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src2206

In the zone
Hello fellow members and friends

I need help in buying/building a new PC. My budget and requirements are as follows:

Existing hardware setup:

1. Intel Core2Duo 1.8GHz+ASUS P5B-VM MB+CoolerMaster Processor Fan

2. HDDs- 1 IDE (80GB), 3 SATAII (160GB, 250GB, 500GB), 1 SATAIII (1TB), LG DVD writer

3. 5GB DDR2 RAM (1+1+1+2)

4. XFX HD4700 ATi GPU with 512MB DDR5 RAM

5. SMPS- 460W Dual rail power supply (CoolerMaster)

6. LG 25" IPS monitor

7. JBL speakers

1. What is the purpose of the computer? What all applications and games are you going to run? (Stupid answers like 'gaming' or 'office work' will not work. Be exact. Which games? Which applications? Avoid the word 'et cetera.')
Ans:
1. General PC usage

2. Extensive use of editing Photos and Videos (I am a professional photographer). So I use resource heavy software like Ps, Lr etc.

3. Gaming - very rare

4. Movie watching

2. What is your overall budget? If you can extend a bit for a more balanced configuration, then mention this too.

Ans: 50K

3. Planning to overclock?

Ans: absolutely NOT

4. Which Operating System are you planning to use?

Ans: Windows 10, 64bit

5. How much hard drive space is needed?

Ans: Not applicable, as I am going to retain my old HDDs, except the IDE one.

6. Do you want to buy a monitor? If yes, please mention which screen size and resolution do you want. If you already have a monitor and want to reuse it, again mention the size and resolution of monitor you have.

Ans: no

7. Which components you DON'T want to buy or which components you already have and plan on reusing?

Ans: Monitor, SMPS, Speakers, DVD writer, Keyboard, mouse and HDDs (except the 80GB IDE one, as I believe none of the present boards has an IDE port).

8. When are you planning to buy the system?

Ans: Within a month

9. Have you ever built a desktop before or will this be done by an assembler?

Ans: I did twice earlier

10. Where do you live? Are you buying locally? Are you open to buying stuff from online shops if you don't get locally?

Ans: Kolkata, would prefer to buy offline, but comfortable buying online if the need be.

11. Anything else which you would like to say?

Ans: I would prefer to get a GPU if required and if the budget permits.

I would like to have an ATX MB.

I do not have any strong brand preference but would not like to buy ASUS as I had a poor experience with after sales service. Maybe I am little tilted towards Gigabyte.

I would like to I already have an i5 laptop (HP 15-ay503TX Laptop [6th Gen Intel Core i5- 8GB RAM- 39.62cm(15.6) Full HD- 1TB HDD- 2GB Graphics], but even this is not that fast while processing my RAW files.


I thinking about at least 32GB RAM, a good Graphics Card and Intel Core i7/AMD Ryzen (though I have no idea about this processor as it is very new) processor. I can not compromise on processing power as that would mean longer processing time for each RAW file that I need to edit. So actually, I need a "lightning fast" PC. *m.bestofmedia.com/sfp/images/design/usr/smilies/smile.gif

I intend to retain the Monitor, Speakers and HDDs for sure. Though I may have to ditch the IDE one, as it seems newer MBs do not incorporate IDE ports. I am not so sure about the Graphics card, whether to keep it or not.

Thank you
 
OP
src2206

src2206

In the zone
You want a config for general usage or editing those raw (images or videos) files ?

This is my main use:

2. Extensive use of editing Photos and Videos (I am a professional photographer). So I use resource heavy software like Ps, Lr etc.
 

SaiyanGoku

kamehameha!!
If you're going to use a lot of Premier then you should get a 8700k based config as new update has enabled quicksync for video rendering. But that would mean you'll have to increase the budget.
 
OP
src2206

src2206

In the zone
Sorry, that is way beyond my budget. I do not use Premiere that much as I am not actually a videographer. I would stick to Lr and Ps
 

rijinpk1

Aspiring Novelist
Ryzen r5 2600: 15300
Gigabyte GA-AX370-Gaming rev 1.x: 8000
zion 16 gb ddr4 2400mhx - 9300 ZION DESKTOP RAM BLAZE SERIES 16GB (16GBx1) DDR4 2400MHz -currently OOS.
and get another stick if you really need it. or you can go for 2 x 8GB sticks for now as ryzen has a favor to dual channel memory.
asus 1050 ti 4GB GPU - 15000 ASUS GRAPHICS CARD PASCAL SERIES - GTX 1050 TI 4GB GDDR5 PHOENIX EDITION - I am not sure how much will 1050 ti like gpu will help you for your uses. If you don't use filters/features that does not use GPU, you can settle for a lower end gpu.
Corsair CX450: 3300 - replace your PSU. Yours is a non-recommended one
Samsung 860 Evo 250gb sata ssd: 5700
Suggested an SSD and that might definitely help you
 

nac

Aspiring Novelist
Prices of GPUs are high and it's been like this for more than a year. Many speculating the prices will drop soon and they have been doing so for the last one year and it's not dropping. Given the scenario (and since you're not working on video files), I would go for Intel 8700 as that's the best you could fit in your budget.

