Computer build help!

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Hi OTG,

Some 10 years ago the denizens of the OTG computer help section helped me put together a build. I’ve been playing EQ2 & ESO and it’s been doing just fine. However, after Diablo IV beta weekend I’ve resolved I need a new rig. I’m trying to keep it well under $3K so far it’s $2,746.80 with tax in Canadian dollars. Any and all suggestions are gratefully welcomed! I’m most worried about my motherboard/processor pick, and whether I should be going for DDR5 rather than the cheaper DDR4. Here’s what I have so far:

I am using www.canadacomputers.com because they’re local and will build it for me.

Thanks so much for reading!
Namira

Intel Core i5-13400F Desktop Processor 10 cores (6P+4E) 20MB Cache, up to 4.6 GHz LGA1700 700 & 600 chipset, PCIe 5&4, DDR5&4, Discrete GPU Required 13th Gen Boxed BX8071513400F
$279.99

ASRock B760M PRO RS/D4 WIFI, Intel 13th & 12th Gen, DDR4 5333, 2PCIe 4.0x16, 1PCIe 4.0x1, HDMI, DisplayPort, 2 Hyper M.2 (PCIe Gen4x4), Front+Rear USB3.2 Type-C, 13USB Ports, Dragon 2.5G LAN, 2M.2, 802.11ax (WiFi 6E) + Bluetooth 5.3, Intel MicroATX Motherboard
$219.00

ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4070 Ti OC Edition Gaming Graphics Card (PCIe 4.0, 12GB GDDR6X, HDMI 2.1a, DisplayPort 1.4a) TUF-RTX4070TI-O12G-GAMING
$1,169.00

CORSAIR Vengeance LPX 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 3600MHz CL18 Desktop Memory
$109.99

SAMSUNG 990 Pro 2TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 Solid State Drive, Read:7,450 MB/s, Write6,900 MB/s (MZ-V9P2T0B/AM)]
$349.99

LG (WH14NS40) Internal 14x Blu-ray Writer, OEM | Black, SATA, M-DISC, BDXL, 3D Play Back.
$85.99

CORSAIR RMe Series RM750e Fully Modular 80PLUS Gold ATX 3.0 & PCIe 5.0 Compliant - Power Supply
$129.99

CORSAIR 110Q Mid-Tower Quiet ATX Case
$104.99

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  • DDR5 is fast, but only in some workloads. On the one hand, our tests revealed that specific tasks benefitted substantially from DDR5, and you can expect double-figure performance gains. However, some workloads were indifferent to DDR5 or showed a minimal performance improvement. Therefore, you should identify the type of workloads that you use on your system and decide whether DDR5 is worth the investment.

  • Don’t buy DDR5 for gaming. The performance uplift is there, but it doesn’t warrant an upgrade. Yes, DDR5 helps improve your frame rates, but you also need to keep your expectations in check. So unless you’re a hardcore gamer that doesn’t like knowing you’re leaving performance on the table, you shouldn’t pick up DDR5.

  • For now, DDR4 offers more bang for your buck because DDR5 is either out of stock or extremely expensive. For comparison, the cheapest DDR5-4800 32GB C40 memory kit retails for $273.99, whereas a DDR4-3600 32GB C16 memory kit goes for as low as $137.99. While the former offers 6% higher performance, it’s also 99% more expensive than the latter. DDR5 pricing won’t remain this high forever, but DDR5 can’t compete with the value of high-end DDR4 until it improves.

  • DDR5 has more future-proofing value. However, manufacturers haven’t rung DDR4’s death knell. It’s undeniable that the next generations of processors will eventually drop DDR4 support. Upgrading to a DDR5 memory kit today means you can reuse it for future platforms. The downside is that DDR5 is still wet behind the ears, so there will be better offerings down the line.

Taken from Toms hardware

Here is the whole tech if your up to it its not as simple as both technologies have advantages and disadvantages

3 Likes
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Thanks Alphea!

I read somewhere that the LGA 1700 socket is likely to be replaced in the next iteration of intel chips so I’m thinking twice about spending too much on a mobo. /argh

Namira

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I have a 3080 in my rig and it does just fine with all the new games. Not sure I would pay over a grand for a new video card. Also I would double the Corsair ram and put 64 in just for future sake. You might want to look at putting in a normal hdd as a back up or just to store docs and such, so you dont have to store that stuff on the SSD. I would put an I7 in at least for gaming especially if your spending that much.

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I PM’d you the specs for my new rig. It has been great so far! If they ship to Canada, you might want to check them out - you can pick and choose from a myriad of parts.

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Juulz thank you! I will have a look :smiley:
Namira

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Thank you Knightemplar!
I have a 1TB hdd in my current rig that I am hoping can be installed in the new one. I know what you are saying about 1k+ for a video card, and filling up all the RAM slots while I’m at it. If I go with DDR4 then that’s doable.

Namira

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If you want an upgradable system, don’t go for Intel to begin with. Sockets/Mobos for Intel are almost never more than 1, sometimes 2 generations of CPUs. Not even from the same ‘line’. If you want options for upgrades to your CPU down the line, you should go with AMD.

So basically the “It’s going to be phased out” thinking on an Intel platform is a bit irrelevant, because that’s its default state :slight_smile:

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I would suggest getting an 850W power supply as a minimum. Power supplies are usually more efficient running at 50% and they usually last a very long time, so overkill is a good thing here.

My concern would be spending $1,200 Canuck Bucks on a 12GB card. Hogwarts already eats 12GB at 1440p with all the goodies on. You might need to replace that in a few years or turn down the settings on games. The PS6 will put pressure on game developers to eat more VRAM. Maybe you won’t mind replacing it in a few years, because the rumors are the 5000’s series will be a beast.

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Thank you PeZzy!

I am currently working on revamping the build I posted. So yes, I am upping the power supply to 850W min. I have also gone with a slightly better mobo & CPU bundled for savings. The video cards are painfully pricey for sure! I’ve replaced the one in my old rig once so I certainly see myself doing that again if VRAM usage takes off.

Namira

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This is a great place to do some homework. You can get a feel for how much you want to spend and the return on your dollar. There is a huge range of budgets to choose from.

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Elmin - thank you for the link. Time to investigate :smiley:
Namira

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UPDATE:
I settled on an ASUS 4070 dual with an ASUS mobo with the i7-13700KF chip, Be Quiet heatsink fan, and 32GB DDR4 RAM and a Be Quiet case. It’s fast! I also upgraded to a 27" curved 1440 px Gigabyte gaming monitor from a flat screen. Wheee!

Many thanks to all who posted here helping me out!

Namira

1 Like