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When using this resource, please read FragKrag's opening post. The Tech Support forum regulars have helped create countless of desktop systems without any compensation. The least you can do is provide all of the information required for them to help you properly. |
On November 11 2010 11:43 raheelp wrote:
Great, did some research and made some changes.
Do I need anything else as far as cables/hardware (kinda want bluetooth for the phone...) ? If not I'm ready to go (nerdgasms).
with athlons, its best to look at the raw ghz speed to gauge performance with games. the faster it runs, the faster your game will run. extra cores will not help in most games. so, you can save money by getting a 3ghz X2 over a 3ghz X3.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103844
The only reason I would argue to get extra cores is if you wanted to do things like streaming and the such. The extra cores will definitely help, but then I would say to just save money and get a quad core.
for the psu, gonna recommend you get this instead. more power, better equipped for future upgrades (such as more powerful video cards), high quality and will be much quieter than the antec - best of all, the same price.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151094
for the case, since you're being so budget minded, consider this case: fits your motherboard and comes with 2 fans.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147112
finally, with the money you save with those replacements, see if you can fit in a GTX460 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125334
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Im reading the OP now cause i want to buy a new computer, but i know only the basics, when im done i will be a pain in the ass in this thread lol asking for things : D. My firts thought when i wanted to buy a new PC was to come here lol
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Ok i got this in 150$ each
CPU : core i3 530 and BOARD: BIOSTAR H55 1156 which is like 300$
I dont know shit about my Board but my Cpu is an Intel core2duo 6320 @ 1.87g i thing my board is an intel dg33 or something like that , how much can i ask for that?
so...is it worht the change? i own a hd4850 that i bought like a year ago
Edit: with a budget of 500-600 (plus the money i can earn by selling my currentp pc) what would be the best buy?
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There are so many great ressources on TL.net for choosing a new comp, I've done almost all my shopping based on this thread + the SC2 comp Guideline thread even though I'm a PC-building newbie! Huge props to those who put time into them.
Clicking that payment link is a little daunting so I'm going to post my build here and I hope someone can comment on it - maybe something doesn't make sense in how I'm choosing?
Also, note that I'm buying this comp on a government loan (woot) which doesn't let me purchase from outside my native Quebec (i.e. no newegg or NCIX). So I found a local place that builds your comp for you, and this is what I've got (prices in CAD$):
CPU - 69.30$
AMD ATHLON II 255 X2 3.1GHz AM3 Processor ADX255OCGQBOX
MoBo - 84.70$
Asus M4A77TD AMD AM3 Motherboard ATX
RAM - 94.50$
Kingston 4GB DDR3 1600MHZ KHX1600c9d3K2/4G
HDD - 51.88$
Seagate Barracuda® ST31000528AS, 1 TB SATA2 (1000GB)
Video Card - 256.80$
EVGA GeForce GTX460 SuperClocked 1GB DDR5 01G-P3-1372-TR Video Card
No Sound Card
Optical Drive - 23.13$
LG GH22NS50 SATA Black
Cooling - 88.50$
CORSAIR CWCH50 Hydro Water Cooler LGA775, LGA1366, LGA1156, AM2/AM3 High-Performance CPU Cooler
PSU - 116.12$
ANTEC TruePower TP-650 650W Power Supply
Case - 56.35$
ANTEC TWO HUNDRED V2 ATX Desktop Case
+Windows 7 Pro (I saw you can run XP environments on Pro but not on Home edition)
All that is about 1000$. That's pretty much my budget, so I'm mostly looking to see if there's any money worth switching around from one component to the other (e.g. the PSU being more expensive than the CPU seems kinda strange to me). I'm not planning on overclocking anything, and my dream is to run SC2 on ultra =)
All help is greatly appreciated, thanks!
