Discussion on Getting Back into It

[Squiddy Pro Quo]

Hello All, my name is James and I wanted to discuss PC gaming and getting back into it.

 

The many two problems are that I am not really into gaming anymore and I have a lot of real world responsibilities that I didn't have in the past.

 

To start, I used to enjoy the story of a game and didn't mind grinding a bit to get what I wanted. I was a huge achievement hunter and didn't consider a game complete until I got all of the achievements. I started gaming on the Xbox 360 (I first started gaming when I was 8 or 9 on the NES, but I didn't really consider it a hobby until I was about 18) But recently, I just couldn't stand the constant repetition, micro-transactions, and lack of content in newer games. I loved Warframe and would grind for days just to get a single piece for a Warframe or a weapon. I had even replayed games to get all of the achievements when my first account was wiped of gamerscore when I got caught modding my gamerscore.

 

As for the real world responsibilities, I work six days a week at a package delivery service and by the time I get home from work, I just go to bed. Saturday, May 4th, 2019, was the first Saturday I have had off since I started in November 2018. Don't get me wrong, this job is the best one I've ever had since I got into the work force after I graduated high school in 2012, but it seems to take up most of my time. The other things I do in the real world limit my cash flow for anything other than what I need to do in order to survive. I pay bills, help my parents with their bills while I am still living at their home, have my own car payments and insurance, student loans, and I have been working on restoring a 1989 Pontiac Formula with my father. I also would like to buy my own home, rather than getting an apartment, because I would need a space for the car I am restoring, but with helping my parents and paying my own bills and the car restoration, I am not sure where to start with that.

 

Okay, to the main reason why I wanted to discuss this with you guys. I really like building computers and tinkering with things. I built my sister's computer, her friends, and my own. I sold the one I built a few years ago to pay for a car repair. I hardly played my PC then because I have tinnitus, or a ringing in the ear (in my case, it was constant and in both ears). This usually isn't a problem by itself, but I also have acute hearing. This means that anything electronic I can hear the faint buzz of when they are running or off (for example, I can hear the hizz of an old tube tv while it's on, I can hear the LED light of a wireless charger when a phone isn't placed on it) My old computer had fans that produced this sound and It bothered me, even with headphones. I also had an issue with either the video card or monitor I bought that would cause a screen shake while doing light tasks, it annoyed me to the point that I didn't want to use my computer. Anyways, I really want to build another computer, but I don't know what I would do with it. I also don't have a very good work area for my computer. I use a 4 foot glass computer desk and as of right now has a sound bar and Xbox One X that I haven't turned on in months on it. It's not that stable and there really isn't much room to have something else on it. So if I would start this whole endeavor, I would need to start from, literally, the ground up. 

 

My fear, money wise, is that I would have to buy parts slowly like I did when I first started PC building. I didn't have a problem back then, but I would be taking a few months to collect all of this to game on it. I didn't want to have a DOA part and not be able to return it. Other than that, I just wouldn't know what I would do on it. I have a laptop that I am using right now for this thread that I hardly use, a Note 9 that I use for work mainly and watching YouTube in bed. Over time, my eyes tend to hurt while watching on my phone. I like watching YouTube on my tv too, but I can't have it on all the time because it gets hard for me to hear with my tinnitus and can't usually use it after a certain because my little brother is just 5 ft from my room, and he can't sleep when I have the tv playing stuff. I mainly watch other people play games. However, recently, I've been watching LinusTechTips and JaysTwoCents, being a fairly new subscriber, and I just love watching them build the computers and do all of the other things they do. It really got me wanting to get back into the PC space and I really want to build more computers.

 

I was also thinking that I could do PC repair, PC building, or something like that as a side job, but most places require a certification in some type of computer design or repair. I know what I need to do without going back to school, but because I have student loans, I can't go back to school until I pay them off.

 

Feel free to ask me questions or discuss ideas you have with me. I am really interested in this and would like to get some feedback. I have attached an image of my current "workspace." Please don't mind the cables, I tried my best to cable manage, but I gave up when my cat kept messing them up whenever he came in. 

