The Ultimate 'Build-A-PC' Thread. Complete With Pricings & Recommendations (06/06/10)

[quote name='j-cart']The AMD game codes should come with the gfx card regardless if Amazon doesn't mention them. The codes are given by AMD and not the retailers. Also because you have an i7 listed in your build, get a 7970. Pair the best with only the best![/QUOTE]

Thanks. I thought that would be the case, I just wanted to know for certain.

I decided that I'm going to wait until the end of this week before I make my choice on which GPU to buy. The GTX 770 will supposedly be out by this Thursday, so I’m going to wait to see how well that card turns out to be. If it’s a bust, then I will definitely be getting the 7970. The only trouble I will have then, is deciding on which 7970 card I should get. I’m thinking it will be between on either the Gigabyte GV-R797OC-3GD ($400) or the PowerColor AX7970 3GBD5-2DHV3 ($380). Which one is considered the best, or does it not really matter?
 
[quote name='io']It belongs in the trading forum, but I can add the link to the OP.[/QUOTE]

If you could create a thread in the Master Trading Lists forum, that would be great! Thanks io!
 
Hi all, I've been using pcpartpicker to put together some builds. I was wondering how reliable their compatibility filter is. If the site tells me no issues/incompatibilities found, am I reasonably safe relying on that verdict? Thanks in advance.
 
Ok, this is what I've put together so far. I've already pulled the trigger on the CPU, GPU, mobo, and RAM. Wish I had waited till today to buy the 7970, Newegg came out with some pretty steep discounts. That aside, I'd be much obliged if some knowledgeable CAGs could check out my build and vet it for compatibility issues or cheaper/better part alternatives. Thanks much.

pc part picker.com/p/11OWR

(Can't post links :whistle2:()
 
Well today I ended up buying the Sapphire Vapor-X 7970 GHz 3GB, since it went on sell today. I should get it sometime this Wednesday. Can't wait to test it out! :D
 
mike.m said:
I'm looking at upgrading my video card, potentially because I might be skipping the new consoles this year depending on pricing and features.

This is my current PC:

Intel Core i5-2500 CPU @ 3.30GHz
8GB RAM
GeForce GTX 460

I don't keep up with PC parts so I'm looking to upgrade and not spend a fortune. Maybe keep it to about $300 or less.

Suggestions?
Click to expand...
I don't want to start a new thread to ask this question, so I'll just reask it here. Suggestions?

I'm thinking a GeForce GTX 660. I've seen some around $200 or so and that would be a good pricepoint for me.

 
mike.m said:
mike.m said:
I'm looking at upgrading my video card, potentially because I might be skipping the new consoles this year depending on pricing and features.

This is my current PC:

Intel Core i5-2500 CPU @ 3.30GHz
8GB RAM
GeForce GTX 460

I don't keep up with PC parts so I'm looking to upgrade and not spend a fortune. Maybe keep it to about $300 or less.

Suggestions?
Click to expand...
I don't want to start a new thread to ask this question, so I'll just reask it here. Suggestions?

I'm thinking a GeForce GTX 660. I've seen some around $200 or so and that would be a good pricepoint for me.
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Overclock that 2500k to 4.x first. Then, get a new graphics card. This should suit you fine.

 
So my TV kicked the bucket, and instead of paying for a new one I decided to switch over to PC gaming, and sold me Xbox and PS3.  I slapped this build together fairly quickly, what do you guys think?

Sorry in advance, I couldn't get the wishlist to work.

Optical drive-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=0R4-000B-00001

Case-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811156247

Mobo-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157266

Video Card-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125414

PSU-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817148049

CPU-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103960

RAM-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148544

HDD-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822236339

Basically this is going to be my console replacement build, but I'm on somewhat of a budget, hence no SSD.  I want it to play any game, and I plan to crossfire in the future.  It will, ideally be hooked up to a TV in my living room, and I'll probably end up using it for school stuff as well (IT program). 

Let me know what you guys think of it, thanks!

