New Desktop PC Build or Buy???

[RANGER295]

It has been a good 15+ years since I have built a PC. I am thinking about getting one for the family for Christmas. I want it to be able to handle some basic gaming but nothing to crazy along with homework, some light CAD work, and just general surfing the net type stuff. I was shooting for the $700-$800 range but my wife looking over my shoulder just now said $2,000-$2,500. Maybe split the difference. I have been doing some research and it seems like I could get more bang for the buck building maybe. I was leaning towards a AMD Ryzen? 7 5700X 8-Core which is a departure from Intel CPU's for me. I was thinking about a AMD Radeon RX 7600 based graphics card but I am still trying to figure out the different variations. I am still researching mother boards.

The alternative is buying a factory PC. I really have no idea where to start there. Wat are your thoughts?

[Regular guy]

Should be some good sales for black friday, but also on components. I usually build my own, and if you look on new egg or other pc build sites you should be able to build a system that should meet your needs for way less than $2000-2500 I think. If it's been awhile, you may get frustrated with some of the minutia such as attaching all the power leads, etc. And definitely go with SSD drives. It's a huge quality of life upgrade all around. Check Micro Center on Black friday for pre-builts if there is one anywhere near you, I bet they will have something that will work for you in the $1200ish range.

[Tikka3x]

OP, check here. Lots of good info

https://www.youtube.com/@braethorn

[NorCalBusa]

Costco* has very nice Dell XPS desktops at great pricing most of the time, might be worth a look. Unless you're into the "building" aspect and you are your own warranty dept (and of course that's fine).

*Amazon too, sort of- you really need to certain who the vendor is and what, if any, tweaks or mods they have made to the machine. Check the pedigree for sure.

[high_revs]

i couldn't piece it for sub1k build like 3-4 years ago. so far, it's 1600. parenthese below what is early bf sale

x570 mobo with post code display, built in wifi, flashback gios (low $200 )
ryzen 5800x $210'ish
evga 850 psu (low $100s)
corsair 2x16gb vengeance rgb ram $90'ish
lian li o11 air mini tower $113
corsair aio rgb 240mm $165'ish but getting $25 back from honey
crucial p5 1tb ($50'ish)
sapphire 7800xt white gpu $575'ish


could've lowered cost by
gpu = 3060ti for probalby $300 early bf pricing
b550 mobo but couldn't find one with post code display, built in wifi + flash bios
maybe a lower priced zen2 process? 3800x series? probably save $70
aio for $60 on amazon; thermalike brand?

don't need all that wattage for psu. parts picker shows i 'm only at 500 so a 600w - 700 psu for $80'ish?

save another $70 or so for a cheaper tower.



it'll be close to 1k build skimping on some stuff but probably still over 1k.

[george223]

I haven't built a computer in a long time. Use to enjoy doing it. In the good old days, when Micro Times existed, I would go to Fry's each month and pick up a copy to find out what was the latest and greatest. I would then make a shopping list and go to a computer show for the best prices. I wouldn't know where to begin now. None of my computers are compatible with Windows 11 so that may be an upcoming issue. Unless things have changed, I think Microsoft is planning to end support for Windows 10 in 2025.

[Snuffleupagus]

If you're doing light CAD work and basic gaming you could buy a mini PC with an AMD processor. Mini PCs contain a mobile CPU and RAM in a very small form factor, 5x5" and smaller.

Asus, Lenovo, and ASRock make good units. My friend deployed many units from Miniforums and Beelink at his work.

https://store.minisforum.com/collections/amd-%C2%AE-ryzen-%C2%AE

[SactoDoug]

I highly recommend this YT channel. He does regular build guides for all levels/price ranges of builds.

https://www.youtube.com/@PCBuilderChannel/videos

I built my new main desktop last month. I spent $2,600 for it using a Ryzen 9 7900x3d. I was way overdue for a new PC as my main desktop was 10 years old i7-4770k based PC. If you make a solid build, it can last a long time.

[NATO762]

Check out Dell?s Alienware line. Marketed as gaming systems but obviously good for everything. The have Black Friday deals on now:

https://www.dell.com/en-us/gaming/alienware?gacd=9684992-1108-5761040-266906002-0&dgc=ST&SA360CID=71700000115806278&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA3uGqBhDdARIsAFeJ5r3ZBY-t6qf904BNrJJmLf0afG6zBtXO3gXi8GGpgxVMUnMibRUvNjAaApmiEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

[skeeter149]

In running a 5800x3d and love it with a 7900xtx. Seeing as am4 is a dead socket I would say go for a 7700 or 7800x3d. Microcenter has it down to 369$ for 7800x3d and you hopefully have a upgrade path to 8000 coun ddr 5 has come down a lot and we are seeing the gen 5 m.2 with gen 4 dropping quick. As some one on am4 thinking of building a 3rd pc on am5 (5800x and a 5800x3d) if you can afford it take the jump to am5.

[Pofoo]

I bought a factory referbished grade A Dell laptop recently. 4yrs old for about 1/3 the price of the same model being sold new. I can't tell the difference from new.
I opted for a oem factory offering through Amazon rather than a generic rebuilder. Dell offers a 1 yr guarantee rather than a 90 day guarantee offered by most sellers offering from a "authorized rebuilder".
Should be able to get a good pre owned desktop for a great price also.

[HHGT]

I only ever build my own since you can always get more for your dollar building your own. And I buy my components from the Micro Center in Tustin, CA

https://www.microcenter.com/site/products/computer-parts.aspx

[OutlawStar]

Are you actually doing CAD work? Coincidentally I've talked to a few people that mumble out what they plan to do with the computer and say CAD and don't actually know what CAD is but think it's a super resource heavy software so if you say that others know to recommend something with some power behind it.

Regardless, most discreet gpus will handle it unless you're getting into some very complex and large stuff.

[HHGT]

Are you actually doing CAD work? Coincidentally I've talked to a few people that mumble out what they plan to do with the computer and say CAD and don't actually know what CAD is but think it's a super resource heavy software so if you say that others know to recommend something with some power behind it.

Regardless, most discreet gpus will handle it unless you're getting into some very complex and large stuff.

From my experience video editing and gaming are the most resource heavy usage for a computer, especially the gpu, but not just......

[sigfan91]

Build your own, of course. My previous PC ran for 9 years before I built my current one. It didn?t break. It was just obsolete for mid-tier games. My current one is already 5 years old and running well.