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When using this resource, please read the 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. |
What is your budget?
Ive got a budget of about $1000 US
What is your monitor's native resolution?
i actually need a monitor. i have an old one that is 1600x900 but i think id prefer getting one that is 1920x1080
What games do you intend to play on this computer? What settings?
Starcraft 2, skyrim, dayZ, path of exile, amnesia a machine for pigs, minecraft, starcraft broodwar, dota 2, bioshock infiniate ect
What do you intend to use the computer for besides gaming?
I do a lot of programming. I am in college at the moment and am in an OOP class. I have access to a computer lab with everything i need however, so it's not needed
Do you intend to overclock?
unless someone suggests i should, no. I am competent with computers and have built a few myself before so im pretty sure i could figure this out
Do you intend to do SLI / Crossfire?
not unless suggested by someone much better at this than i am
Do you need an operating system?
I have access to a free copy of windows 7 through my school
Do you need a monitor or any other peripherals and is this part of your budget?
ive got a mouse and keyboard and monitor that will suffice. Id like a better monitor however (1920x1080 please)
If you have any requirements or brand preferences, please specify.
Not really. Just not anything alienware
What country will you be buying your parts in?
USA
If you have any retailer preferences, please specify.
I kinda like newegg. But if you find a good deal somewhere else then id prefer that instead
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United Kingdom20341 Posts
On September 08 2013 05:18 iokke wrote:Show nested quote +On September 07 2013 11:03 skyR wrote:
Like Starcraft II, Rome 2 is CPU dependent. Upgrading the video card will provide a performance increase but you'd still drop to 10 FPS in the later stages of the game. I see, was hoping i-920 was enough but after playing some more Rome i guess it isn't. Takes like a minute for each turn to end when Comp makes it's moves for example. I can't afford to upgrade everything at once so decided to do it in parts. What would make sense to upgrade first? Motherobard + cpu from i920 to i7 4770k (or i5) and Gigabyte GA-Z87X-D3H or GPU from gtx 295 to gtx 770 (780 for more future proof)? Also a bigger question is, how much can I reasonably ask for my current system? i-920, gtx-295, 6gb ram, 1tb hd, dvd-rw, 1000w psu that is 4 years old. Have a friend that needs a comp so if I can sell it to him I can build a full brand new comp, but I really have no idea what would be a fair price
920 to 4670k/4770k
It's very easy to take Haswell to over 2x the performance of stock 920
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On September 08 2013 05:18 iokke wrote:+ Show Spoiler +On September 07 2013 11:03 skyR wrote:
Like Starcraft II, Rome 2 is CPU dependent. Upgrading the video card will provide a performance increase but you'd still drop to 10 FPS in the later stages of the game. I see, was hoping i7-920 was enough but after playing some more Rome i guess it isn't. Takes like a minute for each turn to end when Comp makes it's moves for example. I can't afford to upgrade everything at once so decided to do it in parts. What would make sense to upgrade first? Motherobard + cpu from i7920 to i7 4770k (or i5) and Gigabyte GA-Z87X-D3H or GPU from gtx 295 to gtx 770 (780 for more future proof)? Also a bigger question is, how much can I reasonably ask for my current system? i7-920 quadcore 2.67ghz, gtx-295, 6gb ram, 1tb hd, dvd-rw, 1000w psu that is 4 years old. Have a friend that needs a comp so if I can sell it to him I can build a full brand new comp, but I really have no idea what would be a fair price
I'd go for the CPU upgrade first since the Radeon HD9000 series and the holiday season isn't far off.
GTX 780 generally isn't worth it unless you are playing at a resolution higher than 1080p.
You can probably get $400-$600 from your old computer depending on case and power supply.
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Thanks, processor first it is then
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Sorry if I'm being impatient; I just wanted to make sure my request wasn't lost in the shuffle. Would someone be able to suggest a one (gaming) monitor build to me on my budget? Cyro indicated I might want to wait until the end of the month to buy. . . is that a good idea or should I just go ahead and buy now?
