Advice For New PC

[Foxjet]

Build it yourself!

It's fun and interesting and saves a ton of cash. You will own a superior machine then.

Plenty of how to on the web.

 

[CBR1100XX]

Build it yourself!

It's fun and interesting and saves a ton of cash. You will own a superior machine then.

Plenty of how to on the web.

I'd be a little cautious of this unless you're pretty good with tech or you know someone nearby who has done it.

95% of the time it's not hard and just works. But it can turn into a bunch of troubleshooting.

Also if you do go this route look into mATX. As long as you don't need extra PCI cards and it has enough M.2 drive slots they're cheaper and you can get some pretty decent cases that are small and cheap. I actually wish that my last build was mATX but due to getting a microcenter bundle it was cheaper to get a higher end full ATX board.

But if being without a computer for an extended time is an issue you'll want to buy a Dell. You can't really replace that service of being able to have a tech out there. I ended up having to buy a new power supply once because even though mine was under warranty the turnaround was something like 2-3 weeks.

 

[Foxjet]

This web site is a tremendous help for the newbie.

https://pcpartpicker.com/

 

[XiaoDeer]

I'd be a little cautious of this unless you're pretty good with tech or you know someone nearby who has done it.

95% of the time it's not hard and just works. But it can turn into a bunch of troubleshooting.

Agreed so far but...

Also if you do go this route look into mATX. As long as you don't need extra PCI cards and it has enough M.2 drive slots they're cheaper and you can get some pretty decent cases that are small and cheap. I actually wish that my last build was mATX but due to getting a microcenter bundle it was cheaper to get a higher end full ATX board.

If you build your own machine (which is a really good option IMO) select a high quality full size tower case.

This will give you more room to work, more expansion potential and most importantly better cooling options which you really want on a machine with the kind of power you envision.

Personally, I prefer to stick with air cooling and have a Noctua NH-D15 CPU cooler. That sucker isn't gonna fit in anything less than a full size case. If you go with an AIO cooler, I'd suggest at least a 360mm size which again, suggests a larger case.

I think there's a significant risk you will regret selecting a smaller case.

I went with this case:

Define R6

Designed from the ground up, the Define R6 goes beyond iteration with a profound stride of innovation – a sizeable step forward from preceding models of the world-renowned Define Series.

www.fractal-design.com

and added some wheels:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083DMYKC9

 

[The Point and Shoot Pro]

I'd be a little cautious of this unless you're pretty good with tech or you know someone nearby who has done it.

95% of the time it's not hard and just works. But it can turn into a bunch of troubleshooting.

Agreed so far but...

Also if you do go this route look into mATX. As long as you don't need extra PCI cards and it has enough M.2 drive slots they're cheaper and you can get some pretty decent cases that are small and cheap. I actually wish that my last build was mATX but due to getting a microcenter bundle it was cheaper to get a higher end full ATX board.

If you build your own machine (which is a really good option IMO) select a high quality full size tower case.

This will give you more room to work, more expansion potential and most importantly better cooling options which you really want on a machine with the kind of power you envision.

Personally, I prefer to stick with air cooling and have a Noctua NH-D15 CPU cooler. That sucker isn't gonna fit in anything less than a full size case. If you go with an AIO cooler, I'd suggest at least a 360mm size which again, suggests a larger case.

I think there's a significant risk you will regret selecting a smaller case.

I went with this case:

https://www.fractal-design.com/products/cases/define/define-r6/blackout/

and added some wheels:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083DMYKC

Agree with most everything here. Now, a mid case will work as well. Don't go itx or matx. that's all. My XPS case is not huge, but I do have 3 ssd, dvd, HDD and full noctua cooling inside. So mid cases are a great choice if space is really limited.

the Fractal North is my choice for a case. You can set that one up nice.

 

[BobKnDP]

(snip)

the Fractal North is my choice for a case. You can set that one up nice.

But what about the termite potential? ;-)

(Nice case, with wood trim. There's an XL version if you require more space.)

However, I have the impression that Stuart isn't looking for a DIY solution.

 

[The Point and Shoot Pro]

(snip)

the Fractal North is my choice for a case. You can set that one up nice.

But what about the termite potential? ;-)

(Nice case, with wood trim. There's an XL version if you require more space.)

However, I have the impression that Stuart isn't looking for a DIY solution.

No termites where I live. ha ha. Yes there is an xl now. I would not need it, but it's available. and no I think Stuart is looking for a prebuilt. The newer xps are not as good as the older ones as they have less expansion potential.

 

[Austinian]

(snip)

the Fractal North is my choice for a case. You can set that one up nice.