i7 8700
Asus B360 Plus
8GB DDR4 (I have seen and worked in PS files (3rd gen i7 with 8 gigs of ram), I don't see system staying above 90% all the time. Even if you see your system hitting > 90% most of the time, you can add more ram sticks later. So I don't think you would ever need 32 gigs of ram unless you're working video files). If you really want 32 gigs of ram, I don't think you have enough budget for a decent rig. All you can get is Pentium build in this budget with 32 gigs)
Get a good new PSU (don't skip this)
Generic cabinet
Samsung 860 Evo 250gb (don't skip this as well)
 
OP
src2206

src2206

In the zone
Thank you for your replies @nac @rijinpk1

Here is the lowest quotation that I got from offline shops in my city.

AMD build:

Ryzen 2600x - 15800/-
x470 board Rog Strix Asus- 15000/-
x470 Board from Gigabyte- 12200/- (not in stock, will be available by the end of this month)


Intel Build:

i7 8700k - 23200/-
i7 8700 - 19300/-
Z370 HD3P gigabyte - 11400/-
Cooler for 8700k - 2500/- (not sure about the exact model)

Common Components:

16GB 3000MHz Ram Corsair- 12350/-
CM K380 case - 2400/-
Corsair 550W SMPS - 2750/-
730 GPU 4GB DDR3 - 5300/-
1030 GPU 2GB DDR5 - 6500/-

All the above prices are excluding GST.

  • Do I actually need a separate/discrete GPU in either case?
  • Does i7 not require a discrete GPU?
  • In case of Ryzen, is it mandatory to have at least an entry-level GPU? Do the boards not come with integrated Graphics? I tried to get the answer from respective websites looking at the specification, but it was not clear to me.
  • In case of Intel, which would you recommend- k or non-k and why?

Please comment on the above builds. It is pretty interesting that there is not that much of a difference in cost between the two systems, though I am not sure how much performance improvements will be there for the extra money spent on the Intel i7 system!

Please tell me which way should I go and why.

Thank you!
 
Last edited:

SaiyanGoku

kamehameha!!
For Intel config you don't require a dGPU as UHD 630 is good enough for handling display output. For ryzen CPUs (not APUs) you would need to get a dGPU. Mobos don't have integrated graphics.
CM K380 has outdated 5.25" bays which take up too much space.
That Corsair 550W SMPS might be a low end one. Don't get any VS series PSU for this powerful config (get CX or RMx).
Don't go below a 1030 if you're looking to build a ryzen config. If PS filters require CUDA acceleration, adding a 1030 to the config, regardless of the CPU choice, could be beneficial.
 

nac

Aspiring Novelist
Thank you for your replies @nac @rijinpk1
Your Intel price quote is much low, I assume it's without tax.
If you're not OC, why go K processor? When you don't have sufficient budget going for Z series board is not wise.
I don't think GT 730/1030 would be significantly better over Intel's iGPU for PS work.
 

whitestar_999

Super Moderator
Staff member
Since you are in Kolkata I am assuming you are getting quotes from vedant computers or mdcomputers(both are in Chandni Chowk),both have online sites too.
 
OP
src2206

src2206

In the zone
For Intel config you don't require a dGPU as UHD 630 is good enough for handling display output. For ryzen CPUs (not APUs) you would need to get a dGPU. Mobos don't have integrated graphics.
CM K380 has outdated 5.25" bays which take up too much space.
That Corsair 550W SMPS might be a low end one. Don't get any VS series PSU for this powerful config (get CX or RMx).
Don't go below a 1030 if you're looking to build a ryzen config. If PS filters require CUDA acceleration, adding a 1030 to the config, regardless of the CPU choice, could be beneficial.

Okay, so i7 it is going to be.

  • Please suggest a board for 8700 or should I stick to the Z series board I mentioned above?

  • In case I opt for 8700k, will the board I mentioned would be good enough and will overclocking the CPU is now easy (that was not the case with my older CPU)?

  • Is it worth the extra 4000/- that I need to pay for the K version for the extra performance I will get over non-K version?

  • Please suggest a good cooler for 8700K in case I opt for it as I need to add the cost to the price.

The prices are excluding Tax as mentioned clearly in the post.

Yes, I have taken the quotation from Vedant, Saboo and MD and it seems that Vedant quoted least.


Thank you @SaiyanGoku @nac @whitestar_999 for your help and suggestions.
 

whitestar_999

Super Moderator
Staff member
If you are planning on overclocking an i7 then getting a Z series board is not an option but a requirement.I don't overclock but as far as I know overclocking Ryzen processors seems to be a better value for money option & yes it is much simpler to overclock processors(intel as well as AMD) now-a-days compared to core2duo era processors.
 