 

Also, here is a Parts List of what I was thinking of buying to get back into this, so please feel free to tweek or suggest other parts: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/bcWJ9J

 

And this is what I was running in my old build: 

PCPartPicker Part List

Type	Item	Price
CPU	AMD - Athlon X4 860K 3.7 GHz Quad-Core Processor
CPU Cooler	Cooler Master - Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler	$24.89 @ OutletPC
Motherboard	MSI - A88X-G41 PC MATE ATX FM2+ Motherboard
Memory	Crucial - Ballistix Sport 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR3-1600 Memory
Storage	Seagate - BarraCuda 1 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive	$44.89 @ OutletPC
Video Card	Sapphire - Radeon R9 270X 4 GB Dual-X Video Card
Case	Rosewill - Galaxy-02 ATX Mid Tower Case
Power Supply	Corsair - CX 500 W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply	$111.89 @ OutletPC
Operating System	Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit	$99.39 @ OutletPC
Monitor	Acer - G226HQLBbd 21.5" 1920x1080 60 Hz Monitor	$89.99 @ Amazon
	Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts
	Total (before mail-in rebates)	$391.05
	Mail-in rebates	-$20.00
	Total	$371.05
	Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-05-05 13:08 EDT-0400

 

 

[Nocte]

Hello,

 

From what I understood you are quite tight on money currently. I would not spend $1,500 on a computer if I was in a similar situation (but this is something you need to decide yourself).

 

From the PcPartPicker list, you are choosing an Intel unlocked CPU with a lock motherboard. Therefore, you should either go with a Z370 motherboard, or just a 8700 instead of a 8700K. However, given the financial issues I was talking about above I would probably go with something like this:

PCPartPicker Part List

Type	Item	Price
CPU	AMD - Ryzen 5 2600X 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor	$174.99 @ Walmart
Motherboard	Gigabyte - B450 AORUS PRO WIFI (rev. 1.0) ATX AM4 Motherboard	$120.71 @ OutletPC
Memory	Corsair - Vengeance LPX 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory	$81.99 @ Amazon
Storage	Samsung - 860 Evo 500 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive	$79.99 @ Amazon
Storage	Seagate - Barracuda 2 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive	$59.89 @ OutletPC
Video Card	Sapphire - Radeon RX VEGA 56 8 GB PULSE Video Card	$299.99 @ Amazon
Case	NZXT - H500 (White) ATX Mid Tower Case	$69.99 @ Amazon
Power Supply	Corsair - RMx (2018) 550 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply	$81.12 @ Amazon
Operating System	Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit	$99.39 @ OutletPC
Wireless Network Adapter	Gigabyte - GC-WB867D-I PCI-Express x1 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi Adapter	$35.90 @ OutletPC
Other	Rosewill RCFC-16002 Case Fan Splitter, PWM Fan Splitter Cable, 1 to 2 Black Sleeved Computer Fan Splitter Cable, Supporting Both 3 Pin Fans and 4 Pin PWM Case Fans	$4.99 @ Amazon
Other	Corsair CP-8920217 Premium Individually Sleeved PSU Cables Starter Kit	$59.99 @ Newegg
	Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts
	Total (before mail-in rebates)	$1193.94
	Mail-in rebates	-$25.00
	Total	$1168.94
	Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-05-05 13:02 EDT-0400

I would also try and save money by not buying sleeved cables, and by buying Windows "elsewhere".

 

I would not buy parts "slowly" as you said, either save up enough money to buy everything in one go or do not buy anything at all.

Buying parts slowly is just going to be more expensive because new parts will come out by the time you finished buying everything, and price will also lower before you bought all the parts.

[Oalei]

Why not go for a 2400g and wait for zen 2 to come out? Also if you want to add things I think going for a apu makes more sense IMO. 