But what about the termite potential? ;-)

(Nice case, with wood trim. There's an XL version if you require more space.)

However, I have the impression that Stuart isn't looking for a DIY solution.

No termites where I live. ha ha. Yes there is an xl now. I would not need it, but it's available. and no I think Stuart is looking for a prebuilt. The newer xps are not as good as the older ones as they have less expansion potential.

If Stuart chooses a prebuilt that uses 'standard' rather than proprietary parts, he may be able to transplant the guts from the smaller case to a larger one if more interior space is desired later on. I used to do that way back when before I was building completely.

 

[skyglider]

I currently have Dell XPS Win 10 PC that is 8 years old. In addition to Photoshop, I do digital painting with Corel Painter, use FilterForge, and use generative AI. This computer is now painfully slow for these tasks. I want to upgrade to a Win 11 PC with 64 gb RAM, a powerful graphics card, and an NPU if possible. I am unclear if Ryzen CPU or Intel is way to go (newer Intel chips have had problems reported). I am unsure if Dell remains reliable given comments on TrustPilot. I would greatly appreciate advice including upgrade now or wait. Thanks!

It appears that Dells can be hit or miss. You have one that is 8 years old and still running. In 2016 I bought one and recommended one to a friend. Two years later both Dells died. (I felt guilty having recommended it to my friend) I also bought a Dell Ultrasharp monitor and it developed image retention problems so I replaced it. My experience with Dells has been poor.

If you want a relatively inexpensive pre-built, maybe check the desktop PCs sold at Costco. They have a 90 day return policy with a 2 year warranty. Even if you aren't a member of Costco, a year membership costs about $65 and you can also buy tires and battery at good discount rates with good benefits for both,not to mention all the other stuff that Costco sells.

Here's a link to some desktop PCs at Costco.

There's a 14 gen i9 desktop that comes with a Nvidia Geforce RTX4060 graphics for $1499.99 and 14 gen i7 desktops that come with Geforce RTX4060 for $1199.99 and $1299.99.

Maybe worth a look if they are in your preferred budget.

 

[XiaoDeer]

(snip)

the Fractal North is my choice for a case. You can set that one up nice.

But what about the termite potential? ;-)

Even a heavy gauge metal case provides no guarantee your computer will remain bug free

 

[The Point and Shoot Pro]

(snip)

the Fractal North is my choice for a case. You can set that one up nice.

But what about the termite potential? ;-)

(Nice case, with wood trim. There's an XL version if you require more space.)

However, I have the impression that Stuart isn't looking for a DIY solution.

No termites where I live. ha ha. Yes there is an xl now. I would not need it, but it's available. and no I think Stuart is looking for a prebuilt. The newer xps are not as good as the older ones as they have less expansion potential.

If Stuart chooses a prebuilt that uses 'standard' rather than proprietary parts, he may be able to transplant the guts from the smaller case to a larger one if more interior space is desired later on. I used to do that way back when before I was building completely.

I was talking more about performance expansion. My Dell has 4 ram slots, the newer models starting with the year after mine only has 2. I also have more drive connections and space where as the new one has less.

 

[BobKnDP]

(snip)

the Fractal North is my choice for a case. You can set that one up nice.

But what about the termite potential? ;-)

(Nice case, with wood trim. There's an XL version if you require more space.)

However, I have the impression that Stuart isn't looking for a DIY solution.

No termites where I live. ha ha. Yes there is an xl now. I would not need it, but it's available. and no I think Stuart is looking for a prebuilt. The newer xps are not as good as the older ones as they have less expansion potential.

If Stuart chooses a prebuilt that uses 'standard' rather than proprietary parts, he may be able to transplant the guts from the smaller case to a larger one if more interior space is desired later on. I used to do that way back when before I was building completely.

I was talking more about performance expansion. My Dell has 4 ram slots, the newer models starting with the year after mine only has 2. I also have more drive connections and space where as the new one has less.

If it uses DDR5, I'd prefer to stay with 2 DIMMs.

 

[The Point and Shoot Pro]

(snip)

the Fractal North is my choice for a case. You can set that one up nice.

But what about the termite potential? ;-)

(Nice case, with wood trim. There's an XL version if you require more space.)

However, I have the impression that Stuart isn't looking for a DIY solution.

No termites where I live. ha ha. Yes there is an xl now. I would not need it, but it's available. and no I think Stuart is looking for a prebuilt. The newer xps are not as good as the older ones as they have less expansion potential.

