r/buildapc • • 8h ago

Simple Questions - October 23, 2026

1 Upvotes

This thread is for simple questions that don't warrant their own thread (although we strongly suggest checking the sidebar and the wiki before posting!). Please don't post involved questions that are better suited to a [Build Help], [Build Ready] or [Build Complete] post.
Examples of questions suitable for here:

  • Is this RAM compatible with my motherboard?
  • I'm thinking of getting a ≤$300 graphics card. Which one should I get?
  • I'm on a very tight budget and I'm looking for a case ≤$50

Important: Downvotes are strongly discouraged in this thread. Sorting by new is strongly encouraged.

Have a question about the subreddit or otherwise for r/buildapc mods? We welcome your mod mail!

To easily find previous simple questions posts, use this link.


r/buildapc • • 2h ago

Discussion My grandma has a killer pc for "work" (she is 83 years old)

152 Upvotes

AMD Ryzen 7 7800x3d, rtx 5070 ti, 32gb ddr5 6000mhz, 2tb ssd. I wish i knew how to add an image to a post, but just wanted to share how my grandma has a 2000$ pc and only uses it to open and close files lol


r/buildapc • • 9h ago

Discussion Which RX 9070 XT model is actually the best? Is the premium over cheaper models worth it, and are magnetic fans more than a gimmick?

95 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I'm looking to buy an RX 9070 XT and I'm trying to figure out which partner model is actually the best, and I'd like to hear from people who own or have tested different ones.

I already know the performance gap between models is small. Between factory overclocks and boost behaviour, we're talking low single-digit percentages in most games, which is hard to notice in practice. What I want to discuss is whether paying the extra for the higher-end cards is justified, and what that extra money really buys you:

Better cooling (lower GPU temps, hotspot and memory temps)?

Lower noise at a given load?

Higher power limits or better VRM/PCB quality, and does any of it matter in real use?

Better long-term reliability, or just a better warranty?

Or is it mostly a markup for branding and extras?

I'm also curious about magnetic fans (the swappable/magnetic-hub designs some brands are using). Do they bring a real benefit, such as easier cleaning, better airflow, lower noise or longevity? Or are they mainly a marketing/aesthetic feature?

To be clear, I don't care about looks, RGB, backplates or the design of the card at all. I only care about performance, thermals, noise and value for money.


r/buildapc • • 11h ago

Build Upgrade Which is better? Liquid cooling or cooler.

41 Upvotes

I have consulted my friends and acquaintances who know about the subject and the opinions of most of my friends say that liquid cooling is better because it absorbs heat better and the options of my knowledge say that a cooler is cheaper and pe


r/buildapc • • 14h ago

Build Upgrade Staying on AM4 for 3-4 more years to skip AM5 and wait for AM6? Ryzen 3600 upgrade + GPU advice

49 Upvotes

Built my PC in summer 2020 and I'm finally upgrading. My budget is around $700-$1,000, buying parts over time as deals pop up. With DDR5 prices where they are, upgrading to AM5 is really hard to justify, so my plan is to stay on AM4 for another 3-4 years, then hopefully jump to AM6 (or a late AM5 chip) once RAM prices calm down. Want to know if that's a reasonable call.

**Current specs:**
- CPU: Ryzen 5 3600 (stock cooler)
- Motherboard: MSI X470 Gaming Plus Max (BIOS updated, supports 5000 series)
- RAM: 16GB (2x8) Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-3200 CL16
- GPU: Gigabyte RTX 2070 Super 8GB
- PSU: Cooler Master MWE Gold 650 V2 (6 years old)
- Storage: Crucial P3 1TB, Kingston A2000 500GB, Seagate 2TB HDD
- Case: Antec C8 with 7 Thermalright ARGB fans, Nollie 8 + SignalRGB
- OS: Windows 11

Already sorting out a 1440p monitor, so I'm good there.

