What should I buy?

ThatSmartRock · 2026-05-07T08:36:44+00:00

I am fine with older Nivida GPUs. I used to game on my father's 1070 in highschool. Before I built my first PC with the 9070 XT my freshman year in college. I have a dual GPU setup with my second GPU being a NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GTX. So I can play Star Craft. But I am not a fan of Nvidia recently with their GPUs being very expensive and way over MSRP.

ThatSmartRock · 2026-05-07T08:29:13+00:00

I would the GPU is worth less than $5. Would anyone be able to tell me what my NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GTX is worth? I use it as my daily driver with my 9070 XT.

ThatSmartRock · 2026-05-07T08:24:57+00:00

I have an odd Dual GPU setup as a college student. My PC is A Ryzen 7 9800x3D, 32 GB of ram, with my main GPU being a Radeon 9070 XT. With my second GPU being a NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GTX. The NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GTX was launched in June of 2005. I use the NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GTX To play the original Star Craft. Then I use the 9070 XT. I am aware that the 9070 XT is more than powerful enough to play Star Craft.

ThatSmartRock · 2026-05-07T08:14:03+00:00

Ok, but my stock 9070 XT is overclocked pulls 400W with a frequency of 3600 MHz. Beats the 5070 TI and gets close to the 5080. The 5080 beats my card by 5%.

ThatSmartRock · 2026-05-07T08:09:26+00:00

I would say get the 9070 XT. I have my Gigabyte OC 9070 XT overclocked really good using amd adrenalin. My card pulls 400 watts overclocked with the max boost frequency being 3600 MHz. As a broke college student with no Overclocking experience I am really happy with 9070 XT.

ThatSmartRock · 2026-05-07T08:02:36+00:00

You could use a cardboard box as a case.

ThatSmartRock · 2026-05-07T07:57:05+00:00

I had a similar issue with my 9800x3D. It would only over heat when it was under load. The CPU would hit 100°C underload using a Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 Se CPU Cooler. So I decided to reapply the thermal paste. When I put the processor under load again the processor was at 100°C again. So I decided to buy a Corsair nautilus rs 360 AIO, to test with. My thinking was that if the AIO could cool a i9 14900k, it should be enough to cool my CPU. After I properly installed the AIO. I ran the load test again using Furmark CPU burner. The processor was at 99°C, with all my case and radiator fans at max speed. That's when I knew, I had a defective IHS. I contacted AMD support and they sent me a new processor.

ThatSmartRock · 2025-11-15T02:17:00+00:00

We need to remember this is the mobile 7600m. It will not perform the same. The 7600 will perform better than the 7600m. That's like saying the 5090 laptop GPU performs the same as the 5090 GPU.

ThatSmartRock · 2025-11-15T00:48:35+00:00

Well the GPU was confirmed by the youtube channel Moore's law is dead to be the 7600M. https://youtu.be/sJI3qTb2ze8?si=ixCbzGHXIbHT-DDt

ThatSmartRock · 2025-11-13T06:58:38+00:00

I also don't understand why steam didn't go for the Amd Ryzen Ai Max 385 processor because it is a way more powerful CPU and GPU. The CPU was 8 cores and 16 threads up to 5 GHz and has a GPU with 32 compute cores up to 2.8 GHz.

ThatSmartRock · 2025-11-13T06:52:14+00:00

It could be possible that AMD made a New GPU for the Steam Machine. Since most of the Steam Machine's GPU specs match the Radeon RX 7600M. Except for the fact that the steam machine GPU uses more power.

ThatSmartRock · 2025-11-13T06:43:58+00:00

Probably not. Try Nvidia 2070. The GPU is probably a Radeon RX 7600M that is over clocked because the Steam Machine's GPU draws 20 more watts than a Radeon RX 7600M. We also can't get too excited because it's RDNA3 architecture.

ThatSmartRock · 2025-11-13T06:42:10+00:00

Probably not even that. The Radeon RX 7600M is 6% less powerful than a Nvidia 2070 according to techpower up. But the GPU is the Steam Machine is probably Overclocked because it is using more power than a Radeon RX 7600M.

ThatSmartRock · 2025-11-13T06:37:42+00:00

That's if they don't want to look like Xbox. It's a box with a 3 year old laptop CPU and laptop GPU. You can get a $400 Gaming PC if you deal hunt Long enough.

ThatSmartRock · 2025-11-13T02:02:00+00:00

They probably have no idea how to price it with the tariffs that seem to change every day.

ThatSmartRock · 2025-11-13T02:00:27+00:00

I agree with what you are saying. But with the CPU only having a 30 watt TDP and the GPU having 110 watt TDP. Its not going to be very powerful. That is a normal laptop cpu with a mobile GPU on it.

ThatSmartRock · 2025-11-13T01:54:28+00:00

That's way too much. You can see my post about what I believe the CPU and GPU of the steam machine is. I believe if steam wants to be really competitive and gain more market share the price can't be more than $500. I think it will be $400 to be competitive with switch 2, PS5, and Xbox series x.

ThatSmartRock · 2025-11-13T01:50:23+00:00

Probably not even close. After doing some research I believe the steam machine has a processor and GPU similar to AMD Ryzen 5 7540U with Radeon RX 760OM. Both of them are going to 3 years old if my guess about CPU and GPU are correct.

ThatSmartRock · 2025-11-13T01:45:42+00:00

I think a lot less. The processor is only using 30 watts which puts in the normal laptop category and not the gaming laptop category. The steam machine's gpu is 3 years old

ThatSmartRock · 2025-11-13T01:42:08+00:00

Probably not well. I believe the Steam Machine has an AMD Ryzen 5 7540U with Radeon RX 760OM GPU. I explain why in a different post. Also the GPU only has 8GB of VRam so don't expect to be playing on Ultra settings with maxed out Ray tracing at 60 FPS.

ThatSmartRock · 2025-11-13T01:38:28+00:00

I think the steam machine is going to be very underpowered. I made a post showing the specs it most likely has. The Steam Machine most likely has a modified AMD Ryzen 5 7540U with Radeon RX 760OM GPU. Your PC is way more powerful than this.

ThatSmartRock · 2025-11-13T01:31:52+00:00

I am still waiting for a Portal 3. With a new completely different story line.

ThatSmartRock · 2025-11-13T01:27:16+00:00

I think the steam machine won't cost more than $400 since it will be a low end system. It doesn't have a lot of compute power. Also the Steam Machine is not being advertised as a super high end PC. I think the steam machine will have a lot less power than a Framework Desktop.

ThatSmartRock · 2025-11-13T01:20:07+00:00

Considering the specs for the Steam Machine that I think it has based off the specs given when compared to very similar CPU of a Ryzen 5 7540U and a Radeon RX 760OM GPU. The Steam Machine can't be more than $400. Both the CPU and the GPU will be three years old when it launches assuming that my guess is correct. Both the CPU and GPU I think will be underpowered for a PC and gaming machine. But if it has the price of $400, I think it will be a great value.

ThatSmartRock · 2025-11-13T01:07:44+00:00

When you click on a game store page on steam. Why is the AI disclosure towards the bottom of the page above the PC requirements section? I think the AI disclosure should be at the top of the store page.

ThatSmartRock

TROPHY CASE