Thanks so much!
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On September 08 2013 12:52 ZeroJumps wrote:
Sorry if I'm being impatient; I just wanted to make sure my request wasn't lost in the shuffle. Would someone be able to suggest a one (gaming) monitor build to me on my budget? Cyro indicated I might want to wait until the end of the month to buy. . . is that a good idea or should I just go ahead and buy now?
Thanks so much!
It got lost.
I'd buy now. Nothing AMD's gonna release any time soon is going to be amazingly better than what's currently available (and particularly without a corresponding price jump) because it'll still have to be on 28 nm process. If you get ripped off by 30 bucks or so compared to having waited a month, that's not worth it on that kind of budget and if you're using a laptop now.
Original post:
+ Show Spoiler +On September 06 2013 05:20 ZeroJumps wrote:Hi! I’ve been in school for the last seven years, and had to make do with a crappy laptop that can barely run SC2 on low settings. I’ve finally gotten fed up with it, and am looking to build a high-end gaming PC. Ideally, I’d like to build a computer that can handle every game currently out, as well as those that will be coming out in at least the next year or so, at ultra settings while maintaining a high frame rate. I’ll be starting completely from scratch. The only peripheral I currently have is a mouse, but I’ll probably want to replace that too. My technical knowledge of computers and components is fairly low; one of the major reasons I’ve come here for assistance is that I find the sheer variety of options more than a little overwhelming. I'm hopeful that, in building my own computer, I can learn a little more about them. What is your budget? Initially, I had considered spending about 2,000 USD. As I started researching things online, and adding in the cost of all the peripherals/the OS I would need, I realized that might not be sufficient. If 2,000 USD isn’t enough to build the type of machine I want, or if there is a good cost/benefit reason for spending more, I can spend up to 3,000 USD. What is your monitor's native resolution?I don’t have a monitor. In looking online at gaming-PC articles, I have been awed by the tri-monitor set-ups. If it’s possible within my budget, I’d like to go with a three monitor set up. I have plenty of desk space, so there aren’t any size constraints. At the very least, if three is not possible on my budget, I would like to have a dual-monitor set up to increase my work productivity. What games do you intend to play on this computer? What settings?All the games! I’m pretty sure the most recent game I’ve played (other than SC2 at low-low-low settings) was Half-life 2 when it came out. I really want to play today’s most graphically advanced games on the highest settings so I can stare at the screen in awe and amazement at how far graphics have come. What do you intend to use the computer for besides gaming?The usual. Internet browsing, word processing, spreadsheeting, streaming, some photo editing. Do you intend to overclock?I don’t know enough about overclocking to say. I will if it’s the type of thing I can just follow directions to accomplish without compromising the lifespan of my hardware. I was hoping someone could provide a recommendation on this. Do you intend to do SLI / Crossfire?Again, I don’t know enough about the benefits/drawbacks of running two cards vs. one to have an answer for this. As with overclocking, I was hoping someone could provide a recommendation on this. Do you need an operating system?Yes. Sadly, as you may have guessed, I’ve been on a Mac for the last several years. Long enough to know I want to go back to Windows. However, I don’t have enough experience with the newer Windows offerings to have a preference. I had an IT friend suggest getting 64 bit Windows 7; but I’m wide open to other suggestions. Do you need a monitor or any other peripherals and is this part of your budget?I need everything. I can make do without a fancy chair though  Please include any peripherals you would recommend in the cost estimate. If you have any requirements or brand preferences, please specify.No requirements. Portability isn’t an issue. Space isn’t an issue. What country will you be buying your parts in?The United States. If you have any retailer preferences, please specify.Probably have to be online retailers. I live in the middle of nowhere. Thanks in advance for any help and suggestions you can provide!
Do you want the totally splurging version or the sane version that gets you something that feels exactly the same but is significantly under budget?
