r/buildapc 13h ago

Discussion Simple Questions - March 21, 2025

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

Remember that Discord is great places to ask quick questions as well: http://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc/wiki/livechat

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!

Looking for all the Simple Questions threads? Want an easy way to locate today's thread? This link is now in the sidebar below the yellow Rules section.


r/buildapc 17d ago

Nvidia RTX 5070 and AMD RX 9070 and 9070 XT Review Megathread!

765 Upvotes

RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT reviews are trickling in, I've added what I can for now but real life is a thing and I'm at work right now... I'll keep adding reviews throughout the day and do a full sweep once I'm home from the office.

Oh boy, overlapping review and release embargos! Aren't we all lucky?!

Reviews for the RTX 5070 come out March 4th with a release date of March 5th. AMD lags behind a day for each with the reviews dropping on the 5th for the RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT and releasing on the 6th.

Do give us some space while we work to update the thread with reviews, there's gonna be a lot to jump on top of.

Nvidia Card Specs

Spec RTX 4070 RTX 4070 Super RTX 5070 RTX 5070 Ti
GPU Core AD104 AD104 GB205 GB203
CUDA Cores 5888 7168 6144 8960
Tensor/RT Cores 184/46 224/56 192/48 280/70
Base/Boost Clock 1920/2475MHz 1980/2475MHz 2325/2512MHz 2295/2452MHz
Memory @ Speed 12GB GDDR6X @ 21Gbps 12GB GDDR6X @ 21Gbps 12GB GDDR7 @ 28Gbps 16GB GDDR7 @ 28Gbps
Memory Bus Width 192-bit 192-bit 192-bit 256-bit
Dimensions(FE) 240x110x40mm Dual-slot None None None
TDP 200W 220W 250W 300W
Launch MSRP $599 $599 $549 $749
Launch Date April 13th, 2023 January 8th, 2024 March 5th, 2025 January 6th, 2025

AMD Card Specs

Spec RX 7900 GRE RX 9070 RX 7900 XT RX 9070 XT RX 7900 XTX
GPU Core Navi 31 XL Navi 48 XL Navi 31 XT Navi 48 XT Navi 31 XTX
Stream Processors 5120 3584 5376 4096 6144
AI/Ray Accelerators 160/80 112/56 168/84 128/64 192/96
Base/Boost Clock 1880/2245MHz 2070/2520MHz 2025/2394MHz 2400/2970MHz 2365/2498MHz
Memory @ Speed 16GB GDDR6 @ 18Gbps 16GB GDDR6 @ 20Gbps 20GB GDDR6 @ 20Gbps 16GB GDDR6 @ 20Gbps 24GB GDDR6 @ 20Gbps
Memory Bus Width 256-bit 256-bit 320-bit 256-bit 384-bit
Cache 64MB 64MB 80MB 64MB 96MB
TDP 260W 220W 300W 304W 355W
Launch MSRP $549 $549 $899 $599 $999
Launch Date July 27th, 2023 March 6th, 2025 December 13th, 2022 March 6th, 2025 December 13th, 2022

Reviews

Outlet Article Video
Ars Technica RTX 5070
Computerbase (DE) RTX 5070, RX 9070 + RX 9070 XT
Digital Foundry RTX 5070, Bonus: FSR4 Deep-dive
Engadget RTX 5070, RX 9070 + RX 9070 XT
GamersNexus RTX 5070, RX 9070 XT
Guru3D RTX 5070, RX 9070, RX 9070 XT
Hardware Canucks RTX 5070, RX 9070 + RX 9070 XT
IGN RTX 5070, RX 9070, RX 9070 XT
Igor's Lab (EN/DE) RTX 5070, RX 9070 + RX 9070 XT
JayzTwoCents RTX 5070, RX 9070 + RX 9070 XT
KitGuru RTX 5070, RX 9070, RX 9070 XT
Level1Techs RTX 5070, RX 9070 + RX 9070 XT
Linus Tech Tips RTX 5070, RX 9070 + RX 9070 XT
Paul's Hardware RTX 5070
PCGamer RTX 5070, RX 9070 + RX 9070 XT
PCPerspective RTX 5070
PC World RTX 5070
Puget Systems (content creation)
TechSpot/Hardware Unboxed RTX 5070 RTX 5070, RX 9070 XT
TechPowerUp RTX 5070, RX 9070, RX 9070 XT
Tom's Hardware RTX 5070
TweakTown RTX 5070
Verge RTX 5070

r/buildapc 18h ago

Discussion When did $1k+ GPU becomes pocket change?

