Hey there! I currently have a setup with an i7 laptop from a few years ago that's connected to an RTX 3070 eGPU. While it works fine for my gaming needs, it's really draining my battery life. So, my first question is, should I build a PC now considering the RAM prices are pretty high and seem unlikely to drop soon? Secondly, I'd love some feedback on my parts list. I'm trying to keep costs reasonable while also having the flexibility to upgrade later. Note that I'm planning to move my RTX 3070 and my M.2 drive into the new build. Here's my parts list: https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/GnTRJw. Thanks in advance!
4 Answers
You definitely want to keep your laptop plugged in while gaming, as using it on battery can hurt both performance and battery health. Honestly, it might not be the best time to build a PC right now. Prices for RAM and SSDs are really high, and options are scarce. Before making a decision, check if your current CPU is bottlenecking your gaming performance; if not, upgrading may not lead to much of an improvement since the RTX 3070 is getting dated. But it's all about whether you're ready to invest in better CPU performance. Your build looks decent, but the 5200 MHz RAM is a bit slow; consider going for 6000 MHz if you can swing it.
Your planned build isn’t bad overall, but you really should think about getting a newer GPU.
I totally agree with you on that! Thanks for the advice!
Honestly, building right now isn't ideal. If you can wait a year or two, that might save you some money. Looking at your build list, a 9800X3D with only 16GB slow DDR5 RAM is an odd combo. You could scale back to a 9600 or 9700X and bump the RAM up to 32GB at 6000MHz. Also, that SSD seems overkill; consider a Samsung 990 EVO Plus instead. With what you save, invest in a top-tier PSU rather than the MSI MAG model.
Yeah, I’m starting to think waiting might be the best bet. I've got a friend who's also thinking of upgrading later on. I’ll look into those CPUs! And I already have the SSD, so that's a plus.
It really depends on what you plan to do with your build. A major concern is your graphics card being only 8GB and having just 16GB of RAM. While some argue that 16GB is sufficient, you might want to aim for at least 32GB. Your CPU choice is fantastic for gaming, but paired with a lower-end graphics card, it may not be optimized. If you're planning to use the 3070, just upgrade the RAM and you'll be good. There's some news that RAM prices might be coming down soon, so keep an eye on that!
Yeah, I'm aware my GPU is getting older; I didn't want to skimp on RAM since it’s based on what my laptop has. Appreciate the insight!
I didn't realize you could limit the battery settings on laptops. I mostly game at 1440p, so I know the GPU is the weak link here. That's why I chose the 5200 MHz option. Definitely want to go for 6000 MHz!