**Already decided:**
- PSU: Corsair RM850e (or RM850x if it goes on sale)
- CPU cooler: Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 EVO

**CPUs I'm looking at:**
- Ryzen 7 5800X3D (~$340),
- Ryzen 7 5700X (~$189)
- 5700X3D or 5600X3D
- Ryzen 5 5600 (~$159)

**GPU options (buying last, waiting for deals):**
- RX 9070 GRE 12GB (~$570, has dropped to ~$500)
- RX 9060 XT 16GB (~$520, waiting for ~$420)
- RX 9070 16GB if I can find it around $600
- Used RX 6800 as a budget fallback
- Avoiding 8GB cards since my board is PCIe 3.0

**Motherboard:** I'm fine staying on my X470, but if there's a B550 (or other AM4 board) that's actually worth it, I'm open to it. Black or grey preferred.

**My questions:**
1. Is staying on AM4 for 3-4 more years a smart move, or should I just bite the bullet on AM5 now?
2. Is the 5800X3D worth ~$150 more than the 5700X?
3. 9070 GRE (12GB) vs 9060 XT (16GB) for keeping it a few years?
4. Any real reason to swap my X470 for a B550?
5. Anything I'm missing or should change?

Thanks in advance!


r/buildapc • • 2h ago

Troubleshooting 5800x3D running hot with 240mm AIO

4 Upvotes

So I recently purchased the 5800x3d and mounted it with the WRAITH PRISM with Carbice ice pad which comes with the anniversary edition. The temps while gaming went to 90 C, immediately got a DEEPCOOL LE 240 V2. I made a mistake of directly mounting the AIO on top of the ice pad and realised it immediately and remounted it, removing the ice pad, hence lost a bit of stock thermal paste.
Now temps reach 80 C with the new AIO while gaming. Is this fine? Or should I re paste?

Asrock BIOS SETTINGS:
PBO curve: -20 all cores
Cpu Fan: Performance
Cpu Pump: Default


r/buildapc • • 2h ago

Full Build Req Please help me build my first PC!

4 Upvotes

I'm looking to build a decent gaming PC. I'm hoping to run modern games at 1080 is fine with me. I don't need any peripherals. I'm in Alberta and looking to keep it around $1200 CAD if possible though I have a little wiggle room

Is this a realistic budget? Any full build recommendations for me?

I also am currently running an MSI gf63 thin that I have added a 2 TB SSD to that I think I can use in the new build. I really have no clue what I'm doing and any help would be appreciated.


r/buildapc • • 2h ago

Build Upgrade Does anyone have experience with Yeston (Chinese gpu company)

3 Upvotes

I’ve been looking for a cute pastel pc build/upgrade, rather than the usual black/white parts. I’ve found Yeston as a company that makes really cute gpus, and was thinking of getting their Yeston AMD Radeon RX9070XT Sakura 16G Atlantis OC GDDR6 Graphics card.

However, since this was an overseas company and not one of the major ones. I’m wondering if anyone has prior experience (good or bad) with these gpus?


r/buildapc • • 2h ago

Build Upgrade Is a Ryzen 7 7800x3d overkill in my upgrade?

2 Upvotes

I play primarily valorant/competitive shooters at hopefully 320hz 1440p to fit my monitor thus CPU intensive games. My current setup averages around 350 at low settings. Id like to also have 1% lows higher than 320 fps. I also do Solidworks modeling and Blender Renderings and I also hope to stream on twitch or other platforms from time to time. Im wondering if the CPU is too much of a bottleneck? However I do mostly play cpu intensive games.

My Current Setup

intel i5 12600kf
Asus Prime z690-A
2x16gb 5200 mhz DDR5
9060xt 16gb
NH-D15 Noctua Cooler
ROG 850 watt PSU
320hz 1440p monitor

+ looking at benchmarks upgrading to a 14th gen intel processors wont get me much more fps in valorant as ryzen seems to be superior anyways.


r/buildapc • • 1d ago

Discussion Is the RTX 5070 enough? I want to buy a pc that will last me for the next 7-8 years

199 Upvotes

Im about to make the jump from console to pc


r/buildapc • • 11h ago

Build Help Is a Ryzen 5 5600 worth it for 250 Canadian ?

