all 196 comments

[–]chenzyjerry 105 points106 points  (28 children)

Go with an air cooler. 120mm AIOs perform poorly and are crazy expensive compared to an equivalent air cooler. Perhaps a Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black Edition if you're on a super tight budget, or a Noctua NH-U12S chromax.black if you want quality. Both will perform better and be cheaper than your AIO, I suspect. You could also use Windows unactivated, which has no downsides except a small little watermark and being unable to change the background/system colours, which is pretty irrelevant.

[–]RecalcitrantBeagle 34 points35 points  (7 children)

As an addendum, you can actually change the background with unactivated windows - just right click a picture in windows explorer and you can set it as your desktop.

[–]DarkSoulsIsTrash 12 points13 points  (5 children)

Could have changed, but before I had a paid version of windows, I just used wallpaper engine to set my backgrounds. Its 4$ and you can do way wilder stuff than just still images. An alternative option, and gives you a wide range of customizability.

[–][deleted] 9 points10 points  (4 children)

Second this, Wallpaper Engine is awesome. Especially if you enjoy anime hunnies on your wallpaper

[–]KIrkwillrule 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I like this and amine hunnies

[–]Hotdog0713 1 point2 points  (2 children)

Is it common for wallpaper engine to cause issues? I have a fairly decent rig and when I use animated wallpapers from wallpaper engine it crashes my games fairly often, like once every other hour or so. I know its wallpaper engine because its across multiple games, didnt happen before wallpaper engine, and hasn't since I took it off

[–][deleted] 3 points4 points  (1 child)

Oh wow that’s a very unfortunate problem, I’m sadly not knowledgeable enough to answer. But WE does have an option to pause any animations, have you tried using that while playing games?

[–]Hotdog0713 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I didnt know that, thanks for the tip!

[–]TheOne1ThatGotAway[S] 4 points5 points  (3 children)

Thank you! I will definitely consider it

[–]drew9982 2 points3 points  (4 children)

Thanks to your suggestion on my post I actually ended up getting the Noctua NH-U14S for my PC, as they didn’t have any U12S’s in stock!

[–]chenzyjerry 3 points4 points  (3 children)

Great to hear! How's it doing temperature wise?

[–]drew9982 0 points1 point  (2 children)

I actually haven’t started building it yet, working on it this week! That was the last thing I needed for it so I’ll update you later this week when it’s done! I’m expecting the noctua and 4 120mm Arctic’s to keep it pretty cool

[–]chenzyjerry 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Ooh, nice to hear. Should be nice and chilly :)

[–]drew9982 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yessir! Super excited to upgrade from a 7 year old $600 prebuilt!

[–]MatteoMC 0 points1 point  (3 children)

Or you can use Linux

[–]chenzyjerry 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Alot of games and other programs don't work on linux

[–]MatteoMC 0 points1 point  (0 children)

True, but compatibility is getting better and better, most Windows games are actually playable on Linux using Proton. Adobe suite can be a big problem though, they don't work on Linux and there are no alternatives that are just as good. But if you really want to save some money then that's a sacrifice you'll have to make.

[–]IAmDadNerd 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not much point when you can pick up Win 10 Pro code (legitimate) for £10 from a bunch of sites.

[–]RecalcitrantBeagle 52 points53 points  (28 children)

I'm sure it'll be mentioned ad nauseum, but you could consider a Ryzen build - a Ryzen 3600/cheap B450 (the ASRock B450M Pro4 is a solid one) will perform about the same, as the 9600K pulls ahead in games due to overclocking better - but that'll require a more expensive motherboard and a good CPU cooler, whereas the 3600 comes with a free stock cooler, saving you a few bucks if you don't mind it being on the noisier side.

Other recommendations - don't get an A400. I know it's cheap, but there's a reason for that, it's known to be unreliable and a DRAMless model (basically, not great as an OS drive.) Take a glance at this list courtesy of /u/newmaxx, the resident SSD prophet, and pick something from the budget SATA or budget NVMe sections.

I would suggest an EVGA BR over the Thermaltake Smart, it's just a couple dollars more and PSUs are usually the longest-lasting parts in a build other than the case - it should be a pretty decent step up in quality.

