Okay. For context i bought my first PC on Amazon for like- 500 pounds. It sucks, but its all i got. But now i get the opportunity to actually take it slow and build one.

And for my graphics card, im currently looking at the Radeon RX 9060 XT. I've seen reviews and like youtube breakdowns, but i need advice from someone who knows what's what, y'know?

Hey all.

I have a 5800x with 32gb of RAM and a RTX 3080 10gb.

I recently noticed in Gears of War E-day, I'm pretty sure my CPU is a bottleneck as I've been getting some questionable performance, and my GPU isn't at 100% usage in game. Also, I've been doing a lot more hobby development work using Claude.

At first I considered a 5800X3d, but that's like $340 right now.

Now, my local microcenter, has a Ultra 5 250KF+ and 32gb of ram with a B860 motherboard for only $500. Sounds like a more worthy upgrade.

They also have an Ultra 7 270k+ combo with a z890 mobo for $630, so maybe that is worth the price premium?

Now I know the 1851 is essentially a dead socket right now, but these prices are soo much cheaper than the equivalent AM5 platform.

built the pc in octobre 2026

my build
CPU: ryzen 7 7800x3d
Mainboard: B850 Asus TUF Wifi Plus
RAM: 32gb ddr5 6000mhz cl30
Case: lancool 207 digital black
PSU: power zone 2 plat - 850w
SSD: 1tb 980 pro from my old build (still got a 990 pro 2tb with heatsink for 115€, but not sure if i should use or sell so my new is more "affordable" coz of ram prices)
GPU: 9070XT Saphire Pulse

bought the saphire pulse for 860€ in Austria/Europe. I am quite happy with the performance, but it has coil whine. Especially with high FPS games.

I still have 3 days to send it back via amazon - but they will only return the money, not a new card.

Also the prices of all gpus went up in the last 5 days or smthg? Just last week or so i saw 5080s for 1500-1800€, now most of them are 2k+
Same with the 9070XT for 1000€~ +-100€
5070 TI? Starts with almost 1,4k+

Should i just suck it up and keep it? Undervolt and hope for it to disappear?

:)

is it worth it to get a 1440p monitor?
currently using RTX4070S / ryzen 5700X3D / 1080p 144hz

Blood of Dawnwalker High settings FPS differences:
1080p DLAA = 78fps avg
1080p DLSS Quality = 91fps avg
1440p DLSS Quality = 75fps avg
1440p DLAA = 59fps avg (feels incosistent and sluggy)

1440 DLSSQ is as good as 1080p DLAA in terms of visuals and fps and frametime consistent.

but in other games like Hellraiser the drop is WAY more like going from 130fps on 1080p quality down to 85fps 1440p quality, and 1440p balanced doesn't give more fps.

am i crazy or is OLED actually worth losing this much fps?

EDIT: i could use framegen on hellraiser and other games and limit it to 60fps 1440p so it shows as 120fp and is smooth. is everyone just relying on framegen for smooth gaming now?

It's a bundle for 649.98 CAD before tax, and after taxes its 747.48 CAD. Shipping is free, and I'm not near a microcenter, my budget is how much I can sell my stuff I have rn + 50 or maybe 100 CAD:

My Stuff:

• CPU: Intel Core i9-10850K
• Motherboard: Gigabyte Z590 AORUS Ultra
• RAM: G.Skill Trident Z RGB 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 3200MHz CL18

And these are the bundle stuff:

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
• Motherboard: Gigabyte B650 Eagle AX
• RAM: KLEVV FIT V 16GB (1x16GB) DDR5 5600MHz CL30

This is the "normal" prices of the parts they are selling on the website:

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 9600X 6-Core/12Thread 4nm ZEN 5 CPU
  • Reg: $279.98
• Motherboard: GIGABYTE B650 EAGLE AX AM5 LGA 1718 AMD B650 ATX, DDR5 Triple M.2
  • Reg: $209.99
• RAM: KLEVV FIT V 16GB (1x16GB) DDR5 5600MHz CL30 UDIMM
  • Reg: $334.99

The link:

https://www.canadacomputers.com/en/amd-desktop-processors/294467/amd-ryzen-5-9600x-cpu-gigabyte-b650-eagle-ax-motherboard-klevv-fit-v-16gb-ddr5-5600mhz-cl30-ram.html

Do you guys have any better ones? I haven't found any yet.

I would appreciate any suggestions or advice. Here are a couple of questions i have -

Is a 240mm AIO enough for the 9800X3D, and can I replace its stock fans with Thermalright ARGB fans without sacrificing much cooling performance?