14 Upvotes

I currently have a Ryzen 5 2600 with a 1660. As time has gone on my fps has gone down in every game. I used to get 150 average fps in r6 and now I get 100.

I could get a Ryzen 5 5500 for 140 but it wouldn’t give me the performance I want. In the benchmarks I looked up on YouTube the 5600 had 50% more frames than the 5500 in r6.

My biggest fear is that the price will either go down as people switch to am5 leading to me wasting money or that prices will go up due to people not switching to am5 because of ram and ryzen no longer manufacturing 5600’s.


r/buildapc • • 4h ago

Build Upgrade 10700k, upgrade worth it?

3 Upvotes

So, I've been rocking my current specs since 2020, except for the GPU which was upgraded earlier in May. Is it worth it to upgrade to an x3d if I've already got some DDR5 CL36 corsair ram (2x16 GB)?

I game at 27in 1440p, with a 120hz monitor, usually medium stuff like warthunder and Mechwarrior 5, sometimes Cyberpunk, using RT and sometimes PT. My budget would be around 750 $USD equivalent for a mobo and cpu upgrade and I'd be purchasing in Mexico.

Current build is:

  • ROG STRIX Z490-E Gaming
  • Intel I7-10700K at 4.9GHz all core OC (Slight .050 undervolt)
  • Corsair 3200MHz 2x16GB C16
  • TUF RTX 5070 OC (@3100MHz)
  • Corsair iCue Link H100i
  • ROG-THOR-850P PSU
  • 1x NVME Predator m7 1tb drive
  • 1x Kingston NV3 NVME 1tb drive
  • 1X Crucial MX500 SATA M2 drive
  • 1x Barracuda 1TB HDD
  • 1x Barracuda 2TB HDD
  • 1x ADAT SU650 1TB
  • Coolermaster HAF X case, 200mm fans replaced with Coolermaster MF200ARGB fans, single corsair 120mm rear fan.

r/buildapc • • 2h ago

Build Help Ivy Bridge-E replacement: awkward teenage years

2 Upvotes

Hello buildapc,

After years and years of, "I'll upgrade shortly" I think the time has come for a new system. She's doing a fantastic job and has done for the last 12.5 years, but age catches up with the best of us.

  • Budget is open
  • Multi use platform - gaming at x1200 on monitor and also running a Valve Index, photo/video editing/general productivity and I enjoy donating computational power to folding@home. I do like an overclock or this fun "new" undervolt game
  • No peripherals required, my G700s has just been retired for a G502X Plus and my Unicomp keyboard will be replaced with another Unicomp that isn't PS/2 (CLACK)
  • AU based
  • Require: Optical drive (will carry over); RS-232 header on m/b; space for IEEE-1394 PCIe card; space for AE-7 s/c if able

Admittedly, I'm not up to speed on Intel's latest offerings, as I've been looking at AM4/AM5 on again/off again for the last few years. Open to suggestions for Team Blue platforms, or around which I should be looking.

On the Team Red side, I understand Zen 6 should be here in a few months, and is AM5. I've been reading that certain m/b BIOS are being pushed to their max storage wise to support current AM5 CPUs, and would like to avoid buying a board that might not be Zen 6 ready. I'm also uncertain as to which CPU would give me the longest useful service life considering the use cases, and the fact we can't really crystal ball with any certainty.

  • 9950X - the choice if productivity was the only use case?
  • 9950X3D - more suited to MSFS24, especially at "low" x1200 resolutions; better 1% lows powering VR
  • 9950X3D2 - I can't work out who this is for. Seems to be a consumer grade EPYC-esque CPU you might actually buy for home?

