Get me started again! My rig is like a decade old.

[Zerileous]

Depends on your budget and features. Refer to the links in post #36 if you really want to break it down. Most of the x570 will run any Ryzen released up to this point, b450 you have to be a bit more careful of.

So what CPU do you want to put in it? do you plan to OC heavily? What is your budget? Do you care about PCIe gen4, USB3 ports internally / externally?

 

[trents]

I am looking at doing a similar upgrade. I also haven't been paying attention to hardware for the last 10+ years. Which MB would you use for atx?

What form factor do your want? Full Tower, Mid tower, micro tower, mini ITX?

 

[g0dM@n]

Guys, I receive the motherboard a couple of days ago, finally!
Found it brand new on eBay for $80 from the west coast (I'm east coast). I actually saved $30 for the original one falling through. Got the B450M VDH Pro Max.

I have it physically built, so now just backing up everything on my current desktop to migrate it over after installing windows. I'm ripping the GPU and sound card out of this, so getting all my ducks in a row first. Once I pull it out, I have to install windows and everything as quickly as I can as it's my home office desktop.

Good news!!!
Remember how I asked if an AM3 cooler would work? Well guess what, I grabbed my nuts and said the heck with it I'm going to give it a shot. I went up into the attic where I keep all retail boxes for my goodies, and found my FX-8320 stock cooler still brand new in the retail box. I cleaned off the stock paste on it, and installed with an old tube of MX2. It worked. It clipped right on. It was tight, but it's holding well.

I will know soon if I kill the CPU or not haha. I'm sure it'll be fine. The FX cooler looks way nicer than the stealth. The only thing lacking is the size/depth of the fan, but if that's a problem, I can hack something on there.

 

[trents]

Finally! Thanks for the update.

 

[g0dM@n]

Here is a picture of the stealth cooler (to the left) and the FX cooler mounted (to the right). You can see how much better it should be.
My son wanted to be part of the picture. He built the entire thing with me, even followed the schematic for the motherboard headers!

 

[trents]

Ah, yes. A pandemic home schooling project.

 

[g0dM@n]

Man... one caveat!!!
So good news it the sapphire r9 fury nitro fit as perfectly as possible. It literally just skimmed each side as I slid it in with the front intake fan for the case still in tact.

One piece of news I am disappointed in. The GPU is so massive it took over all expansion slots. There were two pcie x1 (or is it x4) slots. One is completely vanished, but the other I can see the edge of. I have a sound blaster Z card I really wanted to use. I'd no idea I wouldn't be able to.

It hurts that the only way is that I buy a whole new GPU.
Are USB sound cards just as good? I have a 5.1 surround system, audiophile headphones, mic, etc -- had them all hooked up to this sound card. I was even using optical, but that's not as necessary.

In the meantime, I'm installing windows 10. Man, I can't tell you how happy I am that this thing is whisper quiet.

 

[EarthDog]

Those are x1 slots.

I'd say scrap it and use the onboard as they are typically 'good enough' for most users, but going cheap on the board also cheaps out on the audio codec in this case... it's using an ALC892 as opposed to the much better ALC1220 codecs on many other boards.

 

[trents]

Just use the onboard sound unless you are an audiophile.

 

[CJustin]

In any case, you should go fro not less than R5. I use an R5 3500H model and it works great as a daily driver for casual things.
Any Hynix memory stick of 8 GB or more will do.

You need not spend much on PSU like the one you use is also good.
Again, before buying anything you should consider the budget of it.

Begin with a budget in mind irrespective of whether you want or not.

 

[g0dM@n]

Those are x1 slots.

I'd say scrap it and use the onboard as they are typically 'good enough' for most users, but going cheap on the board also cheaps out on the audio codec in this case... it's using an ALC892 as opposed to the much better ALC1220 codecs on many other boards.

What's up, old friend!!???
So you're essentially telling me to suck it up!! Haha. I did, for now...

Just use the onboard sound unless you are an audiophile.

I am a bit of one, but I can take a step back and see if I'm ok with it. I'm still quite excited about a small, compact, and quiet build... and I must say this case is friggin' awesome!! Wow they got really clever with cases. They were nothing like this back when I used to build dozens a year.

In any case, you should go fro not less than R5. I use an R5 3500H model and it works great as a daily driver for casual things.
Any Hynix memory stick of 8 GB or more will do.

You need not spend much on PSU like the one you use is also good.
Again, before buying anything you should consider the budget of it.

Begin with a budget in mind irrespective of whether you want or not.

Thanks, but a bit late on the advice. I am typing from the new machine now... just takes forever to install everything I need.

 

[trents]

In any case, you should go fro not less than R5. I use an R5 3500H model and it works great as a daily driver for casual things.
Any Hynix memory stick of 8 GB or more will do.

You need not spend much on PSU like the one you use is also good.
Again, before buying anything you should consider the budget of it.

Begin with a budget in mind irrespective of whether you want or not.

CJustin, did you reply to the wrong thread? OP already has the parts and has done the build.

 

[EarthDog]

Hey GM!!! I hope you are well!!!!

Suck it up? Well, maybe.

You may be OK with the ALC892 audio, but a better option is definitely the ALC1220 (on other boards). I definitely say try it!

 

[trents]

https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Lab...d=1589471508&sprefix=USB+audi,aps,255&sr=8-10

 

[EarthDog]

https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Lab...d=1589471508&sprefix=USB+audi,aps,255&sr=8-10

I wonder if a $20 USB dongle is close to an expensive discrete audio card.......but I imagine it is better than the ALC892? Good find if onboard isn't good enough!

 

[trents]

Yeah, I don't know if it's better than onboard or not. There are others that are a lot more expensive that might be better.

 

[g0dM@n]

The discrete card that a ton of outputs. I literally had a cable in every single port:
- An amplified (dedicated) output for my Audio Technicas (audiophile cans)
- 3 analog outputs for my 5.1 surround sound
- Optical output into the same 5.1 surround (don't ask, would ocassionally prefer one over the other, depending on what I was doing)
- Microphone output
- Optical in (wasn't used, but could have been)

Anyway, what I can do is plug in headphones into my 5.1 volume control unit. I wonder if the 3 analog outs on the motherboard are flex ports where I can do 5.1 on it, and then use the front audio for my headphone and mic. If that's the case, I'm golden!! Hoping so... installing the audio driver/software now.

 

[g0dM@n]

Flex port worked! I used the software.
Just have to see what happens when I plug stuff into the front ports, but I'll worry about it later.

Guys, thanks for joining me in this journey! I'll have to add some lights when I get a chance and make it a bit fancier. Not sure I can get to it soon, but plan is to upload pictures soon.

 

[trents]

How do you like that case?

 

[g0dM@n]

How do you like that case?

Like I said, it's a beauty!!!!!!!! I love it so much... such a brilliant design.