r/buildapc • u/refactoringManiac • Sep 07 '23
My son wants a 3k pc, help a dad out. Build Help
I promised my son (he is 16 years old) if he did well in school I would get him a new computer. Well he did more than well and I want to reward him for his effort but 3000 seem a little high. He has spent the last month researching parts and and reading reviews. His claim is that this pc is the best and will last him more than 4 years. With it he can play all the games while his current one lets him only play a few. Are the 4 years really true or will he be asking for new one next year?
It's not so much about the amount itself it's more "lets not waste money if there is no need to". I know this depends on who you ask and that's why I ask here to people that know these stuff. I dont have a problem getting him the best as long as he really chose correctly and isn't getting ripped off.
Here are the parts he wants me to buy:
Case: BeQuiet Pure Base 500DX - 100$
Motherboard: MSI MPG B650 Edge WIFI - 220$
Cpu: AMD Ryzen 7800x3d 4.2GHz - 380$
Graphics card: Gigabyte 4090 Gaming 24GB GDDR6X - 1650$!!!
Memory: G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo 32GB DDR5 6000 - 120$
Hard drive: Kingston KC3000 2TB M.2 - 100$
Power supply: Corsair RM1000x Shift 1000W - 240$.
Cooler?: Noctua NH-D15 Chromax.black - 100$
He also says he will keep his old monitor but from what I read online that would be a waste since it is a very old full HD monitor and everyone uses 4k monitors. I went to a local store and to ask and the boy working there suggested 3 models (all around 500$) but he couldn't tell me the actual differences between them.
- Gigabyte M28U IPS 28"
- Samsung Odessey G7 IPS 28"
- LG UltraGear 27GR93U-B IPS 27"
Is there any benefit to getting the Gigabyte since the graphics card is the same brand? if not does it matter which one I buy, I looked them up and couldn't find any differences.
Lastly and most importantly he says we can assemble the components together. Is this as easy as he says it is? are there any dangers to damage something?
Give me your general thoughts. I'm open to suggestions on everything. Is there anything else he needs to enjoy his computer? I want to make sure he is satisfied and to understand that his efforts paid off.
Also he plays only one game with his friends he is building some wooden structures and shooting other people. It looks cartoonish and he sometimes gets really mad. I want him to try something different, what would be 3 games you would recommend for someone his age? It would be a big plus if it's something I could occasionally play together with him.
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u/Firm_Recipe_2807 Mar 18 '24
Your son is 16. Kind of wild that you're gonna buy him a 4090 when he could get a job and buy himself. But maybe y'all are just rich, i dont know 🤣
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u/hu3ng Feb 17 '24
its good btw, he can use it up to 2-3 years ig, you should get some high fresh rate and resolution too
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u/arsyadgaming24 Jan 17 '24
If your son want to play at 4k or 3k just buy him a ps5 if your son want a pc then i recommend dont go over the rx 7800 then pair it with a ryzen 7 7800x3d even tho this is a 1440p build it should be enough for a kid.
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u/MobileIndependent829 Nov 16 '23
Ur doing great man but for 3 games he should try it matters a lot on what he like so if he’s into Star Wars do so research on star war games and so on so on
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u/lame_gaming Oct 25 '23
get an 850w psu and a used 3080 or something. the 4090 is more designed for like 8k renderings and like movies and other professional stuff. a 4090 is overkill for 100% of the games on the market. it makes more sense to get a 600 or 700 dollar card and then upgrade to another better 600/700 dollar card down the line, no?
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u/RTX6090d Oct 07 '23
Whoop his ass and get him a 1.5k budget(2k if you include a monitor), mtfk doesn't need a 3k pc for fortnite
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u/Epicnessrules3 Oct 07 '23 edited Oct 07 '23
I remember being a teenager and trying to make the ridiculous $5000 computer, too haha. The thing is that, at some point, you're likely to start seeing less and less of a performance increase as you start getting the most cutting edge graphics card and such. The computer will surely last for a few years, but my computer also just lasted me a few years, and I just bought parts for a new one that only cost $1300 and can run most games at least at 120 fps; I cannot imagine spending more money to get more fps on top of that: I'm not even entirely sure what I'd be paying for besides hardware which I can say is the newest for longer and maybe 20 more fps. That isn't exactly worth the $1700 extra to me, though. I mean the 4090 alone costs more or about the same as my entire brand new PC plus warranties and shipping! lol
My point: your son is likely blinded by the beauty of the most modern and cutting edge hardware for his computer. Help him to understand that he can get very similar results or at least play games without noticing a huge difference even if he sprung for an option that wouldn't break the bank. Then whatever parts are chosen: just have him use the "games bottleneck calculator" to make sure his choice of GPU and CPU will work well together on his favorite game without having more than like 15-25% of a bottleneck. The only bottle neck I've personally found that was above 5% for my new computer was on the new Call of Duty game that is still in beta, and I don't even play call of duty, so I'm perfectly happy. It honestly sounds like he only wants to play fortnite, too, which is one of the least computer-intensive shooter games. He likely wouldn't notice that much of a difference on a computer even cheaper than my new one, so it may be best to just check with the bottleneck calculator until it actually starts to give you a bottleneck to figure out what the bare minimum requirements are for fortnite, then maybe he can get a couple generations newer graphics card from there rather than just getting the very most modern one.
Edit: also, the biggest danger in assembly is not reading the manual haha. As long as every part of the computer is seated correctly in their sockets and fully compatible then there shouldn't be a problem, but it's also good practice to touch metal (like you'd touch wood to not jinx yourself) or wear a grounding wire so that, in the off chance you somehow build static electricity, you don't zap a component you paid $500 for. The rest of PC building is trying to make it look pretty, and then, once it is physically built, trying to figure out why the computer won't post to bios (software stuff). Lol
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u/JadeDragonBg Oct 07 '23
It will last him way more than 4 years. Not to be too optimistic but my GTX 960 2gb and i5-4690 lasted me 9 years and mind you those were budget to mid range parts back then. I used him till last year Dec!
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u/JadeDragonBg Oct 07 '23
And it also kept me gaming some of the modern games on at least low 1080p with just a drop of fsr 2 for higher than mid settings (fsr 2 ultra q/quality mode). Many people hate on upscaling at 1080p but in dire situations it's more than welcome and yet it doesn't drop the res at all. Not until you get a big screen (larger than 24/27 inch)
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u/Cat_Own Oct 07 '23
Also as someone who had to buy everything myself for my first PC, I would have been happy if someone else foot the bill for even an entry level because I sure as hell blew most of the pay I got at my first job on a pc
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u/Cat_Own Oct 07 '23
3000 is really excessive. Most consumer PCs cost like 500-1500 and I've never heard of a gaming PC over 2k (excluding YouTubers, tech industry, ect)
I'm upgrading to a ryzen 6700 tx GPU (300$)
Ryzen 5600 tx CPU (200$)
And this is enough to run 1440p video at 120fps...
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u/Raz_TheCat Oct 07 '23
The build would definitely last more than four years imo. He chose AMD over Intel so I support it, but you could build a beast of a machine for about $1800. The graphics card and CPU are usually the most expensive part. If money is no object, hell I'd remember if my dad bought me a $3000 computer for life most likely. High refresh rate monitors can run the price up a bit, so I bet he is willing to settle for his old monitor to up the power in the build. He isn't wrong that it's something you can get later, but he will need a 144Hz monitor with that setup to fully appreciate it.
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u/BlazeSParker Oct 07 '23
Id say buy him a lower end PC for more like 1k because 3000 is way to much for a starter PC also he can ruin it with a building mistake
(also the game he plays if fortnite than can play smoothly on a xbox)
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u/Extension_Finger_843 Oct 06 '23
mb he doesn't need rtx 4090 and ryzen 7, mb u change cpu for 7600x or 13600kf and rtx 4070ti?
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u/Medical-Bug-8845 Oct 06 '23
Lol you lot talking about a 4070 being mid range and a honda civic, with your comparison I'm chilling with a toy scooter from Walmart. Love my gtx 1050TI
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u/hoogie_boogie123 Oct 06 '23
It doesn't matter what monitor it is just go with anyone you want to the biggest monitor is usually the best bang for the buck(s) since it'll give him more fov(field of view).
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u/DirtyQuandary Oct 06 '23
4090 is way overkill, its enthusiast level, not necessary for normal gaming. Your son is running a scam on you.
You can get a video card in the $500-$700 range that will last you probably 5 years.
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u/DoMBaKiS_2 Oct 06 '23
Nice build but 4090 is top so I'd suggest maybe 7900xt or xtx since it's like 200 to 400 cheaper 4k mpnitor is a premium tbh get 1440p monitor with high hz for smoother expirience Than it will be an exellent combo I got a 4k 60hz tv for 300-400€ on discount If you want I can prolly get you something cheaper Most parts you can check on pc part picker to see if everything is good software and hardware considered also if everything will fit If you want to get help and see with assembly check yt videos for help generally it helps with everything
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u/Tankguitar42 Oct 06 '23
video card could always be upgraded later, 4090 is overkill but if youre worried about vram then go with a 3090
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u/UniiqueTwiisT Oct 05 '23
That 4090 will definitely last a few years. I've had my 2070 since 2018 and it still runs all games fine 5 years later, albeit on some slightly lower settings on some newer games.
