Looking For Specific Advice From Several Geeks About A New Build

I am finally getting around to it. About me:
An old Heathkit builder
Railroad signal maintainer in the 1970's
Fortran 1 and 2 ace student in the 1960's
HVAC electrical expert via the Refrigeration Service Engineers Society
I have serviced my own machines for motherboard, power supply, drives, memory, etc

Okay, those are my tech abilities.

I have found the NewEgg selection tool, but it does not tell me what is best...it only tells me what is allegedly compatible.

I'd like to keep the cost below $1,500 if possible. USD

Purpose of the build: a machine that is not necessarily "gamer fast," because I am not a gamer. I will use it for fast stock trading and some video editing for a Youtube channel. I want some capacity headroom beyond the tasks being performed, so the machine is never at its limits, struggling to meet my needs.

I once believed that Intel was the top of the chip heap, but with their management problems I am no longer certain. So lets start with the CPU. Is AMD the way to go?
Which board for the chip?
Memory?
Do I need water cooling?
SSD or a conventional SATA with extra processing for fast starts?
Eventually, I want to drive multiple monitors for stock charting, Video should be fast enough to avoid lag.
Which video card, assuming that an external card is best, should I choose?
I want a simple box, large form factor, no lights or other aspects that increase costs. This is not a machine to be visually impressive.

Is there another viable choice that will run all MS software besides Win10-11?

I am also interested in limiting cookies and trackers, and eliminating things like Google Analytics, Moatads, etc. I want to find the best VPN for the money, along with cloud storage, large file transfers, and whether I should use server-based Outlook.

So, I think that's everything. Responses are welcomed!!!

 

Do NOT pay attention to ANYONE who says "AMD is better than Intel" or "Intel is better than AMD". Both makers produce excellent reliable processors. No one brand's entire line of processors are better than the other brand's entire line of processors. And no single CPU is better at every possible computing task. This one might be better at some games, that one at other games. This one better at graphics editing, that one better at CAD/CAE. And no single CPU is the worst performer at all tasks.

If you stay away from the entry level processors, no doubt just about any processor will serve your needs AS LONG AS you don't bottleneck it with a poor graphics solution or insufficient RAM.

If like me, you have been a long time Intel user and have been happy with Intel, go Intel. With a little homework, you cannot go wrong. If you are a long time happy AMD user, or just want to switch, with a little homework, you cannot go wrong. It really is a matter of personal preference - at least until you narrow your search down to a specific Intel and a specific AMD. Then, if you choose, you can compare. HOWEVER, note that small differences on paper are rarely seen in the real world - other than via the placebo effect.

Which board for the chip? Decide on your processor first. Then which brand board. Many like ASUS, I like Gigabyte, but MSI makes some good boards too.

Memory? Yes. You will need some. I recommend 16GB minimum. However, if me, I would go 32GB. That is likely over kill but it will be much easier to buy 32GB of matching RAM today, than 16GB today and then adding 16GB that matches in 3 years. Quantity trumps speed. So don't worry too much about the speed of your RAM.

Oh, when you finally decide on your board, typically the maker will maintain CPU and RAM QVLs - qualified vendors lists. These are lists of compatible CPUs and RAM for that specific board. You should by a listed CPU to ensure compatibility but there are too many RAM makers and models for board makers to test them all. So you don't have to buy listed RAM, but you should buy RAM with the same specs as listed RAM to ensure compatibility.

Water cooling - no! You don't need it. Don't let anyone tell you you "need" it. Especially if you are not doing any extreme overclocking. Remember, it is the case's responsibility to provide the innards a sufficient supply of cool air flowing through the case. The CPU cooler need only toss the CPU's heat into that flow. Also, don't let anyone tell you the OEM cooler (if your chosen CPU comes with one) is not good enough. They are - again, with proper case cooling. Yes, many (but not all, by any means) after market coolers are better and quieter. But today's OEM coolers are very quiet and provide very good cooling. Plus, a good case suppresses fan noise too.

If your selected CPU does not come with an OEM cooler, there are many decent air coolers out there. The EVO 212 is very popular and affordable.

The case is an often, overlooked but critical component in our systems. A simple case is fine, but not a cheap one. The case must cool and protect the components inside.