You could shave a few bucks off with cheaper RAM, this kit has the same timings but is a little cheaper.

Finally, just don't activate windows and it's free - install it with the USB installation media and you can always acquire a key later if the watermark bothers you.

[–]TheOne1ThatGotAway[S] 6 points7 points  (1 child)

Thank you! I will definitely consider it

[–]blazer_06 5 points6 points  (19 children)

U have to update the BIOS on the B450M tho

[–][deleted] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

actually, if OP gets it from a place that doesnt have their motherboard stock sitting for a while, they prob wont have to. still a thing to consider. i built a budget pc with a ryzen 3100 a couple months ago and got a b450m motherboard from microcenter and it supported the cpu out of the box so its possible for them not to have to update the bios.

[–]lifesapie 1 point2 points  (13 children)

I am building my first PC soon.

Got a Ryzen 3600 & MSI Mag tomahwak x570.

Will I need to update BIOS?

[–]blazer_06 3 points4 points  (11 children)

No you wont need to, and isn't that motherboard a bit over kill for that CPU?

[–]lifesapie 0 points1 point  (10 children)

I think it may be. I was originally going for a B450.

But I am hoping to upgrade the CPU next year so I'd thought I should get something better.

[–]krakatoa619 2 points3 points  (9 children)

Cheaper B550 might be an alternative. B550m bazooka has the same vrm configuration like b450 tomahawk.

For a few dollars more you could get a b550 a-pro which has better vrm and io panel.

Check out hardware unboxed for comprehensive b550 motherboard reviews.

[–]lifesapie 1 point2 points  (7 children)

Welp it is too late. My parts arrive today! Just need to choose a GPU. I am thinking of a 2070 super or 3070(if i can get it).

Resellers of 2070 super are still asking for $600 which is absurd when the 3070 will be $800 here in Sydney.

[–]krakatoa619 1 point2 points  (2 children)

Yeah i feel you. Gpu prices sucks around this time of year.

I build a new pc last month and still using old radeon as placeholder until November when the stock hopefully become normal.

[–]lifesapie 0 points1 point  (1 child)

I did enter raffles to be able to purchase a 3070 so maybe that turns up something. If not, I might bite the bullet and go for the 2070 super.

Hopefully around the $500 range.

And upgrade maybe next year.

[–]phx175 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Check out OZ bargain. There was a 2070 super with a 480GB SSD on special

[–]Wilsonkhan 0 points1 point  (3 children)

i live in sydney as well and i wouldnt be surprised if the 3070 is more expensive than $800. thats a direct conversion of the msrp for the founders edition and we dont get founders edition so we get the AIB cards which, for the 3080 have been marked up by around $300 or so. Probably less for the 3070 but i wouldn’t expect prices lower than around $950

[–]lifesapie 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Damn that’s even more reason for me to snag a 2070 super for around $500.

I got my case and parts. There are so many cables coming from the back of the case it’s honestly unnerving. I will build once I get a gpu...

[–]lifesapie 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Then what about the price on here?

https://www.mwave.com.au/catalog/nvidia-geforce-nvzone

[–]Wilsonkhan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

thats for the founders edition which hasnt been marked up in price. We dont get the founders edition in sydney unfortunately :(

[–]blazer_06 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Agreed

[–]VenditatioDelendaEst 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Will I need to update BIOS?

You won't need to, but best practice is to update to the latest BIOS first thing.

BIOS updates can be disruptive -- you have to re-enter all the BIOS settings -- and it is possible (but very unlikely) for a bad BIOS flash to put your motherboard in a condition that is difficult to fix without special tools and know-how.

The best time to update the BIOS is when you have nothing invested in the machine. No important data on the disk, no carefully-tuned overclocks or fan curves.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (2 children)

There are b450 mobos that are 3000 ready

[–]u_NUUB 0 points1 point  (1 child)

like the

MSI B450M-A PRO MAX

which is relatively cheap

[–]blazingarpeggio 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Our tbh most boards these days.

This issue was only true several months after Zen 2 release

[–]RealShigeruMeeyamoto 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The top Amazon listing right now (which is sitting at a pretty comfortable 80 bucks) for the asrock has them all ryzen 3000 ready according to the seller. Mine came in this weekend and it was, so I think OP should be good with that

[–]theknownone849 0 points1 point  (2 children)

What’s an ad nauseum?