 
Fatso2027 said:
So my TV kicked the bucket, and instead of paying for a new one I decided to switch over to PC gaming, and sold me Xbox and PS3. I slapped this build together fairly quickly, what do you guys think?

Sorry in advance, I couldn't get the wishlist to work.

Optical drive-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=0R4-000B-00001

Case-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811156247

Mobo-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157266

Video Card-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125414

PSU-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817148049

CPU-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103960

RAM-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148544

HDD-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822236339

Basically this is going to be my console replacement build, but I'm on somewhat of a budget, hence no SSD. I want it to play any game, and I plan to crossfire in the future. It will, ideally be hooked up to a TV in my living room, and I'll probably end up using it for school stuff as well (IT program).

Let me know what you guys think of it, thanks!
Click to expand...
Doesn't seem too bad except for that PSU. Do you have a MicroCenter near you?

 
I don't the only thing I have around is best buy and a local place that's very expensive. What's wrong with the PSU, out of curiosity

aShufflinZombie said:
Fatso2027 said:
So my TV kicked the bucket, and instead of paying for a new one I decided to switch over to PC gaming, and sold me Xbox and PS3. I slapped this build together fairly quickly, what do you guys think?

Sorry in advance, I couldn't get the wishlist to work.

Optical drive-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=0R4-000B-00001

Case-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811156247

Mobo-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157266

Video Card-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125414

PSU-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817148049

CPU-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103960

RAM-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148544

HDD-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822236339

Basically this is going to be my console replacement build, but I'm on somewhat of a budget, hence no SSD. I want it to play any game, and I plan to crossfire in the future. It will, ideally be hooked up to a TV in my living room, and I'll probably end up using it for school stuff as well (IT program).

Let me know what you guys think of it, thanks!
Click to expand...
Doesn't seem too bad except for that PSU. Do you have a MicroCenter near you?
Click to expand...
 
Fatso2027 said:
I don't the only thing I have around is best buy and a local place that's very expensive. What's wrong with the PSU, out of curiosity

aShufflinZombie said:
Fatso2027 said:
So my TV kicked the bucket, and instead of paying for a new one I decided to switch over to PC gaming, and sold me Xbox and PS3. I slapped this build together fairly quickly, what do you guys think?
Sorry in advance, I couldn't get the wishlist to work.

Optical drive-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=0R4-000B-00001

Case-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811156247

Mobo-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157266

Video Card-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125414

PSU-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817148049

CPU-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103960

RAM-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148544

HDD-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822236339

Basically this is going to be my console replacement build, but I'm on somewhat of a budget, hence no SSD. I want it to play any game, and I plan to crossfire in the future. It will, ideally be hooked up to a TV in my living room, and I'll probably end up using it for school stuff as well (IT program).

Let me know what you guys think of it, thanks!
Click to expand...
Doesn't seem too bad except for that PSU. Do you have a MicroCenter near you?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

I have never heard of that brand and the reviews aren't very good. Try to stick with Rose will, Seasonic or Corsair.
 
Hey guys, I just upgraded my GPU from a Radeon HD 5670 to a Radeon HD 7870 DD Black Edition.  Anyhow, the card just barely fits in my case, which isnt a big deal as it's not hitting anything.  What is a problem is that it's making some of my cable management OCD go insane.  So my next project is dealing with all the various wires.  The most obvious step is getting a modular PSU, but I wont be able to afford one for a loooong time since we just dropped so much on my GPU.  Next up is getting rid of IDE cables.  I've only got a DVD drive and one HD on IDE, but I want to go full SATA.  Again, gonna be awhile on that due to $$.

So my main question is about my case fans.  The connections for them suck.  Like you try to plug them in and the pins just push out the back of the connectors.  I can make them fit together with some fighting, but I'd rather just replace them.  Does anybody know of any descent ones I can get for cheap?  I've found a bunch of them online, but cant tell whats good (also UV looks pretty cool for not much more cash).  Or, has anyone try hard wiring them?  I'm good at soldering so that might be a option.

