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

Wow thanks you guys for all the help. Would've posted earlier if I knew, fear of being ripped apart by e-thugs I suppose. You guys are making it increasingly difficult to wait it out for end of summer, I want the rig now :( Now for some noobie questions. Is overclocking that standard now, that everyone does it?(only because I dont know if I feel comfortable pushing something further than what it was intended to go) Also what is the benefit to having 2 video cards is it that much improvement?(more is always better I suppose) Also for j-cart do you think its going to be a huge difference between getting something now versus getting something in 3 months? Forgive me for slow replies with work and commuting I dont have time till the evening.
 
[quote name='Corvix']Wow thanks you guys for all the help. Would've posted earlier if I knew, fear of being ripped apart by e-thugs I suppose. You guys are making it increasingly difficult to wait it out for end of summer, I want the rig now :( Now for some noobie questions. Is overclocking that standard now, that everyone does it?(only because I dont know if I feel comfortable pushing something further than what it was intended to go) Also what is the benefit to having 2 video cards is it that much improvement?(more is always better I suppose) Also for j-cart do you think its going to be a huge difference between getting something now versus getting something in 3 months? Forgive me for slow replies with work and commuting I dont have time till the evening.[/QUOTE]

Try to space out your text a bit to make it easier to read.

Overclocking is a hobby on it's own. There a very few reasons for gamers to overclock these days. That's something to do when your machine is unable to deal with current games but with a few OC' technique you can extend the life of said rig and run those games. You need a lot of air flow though. If you're not comfortable doing it. Don't. If you have a spare rig you don't care for to learn it...Go for it.

Many people prefer 2 videos cards so that they can go max on all settings for modern games. The thing is you're will run into games that don't support this or may have errors when you try to run it with these setups. Those games and issue are decreasing over time as crossfire becomes more common place but expect to deal with issues.

As for your 3 months...that depends on your $ and time. If you could wait...and wanted a better deal...I would wait til September (far off I know) but this is when vendors do a lot of deals, rebates and bundles to get students to buy.
 
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Whoops thanks for clearing that up was wondering what j-cart meant by his comment. :) Cool overclocking is not relevant then and I'm still not so sure about the dual video cards but that seems something down the road. (not in the initial build)

I really dont want to wait but if the difference is going to be that significant I may have to bite the bullet. I have the money for it now, money is not the issue, but then again I wouldn't be here if I wasn't a CAG. :)
 
Great stuff guys; so much info to read, haha. Kind of pointless to post I guess, since Corvix just posted with a similar price range as me, but I'm looking for some help as well, as I'm trying to build a PC in the $800 range. I'm probably going to spend $1000 total, but that last $200 is going toward the monitor, and although I'd like to run everything on max settings or whatever, I'd prefer the computer to be cheaper, haha.

I'm reading through the suggestions in this thread, but I'm a little lost as I haven't really dealt with anything PC related since the GeForce 6800 was the new shit, looool. I know about SSD's, but I don't know much about dual-core CPU's and all that, sans the small bit my friend filled me in on.

I'd be using the computer mostly for gaming, watching HD content (though Blu-Ray isn't really required, as I have a PS3 and do most of my viewing on that), and typical PC stuff (internet, music, schoolwork). Any help or suggestions you guys can give me would be greatly appreciated, and I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this thread, as I want to get one soon (probably within the next two weeks).
 
Putting one together here are the specs: Suggestions on anything worth changing?
Decided to use an online site instead of building this one myself.


