Computer question

[RedWardancer]

My PC has the antiquated GeForce 745 which is just not getting it done with 4.250.  Gameplay is just a bit choppy, recording is impossible.  

 

Upgrade to a 1660 Super?  It's the best I can fit into my PC without having to upgrade the power unit?

Or solve a long term problem with a newer system?  Something with along the lines of 32GB RAM, a 10th generation microprocessor, and at least a GeForce 2070?  

 

With the upcoming stimulus check, it's that, save it for Orlando next year, or just pout and deal with choppy play?  Ok, the last one is NOT an option.

 

[Ssnake]

A new system will be beneficial in many ways. As mentioned in the current poll, fast multi-core CPUs will cut down your scenario and map load times considerably. Up to a factor 30 if you have an old dual core CPU, even if it had a decent clock speed back in the day. Where we can, we'll try to utilize parallel processing better, starting (moderately with 4.0, but with 4.1 and higher the benefits will be stronger).

I recently bought myself a 16-core AMD Ryzen, and I expect it to serve me well for the next years. Currently I favor more cores over the max clock speed, the latest Intel CPUs have entered the "insane inefficiency" zone lately, smells a bit of desperation TBH. That leaves the question of graphics cards. Given the advances that NVidia made with the 30xx family I'm going to skip the RTX 20xx ... but then again, for me it's tax-deductible "business expense" and not just private enjoyment of raw computing power. The bigger question is when the new GPU generation actually becomes available for non-gouging prices. Cryptocurrency mining is the blight of our times.

[RedWardancer]

GPU prices is the killer.  They costs almost as much as the damned computers!  

 

Do you think 32GB RAM is good for next five years?  

[Captain_Colossus]

3 hours ago, RedWardancer said:

Do you think 32GB RAM is good for next five years?  

 

in five years you could ask a similar question: is x good enough. there is no end to that until you convince yourself it is time to play steel beasts

[Gibsonm]

4 hours ago, RedWardancer said:

GPU prices is the killer.  They costs almost as much as the damned computers!  

 

Do you think 32GB RAM is good for next five years?  

 

If you are buying a new motherboard, perhaps get slots for 32GB now and room for a second 32GB (fitted for but not with)? Then you can just add more as required.

 

Or replace them with faster / larger capacity SODIMMs as you need.

 

Edited March 6, 2021 by Gibsonm

[Ssnake]

5 hours ago, RedWardancer said:

GPU prices is the killer.  They costs almost as much as the damned computers!  

Do you think 32GB RAM is good for next five years?  

I found the current AMD Ryzens quite affordable. You get a lot of core for the dollar.

 

Yes, I don't see SB Pro PE requiring more than 32 GByte RAM, or even profiting substantially from it (OK, who knows... but at least that's a design goal, to work well with 8...16 GByte)

[Scrapper_511]

I lucked out that I was able to build two new computers just before prices sky-rocketed and supply became scarce; from Best Buy of all places (I got an MSI 1660 Super in Nov ‘20 for $265). 

 

I’d gladly recommend parts but as others have suggested, it’s just better to wait for prices to come down. However, if you are not building and instead ordering an assembled PC, some may be priced competitively enough. For instance, the latest GPUs are going for around $1000. Now I have seen articles/ads where computers are being sold with these GPUs for not much more than $1000...for the entire computer! I have not checked those out myself but you may want to. 

[Koen]

Hi all,

 

Would these laptops work well enough with SB ?

-> see picture below

 

NB I’m getting more & more dumb for anything about laptops, system requirements etc ... Hence the question.

Thank you !

 

 

[stormrider_sp]

8 hours ago, Koen said:

Hi all,

 

Would these laptops work well enough with SB ?

-> see picture below

 

NB I’m getting more & more dumb for anything about laptops, system requirements etc ... Hence the question.

Thank you !

 

 

Yes, you can get away with it, but for the price, do you really want to spend all that on low tier systems? IMO, they are not worth the price. These are really hard times for buying PCs. Do it only if you really need to and, do you really need a laptop?

 

[Ssnake]

The (few) specs given appear sufficient.

 

As mentioned, "while sufficient", the GTX 1650 isn't exactly the performance highlight of this system (and frankly, for the same price, AMD currently offers CPUs with a lot more cores than Intel, which should be interesting for SB Pro in the coming years; for now four are good enough, but if you plan to use the notebook for five, six years or more, there's that temptation to think about alternatives with a bit more growth potential; Ryzen 4000 and 5000 are pretty sweet from a performance-to-price ratio).

The biggest challenge right now is to find a decent graphics card at recommended retail prices. The recent spike in Bitcoin prices has made mining with the latest graphics card generations financially viable again, so the Bitcoin miners are absorbing nearly the entire graphics card production with predictable results in availability, and price level.

The madness will stop with the nest Bitcoin price crash, but when that will happen is anyone's guess.

[stormrider_sp]

49 minutes ago, Ssnake said:

The madness will stop with the nest Bitcoin price crash, but when that will happen is anyone's guess.

Will that happened before the world's energy generation grid collapses or a result of it?

[Grenny]

I'm planning to get a PC with a Nvidia 3070 currently.

Worth the hefty price?

[stormrider_sp]

1 minute ago, Grenny said:

I'm planning to get a PC with a Nvidia 3070 currently.

Worth the hefty price?

Very good benchmarks, but are you willing to spend over a grand on a product that should cost no more than 400€? I'd say, unless you're a young adult living with your parents and financially supported by the government, no.

Edited March 29, 2021 by stormrider_sp

[Ssnake]

For the "suggested retail price" both Nvidias RTX 3060, 3070, 3080, even the 3090 as well as AMDs RX 6700 and 6800 are relatively attractive; the final choice coming down to the question how much extra money you're willing to pay for extra performance.

My gut feeling is that more VRAM is more important for longevity (as relative and loose this term should be understood in the field of consumer electronics). This might make some of the seemingly lower 30x0 models more attractive. Given the choice I'd pick an 8GByte model over a 6GByte of a one notch higher tier in a heartbeat. A 12GByte 3060 vs an 8 GByte 3090? Welllllll...

 

The real problem is finding any of these at or close to the suggested retail price.

[Grenny]

29 minutes ago, Ssnake said:

 A 12GByte 3060 vs an 8 GByte 3090?

 

 

the question is more between a 12GB 3060 and a 8GB 3070

[Ssnake]

I haven't  yet SEEN 3090 models with more than 6 GByte. But admittedly, I didn't bother looking very hard in the last months given the overall futility.

[stormrider_sp]

If VRAM is what's being looked at, AMD cards have the clear advantage starting at 12GB up to 16GB GDDR6, respectively 6700xt up to 6900xt. If real time ray tracing is of concern, then Nvidia is the choice. Also, for lower-mid end CPUs, AMD GPU seems to do a better job; something related to nvidia's rumored overhead problem. Knowing that, for me, with an AMD R5 3600 cpu, to upgrade my 1070ti, the obvious choice would be either a RX 6800 or 6700xt, if only I could afford one. In the end I know I'll have to continue scavenging ebay for very used 1080ti or 2080s series if I am to ever upgrade it while unemployed.

 

Some food for thought:

 

 

 

 

 

[Ssnake]

Hard to say what the trend in computer games graphics will be. For eSim Games realtime raytracing is not a priority, as long as its use cases are restricted to gimmick effects. But there's always something that you can do with more video RAM.

[Galileo]

The intel graphic card DG2 is coming this year with a nice price range, I just wait for the performances.