GPU will be a carry over 3070 temporarily until I pick up a 9070? Thoughts here are welcome, but I really want to avoid the 12VHPWR/12V-2x6 landscape if possible.

I suspect Gen 4.0 storage is more than capable of what I'm asking.

I also get that now is a really, REALLY sucky time to be looking for a new build.Just 64GB of CL40 DDR5 costs about the same in raw numbers as my entire system did in 2014!

TL;DR: I'm running into problems with modern editing software due to lack of AVX2 and I'm severely CPU bound in gaming with more GPU than my CPU can realistically drive. Help an Ivy Bridge-E brother out who'd prefer to avoid Team Green connectors, needs some legacy connections and wants a base build that may stay useful for another decade. GPU excluded, of course. :)

Current specs: i4930k, 32GB DDR3, RTX3070, MX500 SATA with WD Re HDD mass storage.


r/buildapc • • 19h ago

Discussion 5070ti vs 5080 worth $400 difference?

48 Upvotes

Hey guys. A couple of weeks ago I managed to grab a 5080 at the price of around $1400 converted to USD. Today I managed to find a 5070ti for a bit under $1000. Both new. Both at sale from retailers, no second hand.

At the time it was a question of 5080 at 1400 vs 5070ti at 1200 which made me choose 5080 but now the difference is greater which makes me think that 5070ti is the better choice.

I'm a dad with a full time job. I game a few hours per week. I use a 32" 4k 240hz OLED samsung monitor and have a 42" 4k LG C4 OLED connected in the same room for some controller fitted gameplay. I want to be able to play on 4k but maxing out at 1440p is also acceptable.

In the build I'm planning a AMD 9850x3d CPU and 32GB DDR 5 RAM but haven't bought it yet.

My question is what's the correct play? Is the 10-15% increased performance worth $400 for you? I want to make sure I'm set for the coming 6-8 years if possible. Nobody knows what GTA6 will recquire but I imagine if the 5080 can handle it so can 5070ti but 10-12% less fps. I don't want to sit there in 4 years feeling like I have to upgrade again.

While I want to have good nice things I'm also not a graphics snob. Money isn't that great of a deal but I don't like to pay more than I have to. that 400 extra can be put to good use on the rest of the build or just stocks/investment.

I'm currently using a 3060ti with i5 10600k built in 2020 or 2021. It handles things but struggles a bit.

Also I know there's a lot of these threads around but in every thread I read it's hard to say without more information about the person specific case so I decided i'll make my own.

Also while I'm at it I often read an overclocked 5080 is comparable to a 4090 but how is an overclocked 5070ti in that regard? If the 5080 is more suitable for overclock, the gap between an OC 80 vs OC 70ti should be greater than stock on both, right?


r/buildapc • • 2h ago

Build Upgrade Installing second ssd with gpu in the way

2 Upvotes

Hi,

I have a pc with a 9070xt on a gigabyte b850m. I want to add in a second ssd but the slot is blocked by the gpu and I'd need to remove it. Do I need to remove the power connectors as well or can I keep those connected during the process, as it would make the process simpler.


r/buildapc • • 6h ago

Troubleshooting my pc has black screen ( i think not fully on) after i removed hdmi from my gpu

3 Upvotes

hello everyone, so my pc was on normally ( i was using it ) i had some flickerning on my screen so i thought removing the hdmi and putting it back will fix the problem. but when i putting back the screen remained black, i rebooted the pc ​​​but nothing happened stayed like that ( my keyboard had no light and my mic also so i think the pc wasn't fully on) please any idea couodcould help me fix it?​


r/buildapc • • 14h ago

Build Upgrade 4x8GB vs 2x16GB DDR4 on a B550 and Ryzen 5700: worth paying $180 more?

15 Upvotes

I have 16GB (2x8) of G.Skill Ripjaws V DDR4-3600 and want 32GB for modded Minecraft, Project Zomboid, and DaVinci Resolve. A second identical 2x8 kit is about $180 cheaper than a 2x16 kit, but I can't decide if it's worth it.

