The PC build thread

Jan 2021 High end video cards chart. It's a terrible time to buy GPUs right now, but for posterity sake if anyone is building, these are your most likely high-end choices at the time of this post.

 

And here is the more accessible batch of cards in the medium-end chart at the time of this post.

 

Everybody has their opinions when it comes to building. Unfortunately, it has become almost impossible for me to build because my hands shake! In fact, I had to switch to insulin pins from syringes because this shaking caused me to bend them. I am planning what most likely will be my last build sometime this spring. What I always tell people is to make sure you don't build more than what you need. For the average person, they would be better off buying OEM and reinstalling an OEM OS removing all the crapware. Just be careful to install the proper drivers afterward. If, however, you still want to build then make a budget for the said build. To start, right off you might as well figure 35% to 45% of that budget goes to the video card. If you stay patient keep watching sellers like Amazon, Best Buy, Frys, and Microcenter for deals and sales. It is amazing what some of these sellers will sell things for. A guy I know just bought a MOBO from Microcenter that had some cosmetic damage for about 75% off retail. Keep those eyes and ears open.

 

Good advice.

Also, you can go to camelcamelcamel dot com and put in any Amazon part number and a set price that you are willing to pay. If/when the item is ever listed at or below that price you get an alert. This is how I got my last video card at below MSRP.

 

Several days ago I bought this device off Amazon and spent several hours yesterday installing it. I use two monitors and my work desk is rather small. This holder allows me to remove the monitor bases and actually get them closer to my eyes. At first, I thought this ole cheap thing was too rinky-dink but so far it feels solid and the compression connectors are holding.

 

It seems building a high end rig with any sort of graphics card is going to be extremely expensive right now. I've been trying to get a hold of AMD's new chips, but the only way to get it is to bot the stores or to buy from scalpers raising the price at least 2x.

 

Yep... Wait a year if you want to do a new build with the latest stuff. I'm still rockin' a 9900KF with a 1080ti. Works for me, but I already have the itch to do another build, but not willing to help a scalper out.

 

That is still a strong build. So at least you are rockin for a bit while supply reaches demand again.

 

There is one trick that worked for me on my last build. Amazon and NewEgg and B&H Photo will randomly get supply of new GPUs. They will sell at MSRP for a few minutes and then go out of stock. Yes, there are a bunch of motherless fools out there botting them, but NewEgg especially is running anti-bot checking and will only sell 2 of them to any individual credit card.

NewEgg and B&H have the "Notify Me" button. And for Amazon, you use camelcamelcamel(dot)com. Preset your desired price point at camel. After deciding which cards are acceptable for your build at the MSRP price, do the "notify" at NewEgg and B&H, and at camel. Make sure to select more than one. (like if you want a 5700XT, then select 4 or 5 of them from different reputable vendors.)

I got a 2080ti at $200 below MSRP this way about 2 years ago when everybody was gouging those at $1500-$1800 dollars.

When you get alerted, don't wait even a minute. Click the link and add to cart immediately.

Yes, some of you know this. Yes, it is like a mini-lottery. But remember that the vendors are still pumping out these cards weekly. It's not like they aren't being shipped to the retailers. They're just getting snatched up right away at MSRP to be sold at gouge-pricing by motherless fools. If you're patient and quick you can still get one without waiting a year for them just to be sitting there at MSRP.

(FYI - same trick works with ammo)

 

The other day someone I know was in a bind and asked me to make them an offer for this ----



I was happy with the Samsung 500GB I already had, but made an offer of $75 and bought it. I am pleased with it. This is my first WD Blue. Will see how it goes. Read and write speeds!