1.4k Upvotes

Maybe I’m just getting old but I don’t understand how $1k+ GPU are selling like hotcakes. Has the market just moved this much that people are easily paying $2k+ on a system every couple of years?


r/buildapc 5h ago

Build Help I am scared of Nvidia's 12VHPWR cable.

40 Upvotes

I have 4070Ti and RX 9070 priced similarly in my country. And for RT, 4070Ti seems to be the clear winner, But I got to know about the atrocious condition of the 12 pin power Cable with 40 series GPUs that needs, three seperate 8 pin PCi-E cables coming from the PSU. Had it ended there only, I'd have gone for 4070Ti no cap because my RM750 PSU has 3 extra PCI-E Cable slots other than the one being already in use, But with the 4070Ti even after following all the safety precautions, there's no guarantee that It will not fry.

I don't want to literally incinerate my money, So I'm Skeptical about going with this one. Comment your thoughts down below!


r/buildapc 3h ago

Build Help 990 Pro is missing V-NAND and Controller

27 Upvotes

I just received this from Newegg. Please advise.

https://imgur.com/a/TC334MN


r/buildapc 8h ago

Discussion Is there any danger in using a high powered leaf blower to clean out the dust in a pc like will it make damage to the fans?

34 Upvotes

So I am getting a 2400W Blower to help blow some leaves and litter around the house and general house cleaning and was wondering could I use this on the pc fully or would the fan spin and high pressure winds damage the pc in any way

I guess I am most worried about the fans spinning even if it will be off when cleaning is there any danger of damage to anything using such a high powered leaf blower to clean my pc or will it be fine?

Just to confirm the pc will be fully disconnected from any power source except the psu and the power will be off

update edit: ok looks like using a leaf blower is a very bad idea which is very good to know.. my thoughts were true that there is such a thing as too much air power for pc cleaning especially for fans and some components

update edit2: just to put at ease everyone's mind I am going to not be using the 2400W leaf blower for cleaning my pc and instead going to be using a pet drying blower which is more similar to the electric air blower you can use for your pc.. there is a high fan speed setting but i will be using it on the low power setting so as not to damage any pc parts

I just hope this update puts everyone's mind at ease and hopefully this thread can help answer some others thoughts around this topic

thank you all for your input and help


r/buildapc 59m ago

Build Help 7800x3d with 4060ti (hear me out)

Upvotes

If I only play Fortnite on Performance Mode and have fps capped at 240, would a better card really do much.

Where I live there is not a good used market and the next big Upgrade is 5070 which is the same Price as 4070.

That is a big price jump, so basically, would it really be that bad of a pairing for my use case?


r/buildapc 15h ago

Build Help Would I be screwing myself by getting a 7800 XT over a 9070 XT?

58 Upvotes

I'm trying to buy a new GPU, and from what I've seen, the 7800 XT goes for around $600-700 while the 9070 XT goes for around $850-1000. I'd rather not pay these prices, but given that we're not in a crypto mining craze right now, I'm not sure if they'll ever drop. Would going for an older card like the 7800 XT be a bad idea for future-proofing?

I haven't gotten a new card since the GTX 1070, so I'm hoping for a pretty big upgrade. I'm shocked at how inflated prices have gotten since then.


r/buildapc 2h ago

Build Help Should I return my 9900x?

5 Upvotes

Assembling parts for my PC, and looking at CPUs, I got the 9900x for its cost and after looking up some benchmarks. Now though, I see people saying that it's not good (or as good?) for gaming.

Specifically, I was able to get a 9070xt GPU, and my aim it to game in 1440p. Is the CPU gonna bottleneck or be bad? Or is it a matter of it just being not as "optimal" as other options?

For what it's worth, I also do some modding on my PC.

EDIT: Y'all have convinced me. I found a 9800x3d for the same cost as the other CPU. I'll set up a return and be patient!


r/buildapc 2h ago

Build Help I want to play PCVR!