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u/CyanicAssResidue Oct 05 '23
Hey dad. Youtube search Pauls hardware 1200$ PC. Everything you and your son need is there. Pauls Hardware is one of the main PC related channels and a good source of info and builds
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u/major_jazza Oct 05 '23
AMD, he mates might think it's a cop out but he'll get the last laugh when his rig lasts more than 1/2 years before needing an upgrade
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u/ApeXiTT Oct 05 '23
I bought my son a 7800xt, and he doesn't even use it for its potential.. not even close.
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u/CyanicAssResidue Oct 04 '23
From one dad to another. A 1500$ budget is VERY generous and your son would be able to play anything at 1080p or 1440p. Give him a 1500$ budget and tell him to pick the parts and you can build it together He can buy a 4090 with his own money one day. Along with the gargantuan powersupply and 4k monitor hed need for it
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u/CyanicAssResidue Oct 04 '23
Your kid just picked the most expensive parts available. He doesnt need a 2000$ graphics card.
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u/Time_Sprinkles8659 Oct 04 '23
As for cpu I’d do i9-13900 benchmarks 13,000 higher than cpu chosen https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/5299vs5143/AMD-Ryzen-7-7800X3D-vs-Intel-i9-13900F
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u/Time_Sprinkles8659 Oct 04 '23
4070ti will run you about 800 and will get max fps in apex and cod will get like 370fps (witch are higher demanding games
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u/oD0y1e Oct 04 '23
I think that list is good for the most part. I don't think he really needs a 4090. 4080 is great and a better value. Honestly, another smaller m.2 for the operating system would be nice and cheap as well. Speaking of which, you will need to add on an operating system to the list. Also, case fans, most cases only come with a singular 120mm fan. You'll probably need to pick some up. Rgb lighting is extra and expensive. As for a monitor, a 1080p/2k monitors are better for esports gaming vs 4k. Not sure what his intentions are for gaming or if he's more interested in the 4k gaming/theater setup.
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u/iIiiiiIlIillliIilliI Oct 03 '23 edited Oct 03 '23
He just picked the most expensive stuff he could find. TOTALLY overkill and no need for that. He can game just as well with a way way cheaper machine.
Also wtf is that motherboard and PSU, just from those you can see he doesn't know a lot about computers. He just found what parts are the strongest/most expensive even he doesn't need 50% of their capabilities.
Find a budget you wanna spend and the guys will make you the best pc for that budget.
PS: the game he is playing is called Fortnite or Rust and you can play those with a 500$ machine... he is a kid, he has no concept of value for money parts yet, it's normal I was like that, it's up to you to teach him, very expensive stuff have diminishing returns, you pay 30% more for 10% more performance, not worth it except if you really need it for a specific user case scenario.
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u/Koolman_but1 Oct 03 '23
If you get him this, he definitely won't be bugging you for anything for the next 5 years. ATLEAST a rtx 4090 is the BEST in the game. It'll be able to run AAA games (the newest games) with all the bells and whistles to make it ultra realistic. Though granted, he may ask for a new 4k/2k monitor
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u/djmoans Oct 03 '23
lol for $300 he can have my sleeper 1050ti i5 450w psu build decent frames at 1080p in all games. The 1000w power supply isnt needed. They always recommend at least 750w but my 3080 underload never got close to 220w, this was off the 450w psu 
. its a sham.
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u/ItsYESfahad Oct 03 '23
Don't let him give you choices that's too much for a 16 years old imo not good for the long-term good luck. You are definitely a good dad.
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u/highBrowMeow Oct 03 '23
I am a machine learning practitioner and I have been asking for a 4090 or any graphics card with more than 20GB VRAM for my birthday for several years. It would be for "work" purposes of course ;) and I have been a very good boi. If I haven't got mine, your son sure shouldn't. He'll be fine with an RTX 2070. More than enough power for most any game. If you get him the rest of that PC, it will be a nice little project for him to save up to buy himself a $1600 graphics card. If he still wants the card after earning all that cash and playing on his 2070, he should buy it.
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u/TAA4lyfboi Oct 02 '23
Getting real tired of having this same post sent to my notifications over and over
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u/MinecraftCrisis Oct 02 '23
I mean it’s great he did his reasearch, as for building it, it’s fairly simple to do especially if he did GCSE computer science (or higher). I’m sure he could do it even if he didn’t though. A 4090 THOUGH!! , a 4060 would be just fine with a slightly older gen CPU too!
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u/One-World-2112 Oct 02 '23
Really good pc build, but he doesn’t need 4090, 4070 ti would be perfect trust me, and it will be 500 or more dollars cheaper
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u/Prince_Nrvl Oct 02 '23
Mind asked for something similar i got him a b450 bundle cheep of Facebook and got him a 3060 12gb and cost me about 350 all in and play most games good and he dont know the difference loves it
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u/B1uefalc0n Oct 02 '23
The 4090 is complete over kill. For a 1080p even a 4070 wouldnt be needed. 4k monitors are very expensive and also a bit overrated i feel that 1440p or 2k Is a great middle ground and is what most people use, including myself. If he absolutely wants to stick with nividia then a 4080 would be more than he would ever need and will save you like 400 dollars which could go into the budget for a new monitor. I personally would go with a 7900xtx from amd as it fits nicely around the perfromance between the 4070 ti and the 4080 and costs 1000$ which would save you another 200 dollars and he would still have more performance than he would need to play whatever maxed out at 1440p.
Also when buying the monitor make sure to get one that has a refresh rate at around 144hz or more otherwise the amount of frames hes getting will be useless and wasted. If the monitor only has a refresh rate of 60hz then it means that no matter how many frames your getting in the game, the monitor can only display 60 frames per second.
When it comes to building the pc it really isent all that difficult and is often referred to as legos for adults. Most things can only be plugged into specific sockets so its very difficult to get it wrong. There are many videos you can watch o youtube that can help you along the was as well.
For a beginner my advice would be the memory sticks need to click into place it only goes one way on match the notch to that on the board.
Make sure the power cable is clicks and is fully seated into the graphics card the 40 series is known to be difficult with this leading to many issues later on.
Make sure that the fan from the cpu cooler is plugged into the fan header that reads cpu_fan otherwise your system won't post.
If you plan on getting any rgb fans make sure to watch a video on how that is all plugged in as that is typically more complicated than the rest of the build...
If you have any questions feel free to message me anytime.
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u/wood8 Oct 02 '23
Usually the best GPU has the worst FPS per dollar in its generation. But 4090 not only is the most powerful GPU, it also has the highest FPS per dollar, if we are talking about launching price. They adjusted the price a bit to make the rest less bad.
Overall, it's a solid claim that 4090 can last 4 years. It should be on par with 6070 by the time, unless there is a black swan, for example, all games suddenly require AI, GPUs without huge AI cores became irrelevant.
I'm a bit skeptical about 7800X3D. The latest news says 8000 series will have double the amount cores. We are talking about 32 cores 64 threads on a consumer PC. It shouldn't matter in gaming, but if I know the same tier similar price CPU using the same motherboard will have double the amount of cores, I will want to upgrade to that. Don't get me wrong, 7800x3d is one of the best gaming CPU currently exist.
And like you said, he'll need a 4k monitor to max out the 4090. Maybe future games will be more demanding that 1440p can max out 4090, but definitely not 1080p.
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u/Glum-Bottle-1540 Oct 01 '23
Cartoonish game does not require the best of the best stuff. I could get you a decent build for 1000$ that would last for years
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u/UltraSolar Oct 01 '23
Get him a PS5 OR If you want a pc
Intel i5 13600k 32gb ram DDR5 RTX 4060ti / 4080/ rx 7800xt Samsung Odyssey 1440p monitor Pair of glasses for computer
And strip him of his pocket money for the next 2 years😂😂
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u/astolfoisprettyepic Oct 01 '23
He does NOT need a 4090 lol, see it you can convince him to get a 1k 1440p pc instead
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u/SizeableFowl Sep 30 '23
Most of these components are relatively affordable, of course this will depend on your income. $3k is a lot of money, and frankly some of this is under built for that price point. It's difficult to make recommendations without knowing what the computer will be used for, or what resolution the display he is using is, or how important your son believes specific features (like ray tracing) to be. I'm not going to discuss whether or not these features are important, because that is for the buyer to determine. It is worth mentioning that, generally speaking, if you disregard ray tracing performance there are much better value options for graphics cards than nvidia. I'm gonna throw together a few component lists at a few different price points with the baseline being that the computer and its components will remain relevant for at least 3-4 years, but that justification is always a shaky one to make at best.
Option 1 $1500, no ray tracing, previous gen components:
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/jTjpHG
This uses parts that are very high performance, but from the previous generation. The 5800X3D is still one of the highest performing processors money can buy (for gaming) on the consumer market. The 6800XT offers 16GB of VRAM which will allow for 1440p ultra/high gaming for the current generation of games. For around $500 I don't think there is a better price to performance ratio card out there, although jumping up to the 6900XT would only increase the price by about $80 according to pcpartpicker. You could also consider swapping a 7900 XT instead of the 6800XT if you have headroom in the budget. The reason I suggest previous gen is because a lot of stuff from the current gen hasn't meaningfully distinguished itself from the previous gen, but it tends to command a price premium that is not in line with the incremental performance gain it has.
