Introduction
On December 18, 1978, the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was convened, marking the key decision that would determine the fate of contemporary China: reform and opening up. Starting from 1978, China began to create the “China Miracle” that shocked the world.
Although China began designing and developing electronic computers (mainframes) as early as 1956, the popularization of PCs (personal computers) in the country should be traced back to the early 1980s. In 1987, the first domestically produced 286 microcomputer, the Great Wall 286, was officially launched, greatly accelerating the global spread of PCs.
Nowadays, it is rare to refer to computers (including low-end servers) as “microcomputers” (textbooks are an exception). With technological advancements, all components are moving towards miniaturization, and this term has become too vague in terms of size and usage. To be honest, calling a standard full-tower ATX desktop (or server) a “microcomputer” does not align with current trends. Moreover, modern personal computers are incredibly powerful; with sufficient funds, fitting an i9-9980XE into an ITX case is quite feasible, and their capabilities can even surpass many so-called “midrange” and “large” computers.
The above image shows the Intel mini computer stick, priced at 1999 yuan and the size of a USB flash drive, featuring the Intel ultra-low power Core M3-6Y30S processor (dual-core, quad-threaded, 0.9GHz~2.20GHz, TDP=4.5W), with the option to upgrade to the M5-6Y57 processor. This “USB drive” can outperform 100% of the “microcomputers” and single or dual-processor Xeon servers from 15 years ago. It also comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.
*The top processor from 15 years ago: the Pentium 4 Extreme Edition 3.40GHz (single-core, dual-threaded, $999, 8888 yuan in China, TDP=103W), with actual performance less than 25% of the M3-6Y30 and less than 10% of the i3-8100.
Today, we recommend an ITX powerhouse setup, suitable for friends with limited space and certain needs for mobility and wireless transmission.
Recommended Setup
Review
Given the small price difference between the i5-8400 and 8500 (about 30 yuan), you can choose either based on personal preference, as their performance difference is minimal (less than 3%). The cooler selected is a visually appealing (but not necessarily essential) Jonsbo CR-901 cooler (new product).
In terms of cooling performance, this cooler does not have an advantage over the Intel stock cooler; its main selling point is its aesthetic lighting design. Friends concerned about temperature may consider higher-end air coolers like the CR-701.
Although ITX motherboards are small, they are generally not cheap due to the relatively “delicate” components. Among B360 chipset motherboards, the ASRock B360M ITX/AC is quite affordable.
In terms of functionality, this ASRock ITX motherboard uses a 5-phase digital power supply, which can support stable operation of 8th and 9th generation processors at their default frequencies. In terms of high-speed interfaces, this motherboard has 2 USB 3.1 (10Gb/s), 4 USB 3.0 (2 front + 2 rear), one full-speed M.2 interface, and 4 SATAIII. The integrated sound card is the entry-level Realtek ALC887, and it features the Intel I219-V gigabit network card, along with Intel 802.11ac wireless networking module and Bluetooth 4.2 for wireless transmission.
AMD graphics card clearance sales are ongoing, with the current price of the Dilan Hengjin Battle God standard version RX588 (2304SP) at only 1399 yuan, which is 200 yuan cheaper than during Double Eleven.
For the solid-state drive, we chose the glowing Galaxy “Yin” series NVME SSD. According to user feedback, after installation, the logo appears upside down in its normal state, and users can rotate it 180 degrees themselves.
As for the case, we did not consider the relatively expensive and limited expandable Jonsbo UMX1. Today, we recommend the Deepcool 215P series case, which is a wider and longer version, suitable for installing high-end air cooling, 240/280 water cooling, as well as high-end graphics cards and power supplies, and it is not too expensive.
This case comes with a 20cm large intake fan on the front panel, and users can choose to install a 12cm rear exhaust fan (installation is optional).
The entire configuration has a maximum power consumption of less than 250W, and using a 500W rated power supply from Xianma can ensure stability during daily use. The operating system can only be Windows 10 64-bit (or other non-Windows operating systems).
Performance Histogram
Score Explanation: A score of 6 or above in any category indicates that it can meet the needs of mainstream large single-player games.
Review: The overall gaming score is 6.5, which can run mainstream single-player games and various online games smoothly at high quality at 1080P resolution.
Upgrade Suggestions: In the future, consider upgrading based on your needs. If storage space is insufficient, consider adding a mechanical hard drive, and it is recommended to upgrade the memory to 16GB or more.
Purchase Links
CPU Chip
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Motherboard
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Graphics Card
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Memory
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Power Supply
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SSD
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Case
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Cooler
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(The purchase links are for reference only to help beginners find targets; we do not take responsibility for product quality, and we have no cooperation with the recommended stores)
Generally, for minor issues, our public account will respond directly in the background. If you need a customized configuration list or have complex questions about configurations, you can find our paid service on Zhihu from the menu bar at the bottom of the public account “Must-See for Building a Computer” – “Consultation Q&A” (including a 2-minute explanation audio and graphic explanation). For non-major issues, just leave a message in the background of the public account article, and the editor will respond as soon as possible.
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