Building my New PC, Options...

[BarracudaUAK]

Greetings all,

EDIT: I've added a few things that I must have accidentally deleted when I was "tweaking" the post.
Skybird's reply brought several of these to my attention.
See post #2 & #3 for clarification.
END EDIT.



I've been considering building a new PC, and in my deliberations, I have run into several possible options of how to proceed.

These options aren't in the order that I considered them, plus there is another point that I will cover which is adding some additional "uncertainty" as to which way to go.



First, I should start off by saying, as I mentioned in another thread, is that I usually build a new PC every 3 years.
I was waiting on "whatever the successor to the AM3+ FX series is" before I replaced my old dual-core.
However "old-reliable" (EDIT: AMD 5600 x2 2.8ghz) was 9 years old when I built my current FX-8350.
So I'm sitting on a fairly new PC, but the CPU was originally released in 2011/2012.
So that still makes the System about 5/6 years old...

EDIT: I should also clarify, I usually gave my older PC to family if they didn't have the funds to build their own. For example, if they are too young to be working... END EDIT.

So Just so we know where I sit right now, I'll post the "current" specs, then post the possible routes that I might go...


"Current" PC:

Fedora 25 (26 within the month)

Corsair CX850M PSU
AMD FX-8350 8-core
Gigabyte 990FXA-UD3
Gigabyte R9 380 2GB (slight factory overclock, 980mhz)
32 GB Corsair DDR3 (4x 8GB) 1600mhz (I think) 10CAS latency
4, 2TB Seagate drives in RAID 10 "far" config.
LG DVD/CD Burner
LG Blu-ray/DVD/CD Burner
Vizio 42" 1080P "dumb" LCD TV (2010), 60hz. Better sound, and the case is 47 total. (Older Vizio TVs measured the view-able area.)

This one is the main machine that I use now.


Before I built the "current" PC, I did want to wait until the Ryzen had been released (but I didn't know the name at the time), but the "old" wasn't going to be very useful for too much longer.

Also, I am wanting to build my mother a new PC, as she is currently running a AMD A8.
To say that the A8 is too slow for her would be an understatement.
My "old" PC will run circles around it.


Option 1: Build my mother a FX-8350... and postpone my Ryzen.

Last time I checked, I could build a new FX-8350 for about $500.
I already have:
4x 1TB WD Black 7200RPM drives. (Yes, they are new, just not in use.)
1 Gigabyte R9 380 2GB (the match to the one in my PC, just in case they got crossfire working. Again, new, just not in use.)

I would need to purchase:
AMD FX-8350
Motherboard, most likely would be: Gigabyte GA-970A-D3P, or an ASRock 970A. ASUS Sabertooth 990FX are still over $200. Can get an AM4 for less than that.
RAM, most likely would be 16GB.
PSU, Most likely: Corsair CX850M.
Case would depend on which she likes best.

EDIT: Motherboards are more expensive than what I spent on the one I have now, or not as good.
Also, DDR3 has jumped in price, I paid $100 (I think) for Corsair 2x8GB 10 Cas Latency RAM, last I checked it was almost $150. I can get DDR4 for that now.
That means 16GB for 75% of what I paid for 32GB about 2 years ago.
END EDIT

This would burn into my Ryzen budget enough to make it "not happen".


Option 2: Build Myself a Ryzen, and give my mother the "Current" PC.
Every where BUT the Mobo and CPU, I'm going to spend (roughly) the same on the Ryzen vs. the FX-8350.
The difference? I'm spending it on the "New" PC, and not just "another" PC, seems to make more sense -to me-.
Also, I know that this FX-8350 works, so I won't be running back to the store to return defective parts. It all works, and it all works together. No "teething troubles" for her.
Plus Spec-wise, for what I spent on the "Current", it's better than what I can build her now for the same $.


Specs of Ryzen system:

EDIT: Fedora Linux (26 most likely.)

Ryzen 1800X CPU 3.6ghz 8-core

Motherboard, one of the following 3:

ASRock Fatal1ty X370 Gaming K4 AM4 ATX AMD Motherboard
Gigabyte AORUS AX370-Gaming K5 AM4 ATX AMD Motherboard
ASUS PRIME X370-PRO AM4 ATX AMD Motherboard

I considered the following but price is a bit high:

ASUS ROG Crosshair VI Hero AM4 ATX AMD Motherboard

also high $, and too much junk I don't need:

ASRock Fatal1ty X370 Professional Gaming AM4 ATX AMD Motherboard

RAM: Initially 32 GB of DDR4, but I would increase it to 64GB asap. Possible initially if price is more favorable when I build it.

Case: Either another Corsair 750D, or a Corsair 900. IF it had a price drop AND was on sale. I like it, but I'm not spending $300 on a case!!!!!!!

GPU: Either a RX 580X, or a new Vega GPU card, IF they aren't too $$$.
Price for the non-gaming cards were ~$1K when they were released!
EDIT: I found a site suggesting that the Vega Gaming cards would be $600 for the top card. About $300 for the lower end... Not sure, as I haven't seen an "official" AMD announcement.

PSU: Corsair CX850M (it works....)

Optical: most likely will pull my Blu-ray out of the "current" PC if I build this one.

HDD: I looked at SSDs, and for the size, and speed, I will do better with a RAID with HDD. (current system is averaging 775MB/S read speed, about half that on write), Least expensive I can get a 1 TB SSD is $290 locally.
A Samsung 850 EVO-series is $390, and a 850 Pro Series is $490...
I can get 2TB Seagate Barracuda HDD for around $75. that's $300 for 8TB total, (halved for Raid10) 4TB usable, Plus redundancy.


Before anyone says "SSDs...." I talked with a friend who does IT work, and ran the numbers by him. His suggestion based on my plans to use RAID, and all his experience, plus all he has read, was to go with HDD.
Also note, when I priced this system out a few months ago it was around $1600 +drives. 4 850 Evo-series would be another $1600 on top of that. (I'm going to raid no matter what I use. Why? Because I can. What's better than a faster drive? 4 of them!
Plus I'm spoiled to the redundancy factor. And I need the space.)
However, I'm playing with the idea of a 8-drive Raid 10 f2 (far2) setup.

EDIT: Most of the things in "Option 2" have reduced in price since I added it all up.
That is everything from scratch.
And before the RX 480X dropped in price with the release of the RX 580X.
Minus another $50 if I use my Blu-ray burner from the "current" PC.
END EDIT.

Option 3: Wait and build a AMD 16-core Thread-Ripper.

This PC would be identical to the Ryzen except for the CPU/MOBO, and I would definitely run a Vega GPU based card.


This initially sounds good... but I'm looking at a REALLY expensive option here.
Read somewhere that the price would be around $1K. The Vega Video cards have launched non-gaming versions at $1K (!). (EDIT see above about Vega.)
That's $2,000 just for the CPU/GPU... That's a $3,000+ system.

Plus it will be at least 6 months, probably a year before they are released, so there is the "wait" factor.

EDIT: I must have deleted this line when i was editing/spell checking this post...
Spending $3K is NOT an idea that I like... Which would incur more "waiting".


As far as SSDs are concerned, I'm not ready to take the plunge yet. They need to get MUCH cheaper, less prone to total failure do to power loss, and MUCH larger.

So thoughts? Ideas?

Barracuda