[SOLVED] How is my build?

Oct 2, 2020
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Here is the link to my build,

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/GDxnmg

Goals:

I want low budget PC.
Will use for some coding, potentially some 3D modeling.
Should be able to max out most if not all 1080p games.
Originally intended for a CAN$600-700 PC, so if there are cheaper prices for same functionality and compatibility....

This is my first computer so any advice would really be appreciated.
Also, is my motherboard power connectors 24 pins like the
power supply? I couldn't find it in the specs...

Thank you!!
 
The GTX 1060 is no longer being manufactured, so you are unlikely to find one for a reasonable price if buying new. I would not get a 1050 Ti either though, unless perhaps significantly discounted on the used market.

For roughly the same price as that 1050 Ti, you could get the newer GTX 1650 SUPER, which typically performs a little faster than a 1060 6GB, even if it has less VRAM. Compared to a 1050 Ti, a 1650 SUPER can be around 75% faster, so it's a pretty big difference for about the same amount of money. Just make sure it's the SUPER version, as the non-SUPER variant is roughly in between the two in performance, but again, costs about the same...

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/products/video-card/#sort=price&c=476

And if you did want to move up to an even faster card at a higher price point, the 1660 SUPER would likely be the next logical step up, typically being somewhere around 25-30% faster than a 1650 SUPER, and with 6GB of VRAM that might help keep it relevant a bit longer.

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/products/video-card/#sort=price&c=450

Edit: The regular 1660 (non-SUPER) might also be worth considering at the right price. In terms of performance, it's typically roughly in-between the 1650 SUPER and 1660 SUPER, but still has the 6GB of VRAM. I wouldn't get one for too close to the price of the SUPER version though, as it tends to be around 10-15% faster...

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/products/video-card/#sort=price&c=439
 
Last edited:
Sep 28, 2015
10
3
10,515
This parts list reminds me a lot of my first build. I'm not too different from you, I just got into building PCs not too long ago. There are a couple mistakes I made with my first, and you're smart to ask for advice.

1. That power supply is bottom-of-the-line. A 400w unit might power a GTX 1050 TI, but it is weak and offers little in terms of upgrade paths. The biggest thing I can recommend when building for the first time is to get a good power supply, something more like a 550-600w unit. EVGA is a very good brand to go with though.

2. That motherboard is top-of-the-line. I did this same thing also, I went with a fancier motherboard than I needed to. You could probably find a Z170 motherboard that will suit your needs for a bit cheaper.

3. Don't get the Seagate Barracuda. I will be straight up honest with you on this one, I owned the exact same HDD as you have on your list, and it failed after about 11 months. Get an SSD, whichever you can afford, and you can add whatever storage on top of that you need (external storage is my personal preference, but you can go with internal if you want). An SSD will save you a lot of headache (and time).

Another overall note: the prices listed on PCPartPicker are outrageous, don't just blindly purchase all the parts from there. Copy and paste the names of the parts you end up choosing into Google and see if there are better deals. Go on Amazon and search for Z170 motherboards or Z390, whichever you decide you need. Since you're buying new parts, also consider upgrading to the new LGA1200 platform. MSI's B460 Tomahawk is selling for $130 right now, and the i5-10600F doesn't cost too much more than the 9600F. My best advice all around is take your time, shop around and get familiar with this stuff, because it probably won't be your last build. Good luck to you.
 
Yeah, I agree that there's some other things that could be optimized as well. Generally, I find PCPartPicker does do a good job finding some of the lowest prices though, at least in the US, though I'm not sure sure about how well they compare in Canada.

As for the hard drive, I agree that an SSD would be ideal, but if they are already hoping to reduce the cost of the system, that might limit them to a ~500GB model. That's probably a decent amount of storage to get started, but some games are already getting around 100GB, and they'll probably be needing to uninstall things a lot, and will likely want a larger drive before long. All drives have a chance of failing though, even SSDs, though they might be somewhat more reliable. The main benefit they provide is the significantly better storage performance.

I agree that it might be worth considering a 10th-gen i5 for the processor (with a compatible 400-chipset motherboard). This generation adds hyperthreading across the board, so whereas the 9400f was a 6-core, 6-thread processor, the current i5s like the 10400f are 6-core, 12-thread processors, effectively making them perform more like prior i7s at heavily multithreaded tasks, which might help keep the system relevant a bit longer, without increasing the cost all that much.

