphones: Logitech Pro X Gaming 7.1 Channel Headset ($118.99 @ Newegg) Total: $3187.22 Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-01-13 18:17 EST-0500 Thoughts/rationale on each component. CPU: Not entirely opposed to an AMD like the 3900, but it seems like for gaming, Intel is still king. All other components seem to play nicely for AMD as well, so if there’s a reason I should go AMD, I’m all ears! Looking to overclock the 9900K to about 5.0 all cores. But admittedly, I’ve done very little research into how besides utilizing BIOS. Cooler: Going more for aesthetic here than anything. Really love the way this looks, as well as the fact that the logo on the pump is removable/customizable. RGB doesn’t hurt, either. NZXT x52 was another I was looking at, but the software seems to be a nightmare, and the logo isn’t even rotatable. Thermal Compound: Just going off the reviews. This seems good, and liquid metal scares me. MoBo: Z390 seems like the logical choice for ITX. I was looking at Micro ATX, but it seems to be dying out. There’s a version of this board for AMD, as well. I also like the idea of Aura Sync. Memory: These seem popular, and priced reasonably. Everything I read seems to indicate you don’t get much of a difference over 3200. Liked the Corsair Vengeances, too, but these seemed a little better looking to me. Storage: Not much to say here. GPU: Another one of the items I’m putting the most money into. Would like a 2080 Ti, but I’ve done zero research into what is coming or about to be released. If I’d be wise to wait, let me know. Also, unsure if I should go with an open air like this one, or something with a blower to make the most out of a cramped ITX case. Case: Probably the least happy with this choice. It seems like EVERY new build features a random NZXT case. But ITX choices are limited, and I couldn’t find anything that stood out. I like the Razer Antec Cube a lot, but they’re discontinued. I’d like to have a case that isn’t as universal as this, but what can you do. Case Fans: I have no idea what I’m doing. I know I’d likely run the AIO Rad up front, pulling air in. With a two fans in the rear/top working as exhausts. Not sure if that’d be enough to keep things cool with an OC, but I’m not opposed to using better fans to help out. Open to any and all options here. Preferably RGB. Power Supply: Not much to say here. Wanted to get enough W to cover everything and then some. OS: Apparently you can buy a windows key on Ebay for a lot less. Is that the way to go? Keyboard: I know peripherals are getting into the weeds, but it was between this and a Razer Blackwidow Ultimate. Much prefer the look of the Razer, but the switch choices for the K70 make it edge out the Razer a bit. Mouse: More clueless here. I use a fingertip grip, and would like some extra buttons. Extremely lightweight seems to be the move nowadays. Was also looking at the Logitech G Pro Wireless, Razer Basilisk Ultimate, Razer Mamba Elite, and Razer Viper Ultimate. Headphones: Another person preference item. These seem to be getting great reviews for the money. And the Blue software integration is pretty nifty. Sorry for such a long-winded post. Just wanted to give my thoughts and show that I’m not just clicking random things on PCpartpicker. Any and all help/suggestions/hate would be appreciated. I’m venturing into no man’s land as far as this goes, and don’t have any friends that can offer guidance as far as part selection is concerned. Thanks!