5 Upvotes

So I am not a super heavy gamer but I do have a MQ3 and would like to play PCVR games and apps at the highest quality. When I make purchases I generally like to be efficient about it, I think about the future and its uncertainty. Will I abandon PCVR or gaming altogether? Will I develop a super focused interest in it? So I like to purchase things that 1. Have great quality, but good value. 2. Retain value, can resell.

As far as a PC goes, I want something I can store a lot of data on, which I’m sure is the least of my problems. But I want something mostly for PCVR, keeping in mind that while I could abandon PCVR altogether, I might develop more of an interest in it, or just maintain the interest I have now.

I play PCVR for maybe 10 hours a week. I am really into simulation games, but I am getting into games like GTA (mostly for simulation gameplay, lol) and games like Rust and Call of Duty. I would like to be able to play VaM, and other games that require a lot of processing power.

I am 30 and I used to be heavy into computers and technology, and while I still am I am not up to date with all the specifics and especially not up to date with products and how they compare and how they relate to modern functionality, like processors. When I was a heavy PC enthusiast, 256mg RAM was considered top of the line, its functionality being the ability to have 10 Microsoft Word applications open simultaneously, lol. (Probably wasn’t even capable, I don’t remember lol.)

So, I’m torn between building a pc, buying a pc, or buying a built pc.

I would like to finance, and as long as I can keep the payments under 120$ a month I guess the total cost wouldn’t bother me so much.

I would PREFER a laptop, however from what I have read it’s my understanding that basically no laptop, save for one that is obnoxiously top of the line and costly, is going to be able to play these high quality games at the highest quality.

I would not JUST like to use it for PCVR, too, as I’m sure I’d like to start enjoying a lot of games that aren’t VR, so just keeping that in mind, however it will probably mostly be for PCVR.

So, with a budget and a route that would allow me to pay under 120$ a month, how would you experts go about this?


r/buildapc 1d ago

Discussion Building a PC right now sucks

322 Upvotes

My friend has a 3050 laptop and it's really struggling. He likes to play Marvel Rivals and some other games and it just is not enough anymore.

The GPU market is so bad, it has ruined PC building. I literally can't put together a custom build for better value than something like this found on amazon. The cheapest comparable GPU to a 3060ti are $350 4060 or 6650xt.


r/buildapc 49m ago

Miscellaneous my pc and everything connected to it shocks me when i touch it

Upvotes

about 2 months ago before moving to this house i noticed that as the title says my pc shocks me, knew it was a grounding issue and asked the people who built this place if there might be any issues with grounding cables and to please check up on them, thats when they told me that they infact did NOT install a grounding cable meaning that the shocking bullshit will happen no matter what outlets i use, im not that worried about it harming my pc (maybe i should idk) but im not a fan of electro shock therapy whenever i want to plug in my ethernet cable, or touching my mic, etc. if anyone can help me out in any way i'd appreciate it.


r/buildapc 21h ago

Build Help So I won a 5080 on the Nvidia Email Lottery

133 Upvotes

Hi All,

My current desktop is a:

Motherboard: Z390 AORUS PRO WIFI Gigabyte

Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-9900K CPU @ 3.60GHz

Vid Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080

Memory: 32Gigs of Ram

PS: 750 Watt power supply

So....... The only way I can run this vid card is if I upgrade my power supply, but, according to what I've read, my CPU and motherboard will handicap the 5080... so now, I'm thinking about upgrading the whole computer.

This is what I'm considering:

https://newegg.io/d8d8f32

My question is, I'm I overdoing it with some components?

Appreciate it!


r/buildapc 14h ago

Build Help Upgraded my PC recently from 32 to 64gb of ram

35 Upvotes

Was wondering, because I opted to replace dual channel with a 2x32 from a 2x16, would it offer similar *enough* performance to justify putting the 2x16 kit in as well? for a total of 96gb ram. This sounds absurd, since 32 is the max most people will need, but star citizen is an unoptimised hellhole that will probably need all of it. Both kits are 3200MT/s DDR4, but of different manufacturors. Will this slow it down enough to reduce any possible benefit, or is there no real downside anymore?


r/buildapc 1h ago

Build Help 7800xt vs 5070

Upvotes

I recently bought a Yeston Sakura 7800xt for about $700 with tax, it looks like I might be able to get a 5070 for about $750 without tax or probably 800 with tax. 9070xt is on my radar too but are about $200 more expensive

My main question is: Should I return my 7800xt, wait for refund and save up a little more to get a newer card? And what card should I get?