Another thing probably worth mentioning is that unless you have some specific need for it, you might be able to do without the optical drive. Pretty much all software should be available via digital download these days, unless you already have existing discs that you want to retain access to, so you might not find all that much use for it, particularly if you have a fast Internet connection. A lot of recent PC cases have been getting rid of the 5.25" external drive bay as well, though that one has one.
 
Oct 2, 2020
35
3
35
Thank you so much everyone!! I will try to implement those things in my build when I have time :D
Also, the Optical Drive is how I am learning to download windows, and I want to do it that way so I can be sure everything will work...!
Any other tips would be SUPER appreciated!

EDIT: I forgot to mention, I don't have internet on my computer (unless it has it built into the motherboard, which I can't tell if it does)...
 
Last edited:

PC Tailor

Illustrious
Ambassador
As @cryoburner stated above, the 1050Ti is now redundant when you can pick up a 1650 alternative - which is both better and cheaper. Then and as others have stated, you also want to upgrade your PSU. If you're interested in the "lesser known" build mistakes that are often made, read this:


i would also just leave Windows unactivated for the time being, makes it free so that you can spend the money elsewhere, such as getting rid of the HDD and getting a 1TB SSD which you will not regret I promise! For example:
PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i5-9400F 2.9 GHz 6-Core Processor ($183.50 @ shopRBC)
Motherboard: MSI Z390-A PRO ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($174.50 @ Vuugo)
Memory: G.Skill Aegis 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3000 CL16 Memory ($70.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Crucial P1 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($137.99 @ PC-Canada)
Video Card: Zotac GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER 4 GB Twin Fan Video Card ($223.64 @ Vuugo)
Case: Cougar MX330 ATX Mid Tower Case ($64.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Power Supply: Corsair CX (2017) 450 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($84.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NSC0B DVD/CD Writer ($24.50 @ Vuugo)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($0.00)
Total: $965.10
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-10-03 18:33 EDT-0400


If you didn't upgrade to 10th gen anyway.
 
Oct 2, 2020
35
3
35
This parts list reminds me a lot of my first build. I'm not too different from you, I just got into building PCs not too long ago. There are a couple mistakes I made with my first, and you're smart to ask for advice.

1. That power supply is bottom-of-the-line. A 400w unit might power a GTX 1050 TI, but it is weak and offers little in terms of upgrade paths. The biggest thing I can recommend when building for the first time is to get a good power supply, something more like a 550-600w unit. EVGA is a very good brand to go with though.

2. That motherboard is top-of-the-line. I did this same thing also, I went with a fancier motherboard than I needed to. You could probably find a Z170 motherboard that will suit your needs for a bit cheaper.

3. Don't get the Seagate Barracuda. I will be straight up honest with you on this one, I owned the exact same HDD as you have on your list, and it failed after about 11 months. Get an SSD, whichever you can afford, and you can add whatever storage on top of that you need (external storage is my personal preference, but you can go with internal if you want). An SSD will save you a lot of headache (and time).

Another overall note: the prices listed on PCPartPicker are outrageous, don't just blindly purchase all the parts from there. Copy and paste the names of the parts you end up choosing into Google and see if there are better deals. Go on Amazon and search for Z170 motherboards or Z390, whichever you decide you need. Since you're buying new parts, also consider upgrading to the new LGA1200 platform. MSI's B460 Tomahawk is selling for $130 right now, and the i5-10600F doesn't cost too much more than the 9600F. My best advice all around is take your time, shop around and get familiar with this stuff, because it probably won't be your last build. Good luck to you.

I have done some research, here is my thoughts on everything:
  1. Is this a good power supply?? https://www.newegg.ca/evga-550-n1-100-n1-0550-l1-550w/p/N82E16817438105
  2. I couldn't find a cheaper z170 motherboard that is compatible with my CPU....
  3. The SSD and PSU that PC Tailor suggested, are they good ones, or did PC Tailor just pick random ones as examples??

these are the ones: https://www.newegg.ca/corsair-cx-series-cx450-450w/p/N82E16817139201?Item=N82E16817139201&nm_mc=AFC-RAN-CAN&cm_mmc=AFC-RAN-CAN&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_source=afc-PCPartPicker&AFFID=2558510&AFFNAME=PCPartPicker&ACRID=1&ASID=https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/&ranMID=44589&ranEAID=2558510&ranSiteID=8BacdVP0GFs-rYOvuQDtmWV21CWOH_55Ww
and
https://www.newegg.ca/crucial-p1-1tb/p/N82E16820156199