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This is what jumped out at me first:
On November 12 2010 10:25 Pseudo_Utopia wrote:
CPU - 69.30$
AMD ATHLON II 255 X2 3.1GHz AM3 Processor ADX255OCGQBOX
Cooling - 88.50$
CORSAIR CWCH50 Hydro Water Cooler LGA775, LGA1366, LGA1156, AM2/AM3 High-Performance CPU Cooler
I'm not planning on overclocking anything
You're spending more money on a cpu cooler than you are on the cpu that you don't plan to overclock. 
I would drop the water cooler and either put all of that extra money toward a cheaper aftermarket air cooler and a better cpu, or just put it all toward a better cpu because, unless you're overclocking and/or performing really cpu intensive tasks, the stock cooler will probably do fine.
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If you're not overclocking, you don't need an aftermarket CPU cooler. 88.50 CAD for a H50 is too high anyway, so cut that completely. RAM rated above 1333 doesn't do any good if you're not overclocking, so you could get a slightly cheaper 2x2 GB DDR3 set.
Likewise, the Antec TruePower New units are really boss, but you don't need a PSU with that much wattage (or that quality, especially if you're not overclocking). You could step down to something like the Corsair 430CX, which is not great, but it's much cheaper and good enough. However, if you don't like the idea of using a 2 molex to PCI-E power plug for your GPU (though that's fine), you might want to look at reasonably-priced 500W models that have 2 PCI-E connectors rather than just 1. Most Antec (except Basiq line in general), Corsair, Seasonic, Enermax, Silverstone, etc. PSUs are okay.
With those savings, I think you might as well get a Phenom II X4 instead of a dual core in this day and age.
edit: on second thought, if you're upgrading the CPU and if you're using a pre-overclocked GTX 460 like the one you selected, a 430CX would be cutting it a little bit close in worst-case scenario max loads since it's really more of a 380W unit. Go with a real 430W or up to 500W unit maybe.
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On November 12 2010 10:40 Myrmidon wrote:
If you're not overclocking, you don't need an aftermarket CPU cooler. 88.50 CAD for a H50 is too high anyway, so cut that completely. RAM rated above 1333 doesn't do any good if you're not overclocking, so you could get a slightly cheaper 2x2 GB DDR3 set.
Likewise, the Antec TruePower New units are really boss, but you don't need a PSU with that much wattage (or that quality, especially if you're not overclocking). You could step down to something like the Corsair 430CX, which is not great, but it's much cheaper and good enough. However, if you don't like the idea of using a 2 molex to PCI-E power plug for your GPU (though that's fine), you might want to look at reasonably-priced 500W models that have 2 PCI-E connectors rather than just 1. Most Antec (except Basiq line in general), Corsair, Seasonic, Enermax, Silverstone, etc. PSUs are okay.
With those savings, I think you might as well get a Phenom II X4 instead of a dual core in this day and age.
edit: on second thought, if you're upgrading the CPU and if you're using a pre-overclocked GTX 460 like the one you selected, a 430CX would be cutting it a little bit close in worst-case scenario max loads since it's really more of a 380W unit. Go with a real 430W or up to 500W unit maybe.
the lower wattage corsairs only come with 1 pci-e connector, so u cant use it with a gtx 460, unless you get a 2molex->pci-e adapter, or up to a higher model. get something like that 520w seasonic. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151094
On November 12 2010 10:25 Pseudo_Utopia wrote:
There are so many great ressources on TL.net for choosing a new comp, I've done almost all my shopping based on this thread + the SC2 comp Guideline thread even though I'm a PC-building newbie! Huge props to those who put time into them.
Clicking that payment link is a little daunting so I'm going to post my build here and I hope someone can comment on it - maybe something doesn't make sense in how I'm choosing?
Also, note that I'm buying this comp on a government loan (woot) which doesn't let me purchase from outside my native Quebec (i.e. no newegg or NCIX). So I found a local place that builds your comp for you, and this is what I've got (prices in CAD$):
where are you buying from? do they have a website?
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suddenly i feel invisible.
