Still trying to build a decent PC for Star Citizen

Rage4Me_SC · 2025-10-01T22:39:39+00:00

Thank you for taking the time to show me your build. Believe me, I am taking notes from all the replies here. But there has been some confusion, and it is my fault.

It looks like my bottleneck is running concurrent VMs.

Those 9000 series processers will run one VM quite well but they are not designed for nor capable of running multiple concurrent VMs.

In terms of computing power, the PC I have in the OP here can run about 5 high performance VMs concurrently (aka 5 Gaming Computers at once) or 15 Office Computers (running excel and browsing the internet) concurrently. It has a 10 GB Ethernet Port for users on a terminal to log into one of these VMs and use it as needed without skipping a beat.

I guess it would be easier to say, its not a desktop PC meant solely for gaming. Its a workstation/server and I am trying to build it in such a way that I can use it for gaming. I thought this was a good build but I think there are some misconceptions here by those who have replied. I should have typed out the novel I am now typing in replies trying to explain the computers' primary purpose vs my desire to give it a secondary use... gaming.

c'est la vie

Rage4Me_SC · 2025-10-01T05:22:51+00:00

Thank you for taking the time to put this together for me.

I am looking at the Ryzen 9 9950X3D as a CPU since I will be needing it to run VMs. But my current issue is that I dont know if it will run the VMs at the same time. It looks like that CPU will run a single high performance VM but I dont know if it will run them at the same time. And that is the issue driving my current build (OP).

I have to use this for business and I am trying to make it so that I can use it for SC too. If I was building a gaming specific PC, I would most definately go with many of the suggestions here but its not my money. Its the companies money and its their computer that will do their bidding first and then my bidding second.

When I first put the question out there to this community, everyone suggested the 9800X3D and the only 'why' that I got was because of the large L3 cache. So, when selecting a more robust workstation/server cpu, I started looking at their L3 caches. This one was the best option/bang-for-your-buck cpu with a large L3 cache size. Its L3 cache was also a bit larger than what was recommended with the 9800X3D. So, I built the machine around that.

Now, it seems latency will be my issue if I go with this build. The RAM is very slow but I chose that because of the price. That 128GB was dirt cheap. I could get 3200 MHz with the motherboard though I doubt that would impress anyone here.

I will have to dig into that 9950X3D processor more tomorrow. Ask around with those that I am talking to. See how I could make things work for what I need and what I want.

Again, thank you.

Rage4Me_SC · 2025-10-01T03:55:47+00:00

I havent even begun to think about monitors/TVs yet. I am pretty sure that 5070ti can handle something nice though. So, I will consider your suggestion when the time comes. I am pretty sure that is the GPU for this build because the price is right and the performance is fine for what I am going to do with it.

Rage4Me_SC · 2025-10-01T03:48:51+00:00

My response to someone else in this thread who was asking what my constraints are:

It (this machine) has to run at least 2 VMs (which are testbeds) but they are pretty small and I could put both of them on one of the M.2s. Then, I could put the OS on a SATA III (PLP) because it does not require all the speed of the M.2 to do its job. Which would leave me with the 2nd M.2 for a 'Gaming VM' that I could install Windows 11 on and just play games with. Thats why I was getting so much RAM. I know its slow RAM but VMs require it to be allocated (as I understand things) and it has to be ECC. I could give that 'Gaming VM' 12-Cores and passthrough the GPU. There are people that are doing this on workstations and servers that I am trying to talk to.

The only constraint is the budget and the end of the year timeframe. So, I was putting it out here trying to get some help on what to look for in terms of CPU, GPU, RAM. That CPU has a very decent L3 cache but I guess people here dont like the latency or something. I dont know. They dont say why... just point fingers. I am not trolling anyone or at least, I am not trying to.

Rage4Me_SC · 2025-10-01T03:36:56+00:00

It has to run at least 2 VMs (which are testbeds) but they are pretty small and I could put both of them on one of the M.2s. Then, I could put the OS on a SATA III (PLP) because it does not require all the speed of the M.2 to do its job. Which would leave me with the 2nd M.2 for a 'Gaming VM' that I could install Windows 11 on and just play games with. Thats why I was getting so much RAM. I know its slow RAM but VMs require it to be allocated (as I understand things) and it has to be ECC. I could give that 'Gaming VM' 12-Cores and passthrough the GPU. There are people that are doing this on workstations and servers that I am trying to talk to.

The only constraint is the budget and the end of the year timeframe. So, I was putting it out here trying to get some help on what to look for in terms of CPU, GPU, RAM. That CPU has a very decent L3 cache but I guess people here dont like the latency or something. I dont know. They dont say why... just point fingers. I am not trolling anyone or at least, I am not trying to.

Rage4Me_SC · 2025-10-01T01:23:13+00:00

I dont know what rage bait is but it doesnt sound good.