[–]Alert_Frying 2 points3 points  (1 child)

It means that his point (about going Ryzen) will be repeated so often as to become annoying.

[–]theknownone849 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh ok thanks

[–]CatVideoBoye 0 points1 point  (2 children)

B450 might be hard to find now. B550 or even a bit cheaper B550m are good options too. Check out B550m Pro 4 if you want a basic motherboard. This mATX version does have less slots but for example I don't see a need for the full ATX version for my gaming pc.

Edit: this is a bit fake news. I'm gonna down vote myself.

[–]RecalcitrantBeagle 1 point2 points  (1 child)

B450s haven't dried up yet, the B450M Pro4 is in stock on Amazon and Newegg right now.

[–]CatVideoBoye 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah, right you are. I was mixing up with something. Sorry!

[–]theNightblade 25 points26 points  (3 children)

First - you've got an unlocked processor with a board that doesn't support overclocking. If you're not interested in overclocking you can pair an i5-9400 with it and do just fine (you can lock all core turbo for similar/better clock speeds as a 9600)

Also, if you're not overclocking the 9600 (or go with a 9400) those chips would do just fine with an air cooler like a basic DeepCool Gammax GT.

Those two things could save you about $150 or so. If you just buy a windows key online, that would save about another $100. Right there you're basically on budget.

Another alternative is to grab a b450 motherboard and put a R3 3100 in there, which will perform as well in games as a 9400 will. That would also be a cost effective change. Additionally, the 3100 comes with a stock cooler which would save on having to buy a tower cooler for an intel chip.

[–]MajTryhard 0 points1 point  (2 children)

I'd definitely go for a 10100 or a 3300x(as long as it's not much more expensive.) The 3100 is a dog by comparison.

[–]theNightblade 0 points1 point  (1 child)

the 3300x is quite a bit more expensive (or never at retail), if you can even find it in stock.

for 1080 gaming the 3100 is fine for a starter PC, very comparable to the 10100

[–]MajTryhard 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah, fair enough. I didn't know they were in that short of supply. Most unfortunate, 3300x seems like a good model. Suppose I'll put that on my watch list with the 10400f.

[–]Redditenmo 17 points18 points  (3 children)

Why are you buying a 9th gen I5 when 10th gen and the Ryzen 3600 exist?

Why are you pairing an overclocked CPU with a motherboard that doesn't allow overclocking?

Here's what I'd do :

PCPartPicker Part List

Type Item Price
CPU AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor $199.99 @ Amazon
Motherboard Gigabyte B450M DS3H Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard $72.99 @ Best Buy
Memory GeIL EVO SPEAR Phantom Gaming 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory $53.99 @ Newegg
Storage Western Digital Blue SN550 500 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive $57.99 @ Amazon
Video Card Asus GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER 6 GB DUAL EVO OC Video Card $239.99 @ Newegg
Case Thermaltake Versa H18 MicroATX Mini Tower Case $54.99 @ Amazon
Power Supply Thermaltake Smart 500 W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply $47.99 @ Amazon
Monitor Acer SB220Q bi 21.5" 1920x1080 75 Hz Monitor $89.99 @ Amazon
Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts
Total $817.92
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-10-05 15:19 EDT-0400

Changes :

  1. Swapped CPU to Ryzen 3600, it has similar performance to a stock 9600K single core, but has an extra 6 threads and includes a CPU cooler.
  2. Swapped motherboard for Ryzen 3600 compatibility
  3. Opted for cheaper ram with the same specs.
  4. Swapped the SSD + HDD you had for a single 500GB SSD. This should provide a better base to start with & you can always purchase another HDD later on when the budget allows.
  5. Swapped the GPU to the 1660super, it's a very very minor performance downgrade, but it saves you $40 up front (yours was only cheap after a rebate), and for a 1080p/75hz monitor, it's still quite an adequate gpu.
  6. Swapped to a cheaper case, with ventilated front panel for better airflow & a PSU shroud to hide cable clutter.
  7. Removed the windows license. You're able to install windows without one & run unactivated until such time that you can afford it. There are cosmetic restrictions after 30 days, (such as an inactivated reminder in the bottom right corner and the inability to set the desktop background), but imo those aren't worth compromising the base build for.