All our builds here over the last couple years have been with Fractal Design cases. Excellent build and excellent cooling options. My next build will likely be with the FD Define 7 mid-tower. You do NOT need a full tower. Like you, I prefer a conservative design - no fancy façade or flashy lights. I expect my cases to site quietly and discreetly off to the side and NOT draw attention to themselves. After all, it is what's on my monitors that matters. And the FD cases fit that bill perfectly. Look for a case that supports multiple 140mm or larger case fans and has removable, washable air filters. A side panel window is great for performing regular maintenance inspections. You can visually inspect the interior for heat-trapping dust build-up and spinning fans without having to remove the side panel. Very nice.

Did you mean to say that? Or did you mean SSD or a conventional "hard drive"? For sure, go SSD all the way, if possible. Or a nice 500GB SSD for your boot and application drive, and good hard drive for mass storage. M.2 PCIe SSDs are faster, but if you are not currently used to SSDs, SATA SSDs are plenty fast. Remember, even the slowest SSD will run circles around the fastest hard drives. Unless you had two identical computers sitting side-by-side performing disk intensive tasks, it is not likely you (your brain and eyes) could tell the difference between a SATA SSD or a M.2 PCIe SSD.

Umm, you do NOT want an "external" graphics card. You probably just want a graphics card - as opposed to "integrated" graphics. That said, for your stated tasks, with the right CPU that has integrated graphics, and the right motherboard that supports an integrated CPU, you probably do not need a separate card. Stock charting really does not take a lot of graphics horsepower. Most decent integrated graphics solutions support multiple monitors too.

Also, note that a good graphics card is often the most power hungry devices in our computers. Whether using a graphics card or integrated, do NOT try to cut corners in the budget with a cheap power supply. You don't buy a new Porsche then fill it with fuel from the corner Tobacco and Bait Hut. I like EVGA and Seasonic PSUs. And I recommend 80 PLUS "Bronze" at least - preferably "Gold". Do not waste your money on "Platinum" or "Titanium" unless the retailer has them discounted so deeply, you just can't pass it up. Remember, higher certification is NOT a measure of quality - only efficiency. And it typically would take many "YEARS" in energy saving to make up the extra cost of Platinum or Titanium, over Gold.

So your PSU is one of the most important purchase decisions you must make. But make it last - AFTER you have chosen your processors, graphics, RAM and drives. Then you can determine your size needs. I use and recommend is the eXtreme OuterVision PSU Calculator. This will calculate your minimum needs and recommend a suitable size for those needs.

Plug in all your current components. Be sure to plan ahead and include all the hardware you think you might add in 2 or 3 years (extra drives, bigger or second video card, more RAM, etc.).

I recommend setting CPU utilization to 100% and Computer Utilization Time to 16 hours per day. These settings will help compensate for component aging, and add a little extra padding to the results. This will also result in a little cooler and quieter operation.

Having said all that, I recommend you hold off on your new build for a couple months. Wait until the motherboard makers release their new boards that are designed with Windows 11 support. Another reason to wait a little bit is because there is a global shortage of graphics cards and other computer "chips" - the same shortage that is plaguing the auto industry at this time. This shortage is limiting selection options and artificially holding prices high. Of course COVID is the go to excuse for everything these days. While I think that may be part of it, I think poor planning is biggest problem. Anyway, the shortages will end in the next couple months (fingers crossed) and we (consumers) will have more, and more affordable options to choose from. Plus, it will give manufacturers time to ensure everything is W11 compatible.

You might want to check out PCPartPicker. It is an excellent site to help self-builder select components.

Sorry for the book. Hope that helps.

 

Don't be sorry, I am a sponge for good info.

I'm not sure what set of circumstances will end that chip shortage, but your advice about waiting for a good selection seems logical.

What is the least expensive way to buy Windows when I am ready to make the build?

 

The price for Windows will be consistent, as long as you buy a legitimate copy from an authorized retailer like Newegg. I prefer one that comes on physical media (like a flash drive) as opposed to download only.

I personally prefer the Pro version but there's nothing wrong with the less expensive Home version.

Note if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is not an authorized sell. You can easily find ridiculously low prices but note those typically are individual keys from volume license and are not to be sold separately according to the original license agreement between the original buyer and Microsoft. They are legitimate keys, and the program will work - at least for awhile. Microsoft can and some times does disable those installations if they determine the license was not obtained via an authorized purchase.

 

One thing about buying windows 10. If you have a PC with a good windows 7 key, it will still work to activate 10. If you have a key that is embedded within the bios just install 10 and it will auto activate. I have used a key off a dead PC onto a new build and it has worked for me. Just DL the ISO from micro$oft. Be sure to dl the version for the key you have, Home for home, or pro for pro.