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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 August 14 2011 01:23 JingleHell wrote:The thing is, you're looking for simple, cut and dry answers, but when it comes to enthusiast configurations, those don't exist. The memory thing and motherboard thing were kind of me making a point. If you CBA to figure those out, multi-GPU is NOT going to be as good for you as a single higher end card. I did a ton of research on multi-GPU before I set mine up, and I still find out new stuff about it on a regular basis. It's a decision you can only make informed, and becoming properly informed requires an intimate knowledge of your PC, your uses, and your computer skills. I wouldn't mind helping you with tweaking your stuff, but you're currently looking at it the wrong way. Right now you want to be told what's good. You need to want to learn how to make what you have better, especially with that PC you have. Kind of the old teach a man to fish thing. http://www.teamliquid.net/blogs/viewblog.php?id=246342There's a blog I did on enthusiast stuff, and my thoughts on it.
Sweet, I'll check it out.
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I would definitely take a shot at building my own PC, it'd definitely be a good learning experience.
Is it acceptable in this thread to answer the questions in the OP and receive a build in return? I know a bit about the more expensive components (CPU, GPU), but don't know diddly about motherboards, power supplies and the like.
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Just answer the questions and someone will take care of making you a build that will meet all your recquierements at your price range (or aw clsoe as possible)
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What is your budget?
I would like to spend about $750. This is mildly flexible, but I don't want to spend a crazy amount of money if I don't have to.
What is your resolution?
I'm planning on picking up a ~$150 monitor when a reasonable deal pops up, so I think that'd land me in the 1280x1024
What are you using it for?
This comp will be used for primarily day-to-day internet browsing / word processing / stream-watching and gaming (SC2, maybe some higher end games in the future).
Some light photoshopping / video editing just for school purposes.
What is your upgrade cycle?
If possible, I'd like this comp to last for awhile (2 years), probably upgrading some parts along the way.
When do you plan on building it?
Since I need to return to school in a week, I plan on building the computer as soon as I get all the parts. ASAP
Do you plan on overclocking?
I do not plan on overclocking since I don't know much about it.
Do you need an Operating System?
I believe that through my college, I can upgrade an existing Windows OS to Windows 7 for free.
Yeah just checked, if I have a version of windows already installed I can upgrade, so maybe need to find a cheap version of Windows XP?
Do you plan to add a second GPU for SLI or Crossfire?
No.
Where are you buying your parts from?
I don't know of a Fry's or Microcenter around me. All parts are going to be purchased online, probably from Newegg or Amazon.
Whoever, takes the time to help me out, thanks in advance, I really appreciate it.
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how do you feel about having an SSD for the bootdrive? is it just a nice-to-have?
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Well, the SSD is good for the OS for booting etc, and if there are programms you use often, but some people here knwo a lot more about SSD so i'll let them express themselves
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On August 14 2011 03:00 Kstew wrote:
how do you feel about having an SSD for the bootdrive? is it just a nice-to-have?
It's wonderful, but only if you can get it without sacrificing performance elsewhere, IMO. They're not mandatory by any stretch, and they're easy to add at a later date.
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+ Show Spoiler +On August 14 2011 02:42 Kstew wrote:
What is your budget?
I would like to spend about $750. This is mildly flexible, but I don't want to spend a crazy amount of money if I don't have to.
What is your resolution?
I'm planning on picking up a ~$150 monitor when a reasonable deal pops up, so I think that'd land me in the 1280x1024
What are you using it for?
This comp will be used for primarily day-to-day internet browsing / word processing / stream-watching and gaming (SC2, maybe some higher end games in the future).
Some light photoshopping / video editing just for school purposes.
What is your upgrade cycle?
If possible, I'd like this comp to last for awhile (2 years), probably upgrading some parts along the way.
When do you plan on building it?
Since I need to return to school in a week, I plan on building the computer as soon as I get all the parts. ASAP
Do you plan on overclocking?
I do not plan on overclocking since I don't know much about it.
Do you need an Operating System?
I believe that through my college, I can upgrade an existing Windows OS to Windows 7 for free.
Yeah just checked, if I have a version of windows already installed I can upgrade, so maybe need to find a cheap version of Windows XP?
Do you plan to add a second GPU for SLI or Crossfire?
No.
Where are you buying your parts from?
I don't know of a Fry's or Microcenter around me. All parts are going to be purchased online, probably from Newegg or Amazon.
Whoever, takes the time to help me out, thanks in advance, I really appreciate it.
Motherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157230 - I don't know much about ASRock beyond hearing them suggested every once in a while. They are cheaper for the mother boards but still reliable enough to suggest for your budget. Plus you get some upgrade room with the SATA III ports. $110
CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072 - The i5-2500k is an amazing processor. As you don't plan to do overclocking at all, I might say you could spare some cash here if you want. Currently 15$ off at newegg = $205
CPU Cooler: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065 - Granted, you don't plan to OC so you could probably stay on the stock i5 cooler, but this will give you peace of mind of keeping it nice and frosty. $30
RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231314 - Gskill (8gb) is a great brand, and these are "entry level" but still great timings and voltage for cheap. $60.
PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371049 - Antec's PSU OEM is from Seasonic who are very respected. More power than you could possibly need (750w), but at this price you can't pass it up. $85 after promo, $60 after mail in rebate (if you trust them!).
G-Card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121425 - Really you can choose any reputable brand for the 560 gtx ti, but Asus will run the coolest and quietest (the MSI ti-hawk is nearly the same). $250 here, and the factory OC version costs the same as the regular.
Case: Really this comes down to your personal preferences, but for you I would have to recommend the Cooler Master 690-II Advanced or a similar 80-100$ case. You might also want to get some extra fans depending on which case you get.
Disk Drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136284 - Idk what your storage needs are, but to fit in your budget you have to rule out SSD. Thus, here's a 1TB Caviar Black which are very reputable. $90
Optical Drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204 - Standard stuff, good though. $20
Monitor: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236079&Tpk=asus vh232 - Glossy black (which I hate) but is 1080p for CHEAP. You can save some money and get a 1680x1050 instead, but at 170$ it's hard to pass up.
Total: So hopefully I didn't leave anything out, but here are the totals: $930 without monitor, $1100 with.
Obviously I went a bit over your $750 budget, but I'll let someone else figure out where to make cuts. I would guess a cheaper CPU that isn't the -k (since you aren't overclocking) and maybe relying on stock CPU will save ~$100 right there. You probably don't need all the features of that mobo I linked either so you could save another $30.
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Time to get a new PC, and since I currently only have a Mac (pro gaming rig right here), I have to start from nothing pretty much. Doesn't help that I'm a total noob when it comes to hardware :/
What is your budget?
About 1000€, so about $1400, this has to include the case, cooling and all that shite though.
What is your resolution?
1920x1080 or 1920x1200 (Haven't decided on the monitor yet >_>)
What are you using it for?
Mostly gaming with some photoshops.
What is your upgrade cycle?
~2 years.
When do you plan on building it?
September-October.
Do you plan on overclocking?
Nope.
Do you need an Operating System?
Win7 would probs be good.
Do you plan to add a second GPU for SLI or Crossfire?
Nope.
Where are you buying your parts from?
Live in Finland, so local stores are quite overpriced. Best off buying from Germany, UK or somewhere else in EU.
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On August 14 2011 03:05 Horuku wrote:+ Show Spoiler ++ Show Spoiler +On August 14 2011 02:42 Kstew wrote:
What is your budget?
I would like to spend about $750. This is mildly flexible, but I don't want to spend a crazy amount of money if I don't have to.
What is your resolution?
I'm planning on picking up a ~$150 monitor when a reasonable deal pops up, so I think that'd land me in the 1280x1024
What are you using it for?
This comp will be used for primarily day-to-day internet browsing / word processing / stream-watching and gaming (SC2, maybe some higher end games in the future).
Some light photoshopping / video editing just for school purposes.
What is your upgrade cycle?
If possible, I'd like this comp to last for awhile (2 years), probably upgrading some parts along the way.
When do you plan on building it?
Since I need to return to school in a week, I plan on building the computer as soon as I get all the parts. ASAP
Do you plan on overclocking?
I do not plan on overclocking since I don't know much about it.
Do you need an Operating System?
I believe that through my college, I can upgrade an existing Windows OS to Windows 7 for free.
Yeah just checked, if I have a version of windows already installed I can upgrade, so maybe need to find a cheap version of Windows XP?
Do you plan to add a second GPU for SLI or Crossfire?
No.
Where are you buying your parts from?
I don't know of a Fry's or Microcenter around me. All parts are going to be purchased online, probably from Newegg or Amazon.