[Squiddy Pro Quo]

Thanks Nocte, The parts list was just an idea, I didn't really know where I wanted to go with it. I was thinking a white and black build, so that's why I went with the cable sleeves. I also don't mind paying the $100 for the Windows operating system as I am not really sure where to get it "elsewhere." And if I didn't have to work on my car or help my parents, I would definitely be able to get it all right now. I can actually get everything now, but wanted to have something in case I lose my job (which I don't think would happen) or something comes up that would require a lot of money. And I didn't even know the motherboard was locked. I want to overclock the cpu, so this definitely help.

 

Thanks for the parts list, I will save it and definitely consider it.

[Squiddy Pro Quo]

Oalei, Thanks for the input. I would have to take a look into the parts you suggested. I just came up with this parts list as an idea. I haven't been researching the new hardware, so I wasn't sure which was best. 

[zlolslavez]

Honestly, I would just save up. Wait until you have a decent budget for a PC ($600+ depending on what kind of performance you want, I originally built my pc setup for around $500 and slowly added peripherals) along with your said "emergency fund" in case you lose your job. By the time this happens there will likely be better hardware (Zen 2).

[aisle9]

Long post, but I feel your pain. I can hear speakers that are plugged in even if they're not making any noise. I can hear pulsing LEDs inside a computer hum as they light up and go silent as they dim. What's really ironic about it is that I have chronic tinnitus and hearing damage from dozens of ear infections as a child, including burst eardrums on more than one occasion. I avoid most concerts and plays that involve guns or explosions because loud bangs physically hurt my ears, and sitting in a theatre with ear protection on just looks silly. I get it. Doesn't stop me from using LEDs, it just isn't ideal and I'm aware of it and that I need some space between me and my computer. My main rig sits at arm's length from me, and I have my speakers connected to a power strip that sits on top of my desk so I can just cut power to them entirely when they aren't in use. It helps a lot. I've also found that if things are particularly bad and I'm not doing something that requires sound, popping on a good pair of noise cancellation headphones and just turning them on without plugging them into anything works wonders.

 

Now, on to the PC. If you're concerned about finances and don't absolutely need an 8700K, one perfectly viable option is to start with a Ryzen 5 2400G. You can do some 1080p medium gaming on it while you wait for a GPU to hit the right price. Alternatively, you could grab a 2700X (or wait to see what Ryzen 3000 brings to the table) and pick up an RX 570 or 580 off of eBay for ~$100 (much less for a 570) as an interim measure. Both of those are outstanding 1080p cards, with the 580 capable of some 1440p on light or older titles.  The catch is that those two don't hold their value well anymore thanks to the umpteen gazillion mining cards flooding the market, but at $65 for an RX 570, who cares?

 

As far as building and repair, here are my thoughts as someone who does (or has done) both without any licenses or certifications. First, a little background: my specialty involves finding great deals on modern-ish to older computers, usually because someone doesn't know what they have or they just want to get rid of it. If there are components in there worth more than the system as a whole, I'll part it out to eBay. X58 stuff is at the top of the list of stuff this happens with, or something like a Z97 system with an i3-4130 in it. If I can replace those parts with what I have on hand, or if it's worth more as a system than it is in parts, I'll clean it up and flip it. I won't discuss the exact amount of money I make per year on this, but I will say that it's significant enough to be a viable second source of income, and it's enough that I have to declare my eBay earnings on my taxes and account for that. I have zero formal training, just years of tinkering and rationalizing it by saying that it's either this or cars, and cars require a lot more capital, a lot more time and a lot more risk. Building and flipping, definite yes.

 

Repair...not so much. I'll fix a family member or friend's PC anytime for free (or the cost of parts if it's something I don't have on hand). What I will not do anymore is fix someone else's PC. I've taken several repair jobs over the years after looking at a PC for someone, figuring out that it's something easy to fix or replace and doing so, then having them call me every week for the next six months because something totally unrelated took a shit. My favorite example is when I sold a PC to an older woman who wanted something to give her grandson for his birthday. She told me the games he was playing and I had a system on hand I'd cleaned up but done nothing with, so I sold it to her for $80. As part of that deal, I agreed to fix the Windows installation on her own PC, which was slow and crashing. Had I thought to ask her anything about her system first, I would have run for the hills, but I didn't and she showed up the next day with a Dell Dimension 3100--the big clamshell motherf*cker that always had PSU and HDD failures--that was covered in yellow gunk and reeked of 10 years of cigarettes and cat piss. I had to do a total cleanout in the front yard, which took a couple of days, before I could even think about bringing it inside, and even then I had to do all the actual repair in the garage because when the power supply was turned on, it smelled like a port-o-potty. So after cleaning it out, getting the files she wanted onto a USB stick and reinstalling a clean Windows XP for her because she didn't want to change her OS at all, I let her know that her ancient IDE hard drive was in really bad shape and needed to be replaced, and that it would probably be cheaper and make more sense for her to just get a newer computer capable of running Windows 10 64-bit when she was ready financially to do so. She refused, saying she knew that computer and didn't see any reason to spend money on a new one.