CASE: * Coolermaster HAF-X Gaming Full Tower Case w/ 1x230mm Red LED Fan, 1x200mm Fans, 2xFront USB 3.0 Port
CASUPGRADE: 12in Meter Light - 8 speed (Blue Color)
CD: 24X Double Layer Dual Format DVD+-R/+-RW + CD-R/RW Drive (BLACK COLOR)
CD2: LG WH10-LS30K 10X Internal Super Multi Blu-Ray Rewriter (Black Color)
CPU: Intel(R) Core™ i7-2600K 3.40 GHz 8M Intel Smart Cache LGA1155 (All Venom OC Certified)
CS_FAN: Maximum Enermax 120MM Case Cooling Fans for selected case (Maximum Silent Operation) (500-1,200 RPM T.B. Silence Black Color with Blue LED Twister Bearing 8-14 dBA)
FAN: Asetek 510LC Liquid Cooling System 120MM Radiator & Fan (Enhanced Cooling Performance + Extreme Silent at 20dBA) (Single Standard 120MM Fan)
FREEBIE_CU1: FREE Game - Shogun 2 Limited Edition Coupon: Total War
FREEBIE_CU2: FREE! PCI Wireless IEEE 802.11b/g/n 300Mbps PCI Wireless Adapter Network Card
FREEBIE_RM: 30 GB Kingston 2.5 inch SATA Gaming MLC Solid State Disk
FREEBIE_VC: Razer Arctosa Black USB Gaming Keyboard
HDD: 96 GB Kingston 2.5 inch SATA Gaming MLC Solid State Disk (Single Hard Drive)
HDD2: 1TB SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 32MB Cache 7200RPM HDD (Single Hard Drive)
HEADSET1: * Corsair HS1NA USB Gaming Headset
KEYBOARD: Xtreme Gear (Black Color) Multimedia/Internet USB Keyboard
MEMORY: 16GB (4GBx4) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory Module (Kingston HyperX
MOTHERBOARD: [CrossFireX/SLI] Asus P8Z68-V Pro Intel Z68 Chipset DDR3 ATX Mainboard w/ BT GO! LucidLogix Virtu and Intel Smart Response Technology & 7.1 HD Audio, GbLAN, USB3.0, 4x SATA-III RAID, 3 Gen2 PCIe, 2 PCIe X1 & 2 PCI (All Venom OC Certified)
MOUSE: XtremeGear Optical USB 3 Buttons Gaming Mouse
MULTIVIEW: Non-SLI/Non-CrossFireX Mode Supports Multiple Monitors
NETWORK: Onboard Gigabit LAN Network
OS: Microsoft(R) Windows(R) 7 Home Premium (64-bit Edition)
POWERSUPPLY: * 1,000 Watts - CoolerMaster Silent Pro Gaming 80 Plus Power Supply
SERVICE: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
TEMP: NZXT Sentry-2 Fan Touch Screen Fan Control & Temperature Display
VIDEO: AMD Radeon HD 6970 2GB GDDR5 16X PCIe Video Card (Major Brand Powered by AMD)
 
I'm assuming the case is a HAF-X 942, which is a very nice (and very large) case. Great cable management if you don't mind it being huge and pricey. You don't need liquid cooling unless you're completely overclocked out the ass and want everything to be as silent as possible. You should only be hitting upper 60C temp wise on the CPU with air cooling while under a very heavy load.

CK64 said something earlier in the thread about getting a 2500K over a 2600K. I never read a whole lot about unlocking processors, but it might be worth looking into. You're already set with an i7 anyways as it has hyperthreading and turbo boost.

You don't need 16GB of RAM unless you're doing virtualization out the ass, which I assume you're not. I'd not recommend going above 8GB unless you do heavy video/image editing or virtualization.

You don't really need an SSD either. Toss it for a standard HDD. Hell, put two 1TB SATAIII drives in RAID0 if you want a performance boost with drive speed. SSD's are still pretty much a waste of money right now for normal users. Especially if you don't take all the precautions to make sure it's optimized.

I also don't recommend a 6970. Though if you're buying through a site, their 6950's may not unlock to 6970's which is the recommended course of action.

Power Supply... you don't need that much. You could easily bump it down to an 800Watt which will leave room for expansion. I'd calculate your needed power, but I'm too lazy and crystalklear64 wrote a recent thread about it.

And I don't know why people build such extravagent computers and yet always go with their OS being Home Whatever. Professional is usually recommended. Though I doubt you'd be editing GPOs, using a home server, etc.
 
[quote name='BREVITY']I EAT A BOWL OF RICE EVERY DAY[/QUOTE]
looks like a wicked sick superfly build bro. be sure to get diamond screws for your case, they're 24% more efficient than normal screws and cost 50 times as much.

also the 6970 is slow ass worthless junk shit card. get a 6990 instead and overclock it and use absolute zero uranium to cool it.
 
[quote name='Draekon']
And I don't know why people build such extravagent computers and yet always go with their OS being Home Whatever. Professional is usually recommended.[/QUOTE]

Most are first time builders. The one thing they assume is that the most expensive/newest tech will make their PC *pop*. What they don't realize is that anything past the $1000 mark is buying for digits of fps. The other part too is that I don't think many people understand how un-HD console gaming is.