 
Fatso2027 said:
Ok, here's a quick question. I was a best buy today and they had 7770s for 180 a piece. Would that be a good card to start with, especially if I plan to crossfire?
Click to expand...
Not for that price. 7770's can be had for under $100 on Newegg after rebate. Plus Best Buy will not get you the free game bundles that AMD offers.

For $180 you can easily get a 7850. Or a 7870 if you watch the deals can be found around $200. Plus 7870 series will net you Far Cry 3, Blood Dragon,Bioshock, Tomb Raider and Crysis 3 free.

 
Anyone have any experience with Portatech.com for PCs?

EDIT: Nevermind, found a separate thread for this -- sorry for the noise.

 
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Hey guys,

Sorry for posting this in here but I figured its better than creating a new thread. I just found out I need to install a driver for SM Bus Controller but have no idea what that is. Was hoping someone could point me in the right direction.

Specs:

W7 Ultimate

Aspire M5-481T

I5 3317U

Thanks in advance.

 
mrsilkunderwear said:
Hey guys,

Sorry for posting this in here but I figured its better than creating a new thread. I just found out I need to install a driver for SM Bus Controller but have no idea what that is. Was hoping someone could point me in the right direction.

Specs:

W7 Ultimate

Aspire M5-481T

I5 3317U

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Your best bet is to:

1. Right click on Computer in the start menu

2. Click on Properties

3. Go to Device Manager (once open you should see the device that needs the driver)

4. Right click and click on update driver. If that doesn't work right click on properties.

5. Select the Details tab

6. Then in the property switch it to Hardware IDs

7. You should see PCI\\VEN copy the VEN and the next 4 digits & DEV and the next 4 digits. (ie. VEN_8086&DEV_13EA)

8. Go to PCIDatabase.com and search for the specific driver using that Hardware ID.

 
Dang it...didn't look close enough....upgraded from a 6870 to the Sapphire 7970 OC w/Boost....now I have to wait until Wednesday to get my eyefinity setup fully functional again.  DOH!  Need that regular DVI to Display Port connector...all I have is a DVI to mini.  Dang it.  Oh well....

Dang it...didn't look close enough....upgraded from a 6870 to the Sapphire 7970 OC w/Boost....now I have to wait until Wednesday to get my eyefinity setup fully functional again.  DOH!  Need that regular DVI to Display Port connector...all I have is a DVI to mini.  Dang it.  Oh well....

 
I'm finally getting my pieces together, got a GTX 770 off dell.com thanks to $330 in gift cards from a tv deal, and I'm grabbing an intel Core i5 4570 from microcenter for $160. It's not overclockable like the 4670K, but it's $40 less, so I'll live with that. I haven't been able to find a motherboard or RAM deal yet, but I just ordered a 500W CoolerMaster PSU from Newegg for $20 AR/coupon, and according to a PSU calculator, it's plenty for my build. If anybody spots any RAM/Z87 ATX Motherboard deals, shout em out.

 
Hey, I am having a hard time deciding on which video card to get 

GTX 660 ti or a 7870 XT (7870 PCS+ Myst)

Opinions ? I dont want to hear any AMD vs Intel BS please

 
I've heard great things about the 7870 Tahiti based GPU. I don't think you'll see to much of a difference in performance, I would probably go with the cheapest and/or which ever has more free games.

Personally I've been eyeing the 7870 Tahiti based for quite some time now.

 
Can anyone recommend a good CPU/Motherboard combo for a PC build for around/less than $300? It's going to be for internet browsing and web-based gaming (Flash games for kids). Integrated graphics would be helpful.

I need suggestions for:

CPU

Motherboard

RAM

Good deal on a PSU

I'll pick up the cheapest DVD/RW I can find.

I'm probably going to go w/ WD for the HDD because they have always been reliable.

I'm also going with an Antec 300 since it's a pretty solid case.
 
Thanks!
 
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Hey who here keeps their old system hard drives and port it over to the new machine?

