PC Build - Have Things Changed?

KeyHolder on 14/11/2017 - 01:46
Last edited 14/11/2017 - 10:16 by 1 other user

Hey everyone,

I know this has been asked before but the most popular (commented) thread I could see was from the beginning of the year.

I'm just getting into the build your own side of PC's now though (this will be first) and so hoping to make a gaming rig capable of 1080p play in high settings for new games (Assassin's origins, Witcher 3, GTA V ) for less than $600 if possible (have 4gb MSI gtx 1050ti already).

So I'm wondering if the release of the new Ryzen and nearing the end of the year. Are suggestions on parts from the beginning of the year still the best financially\quality wise or has anything new shot out of the dark to take over?

Thanks

Computing

Comments

  • Agret on 14/11/2017 - 01:59
    +3

    Here you go —- http://www.logicalincrements.com

    Change to Australia just above the table to the right for rough price guides

    if you already have a PSU/CASE/GPU/HDD then you can prob just buy a Ryzen 1600, motherboard & DDR4 ram and be done :)

    if you don't have an SSD I'd go a Ryzen 1500x and put some money towards the SSD. Samsung 850 Evo is best value for money.

  • garetz on 14/11/2017 - 02:34

    yes, ddr4 ram has more than doubled in price than a year ago.

    • KeyHolder on 14/11/2017 - 08:52

      Woah, that seems like a huge jump. I'm assuming supplies of some part to make them is running low?

      Does that mean it's better to go with DDR3 ram or has that risen in price to? (Don't know if they share same parts\ materials or not)

      • jzdhgkd on 14/11/2017 - 13:05
        +1

        Assuming you're buying a newer processor, they're designed to use DDR4 so you're better off just sticking with what's recommended. The price difference is negligible and you'll have much less headache in worrying about compatibility issues.

        • KeyHolder on 14/11/2017 - 17:55

          So when you say they're designed to use ddr4, does that mean DDR3 is incompatible? Sorry to rehash this again but I've found 8 ads for DDR3 ram on gumtree for my area with someone selling 16gb for $80 which seems like a steal with prices as they are. Theirs 0 ads for ddr4 ram sadly.

        • jzdhgkd on 14/11/2017 - 19:00
          +1

          @KeyHolder:

          As far as I know:

          1) Ryzen does not support DDR3 at all

          2) Intel's Skylake/Kabylake/Coffeelake generations do support DDR3 but they do not recommend it.

          But I must admit 16gb for $80 is a damned good price! I think you can undervolt the ram in bios to make things run properly and eliminate/reduce risk of damage to the cpu but as a chronic overclocker/overvolter I wouldn't know anything about that ;)

      • dcep on 14/11/2017 - 14:57

        buy 1 stick of half your desired capacity

        eg, get 8gb stick , then get another 1 when price comes down

  • [Deactivated] on 14/11/2017 - 08:23
    -2

    No it’s still very easy

  • Kangal on 14/11/2017 - 12:55
    +1

    Old (<2016) titles:
    DX11
    1080p textures
    60fps V-Sync target
    8GB RAM (2300MHz)
    4 core / 4 thread
    4.0GHz Sandy Bridge target
    2.2GB VRAM
    GTX 970 target

    New (>2018) titles:
    Vulkan
    4K textures
    16GB RAM (2933MHz)
    8 core / 16 thread
    4.5GHz Skylake target
    3.8GB VRAM
    RX 580 target

    • KeyHolder on 14/11/2017 - 17:48

      What's vulcan, I can google it when I get back but do you know a basic rundown. How's your part tip made PC handling Kangal? Saw a post of yours from a bit back explaining how you built your desktop and sourced your components from all over the place, thought it was great and is what I plan to do as well, especially now that I know it's possible.

      • Kangal on 16/11/2017 - 22:34
        +1

        Sorry for late reply.
        Okay, my previous build from scraps was great for its time. It still holds up today, although its not in my possession anymore. I wouldn't recommend it because I can observe the trends in the industry.

