General Use Computer - Non Gaming - Pondering

JSumrall

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jan 19, 2011
Messages
448
Since I've quit gaming, my overall view of home desktop computing has completely changed.

I'm curious what some of your thoughts are on what makes for a good, top of the line, home system for general computing.

Not for gaming.
Not for video editing.
Not for file storage.

Just a concept on what is the best computing experience for study, web browsing, video streaming. Also integrating the best overall cloud experience for having access to your personal information securely, everywhere.

Obviously, at some point, your return on investment takes a deep downturn as most components lean hard toward one specific task or another, i.e. gaming, video editing, etc. Questions like, does that $500 mainboard really provide that much better of an experience than say a $200 one? Where is the sweet spot on video cards when you don't care about gaming? Should you always feel tied to the latest and greatest to have the best overall experience? Where is the proverbial line in the sand on price to performance? Can you only get a good, overall experience settling for top of the line gaming components?

I am primarily considering desktop options as I don't find mobile computing to provide the same overall experience as a good desktop computer. There always seems to be too much of a compromise balancing power usage on a mobile device that really hamstrings them.

I'm not a Mac guy, but, I won't completely dismiss the option if anyone is that adamant that Apple provides that much better of an experience than Windows or Linux.

Let me know your thoughts. If you think I'm on the right trail, completely outer-spaced, or somewhere in-between.
 
I would suggest Ryzen 3 with Vega graphics, either 3200g or 3400g. It is powerful enough for both general purpose and light gaming and video editing stuffs. I recently built one system with 3200G for my friend, and He couldnt be happy enough.
 
We use 2200g or now 3200gs for most of our entry level office builds and everyone loves them. Pair it with 8gb of RAM and SSD size of your choice and they will pretty much do anything office related just as well as a $3000 PC.

It's not a fun answer but it's true.
 
As for cloud it really depends on how you want to use it. You could go as crazy as spinning up a Windows 10 based amazon box with however much performance and redundancy you pay for or as simple use keeping your important stuff in a dropbox folder. While I personally prefer local accounts, you could also use a microsoft account and onedrive to keep your user folders synced with the cloud.
 
Asrock Deskmini 300 with a 3400G and L7A cooler. I think a larger fan will fit on it in that little case. I will find out soon. I have two of them and they work great, even for light games if the need arises. I like that they start and ready to rock in about 10 seconds.
 
Considering how difficult it is to use multiple 4K monitors, how do the options you're recommending support 3 to 5 monitors?
 
I think buying a four core CPU in 2019 is unwise unless cost is the primary concern. The Threadripper 1920x 12 core is going to last a very long time and is impossibly good at $200 that it sells for on Amazon right now. $275 motherboard, $70 cooler, $85 GT 1030 video card. I think it will dramatically outlast the APUs in useful life and resale value. This is [H].

I made the mistake of canceling a 1800x preorder on launch day and bought the 7700k instead. I'm sure regretting that now.
 
Considering how difficult it is to use multiple 4K monitors, how do the options you're recommending support 3 to 5 monitors?

3 monitors is not an issue for an apu, just make sure you pick the right mobo. Now if you need 3 or more 4k monitors I would argue the goal has been moved from basic office user to power user. In that case something like a 9400f or 3600 (or clearance 2600 ) with a dedicated gpu should be more than adequate. I would leave GPU choice to you as in my experience multiple 4k monitors is a jumbled mess of GPU, Monitor, and cable incompatibilities. Just keep in mind raw power will not be a problem with any modern gpu, it's the port standards, driver support, stupid (or smart) AIB design choices, etc. that are going to make or break it.

Given that the vast majority of office apps are not multi threaded beyond a couple of cores I would take a hard pass on older HEDT CPUs.
 
Last edited:
Just a concept on what is the best computing experience for study, web browsing, video streaming.

Just for these tasks - honestly, an iPad (or other good tablet).

For a desktop - your monitor and peripherals would make more of an impact that the computer itself, as just about anything build in the past 5 years can handle those tasks without major issues.
 
I think buying a four core CPU in 2019 is unwise unless cost is the primary concern. The Threadripper 1920x 12 core is going to last a very long time and is impossibly good at $200 that it sells for on Amazon right now. $275 motherboard, $70 cooler, $85 GT 1030 video card. I think it will dramatically outlast the APUs in useful life and resale value. This is [H].

I made the mistake of canceling a 1800x preorder on launch day and bought the 7700k instead. I'm sure regretting that now.

I agree. Even if I'm just focused on extreme desktop performance, I think more than 4 cores is needed.
 
3 monitors is not an issue for an apu, just make sure you pick the right mobo. Now if you need 3 or more 4k monitors I would argue the goal has been moved from basic office user to power user. In that case something like a 9400f or 3600 (or clearance 2600 ) with a dedicated gpu should be more than adequate. I would leave GPU choice to you as in my experience multiple 4k monitors is a jumbled mess of GPU, Monitor, and cable incompatibilities. Just keep in mind raw power will not be a problem with any modern gpu, it's the port standards, driver support, stupid (or smart) AIB design choices, etc. that are going to make or break it.

