Jan 10, 2021
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Hello everyone! :)
I have a two questions about building the PC. I'm owning AMD FX 8350 processor (since 2013, for more than 7 years!) and ASUS RX460 . I want to build the best PC based on this processor and GPU! My budget is $800! I need a PC for game development!
I searched the internet and found suitable components for my processor :
  • Motherboard - ASUS M5A78L-M PLUS/USB3
  • Cooler - DEEPCOOL GAMMAXX 300
  • RAM - PATRIOT PSD38G16002 DDR3 - 8GB
  • Power Supply - AEROCOOL VX PLUS 650W
  • SSD - SAMSUNG 860 EVO MZ-76E500BW 500GB
  • Case - Zalman N3 black ATX Window
Additional information :
  • Approximate Purchase Date: This week.
  • Budget Range: $800!
  • System Usage from Most to Least Important: Game development/Rendering.
  • Are you buying a monitor: No.
  • Parts Preferences: The best of the best.
  • Overclocking: Yes! I want to reach the peak performance with this processor!
  • Your Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080.
  • Additional Comments: I want to have the best build on FX8350 and RX460.
  • And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: I do not want to sell my CPU and GPU. They still working well.
My first question : Does this is the best build on AMD FX 8350 and ASUS RX460 in 2021?
The second question : Is it even worth it building a PC on this old processor and GPU?
I really need your help guys :(
I never built a PC before in my life. I am afraid to make a mistake. I appreciate any kind of help! Thanks in advance!
 
Last edited:
Solution
That's my mistake.
I thought that FX 8350 is one of the best processors, and despite the age it still good in 2021.

If you already had the parts to go with it, it's not so bad to use, but it's hard to justify using actual 2021 money when you have such better options.

Literally any modern CPU with at least as many cores will outperform it. The two-core/four-thread Athlon 3000G, a $50 CPU made for basic office or home email/web-surfing PCs, doesn't even fall behind it until you're actually doing eight-core things.

We're not throwing any shade at AMD -- the Ryzens are terrific and turned around the company -- but we just really don't want you to get less than the best you can get for your money.
Hello everyone! :)
I have a two questions about building the PC. I'm owning AMD FX 8350 processor (since 2013, for more than 7 years!) and ASUS RX460 . I want to build the best PC based on this processor and GPU! My budget is $800! I need a PC for game development!
I searched the internet and found suitable components for my processor :
  • Motherboard - ASUS M5A78L-M PLUS/USB3
  • Cooler - DEEPCOOL GAMMAXX 300
  • RAM - PATRIOT PSD38G16002 DDR3 - 8GB
  • Power Supply - AEROCOOL VX PLUS 650W
  • SSD - SAMSUNG 860 EVO MZ-76E500BW 500GB
  • Case - Zalman N3 black ATX Window
Additional information :
  • Approximate Purchase Date: This week.
  • Budget Range: $800!
  • System Usage from Most to Least Important: Game development/Rendering.
  • Are you buying a monitor: No.
  • Parts Preferences: The best of the best.
  • Overclocking: Yes! I want to reach the peak performance with this processor!
  • Your Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080.
  • Additional Comments: I want to have the best build on FX8350 and RX460.
  • And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: I do not want to sell my CPU and GPU. They still working well.
My first question : Does this is the best build on AMD FX 8350 and ASUS RX460 in 2021?
The second question : Is it even worth it building a PC on this old processor and GPU?
I really need your help guys :(
I never built a PC before in my life. I am afraid to make a mistake. I appreciate any kind of help! Thanks in advance!
It wasn't best even in 2015 let alone now.
ASUS M5A78L-M PLUS/USB3 not good enough for FX 8350, too small and bare VRM. There are no AM3+ MBs made for few years. You need one with 990 chipset. Something like GA-990XA-UD3/5 to have half chance of overclocking. The one you proposed would blow up.
That cooler is barely enough not to overheat CPU let alone to OC. Need something much beefier.
You need at least 16GB of RAM and DDR3 is not going to work at 2400MHz. 1866 at most.
For 800 bucks you can have much, much better machine even if you don't sell that CPU.
 
Jan 10, 2021
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It wasn't best even in 2015 let alone now.
ASUS M5A78L-M PLUS/USB3 not good enough for FX 8350, too small and bare VRM. There are no AM3+ MBs made for few years. You need one with 990 chipset. Something like GA-990XA-UD3/5 to have half chance of overclocking. The one you proposed would blow up.
That cooler is barely enough not to overheat CPU let alone to OC. Need something much beefier.
You need at least 16GB of RAM and DDR3 is not going to work at 2400MHz. 1866 at most.
For 800 bucks you can have much, much better machine even if you don't sell that CPU.
I know that I can build a good PC for $800... But I don't want to sell my CPU and GPU. They seem to be working fine :(
Motherboard, which you suggest is out of stock in my country. On the 990 chipset, I found only one Motherboard available for purchase.
  • ASUS SABERTOOTH 990FX R3.0
...And
  • Asrock 760GM-HDV Socket AM3+
  • ASUS M5A78L-M LX3
  • A960D+V3 - AMD - Socket AM3+
Also, I don't necessarily need to overclock my processor...
 

