PC Building

[scottidoesntkno]

Hello all,

Hope everyone is doing well and just wanted to discuss a topic that is near and dear to me and I am sure it similar for a lot of you here. 

PC building obsession and the need to always improve. I only started back in February just to build a gaming rig and had no idea how much I would get wrapped up in this. I spend an inordinate amount of time checking deals (always AMD, duh) and researching each and every part I am considering putting into my rig. Some of this is just doing due diligences but a big part is the kick I get out of it.

ADD may be a part of it (actually diagnosed and treating not just blowing smoke) but this community is great and intensity of the people in it is infectious. I love watching YouTube videos discussing the newest tech and innovations. I am constantly looking for my next update to the system that will net me a bit of improvement where maybe none is really needed. I play Doom Eternal, Halo Infinite, some Battlefield (2042 when I can get it to function at all) and other similar AAA games that while great aren't super system heavy as far as I am aware.

My only downside with it is obviously cost (haven't gone so far that its a problem) and trying to always maximize performance and then realizing, "hey stupid you are literally only building this to game at 1440p 144hz a few hours a week." 

Haha just wanted to see if any one else has had similar experiences where they have gotten entirely wrapped up in building the perfect system and then realized part way through, at the end of a build, or even right before an intense (and probably unnecessary) purchase that they are creating a monster. A monster that would be great for a professional renderer or an engineer doing model/draft work but that for gaming you went a bit crazy. I have talked myself down from a ton of purchases (CPUs, GPUs, etc...) that would have been awesome and definitely have improved my system but that would really have been way way overkill for my needs and purposes. Innovation is good, but sometimes building a robot that could solve how to open a door is overkill when your hands are perfectly capable of that themselves. (Obviously never built that robot)

I have that all the time.

Just thought I would share. Hope you all are doing well. Look forward to the responses.

Scottidoesnkno... or does he?

[Amber_AMD]

Hey @scottidoesntkno, thanks for this post! It gave me a good laugh because I can totally relate. 

I'm also new to PC building, and PCs in general. I purchased my first pre-built one in October - which I bought to be able to play more games than on my MacBook I used for my old job and Xbox. My partner had a PC built a couple of years ago and ever since I purchased my pre-built one, I wanted to play with parts and hopefully upgrade. 

Fast-forward to this year, I got this job with AMD helping out the Red Team Community. I told @Sam_AMD I really wanted to build one, and he was like let's make it happen. Luckily, I had a lot of parts I was able to repurpose from my old PC. Granted, I was being extra about it and spent HOURS looking at cases, cords, and which is best with what. (And was trying to be cost-efficient at the same time, but trying to get things that I would love long term, and finding out what's essential for me in the build). 

I will say in the end, I deff could have gone cheaper on some things like the cooler or the case - but, I didn't and I'm so glad I didn't because I LOVE my PC. Especially after you use your hands to put it together.. sometimes I just stare at it when I'm in the middle of games and setting up. 

So my two cents - it's worth taking the time, research, and extra dollars to get something you will love. If you can't give the extra money at the time, that's okay! You can always upgrade later when you have the chance. There are still a few things I want to upgrade and get for it, so it's not done yet! 🙂 So after my first build, I can agree that a monster was born haha! 

Glad you're enjoying the Red Team Community - it's great to have you here! 🙂 

[scottidoesntkno]

Thanks Amber! I definitely love my system as well and am not mad about any of my purchases.

It's nice to hear I am not the only one. Figured I wasn't but still interesting to hear other's takes on the obsession that is PC building.

Glad to have found the community. Hope you have a great day!

[Wally_AMD]

I can definitely related to an extent! With my recent build, I was finally able to take it up another level which might've been a bit excessive (things like 32gb of memory, etc.), but to me, it was building a PC that would last me a good while. Sure there will be some upgrades in the future, but for now, I'm content -- especially if my main game is Rocket League... 😅

[red5]

I started in the late 90's as a PC enthusiast, and was always chasing maximum performance. At the time, all of the publications kind of perpetuated the myth that you had to have the BEST hardware to enjoy the best gaming experience. It didn't take me too long (in the grand scheme of things) to realize that most of them were just blowing smoke to maximize revenue for their advertisers. After all, would you be happy if you were paying to advertise your top-end products and the publication constantly suggested mid-range or even entry-level products?  In any case, you'll find a happy medium where you're content with the performance-per-dollar spent. It may just take a couple years LOL

[BigAl01]

You can never keep up with the latest and best hardware, because it keeps coming out so quickly.  The smart thing to do is maximize performance by researching each major component - CPU, GPU, RAM, Motherboard, Storage Devices, etc. that are available at the time of your build.  Also look to the future products that you've heard about but are not yet available, just so you can consider adding them in if they might be compatible with the system you build now.  AMD is going to change things in a big way this fall with the AM5 socket, new CPUs and GPUs.  If you build today, then you need to find some pretty good deals on the hardware since upgrades might be few and far between.

[Sam_AMD]

Red Team = BUILD. PLAY. SHARE. I'm all about it.

I've never purchased a pre-built gaming PC because building a PC from the ground up is very rewarding (and addicting). The exciting part of building a PC for me is the moment when you press the power button for the first time. Can be nerve-wracking yet, fun! When upgrading, say going from 8GB to 32GB, or changing the GPU from the 500 series to the 6000s is by far the most rewarding part. You see, feel the difference...and if you are like me, notice not only the differences in FPS, boot-up speed, and the amount of time it takes for a game to be launched, I appreciate the visual improvements (i.e. lighting, shadows, water and particle effects, no tearing, and the like). 

[Justifier]

Can relate.

This rabbit hole is deep, and there's always a new tunnel to explore when you feel like you've reached the end.

From cases, to fans (my current obsessions), to RGB, watercooling, to custom keyboards, to custom mice, (switches/weight optimization, ergonomics) to custom desks, to custom chairs, *even* custom microphones, there's really no end to how far you can delve into computer stuffs.

It doesn't however have to be an expensive prospect. For sure it can be crazy expensive if you don't play your cards right, but there's also a very significant amount you can accomplish with a drill, a dremel tool, a cheap soldering station and a hot glue gun, and some creativity.

[Justifier]

Just stay away from Audio obsession. There's both no cure and no penny pinching down that avenue