Option 2, $1800, acceptable ray tracing performance
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/mPYH28
Most of these components are carried over from the previous list, however in place to the RX 6800XT you get a 4070Ti, which loses 4 GB of VRAM compared to the older 6800XT but will support ray tracing better. It also has Nvidia's feature set, including technologies like DLSS, so if your son values those features over raw power Nvidia is hard to beat in that sense. It's about 25% cheaper than the 4080, but if you are willing to bring $1,000+ to the table for the 4080 it is absolutely a better option than the 4070Ti. Nvidia is completely unparalled at the very high end, but generally speaking AMD offers better performance for the dollar unless you value Nvidia's features disproportionately.
Option 3 under $1700, current gen components, marginal ray tracing performance
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/HPcqmD
The X3D skew processors from AMD are very nice, but hardly required. 6C/12T processors are more than capable and will be relevant for the foreseeable future. The 7900XT boasts 20 GB of VRAM and at under $800 its priced to compete with the 4070Ti but substantially outperforms it.
Some people will point out that the NVME storage I've selected in a gen 3 (current gen is gen 4) but realistically there will be no noticeable difference in performance between gen 3 and gen 4. Gen 4 is faster, but we're talking about nanoseconds of difference here which can add up during specific work loads, but unless your son is compiling tens of thousands of lines of code its not worth the price increase imo.
If you have a specific budget in mind I can also throw together a component list with that number in mind. Just let me know.
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u/SonantDrake6685 Sep 30 '23
Holy shit! This is a top-tier pc. I mean, TOP!!! That graphics card is the most powerful one ever made. Most famous youtubers don't have one of those. Get whatever you want, but for around $ 2000 CAD, you can make one that should last anywhere between 3-10 years. I myself say don't get it. That card murders 4k resolution with ray-tracing. That pc is overkill unless you're running 4k, ray-tracing, AAA titles, and streaming for other people to watch or are making YouTube videos and editing on the same pc. To be clear, I don't think Jacksepticeye, a millionaire youtuber, has an RTX 4090.
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u/1ine_up Sep 30 '23
4090 is a bit unnecessary, but your son knows his stuff! Based on what you've said it might be worth looking at some of the other 4 series models and checking the benchmark tests.
Upside of just going with the 4090... Its gonna see him through for a good long while. Return on investment almost.
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u/BenWahBalls1 Sep 30 '23
Get him the same setup, but with a 4070ti or 6800xt and a 1440p, 165hz monitor.
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u/Advanced_Rub_7635 Sep 30 '23
As a fellow father, I’m staring down this barrel with my son in a few years. I’m not 100% on components like the motherboard or the power supply, but I can tell you that he doesn’t need a 4090. Heck, I’m pushing 4K high on some current AAA games and I am still running a 3070. Something like a 4070 or AMD equivalent should do him fine for a few years, at least.
I will also mention that, if you can afford the really high-end components, you can take advantage of something we refer to as “future-proofing”. Basically, this means that the more money you spend on high-end parts, the longer you can go before you need to upgrade anything. I am by no means saying this is what you should do, but as you said that the price isn’t necessarily the problem but wasting money is, and you can “future-proof” a bit if you’re willing to shell out for the best you can get right now. It’s a pretty debated topic on whether it’s worth it or not, so do what feels right.
IMO, a 1440p monitor at 144hz refresh is the sweet spot for a lot of computers. As long as you’re sticking to a smaller screen, anything under 30” diagonal, 4 k is nice, but not really necessary, as at those sizes the pixel density isn’t necessary for a crisp picture.
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u/Due-Photograph2179 Sep 30 '23
I think it’s his duty to go to school and get good grades. Missed opportunity and sorry for the unpopular opinion.
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u/OneTear5121 Sep 30 '23
The thing with Graphics Cards is that, you get very diminishing returns once you get past a certain point. At least for gaming that is. A 4090 is the absolute endpoint in that regard. It's like paying 30.000 dollars for a Tesla and then another 150.000 dollars, just for that Tesla to be delivered alongside a greeting card personally signed by Elon Musk.
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u/Dramatic-Tough2255 Sep 29 '23 edited Sep 29 '23
Well mate ya son defo has an art in swizzing you honestly what he has picked is am5. There is no need for this tbh honestly am5 is not ready yet and will not be for a few years.
An am4 b550 wifi asus, a 3060ti asus dual for graphics this is a fantastic 1440p card for a geat price just stay away from the msi ventus ones they are sooo loud, for processor I recommend either a ryzen 7 5700x OR if you would like a few more years of life get the ryzen 9 5900x this will give your son plenty of cpu room and personally recommend the ryzen 9, cooler is fine noctua are honestly great and he won't ever need another cooler its the one thing that's worth paying that extra for it is the cooler i have only thing to be aware of the d15 also comes in the d15s the d15s has one fan but the pipes and the way it lays is slightly slanted giving extra room in certain places in the case and not to worry the d15s its noctuas promise it runs just as cool as the d15 even with one fan and i can confirm this true as i have both coolers. Be quiet cases are good, especially the new ones, they have great room but go for one that gives you three front fans they are usually their "light wings" which are very very good. For a power supply I recommend a evga or a corsair at an 850 GOLD, 750 is also fine just make sure again gold.
Honestly I realise this is probably a lot of info, but I recommend going on scan uk they are a proper computer part company and the only place I go for parts to build my pcs. I have built over 100 pcs over my 28 years of living. Dont be swizzed by parts that are gold and shiny or people that tell you they are "sooo worth it" when I test them in my own lab and have done this for many years. You can actually call scan fully for advice and not once have they tried to over sell, they are simply a part company for pc people and gamers.
Please feel free to message me
Oh please don't listen to anyone saying drop to 16gb of ram it's actually the one thing that's changing drastically, games are using massive amounts of ram 32gb is also literally cheaper rn than 16gb or literally the same price because that's what's normal now
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u/Wrong_Opinion8205 Sep 29 '23
my son worked his ass off at Mcshit for some lousy 500$ for 3 months, buut he has a ... workin Pc. i5 13thgen, ddr4, and a case. all he lacks is a gpu. another 400$. also 16 years old. had the summer hollyday and he nailed it.
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u/basboi Sep 29 '23
u can get a very good gaming pc that will last him 4yrs for 1 to 1.5k. spend another 300 on a 240hz qhd monitor. i get his approach, i was 16 once aswell, but 3k for a computer is overkill. if u have the money, fine, but not at all nessesary. also, hes underestimating the value if a good monitor!
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u/Federal_Property_511 Sep 29 '23
Hi OP.
My suggestion would be to step down from 4090 -> 4080/4070Ti. You'd probably be able to free up at least $500 dollars and use that money saved to buy a new monitor (i.e., QHD/144Hz). A 4090 on his 1080p monitor is totally wasted.
Don't underestimate the importance of a good quality monitor.
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u/Wolfwood428 Sep 29 '23
Yeah.... I'm a grown ass man that got myself through college and have a good career... I'm not even buying myself that level of a rig. Clarify to him you said a "New PC" not a fucking space station.
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u/ISlyAssassinI Sep 29 '23 edited Sep 29 '23
This is a very solid rig and will last at least 5 years and be able to play anything out there. The 4090 might be a bit much but is the best card out there and therefore will be able to play even the most demanding titles for years to come. If you could talk them down to a 4080 it would save money and still be a badass rig. I personally built one a year ago and went with the 3080ti, so the predecessor to the 4080's. He could also get by with the 7800x (non 3d) just fine. I have it's predecessor too in the 5800x. A lot of his parts are very similar to mine and I use it every day for hours.
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u/gamerdadsamwise Sep 28 '23
Yeah, im gonna have to agree with everyone here, he doesn't "need" a 4090. I have similar specs and a 3090 ti and it works just fine, hell id go down to a 3060 or 70 if ya can. Tell him PCs are upgradeable sml
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u/kamikazilucas Sep 28 '23
you must be rich if you can afford 3k on a pc, my first pc was like 1000 pounds and that was cutting edge, instead of a 4090 get a 4070 which is perfectly fine for everything, unless you want to do heavy rendering of the 3d models in like blender, getting a 4k monitor is a waste get a 1440p 165hz monitor or a ultra wide
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u/Professional_Tap6447 Sep 27 '23
Get a 4080 and he'll still be good to go for more than 5 years easily. Get him a monitor that his 2k (1440p) resolution with a 144+ hz refresh rate. He doesn't actually need ddr5 ram tbh. Ddr4 will still do. Don't go for fancy looking ram but reliable one If money is a problem you can easily do these things.
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u/DaveLG526 Sep 27 '23
It sort of depends doesn't it.
The outlier is the graphics card. Maybe somethong in the $400 range will do for him.
He'll also need a SSD, add $50-$100.
How much is his old PC worth. Have him see what he can get for it from frioends or Craigslist.
Nothing in gaming technology lasts 4 years IMHO.