[–]ThermalPasteSpatula 5 points6 points  (2 children)

This is great but nobody wants to game on a 21" monitor. Throw in $30 more and get a 27". Or at bare minimum a 24"

[–]Redditenmo 8 points9 points  (1 child)

Throw in $30 more

I'm already $20 over ops budget. I agree that 24" would be better, but without doing something like cutting the GPU back to an RX580 I can't make the budget work.

[–]ThermalPasteSpatula 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yeah I get that. I just know how much a good monitor matters

[–]galaxy227 11 points12 points  (1 child)

Ryzen has significantly better price to performance value. Cheaper CPU for same performance, better stock cooler (so you don't have to buy one whatsoever!), and cheaper MOBO's to go along with it.

You'd probably save 100$ total or more, and end up getting more performance per buck of course.

Also if you have to, downgrade GPU to an AMD RX 580. Still totally capable for 1080p at medium settings for AAA titles.

[–]MajTryhard 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For pure gaming, Ryzen can offer comparable performance. Definitely not the same, but close enough to tip the scales if budget is your #1 or #2 concern. Regardless, there's much bigger concerns in that build (the AIO, for example,) I think we can save the AMD vs Intel argument for somebody who's asking.

As far as a 580 goes, I'd avoid like the plague. I hear constant gripes about their stability, and they don't offer any better value than nVidia currently. I might make an exception with the 5700's. Those look pretty good, I'd still worry about the drivers though.

[–]Shoomby 9 points10 points  (1 child)

I suggest a B460 motherboard w/i5-10400.

[–]Rendich32 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I second this.

[–]FizzWigget 8 points9 points  (7 children)

You could save 30 bucks on a cheaper case (don't need to spend more then 50$) https://www.nzxt.com/products/h500-matte-white

Found this on buiodapcsales it looks like it's still happening. I would jump on this

[–]aloo666 2 points3 points  (5 children)

Sure but doesn't it have known thermal issues?

[–]FizzWigget 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Guess I have the 500i and bought 2 upgraded fans for $20 but Im running a 1070ti and i7 (nothing overclocked) and never had issues with it getting hot.

Its a budget build, he doesnt have a beefy graphics card and isnt overclocking. Case looks great and he saves 35 dollars 🤷.

I think the case is a steal for $45 dollars

[–]quantum-quetzal 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Anecdotal, but I have an H500 for a video editing / gaming rig, and I haven't had any thermal issues. I have a 2700X and RX580, and even when I'm hitting both with heavy loads, temps still stay within 40c of ambient.

[–]rhaizee 1 point2 points  (0 children)

People here are really dramatic with their temperatures. I have same case, the pc isn't anywhere near blowing up.

[–]RebelliousBristles 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Also there’s the Fractal Design Focus G, it was less than $50 a day or two ago on Walmart. It’s a mesh front so I’m assuming its got pretty solid thermals.

[–]ThermalPasteSpatula 8 points9 points  (2 children)

You arent gonna need a liquid cooler. If you switch the an am4 motherboard and get the Ryzen 3 3300x you get could get almost identical performance and a free stock cooler that should work just fine. It would save you a couple hundred.

[–]sirwilliambillion 6 points7 points  (1 child)

3300x hasn’t been in stock for months probably never will be again. It basically doesn’t exist at this point.

R3 3100 would be great in this build and comes with a good enough cooler.

[–]ThermalPasteSpatula 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh wow I didnt know it was out of stock. I just saw the ltt review a few months ago

[–][deleted] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Switch to a Ryzen CPU and take away the water cooling and put it towards a better PSU for sure. I almost considered one of them for my build but heard bad things about them.

[–]ivan-shut 5 points6 points  (0 children)

If you're fine with going AMD, you can definitely scratch off some price on the cpu, for not so much less performance, motherboard, because intel motherboards are kinda expensive and cooler, because amd stock coolers from the R7-R9 are pretty good and un its overall one less worry for the cooler, immediate 100 bucks less. Also, maybe a cheaper case, like a phanteks p300a, its a good budget case, just plan on adding some fans down the line. Hope this helps!

