31 replies to this topic

[Meep Meep]

Fleshed out that core build I posted and sh*t, prices really have dropped down to something normal.

$550 and will run 1080p perfectly and probably have no issues with many games at 1440p if its not a new AAA title especially shooters using competitive settings.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/qGH8wc

Just a few short months ago the gpu by itself would have cost more than this entire system.

[VeeOt Dragon]

let me see here is what i can get real quick.

CPU- i5-7400 (3.ghz)
GPU- GeForce GTX 1060 6gb (the best thing i could fit given my power supply only had one power hookup for it and the better ones require 2)
Memory- 16gb

(though i do often run 2 screens and one might be running youtube music playlist or something while i play MWO)

not certain what the specs are on my power supply as its a mess back beind there and a pain to get the tower out to look at it

Edited by VeeOt Dragon, 24 November 2022 - 09:52 PM.

[Meep Meep]

Ah well thats still a pretty strong system at least for 1080p. Unless you can't run the games you play at the frames and details you want then no real reason to upgrade. The cpu is still strong enough to benefit from a newer gpu but it would have to be better than the rx 6600 as the 1060 isn't all that much slower and especially since it's the 6gb version. Minimum gpu I'd say would be an rtx 3050 so you get access to dlss which can greatly improve the fps though the 4050 is going to drop soonish and if priced right will be the new king of budget cards with dlss3 and frame generation. Using both at the same time can double fps with very little image degradation though at this early stage its game dependent. But just dlss3 alone will give a very nice boost to fps with almost no loss of image quality.

edit; just realized thats still a four core no hyperthreading cpu. It would still benefit from a better gpu but its going to be limiting in the very newest games as they tend to want at least six cores. If your memory is ddr4 then all you would need is the cpu and mobo I linked(currently as prices will change over time so might be better deals later) as all the rest should slot right in. Then you could wait to get a better gpu later.

Edited by Meep Meep, 24 November 2022 - 11:21 PM.

[VeeOt Dragon]

not sure my power supply could handle anything more than what i have in it right now. keep in mind this was a budget PC that i got off the shelf for $300 new (even then it was the previous years model so i got it on sale, i think the base price was $600.) i know it wont handle anything bigger as far as GPU since it only has the one power hookup for them. *the GPU and Ram were pretty much all i upgraded on it in addition to a 1 terabyte external HD.

also seeing as my TV (the screen i play on since its bigger) is only 780p or something like that anything more is sort of redundant. (my monitor is a little better but only by one or two steps but its smaller.) i'll upgrade my TV when the one i have stops working

Edited by VeeOt Dragon, 25 November 2022 - 03:22 AM.

[Meep Meep]

As long as its 400w and has at least one 8 pin pcie connector its good to go for any entry level gpu like the 6600 or 3050. But yeah at 720p your current rig is more than capable. I'm betting however that there is one free x1 pcie slot as those pc always have at least one and that would slot that $34 soundblaster just fine. Bonus is that it takes all sound related tasks off the cpu and frees that up since the card itself has a high quality hardware dac. Hell you could look up some cheap 5.1 all in one systems and set you up a nice budget home theater for super cheap as you wouldn't need expensive speakers for good sound.

[Escef]

I've gotten by quite fine with a Logitech H800. Wireless is pretty much a must for me, the fuzzbutt has chewed through too many USB cables for me to waste time and money on wired stuff.

[VeeOt Dragon]

one dumb question on the sound card (something i should considering i went to school for PC hardware repair and networking back in the day, though that was pushing 2 decades ago). does the output still go through PC's usb ports or do i have to use the ports on the card itself?

(this is something i should know but old man brain is farting out today)

[Knownswift]

VeeOt Dragon, on 25 November 2022 - 03:44 PM, said:

one dumb question on the sound card (something i should considering i went to school for PC hardware repair and networking back in the day, though that was pushing 2 decades ago). does the output still go through PC's usb ports or do i have to use the ports on the card itself?

(this is something i should know but old man brain is farting out today)

You should be able to use any USB device with just the USB.

Look at what you're buying, it'll tell you whether or not it has 3.5 jacks, usb, or sometimes both.

If you want it to be easy and just work decently, I think a USB headset is the best way to go.

[Meep Meep]

VeeOt Dragon, on 25 November 2022 - 03:44 PM, said:

one dumb question on the sound card (something i should considering i went to school for PC hardware repair and networking back in the day, though that was pushing 2 decades ago). does the output still go through PC's usb ports or do i have to use the ports on the card itself?

(this is something i should know but old man brain is farting out today)

USB sets have their own audio circuitry built in that uses the cpu as the dac so you don't need a sound card or on board sound but even the highest end usb set won't be as good as a cheapish studio set with a high impedance running off a quality sound card. But Knownswift is correct if your current usb set has good enough quality then might as well just get another for the simplicity. I'm a stickler for high end audio so I've always went with sound card and analog studio set.

[Curccu]

Meep Meep, on 22 November 2022 - 11:27 AM, said:

The best headset is an actual studio quality set like an ath-50mx and an antlion add on mic. These 'gamer' sets even the expensive ones that cost almost as much as the mx are far inferior.

Yep "gaming" products cost a lot more than good guality headphones and still way worse, specially mic part.
Used to have wired modmic with sennheisers and worked very well.

[-Teiwaz-]

I have been using a Sennheiser PC 320 G4ME for almost 6 years now. I have never had a problem with it nor has anyone ever complained that I sound like crap. The quality is well above average and well worth the money that I spent. Since I know nothing lasts forever one day it will stop working and I will only buy the same brand again, regardless of the cost.
IMHO you cannot go wrong with buying a Sennheiser, quality over quantity.

[RickySpanish]

-Teiwaz-, on 26 November 2022 - 07:40 AM, said:

I have been using a Sennheiser PC 320 G4ME for almost 6 years now. I have never had a problem with it nor has anyone ever complained that I sound like crap. The quality is well above average and well worth the money that I spent. Since I know nothing lasts forever one day it will stop working and I will only buy the same brand again, regardless of the cost.
IMHO you cannot go wrong with buying a Sennheiser, quality over quantity.

People do tend to gravitate toward 'gamer' garbage, which lasts a few years and then the connections break. Headphones are one of those areas where it really is worth it to invest a bit more. Also one should keep in mind that they will want an amplifier to properly drive a quality set of cans, but even with low impedence headphones, it is possible to get some astonishingly (relatively speaking) good quality sound compared to what your usual rgb/cat-ears shite puts out.