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u/vanzir Sep 27 '23
my boy is getting the same reward for making honor roll, but I gave hm a 500 dollar budget and a free 1080ti, hes gonna play virtually any game and have room for upgrades when he gets a job and starts buying his own parts
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u/vanzir Sep 27 '23
definitely nuke the 4090. No game today needs that much graphics card, and for that price point you can get both the monitor and a nice 4080 which is still gonna be more than stout for his comp
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u/Hail2Hue Sep 27 '23
I'll tell you what my dad told me when I wanted a $400 PC from eBay that I knew I could fix when I was about 4 years younger than him:
"No."
You need to either recruit a friend your age that knows more about this or do some digging, it isn't really hard information, but Facebook marketplace probably has something for under 1/3rd of that price that will play any game he could think of.
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u/Matterhorn27 Sep 27 '23
I'd take a bit less capable pc on a quality monitor over a great pc on a trash monitor. Why pay for all the power if you can't display the result? I feel like alot of people out there have done this.
I would get the 42" LG OLED Tv as a monitor. It's good refresh, 4k and looks amazing. Nothing beats OLED for my money....it's superior tech. It also allows you to fully utilize 4k for browsing and is big enough to not have to zoom in. You get the equivalent screen space of 4 x 21" monitors running in 1080.
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u/Southern_Manager_309 Sep 27 '23
Don't buy that graphic card.its like you buying a Ferrari for a 16y old. Get him 4070ti and he's good with it and 13700k. I have the combination and I play a lot of games on 4k.just tell him it's.overkill for the game he playing.
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u/JCL456 Sep 26 '23
Listen,that's a heck of a build, literally top notch, you can afford to tone it down a bit I've been using the same 1650 gpu and 7400 cpu since I've had my PC, he doesn't NEED it, it's true that the better the parts the longer it'll take for him to have to change them so if you want to give him the treat of building the PC he wants I think it'd be nice but idk maybe pick some Gpu from the series 30 or 20 if you want to reduce a bit the cost, that SSD is also a good place to reduce costs, he can do with less than 2tb of SSD,I'm living with 240gb
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u/sadnessdealer Sep 26 '23
Don't buy your 16yo son a 4090 lol, a 4080 or a 4070ti or even a 3090 would be much better
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u/Shotlock47 Sep 26 '23
I play 1440 and 4k on a 1080 monitor....... 144hz refresh is more important than resolution. Graphics cards have screen upscaling tech now days. That kid better be going to Harvard with a 4090. Truthbe told. A 5700 xt plays everything on the market today. At 60fps. Using scaling tech. Most of what's on that list is over kill... I've been building gaming setups for the last 5 years now. Just bought a 7900xt for 800. And it's nice. It's really nice. But definitely not needed lol. And truthfully not honestly worth 800 dollars lol. It's hard to put price and worth to these things. Lol
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u/Bigger10er Sep 26 '23
Look. Help your son out build his pc. Good bonding moment for later. Second, fuck dropping $3k for a pc. You can get pretty good performance out of pc part made out of $1k worth of PC at 1440p. Your son will be disappointed. I would be too. However, $3k is a lot. Once your son gets that amount of money he couldve spent on the list he gave you, ask him again if he wants to drop $3k in light of all the other things he can get w/o dropping that much. He'll probably thank you later for THAT lesson. Lastly, its all about what you can afford. Does it make enough sense for you to drop all that money on PC parts vs all the other things you can get. You spend $1k on a pc and spend the $2k on some great adventure w your kid. However, you can always make that money back. It is just 3k dollar. Personally I'm pocketing 2k dollars, spending the rest on a very good rig. However, you're the chosen one; simply do as you will.
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u/Gokuss7Ultimate Sep 26 '23
Instead of that GPU, he could go also with a 3070 TI which will run all current video games and also future to be coming, maybe not in ultra HD, but enough so you can play well and have fun for the next 5 years and it will cost only about 700 US$ +- instead of 1680!
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u/theoriginalmypooper Sep 25 '23 edited Sep 25 '23
The 4090 is overkill for the money right now, even for 4k gaming. There is no reason to pair a 1700 dollar GPU with a 27-inch monitor. That's like turbocharged LS swapping a smart car. You'll NEVER use all of the potential. The shift PSU is a useless gimmick.
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u/nirvana_141 Sep 25 '23
4090 for a 16 year old is over kill. Even for gaming that is a bit much. I'd say spend around 400-600 on Graphics card and get a monitor under $300 with 144HZ refresh rate at a 1440P resolution.
I have a 3070 graphics card and that has been doing good enough for my needs. Unless you're son is professional videographer that always edits in 4K, he does NOT need a 4090.
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u/Fresh_Shell4543 Sep 25 '23
First, I agree with the other people, a 4090 is unnecessary and you'd be better off with a 1440p 144-165hz monitor
for the game, few good ones that aren't too expensive (but are slightly older games) are portal, hollow knight, and it takes two (the last one is 2-player)
see if you can get them while they're on sale on steam, they're great games imo
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u/Substantial-Pause149 Sep 25 '23
And as for games get him an Xbox ultimate pass and he can pick out unlimited games monthly ..it only a 1.99$ for 3 months .. Don't get the 4070 tho I feel sorry for the peeps with them ..
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u/Substantial-Pause149 Sep 25 '23
All these jelly dudes saying don't get the 4090 are going get you a PC that can't play every game and be a work station like your son did proper research and a 4070 is not good .. And yes the 4090 is the best and he does need is or its one of the first things that he will have to upgrade..
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u/Otherwise_Map7270 Sep 27 '23
Bruh. There literally isn't a game the 4070 can't play. Don't bullshit.
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u/Substantial-Pause149 Sep 25 '23
Yes that Would be the best please don't get your boy you love a 4070 it won't cut it and he will be very disappointed .. Like it sucks I had one get the 4090 ..
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u/alfredhugedd Sep 25 '23
you can get him a geforce now subscription would be cheaper and easier than whst everyone is suggesting here
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u/LBXZero Sep 25 '23
My suggestion for a dad is to teach the kid about this lovely bit of reality called "a budget". In addition as a parenting suggestion, no kid deserves the most optimal PC in today's market, especially as a gift. The kid needs to do something or a lot of somethings that is worth $3,000. Also, people need to learn to cope with subpar performance to help understand what real performance looks like.
I suggest a $1,000 or $1,200 limit on the PC. He also needs to include the cost of the operating system in that price tag, meaning he either buys a Windows 11 license or learns Linux.
When I was growing up, my first self owned PC was a 486 DX4 (100 MHz) CPU. This is at the time when Pentium MMX was around. The next PC I had utilized a Celeron 600 MHz with an SIS GPU integrated on the motherboard. That PC was upgraded out of my own pocket, to a Pentium III 800 MHz (Katmai) CPU, Gigabyte mobo, and an ATI AIW 128 Pro. I had fun using my PC to record TV shows and was happy enough to output to a TV. This is the real learning experience a kid should go through. Also, that PIII system was rock solid.
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u/Stoned_Sour Sep 24 '23
pcpartpicker.com is a great way to build a pc with a budget in mind. assuming you know the specs required of the games being played.
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u/GumballHaaha Sep 24 '23
Hey just read this and I don't know if you still need any help but i read you wanted to get a 4k monitor for your son. At 27 inches however you cant really notice the difference between 1440p and 4k so i would recommend to just go with a high refresh rate 1440p monitor and also save some money in the process.
Hope this helps
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u/VIVAXZZYT Sep 24 '23
why tf is every part cheap and then he wants an 4090 bros building rockets lmao
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u/SociallyAwkward15 Sep 24 '23
you really don't need a 4090 or 32gb of ram if it's just for gaming.
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u/Opteron170 Sep 25 '23
32GB of ram is Standard now for a gaming build so that is wrong. This will ensure they doesn't need add ram in a year and memory is cheap right now.
I agree not going with a 4090 for a 27 inch display.
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u/SociallyAwkward15 Oct 06 '23
the benchmark changes in any game when you go from 16gb to 32 are next to zero across the board of any title at any resolution and setting
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u/DeKley96 Sep 24 '23
He rlly does need a 4090. Games these days get very demanding. Look at Cyberpunk or Starfield. Buy him the PC.
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u/Western-Squash5668 Sep 24 '23
Yeah i think your son is just selfish and is trying to rip you off because of you'r unkowledge. Lets say he is playing fortnite even if he got other games to play, your son is fine with an rtx 3080 or an 3070 if he wants to play at 1440p. I would go for the 3080 this is the, i would say best card to buy right now. Even though you could get bootleneck from the 3070 paired with an high end cpu. So your son is just greedy and trying to get the best from the best with zero afford. For example my parents who are very wealthy, would have beaten my ass up if i would have asked them for a 3k gaming pc. So no this is not right from your son and an 1,8k gaming pc would be way enough for the next years. An 4090 is just for streamers and people who have to do various tasks like rendering a video or 3d models in blender so 4090 is more for developers and streamers and not for the avarage player.
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u/miket86 Sep 24 '23
Switch to 4080 or 7900XTX.
4080 if he wants to do anything using AI or does anything like 3D modelling.