On September 08 2013 05:25 TuckFexas wrote:+ Show Spoiler +What is your budget?
Ive got a budget of about $1000 US
What is your monitor's native resolution?
i actually need a monitor. i have an old one that is 1600x900 but i think id prefer getting one that is 1920x1080
What games do you intend to play on this computer? What settings?
Starcraft 2, skyrim, dayZ, path of exile, amnesia a machine for pigs, minecraft, starcraft broodwar, dota 2, bioshock infiniate ect
What do you intend to use the computer for besides gaming?
I do a lot of programming. I am in college at the moment and am in an OOP class. I have access to a computer lab with everything i need however, so it's not needed
Do you intend to overclock?
unless someone suggests i should, no. I am competent with computers and have built a few myself before so im pretty sure i could figure this out
Do you intend to do SLI / Crossfire?
not unless suggested by someone much better at this than i am
Do you need an operating system?
I have access to a free copy of windows 7 through my school
Do you need a monitor or any other peripherals and is this part of your budget?
ive got a mouse and keyboard and monitor that will suffice. Id like a better monitor however (1920x1080 please)
If you have any requirements or brand preferences, please specify.
Not really. Just not anything alienware
What country will you be buying your parts in?
USA
If you have any retailer preferences, please specify.
I kinda like newegg. But if you find a good deal somewhere else then id prefer that instead
Watch this space. (will edit) nevermind, have stuff to do, sorry... will get back to this if nobody does in 24 hourss
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CAn you please Critique my build :D
I will answer the following questions then post my hypothetical build which if all is well , will order parts for next week D:
What is your budget?
£1200
What is your monitor's native resolution?
1920x1080
What games do you intend to play on this computer? What settings?
Sc2 on Low, Battlefield, Far Cry 3, Bioshock Infinite, Assassins Creed 4 Black Flasg (when it comes out) As high settings as possible
What do you intend to use the computer for besides gaming?
Lots of typing (more than gaming ) coding, CAD, Maybe some video editing (want to start a youtube channel)
Do you intend to overclock?
I dont want to liquid cool, if its possible to overclock with just normal air coolers then by all means I will look into it , please advise accordingly and note that my lack of knowledge on overclocking does reflect ont he build as I chose the non overclocked model for hte processor
Do you intend to do SLI / Crossfire?
Not really, is there any benefit to Sli?
Do you need an operating system?
Yes Windows 8 preferably, but I also want to do a partiion and install Ubuntu
Do you need a monitor or any other peripherals and is this part of your budget?
Want a Razer Deathadder 2013 and CMStorm Quickfire Rapid Cherry MX brown switches
If you have any requirements or brand preferences, please specify.
GeForce Graphics Cards, Cooler Master , Corsair,
What country will you be buying your parts in?
UK
If you have any retailer preferences, please specify.
Amazon, PC world, any other good UK retailer
Proposed Build:
CPU i7-4770 216.95
Motherboard Gigabyte Z87X-UD3H 145.97
RAM Kingston Technology XMP Beast 8GB 1600MHz 58.3
GPU ASUS Nvidia GeForce GTX 760 Direct CU 2 218.7
PSU Corsair HX650 Professional Series HX 650W 94.98
Case Coolermaster Elite 334U Mid Tower ATX Case 35.32
HDD Seagate 1TB HDD 53.4
SSD Samsung 840 Series 120 Gb SSD 73.19
Keyboard Cooler Master Quickfire Rapid Mechanical Keyboard 74.99
Mouse Razer Deathadder 2013 Edition 64.99
Cooling Thermalright True Spirit 140 BW Heat Sink 29.99
OS Windows 8 59.99
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United Kingdom20341 Posts
If you're overclocking, cut to z87x-d3h (for ~£115), if you're not overclocking there's no reason to get a premium z87 board so you can cut down to a cheaper one. I'd probably reallocate some money, take a bit out of psu (you don't need more than a good 450w unit and £95 seems excessive) to target an i5 4670k, z87x-d3h and bump up GPU to a 770. That's assuming you want to OC though, if not, then consider locked i5, cheaper board anyway. i7 only has ~20% multithreaded performance advantage and that rarely affects game performance, though it will count for the other stuff you listed - if you were to overclock i5 for example it'd gain more than that extra 20% performance from hyperthreading, and have a ton better singlethreaded too
Hard to fault other stuff aside from case, maybe a bit cheap/small, make sure it fits whatever cooler you're using
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What is your budget?