 

So, of course, a few weeks later her HDD takes its final shit, and of course it's my fault, and now I need to fix it. So I go over to her house, plug in the computer, boot it into Linux off a live USB, and of course it doesn't even read the HDD. I powered it down, opened up the computer to show her that everything was connected, booted back up into Linux, same thing. And somehow it was all my fault, despite me having in writing in OfferUp where I told her that her hard drive was dying. So when I told her that a 120GB IDE drive would cost way, way more than the computer was worth, it suddenly became my responsibility to give her a new computer for free because I broke her old one. I just said I'd see what I could do, walked away, never looked back. She messaged me every damn day for a couple weeks about when I'd have her new computer, I kept ignoring her, finally I blocked her and the next day I had a message from her daughter asking how I could sleep at night after ripping off an old lady. It was several weeks of brutal unpleasantness as multiple members of her family harassed me over a 12-year-old PC not even worth its weight in human feces that I had told her was on its way out, and that's when I decided that f*ck IT, I am not a repairman. Anyone who asks me about repairs these days is told that I can sell them a replacement or they can go to Geek Squad lol. Repairs are definitely not worth the headache.

[Squiddy Pro Quo]

Thanks zloslavez, I am wanting a higher quality PC build because when I built my first computer, it was definitely a budget build. I added and upgraded parts as I got money. My first build started around that $600 mark, but I just wanted something that I could run at a high fps and leave the graphics at the highest or near highest settings. My first build only had the best fps in Minecraft, everywhere else I had to run at low or mid settings. I am also just not sure if I should start the whole thing because, like i said in my OP, I lost interest in gaming.

[Squiddy Pro Quo]

Aisle9, thank you for everything you've said. I think I might of gotten my tinnitus from when I used to go to Nascar races with my parents, listening to music on a high volume, and being a drummer for a few years without ear protection. I use bluetooth earbuds while using my phone, but I can't really wear any type of headphones for a long period of time without it hurting my ears. And I always thought I would get some noise cancelling headphones, but in my case, the ringing gets louder the quieter it gets. I even have to have a fan on at night while I sleep or like right now, I have something playing on my tv just to drown out the ringing while I type this. 

 

The parts list I provided was just an idea, I am not dead set on this particular spec of parts. I wanted to get something a little more powerful as my first build struggled with the modern titles at the time. Minecraft was decent when I was playing it in Vanilla, but struggled when I added a few mods. Since I started watching Linus and Jay and seeing how the AMD components were becoming a real competitor for Intel, I was going towards AMD again, but was on the fence given my experience with AMD in the past and not knowing performance versus price. I thought that I could spend a little and get a lot back then.

 

In response to the repair jobs you've mentioned, I totally agree on that front. I was thinking more of a professional standpoint compared to doing it out of my home because of the almost exact same scenario you've mentioned. I didn't want to be blamed of damaging a system that was old and having to pay for it. I have done some repairs in the past on friends systems, but I couldn't do much at the time. I've reset and cleaned up a few laptops, but when I told them that they would need to get a new hard drive, ram, or even a new computer, they were telling me that it was fine and that I should just do whatever I could. But it hurt me that I couldn't fix it 100%. I wanted to make it the best experience and even though they did pay me, it felt dirty. Like I knew I could fix it, but they didn't want to buy anything to help me make it better for them.