...yeah, it's time. I've finally found games I actually want to play that require a half-decent machine, I make all my money on the computer, and I regularly do video editing as well. I always keep my machines for a long time, so they need to be as future-proof as possible and I can't justify saving up for a PC unless it's going to be good enough for the foreseeable future. So here's where my head is at, I'd be grateful for any advice.
tl;dr https://pcpartpicker.com/list/xjP3yF for the general idea, but I'm open to other ideas. It's going to be a linux machine, and all AMD since I hear the drivers work better/are less fiddly. Aesthetically, I like an all-white motif but looks are secondary to pure power and long life. I would like to be able to emulate PS4, Xbox 360, run S&box so my kid can make games, and render my clip shows at high speed. The budget I'm targeting is about £2k. Will mean saving up for a couple months. Parts I'm considering:
CPU
- Ryzen 9 9950X3D (I'm most excited about having a strong CPU, this one appeals to me even though it's a bit of a splurge)
- Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- Ryzen 9 7900X3D
GPU
Anything AMD, 16gb preferred but at least 12gb. AMD RX 6800XT or higher perhaps. RX 7800 XT or similar would be great.
Memory
16gb preferred, DDR5, not too fussy about brand. Maybe someday another 16gb if it becomes worthwhile.
Storage
1 or 2TB M.2 NVMe SSD, any really who cares. I don't need a lot of storage, most of my games are lightweight indies or backed up on my server.
Power Supply
Anything 850-1000w, preferably modular? I dunno.
Cooling
Possibly an AIO liquid cooler. I'm iffy on that, would be happy with a fan if it's more recommended.
Case
Fractal does a nice white wood effect one (North XL), as does Antec (Flux Pro). Happy with anything that matches, but don't really love showy RGB, prefer understated and clean looks.
You might also consider a lower tier machine that could be upgraded sooner. And don't skimp on the power supply, either. Be sure you get something reputable so it doesn't fry the whole system.
Copy that about the PSU. Maybe it's just the kid in me, but I can't get as excited about saving up for a reasonable PC. I make all my money and have more than half of my fun on a computer, I want to treat myself to one I can be proud of. The grownup side of me gets onboard when I think about it staying performant for years longer, if I get the best one I can. When those two are of one mind on something, it's hard to talk them down.
That's the fun part of being an adult with adult money. You can save up and spend a little extra because you enjoy it. You're already saving a significant amount compared to buying pre built. You should also make sure you're budgeting for a monitor upgrade to really get the most out of the upgrade.
I think I'm happy enough with 1080p. Anything more than that can be visually overstimulating anyway, like those high res soap operas I sometimes see when I find myself in the company of a television, it's jarring!
I agree that more than 1080p isn't really necessary, but something that has blur reduction and can do at least 72Hz is a good investment, IMO. 72Hz is what it takes for me to not see flicker without taxing my GPU too hard, and blur reduction means you can even read text when it's moving across the screen instead of turning into a smear. Got a decent BenQ several years ago, and I haven't regretted it once.
I'll keep it in mind if I notice that with my new-ish 60hz monitors, thanks!
I should mention that without blur reduction, you won't see flicker - but you will see blur!