Given that the vast majority of office apps are not multi threaded beyond a couple of cores I would take a hard pass on older HEDT CPUs.

Keep in mind I'm not looking for just basic office performance. I'm still a power user, I just think going all out on gaming hardware isn't necessary to achieve a high performing desktop with the best user experience imaginable.

I do agree that the number of and variety of ports becomes a serious issue once you go beyond 2 monitors. One of the reasons I don't think mobile devices should be considered is their extreme lack support for multiple 4K monitors in most situations.
 
Just for these tasks - honestly, an iPad (or other good tablet).

For a desktop - your monitor and peripherals would make more of an impact that the computer itself, as just about anything build in the past 5 years can handle those tasks without major issues.

I think even going back 6 or 7 years they can handle the tasks well. The Sandy Bridge E processors still offer a pretty good price to performance ratio and it came out what? Over 7 years ago?
 
Just for these tasks - honestly, an iPad (or other good tablet).

For a desktop - your monitor and peripherals would make more of an impact that the computer itself, as just about anything build in the past 5 years can handle those tasks without major issues.

Since I've sold my desktop and laptop I've tried to just go with a single, mobile device. It became increasingly frustrating enough trying to use one as a desktop replacement that I don't feel its a viable option; be it laptop, tablet, or hybrid device. I just get way too much lag and stuttering at times due to the device trying to balance performance with battery life. Not to mention the hot mess connecting external monitors to mobile devices is. From a laptop, tablet, or even Samsung Dex from my Note 10+, there's just always some type of compromise over what you can get from even a decent desktop.
 
Since I've sold my desktop and laptop I've tried to just go with a single, mobile device. It became increasingly frustrating enough trying to use one as a desktop replacement that I don't feel its a viable option; be it laptop, tablet, or hybrid device. I just get way too much lag and stuttering at times due to the device trying to balance performance with battery life. Not to mention the hot mess connecting external monitors to mobile devices is. From a laptop, tablet, or even Samsung Dex from my Note 10+, there's just always some type of compromise over what you can get from even a decent desktop.

Full Desktop replacement and "study, browsing, and video" as mentioned in the OP aren't necessarily the same things at all.

Also, make sure you aren't using some cheap Android device. I'm not knocking Android in general, but there are a lot of low quality devices out there. I've never seen stutter or lag in videos on an iPad (not trying to shill Apple here, just saying high quality hardware in general). If your referring to something other than videos, then I don't know what to tell you - check your WiFi.

It's cool if that's what your really looking for, but that wasn't what I saw in your first post.
 
Full Desktop replacement and "study, browsing, and video" as mentioned in the OP aren't necessarily the same things at all.

Also, make sure you aren't using some cheap Android device. I'm not knocking Android in general, but there are a lot of low quality devices out there. I've never seen stutter or lag in videos on an iPad (not trying to shill Apple here, just saying high quality hardware in general). If your referring to something other than videos, then I don't know what to tell you - check your WiFi.

It's cool if that's what your really looking for, but that wasn't what I saw in your first post.

My point in the OP was that I don't want to consider a full desktop replacement because I don't find them to be a compelling solution.

I've tried quite a few mobile devices from the Dell XPS 15, Dex off my Galaxy Note 10+, Surface Book 2, Surface Pro 6, Galaxy Tab S6, etc. All leave something to be desired when it comes to replacing a good desktop computer.
 
I must admit I'm a bit shocked no one has mentioned Team Blue as an option over Team Red.
 
I must admit I'm a bit shocked no one has mentioned Team Blue as an option over Team Red.

For office work it really doesn't matter. People like to dump on low end cpus like the 2200g even tho performance wise they are similar to skylake i5s, that the same people would call fine for office use. At the ~$100 price point intel only has the 9100f and needing a dedicated GPU kills the value.

I do wish AMD would come out with something like the 3600-3700 with apu graphics for the mid range. We have plenty of users that demand i5-i7 level specs but don't need a dedicated GPU. AMD has nothing for them without buying an $80+ GPU or archaic $40 GPU using legacy drivers.
 
I am a huge PC person and have been since the 286. That being said, when I don't want to use a mobile device, my casual browsing is done at home on a Macbook Pro. Why? Because Safari running on a Mac is insanely fast and feels far smoother to me than any PC I have encountered. I don't know why. Maybe its Apple's UI rendering APIs? Drivers? idk. It seems like VSync is on in 2D. Best way I can describe it. But try it in a store for yourself. And Apple displays are beautiful.

Nearly all PC screens are flat, with only a handful of exceptions. I love looking at the blacks and colors of a glass panel display. I use an Apple monitor on my work PC and Macbook at home to get that glass look. I know some people hate glossy displays, but I have always loved them. Such deep inky blacks :)

Edit: sorry, my point is - checkout a Macbook Air.
 
