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Help with new build for Blender.

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Sct1

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Hi all, i'm a beginner with 3D and would like to purchase a PC/build a PC that is suitable for 3D using the software Blender. What i plan on producing in Blender are still scenes, something perhaps a little like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sL0omwElxw.

I'm looking for a low cost build, something perhaps around the £500 mark. By doing a little research with what works best with Blender, i'd ideally like an AMD processor and a NVIDIA GPU. I'm not someone that purchases computers regularly so i would perhaps like to make the computer future ready and opt for 32GB of RAM, or is that unnecessary? As i'm looking to cut costs i was also just wondering if it would be possible to use my current power supply, it's a xfx pro 650w, or would using an oldish power supply in a new build be a bad idea?

Here is the build that the builder gave me:

CGDirector.com Parts List: https://www.cgdirector.com/pc-builder/?=6N9pT

CPU: AMD Athlon 3000G 3.5GHz Dual-Core Processor ($80.95)
CPU Cooler: AMD Boxed Cooler (Included with CPU) (-)
Motherboard: MSI B450 Tomahawk MAX ATX AM4 ($99.99)
GPU: Nvidia GTX 1660 6GB - EVGA XC Gaming ($324.99)
Memory: 8GB (2 x 4GB) G.Skill Ripjaws V DDR4-3200 C16 ($54.93)
Storage PCIe-SSD: ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro 256GB NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive ($42.99)
Power Supply: Corsair CX Series CX550M 550W ATX 2.4 Power Supply ($75.56)
Case: Fractal Design Focus G Mid Tower Case ($69.00)
Total: $748.41

All advice would be much appreciated, my mind becomes frazzled when looking up PC parts! Also what are people's opinion on buying second hand parts and does anyone know of any reliable places?

Thank you in advance!
 
Jerry James

Jerry James

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Unfortunately, that budget isn't ideal nowadays because of how pricey GPUs are.
Buying second-hand, especially CPUs and memory, is a good idea. You'll have to check locally for the best way to go about this (and be wary of scams). Facebook marketplace, Craigslist, and eBay are the most popular choices.

Here's a tweaked build that'll get you much more performance for $60-70 more.

CPU: Intel Core i5 12100 2.5GHz 4-Core Processor ($129.99)
CPU Cooler: Intel Boxed Cooler (Included with CPU) (-) / (if you value silence): Arctic Freezer 34 ($35~)
Motherboard: Gigabyte B660M DS3H DDR4 LGA1700 ($119.99)
GPU: Nvidia GTX 1660 6GB - EVGA XC Gaming ($324.99)
Memory: 16GB (2 x 8GB) Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-3200 C16 ($67.99)
Storage PCIe-SSD: ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro 256GB NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive ($42.99) - better to spend a bit more for 512 GB to get best value.
Power Supply: Corsair CX Series CX550M 550W ATX 2.4 Power Supply ($74.99)
Case: Fractal Design Focus G Mid Tower Case ($69.00)
Total: $829.94

As i'm looking to cut costs i was also just wondering if it would be possible to use my current power supply, it's a xfx pro 650w, or would using an oldish power supply in a new build be a bad idea?
It is possible. You can do so knowing that a fault at the PSU-level will most likely fry a few or most of your components. Here are some more details to help you with the decision: https://www.cgdirector.com/power-supply-guide/#Power_Supply_Unit_Safety

I'm not someone that purchases computers regularly so i would perhaps like to make the computer future ready and opt for 32GB of RAM, or is that unnecessary?
With entry-level parts, you'd generally be CPU/GPU bottlenecked before being memory bottlenecked (except for a few specific memory-intensive workloads). 16 should be fine at this budget. When you upgrade, add more.
 
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