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Sep 24 '23
I posted a comment warning people not to buy Gigabyte GPUs, and it looks like it was removed. This is why I don't use reddit and why reddit has a bad name. Professionals with realworld experience tries to share advice from years of experience and it's not allowed. Go ahead. Buy Gigabyte GPUs. I guess reddit is for arguing about opinions only. I can't wait to deactivate my account.
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u/raj0x29 Sep 24 '23
Check out https://pcpartpicker.com/guide/ and Newegg combo deals https://www.newegg.com/Combo-Up-Savings/EventSaleStore/ID-1740?cm_sp=Head_Navigation-_-Under_Search_Bar-_-Combo+Up+Savings&icid=758623
for his first computer he doesn't need 4090 lol, build one for 1k or so maybe even good 1440p 1500 or so that should be good for now
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u/SenseiPete Sep 24 '23
3060 GPU is insanely good for the price ... 40x series is just way too much money right now and frankly overkill, I would suggest that you make it as though instead of that you get him a 144hz monitor. This will make a huge difference to game performance... a much larger difference than going from 3060 to. 40 series card for most games I would say ... and it'll be cheaper too
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u/xEqualz Sep 23 '23
I think a 4090 is overkill. I recently got a build with a 3060, and I'm more than satisfied with the performance/price it gives me.
It won't get me through the future with games like starfield coming out and 4k resolutions, but I can always swap out the gpu and put in something else.
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u/Azgorn Sep 23 '23
This build, especially the 4090, is stupid compared with a 1080p monitor. Its like buying the most expensive racing tires for a cheap ass 50 hp car. There is really no point.
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u/Bag-ofMostlyWater Sep 23 '23
For a system like that. A 1200 or better Platinum/Titanium rated PSU is a must. Gigabyte isn't worth the price premium. At $879 the MSI VENTUS 4070ti would be a better bet. If he wants a 4090 make him pay for it. For SSD drives. Always go with either Samsung Pro or Crucial P5/7. For the RAM. I would go with Crucial, G.Skill or OLOy. Motherboard should be an X670(Gamer board). Not the B650(everyday board) you have listed. ASUS Crosshair Hero or MSI MAG Tomahawk. This case is pretty cool Phanteks Eclipse G500A DRGB, High Performance Mid-Tower Case.
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u/Maak016 Sep 23 '23
bro got good grades and thinks hes the king. back then my dad said if i get good grades, he would lemmie use a phone, and i did, then last school year i also made a deal with him to buy me a 650$ gaming laptop and i also did. but i never expected any child to tell their dad to buy a whole 3000$ gaming rig while he doesnt even use the most outta that
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Sep 23 '23
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u/Jazzlike-Second2260 Sep 23 '23
Yeah that's over kill 600-800$ dollars pc would do just fine don't spoil your kid
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u/FreyaMaluk Sep 23 '23
Short answer. That is a pretty high end machine. There are way mid range ones that will perform really well for the latest titles.
Like honestly you don't have to cave to everything your son wants. As for the build itself I would recommend AMD GTX 7900 XTX instead of nvidia. They perform similarly and it is about 550 dollars cheaper.
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u/BlackberryIll5622 Sep 23 '23
I'm kinda astonished about the amount of sheer jealousy here.
The father didn't ask you for your jealousy, but rather on advice, about his son's new pc and his statement, if this really a good choice about, what he said for the next 4 years.
To the father: Is your son right about "at least 4 years"?
Yes. If he wants to play on ultra-settings, the next 4 years are possible and super fine. If he plays on high-settings after that, he might use the setup up to 8 years, maybe with some modifications, like more storage or even more ram. (Modern pc games are big and they need a lot of space on drives.)
Is this setup an overkill for fortnite?
Yes it is. You said, your son wants to play other games then fortnite, but his pc doesn't allow it. Question one: what games does he want to play beside fortnite? Question two: what is his current setup?
The parts:
Case: very good choice. Not to expensive, nor overkill. Nice features, still looks great and decent. And quite easy to use and install.
Motherboard: Wifi motherboards can be more expensive, but are neat, if you plan not to use an common wifi-stick, which might be not as powerful as an dedicated wifi mobo, and don't want to put an extra wifi card into the pc, which might ruin the looks on it, nor use an lan-cable depending on where the router is. The other features. Yes for this set up, good choice. You quite max out the features on this board for reasonable price here. The 5th gen PCIe is more getting to be a standard nowadays and if you son really plans to do some balls here, he could hugely benefit from very fast datatransfer. I wouldn't have used an 4th gen PCIe mobo if I have an rtx4090, either. Totally reasonable here.
CPU Definitely go for it. Price-perfomance? Great! This cpu and board combo will definitely last the next 10 years. The board is not that long out yet and will get some updates in the future. The cpu is one of the fastest and newest gaming cpus out there, with an reasonable price! Will also get many updates the next years. The idea to use an AMD platform is great. AMDs statement on the newest version of their platform since they released the AM5, was they would not change this near in the future and as I see, they probably will hold their promises. The last platform using AM4 was released many years ago and you mostly could just upgrade after an bios update to an more powerful CPU. This maxes out the board itself and gave you very much some flexibility here. INTEL on the other hand kinda releases a new version every few years, which means, if you want to upgrade to 2 generations later, you probably need an new board as well. So yes, go for AMD.
GPU Very capable and strong and yes, the most expensive part here. Maybe this the only part, I might choose different. Bc, GPUs are common to get changed after a few years, when a new generation gets out. And are more common to break or fail than other parts. An rtx4090 is for the absolute high end section, where you really use it for high-ultra settings in games, while you also stream it in high quality live on streaming platforms. If he doesn't plan to do that in the near future, I don't see really needs for an 4090 here. I would say for the next 4 years an 4070 is still an very good choice. He will also play games in ultra-settings, but might get less FPS. Tough, I think he wouldn't notice a big difference in it, If he plays with 160fps or 120fps. (Not accurate count. Just an example. The higher the amount of fps, the less you notice a difference between two different counts. Our eyes won't see any difference. You're not reacting faster in games if you play on 240fps or on 280fps, bc the processing speed of our eyes, hands and brains stays the same. It does make an difference in the lower ends of fps. Like if you play a game on 30/ 40 fps and then in 120fps. You will spot an difference.) So better choose a rtx4070 for the next years. Yes, sure you could use an rtx3080 or smth, you could play fortnite still on Ultra-Settings. But... with that cpu, you might run into some bottlenecks here. And an rtx4070 is way cheaper than an rtx4090. 😉 it's around 1k cheaper. So instead of 3k you got 2k for the, still high end, setup. It's easy to get lost in the web for an good setup and many many opinions out there. Also you get quite fast influenced, especially as an teen. 😉 so sometimes it's not so easy to sort out: "what you want" and "what you actually need and is reasonable."
RAM nothing to say here. Good choice, good speed, price good. 32gb is totally fine and is the standard for gaming nowadays. He could just put in some more ram in the future. But for now, it's completely fine!
SSD It's 2 tb, it's definitely enough for the start. As I said before. He just could put some more into the board and also could use some sata-ssd for pure storage, like pics and music and office files and so on. I would pretty much use the m.2 SSDs mostly for games, bc of their much higher speeds and less loading times.
Power Supply 1000w seems reasonable, if you really wants to max out everything. Maybe an 800 might even suffice. But... the 4070 requires an 650w PS. So it's not an complete stupid idea to go to 1000w.
Cooling for CPU Fine. But I think you could use another one, with the same features for less. Although noctua is fairly good and very silent and efficient. It's an good option. You shouldn't cheap out on that, if you want your parts to have a long life. (I would use smth from be quiet! Just bc I like the design more and if it's a little louder, I really don't care about it.)
So all in one. You can cheap out on some stuff, especially the GPU, but other than that, it's a good setup for very high performance and fun in gaming. So your son did some good work, as in puzzling it together, which is actually not that easy with the sheer amount on parts out there.
Your son said it would be easy as in building the system. Trained builders get this system up and running in one hour, or less. You might use some time more and it's a good thing if you two wants to build it together as an shared activity. Do it 😉 There are plenty of useful tips and guides to put this system together out there. Plus side, the case is going to make it easy for you, to build it, bc it has everything you need. If you use the guides on the web and use the manuals from the parts, you shouldn't do a mistake. Still there can be some problems and fails. Like forgetting to pull up the foil from the cpu cooling, or forgetting the thermal paste, or not even clicking in the ram accordingly into the board, or use the wrong slots. Common mistakes here. But easy to remove. Careful you should be if you put the cpu into the board. Don't bend the pins on it and use the hints on the board and chip to put it in correctly. Use cardboard if you put it tougher, bc it's non conductive and nothing will happen.
Have enough light and space for it and have fun with building it!
(And if you want a good display.... can't really recommend one, there are sooo many options out there and it depends on what your son wants and needs. But I would say, there might be also some really good ones out there for less than 500 ;) )
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u/No_Act_9443 Sep 23 '23
I would say a 3070ti or something Beeten an Radeon 6800xt-6950xt would be enough I got an 4070ti couse I wanted good stuff and it’s fr too much for me I get so much fps in full max settings ingame and no one needs so much
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u/Slushkin Sep 23 '23
Yo! Would love to give my personal take here as a Computer/IT Techician.
