Posts in Category: pc builds

Building a PC with the Intel i7-8700 and i7-8700K

Like the other new 8th Generation CPUs from Intel, the i7 CPUs have proven extremely popular, continuously selling out as soon as they come in stock. The i7-8700 and i7-8700K are a jump up to 6 core/12 thread chips, which represents a significant improvement over the previous generation’s 4 cores and 8 threads.

That jump in core count means major improvements to performance, which means new possibilities the workloads we can expect from a new PC build. If you can manage to find one of these new i7 chips your local store or online, let’s have a look at what you’ll be able to build with them.

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Building a PC with the AMD Athlon X4 940, X4 950 and X4 970

The final piece in AMD’s 7th generation CPU refresh for the AM4 platform comes in the form of three new Athlon processors: the X4 940, X4 950, and X4 970. Unlike the two sets of A-series CPUs (see our 35W and 65W builds), these new Athlons do not come with onboard GPUs.

The advantage, however, is that these are unlocked cores and can be overclocked much harder. So read on to find out exactly what you can build with the new AMD Athlon chips!

 

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Building a PC with the Intel i5-8600K and i5-8400

The new 8th Generation Intel CPUs have launched with much-appreciated increases in core count. The new i5-8400 and i5-8600K both upgrading to 6 cores, from the previous generation’s 4. The upgrade has proven quite popular, as the CPUs are currently selling out everywhere. Let’s see what kind of PC you’ll be able to build with these chips, assuming you’re able to get your hands on one!

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Building a PC with the Intel Core i3-8100 and i3-8350K

Competition is great. If you can, think back to a year ago. AMD’s CPU selection consisted of several outdated options, and Intel were happy issuing small incremental improvements over the previous generation. What a difference a year makes! Like them or hate them, AMD has massively shifted the market with the release of the Ryzen architecture. That’s what brings us to today and the launch of the brand new 8000 series Coffee Lake processors from Intel — the biggest upgrade to the Intel lineup in years.

This article looks at the new Core i3 CPUs, which are lower-midrange chips still very capable of great performance for the price. What sort of PC should you build with the i3-8100 or i3-8350K? Read on to find out.

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Building a PC with the AMD A6-9500, A8-9600, A10-9700, and A12-9800

AMD recently refreshed their entry-level CPU range, and we’re quite happy with the results. We’ve already taken a look at their new 35W CPUs, and now we’d like to turn our attention to the more powerful (and power hungry) range from AMD. Interestingly enough, a number of these CPU’s have a configurable thermal design power (cTDP) of 45W from the default 65W.

This article will suggest a number of builds that could best utilize these new 65W CPUs. Prices for these builds come in between $313 and $424. So, read on to see for yourself!

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Building a PC with AMD’s A6-9500E, A10-9700E, and A12-9800E

Now that the dust has settled with AMD’s great releases of its Ryzen and Threadripper CPUs, the manufacturer has quietly refreshed its entry-level CPUs. Although they’re not built on the Zen chip architecture, they do use the new AM4 socket. This provides us builders with new features, and very importantly, a simple path to future CPU upgrades. So with this in mind, sit back as I review the new 35W CPUs and what you can build with them!

This article covers builds using the A6-9500E ($65), A10-9700E ($85), and A12-9800E ($110). The total build price comes in anywhere from $330 to $450, so these are great entry-level PCs. You can see our builds for the new 65W CPUs here.

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Windows Workstation vs. iMac Pro

windows workstation or imac pro

A lot of enthusiast workstation customers are eagerly awaiting the release of the $5,000 iMac Pro coming in December. Yet, with such a price tag, it had me wondering if it’s the best option for money. With the release of the brand new iMac, it comes as no surprise that avid Apple fans are looking to Sell My iMac to see how much money they could get if they were to sell it. The money can then be put towards buying the latest option. Everyone one has their own preference when it comes to Windows or Apple and that’s not a problem. So join me as we delve into workstation parts to find the answer!

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