Right now I have

C:640mb

D:1gb

E:2gb

Seems like the C drive is dying as it's slowing to a crawl after 5 years.

 
the 1 gb D drive is also going on 5 years, the 2gb one I bought last year.  Most of the time I just buy new hard drives and just store the rest somewhere outside in a safe place.

 
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tb makes more sense now. Dont know why i didnt think of that. Data server time?

And there is a program that will check your hdds and see how they are but I can't remember the name of it.
 
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So this may not be the best place but I had a computer related question.

I have my custom built behemoth at my apartment and have always been a firm believer in strong desktop, basic laptop.

Now however with taking the train to Chicago every morning for work and then going to classes for my Masters in Animation shortly after I am gone roughly 16 hours a day.

That being said I would really benefit from a nice laptop capable of running Maya, Photoshop and ZBrush easily so that I can do bits and pieces of work and classwork on the go.

I sadly was only hoping to spend no more than around $650/700 which I know is quite low for what I want but I figure this is CAG, we can figure it out! haha

I wish I could easily just build my own laptop haha

Thoughts, recommendations? Any help is appreciated! : )

 
Well I would keep an eye on slickdeals.net.

They will have threads on Lenovo laptops going super cheap (refurbs,and scratch/dents) for like %30 off. People have gotten powerhouses for super cheap.
 
Mako1215 said:
Well I would keep an eye on slickdeals.net.

They will have threads on Lenovo laptops going super cheap (refurbs,and scratch/dents) for like %30 off. People have gotten powerhouses for super cheap.
Click to expand...
I rarely check here but just did after your recommendation and I already found a few contenders.

Thanks!

 
So I'm looking into building a PC this fall, most likely Nov/Dec after I get back from a 3 month work trip. This PC will be for gaming, hd image manipulation, computer mapping and other normal computer use.  I'm not computer illiterate but there is still a lot of the more technical points I don't totally understand. This post isn't asking to 'rate my build' or 'give me a build!' (that post will come near the end of October). I have some pc related questions that I was hoping you fine folks could answer or suggest some learning materials.

- Regarding Intel vs. AMD processors. Is it generally true that Intel processors are a bit more expensive but better for gaming and more intensive processes? While AMD is cheaper and better for general computer use including multi-tasking?

- How important are cores with regards to processors? I thought I read somewhere that more cores are better for doing multiple processes simultaneously, is that correct? But for gaming purposes more cores does not necessarily equal better performance?

- Graphics card question. I haven't read much about the difference between nVidia and ATI/AMD cards. Is there a huge difference or is it mainly a price and compatibility issue? Is 1GB on the graphics card good enough or to make it last a few years, should I shoot for 2GB?

- What is a good size SSD to pair with a HDD to house the OS?

For reference, I mostly game on my laptop at the moment. It's a budget laptop so mostly I play rts/graphically non-intense games. I'd like to be able to play games like Bioshock Infinite, Saints Row, etc on my desktop. Not on  ultra-high settings of course but on med to high depending on the experience.

Thanks for any help you can provide!

 
IMO Intel is way better then anything AND has ever done. I only recommend AMD when on a budget and more cores are needed. ( I would check out benchmarks for the various CPUs on the programs you are using )

Cores will matter for multi threaded programs. Right now games are using 4 cores most. That will change though with consoles having 8 core CPUs now.

If you are gaming at 1080p, and this will depend upon what game I would go 2-3gb minimum. Also since you image manipulation are you going to be on a high rez monitor?

Your SSD will also depend what you want to store on it, and if you ever want to worry about it getting full.
 
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Mako1215 said:
IMO Intel is way better then anything AND has ever done. I only recommend AMD when on a budget and more cores are needed. ( I would check out benchmarks for the various CPUs on the programs you are using ) Cores will matter for multi threaded programs. Right now games are using 4 cores most. That will change though with consoles having 8 core CPUs now. If you are gaming at 1080p, and this will depend upon what game I would go 2-3gb minimum. Also since you image manipulation are you going to be on a high rez monitor? Your SSD will also depend what you want to store on it, and if you ever want to worry about it getting full.
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Thanks for the response! Your Intel preference performanced based? Value i.e. bang for your buck? Naturally, I don't have an unlimited budget but I'm not trying to spend $400 and be able to play everything on Ultra settings. I've been looking at builds on the interwebz anywhere between $600-1000 (not including OS and monitor).