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On November 11 2010 16:18 oo_xerox wrote:
Ok i got this in 150$ each
CPU : core i3 530 and BOARD: BIOSTAR H55 1156 which is like 300$
I dont know shit about my Board but my Cpu is an Intel core2duo 6320 @ 1.87g i thing my board is an intel dg33 or something like that , how much can i ask for that?
so...is it worht the change? i own a hd4850 that i bought like a year ago
Edit: with a budget of 500-600 (plus the money i can earn by selling my currentp pc) what would be the best buy?
I think people are unfamiliar with Cuban prices, market conditions, stores, product availability, etc. It depends on what model Biostar motherboard you got, but an i3-530 with that would be around 210 USD. So I'll assume everything costs about 40% more?
The budget of 500-600 is for the rest of the parts? Or that includes the CPU+mobo? Does that include monitor, OS, or anything else? What are you using the computer for?
So you're selling all of your old computer rather than taking parts from it like disc drives, PSU, case, etc.? It's difficult to give an estimate without knowing these things.
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Thanks for the tips so far. I went for an expensive cooler because pretty much all my comp issues in the past were heat-related, but maybe I'm going overboard as was mentioned.
I'm buying my stuff from www.pcczone.com but I might have to switch because their customization options are limited (e.g. they only let you choose out of 5 different HDD's, 7 processors at a time, etc.). Otherwise I can get any full customization I want (pretty much) at www.sgxtech.com, although that site is in french so idk if you can understand it.
Also, I'm a long upgrade-cycle kind of guy, so I want my comp to be quite good for a while. This means I'm ready to shell out 1000$ for a premium comp even if my present needs (read:SC2) only require about 800$ worth.
I'll probably finalize my order this weekend, so any other tips or comments are welcome.
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On November 13 2010 03:46 Pseudo_Utopia wrote:Thanks for the tips so far. I went for an expensive cooler because pretty much all my comp issues in the past were heat-related, but maybe I'm going overboard as was mentioned. I'm buying my stuff from www.pcczone.com but I might have to switch because their customization options are limited (e.g. they only let you choose out of 5 different HDD's, 7 processors at a time, etc.). Otherwise I can get any full customization I want (pretty much) at www.sgxtech.com, although that site is in french so idk if you can understand it. Also, I'm a long upgrade-cycle kind of guy, so I want my comp to be quite good for a while. This means I'm ready to shell out 1000$ for a premium comp even if my present needs (read:SC2) only require about 800$ worth. I'll probably finalize my order this weekend, so any other tips or comments are welcome.
try this
+ Show Spoiler +Kingston 4GB DDR3 1600MHZ KHX1600c9d3K2/4G
CA$94.50 CA$94.50
WD Caviar™ Black™ WD1001FALS, 1 TB SATA
CA$89.99 CA$89.99
GIGABYTE GV-N460OC-1GI GTX460 1GB DDR5 VIDEO CARD
CA$208.82 CA$208.82
LG GH22NS50 SATA Black
CA$23.13 CA$23.13
Cooler Master HAF 912 RC-912-KKN1 Mid Tower
CA$67.86 CA$67.86
OCZ ModXStream Pro 500W ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V (OCZ500MXSP)
CA$76.89 CA$76.89
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit English 1PK DVD OEM (GFC-00599)
CA$109.99 CA$109.99
AMD ATHLON II 255 X2 3.1GHz AM3 Processor ADX255OCGQBOX
CA$69.30 CA$69.30
Gigabyte GA-770T-USB3 AM3 DDR3 Motherboard ATX
CA$88.01 CA$88.01
Subtotal CA$828.49
Tax CA$106.68
935.17
their PSU selection is very limited. if you can afford it, get this corsair
https://www.pcczone.com/corsair-vx550w-cmpsu-550vx.html
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Hm, they carry the older Seasonic EarthWatts EA-500 (still a very solid unit) for less than the ModXStream Pro 500W. If you're allergic to using a 2 molex -> 1 PCI-E power adapter, this would be a good option. They also have the Antec TruePower TP-550 for less than the Corsair 550VX, so if you're overspending for a nice PSU, the TP-550 would be even better.