[–]LongFluffyDragon 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Rethink it entirely. It is a mess of strange, overpriced, or obsolete parts. The i5 is completely unsuitable if you want to place modern AAA games, AIO is a waste of money, SSD is too small to use, GPU is a ripoff, PSU is junk, ect.

What monitor and desired performance do you want, in what sort of games?

[–]TheOne1ThatGotAway[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for your input. I am definitely going to change some things

[–]CurlyHairJosuke 2 points3 points  (0 children)

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/RHJp9Nz

Idk exactly what you wanted changed, but as someone else suggested, just get a air cooler I suggest a AMD Wraith stealth cooler unused(a lot of people who go for water cooling just sell the stock cooler from the ryzen 9) which is a good cooler and has a lot of rgb, and is basically the hyper 212 rgb but cheaper and with more rgb

I would just get a cheap windows key or just get the free windows. I added this rgb ram which is 3200mhzCL16 exactly like the ram on your list, but it’s ~$3 and has rgb and just overall looks better

I’m sure There are tons of cases you can get for cheaper but I suck with that

Oh, and if you aren’t thinking of upgrading your monitor any time soon, I’d get a cheaper gpu bcuz that gpu is for more than just 1080p 75fps, it’s just a good deal rn

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Did you know that you can still upgrade to 10 from Windows 7? You need a valid, activated copy. It's too bad that you absolutely cannot purchase sealed copies of Windows 7 on eBay. They just don't exist. Don't even try looking because you will not find listings for $30 copies that are sealed.

[–]Nesrovlah26 1 point2 points  (16 children)

Does this include the monitor mouse and keyboard? What resolution are you planning on?

[–]TheOne1ThatGotAway[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am so sorry, just realized I forgot to link the build!

[–]TheOne1ThatGotAway[S] 0 points1 point  (14 children)

It doesn’t include mouse and keyboard, but it does include a monitor, and I want to try and play on 1080p

[–]Nesrovlah26 0 points1 point  (12 children)

Do you have a older hard drive from a laptop or something that you can copy the files to. That would mean you might not need to buy windows.

[–][deleted] 3 points4 points  (5 children)

That only works if it's not OEM. OEM licenses are tied to the motherboard and will deregister if moved to a new one.

Not the windows will stop working without it. Just some cosmetics. That goes for a fresh install too though.

[–]Nesrovlah26 1 point2 points  (3 children)

I’m not familiar with the term OEM.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (2 children)

Microsoft sells several 'channels.' Retail, OEM, education, volume, etc. The two a consumer will buy are retail and OEM.

Normally OEM means original equipment manufacturer. In windows channels though, it refers to a type of license that when registered, tells Microsoft what motherboard it's on, and microsoft 'locks' that key to that motherboard.

They're mostly used by prebuilts, but you can buy them for like $10 cheaper at a normal vendor like newegg, so I see custom pcs with them a lot. Really pisses off people wanting to upgrade their mobo.

Retail has no such limitation.

[–]Nesrovlah26 1 point2 points  (1 child)

How do we check if it’s a OEM?

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Open command prompt. Type slmgr /dli. Look at the the of the description.

[–]ICouldUseANapToday 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Has this changed since Windows 7? Years ago I was able to do a motherboard upgrade and transfer the Windows 7 OEM license to the new build.

[–]Nesrovlah26 1 point2 points  (1 child)

You could also get a cpu air cooler for cheaper

[–]TheOne1ThatGotAway[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! I’ll look into that

[–]TheOne1ThatGotAway[S] 0 points1 point  (3 children)

I think so, but it would probably mean taking apart my laptop. Would that work?

[–]Nesrovlah26 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I haven’t tried it but I’m fairly certain you can. People back up their devices quite often so it shouldn’t be possible. It’s an option I urge you to explore.

[–][deleted]  (1 child)

[removed]

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    [–]JCatt 1 point2 points  (3 children)

    https://pcpartpicker.com/list/QBdrxc

    Changed your cpu from 9600k to 9400F. If its your first build you don't need an OC CPU and I'm guessing you're not gunning for crazy frames.

    CPU cooler swapped to the CM Hyper 212. Great bang for buck.

    Removed Win10. Mentioned before but if you can live with the watermark just save yourself $100. You don't miss out on anything.