Whoever, takes the time to help me out, thanks in advance, I really appreciate it. : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157230 - I don't know much about ASRock beyond hearing them suggested every once in a while. They are cheaper for the mother boards but still reliable enough to suggest for your budget. Plus you get some upgrade room with the SATA III ports. $110 CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072 - The i5-2500k is an amazing processor. As you don't plan to do overclocking at all, I might say you could spare some cash here if you want. Currently 15$ off at newegg = $205 CPU Cooler: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065 - Granted, you don't plan to OC so you could probably stay on the stock i5 cooler, but this will give you peace of mind of keeping it nice and frosty. $30 RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231314 - Gskill (8gb) is a great brand, and these are "entry level" but still great timings and voltage for cheap. $60. PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371049 - Antec's PSU OEM is from Seasonic who are very respected. More power than you could possibly need (750w), but at this price you can't pass it up. $85 after promo, $60 after mail in rebate (if you trust them!). G-Card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121425 - Really you can choose any reputable brand for the 560 gtx ti, but Asus will run the coolest and quietest (the MSI ti-hawk is nearly the same). $250 here, and the factory OC version costs the same as the regular. Case: Really this comes down to your personal preferences, but for you I would have to recommend the Cooler Master 690-II Advanced or a similar 80-100$ case. You might also want to get some extra fans depending on which case you get. Disk Drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136284 - Idk what your storage needs are, but to fit in your budget you have to rule out SSD. Thus, here's a 1TB Caviar Black which are very reputable. $90 Optical Drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204 - Standard stuff, good though. $20 Monitor: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236079&Tpk=asus vh232 - Glossy black (which I hate) but is 1080p for CHEAP. You can save some money and get a 1680x1050 instead, but at 170$ it's hard to pass up. Total: So hopefully I didn't leave anything out, but here are the totals: $930 without monitor, $1100 with. Obviously I went a bit over your $750 budget, but I'll let someone else figure out where to make cuts. I would guess a cheaper CPU that isn't the -k (since you aren't overclocking) and maybe relying on stock CPU will save ~$100 right there. You probably don't need all the features of that mobo I linked either so you could save another $30.
Antec doesn't only use Seasonic power supplies, they also have Delta, FSP, and Enhance units. That 750w High Current Gamer is made by Delta, not Seasonic.
Both the Twin Frozr II and Windforce performs better than the DirectCu II. I don't see any reason to pay a premium for ASUS over the other two unless you're an ASUS fanboy.
On August 14 2011 03:09 Westerhound wrote:+ Show Spoiler +Time to get a new PC, and since I currently only have a Mac (pro gaming rig right here), I have to start from nothing pretty much. Doesn't help that I'm a total noob when it comes to hardware :/
What is your budget?
About 1000€, so about $1400, this has to include the case, cooling and all that shite though.
What is your resolution?
1920x1080 or 1920x1200 (Haven't decided on the monitor yet >_>)
What are you using it for?
Mostly gaming with some photoshops.
What is your upgrade cycle?
~2 years.
When do you plan on building it?
September-October.
Do you plan on overclocking?
Nope.
Do you need an Operating System?
Win7 would probs be good.
Do you plan to add a second GPU for SLI or Crossfire?
Nope.
Where are you buying your parts from?
Live in Finland, so local stores are quite overpriced. Best off buying from Germany, UK or somewhere else in EU.
Ask again when you're purchasing in September or October. Prices change and new processors will be out by that time so it's quite pointless to recommend a configuration. If you want to do research than look through the last few pages of this thread or use google or use hardforum, anandtech, etc.
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@Kstew: Just for the record, Rachnar's build makes about 1000% more sense than Horuku's.
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Biggest problem I see: Acer. They're a cheap brand and I've heard lots of stories about their crappy customer service and failed monitors. Whenever I've seen an Acer in store, they always look duller and less vibrant (if that makes sense :p).
For me, in terms of quality, it's Samsung > Asus > Acer (and it so happens the pricing works the same lol).
The reviews on that one are decent though, but I would spend 20-30$ more and just go with a reliable Asus.
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On August 14 2011 03:15 skyR wrote:
Both the Twin Frozr II and Windforce performs better than the DirectCu II. I don't see any reason to pay a premium for ASUS over the other two unless you're an ASUS fanboy.
Yah, a premium of $5 /rollseyes. From all my research on the 560 ti's I have seen the ASUS and Twin Frozr II and IIIs perform similarly. Hence the reason I stated that it comes down to which brand you want to buy from.
On August 14 2011 03:15 JingleHell wrote:
@Kstew: Just for the record, Rachnar's build makes about 1000% more sense than Horuku's.
Granted, I threw it together rapidly without much care for his budget. The PSU is way more than he needs but it doesn't cost that much anyways. The motherboard is from a company I would personally never touch (stick with Gigabyte and Asus). The 2500k is more than he needs since he isn't overclocking, and I stated this at the end of my post. Go with the one Rachnar linked instead imo.
Otherwise I'm not sure how it is THAT wrong.
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On August 14 2011 03:21 Horuku wrote:Show nested quote +On August 14 2011 03:15 skyR wrote:
Both the Twin Frozr II and Windforce performs better than the DirectCu II. I don't see any reason to pay a premium for ASUS over the other two unless you're an ASUS fanboy.