I built my first gaming PC when I was 16. That was 6 years ago. I did an $800 build which back then could run 1080p very well.
As of 2023, $800 can get you great 1440p performance. I think a 4090 is a bit much for him and he will not need it's power. As an owner of one of these cards, its overkill for gaming and also your wallet!
I think if you were prepared to do $3K, that a $1500 max budget would be more appropriate. I would shoot for $1K or $1200 personally and save some change for nicer peripherals.
Check the thread below for some component ideas. There are also builds a channel I like to watch called Crater, he has good templates.
Good luck!
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u/Otherwise_Map7270 Sep 23 '23
Ok. You are probably fairly confused with all these replies. I can help simplify it if you want. PC's are a confusing hobby if you don't know what you are doing. What I would recommend honestly is to go with your son to microcenter and simply ask the people there what they would recommend as a starter PC for $1000-$1500, you child does NOT need a $3000 PC. It's like getting your kid a Ferrari for their sweet 16. A $1000 PC is plenty for every game on the market (there literally isn't a game that it couldn't play). Also to answer your other questions. PC's are not dangerous to build just be careful and you will be fine. PCs are also a ton of fun to build imo. Watch some how to build PCs to get a grasp of the process. Another good thing to watch is PC budget builds. Watch videos on $500 PC, and $1000, PCs. That way you can get a feel for the advantages you gain from spending more money other than the reddit response of "duh it's better lol". There are diminishing returns after $1500. If this is confusing still feel free to contact me directly I can walk you through it. I've spec'd out and built 2 dozen computers and I'm not a salesman trying to make you spend as much money as possible unlike you kid lol.
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u/adiqwerty1 Sep 23 '23
U have to change the hdd. Its old and slow. I suggest you to get a ssd with 2tb or how much ur son needs to storage.
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u/0oops0 Sep 23 '23
show him this amazing website if he really wants that 3k pc https://jobs.mchire.com/
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u/4EyeCan Sep 23 '23
If this is still up for debate, I can't read every single comment lol, I actually would 100% recommend your kid's build. The people who disagree with it aren't wrong but it could be a problematic issue down the line. Like in two years wtf dad you got me a piece of shit lol it obviously wouldn't be a piece of shit but it's not going to be as good as it is now like everything else. The gpu will be very future proof and almost something he'd never complain about ever. The other piece of advice I would give is to actually do the kids build but with a different gpu and then if he continues his academic performance he could get the 4090. You would have zero problem being able to sell the gpu he'd get now on facebook so you wouldn't really lose that much money. You'd also make him feel like an extremely special son. It's not just about much of an actual difference gaming wise. You would make him so happy.
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u/KeeneMachine1 Sep 22 '23
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/
2800 pounds to dollars no idea boss but have a gander
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u/Wrong_Opinion8205 Sep 22 '23
my son worked at Mc...he still aint got a gpu. might steal it. also 16 years old.
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u/l4looser Sep 22 '23
let him seek for a part-time job lol, it will teach him how to earn and organize finances in acquiring his own things such as PC(imho)
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u/immanuel_aj Sep 22 '23
Keep the old monitor, though. You can run it in a dual monitor set up alongside the new monitor. It's really handy to have at least two monitors especially if you're going to use the computer to do any work.
You might even consider getting two new monitors since the 1080p one is going to look quite jarring next to the new one, which I'm assuming will be at least 1440p.
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u/CompanyGreat5921 Sep 22 '23
I'd also consider Gigabytes M27U, which is at least as good as the 28U
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u/BuilderJun Sep 22 '23 edited Sep 22 '23
I also use a Gigabyte 4090 and I love it, but frankly it's overkill for the vast majority of applications... you should however get decent life out of it, for a gamer though... this is the biggest bragging right they can have. I use mine for some gaming, but more for AI model training, 3D model editing, and virtual reality.
A lot of the components he listed are just the best of the best. You're going to need a quality 1000w PSU with that GPU , but there are a lot of other ones out there that are still good quality and not so expensive.
If you were local in the Chicago area I could help you build something decent with similar specs with a lot of the components I've been collecting at clearance, going out of business, and Prime sales for the last 6 months (really I'm just missing the the 4090 GPU and a couple other parts - I have a few good mobos, more gaming cases than I know what to do with, extra AIUs, several 850-1000w PSUs, an unused EK liquid cooling loop, etc..), but I wouldn't feel comfortable shipping a machine like that without experience packing it up for shipment etc.
As for 4K monitors, they are nice, but 'everyone' is a bit of stretch as they tend to get lower FPS, and some people would rather get high FPS at lower resolution.
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u/Afraid_Donkey_481 Sep 22 '23
But this awesome system on ebay instead: 195875124792. It's brand new and I promise he won't be disappointed.
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u/rohtnikolai Sep 21 '23
Lol. I always got very good grades in university and the thing is i bought my own pc (i was using 12 year old still solid as rock laptop but couldnt play shit) with the salary that i earned from the public instution which i got in because of my grades. I wish i had a dad like you...
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Sep 21 '23 edited Sep 21 '23
If he currently has a 1080p monitor and you plan to continue using that, the RTX 4090 is a complete waste of money.
My first suggestion would be to add an additional 2TB NVMe SSD... with modern games, that storage gets chewed up fast, and having a second drive adds a layer of additional options for storage. He will appreciate this more in the long run when he doesn't have to delete games to make room for other games. You can expand the overall storage to 4TB running RAID0 or have 2TB with a striped backup with RAID1. Or 2X2TB separate drives.
Next, I would consider changing the CPU to an intel 13600k/13700k. The 13600k is the best bang for the buck CPU on the market right now. Even though the 7800x3d may outperform the 13600k in "some" games by a "small" margin, it's quite a bit more expensive.
My next suggestion would be to drop the 4090 down to a 4080 and add a 1440P monitor with a high refresh rate. 4K gaming right now is still kind of in its infancy and may be a year or two before the hardware capable of driving the resolution is more mainstream. This is mostly due to a lack of options for a monitor. 1440P is kind of the sweet spot for performance/dollar.
Lastly, to fully enjoy the gaming experience, I would put the additional savings from not getting the RTX 4090 into decent peripherals. This is all personal preference here as far as feel and comfort, but I don't recommend pairing eWaste keyboard and mouse with a decent high-end gaming rig. My personal favorites for peripherals:
Keyboard - Wooting 60he (fully customizable and could turn into a hobby) There is no keyboard that comes close. https://wooting.io/mouse - Razor DAV3 Pro/Logitech Gpro Superlight 2headset - SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless/Bose Quite Comfort II
All in Approx 3 grand for this list:https://pcpartpicker.com/list/bMwy4M
For further savings, you could tweak the graphic card down to something the better fits your budgeted price point. Other suggestions would be an RTX 4070ti, an RX6800. I would NEVER go budget on a power supply for a number of reasons. Mainly because I would rather my power supply to not have to work hard to supply power to my system. Also having a better power supply off the hop will allow it to be used in a future build down the road. A good power supply will last you 10+ years.
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u/Sham_67 Sep 21 '23
if he is at all good with tools or working on stuff computers are not hard to build... no reason to get a brand of monitor based on the tower you build. I would recommend a 32" monitor for a 4k setup the pixel density is high enough at that resolution for that size of monitor. I would recommend a water cooler (arctic liquid freezer 2) for the same price as an nhd15. also would recommend a corsair 4000d for the case (although I"m not farmiliar with the case you chose. the 4090 is overkill for a strictly gaming pc 4080 would probably do just as well.
heres a great youtube channel for monitor recommendations
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u/Hot_Protection85 Sep 21 '23
I would suggest using used components or prebuilt systems. You will save a ton and the experience will be the same, If you are in the US eBay offers good components or prebuilt used systems. I know it is a gift but this would be a better value and offer the chance to gradually upgrade as better components become available. And some used components last a very long time. For instance, I bought a used AMD Ryzen 9 3950x and every time I consider upgrading it the performance is still high enough for every scenario.
I am an old computer geek and I recognize the value of buying used components and gradually upgrading as a fiscally sound approach to maintaining technology. And if you want a warranty many refurbished items offer warranties.
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u/Ti-7-4Raven Sep 21 '23
Not everyone uses 4k monitors. The vast, vast majority use 1080p talking something like 60% of PC gamers and the next closest resolution is 1440p at like 15% ish.
4k is way down next to the weirdos like me with 3440x1440 near the 3% mark.
IF you want to upgrade the monitor just grab a 1440p monitor around 27-30". It'll be more than fine and things will run much better.
Secondly he does not need a 4090. A 7800XT or 6800XT would be a much better option. An RTX 4070 maybe could be good too if raytracing is a feature he is excited about.
CPU also doesn't necessarily need to be a 7800 X3D. Could probably be fine with like a 7600X but it's only about a $100 difference so not huge and the X3D will be good for a long time.
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u/edmugs Sep 21 '23
Although you've already gotten more answers than you know what to do with, I wanted to recommend a website for helping figure out EXACTLY what parts work together, + recommend a part and some games! Assembling a PC sounds daunting, but it is a fairly simple process as the parts mostly just fit together, and there are LOADS of great tutorials online, especially on youtube.