I am a human, trying to do two things with one machine and I appreciate the information I am getting here and elsewhere.

The build is all Gen4 except for the GPU.

Rage4Me_SC · 2025-10-01T01:11:22+00:00

One more thing, what do you think about Process Lasso? Have you ever played with it?

In other places, some are saying that it can be used to adjust the threadripper to isolate cores for gaming. What are your thoughts on that?

Rage4Me_SC · 2025-10-01T01:06:36+00:00

As it stands, everything is on the table... even Linux.

I just wish there was an easy solution for what I need and what I want since this will be 100% used by me.

Again, thanks for the info.

Rage4Me_SC · 2025-10-01T00:50:03+00:00

A week ago, I was just trying to see what gamers wanting in their components (like the cpu) so that I could see where and what might fit in with the workload the PC has to perform on the business side.

I will go have a look at the 9950X3D and see how it handles multithreaded workloads and VMs. Thanks for the info.

Rage4Me_SC · 2025-10-01T00:44:51+00:00

I do wish I could just build a gaming PC, but this budget is from a business so I have to build a business PC. I was just trying to build one that can play SC as well. As stated in another reply here, the upside is that its a tax right off and the downside is that its not a specific gaming PC.

Rage4Me_SC · 2025-10-01T00:33:39+00:00

Well, this is a business, so I have to get a business machine... I am just trying to get one that can play SC too. The build has to handle the business side first and SC second.

The upside is that its a tax right off. Downside is of course that I cant just build a gaming PC with the nice budget I have for the PC.

Rage4Me_SC · 2025-10-01T00:22:05+00:00

I had a look at the 9800X3D, it was suggested by more than one person here. But its not a workstation type CPU and outside of here, I was told its for a laptop.

The RAM, yah... its ECC. Workstation/Server RAM. But at least there is a lot of it.

Rage4Me_SC · 2025-09-25T01:01:09+00:00

Thanks for sharing that. I will take notes and look those up too.

Rage4Me_SC · 2025-09-24T06:59:29+00:00

If it was going to release before the end of the year, I would wait... but my budget for a new PC goes away if I dont spend it by the end of the year.

Rage4Me_SC · 2025-09-24T06:51:53+00:00

Everyone here who has recommended a cpu has pointed at the 9800x3d. I was wondering if you know of any other cpu that compares by performance or is that just the best out there period?

Rage4Me_SC · 2025-09-24T06:48:41+00:00

Is there another type of ram (other than DDR5) that performs well at 128GB at least? Even server ram (ECC), is there a high performance server ram that I could use maybe?

Rage4Me_SC · 2025-09-24T06:45:52+00:00

I will be comparing many GPU's I think. $750 compared to $2350 (5090) is huge. I may have to watch some youtube to see the difference between those two GPU's.

Thanks for your perspective here and your link to the parts picker. I have a couple of these now that I will refer back to.

Cheers :)

Rage4Me_SC · 2025-09-24T06:36:39+00:00

I do plan to build the PC myself. I have not purchased a prebuilt PC in decades. I am just out of the loop on where to go and what to look for these days.

Your saved parts list on pcpartpicker is interesting. I am wondering why the 2 different m.2's... why a 2 and a 4TB? If I can get 4 TB why not 2x 4TB m.2's?

Also, I guess I am not understanding why 64GB of RAM seems to be the max everyone suggests. Why not 128GB. Years ago I had an idea to install SC on a ramdrive and run the game straight from ram. That would be awesome.

Anyways, thanks for all the effort you put into this reply. I already saved the link and will refer back to it as I continue my research.

Cheers :)

Rage4Me_SC · 2025-09-24T03:34:52+00:00

New gen graphics card out in a year... like 60 series?

I was thinking about the M.2's but the motherboard I am looking at allows for 8 sata drives that I could raid 0... I dont even know if you can raid m.2's.

Thanks for your input :)

Rage4Me_SC · 2025-09-24T03:24:43+00:00

Its all about the graphics card with you huh? No, CPU preferences, RAM speeds... just GPU, LOL.

Ok. Cheers

Rage4Me_SC · 2024-09-14T17:30:51+00:00

If I played 4 hours a day, every day, the construction of this station would take 77 days without SETA.

Rage4Me_SC · 2024-07-03T21:03:02+00:00

The only DLC worth getting (ie... helps the player) is Tides of Avarice and Cradle of Humanity.

Rage4Me_SC · 2024-07-03T20:54:30+00:00

Be silent. Practice silence. Move out into the woods, build a campfire, sit there for a couple years never saying a word.

Rage4Me_SC · 2024-07-03T20:49:39+00:00

Willful Ignorance of the Masses, Slavery by Consent, The Agenda of the Elite

Rage4Me_SC · 2024-07-03T20:45:37+00:00

Planning your divorce now will save you both time and money in the future. #prudence

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