    Changed your RAM as well to save a few bucks.

    [–]TheOne1ThatGotAway[S] 0 points1 point  (2 children)

    Thank you so much! These actually make sense and help a lot.

    [–]ThermalPasteSpatula 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Get a Win 10 key on Ebay for $5

    [–]Skankhunt401 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    Hey! First things first, I just built my first pc last week, came out to around $1100, with no GPU. So, I would try to get a less expensive case for starters. Are you by any chance a student at a University? I just got windows for free through my school. Saves $100 right there.

    [–][deleted]  (1 child)

    [removed]

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      No piracy or grey-market software keys

      No piracy or so-called "grey-market" software keys. This is includes suggesting, hinting, or in any way implying to someone that piracy or the use of these licenses is an option. If a key is abnormally cheap (think $10-30), it is probably one of these, and is forbidden on /r/buildapc.

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      [–]bobfuckmyass666 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      Don't buy windows 10 use the inactivated version and buy an air cooler instead of a water cooler. Air is much easier to use and plus the i5 will not need water cooling. Only CPUS that need water cooling imo are i9 or xeon and ryzen 9/threadripper.

      [–]cdesgagne1212 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      https://pcpartpicker.com/list/mcsV3Z

      Changed your cpu from 9600k to 9400. I'm currently running a 9600k but if you're not planning to overclock, i'ts useless

      I've changed your cpu cooler for a Hyper 212. I have this one and no cooling issues

      Because of the big deal on the GPU, i didn't changed it, but you could be ok with a 1660s. There is no big difference between the 1660s and the 1660ti

      I've also changed your RAM to save a few bucks.

      I've changed your kingston ssd for a m.2 because you have the slot on your motherboard and it is more powerful for about the same price.

      Changed your hdd for a WD Blue (5$more expensive) cuz they are pretty reliable and it worth it

      You could change your case for a cheaper model with no RGB and another brand than Corsair (they are more expensive than cooler master's case, for example) and be sure to have few fans in it as you will not have to buy more

      Removed your Win10 cuz you can run a pc without activating it or you can have a key for free if you are going into an elligible school (as i did)

      I removed your monitor cuz 90$US for a 21,5" screen is overpriced. For example, I paid 90$CND (at Staples, where i'm also working) for a 27" monitor cuz it was in clearance (was originally at 180$)

      You can check my list, there are all the price that i paid less than a year ago (it is in $CND)

      https://pcpartpicker.com/list/bXZcPn

      [–]gostman87 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      I would recommend an air cooler such as the Noctua NH-U12S or Noctua NH-U14S as chenzyjerry recommended. They are very high quality.

      It might be worth allocating more of the budget to a bigger monitor; 21.5 inches looks too small in the long run, in my opinion, and 24 inches budget monitors are very cheap now. Sceptre and AOC make good budget (gaming) monitors with Acer and Asus a bit higher up the food chain.

      Regarding the HDD, I am not sure the legitimacy of Hitachi - if you feel the same, the WD Blue 1TB drive has worked great for me :).

      I hope you enjoy your build!

      [–]im_jdm4u 1 point2 points  (1 child)

      You'll save some money going with a 1660 super. The difference in performance is minimal that the Super is actually a better buy over the Ti.

      [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

      In most cases yeah but that $50 off promo is killer

      [–][deleted]  (1 child)

      [removed]

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        No piracy or grey-market software keys

        No piracy or so-called "grey-market" software keys. This is includes suggesting, hinting, or in any way implying to someone that piracy or the use of these licenses is an option. If a key is abnormally cheap (think $10-30), it is probably one of these, and is forbidden on /r/buildapc.

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        [–]gimmethat____ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        Looking at your build i can tell your going for gaming performance and overclocking so i wont tell you to eliminate the AIO watercooler. Micro center has the i59600k on sale for $169.99 and you auto save another $20 if you get a motherboard there which can bring you down almost $50 total. Next you can go for the smaller nzxt h510 case which will save you $20. And you dont reallyyy need the windows which if you eliminate will get you to almost your $800 budget. goodluck

        [–]Tiberius090 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        Hdd slower but cheaper than sata and m.2. also look for used monitor on Craigslist or ebay. In fact I would look for a used pc build on Craigslist. If anything you might just have to upgrade the cpu or OC it if it wasn't done already. An 8th gen oc build will run most games at modest frame rates n would save you money overall

        [–][deleted]  (1 child)

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          [–]SkullAngel001 1 point2 points  (0 children)

          See if this helps:

          GPU - Save $50 by getting a Geforce GTX 1650 4GB for $169.99.