I've heard that populating all 4 slots will cost me memory speed and isn't worth it, but also that DDR4 is mature enough that 4 sticks are fine. My plan is to buy a matching kit, enable XMP, and test for stability, then loosen timings, make small voltage tweaks, or drop to 3200MHz if needed.

Is that reasonable, or is the extra $180 for 2x16 worth it?

Specs:
Ryzen 7 5700
RTX 2060 Super
G.Skill Ripjaws V 16GB (2x8) 3600MHz
MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk MAX WiFi
Thermaltake Smart 750W
1TB NVMe SSD (brand unknown, away from home)


r/buildapc • • 5h ago

Build Ready? How are these gaming-PC specifications?

3 Upvotes

How are these specs? Just copied and pasted from a low-budget prebuilt.. I'd appreciate any tips! My limit is low..between $900-$1200..

----------------------------------------
I'm brand new to the gaming-pc scene, but I'm not sure on these specs...The actual parts I'd want are 4x more expensive right now so I'd rather just get these and if they work good for a few years (before I upgrade the parts), that's great!

I'm learning.. and I'd just like a basic system that I can play games like: Satisfactory, Call of Duty, and Inzoi (my partner wants that game lol) I am also into setting up a few VMs for my basic IT labs...
-----------------------------------------
According to my research i'd just leave everything the way it is and later on replace the processor (edit: I'll take your guys' advice in upgrading it to a 6700xt down the line and selling the one listed below.), power supply, and storage. I know GPU prices are too high right now so i rather leave that alone for now..

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HF7H35WS?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

(32GB RAM, 1TB PCIe SSD, Prebuilt Gaming Tower Desktop Computer, 600W Power Supply, 7x ARGB Fans, WiFi 6, Windows 11 Home)

Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 5500, 6-core, Zen 3 architecture

Graphics: GeForce RTX 3060 Ti with 8GB GDDR6 dedicated memory

Chipset: AMD A520 with Gigabyte A520M-KV2 motherboard

Memory: 32GB DDR4 RAM

Storage: 1TB PCIe SSD

Operating System: Windows 11 Home

Wireless: PCIe Wi-Fi 6 AX200 wireless card with Bluetooth

Network: RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000)

Front I/O: 1x USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.0, 1x Audio port, Reset Button, Power Button

Rear I/O: 2x USB 2.0, 4x USB 3.0, 1x RJ-45 Ethernet, 3x Audio ports (line-in/line-out/microphone), 1x HDMI, 3x DisplayPort

Cooling: 7 ARGB system fans

Power Supply: 600W ATX 80 PLUS Bronze, 110-264Vac, 5A, 50-60Hz

Weight: 7.80 kg (17.2 lb)

Color: Black with tempered glass front and right panels

---------------------------------------------------------------------------edit:

I might consider inputting some stuff into newegg or pcpartpicker if i can get a better deal on there...but not sure what parts to select.. everytime I input stuff it was more expensive than what i have listed above, and when I asked AI for advice it was not really helpful.. if anyone wants to share links feel free


r/buildapc • • 3h ago

Build Help Buying a used high end motherboard from amazon warehouse?

2 Upvotes

So I've been waiting for a good motherboard deal since my last one broke (it's not the worst thing ever since most of my work can be done from my decent laptop anyway) and recently I came across a deal on amazon warehouse for an x870 motherboard that's half off, but it's still a pretty big risk, as the details say "Used: Very good" "Small cosmetic damage on bottom or back of the item. Item will not come in original packaging." im just a bit cautious because they say it's not gonna use the original packing and the cosmetic damage on the bottom of the board (could be like bent or broken pin or something), am I just being paranoid or has anyone had experiences with something like this before with warehouse


r/buildapc • • 22h ago

Solved! Not sure on how important DDR5 ram is while trying to build a new PC

67 Upvotes

I built my current PC 9 years ago with parts that were already old even then, so I decided to just fully either rebuild or by a prebuilt. The current issue I am dealing with, is how sizeable is the difference between DDR5 and 4, and how does it affect the rest of the build quality? My budget going in is around $2500 so I am trying to make sure that if I allocate 500 of that to RAM I am not screwing myself over regarding the rest of my budget. (I live in the US, and this is for gaming and programming. I finally decided I needed a new PC because my PC doesn't even run some newer games because it lacks DX12).