Once they get a taste of PC gaming (hey hook it up to your tv if you want couch gaming!) they'll see how much they are truly missing.

I would say the sweet spot for first time PC builders is $650-$800 (excluding monitor, speaker, m+kb). Won't break the bank, but will also be able to play the newest/future games at HIGH settings. The point is to have a quality gaming machine that isn't a money drop but also a learning experience.

They also need to understand that a personal built PC that costs $800 is not worth $800, it is worth more. Almost double in price compared to major brand names. That is where the confusion I think is often made.
 
[quote name='j-cart']Most are first time builders. The one thing they assume is that the most expensive/newest tech will make their PC *pop*. What they don't realize is that anything past the $1000 mark is buying for digits of fps. The other part too is that I don't think many people understand how un-HD console gaming is.

Once they get a taste of PC gaming (hey hook it up to your tv if you want couch gaming!) they'll see how much they are truly missing.

I would say the sweet spot for first time PC builders is $650-$800 (excluding monitor, speaker, m+kb). Won't break the bank, but will also be able to play the newest/future games at HIGH settings. The point is to have a quality gaming machine that isn't a money drop but also a learning experience.

They also need to understand that a personal built PC that costs $800 is not worth $800, it is worth more. Almost double in price compared to major brand names. That is where the confusion I think is often made.[/QUOTE]

I would like to add that some new builders also don't read the fine print. I fix PCs on the side for friend and the like (you know how it is when ppl know you know about computers) - they fail to read or implement their warranties. I've had quite a few people ready to buy sometime and come to realize they can save a lot of money by sending parts back for replacements like sound card, hard drive, RAM, video card and such.
 
Newegg has OEM version (can't be transferred) of Home Premium for $99.99. If you can find a copy of Vista or XP on the cheap, you can upgrade to Windows 7 Professional for $30 if you have a student (college) email address.

http://www.microsoft.com/student/en/us/windows/buynow/default.aspx


EDIT: thinking about getting a desktop with upcoming birthday money, can anyone offer suggestions/edits to this list?
http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=16272745

The main thing I want to do with this is video editing/music, so it doesn't need to be extravagant, but I'd also like to be able to play Portal 2 on decent settings (1600x900, with a playable framerate). Any idea if the integrated video would be good enough for that? Thanks.
Also, I don't think these components need that wattage, but I'm just trying to future proof a little bit (in case I decide to put a decent video card in it.)
 
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Hey I'm looking at a prebuild computer for $800. Here are the specs.
Coolermaster Scout Gaming Case
i7 2600k
Asus P8P67
GTS 450 SE 1GB GDDR5
1 TB HD
Power supply 650w
8 GB ram sticks (1600)

Just wondering if the price sounds good. And what video card I should update it to with a budget of 300, thanks.
 
looks ok for the price as for as prebuilts go.

i'd say get a 570gtx on the high end, a 6950 1gb to save some duckets, or if you're feeling lucky, a 6950 2gb that you can try to flash into a 6970.
 
So... it's been a hella long time since I've actually upgraded anything in my computer. I've spent the last week or two researching parts for a all-new setup and am trying to get some advice:

I'm shooting for roughly $1200. It's going to be almost entirely a gaming PC, so I realize some parts I've included won't be necessary. The 2600k over the 2500k is a bit useless for my purposes, but honestly... I want it. I want my threads to be hyper as shit. And 8gb of RAM isn't totally necessarily, but again... I want it.

RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 1600 DDR3 (2x 4gb)

MOBO: ASRock Z68 Extreme4 - Shit's extreme.

CPU: i7 2600k - Yup.

GPU: 6950 - As for the brand... I'm leaning towards Sapphire due to their higher rates of success with unlocking, which I plan on doing. Oh, and I am considering getting two in crossfire, but that would probably be later.

PSU: Corsair TX750

HSF: Noctua NH-D14

SSD: Crucial C300 64GB - I'm still debating between the C300 and the M4. The C300 apparently has better boot times, which is primarily what I'm going for. I only plan on loading my OS and a few programs (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.) on here.

HDD: WD Caviar Black 1TB - I already own this... so... yeah.

It's no SUPERMAXEXTREMECOMPUTERMACHINE.com/ALIENWARE build, I know...
 