Approx between 1-1.1k
What is your monitor's native resolution?
1600x900
What games do you intend to play on this computer? What settings?
Starcraft 2 is the focus, with ultra / ultra as the goal!
What do you intend to use the computer for besides gaming?
Streaming
Do you intend to overclock?
Ideally yes, but I am technically inept
Do you intend to do SLI / Crossfire?
Not sure what either of these mean, if they are beneficial then yes?
Do you need an operating system?
No, I have this part at least covered
Do you need a monitor or any other peripherals and is this part of your budget?
Would love to hear suggestions on a second monitor, as the second one I have atm is pretty meh, but it does the job.
If you have any requirements or brand preferences, please specify.
No
What country will you be buying your parts in?
Will be shipping everything to Canada
If you have any retailer preferences, please specify.
None
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What is your budget?
Approx $1500
What is your monitor's native resolution?
1680x1050
What games do you intend to play on this computer? What settings?
Anything and everything, at max
What do you intend to use the computer for besides gaming?
Not much
Do you intend to overclock?
No, but it would be nice to have the option
Do you intend to do SLI / Crossfire?
Yes
Do you need an operating system?
No
Do you need a monitor or any other peripherals and is this part of your budget?
Mouse and keyboard, part of the budget
If you have any requirements or brand preferences, please specify.
No preference
What country will you be buying your parts in?
USA
If you have any retailer preferences, please specify.
Newegg or Amazon, but not very important
Thanks in advance, friends.
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Thanks for providing me a list Skyr (are you originally from Iceland?). Your list was very helpful to me as I started putting together my order on Newegg.
What I’m looking at right now (sitting on the order screen ) is:
CPU: i7-4770K Haswell 3.5GHz Quad-Core
MoBo: Gigabyte GA-Z87X-D3H
Video: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 770
Ram: G.Skill Ripjaws (2x8 GB) SDRAM DDR3 2133
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 2 TB 7200 RPM
SSD: Samsung 840 Pro Series 256 GB
Power: Rosewill Capstone-650 650W Continuous
Cooling: Zalman CNPS9900ALED 120mm
Case: Cooler Master HAF 932 Advanced RC-932-KKN5-GP
Keyboard: Corsair Vengeance K70 Mechanical Keyboard
Monitors (x2): BenQ XL2420TE 24”
Sticking with the Logitech gaming mouse I have currently.
The total price was only a little more ($2700) than the build you recommended.
As you can see, I went with the motherboard and video card you recommended. I ultimately decided to go with the i7 CPU instead and 16gb of the G.Skill RAM instead of the i5 and 8gb you recommended just in case (someday) I might need them. The case you recommended was also reviewed very favorably on Newegg, but I chose this one because it was also reviewed very well and had a 20% off promotion going on. Plus I’m a sucker for lights. I opted for a 2TB hard drive instead of the 1TB again just in case. The Monitors are a little pricey, but are supposed to be good for gaming. I suppose I could get just one, and then a cheaper for utility, but I tend to be rather OCD, and I think having two different monitors might bug me more over the years than paying an extra $100 now.
A few questions before I buy:
I think each item should be compatible with the rest; would someone be able to double check that they will all work together? And that I’m not forgetting any hardware components?
Also, is the i7 a decent decision? I've read that the i5's are supposed to be sufficient for current games; but will buying the i7 hedge better against future requirements?