Should I get the Kingston NV3 1TB SSD or save money and use my existing Crucial P3 + WD HDD? I usually play one game at a time and don't have a backup solution.

I know I could get a better-value motherboard, but I really love the clean look of the Gigabyte. Worth keeping?

Anything else you'd change or recommend? Also I really want to build it on my own but i have been advised against it as it might be a little risky.

Hello, I’m looking into upgrading my graphics card because I’m struggling to run some games (like bloodborne new pc port??) and have been pushing off getting a new one with the inflated prices for the last few years, but it doesn’t seem like I can escape that.
I’m also relatively inexperienced and built my pc 6 years ago with the help of a friend, so can anyone help me with recommendations based on my set up?

I’m not trying to replace everything but only what’s needed, trying to spend no more than $300 on gpu… possibly used?

cpu: amd ryzen 5 3500x
gpu: rx570
mb: b450m
32gb ram
2tb HDD

Just a quick question , which of these keyboards companies are more usually better quality?

Rqiurpn

HAVIT KB892L

Trust GXT871 ZORA

White Shark Wakizashi

They are all around 20$ , I dont want anything fancy or expensive just something that works, presses fine and wont probably have a problem with.

Hi I'm planning on building a pc and thecasee just arrived Im planning on ordering a sodimm to dimm adapter so I can still make use of my old ram do u guys recommend it?

hello, I recently got a Corsair H150i PRO RGB 360mm Liquid CPU Cooler at a garage sale and I'm not sure of its condition, I asked the seller and he said he had no idea it wasn't his. A quick inspection everything looks fine no cracks, cuts or anything but I'm worried about putting it in my pc to see if it works, I currently have a air cooler that came with my pc when I got it back in 2018/19. so my question is, how can I test it before I put it in my pc? is it worth switching? thanks

As I mentioned, what the actual f happened to gpus and their prices? Like, I checked a few months ago and prices were KINDA "acceptable", now it's just...what.

Yes, I remember we had a shortage during covid (I got a 3060 back in 2021 and it was a miracle), and I know global market is not in a good situation right now.

But I mean, are we having a shortage again? Prices weren't that crazy 2-3 months ago, right?

So basically i really want to build a pc, i do have a gaming laptop so i wont rush making the pc right away but one main thing i wanna know is if only ram was made hard to get for building a pc or are other parts hard and expensive to get too. I have no idea how building one works so id like to know abit of how the market is looking rn to at least make something decent,nothing extremely insane.

Hi everyone,

I have a high-end PC with an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K and an ASUS ROG Astral RTX 5090 OC, and I'm trying to optimize it for everyday use.

Most of the time, I use my PC for browsing, office work, watching movies and TV shows from my NAS, and other general tasks. I only play games occasionally, mainly cinematic, story-driven games.

Since the Core Ultra 9 285K has integrated Intel Graphics, I want to use the iGPU for everyday tasks and reserve the RTX 5090 for gaming.

My ideal setup would be:

- Work mode: Intel integrated graphics handles Windows, applications, and video playback. The RTX 5090 is completely powered off, or at least in the lowest possible power state, with its fans and RGB lighting off like when the pc goes to sleep.

- Gaming mode: The RTX 5090 is enabled and drives my monitor at full performance.

- I don't want to put the entire PC to sleep just to turn off the GPU.

- Ideally, I would like to switch between these modes conveniently, possibly using separate Windows user accounts or another reliable method.

My complete PC specifications

- Case: ASUS ROG Hyperion GR701

- Motherboard: ASUS ROG Maximus Z890 Extreme

- CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 285K

- GPU: ASUS ROG Astral GeForce RTX 5090 OC Edition

- CPU cooler: ASUS ROG Ryujin III ARGB Extreme 360 mm AIO

- RAM: 96 GB (2 × 48 GB) Corsair Dominator Titanium DDR5-6600 CL32

- Storage: 2 × 4 TB WD_BLACK SN8100 Gen5 NVMe SSDs and 1 × 8 TB WD_BLACK SN850X Gen4 NVMe SSD

- PSU: ASUS ROG Thor Platinum III 1200 W

- Monitor: ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM3, 32-inch 4K 240 Hz OLED

- Keyboard: ASUS ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20

My proposed display connections

I currently have the monitor connected to the RTX 5090 using DisplayPort 2.1.

I am considering adding a second connection:

1. RTX 5090 DisplayPort 2.1 → monitor DisplayPort input for gaming.

2. Either Motherboard HDMI → monitor HDMI or Motherboard Thunderbolt 5 USB-C video output → monitor USB-C input for everyday work using Intel Graphics.