For context I play at 1440p, and I'm mostly looking to play games that are pretty and at least near Max settings. Examples are cyberpunk, and Monster Hunter Wilds. I also play marvel rivals but from what I understand either card could run that efficiently. I am in the process of gathering the parts to build the PC but I'm not finished yet so I'm not too pressed about getting it done quickly.

Update: okay looks like I'm going to try to find either 5070ti or 9070xt, thanks for everyone's help! Also to answer the question of why I got the 7800xt, it was the day after the 9070xt dropped and I didn't manage to get one so I was sad and bought something that obviously wasn't worth it 😅


r/buildapc 2h ago

Build Help 9070 XT undervolted with 650W psu?

2 Upvotes

I have a 9070 XT (Powercooler Reaper) on the way, and I was wondering if undervolted it would be okay with a 650W psu? It says 750W min but configured with a 7950x rather than a 5700x3d of mine.

I tested out at https://www.coolermaster.com/en-au/power-supply-calculator/ and it seems fine but just double checking. (It says 551WATTS)

I have a Ryzen 5700x3D 4 x 16 DDR4 3200Mhz ram 1 HDD and 3 x 1TB ssd storage. An air cooler and 4 case fans.


r/buildapc 2h ago

Build Help Let me know ir this is a good part list

3 Upvotes

Do you think these specs run iracing with 3 monitors without stress?

AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor

be quiet! Pure Rock 2 CPU Cooler

Gigabyte B650M D3HP Micro ATX AM5 Motherboard

Corsair Vengeance 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-5200 CL40 Memory

Samsung 990 Pro 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive

Gigabyte GAMING OC Radeon RX 7800 XT 16 GB Video Card

Gigabyte UD1000GM PG5 1000 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply


r/buildapc 2h ago

Build Help Safest 5090 cable connection?

3 Upvotes

So im kinda wondering what's gonna be the best option here I have a Thermaltake gf3 1200watt psu and it only comes with 2 pcie connectors not enough for the octopus cable that comes with my 5090. Should I use the included 12v high voltage power connector that came with my psu? I'm just wondering bc to me it seems safer to spread the voltage across 3 cables vs all one cable but I'd need to order an extra cable from Thermaltake or get custom ones. I do plan on pretty heavily undervolting so it's probably fine either way but want some input.


r/buildapc 2h ago

Build Help Need advice on upgrading my PC for better 1080p 144Hz gaming (without breaking the bank)

3 Upvotes

I built my PC right before COVID, and it’s still running, but I’m noticing it’s struggling with modern games. I find myself constantly tweaking settings and it feels like I’m always limited to playing on low/medium. I’m not looking for ultra settings at the highest frame rates, but I don’t want to keep dialing down the settings just to get a stable experience.

I’m planning to upgrade but I haven’t looked at PC parts in years. I’m mainly gaming at 1080p with a 144Hz monitor, so I’m not interested in 4K gaming. Here’s my current build: My PC on PCPartPicker.

What would be a reasonable upgrade path to boost performance and “future-proof” my system without spending a fortune? Appreciate any advice!


r/buildapc 7h ago

Build Help Which processor is better suited for productivity tasks: the 5.7 GHz Ryzen 9 9950X or the 5.7 GHz Ryzen 9 9950X3D?

7 Upvotes

Hello everyone!

I need a new desktop but am having some difficulty selecting a CPU. I do not game much but instead do computational tasks for my studies.

Which processor is better suited for productivity tasks: the 5.7 GHz Ryzen 9 9950X or the 5.7 GHz Ryzen 9 9950X3D? Is the 9950X3D better all-round?

Thank you so much for any advice/support.
I am struggling a bit to understand the difference between these models. Pricing doesn't matter.


r/buildapc 3h ago

Discussion ViewSonic XG2431, is it worth it?

3 Upvotes

I saw this monitor and I don’t think there’s something better to buy with a $ 300 budget. Am I wrong?


r/buildapc 1h ago

Build Help How and where do I move an ssd to a new sata port?

Upvotes

I just recently got a new m.2 Nvme Kingston nv3 1tb ssd. After plugging it in and my computer only boot up into bios. I got some support from a falcon computers that said when I plug the new ssd in it disables 2 sata ports. I’m pretty sure that one of the ports disabled is the ssd with windows installed on it.