[quote name='danielisawinner']
CPU: i7 2600k - Yup.[/QUOTE]
As state previously in this thread, get the 2500k instead. You'll save $90 and won't even be able to tell the difference. "I want it" isn't a justification.

[quote name='danielisawinner']
PSU: Corsair TX750[/QUOTE]
According to Newegg's PSU calculator, if you plan on getting another 6950 you'll need a ~900W PSU. Up to you when you want to get one.
(Everyone else, let me know if I'm way off on this because I just stuck the closest values into the calculator)

[quote name='danielisawinner']
SSD: Crucial C300 64GB[/QUOTE]
I hear the C300 is amazing. That is all.
 
[quote name='Firvagor']As state previously in this thread, get the 2500k instead. You'll save $90 and won't even be able to tell the difference. "I want it" isn't a justification.[/QUOTE]

But... but... I really want it. All of that hyperthreading technology... mmmm...

FINE! You convinced me. I'll go with the 2500k and spend the extra bills on something slightly less useless.


According to Newegg's PSU calculator, if you plan on getting another 6950 you'll need a ~900W PSU. Up to you when you want to get one.
(Everyone else, let me know if I'm way off on this because I just stuck the closest values into the calculator)
Click to expand...

You're probably right, bro-chief. From what I read and calculated, an 850 (which is what I was originally considering just to be safe) would do it for 2 6950s in Crossfire. But, hey, I could be wrong, too.

On a related note, would I need a considerably more powerful PSU if I plan to OC the 2500k? Nothing too crazy-extreme, just enough to get it to 4.0-4.2 ghz.

I hear the C300 is amazing. That is all.
Click to expand...

Your argument is flawless. I accept your claim.
 
Here's what I've come up with for my 1200$-ish build as well as some simple options to drop it into the 1000$ and less range:
Mobo- GA-Z68X-UD4-B3 (i suck gigabyte's dick)

COMBO!- save 15$
CPU- i5-2500k
RAM- 8 gb corsair vengeance ddr3

HSF- CM Hyper 212

COMBO!- save 20$
PSU- Corsair 750tx
CASE- NZXT Phantom

GPU- evga gtx 570 (the -ar version of the card just incase the 600 series hits within 3 months)

SSD- ocz vertex 2 80gb

HDD- samsung f3 spinpoint 1tb

CD/DVD/Penis- Newegg is all out of stock what in the fuck is going on? +20$

Comes in at 1336$ and about 1280$ after rebates. This is specifically built to SLI 570's in the future.

Places to save $. **= you should do this, i would, but i'm dumb and cannot be reasoned with.

*PSU, can easily pick an antec earthwatts 750 instead of the corsair and save 20$.*
*SSD, can easily not purchase a SSD and save 157$*
Motherboard, can easily save 40$ here and get a UD3 over the UD4.
Memory, can easily cut to x2 sticks of 2gb instead of 4gb, save 35$.
HSF, can easily use stock cooler and save 30$
Case, can comfortably purchase a different case and save 60$
GPU, can comfortably purchase a 6950 1gb or a 560 ti and save 100$
 
[quote name='danielisawinner']RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 1600 DDR3 (2x 4gb)

MOBO: ASRock Z68 Extreme4 - Shit's extreme.

CPU: i7 2600k - Yup.

GPU: 6950 - As for the brand... I'm leaning towards Sapphire due to their higher rates of success with unlocking, which I plan on doing. Oh, and I am considering getting two in crossfire, but that would probably be later.

PSU: Corsair TX750

HSF: Noctua NH-D14

SSD: Crucial C300 64GB - I'm still debating between the C300 and the M4. The C300 apparently has better boot times, which is primarily what I'm going for. I only plan on loading my OS and a few programs (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.) on here.

HDD: WD Caviar Black 1TB - I already own this... so... yeah.

It's no SUPERMAXEXTREMECOMPUTERMACHINE.com/ALIENWARE build, I know...[/QUOTE]
Advice:
Get an i-5 2500k instead.
Get a Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus instead of your overpriced Noctua.
If you're going to be unlocking your 6950's keep in mind it will reduce their lifespan just like overclocking anything. As for the amount of power, a single 6970 takes a minimum of 38 amps (which is basically what your unlocked 6950 will become). A power supply with around 60 amps should be fine for two of them. I dunno wtf about someone getting 900w from newegg calc, but ~700 watts for the two cards isn't unreasonable. That Corsair 750tx should be enough.
That mobo is a waste of money but you probably knew that.
 