Yah, a premium of $5 /rollseyes. From all my research on the 560 ti's I have seen the ASUS and Twin Frozr II and IIIs perform similarly. Hence the reason I stated that it comes down to which brand you want to buy from. Show nested quote +On August 14 2011 03:15 JingleHell wrote:
@Kstew: Just for the record, Rachnar's build makes about 1000% more sense than Horuku's. Granted, I threw it together rapidly without much care for his budget. The PSU is way more than he needs but it doesn't cost that much anyways. The motherboard is from a company I would personally never touch (stick with Gigabyte and Asus). The 2500k is more than he needs since he isn't overclocking, and I stated this at the end of my post. Go with the one Rachnar linked instead imo. Otherwise I'm not sure how it is THAT wrong.
The ASUS DirectCu II is at $250.... Twin Frozr II is at $240, Windforce is at $235... $5 premium? I think not.
Asrock is a sister company of ASUS fyi...
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On August 14 2011 03:21 Horuku wrote:Show nested quote +On August 14 2011 03:15 skyR wrote:
Both the Twin Frozr II and Windforce performs better than the DirectCu II. I don't see any reason to pay a premium for ASUS over the other two unless you're an ASUS fanboy.
Yah, a premium of $5 /rollseyes. From all my research on the 560 ti's I have seen the ASUS and Twin Frozr II and IIIs perform similarly. Hence the reason I stated that it comes down to which brand you want to buy from. Show nested quote +On August 14 2011 03:15 JingleHell wrote:
@Kstew: Just for the record, Rachnar's build makes about 1000% more sense than Horuku's. Granted, I threw it together rapidly without much care for his budget. The PSU is way more than he needs but it doesn't cost that much anyways. The motherboard is from a company I would personally never touch (stick with Gigabyte and Asus). The 2500k is more than he needs since he isn't overclocking, and I stated this at the end of my post. Go with the one Rachnar linked instead imo. Otherwise I'm not sure how it is THAT wrong.
I'm not sure how you think it's that right? The 6870 performs very similar to a 560 Ti at a massively lower price point. An overkill PSU is bad for your electric bill, as efficiency drops off when you're using them too far below load. A P67 board, CPU cooler, and -k CPU for someone who clearly doesn't want to OC is a huge waste, 1600Mhz RAM barely gets any performance gain for gaming over 1333... And of course, you even admit to ignoring his budget. What good is it to throw together something that is clearly well beyond what he wants?
If you know you're putting together something that's not optimized to their request, which you said at the end of your build list, you shouldn't get emotionally invested in the build as is, when you know it needs a lot of optimizing to fit needs.
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On August 14 2011 03:24 JingleHell wrote:Show nested quote +On August 14 2011 03:21 Horuku wrote:On August 14 2011 03:15 skyR wrote:
Both the Twin Frozr II and Windforce performs better than the DirectCu II. I don't see any reason to pay a premium for ASUS over the other two unless you're an ASUS fanboy.
Yah, a premium of $5 /rollseyes. From all my research on the 560 ti's I have seen the ASUS and Twin Frozr II and IIIs perform similarly. Hence the reason I stated that it comes down to which brand you want to buy from. On August 14 2011 03:15 JingleHell wrote:
@Kstew: Just for the record, Rachnar's build makes about 1000% more sense than Horuku's. Granted, I threw it together rapidly without much care for his budget. The PSU is way more than he needs but it doesn't cost that much anyways. The motherboard is from a company I would personally never touch (stick with Gigabyte and Asus). The 2500k is more than he needs since he isn't overclocking, and I stated this at the end of my post. Go with the one Rachnar linked instead imo. Otherwise I'm not sure how it is THAT wrong. I'm not sure how you think it's that right? The 6870 performs very similar to a 560 Ti at a massively lower price point. An overkill PSU is bad for your electric bill, as efficiency drops off when you're using them too far below load. A P67 board, CPU cooler, and -k CPU for someone who clearly doesn't want to OC is a huge waste, 1600Mhz RAM barely gets any performance gain for gaming over 1333... And of course, you even admit to ignoring his budget. What good is it to throw together something that is clearly well beyond what he wants? If you know you're putting together something that's not optimized to their request, which you said at the end of your build list, you shouldn't get emotionally invested in the build as is, when you know it needs a lot of optimizing to fit needs.
Sorry, I was in the wrong. I went into it based on my own buying habits as opposed to his and expected it to work out. That was a rough build anyways and I would refine it down to $750 afterwords, was just trying to get a basic idea thrown out there.
Personally, saving $10 is pointless when you're spending that much anyways.
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EPT