EDIT: The https://www.newegg.ca/p/N82E1681314...m_re=MSI_B460 Tomahawk-_-13-144-311-_-Product mobo, does work with my RAM currently in the PcPartPicker https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/GDxnmg
Also, the https://www.newegg.ca/intel-core-i5...10600F&cm_re=i5-10600F-_-19-118-124-_-Product looks a bit expensive, plus it DOESN'T include a cooling device, PLUS I don't want it to overclock... (I couldn't find a locked one)
 
Last edited:

PC Tailor

Illustrious
Ambassador
No it's trash. Always remember the PSU should be the LAST thing to go cheaper on.

The SSD and PSU that @PC Tailor suggested, are they good ones, or did @PC Tailor just pick random ones as examples??
I chose those for a reason, don't worry :) The CX is the bare minimum quality standard for this. Effectively it's the "as good as you need" .

Anyone who says "X is a good brand" and you can't go wrong with them, aren't quite correct. Brand is irrelevant. EVGA make plenty of good units, and also plenty of trash units. Seasonic have great new units, and still have older not so good anymore units. Same goes with virtually every brand. The important bit is the specific model. That and many brands don't make their own PSUs necessarily.

does work with my RAM currently in the PcPartPicker
Ultimately RAM is RAM, whilst there are some varying levels of quality of die, as long as it's the correct type of RAM and a speed that is supported, all of them will be compatible.

What monitor refresh rate and resolution do you plan on using? Presumably for gaming?
 
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Oct 2, 2020
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No it's trash. Always remember the PSU should be the LAST thing to go cheaper on.


I chose those for a reason, don't worry :) The CX is the bare minimum quality standard for this. Effectively it's the "as good as you need" .

Anyone who says "X is a good brand" and you can't go wrong with them, aren't quite correct. Brand is irrelevant. EVGA make plenty of good units, and also plenty of trash units. Seasonic have great new units, and still have older not so good anymore units. Same goes with virtually every brand. The important bit is the specific model. That and many brands don't make their own PSUs necessarily.


Ultimately RAM is RAM, whilst there are some varying levels of quality of die, as long as it's the correct type of RAM and a speed that is supported, all of them will be compatible.

What monitor refresh rate and resolution do you plan on using? Presumably for gaming?
I don't actually know what monitor refresh rate is...
Also, I will be using this computer for CODING, and
TESTING the games, which might have high-quality graphics :)
And, just triple checking, my DDR4 3000 RAM will work with a
mobo and cpu that both say that they support DDR4 2666?
I know I am asking a lot, but is my mobo currently a 24 pin power
connector? (I could see anything saying anything about that in the specs)? Thanks so much, btw!!!
 

PC Tailor

Illustrious
Ambassador
I don't actually know what monitor refresh rate is...
This will dictate what GPU you really should get.

which might have high-quality graphics
Still definitely get the 1650 (or more), it's better and cheaper than the 1050.

And, just triple checking, my DDR4 3000 RAM will work with a
mobo and cpu that both say that they support DDR4 2666?
Not necessarily, some boards will play nice, some won't. But largely you need to verify what speeds your board supports specifically. I'm not sure what board you're opting for as I've seen a few mentioned.

I know I am asking a lot
This isn't a problem, that's what we're here for :) ask as much as you need my friend.

but is my mobo currently a 24 pin power
connector?
Here's the thing, motherboards and PSUs are ATX standardised. Part of that ATX standardisation is the 24 pin power connector (which is called an ATX connector for the same reason). Unless you're buying proprietary equipment (like Dell, Intel, or HP OEM pre-builts) , your PSU and Motherboard will have the same compatible connections as it's an industry standard.

Just make sure your PSU is good quality.
 
Here is the link to my build,

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/GDxnmg

Goals:



This is my first computer so any advice would really be appreciated.
Also, is my motherboard power connectors 24 pins like the
power supply? I couldn't find it in the specs...