If you're fine with using a 2 molex -> 1 PCI-E power adapter, the Corsair 400CX would be solid.
Reiterating my earlier opinion, 1600 MHz RAM is not needed, since without overclocking you can't even run the RAM at that speed. Also, I'm not a fan of an Athlon II X2 these days for someone who doesn't upgrade that much, but it's okay I guess.
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that 1600mhz ram seems to be the cheapest 4gb they offer, thats why its in those builds
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Looking to build/buy a PC within the next month, I live in Canada and plan to order everything online.
The PC will be mostly for gaming, currently sc2, fallout, civ5 + w/e else, otherwise it will be for storing and playing back most of the multimedia in the house, either to an HD tv, or just out of my setup itself.
Looking to spend up to $1,200 canadian and hopefully the computer will do well for me for a couple years in the future. I'm not against over-clocking, but currently don't know how and don't have a use for it. ATM this is something that i'm looking at..
http://pc.ncix.com/ncixpc/ncixpc.cfm?uuid=7FBC7518-8A3B-41C5-A6AFCB613AFA71EE-3101583
How am I doing? Is a build such as this too much, or not enough. From what I can tell its meeting most, if not all of my needs. Thanks in advance to anyone who responds.
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zokj, you really want to find +44$ and get the HD 6850 there, instead of the HD 5750. Everything else looks fine.
P.S. I think they are overcharging you for those components. I bought my PC (similar to yours, except i got HD 5850) AND 22" monitor for 1000$.
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On November 14 2010 02:02 zokj wrote:Looking to build/buy a PC within the next month, I live in Canada and plan to order everything online. The PC will be mostly for gaming, currently sc2, fallout, civ5 + w/e else, otherwise it will be for storing and playing back most of the multimedia in the house, either to an HD tv, or just out of my setup itself. Looking to spend up to $1,200 canadian and hopefully the computer will do well for me for a couple years in the future. I'm not against over-clocking, but currently don't know how and don't have a use for it. ATM this is something that i'm looking at.. http://pc.ncix.com/ncixpc/ncixpc.cfm?uuid=7FBC7518-8A3B-41C5-A6AFCB613AFA71EE-3101583How am I doing? Is a build such as this too much, or not enough. From what I can tell its meeting most, if not all of my needs. Thanks in advance to anyone who responds.
If you're going to buy from NCIX. It's better to select the parts yourself and have them assemble it for you for $50.
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Ok, so I'm gonna go with something like the build a176 put up, with some changes:
Probably a quad core processor of similar calibre
Still uncertain about the PSU... is the molex->PCIe adaptor a big deal? The guys at the store would probably put that part together for me anyway since I'm paying them to build my comp.
And finally, is it then not true that Win7 Pro > Win7 Home as far as running XP-friendly programs goes ? (e.g. SC:BW which seems to have issues with Win7 but not XP)
Thanks!
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So I'm not building a new computer because I'm basically not allowed. I can however, get an upgrade on an AGP slot that I have for a graphics card. So here goes:
Here's a general rundown of my specs:
2.9G RAM
AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4200+
I'm currently running an integrated Graphics Card - ATI Radeon Express Series 200 (SOOOO BAD)
And I'm upgrading my graphics card to this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102814
I was wondering if my computer would be able to handle it. Boes told me that the CPU seems to be fine, and it was just the graphics card.
But yeah. Would it work?
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The CPU is not that great either. It would definitely have a lot of trouble in huge huge army battles; granted, the GPU is by far a bigger problem.
With a HD 3650, you could play on low settings just fine. It would work. Unfortunately, these old AGP cards are pretty expensive compared to what they should be (50% more or so?). If you want something that could play on medium at most resolutions, the HD 4650 could do that. Maybe you could find a better deal used.
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EPT
