Well, Intel has a bunch of security issues in the CPU implementation, and new ones keep being discovered, so that's why I don't suggest buying from them.
Who has the most secure processors, AMD or Intel?
www.tomshardware.com
Ryzen gen three had an RDRAND bug, but I'd suggest you do your own research.
And yet, despite all those bugs, the intel chips still perform well, and the vast majority require local access, but do not provide it. Those rare ones that do allow local admin rights are patched immediately. Ryzen will have these too, once its market-share grows large enough. Intel is still the best choice for gaming only, ESPECIALLY if you dont recommend third gen ryzen, as Jekthedumbass states the purpose of the rig is.
I want to buy a decent gaming rig. However, I literally don't know what any of the specs mean other than "expensive is better HURRRR". Can someone give me a quick rundown on what the numbers mean on processors and graphics cards? Specifically, how do I tell a good one from a bad one? I understand hard drive, and that solid state drives are faster (I think?), and I understand what "memory" means, that's what they call RAM now for some reason.
Basically, I used to know computers 20 years ago but I don't know what the hell I'm looking at. I'm looking for something to play games on, but I'm not 100% stuck on having the best settings on the newest games, I just want them to run smoothly. (my current computer is a 9 year old laptop which is literally being held together with tape)
What is your budget, and what resolution do you want to play at? Those are the two big determinations for a gaming only rig.
For a processor, the ryzen 3600 or i5 9600 are plenty for modern games. 8 cores are more future proof, but as always there is no telling when they will become mandatory, could be 10 years or 2. you can always buy a used one later and upgrade.
for RAM, you want 16GB minimum. I'd go with 32GB. Current games dont use more then 4-6GB at most, but the next generation consoles will have dramatically more RAM, and game usage will increase alongside. For intel, you want the fastest speed possible. For AMD, 3200MHz is all the faster you really need, after that latency timings make a much bigger difference, due to how AMD's architecture is built.
GPU depends on resolution. For 1080p a 2060 super or RX 5700 will be plenty, and will work for the forseeable future at medium/high settings. At 1440p, you'd want a 5700xt/2070 super. Also ypu'd want to step up a GPU grade if you want high refresh rate (so 2070 super/5700xt at 1080p144, 2080 super or higher for 1440p144) but that doesnt sound like what you are gunning for. If you are willing to go used, as I do, the vega 64 is a great choice at $200, and is easily found on ebay.
For storage, just go SSD. Doesnt matter what kind, even the worst SSDs are miles better for responsiveness then Hard drives are. Hard drives are really only useful for large media storage, and even then I prefer SSDs. I have had fantastic luck with crucial MX500s, and they can be found cheap on amazon.
As for building it, I encourage you to look at youtube videos and online guides. Building your own really is quite easy, PCpartpicker makes it easy to buy compatible parts. If you dont want to do that, there are several OEMs that you can buy from, like ibuypower, cyberpower, and falcon northwest, but keep in mind they will cost significantly more. There are also likely members of this forum that would guide you on building one (or if you dont mind giving out your actual address to someone like a moron, someone here would likely build you one for the right price).
www.newegg.com
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