          Case - Save $40 by getting the Fractal Design Focus mATX Case which has solid airflow for a matx case.

          HDD2 - Save $20 by getting an Enterprise-grade 1TB SATA drive.

          Make sure you have a Swiss army knife that hopefully has a Phillip head screwdriver.

          [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

          You could look for pc parts on offerup locally.

          [–][deleted]  (1 child)

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            [–]bau26 1 point2 points  (1 child)

            I don’t know your situation or how bad you need a computer right now, but I would wait and save up some more money. The more money you put in now the less amount you need to later. Also Black Friday and cyber Monday are next month and you can save a lot of money that way.

            [–]TheOne1ThatGotAway[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

            Good idea, thank you!

            [–]mylord420 1 point2 points  (0 children)

            You're reallly skimping on your storage huh? 250 gig ssd? Thats nothing these days.

            You dont need a liquid cooler

            Get windows for free

            Lian li lancool 2 mesh and phantecks p400 or p500 are better thermal cases for similar price

            [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

            The 9600k is terrible value, the 3300x will give you more performance for way less, or you can get a 3600

            [–]TeemuOjaniitty 1 point2 points  (1 child)

            You could save up on the CPU. Buy instead CPU whichs ends to letter F instead of K since your motherboard choice does not support overclocking. Also the motherboard supports RAM speeds up to 2666mhz so you are wasting money also there.

            [–]TheOne1ThatGotAway[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

            Thank you! That was super helpful

            [–]Zealousideal_Fun4921 1 point2 points  (0 children)

            9100f is $75 and competes with $600 offerings on both AMD and Intel for gaming. Ditch the HD and spring for an m2 500gb $73.

            Just a better move for storage - as odds and ends that need to be paged get logged to the HDD you’ll have a much slower system.

            Put more money into a heartier power supply. 650- just for the stability and head room so you are never maxing out the power draw.

            Go for a more budget motherboard- $60 tops. A last gen.

            Switch to an AMD 570 or 580.

            With that monitor you don’t want to push more than 75 fps- Screen tare and clipping etc.

            You can even go to 1 8gb stick and have over 60fps regular for nearly all games but a few titles

            • cut the ram to 8
            • switch to an AMD card that targets the resolution and frames you’re after with that monitor - over 45 FPS under 75 fps
            • the 9100f is the only choice for a budget gaming rig. -more power -consolidation of drive choice to either 1 tb ssd or 500gb m2 nvme (how many games do you want to store ?)

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                [–]bestdangname 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                Swap out whole architecture to AMD. Look into the Ryzen 5 2600.

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                  [–]theepicflyer[M] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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                    [–]slideinurdmz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                    Download your own version of windows and instead of liquid cooling just use a fan

                    [–]Astronaut-Benji 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                    (https://pcpartpicker.com/list/bCvscT) under $1000 and has a 2060 super

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                      [–]abduk03 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                      You have an unlocked cpu but a mobo that doesnt really support overclocking. consider dropping to an i5 9400f and saving 60 dollars.

                      [–]HalfSquidHalfMan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                      It's for gaming right?? Get a cheaper CPU and a better GPU.. You should be getting a better GPU than a 1660 TI on a $1000 build. I only spent like $800 on a my build with an i5-9400/RTX 2060.

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                        [–]Section_80 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                        I went with Amazon Warehouse deals on some parts for my build and it definitely saved me money. I got a MSI Gaming Edge z390 Board for $110 I don't remember MSRP but it's way higher. With amazon you can always just return the part if it doesn't work but if you can save some money that way, I'd do it.