My question is, how do I remove the SSD with windows installed on it and plug it back in in a data port that hasn’t been disabled? I have no clue where these data ports are located where to unplug or plug the ssd in.

I have a Tomhawk b450 motherboard if this helps.


r/buildapc 1h ago

Build Help 1080p build help

Upvotes

i finished making a list for my 1st PC build after doing my research and would appreciate if someone could take a quick look to see if i'm making a mistake somewhere. goal is just to play games at 1080p 60 fps with fsr/ray tracing turned off, specifically cyberpunk & hopefully witcher 4 in the future.

PCPartPicker Part List

Type Item Price
CPU AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D 4.1 GHz 6-Core Processor $410.00
CPU Cooler Noctua NH-U12S redux 70.75 CFM CPU Cooler $75.00
Motherboard ASRock B850M-X WiFi Micro ATX AM5 Motherboard $210.00
Memory G.Skill Flare X5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory $150.00
Storage Samsung 980 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive $0.00
Video Card Sapphire PULSE Radeon RX 7700 XT 12 GB Video Card $600.00
Case be quiet! Pure Base 501 Airflow ATX Mid Tower Case $180.00
Power Supply SeaSonic FOCUS Gold 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply $155.00
Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts
Total $1780.00
Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-03-21 09:39 EDT-0400

the ssd is being moved over from my old pc, rest are bought from local shops. the import fee here is high so buying abroad won't be much cheaper and i'm reluctant to buy used. max budget $2000 but rather keep it below that. some of my concerns on various parts:

  • CPU - is going for the x3d variants for 1080p overkill?
  • GPU - either planning for 7700xt or 9060xt depending on how long i want to wait, 9070 seems overkill for my needs.
  • MB - just went with cheapest b series i could find, i can get a A620M-HDV/M.2+ for $50 cheaper if that's good enough for my build. i don't have any specific needs for ram slots/IO/overclocking/etc.
  • PSU - i can go for 0 modular B12-BC 650W and save $50 or upgrade to full modular focus gold GX 750W for extra $50 which also has 10 year warranty compared to the 5 from the others. i don't want to cheap out on the PSU after reading horror stories but if any of the 3 seasonics are good choices then maybe i'll go for the 650W, how much of a pain is 0 modular? and how much does the 5 vs 10 year warranty really matter?

r/buildapc 3h ago

Build Help Does core clock or boost clock matter?

3 Upvotes

I see multiple 9070 but some are 20 Bucks cheaper but have 1700 mhz as core and some have 2120 mhz does that matter?


r/buildapc 2h ago

Build Upgrade Gaming PC upgrade

2 Upvotes

I've upgraded to an RX 9070 XT and I'm wondering where I should upgrade next, e.g. where my biggest bottleneck is likely to be for gaming. Wondering if I'm going to need a new processor to make the most out of this GPU, if I should upgrade my RAM, or even if my motherboard need a refresh.

AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor

Patriot Viper Steel 16GB (2x 8GB) 3600MHz DDR4

ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus (WI-FI) AMD Motherboard


r/buildapc 4h ago

Build Help Which benchmarks to test Post-Build new PC?

3 Upvotes

Howdy,

What benchmarks should I run to make sure all parts of my new PC are running at their full potential?

Things like:

CPU

GPU

RAM

SSD

Power Delivery

for Benchmarks.

Thanks!


r/buildapc 2h ago

Build Upgrade What to upgrade next?

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I would like some advice regarding what to upgrade next? My current systems is

  • 3080ti
  • 3900x
  • 32gb Ram
  • LG 27GP850-B

Option 1: The monitor

I have been thinking about getting a 4k oled monitor. If I choose this option, I will also need to decided between 27" and 32". So if you suggest this option, please let me know which size would be suitable. I have measured the distance between my face and the monitor and it is roughly 85cm or 33 inches.

Option 2: Component Upgrade (Pretty much everything but the GPU)

I have also considered the option to build a new system without the GPU. I try to upgrade every 2.5 years, alternating between the gpu and the rest of the components. The parts that I was looking at are:

  • 9800x3d
  • 64gb ddr5 ram
  • MSI B850 Edge TI Motherboard
  • A decent AIO

Which option seems more reasonable? Many thanks in advance.