I guess I’m also really just looking for confirmation from someone more knowledgeable than me that this setup will work, and work well, before I commit to buying.
Thanks!
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Any thing with 'gaming' as a selling point is a rip off.
8GB sticks of RAM OC worse than 2/4GB sticks.
i7 OC's usually worse than i5 becuase of HT (which does nothing for games) produces more heat, however they are binned better so it's kind of a $100 wash.
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Don't buy that cooler as it's probably very weak for its price. As proof, here's another Zalman that's somewhat related in design and probably stronger losing against a much cheaper TS140 (it's just an example as Thermalright products are not available for good price in the US): http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/zalman-cnps9900df_5.html#sect1
I have no idea what would be better for a similar price in the US, probably Coolermaster Hyper 212+ or 212 evo or 212X. You might want to look at something more expensive as the balance seems off with the expensive i7 and other choices but weak cooler.
Samsung 840 Pro is a bit expensive for likely no good reason (though if you have a reason, ignore this). You might want to look at 840 EVO.
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United Kingdom20341 Posts
It doesn't make any kind of sense to get something like a 212 on a 1k build, i'd go straight to higher end air like u14s
HT does help for a few games and probably will for more, and it only actually gives you more heat when it's being useful, but it's still questionable to buy into it, i guess not so much if you're going all the way and spending thousands on a high end build including good monitors etc
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iTzSnypah: Which component are you referring to as having a "gaming" selling point? If you're saying that from my comment about the monitors, I picked them because they are supposed to be 1-2ms and 144Hz. The only other item which I remembered as being "gaming" oriented was the keyboard; I picked it because it was fully mechanical and had the cherry red switches based on reviews which said they were the best for gaming. Would you not recommend the monitors or the keyboard? Or were you referring to something else?
Ropid:
I don't have any way to dispute the findings of that comparison; but in looking at the Coolermaster Hyper 212 Evo the heatsink is aluminum. From what I've read online, copper is the way to go for these. Of course, its tough to argue against actual performance tests. What do you think about aluminum vs. copper on these two products?
I chose the pro for the MLC flash chip type; it looks like the Evo's all have the TLC chip type. Is it not worth paying the extra amount for that?
Thanks to both of you for your responses!
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The monitors. A single 770 is pushing it for 144hz 1080p (at med/high settings, if you can't produce the frames why spend more for a monitor that can?) and at $300 a monitor I would rather just have a Single 27" QHD one for $600.
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iTzSnypah:
What monitors would you recommend at that price ($400 per/$800 total) assuming you wanted to get two monitors of the same kind?
Cyro:
Thanks for that recommendation. I think I will go with the Noctua NH-U14S.
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On September 09 2013 14:41 ZeroJumps wrote:+ Show Spoiler +iTzSnypah: Which component are you referring to as having a "gaming" selling point? If you're saying that from my comment about the monitors, I picked them because they are supposed to be 1-2ms and 144Hz. The only other item which I remembered as being "gaming" oriented was the keyboard; I picked it because it was fully mechanical and had the cherry red switches based on reviews which said they were the best for gaming. Would you not recommend the monitors or the keyboard? Or were you referring to something else?
Ropid:
I don't have any way to dispute the findings of that comparison; but in looking at the Coolermaster Hyper 212 Evo the heatsink is aluminum. From what I've read online, copper is the way to go for these. Of course, its tough to argue against actual performance tests. What do you think about aluminum vs. copper on these two products?
I chose the pro for the MLC flash chip type; it looks like the Evo's all have the TLC chip type. Is it not worth paying the extra amount for that?
Thanks to both of you for your responses!
If you're using it as a scratch disk for photoshop then yes I guess a Pro may be worth it but then you should have another SSD in the build for your primary drive.
TLC SSDs last for a dozen or so years (and even longer) under consumer environments. Chances are that something else in the SSD is going to die before you run out of writes. In five years, you probably won't even care about it.
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