Got out of PC Building/fixit myself this past year or so. I so don't miss it.

brianmanahan · Aug 27, 2024

i built this box 6 years ago, and i'll probably be building a new one in a year or two to be eligible to use win11

i don't follow hardware every day like i used to but i still like to research it and build a desktop every few years

i've been on intel since P4 but might actually be going back to AMD for the first time in 20 years on this new build

KLin · Aug 27, 2024

BoomerD said:
I got rid of several boxes full of stuff when we moved out of CA in 2012. Last year, while digging through one of the remaining boxes, I found this:

View attachment 106383

View attachment 106384

JFC SCHUMER

DAPUNISHER · Aug 28, 2024

BoomerD said:
Whatever works for you. If you remember, my last PC was a pre-built that I bought from Costco. It was OK...but just OK...it had its share of issues that I ended up having to fix.

This PC, I built.

Precisely why I roll my own, I don't have PC issues.

dave_the_nerd said:
FWIW, I've been ship-of-theseusing my own computer for about 25 years now. And my dad basically begged me to build him a system.

But honestly, I think there's a big difference between "I assembled my computer from parts" and "My hobby is building PCs."

Like, I have hobbies, and I spend a fair number of hours per week pursuing them. But that's the problem - no way I'd ever need to spend 10 hours a week worrying about which video card to buy when I only get one every 4-5 years. It's insufficient intellectual stimulation to constitute a hobby.

DIY in 2024 = Legos. It isn't a hobby, it's a means to an end. PC gaming is the hobby. VR while you can do it stand alone is best with PC too. Hell, you can even get a great workout, thrill of the fight and beat saber are my favorites.

People that build as a hobby usually do it like Etsy, where it's more of a side hustle for fun money and or to support the hobby itself.

As to the 10hrs a week hyperbole: Intellectuals just post for build help in general hardware and some of our absolute legends will provide a bunch of pcpartspicker lists that fit your budget to choose from. Boom done.

VirtualLarry said:
Next PC of mine will be a pre-built. I'm currently on a gaming laptop, that I got on a fairly excellent deal ($699 at WM).

Don't cop out and buy some boring Walmart piece of shit. Support one of the tech tubers you watch like Toasty Bros. I'd be interested in reading your experience.

Reading this on forums started by a kid into PC hardware is depressing. You may have lost that loving feeling but one need look no further than r/PCMR to see there are legions of young ones to take your place. Yeah, desktop is only 20% of the PC market, but that is still 9 figures. And those old office boxes don't all end up e-waste. Pimping them out and selling them as gaming PCs is a whole cottage industry unto itself now.

DAPUNISHER · Aug 28, 2024

brianmanahan said:
i built this box 6 years ago, and i'll probably be building a new one in a year or two to be eligible to use win11

i don't follow hardware every day like i used to but i still like to research it and build a desktop every few years

i've been on intel since P4 but might actually be going back to AMD for the first time in 20 years on this new build

The old school Intel fanboy energy on these forums is adorable. Old dog new tricks and all that jazz. Had you built AM4 6yrs ago you could just slap a 5700X3D, more ram and storage in it, and be good for another 6yrs.

dave_the_nerd · Aug 28, 2024

DAPUNISHER said:
As to the 10hrs a week hyperbole: Intellectuals just post for build help in general hardware and some of our absolute legends will provide a bunch of pcpartspicker lists that fit your budget to choose from. Boom done.

It's not hyperbole - I'm single and have no kids.

And I'd like to clarify - I don't mean intellectual in the "oooh, look at me I'm smart" sense, I mean "intellectual stimulation" in the "is it interesting" sense. If something doesn't hold my interest, I go do something else.

Although I have ADHD and hyperfocusing on a new hobby every 3-6 months is kind of part of the curse. After that it becomes "work."

AdamK47 · Aug 28, 2024

If you lost weight to become more mobile/independent would that inspire your to build PCs again?

Can't imagine me not building/tweaking my own system. I'd do everything in my power to get my mobility and independence back. I'd never succumb to such a situation.

Not being able to have hobbies would make the situation worse with depression.

Lost_in_the_HTTP · Aug 28, 2024

Desktops suck too many kilowatts over too short of a time

This laptop is over 10 years old now and sucks less than 30 watts while doing everything I need.

brianmanahan · Aug 30, 2024

DAPUNISHER said:
The old school Intel fanboy energy on these forums is adorable. Old dog new tricks and all that jazz. Had you built AM4 6yrs ago you could just slap a 5700X3D, more ram and storage in it, and be good for another 6yrs.

i don't care one about CPU makers one way or the other, but 8700k was OC'able enough to make it better at the games i play and at video editing workflow performance when i got it

and C2D's were blowing AMD out of the water back when i got the 2500k before this one and OC'd it

mikeymikec · Aug 30, 2024

brianmanahan said:
i built this box 6 years ago, and i'll probably be building a new one in a year or two to be eligible to use win11

<scratches head> a 6 year old PC should be compatible with Win11...

brianmanahan · Aug 30, 2024

mikeymikec said:
<scratches head> a 6 year old PC should be compatible with Win11...

whoa you're right! i had to double-check to make sure, and i've got a couple settings disabled in the z370 mobo, and i think toggling them will make it TPM compliant!

i'll have to try it later today when i have time, but if it works you just saved me a grand and let me use this machine for another 6 years

mikeymikec · Aug 30, 2024

brianmanahan said:
whoa you're right! i had to double-check to make sure, and i've got a couple settings disabled in the z370 mobo, and i think toggling them will make it TPM compliant!

i'll have to try it later today when i have time, but if it works you just saved me a grand and let me use this machine for another 6 years

np

You'll get a big scary message when you make BIOS changes to enable the firmware-based TPM, just roll with it. You could always play it safe with backups first I've made the TPM changes to several AM4 builds for customers without any adverse effects and even though Win10 > Settings > Windows Update still claimed that the PC was incompatible, it then offered Win11 as an option a few days later. The best compatibility check is with the 'PC Health Check' app that should already be part of your Win10 install, check that before you make any changes to see what Win11 would take issue with.