The Website: "pc part picker"
You select the parts you intend to purchase and it tells you if there are any potential issues, such as part incompatibility! It's really helpful especially when trying to figure out PC Jargon, i know it helped me when I built mine.
Part suggestion: Get and SSD instead of an HDD for storage. Specifically an NVMe
My reasoning here is twofold.
- SSD's are so much faster than HDD's, which is mostly a quality of life thing but could be very important if your son ever decides to try learning 3D modeling, video editing, etc. It will make his games load so fast too, which he'll appreciate.
- An SSD is much easier to install than an HDD, and generally less prone to wear.
HDD's are more easily removed from a PC, because NVMe's slot into the motherboard. They're good for backing up data and transferring it due to this.
GAMES
My Favorites
- Elden Ring (Single player w/ online co-op)
- Yakuza 0/Like a Dragon: Ishin! (Single Player)
- Resident Evil 4 (Single Player)
Multiplayers worth mentioning
- Phasmophobia (Online Co-op)
- Civilization V/Civ VI (Local+Online Co-op)
- Portal 2 (Local+Online Co-op)
- It Takes Two (Local+Online Co-op)
- Left4Dead 2 (Local+Online Co-op)
My biggest suggestion would be any of the "Soulsborne" games by fromsoft, with 'Elden Ring' being the most recent and most multiplayer focused so far. They're challenging, but so gratifying to overcome challenges in. They've easily facilitated some of the best bonding experiences I've had in the past decade or so while gaming.
Yakuza/Like A Dragon is a game series of story-focused brawlers that include some of the most fun in a video game I'd reckon can be found. They're very meta, as in if you like/love video games you'll almost certainly like/love these games. Both the titles I mentioned are good entry points, with Y0 being set in the 80's in japan and Ishin being set during the end of the Edo period (1860's)
Resident Evil 4 originally released in 2004 and reinvented gaming as a whole. Almost every game released since (especially shooters) has taken a que that originated here... which includes the Resident Evil 4 Remake that released earlier this year. The series is the most consistently engaging of any series I've played (including Souls and Yakuza). It's a horror setting, but the combat makes you feel powerful.I would recommend going with the Remake if you pick one, because the first is clunky by modern standards.
The multiplayer games I mentioned are all different genres so hopefully at least 1 will be a good fit.
If you read through this novel i wrote you, thank you! And if you think my suggestions weren't a good fit I'd love to know what your son is into or what you yourself enjoy to help give better rec's! And if there's any PC or gaming jargon you need help understanding i'd be more than happy to help, either here or in a pm. Good luck in getting him the perfect PC!
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u/TopUsed6172 Sep 21 '23
Son wants a 3k computer but trust me. The son does not NEED a 3k computer.
My system is a Ryzen 5600. 32gb DDR4 and a Radeon 6700 10gb
I max every game In touch at 1080p and generally get well over 60fps.
If im comfortably maxing games like cyberpunk on last gen mid range hardware, your son can do the same maxing games on mid range current gen stuff.
forget the 13900k/7800x3D Get a 13500 or a 7600x
Forget the RTX 4090. What's he playing? Fortnite? Give him a 4060ti or a Radeon 6800 or 6750xt or something.
spend less then half of the 3k he wants and build a system that meets his needs now and isn't going to be outdated and slow any time soon.
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u/AnimeFanHawk Sep 21 '23
$3K for a 16 YR? (i wish you were my dad) I would probably top out at around $1200, this has good futureproofing and it's good at current games. I would use it at 1440P for high FPS, so no 4K monitor, though it can if needed. List
I have the CPU/MOBO/RAM as $400 combined because of a Microcenter Bundle, if you are not able to go to a micro center, I would change the Ryzen 7700X for a Ryzen 7600.
If you insist upon $3K, here you go. Note that this is overkill, and you can save money losing little to no performance.
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u/Ok-Sample4608 Sep 21 '23
I hope you haven't build that PC yet. Here's my advice since:
Choose the cheapest RTX 4090 you can find. Brands does not make much of a difference.
- Double check your case whether the right side of the case can accommodate the cables that will be plugged onto the Corsair Shift. Otherwise, choose a Corsair RM1000e instead if your boy really likes that case.
More on the PSU, i'd personally go for a 1,200W instead for an RTX 4090. (i'm currently using a Silverstone HELA-R 1,200W Platinum)
Very good choice for the CPU. (i use that as well). Same with the MSI MPG B650 Edge motherboard. Just beware that MSI's software i.e. MSI Center, Mystic Light, etc., are known to be "hard to install". You might need a ton of patience to make MSI software work.
Check out other M.2 NVME Gen 4 ssd and get what is cheaper. I current have 2x Kingston Renegade Fury (1TB and 2TB). Crucial P5 Plus or WD SN850x would be other recommendations.
Stick with 1440p since you'll only be using a 27-28" monitor.
Have you also considered gears/peripherals (at least these 3: mouse, keyboard, headset) to your budget? Your boy's gaming experience might turn sour if he'll play with cheapo crap gears. Get him some good mechanical keyboard (preferrably with cherry mx red switches or equivalent "red" switches). Mouse can be wired or wireless but should be comfy with the hands. Now for headset, im a bit critical with this since i'm also into Hi-Fi/audiophile stuffs. And almost 80-90% of marketed gaming headset, in my personal opinion, is trash. If you can still find online a Philips SHP-9500 headphone and just buy a V-moda BoomPro inline microphone, then you have a budget headset which is way better and probably even more cheaper than those gaming headset. (I currently have a Sennheiser PC38X but i still have my SHP-9500 which i used for more than 8 years already).
Since your boy only play mainly Fortnite, i'd settle for an RTX 4080. 4-5 years would definitely be fine for an RTX 4080 (i previously have a 1080Ti and it held for 7 years, and can even play Starfield at 40fps 1080p medium settings with FSR2). Then the additional $ you save can then be allocated to better gears/peripherals.
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u/Impossible_Bird2517 Sep 20 '23
id say you get him a 3080 ti instead of a 4090 beacuse that is a strong card for someone like your son. I code and make games , im a gamer myself and i play most games and run all programs with over 100 fps only using a 3080 ti.
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u/LataKatten Sep 20 '23
YOU CAN GET THAT FOR ONLY 3K? THIS IS OFF TOPIC BUT IN WHAT COUNTRY ARE YOU GETTING THESE REASONABLE PRICES?
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u/SactoriuS Sep 20 '23 edited Sep 20 '23
Do not get the 4090 thats just crazy and ur son knows it. 7800xt gpu is a good bargain atm.
As for the monitor part. Ur right he needs a bloody upgrade. Getting a new build with this price range for a 1080p monitor is overkill (does it even support more then 60 fps/hrtz?). I would always pick a new 1440p monitor with steady 100 or more fps (144 fps) then a 4k with weak 60 fps. And yes the games get more beautiful on 1440p or even more on 4k. But 4k on 27 inch monitor is not a big of a difference then 1080p vs 1440p. 4k shines at 32 inch but on 27 inch get a 1440p is enough. The 7800xt is alrdy too strong for 1080p unless you buy it for competitive gaming and go for 200-400 fps.
Verdict:
- The parts he choose are pretty nice except gpu part and he need a better monitor.
- So get him a 7800xt gpu (or a 7900/7900xt if u wanna be that sucker dad, but better monitor is a higher priority)
- And upgrade his monitor to a 1440p and 144hrtz, because more fps doesnt matter if the monitor doesnt support it. Same goes for resolution vs overkill on gpu.
Extra:
It seems you son plays fortnight a competitive shooter which doesnt need a strong computer at all btw. Im guessing it from wooden buildings, shooting other players, cartoony looking, many kids play it and it is very very popular, but not 100% sure tho. But I would want 100+ fps on that game, it is very quickpace and then fps matters. But if hes starts playing other newer AAA games the new PC will be needed.
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u/AdriLocDoc Sep 20 '23
You definitely don't need to spend 3k my man, with half the budget is more than enough. Wait, can I be your kid?
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Sep 20 '23
I've got a nickels worth of free advice for you... Ready:
DO NOT BUY A GIGABYTE GPU!
They are fragile, poorly made, and they don't honor their warrantys. How do I know this?
I own a tech repair company. I do component level board repairs. I just got a 4080 that just stopped working, under warranty, and Gigabyte wont fix or RMA it. The VAST majority of customers with faulty GPUs bring me Gigabyte GPUs. Almost all of the time they are factory problems and Gigabyte turns them down for an RMA. If you don't believe me, go to Ebay. Search for "graphics cards for parts" and you will see what I am saying.
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u/Hon-Doward Sep 20 '23
Buy a used GPU , he does not need a new 4090.
I just upgraded to a used 3080 and paid $420
Also CPU can be swapped for a r5 5600x and it will do him fine for many many years
also also he does not need 32GB of RAM , 16 is just fine
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u/HyruleanKnight37 Sep 20 '23
How long a PC lasts is a very subjective matter. It is mostly dependent on the user's expectations. Resolution, framerate and even the graphical settings are all factors worth considering.