Yeah, I will be getting a high rez monitor. My desktop setup (used for word processing, internet browsing, very lite gaming) is 5 years old and was not a high end setup in the first place, so I will be getting a new tower and new high rez monitor.

I was imagining getting a 1-2 TB HDD and a SSD for the OS, whatever game I am currently gaga over and my computer mapping/Adobe Suite software. I think 128 GB would cover those programs, and I can store most of my other data on the HDD.

 
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Value is AMD. Performance is Intel, but I think value is slowly starting to go to Intel. The i7 4770 on stock clocks is just a little bit below my 6 core i7 970 in terms of multi thread performance.

Mind you my 970 was $1000+ when it hit the market, and the 4770 is I think $400-$500.

If you going high rez I wouldn't drop below 2-3GB. I haven't looked at the latest on all the GPUs just so I'm tempted not to buy one. If you get anything 670 and higher I think your good to go. I can't speak on Radeon because I've only ever used Nvidia, but the GPU race is heating up so anything is game.

I bought my original SSD at 160GB, and filled it quite fast. It is my boot drive and holds all my game programs. For me personally I'm never going to get anything less then a 400-500GB SSD. One reason for that is so I can partition more of it off to make it last a lot longer.

I think a storage drive is much less of a concern then your main drive. I've only got 1 2TB drive in mine. No where near full. I would base everything on the size of the files you have right now and go from there.

Also if it is work that you must save and keep track of you might a 1TB raid where it is mirrored across all drives( I forget the number )
 
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Yes, I would also agree Intel being the go to processor if you have the $$. I had only used Intel unless recently when I had to build a spare PC for my guest for lan parties and such. I used a FX-6300 and it is honestly not that bad of a processor...its no top of the line i5 or i7 but it does hold its ground...especially for the asking price.

 
So I built a budget build PC back in 2010:

[SIZE=12pt]AMD Athlon ii X4 3.0GHZ, 5770 GPU, 4GB GSkill Ram, Biostar mATX A880G, Cooler Master 341, 520W Seasonic Power Supply[/SIZE]

The thing is I've been regretting that I didn't go ITX as I'd prefer to have a smaller computer. Anyway I've been looking at these AMD Richland APUs and have thought about building a small ITX build with that.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113331

Now the thing I'm wondering is with the stock APU being pretty strong graphically  would I be able to ditch the 5770 on ebay and get similar performance?

I'm not really looking into an upgrade per say as I'm not sure I'm going to be computer gaming much longer (haven't bought anything on Steam in awhile). I would though like to at least be able to play my current library.

Also I'm looking at a mini-itx case like this but if I'm going apu only would I be able to go smaller?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163231

It just seems like PC Cases haven't really caught up in the size area to say a mac mini. I realize were talking apples and oranges but even if I could build something in between a mac mini and the sg05 case I'd be happy.

There is also talk of the mac minis possibly getting a suped up version of the Intel Iris Pro. What would fair better that or the AMD APU? AMD seems to be leading on that front. Also just curious is any company doing pre-builts with these APUs? I see Maingear is but not crazy about the Potenza case.

 
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from what I searched really quick the gpu on that A10 is really similar to the gpu you have now. seems to be more a sidegrade then an upgrade.

As far as cases go I'm no help. I love bigger cases just because it's easier to work in with my not so small hands.
 
Mako1215 said:
from what I searched really quick the gpu on that A10 is really similar to the gpu you have now. seems to be more a sidegrade then an upgrade.
Click to expand...
Yeah I'm currently looking just to go smaller. It makes me wonder though if I should just wait another year or two to make a transition to mini-itx worthwhile. I guess my thought process was I could always throw in a better card if I felt the need.

 
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