I would manually select the monitor input depending on what I want to do. My UGREEN NAS is also connected to the monitor through HDMI.

I understand that selecting a different monitor input doesn't necessarily power down the RTX 5090. I'm trying to find out whether there is a way to go further.

Questions

1. Is it possible to either completely power off or make it go into sleep mode like when pc goes to sleep mode a discrete GPU such as the RTX 5090 while Windows continues running on the Intel iGPU?

2. Can Windows, NVIDIA drivers, ASUS Armoury Crate, or another utility put the RTX 5090 into a true power-off state rather than simply an idle/zero-RPM state?

3. Would using separate Windows user accounts for work and gaming help, or are user profiles unrelated to GPU power management?

4. Can the RTX 5090 be disabled and re-enabled through Device Manager or a script without causing driver issues, black screens, or requiring a reboot? Would that actually reduce its power consumption significantly?

5. Does the ASUS ROG Maximus Z890 Extreme BIOS offer any relevant settings for discrete GPU power management while retaining Intel integrated graphics?

6. Would the proposed dual-input monitor setup work reliably? Can the motherboard's Thunderbolt 5 video output handle 4K HDR movie playback, and what refresh rates can I realistically expect?

7. Is there a safe and practical way to have the RTX 5090's RGB lighting turn off automatically during everyday use while keeping the GPU available for gaming?

I understand that a desktop GPU may remain electrically powered even when it is not driving the display. I'm particularly interested in whether this specific hardware combination supports a deeper power-saving state, rather than merely stopping the fans.

My main aim is to reduce the risk of melting the GPU cable by using the GPU only while gaming and make it turn off or sleep while doing work or watching movies/ TV Shows

I'd appreciate advice from anyone who has tried a similar Intel iGPU + NVIDIA discrete GPU setup, especially on a Z890 motherboard.

Thanks!

My son who has always been a console gamer has recently started getting into PC gaming. I was a PC guy back in the 90s early 00s but mostly just console now and a bit lost in what's good/bad ect.

I figured building would be cheaper than pre built and I would get more bang for buck, and have something I can upgrade later.

Given the timeline though I can spend max £800 getting all the parts together. So I'm hoping the internet people can help point me in the right direction.

He mostly plays Minecraft, Undertale, Poppy's Playtime... But does occasionally play things which would be more graphically demanding like Borderlands and Halo. Most important thing is ensuring minimal lag when playing as he is autistic and it is a bug barebof his when he's dabbled with my laptop (which is not set up for gaming, integrated GPU rather than standalone).

Hi everyone!

I'm going to be building a PC soon. I was looking around and one thing I've noticed is most used NVidia graphics cards going around the local market (where I live) have a very high chance of being used (and abused) in crypto mining (Before the 30-series cards that shipped with LHR). I have a couple of options from NVidia in the same price range as this gpu like RTX 2060, 2060S/2070 (with 10-15% higher price). There are also AMD options like the RX 6600 and 6600 XT in this price range, but used AMD GPUs in my local market are infamous for failures and other problems. So should I go for a RTX 3050 or test my luck with 2060S/2070 instead?

For context this is going to be paired up with a Ryzen 5 3600 and 16GB 3200MHz DDR4 ram. Also how much will a motherboard with only gen3 PCIe support affect the performance of this card?

I am doing research on building a couch gaming pc to replace my consoles. The thing I cant get a real answer on is which OS is best for my use.

This will be a fully dedicated gaming machine that will use a controller as its main input. Steam will be my main game launcher. I mainly play single player games. I would like to replicate a console experience as close as possible. I dont want to use win 11 due to the bloat and AI overusage. Any help or guidance would be appreciated.

Hey! so my purpose is to work with 3D and AI
sometimes playing
from my research i’ve came to the point where its hard to decide between vram capacity/gpu series/RAM
its not plenty of a good deals for PCs in Sweden at the moment since most of the good ones unfortunately were sold out.
so im looking for the optional
what should i decide?
RTX 4060Ti/4070Ti/4080 with 64bg ram (might not be on AM5)
or RTX 5070Ti, 32 ddr5 ram?

there’s also another option with Radeon RX 7900 XTX 24GB 64 ddr5 on AM5 (which is barely the best option for blender because its not Nvidia)
my budget is 2500€

as long as the prices raised for the past few months the components themselves in a good/new condition cost around 3500-4000€

So my Assrock x870 burned out my 7800x3D. I bought the CPU on eBay without realizing the warranty doesn’t transfer.

My son has only been playing Roblox on it but might start playing other games once he starts high school. For GPU I have 5070. My main gripe about the AMD was the slow cold start motherboard boot up times and the memory learning nonsense.