I think UEFI Secure Boot needs enabling too.

Red Squirrel · Aug 30, 2024

mikeymikec said:
<scratches head> a 6 year old PC should be compatible with Win11...

Doesn't windows 11 require some kind of special chip that only newer motherboards have? There are ways to work around it, but I wouldn't trust those work arounds to always work in the future.

mikeymikec · Aug 30, 2024

Red Squirrel said:
Doesn't windows 11 require some kind of special chip that only newer motherboards have? There are ways to work around it, but I wouldn't trust those work arounds to always work in the future.

TPM 2.0 chip, yep. Chances are though if you have a =>2018 CPU, the board has that chip.

Red Squirrel · Aug 30, 2024

mikeymikec said:
TPM 2.0 chip, yep. Chances are though if you have a =>2018 CPU, the board has that chip.

Oh that's good to know... makes me wonder if I might even have it on my windows machine without realizing it. I'd have to try to install 11 on it to see what happens.

mikeymikec · Aug 30, 2024

Red Squirrel said:
Oh that's good to know... makes me wonder if I might even have it on my windows machine without realizing it. I'd have to try to install 11 on it to see what happens.

Just run the PC Health Check app on Win10 and have it check for compatibility. It will tell you on which points your PC is considered not compatible.

Stiff Clamp · Aug 30, 2024

Bet this announcement prompted AnandTech to shut it down. When avid enthusiasts retire . . . uh ohs

BoomerD · Aug 30, 2024

brianmanahan said:
whoa you're right! i had to double-check to make sure, and i've got a couple settings disabled in the z370 mobo, and i think toggling them will make it TPM compliant!

i'll have to try it later today when i have time, but if it works you just saved me a grand and let me use this machine for another 6 years

My last PC, the Costco pre-built had a Z390 board. It was Windows 11 capable with a couple of tweaks in the BIOS. I never did go 11, and still haven’t with my “new” PC…but might one of these days.

stargazr · Aug 30, 2024

I built my own PCs for my gf and I last December. They replaced my last builds from 2010. One still worked ok but thought it was time for an upgrade for both of us. After looking around at pre-builts I decided against it and am glad I did. I went with Intel i5 chips and MSI boards, and everything went well although I didn't enjoy it as much as last time.

brianmanahan · Aug 30, 2024

Stiff Clamp said:
Bet this announcement prompted AnandTech to shut it down. When avid enthusiasts retire . . . uh ohs

what the crap

VirtualLarry · Aug 30, 2024

Stiff Clamp said:
Bet this announcement prompted AnandTech to shut it down. When avid enthusiasts retire . . . uh ohs

And how many hot deals have you posted over the many years here, so that they could earn affiliate revenue to keep the lights on... thought so.

IronWing · Aug 30, 2024

While I've replaced most parts on existing machines, I've never built from scratch. Mainly because I have no foresight and don't replace machines until they die. Then I need one right now.

Amused · Aug 30, 2024

I'm 57 and still upgrade every 2-4 years. Last upgrade was partial, just mobo (z790 Hero from z490 Formula), processor (13900K from 10900K) memory (DDR5 from DDR4) drive (WD 850X 4TB from 979 Evo Plus 2TB and video card (4090 from 3090). Kept the case (Corsair Obsidian Glass), PSU RGB and AIO.

I also got into the aesthetic portion of it with RGB and glass etc... Big fan of Corsair link ecosystem.

Can't imagine not building my own still.

The only bummer is the multiple reading glasses I need to wear to see now and the light needs to be as bright as the sun. LOL Old eyes suck.

It was actually on these forums that I discovered I could not see tiny text anymore when checking chips on a MOBO to see if I had a bugged one back around 2005 or so. Now I need 3.5x magnification to read close. 2.75x for arm length.

GoodEnough · Aug 31, 2024

I was on Win7 until 2019, when I did a PC build after a decade or more.
It was nice to get a refresh of skills. Glad I did it.
Still use the desktop today, but have used laptop more

brianmanahan · Aug 31, 2024

mikeymikec said:
np

You'll get a big scary message when you make BIOS changes to enable the firmware-based TPM, just roll with it. You could always play it safe with backups first I've made the TPM changes to several AM4 builds for customers without any adverse effects and even though Win10 > Settings > Windows Update still claimed that the PC was incompatible, it then offered Win11 as an option a few days later. The best compatibility check is with the 'PC Health Check' app that should already be part of your Win10 install, check that before you make any changes to see what Win11 would take issue with.

I think UEFI Secure Boot needs enabling too.

it took a bios update but i'm now eligible for win 11!

i might still wait until the next feature update to see if they add the recent files list when you right-click a program icon like excel or notepad. i use that thing ALL the time in win 10 and hate that it's gone in 11.

mikeymikec · Aug 31, 2024

brianmanahan said:
it took a bios update but i'm now eligible for win 11!

i might still wait until the next feature update to see if they add the recent files list when you right-click a program icon like excel or notepad. i use that thing ALL the time in win 10 and hate that it's gone in 11.

Personally I'd just do the upgrade to 23H2 and then install 24H2 when it's a bit more mature, rather than risk an OS upgrade on a bleeding-edge updated OS. 23H2 has been around for ages now so it's a lot more likely to just work.

Got out of PC Building/fixit myself this past year or so. I so don't miss it.

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