Thank you!!
  • Ryzen 3 3100 CPU 4 cores / 8 threads.
  • Uses Windows 10 unactivated.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 3100 3.6 GHz Quad-Core Processor ($139.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Motherboard: Gigabyte A520M AORUS ELITE Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($99.99 @ Canada Computers)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory ($79.99 @ Canada Computers)
Storage: Crucial P1 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($137.99 @ PC-Canada)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER 6 GB TUF GAMING OC Video Card ($299.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Case: Fractal Design Focus G Mini MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($69.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Power Supply: Antec Earthwatts Gold Pro 550 W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply ($113.50 @ Vuugo)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NSC0B DVD/CD Writer ($24.50 @ Vuugo)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($0.00)
Case Fan: ARCTIC F12 53 CFM 120 mm Fan ($10.28 @ Vuugo)
Total: $976.22
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-10-04 13:45 EDT-0400
 
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The problem with these is for that price they are often illegal or at least obtained involving illegal practice and Tom's does not get involved or endorse any of this.
Sure they do! : P

https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/get-windows-10-free-or-cheap,5717.html

Generally, the keys at these sites are not "illegally obtained", but they are being bought in regions of the world where the software licenses cost substantially less, typically due to the financial situation in those regions. Activating them in other regions is against Microsoft's terms of service for the software, so one is breaking their contract for use of the software, but it's not exactly "illegal" to use such a key on one's own system. At the very least, I wouldn't consider it any worse than running Windows unactivated, as Microsoft is at least getting some payment out of it. Both options break Microsoft's terms of service.

They could of course choose to deactivate such Windows licenses activated in other regions though, returning them to an unactivated state, but generally they haven't done that to my knowledge. The exception would be for keys that are intended for shared use within a single company, that will expire after some time, as those are not intended to be sold. Some of the cheapest keys one might find may fall into that category. And there are likely some keys out there obtained illegally that could also be deactivated, but for the most part, keys from other regions seem to be the norm at major key-reseller sites.

I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend such "gray-market" keys (and wouldn't post a front-page article about them on a major tech site), but I don't see leaving Windows unactivated as being any better.
 
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SteveRX4

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I've bought keys from numerous places for both Windows and Office.
I've never had a problem.
I did research eg "Kinguin problems" to see if any of the suppliers were dodgey first.
Kinguin in fact was recommended by a well known Reviewer.
 

PC Tailor

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I've bought keys from numerous places for both Windows and Office.
I've never had a problem.
I did research eg "Kinguin problems" to see if any of the suppliers were dodgey first.
Kinguin in fact was recommended by a well known Reviewer.
but it's not exactly "illegal" to use such a key on one's own system.
Completely agreed here, my apologies, because it comes up quite often, I will tend to say my phrasing "illegal" as a cover all for this as you say. I wouldn't dispute this at all. I'll try and adapt my wording.

https://www.thewindowsclub.com/is-i...0-keys-available-on-the-internet-do-they-work

A lot of these licenses could be obtained OEM, or the company has obtained those licenses at a reduced cost with a set agreement with Microsoft as to how they sell them. Doesn't stop people from selling them anyway. Same goes with ES CPUs for example.

Point being do you even want to take that risk? Even If you do buy something that was illegal (for example) the buyer won't be in trouble, the seller will be. That and the reason WHY I say about TH not endorsing it is because when I started the forums I also said exactly the same thing and then quickly got shot down by the mods...

And as you say, a lot can be the grey area keys. But when I say illegal I don't mean necessarily By LAW. But I mean by the policy that Microsoft have given people keys anyway. Buying from other regions and moving currency is against MS policy.

I'm not saying theyre all bad, but they often are and you'd never know. It's why you'll also see all of the mods on here pretty much advise you to always buy direct from MS.

But that's asides the point anyway. The general premise was the advise OP that they can save a good amount of money if they leave it unactivated, and THEN grab an activation when/if needed. And apologies for side tracking the thread, because I have seen too many people fall foul of this one and end up having to pay more in the long run and wouldn't want OP to potentially fall into the same. But equally I won't pretend to be a Windows license expert because I am not! :)

 
Last edited:

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
i see it this way, I prefer to spend more money on a key that I know may not already be in use elsewhere. Keys from Microsoft (for instance) may cost more than the websites I see advertised on YouTube videos but they aren't likely to just stop working at a random time.

running without a licence is cheapest option and only has 1 gamble, MS might one day change their minds and not let you do it.
 

SteveRX4

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Sep 29, 2020
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If the key is already in use then you can't use the one you bought. But they are legitimate keys - just oem - and so they are all numbered differently. If there are any problems, the people I've dealt with will ask you to try a few different things and if that doesn't work they will give you another key or refund your money.
They cost about $30 and will save you about $100.

My apologies to pc builder for this off topic rambling.
 

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