OP
src2206

src2206

In the zone
If you are planning on overclocking an i7 then getting a Z series board is not an option but a requirement.I don't overclock but as far as I know overclocking Ryzen processors seems to be a better value for money option & yes it is much simpler to overclock processors(intel as well as AMD) now-a-days compared to core2duo era processors.

So if I am not overclocking, is there any other board that I should consider?
And which cooler to buy for K series i7?
 

SaiyanGoku

kamehameha!!
Okay, so i7 it is going to be.

  • Please suggest a board for 8700 or should I stick to the Z series board I mentioned above?

  • In case I opt for 8700k, will the board I mentioned would be good enough and will overclocking the CPU is now easy (that was not the case with my older CPU)?

  • Is it worth the extra 4000/- that I need to pay for the K version for the extra performance I will get over non-K version?

  • Please suggest a good cooler for 8700K in case I opt for it as I need to add the cost to the price.

The prices are excluding Tax as mentioned clearly in the post.

Yes, I have taken the quotation from Vedant, Saboo and MD and it seems that Vedant quoted least.


Thank you @SaiyanGoku @nac @whitestar_999 for your help and suggestions.
I would've went with a 2600X on B350 mobo and a 1030 saving cost on the mobo. :|
For cooling, I'd stick with the stock one with 2600x or Noctua NH-D14 (air cooler) for 8700k or ML240L (AIO)
 
OP
src2206

src2206

In the zone
I would've gone with a 2600X on B350 mobo and a 1030 saving cost on the mobo. :|
For cooling, I'd stick with the stock one with 2600x or Noctua NH-D14 (air cooler) for 8700k or ML240L (AIO)


Thanks but B350 motherboards seems to be not available and the shop is also strongly suggesting against that, no idea why. The Gigabyte board of x470 chipset was suggested by the shop as it costs much less than Rog Strix.

Another problem with B350 is that these boards are not providing native support for Ryzen 5 gen2, so I need an updated BIOS for that.

The cooler you suggested is extremely costly 13.5k and beyond my reach. I have no idea which exact brand of the cooler was it, but one of the shops said it would cost me about 2500/-.
 

SaiyanGoku

kamehameha!!
Thanks but B350 motherboards seems to be not available and the shop is also strongly suggesting against that, no idea why. The Gigabyte board of x470 chipset was suggested by the shop as it costs much less than Rog Strix.

Another problem with B350 is that these boards are not providing native support for Ryzen 5 gen2, so I need an updated BIOS for that.

The cooler you suggested is extremely costly 13.5k and beyond my reach. I have no idea which exact brand of the cooler was it, but one of the shops said it would cost me about 2500/-.

You want to use a low end cooler with an overclockable high end CPU? Thermal throttling would bottleneck CPU's performance.
Cheapest X470 mobo I found is around 13k while you could get a X370 atx mobo for 8k. The shop should update your bios to support newer CPUs but even if they don't you could ask AMD to give you a "boot kit" (link: Unable to Boot New Desktop System Configured with AMD 2nd Generation Ryzen™ Desktop Processor, and AMD Socket AM4 300-Series Motherboard)
 

whitestar_999

Super Moderator
Staff member
@SaiyanGoku It is not recommended to go for B3xx boards for Ryzen overclocking,X370/X470 boards are better suited for long term overclocking because of their better overall quality(especially VRM design & quality).Mdcomputers offers to provide bios update on request as per reviews here.Unless aiming for 5GHz overclock,a reasonably priced air cooler(aka hyper 212X for ~4k) is enough for reaching 3.9-4GHz(though at this point it may require a cpu voltage boost).
 

SaiyanGoku

kamehameha!!
@SaiyanGoku It is not recommended to go for B3xx boards for Ryzen overclocking,X370/X470 boards are better suited for long term overclocking because of their better overall quality(especially VRM design & quality).Mdcomputers offers to provide bios update on request as per reviews here.Unless aiming for 5GHz overclock,a reasonably priced air cooler(aka hyper 212X for ~4k) is enough for reaching 3.9-4GHz(though at this point it may require a cpu voltage boost).
Even at stock speeds, 2600x is good enough using a B350 mobo and stock cooler (but X370 mobo prices have dropped). Getting 5 GHz on all cores is difficult in a consumer level ryzen config (would require liquid nitrogen cooling).
 

whitestar_999

Super Moderator
Staff member
At stock speeds it is fine but on overclocking the power consumption increases & this is where better build quality of X370/470 mobos differentiates itself from cheaper B & A series mobos.Considering the avg temperature in India & dust issues it is even more important to have a good build quality mobo specifically meant for overclocking instead of trying your luck with cheaper mobos(it may or may not work hence the luck).

Yes,getting 5GHz OC requires liquid N2 cooling but I just meant that only for very serious overclocking one needs a 13k cooler.:)
 
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