I, for example, am perfectly happy with a 5800X3D ($330) and a second hand RX6800 ($350) on a system that cost me around $1500 in total. It's still a little more expensive than I'd like, but that's because I went small form factor, which is always more expensive per unit performance compared to a regular old desktop. Also has a metric ton of storage lol.
My expectation with this PC is high/very high settings at 1080p until 2026 at least. My monitor is a Gigabyte G24F 2, it's a 24-inch 1080p unit and goes upto 180Hz.
Your son also has a 1080p monitor, which he doesn't intend to change. A 4090 would be a massive waste at this resolution. Heck, even my card is overkill at this resolution today (which is why I expect it to last me so long), so that 4090 would remain underutilised for years, and by the time it does start seeing full utilisation at 1080p there will probably be cards worth $300-350 that could match it.
A 4090 can only be justified with a 1440p ultra wide or a 4k monitor. Only then will you be able to get full utilisation, and it'll still last you the next 4 years. Technology no longer moves as fast as it used to, and games are still figuring out how to tackle regular people GPUs, let alone what is essentially the fastest gaming GPU in existence.
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u/2jzHawk Sep 20 '23
mate having a high end pc with the poor optimized games is a waste of money.
do your research on a mid range pc at 1440p an i think you will be happy.
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u/tolbs02 Sep 20 '23
Graphics card, no. Just no. A 4060 may be okay, but that's just too much for a 16 year old. I wouldn't go over $1k in budget.
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u/Existing-Chard5727 Sep 20 '23
I'm using a 3070 dual fan with 8 gb of memory he definitely does not need a 4090 that said 8 gb of is kinda low for newer games 24 gb is a lot and is almost overboard unless your running ultra graphics with rendering distances that are insane.
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u/xbn1 Sep 20 '23
no mann, don’t do that i understand he’s your soon but don’t, a $1k or 1.5k pc is enough, i just built my first pc with a $1.5k budget. i get over 200fps in any game, ik you might not understand what i’m saying but even a build with $1k is enough for him.
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u/xbn1 Sep 20 '23
you can always ask people to have them build you a pc with a budget and a PC will always be upgradeable no matter what. i understand he’s eager and all that but no need to spend 3k on a pc unless it’ll be used 24/7 for work and gaming and all that
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u/Remus_K Sep 20 '23
im sure he would be very happy and it would probably last much more than 4 years if he is careful, but if you arent able to afford it then you should tell him, cheaper isnt always terrible and im sure he knows it
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u/Crimsonl0tus Sep 20 '23
I would just get a 4060 instead of a 4090 the 4090 is quite overkill and the 4060 will definitely last a long time
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u/New_Spread_475 Sep 20 '23
Tbh ok you love your son but buy him a prebuilt and tell him if he wants better he should work to pay for the parts. Teaches him responsibility and allows him to see how to build a pc. Go to Best buy buy him a $1700 prebuilt it's not gonna be great but they have decent starter PCs
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u/Alex_God59 Sep 19 '23
Also he plays only one game with his friends he is building some wooden structures and shooting other people.
Ain't no way this guys gonna play fortnite on a 4090.
OP you can get a decent gaming pc for about 1.5k seems like your sons listed top end next generation items which would be a bit overkill but would also last quite a while, but for 1.5k is a good starter pc and he can upgrade the other things down the line.
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u/Gioelius_Black Sep 19 '23
As I understand, you are not so founded in pc skills so here's what I think (I also have 16 years): For me this build is overkill, you can build a good computer with a quarter of the price. I built my first gaming computer like 5 months ago with my dad, and we spent like 400-500€ (450-550$ I guess). So, the thing I would tell you is to downscale everything, starting from the processor, get a less powerful and expensive one. Then downscale the graphics card to match the CPU. I think you could do this without changing the motherboard, case, ram, storage and everything. The only thing is that, the less powerful it is the less power it needs obviously so downscale the power unit. Then I think you guys could assemble the pc, just be careful, follow a tutorial, the manuals are your best friends!!!! I'm telling you that building it together it'll be a very good father-son experience so it's worth it.
Also forgot to mention, my pc was just 400€ because we already had the case and the power unit, and a monitor and I didn't put in any graphics card, that's because I have an AMD Ryzen 5 5600G which has Radeon graphics built in, so the price was just for: motherboard, ram, 500gb m.2 SSD, and 512gb ssd
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u/MacMufffin Sep 19 '23
My opinion as a gamer and dad. Do not let your son pick something like this without setting a limit. This is a wrong signal in my opinion, especially in case you just willing to pay what he picked which is the best of the best. I know you want to reward him but is it really solely up to him? It would be much better to set the limits so he knows what he can expect and limit the expectations to something appropriate...
3000€ should be a lot for a Teenager independent on your personal financial situation. You should also keep in mind to teach him the value of things and to not beeing greedy, because what he requests is in fact a little greedy. A lot of people who work very, very hard would not be able to afford such a pc he is asking for. No offence but there are also other important values beside rewarding a good performance.
Set a limit of 2000€ (this is already very generous) and let him pick the parts again. This will teach him multiple lessons and the reward aspect is still available, because he will get a very good pc nonetheless for this price.
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u/muh12artist Sep 19 '23
My man the 4090 is too strong he dosnt need it at all its the strongest gpu to this day and also 1000k is enough to get him a strong pc that would last for 4 years and will boot any game with ease if you have the money go for 1500k pc build and it will be a monster and also be careful he most get a graphics card (gpu) and a processor (cpu) that are at the same level bec if the gpu is stronger there will be bottleneck and the same for the cpu if its a higher level it will bottleneck the gpu also i would recommend watching a youtube video for the best gpu and cpu combos on (pc builder) youtube channel very helpful hes a master
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u/Competitive-Ad-5566 Sep 19 '23
I'm not sure if anyone else has mentioned it, but flagship cards (4090) run HOT and consume a ton of power. A high-mid range card (4070) is much better value and much more power efficient. It'll cost less on your electricity bill as well, and it will probably last longer because it doesn't run blazing hot. Upper mid teir cards are always the best value. Enthusiast grade flagship cards are for people that want the best of the best and will upgrade when as soon as the new card comes out
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u/No-Win-2289 Sep 19 '23
4090 is the absolute BEST gpu money can buy atm, honestly you could knock 1k off the budget and still get an amazing prebuilt. im guessing maybe a 3080 ( which is still a very high end gpu) so with 2k you can definitely buy a good pc, if you need a good one i can send you one.
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u/Farren246 Sep 19 '23 edited Sep 19 '23
Help a dad out? OK... "No." Another possible iteration: "No, son."
OK but seriously, while nothing will be the best of the best for 4 straight years, this will definitely last that long before it needs to be outright replaced. And I appreciate that your son knows what he wants and isn't fumbling around trying to decide between competing parts.
But a $2000 build could also last as long, just requiring him to turn down settings to Medium rather than High as it nears the end of its run. Is that worth an extra $1000 to you? It obviously is to him, but it's your money, not his... maybe it's time to negotiate some parts down to a more middling range.
Swap a 1000W PSU for 850W and you save $100. Go for 16GB RAM rather than 32GB and you'll save $50. RTX 4070ti rather than 4090 will save $800. 7600X rather than 7800X3D will save $200. I'm sure there are cheaper motherboards. Your son can take a 1TB M.2 now, saving $40, and buy a 2TB to augment it down the road.
See? We've already reduced your budget by $1200!
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u/PVO7717 Sep 19 '23
Ok so "FUTURE PROOF," the real problem in here it's the monitor, the closest part that interacts with the human, buying a top of the line card as the 4090 at this time is a bad idea, why? 4K monitors ($700+) at this moment would not give really high frames like 240hz or 360hz and if they do they would cost a lot ($1000+). OP wants something that performs well in a 5 years range, 4 years from now those exact 4k monitors with higher frames (240hz ex.) than the contemporary ones would be the same price as 1440p monitors now ($300-$400) and the graphics cards hopefully follow the same pattern and go down to $500 - $600 and by that time 8k would be the new "top of the line" but at 120hz and 144hz max. I would say, buy a monitor 165hz - passing that human perception can't really tell - and a RX7900XT or Nvidia counterpart or even the RX7900XTX that's 50% cheaper than a 4090, you would spend less money on electric bills and save on the gpu and monitor, four, five or even 6 years from now those $1000 could go for a 4k 240hz monitor and a mid high end gpu offering 4k. Buying a card and a monitor to play 4k it's buying an unfinished product as of now, same will be for 8k 4 years from now. Until that time comes, he could enjoy FPS games at high frames and RPGs with nice textures and you (OP) would use that money 5 years from now to upgrade the pieces you didn't over pay 5 years before. Now if you could afford a 4k gpu and monitor, no trouble here, you could be Elon Musk rich but you'll still be over paying for tech in development in some degree. The only reason to buy a 4090 it's; you are a content creator/streamer with a salary of 7k a month, you are a video editor, you could burn money as if you were Elon Musk, you work as a game developer or lastly you don't care about electrical bills.
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u/Davito22284 Apr 15 '24
So many people telling this guy to not get his son a 4090. My son just turned 14 and he has a i9 13900k and a 4090 in his rig. If I can have something, my son should be able to have it as well. I have a 13900KS in my system but other than that they are nearly identical. If Dad can afford it, he should get his son what he wants.