Nearly all PC screens are flat, with only a handful of exceptions
do you mean matte? 'cause if so thats not true. there are tonnes of glossy screen and most that default with a matte can be upgraded to glossy.
also, skip the macbook airs, they are a glorified chromebook. i should know as our school division is moving all the teachers to them. you can get a pc with equal specs for a third of the price.
 
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor ($326.81 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: be quiet! Dark Rock Slim CPU Cooler ($64.98 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus TUF GAMING X570-PLUS (WI-FI) ATX AM4 Motherboard ($199.79 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory ($84.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Corsair MP600 Force Series Gen4 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($189.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4 GB Phoenix Video Card ($114.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G3 550 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($74.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $1056.53
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-10-18 21:55 EDT-0400
 
do you mean matte? 'cause if so thats not true. there are tonnes of glossy screen and most that default with a matte can be upgraded to glossy.
also, skip the macbook airs, they are a glorified chromebook. i should know as our school division is moving all the teachers to them. you can get a pc with equal specs for a third of the price.

Yes, matte. There is very few stand alone glossy displays. Laptops have some, but if you exclude Chromebooks its probably less than 5%.

Chromebooks are a mistake now from a security perspective. Just had hundreds of client Gmail accounts hijacked from their browser addons stealing stored passwords. I would never recommend one over a Macbook. They are cheap for k12 and those schools are heavily invested in Google. But don't be surprised when your Teachers get their accounts compromised and data gets crypto'd.
 
Maybe a used Dell Optiplex would be adequate and doesn't break the bank?

My everyday use computer is a lowly AM1 mini itx board along with an AMD 5350 with 8GB RAM, a 1030 GT, Samsung 240 GB SSD, and some generic power supply that I found in the bin at work. Cost me total 150 bucks (probably 70 bucks had I not purchased a 1030 GT). It is an absolute shit computer, but it does everything I need that is non-gaming, and non-power usage. It does COD World at War pretty alright, dips to the 30s at max details at 1080p so you can do some very light gaming if you want.
 
You could probably get by with a Chromebox. It would do everything you want in the OP and probably isn't more than $150.
 
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor ($326.81 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: be quiet! Dark Rock Slim CPU Cooler ($64.98 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus TUF GAMING X570-PLUS (WI-FI) ATX AM4 Motherboard ($199.79 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory ($84.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Corsair MP600 Force Series Gen4 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($189.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4 GB Phoenix Video Card ($114.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G3 550 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($74.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $1056.53
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-10-18 21:55 EDT-0400
Wth? That is nothing close to what the op is asking for.
 
I built a R5 1400 w/16gb of RAM and a cheap SSD for my daughter. She's off in the Marines and I am currently using it as my office PC.

I've been really surprised how great it runs. Great little pc. If I was spending cash right now I'd probably go 6/12 just because. But you can do that for cheap.
 
I'm confused could you explain to me how the build I specified is nothing like a high performing desktop with the best user experience imaginable?

Well for starters, that CPU is overkill in light of the significantly cheaper 3600 or even more significantly cheaper 2600. With the requirements the OP needed, a 3400G would be plenty. 3600Mhz RAM is also not required. 3200Mhz RAM is $15 cheaper and will make an unnoticeable difference for his requirements. An X570 board is, once again, overkill. A PCIe 4 NVMe SSD? Overkill. A $65 HSF? Overkill. A 1050Ti for video streaming? Overkill

I think either an Intel i3 with the iGPU or a 3200G/3400G are plenty along with a B360/B450 board depending on your flavor of CPU.
 
Well for starters, that CPU is overkill in light of the significantly cheaper 3600 or even more significantly cheaper 2600. With the requirements the OP needed, a 3400G would be plenty. 3600Mhz RAM is also not required. 3200Mhz RAM is $15 cheaper and will make an unnoticeable difference for his requirements. An X570 board is, once again, overkill. A PCIe 4 NVMe SSD? Overkill. A $65 HSF? Overkill. A 1050Ti for video streaming? Overkill

I think either an Intel i3 with the iGPU or a 3200G/3400G are plenty along with a B360/B450 board depending on your flavor of CPU.

Well I kind of see what your saying, but it's just for me the term power user and 3400G just don't sit well together in 2019. Power user and high performance desktop to me say moar cores!

Overkill is fun!

Also a 1050ti is required for streaming Netflix in 4k
 
Well I kind of see what your saying, but it's just for me the term power user and 3400G just don't sit well together in 2019. Power user and high performance desktop to me say moar cores!

Overkill is fun!

Also a 1050ti is required for streaming Netflix in 4k

I agree overkill is fun.
 
I agree overkill is fun.

People don't come back and complain because you recommended a computer that was way too fast. I sold expensive greased lightning PCs to old ladies for decades. Still would if I still worked retail.
 
Sorry guys, didn't mean to abandon the thread. My mom fell and broke her leg right after I started this. I'll try and respond to your comments as soon as I can.
 
Back
Top