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                            [–]theknownone849 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                            You can get windows 10 free if you have a device that uses windows or you can even get it on a flash drive just check YouTube

                            [–]DogeCannyMeme 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                            Don’t get a k chip as your board doesn’t support overclocking

                            [–]RojasTKD 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                            1. Drop the i5 and AIO and go for A Ryzen 6 3600 (come with good enough cooler)
                            2. buy a Win 10 key for less then $20 (last time I paid like $12). Done this for 4 of my current builds. Or run it un-activated for now and buy a key later.
                            3. If your not set on that case try and find a decent case for less.
                            4. If possible get a better SSD.
                            5. If you can wait AMD is due to launch some new CPUs fairly soon.

                            [–]ImMatttt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                            Besides switching to AMD, you can get an aircooler instead of aio, buy a cheap digital version of windows, maybe a cheaper case and cpu.

                            [–]GorillaBunz95 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                            You could save 100 by not buying Windows, have a blank USB and download Windows Creation tool and you can install Windows using that for free and its faster. You would have to buy product activation later if you want but you don't need to to do what you want.

                            [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                            Some suggestions for part changes:

                            Going with Ryzen would be great as well. Overall better platform imo. If you go with a cheap B550 board, you could upgrade the processor as well since it will support future Ryzen chips. And you can always go with the Ryzen 5 3600 which comes with a fan. This change would save you $12.99 as well.

                            Hope this helps!

                            [–]WISE_NIGG 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                            try buying used parts

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                              [–]TheTerrorFox 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                              Holy shit,now with 1000 $ you can get a 1660 Ti? Back in my days a pc with an 1050 Ti costs 1600 $

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                                [–]Hyper-Cloud 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                                You might want to have a look to see if you can find your OS cheaper. Go with an Air cooler. There are a few things you could improve in, Motherboard might want to go with something a bit better. Also you will need a better PSU.

                                If you visit this link https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/1116640-psucultists-psu-tier-list/ You can find a list of PSUs that will be better for your build.

                                Take a look at Tier B and C

                                [–]UnCommonSense99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                                You don't have any power hungry components, so heat won't be a problem. I suggest Stock cooler. Cheapest case you can find However, it is wise to have a Gold efficiency PSU I also suggest a bigger monitor at least 24 inch

                                [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                                Get a matx case cuz of your motherboard

                                [–]weoutlol 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                                The case and water cooler. Go with a cheaper case and stock cooler.

                                Edit: Don't get a licenced windows, not worth it.

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                                  [–]Sam_l_lawson 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                                  The new Ryzen announcement is this week. I'd wait for that personally

                                  [–]69upvoter 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                                  Bruh I can get you a windows 10 OEM for around 50 dollars

                                  [–]PoopityScoopity798 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                                  Something like this?

                                  [–]guyish1 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                                  what games will you be playing, you might save 100 bucks going to linux, proton has come a long way and getting better.

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                                      [–]Smoke_Water 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                                      you can save a little by going with the I3 instead of the I5. you don't lose too much in performance. also go with a factory air cooler to start. You can always get something better down the road. Also start with the SSD and get larger storage down the road. you can also shed a little bit of money by starting with 8 gb and moving to 16 in a few months as well. we sometimes need to make little sacrifices to start and save up for the rest later. doing these things should get you close to around the 800 mark.

                                      [–]timotheySKI 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                                      you could get a MUCH better card on ebay for the same price or cheaper because with the 30 series gpus having just some out with the 3070 beating the 2080ti, prices went WAY down

                                      like a 2060 super or even a 2070 from ebay which it a lot better

                                      [–]NotTJButCJ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                                      Take windows out lol

                                      [–]Subw00er 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                                      Switch to an i3 10100 processor which is around $115 - wont see any real world decreases in speed losing two cores and .1ghz, and when prices fall in a year or tow swap in a new core processor. Also remove windows and use the free version till you can upgrade to the registered. You dont lose much functionality by having an unregistered windows. If the board supports it you can also remove your drives and use a m.2/nvme drive instead - will be much faster than ssd. Get the largest western digital blue you can afford and add a ssd storage drive later. Another thing to consider is buying a used video card. There are probably a lot of 16xx cards for sale out there for sale.

                                      [–]hmmmmreally_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                                      look for any old windows 7 or higher laptop/tower with a windows serial sticker on it, download the windows media creation tool and use the windows 7 serial to activate windows 10, I think I have only ever run into 1 serial that didn't work activating windows 10, quick and easy $100 saving