If Stuart chooses a prebuilt that uses 'standard' rather than proprietary parts, he may be able to transplant the guts from the smaller case to a larger one if more interior space is desired later on. I used to do that way back when before I was building completely.

I was talking more about performance expansion. My Dell has 4 ram slots, the newer models starting with the year after mine only has 2. I also have more drive connections and space where as the new one has less.

If it uses DDR5, I'd prefer to stay with 2 DIMMs.

Depends on how much ram you want.

 

[BobKnDP]

(snip)

the Fractal North is my choice for a case. You can set that one up nice.

But what about the termite potential? ;-)

(Nice case, with wood trim. There's an XL version if you require more space.)

However, I have the impression that Stuart isn't looking for a DIY solution.

No termites where I live. ha ha. Yes there is an xl now. I would not need it, but it's available. and no I think Stuart is looking for a prebuilt. The newer xps are not as good as the older ones as they have less expansion potential.

If Stuart chooses a prebuilt that uses 'standard' rather than proprietary parts, he may be able to transplant the guts from the smaller case to a larger one if more interior space is desired later on. I used to do that way back when before I was building completely.

I was talking more about performance expansion. My Dell has 4 ram slots, the newer models starting with the year after mine only has 2. I also have more drive connections and space where as the new one has less.

If it uses DDR5, I'd prefer to stay with 2 DIMMs.

Depends on how much ram you want.

Running fast DDR5 with 4 DIMMs used to be unlikely. Some motherboards limited the maximum DDR5 frequency that could be set if 4 DIMMs were present.

Whether that still applies, I don't know. When I last checked DDR5 compatibility list for motherboards, there were few or no DIMMs certified for more than 2 DIMMs.

If the RAM has to be downclocked to permit stable operation 4 DIMMs, that's probably no great loss for most apps. (Gamers may disagree.)

 

[The Point and Shoot Pro]

(snip)

the Fractal North is my choice for a case. You can set that one up nice.

But what about the termite potential? ;-)

(Nice case, with wood trim. There's an XL version if you require more space.)

However, I have the impression that Stuart isn't looking for a DIY solution.

No termites where I live. ha ha. Yes there is an xl now. I would not need it, but it's available. and no I think Stuart is looking for a prebuilt. The newer xps are not as good as the older ones as they have less expansion potential.

If Stuart chooses a prebuilt that uses 'standard' rather than proprietary parts, he may be able to transplant the guts from the smaller case to a larger one if more interior space is desired later on. I used to do that way back when before I was building completely.

I was talking more about performance expansion. My Dell has 4 ram slots, the newer models starting with the year after mine only has 2. I also have more drive connections and space where as the new one has less.

If it uses DDR5, I'd prefer to stay with 2 DIMMs.

Depends on how much ram you want.

Running fast DDR5 with 4 DIMMs used to be unlikely. Some motherboards limited the maximum DDR5 frequency that could be set if 4 DIMMs were present.

Whether that still applies, I don't know. When I last checked DDR5 compatibility list for motherboards, there were few or no DIMMs certified for more than 2 DIMMs.

If the RAM has to be downclocked to permit stable operation 4 DIMMs, that's probably no great loss for most apps. (Gamers may disagree.)

I agree. A small downclock is worth it for extra ram overhead.

 

[Fresch]

Build it yourself!

It's fun and interesting and saves a ton of cash. You will own a superior machine then.

Plenty of how to on the web.

Start, look at pc part picker.

 

[BobKnDP]

Build it yourself!

It's fun and interesting and saves a ton of cash. You will own a superior machine then.

Plenty of how to on the web.

Start, look at pc part picker.

It may be that the parts costs could exceed what you'd pay for an appliance PC of similar specs (Dell, HP, etc.). If you aren't into major upgradeability (motherboard swaps, etc.), an appliance PC may be a good choice.

That said, I haven't bought an appliance PC since 1995. I assemble my own, regardless of cost.

 

[CBR1100XX]

Build it yourself!

It's fun and interesting and saves a ton of cash. You will own a superior machine then.

Plenty of how to on the web.

Start, look at pc part picker.

It may be that the parts costs could exceed what you'd pay for an appliance PC of similar specs (Dell, HP, etc.). If you aren't into major upgradeability (motherboard swaps, etc.), an appliance PC may be a good choice.

That said, I haven't bought an appliance PC since 1995. I assemble my own, regardless of cost.

They are even more attractive right now in a time of parts shortages. If you can get the GPU you want from Dell it makes sense.

Otherwise the best option is going used on that part maybe with a RTX3060 Ti-3080. But if you're new to PC building I would say buy a computer instead because that's a whole additional layer of potential headaches.