Should I buy AMD again? I went with AMD mainly for upgrade possibilities but thinking going back to Intel.

Best RX 9070 XT model in terms of price, temperatures and reliability? Is the Sapphire Nitro+ safe to use?
Hi everyone!
I’m looking to buy an RX 9070 XT and I’m trying to figure out which model offers the best overall value for money as of today.
I’m mainly interested in:
Best price-to-performance ratio: Which model is currently the best deal?
Temperatures and noise: Which card runs the coolest, both in terms of GPU and hotspot temperatures, while keeping noise levels low?
Build quality and reliability: Are there any models I should avoid, or any known issues worth considering?
I’m particularly interested in the Sapphire Nitro+. For those of you who own or have owned one, how has it been so far? Have you experienced any issues with the power connector or the PSU cable? I’ve seen concerns about power connectors overheating or melting, so I’d really like to hear from people who have been using this card for a while.
Has anyone had their Nitro+ power connector or PSU cable melt or burn, or has it been completely fine? I’d especially appreciate feedback from people using it with the original PSU cables, including how long they’ve owned the card.
Would you recommend the Nitro+ over models such as the Sapphire Pulse, PowerColor Hellhound, Red Devil, XFX or other alternatives?
Thanks in advance! I’d really appreciate real-world experiences and recommendations before making a purchase.

For the record, I have not been living under a rock.

That said, I recently upgraded my CPU to a AMD9800X3D replacing my 7800X3D as I play flight sims.

My son is rocking an i5 6600K or something - RTX3080, so thought I would pass down the CPU albeit will need a new mobo/ram.

32GB DDR5, I mean holy fucking shit balls at the cost.

Sorry son!

Got a 5700X and a 9070 16GB. Mostly play at 1440p and do a fair bit of Quest 3 VR.
Is the 5800X3D still worth it as a last AM4 upgrade, or should I just move to AM5 at this point?
Curious what people would do in my situation

Giving my friend my old stuff so he can get off of using a laptop. Other friends are pitching old ram/storage etc. But gpu is the only thing he would need to get and i was thinking of recommending a intel arc b580. any better options around the price point? He doesn't wanna spend too much so id say 500 max. Also highest intensity game he has and played is probably cyberpunk.

Cpu: i5-12500

Mobo: ASUS PRIME B660

So I’ve had a 13900k running in my pc since 2023 and never had any issues so I haven’t updated my BIOS but only now am I reading that this is a big mistake, I did notice throughout the years that my temps spike from 50c -> 85c for a split second then back dips down to 50c… is my pc/ CPU ruined and I just don’t know it?

Please help me understand.

Thanks

For context - I have a developmental disability that gives me some slight difficulties comprehending things without extremely clear instructions, so researching this without being able to just directly ask someone about my exact build has been tough (pls be nice to me lol I'm trying here, I'm just stupid).

Back in 2023 I bought a custom built PC that is now having some issues. Through a lot of troubleshooting, I've pretty much confirmed that it's a problem with the motherboard, and after talking to a PC repair place, they believe that it's very likely the CPU is damaged at this point, and both the motherboard and CPU would be better off being replaced.

I'm having a tough time figuring out what would be compatible with what I currently have, however. If anyone could give me some suggestions, I would deeply appreciate it.

Info below copied from system info:

Current motherboard:
ASRock - Z690-C/ac

Current CPU:
13th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-13700KF, 3400 Mhz, 16 Core(s), 24 Logical Processor(s)

My budget is pretty much just whatever is necessary for it to be around the same as my current setup performance-wise. As far as I can tell my CPU/motherboard aren't on death's door just yet, so I can always save up for a bit if need be.

I'm also in Canada, so ideally not having to have anything shipped internationally would be best.

If any more info is needed to suggest replacements, I can always provide that as well, I'm just not entirely certain what all is needed.

Thanks for any suggestions (and for bearing with my dumb ass).

Hi there,

I recently upgraded to a 5070ti from my 3070ti and I’ve slowly been upgrading. Got a big bonus and decided to treat myself. I’m thinking about upgrading from my 5600x to a 5800x3d to avoid am5 prices. Is this a good pair at 1440p? I find myself bottlenecking in Cyberpunk 2077 (though performance is still good, 80-100fps w/ path tracing on and everything turned up) but my cpu usage is 70-80% and GPU is at 93%. Is this an upgrade that is worth it or am I good for now? I’m unaware if the performance difference is gonna be worth it for the price. I really want to upgrade to am5 in the future but until then I just want something to tie me over (if it’s even worth it)

Thanks.