Recommended build for a Threadripper

speedyink

VIP Member
Ok, so for some reason my spouse decided to buy a Ryzen Threadripper 1950X. Great. Now I'm supposed to choose the components for it. So I'm curious, if you were to build a computer with that CPU, which components would you use. I'll be shopping at Newegg.ca probably, for reference. Now, this build doesn't need to be ridiculous, I really don't want to end up spending more than a couple thousand.. Storage doesn't really need to be accounted for, as we already have enough SSD/HHD's to put in.
I need your guys' help, honestly I haven't built a computer since the Intel Q6600 was relevant. I can put it all together, but just a hand with matching the components up would be awesome.

Thanks in advance
 

Darren

Moderator
Staff member
Make sure you get fast RAM, ~3000MHz+ preferably. Ryzen/Threadripper scale very well with RAM speed increases due to architecture design and how cores share data.

As awesome as Threadripper is, it's obscene overkill for nearly everybody. Curious what you'll use it for. I hardly touch the 8 cores and 16 threads of my 1700, let alone having double that.
 

speedyink

VIP Member
What will this system be used for?

Games I suppose. I know that's vague, I'll explain below..

Make sure you get fast RAM, ~3000MHz+ preferably. Ryzen/Threadripper scale very well with RAM speed increases due to architecture design and how cores share data.

As awesome as Threadripper is, it's obscene overkill for nearly everybody. Curious what you'll use it for. I hardly touch the 8 cores and 16 threads of my 1700, let alone having double that.

Good to know, may as well get some good RAM to pair with it then.
And yes, this is obscenely overkill, and I'm not entirely too happy with this purchase being made without my input. Sadly, this is not going to be utilized to its full potential, or anywhere near it. I'm just kind of playing along because I know I'll regret it if I try explaining why this was a...less then wise decision. If having this computer makes him smile and ultimately me not in the dog house then it's worth it.

When you say a couple grand, are you talking monitor, keyboard and all or just the tower?

Just the tower, minus storage, video card will probably be RX480 or RX580. I don't want this to be much more than a couple grand, less is better, but looking at the motherboard this thing requires I know it's gonna be up there.
 
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Darren

Moderator
Staff member
For just games you might as well get the am4 Ryzen. On threadripper there's a gaming mode that disables one of the ccx modules (half the cores) for more consistent gaming performance. Otherwise using it normally actually impacts performance as it spreads the workload across modules.

https://www.anandtech.com/show/1172...-game-mode-halving-cores-for-more-performance
Sounds like he already has it.

Guessing this isn't a exchangeable gift? :p The chip is great, just not exactly economical for your uses.
 

speedyink

VIP Member
Yes I already have it.. Like I said, this was a decision made at 3AM when I was in sleeping in bed and it just shows up at the door. I've been fully aware that this is not the right chip since I opened the box and was all like, wtf.

I know this isn't economical at all and it's definitely not suited to games or...browsing the web. Maybe when the computer eventually ends up in my hands in a couple years I can use it for video editing or something, but while my spouse uses it I doubt it'll do anything more taxing then a Need for Speed game.

It was bought online at Newegg, I've never returned anything bought online, let alone a $1k CPU. I'll also have to try and convince him it's not right...I might be able to do that if I have an alternative and I can pitch as a much better option for games. I think he saw the core count and was like "must have!", it'll be hard convincing him one with less cores is better, lol. For some reason he wants to have the best. I dunno, it's not like anyone he can brag to would care.
 

beers

Moderator
Staff member
Most of the boards are E-ATX except for maybe the Aorus/Gigabyte one.

They all have pretty similar features however. Is he going for other 'interesting purchases' like a 960 Pro M.2 NVMe SSD?
 

speedyink

VIP Member
Most of the boards are E-ATX except for maybe the Aorus/Gigabyte one.

They all have pretty similar features however. Is he going for other 'interesting purchases' like a 960 Pro M.2 NVMe SSD?

Funny you should say that, he purchased a Samsung 960 EVO M.2 NVMe 500GB with the processor. That's why I don't need any storage. Between that and the HDD's that are going into it we got it covered.
 

Intel_man

VIP Member
What kind of games do you play and on what resolution/monitor?

Kinda need to figure that out before recommended the ideal GPU to pair with that processor/mobo. It would also determine roughly how much your whole rig would cost.
 

beers

Moderator
Staff member
Kinda need to figure that out before recommended the ideal GPU to pair with that processor/mobo. It would also determine roughly how much your whole rig would cost.
Given the previous purchasing habits, only the Titan V will be suitable.
 

beers

Moderator
Staff member
But they are dropping a couple grand right now :p
To be clear the Titan V is an awful purchase for the general consumer.

As @Intel_man was saying, a more specific budget or use case scenario would help.
 

speedyink

VIP Member
I think an RX580 would be plenty. Likely games to be played on it are just the newer Need for Speed games, at 1080p.

I'm thinking maybe we should try and return the processor, it's just such a waste of money for what it's going to be used for.. It's been over 30 days but thankfully Newegg has an extended window for around Christmas time. The only damn reason he bought this processor is to basically just wave his dick around, which pisses me right off. I need to knock some sense into him..
 

beers

Moderator
Staff member
Yeah that's probably the best plan moving forward, as you said there's no real benefit for the TR over a 'normal' AM4 Ryzen CPU for what he plans on doing.
 

Intel_man

VIP Member
Yea you could throw that extra money onto a better gpu than a rx580 for better performance gain instead of going for threadripper.

If you've got no real use for threadripper, you're not really waiving your dick around. You're just telling everyone you have a micro e-penis.
 
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