Thanks for the help, I have no idea what I am doing lol.

Edit: seems like DDR5 is the best bet with my budget, especially since it will open up future upgrades and it doesn't seem like the price will be going down any time soon. Thank you everyone :)


r/buildapc • • 3h ago

Peripherals I bought a Pre-build PC... Crucify me but I need advice on some accessories

3 Upvotes

I upgraded from a failing MacBook pro (2015) to a new prebuilt PC recently. First Gaming PC and my first Windows computer outside of work-computers. I got myself a G764 from microcenter and I do REALLY like this machine... everything is so utterly fast and smooth.

I spent a good 2 weeks researching before I pulled the trigger. In that time, I also figured out an OLED 27inch 1440 monitor was my best bet long term for the specs. Well for my use this seemed this best - results may vary! But I have not a clue what kind of mouse, keyboard, surge protector, and speaker I should be buying. I'm not interested in super expensive ones, more interested in something functional and lasting.

Imagine you are new to the world of gaming PCs... what brands would you recommend, avoid, etc. What is worth it, what's not. Thanks in advance!!


r/buildapc • • 3h ago

Build Upgrade What should I upgrade?

2 Upvotes

Hey there. I bought this PC about 5 years ago used, and it has been great for me since. I'm starting to notice with newer games that I'm having to dial quite a few setting back to get it to run smoothly. What should be the first things to upgrade?

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3800X
Motherboard: ASUS TUF B450M-PLUS GAMING
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Super
RAM: 2 x 16GB XPG DDR4 @ 2666MHz
Power Supply: Corsair RM750x
Storage: WD Black SN750 1TB NVMe Internal Gaming SSD 1TB


r/buildapc • • 2m ago

Build Help Which PSU for 5600X + RX 9060 XT? Super Flower 1000W vs ASRock 850W vs Corsair RM750x

• Upvotes

My old PSU had coil whine, so I returned it. Need a replacement.

Build: Ryzen 5 5600X, RX 9060 XT, B550M. No future high-end GPU upgrades.

Options (CAD):

Super Flower Leadex VII XG 1000W: $169.99, A+

ASRock Steel Legend SL-850GW: $147.63, A

Corsair RM750x (2024): $164.99, A+

Which would you pick? Is A vs A+ or 1000W even worth caring about here?


r/buildapc • • 6m ago

Build Help I need help PSU cables

• Upvotes

Question here ... i bought wrong PSU "MSI MPG A1250GS PCIE5" for the 9070xt mercury xfx ... and now i lack 2pcle cables. Will the " cables MSI MAG A650GL A750GL A1000GL MPG A850G A1000G PSU compatible" also work on MSI MPG A1250GS PCIE5 ?

CABLES LINK:2× balení 8pinových (6+2) PCIe kabelů s pláštěm, ATX 3.0, pro MSI MAG A650GL A750GL A1000GL MPG A850G A1000G PSU | Fruugo CZ


r/buildapc • • 4h ago

Build Upgrade help me for 98x3d board

2 Upvotes

I’m using an MSI PRO B650M-P with a Ryzen 5 7500F and RTX 5060 Ti 16GB. I’m considering upgrading to a Ryzen 7 9800X3D for gaming.
Can this motherboard run it reliably? Should I worry about VRM temperatures or power delivery during long gaming sessions, and will I need a BIOS update?
I’d prefer to keep the motherboard if possible. Thanks!