King_V

Illustrious
Ambassador
It is a complete waste of money. Sell that CPU and GPU - there will be someone interested in the CPU somewhere, and the GPU is good for basic use.

But if you have $800, you can get FAR more performance building a modern system from the ground-up.

If you come across dirt-cheap used or free used parts being tossed out, then it's worth bringing that CPU back to life. But putting money into it? Absolutely not.

I mean, I did spend SOME money on an old AM3+ system, but the bulk of the money was for a cheap case. The rest of the parts were free or dirt cheap. I only use it for some basic benchmarks, and as a test bed. Total investment is just under $100, and I plan to keep it that way.

Old Ironsides
 
FX was good in it's time, but it is now obsolete.
I would not spend a dime on it.
FX-8350 fetches about $100 on ebay. I don't know why.
FX-8350 has 8 threads and a passmark rating of 5914 and a single thread rating of 1565.
It is the single thread performance that really hurts this chip.
https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=AMD+Ryzen+9+5950X&id=3862
FX-8xxx generates vrm heat problems on the motherboard, more expensive FX990 motherboards are needed to combat that.

By comparison, a similarly priced i3-10100 also has 8 threads with a 8922/2647 rating. It comes with a cooler.
The single thread performance shows up on most tasks.
A lga1200 motherboard is about $75.
A 2 x 8gb DDR4 ram kit is about $70. (8gb is not enough these days)
Intel does not depend on ram speed, 2666 is fine.
 
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DSzymborski

Curmudgeon Pursuivant
Moderator
I know that I can build a good PC for $800... But I don't want to sell my CPU and GPU. They seem to be working fine :(
Motherboard, which you suggest is out of stock in my country. On the 990 chipset, I found only one Motherboard available for purchase.
  • ASUS SABERTOOTH 990FX R3.0
...And
  • Asrock 760GM-HDV Socket AM3+
  • ASUS M5A78L-M LX3
  • A960D+V3 - AMD - Socket AM3+
Also, I don't necessarily need to overclock my processor...

Why would you want to get a much worse computer than you would have otherwise just to use that CPU? A new $800 PC would crush anything you would build with an FX-8350 for $800.

Getting a 990 motherboard in 2021 is just throwing good money after bad. This is just a monumentally awful idea.
 
Jan 10, 2021
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Why would you want to get a much worse computer than you would have otherwise just to use that CPU?
I thought that even for its age it's a pretty good CPU...
Getting a 990 motherboard in 2021 is just throwing good money after bad. This is just a monumentally awful idea.
Can you please explain why?
ASUS SABERTOOTH 990FX R3.0 is not expensive at all (less than 80$).
 

King_V

Illustrious
Ambassador
At this time, it might be worth holding on to the RX460 just to have a video card that's better than any integrated graphics, considering that tariffs and cryptomining seem to have sent GPU prices sky high recently.

But the CPU? That's definitely not worth putting any money into a system built around it
 
Jan 10, 2021
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And we're just trying to keep you from throwing good money after bad.
Thank you, I much appreciate any kind of help.
But the CPU? That's definitely not worth putting any money into a system built around it
Not even $150?
I'm thinking of buying only a 990FX Motherboard and DDR3 RAM, the rest I can get for free. Build a PC only to surf the internet.
Or is it another stupid idea of mine? :unsure:
 

Kflowers81

Reputable
Dec 18, 2016
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2 yrs ago I had no clue how to build a pc either. YouTube is full of how to videos that are very detailed. Me and my now 17 yr old son have built a couple of great gaming computers. I'm with USAFRet and would hate to know you wasted your Money.
 
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Jan 10, 2021
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Personally, I wouldn't. I mean, it could do the job of surfing the net and all, but it's also a crazily power-hungry system. And it's still used, aging parts.
' crazily power-hungry system' what does this exactly means?
2 yrs ago I had no clue how to build a pc either. YouTube is full of how to videos that are very detailed. Me and my now 17 yr old son have built a couple of great gaming computers. I'm with USAFRet and would hate to know you wasted your Money.
An off-topic question. I found this article here, on this site :
The Best $800 PC Build for Gaming, Streaming and Productivity | Tom's Hardware
Is that build still relevant in 2021?
 

bignastyid

Titan
Moderator
' crazily power-hungry system' what does this exactly means?

An off-topic question. I found this article here, on this site :
The Best $800 PC Build for Gaming, Streaming and Productivity | Tom's Hardware
Is that build still relevant in 2021?
The PSU they used is not good at all.

"Thermaltake TR2 600 isn’t fancy enough to make our list of the best power supplies, but it outputs up to 600 watts for less than $60 and it’s from a reputable brand. "

  1. It can't actually output anywhere close to 600w where it counts.
  2. Based on an ancient design, it has a voltage switch for gods sake(massive red flag for a modern system).
  3. "reputable brand" Thermaltakes reputation for power supplies(especially budget units) ranks from not good to dumpster fire. They have a few good and the TR2 is definitely not one of them, it fact it's one of the models that helped solidify their poor reputation.
 
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