        Basically that was a great system pre-2016. Here's what you should get in 2015:
        - Windows 7 (DX11 API)
        - TLC (WD Green) SSD bootdrive, HDD for game storage
        - 4 core, 4 thread CPU
        - 4GHz Sandy Bridge (Core i5-2500k) IPC target
        - 8GB DDR3-2133MHz System RAM
        - 2GB GDDR5 VRAM (GTX 960)
        - 1080p / 60fps / Medium Settings (eg GTA V)

        The years 2016-2017 is a transition period for gaming:
        - Windows 8.1 (DX12 API)
        - MLC (Crucial MX300) SSD bootdrive, HDD for game storage
        - 6 core, 6-12 thread CPU
        - 4GHz Sandy Bridge (Core i5-2500k) IPC target
        - 16GB DDR4-2600MHz System RAM
        - 3GB GDDR5 VRAM (GTX 1060)
        - 1080p / 60fps / High Settings (eg WatchDogs 2)

        The years >2018 on-wards are using the new hardware and software standards:
        - Windows 10 Pro (Vulkan API with FreeSync support)
        - MLC (Samsung 850 EVO) SSD bootdrive and game storage
        - 8 core, 16 thread CPU
        - 4.5GHz Ryzen IPC target
        - 32GB DDR4-3200MHz System RAM
        - 4GB GDDR5 VRAM (RX 480) = 1080p / 60fps / Very High
        - 12GB GDDR6 VRAM (GTX 1080 Ti) = 4K with high-quality textures
        - Game Example: Ashes of the Singularity

        ^^That paints a picture of the industry, and it will be very useful as you start to understand the technology more.

        Vulkan is an API (App Programming Interface)… its basically the "language" in which your graphics talk within your system (operating system, to cpu, to gpu etc). Vulkan is a refinement (and open-source!) of the older Mantle API which AMD created several years ago. Basically all video games were developed targeting either OpenGL, which wasn't very good, or using D3D…..D3D or Direct3D or DX or DirectX is the name of the Graphics API which Microsoft developed and maintains, its where the Xbox gets it's name from "DirectX Box".
        To cut things short, Vulcan is much better than DX12 in practice, and its cross-platform so that it runs on Windows (7,8,10), Linux, Android, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and its supported by lots of software (in particular Emulators!). Games/Applications made for Vulkan can also run on iOS or Mac, by using a software converter to Apple's own Metal API.

        Games today could use some/parts of these standards. But future games will be developed with them. That means your 2017 "transition PC" isn't going to cut the mustard, it might be too slow, or it might be fast enough but not very smooth. That's why I am not recommending Scrapyard PC's (or Transition PC's) for gaming anymore. Sure it will handle Daily Use, Work Tasks, Emulators, Web Games, eSports (Dota2, CS GO, Rocket League, Overwatch), Light Games (Minecraft), Older Games (Crysis 3), all without a hitch but that's all. It probably won't handle 2019's "GTA 6" very well.

        So if you have a free Scrapyard PC, it is worth throwing a $100-$200 GPU on it.
        If you don't, but want one for General Computing, sure get one.
        But don't get one for Mainstream Gaming now, as performance will nosedive in 12 months.
        I want you to get something you will enjoy now, something that is good value for money, but also something that will stand the test of time for a decent length of time. So its a difficult tightrope.

        Case in point: Emulating the PS3 on the PC.
        It doesn't really run on a 4c/4t CPU like the Core i5-4590 or the Ryzen 1300X.
        It barely runs on a 4c/8t CPU like the Core i7-7700k or the 6c/12t Ryzen 1600.
        It runs much more smoothly on a 8c/+8t CPU like the Core i7-6900k or the Ryzen 1700.

  • scrimshaw on 14/11/2017 - 13:48
    +2

    RAM prices will go down once Samsung has increased production of ordinary computer DRAM.

    Samsung will be re-purposing some of its 2D NAND flash at its Hwasung plant, which will then be used to boost DRAM production, which should start in Q1 2018. The Pyeongtaek-based plant is also being refitted, with DRAM manufacturing clean rooms that will be built on the plant's second floor. But we all want to know when cheaper DDR4 will be here, which is what Samsung is going to be able to offer once DRAM production is up, but don't expect anything until the second half of 2018. The PC industry isn't the only place where increased DRAM production will alleviate shortages, as smartphones and tablets also use lots of DRAM these days. DRAM stock has been depleted over the last 9 months or so, with RAM prices skyrocketing up by to 100%.

    Read more: https://www.tweaktown.com/news/59710/samsung-increases-dram-…

  • HighAndDry on 14/11/2017 - 15:17
    +1

    In case others haven't mentioned this, https://au.pcpartpicker.com/ is a great resource for specc'ing together a build and making sure everything is compatible.

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