Well... here's my semi-final build. It actually comes out to be $1142.41 before taxes and shipping. I'm buying from Amazon, Newegg, and Microcenter, so I'm saving on taxes or shipping on most items. I have FSSS with my Amazon Prime Student thing and I don't live in CA, so I don't pay taxes on orders from Newegg.

NZXT Phantom - $139.82 @ Amazon (no tax or shipping with FSSS)

G.Skill Ripjaws DDR3 1600 8GB - $84.99 @ Newegg (no tax and free shipping)

ASRock Z68 Extreme4 - $159.99 @ Amazon (no tax or shipping with FSSS)

i5 2500k - $179.99 @ Microcenter (tax only, in-store pick up)

6950 - ~$230-290 depending on brand

Corsair TX750 - $109.99 @ Amazon (no tax or shipping with FSSS and after a MIR)

Noctua NH-D14 - $87.65 @ Amazon (no tax or shipping with FSSS)

Crucial C300 64GB - $124.99 @ Newegg (free shipping and no tax)

WD VelociRaptor 300GB - $149.99 @ Newegg (free shipping and no tax)

I added the Velociraptor because I wanted a separate, high-rpm drive specifically for my games, on top of my Caviar Black for storage. Right now, my installed Steam game list sits at around 105gb and my non-Steam games are around 60gb. I briefly considered a 180-256gb ssd, but then I looked at prices and was all FFUUUUUUUUU-

And yes, I realize it and other parts are not entirely necessary. But, honestly... I can afford it at this point and I'd like to have it.
 
[quote name='danielisawinner']
ASRock Z68 Extreme4 - $159.99 @ Amazon (no tax or shipping with FSSS)
[/QUOTE]
I don't think so Tim.

I'd buy 2 right now if this was the price. I bet you've get the P67 picked out.
 
[quote name='crystalklear64']I don't think so Tim.

I'd buy 2 right now if this was the price. I bet you've get the P67 picked out.[/QUOTE]

IT'S LIKE YOU KNOW ALL OF MY FLAWS. OH GOD.

Shit... yeah. You're right. My b, dawg. My b.

The Z68 is only $30 more. I'm okay with that.
 
ok i spent a good number of hours trying to get this under 1125$ shipped and I finally did it:
2zg9j6e.png

Its a complete build only missing a hard drive which you could add for 80$ and have a nice sub-1200$ build. I'll make some formal builds maybe tomorrow, but tonight I was exciting to find those 2 combo deals to shave off 50$.
 
Been awhile I am still planning to use the $500 toms hardware build
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/budget-gaming-pc-phenom-ii-radeon-hd-6850,2903.html

AMD Phenom X4 925 $115:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-916-_-Product
ASRock M3A770DE $60:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...ock M3A770DE
Antec Earthwatts 380W PSU $40:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-033-_-Product
4 GB Crucial RAM $40:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-262-_-Product
AMD 6850 $170:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-908-_-Product
Seagate Barracuda 500 GB HD: $45
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-395-_-Product
Xigamatech Case $40:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...0CPC-T45UE-U01
Lite-On 24X DVD Burner $20:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...0iHAS 124-04
Total is $530 before shipping.

The processor is out of stock, any other recommendations for a processor?
 
its summer time and i want to build my very first pc! :]
can anyone advise me? i have no idea what to look for in components. so far ive decided (but not actually purchased yet) my processor, motherboard, and video card. ive provided links.

core i5 2500k
asus p8p67 pro
geforce gtx 560 ti

im planning to be running on the on chip gpu rather than immediately getting the gtx 560 because of money. here are some questions i have on my mind right now:
1)ddr2 vs ddr3 ram: is there a huge difference? which one would you recommend?
2)what is an appropriate wattage my power supply should be? (i dont want the bare minimum but some room to work with)
3)how about heat sinks for my processor? (i definitely dont know much about those)

thanks in advance for the replies
 
[quote name='sinned47']
2)what is an appropriate wattage my power supply should be? (i dont want the bare minimum but some room to work with)[/QUOTE]
now i remember why i stopped posting build advice at cag
 
[quote name='sinned47']its summer time and i want to build my very first pc! :]
can anyone advise me? i have no idea what to look for in components. so far ive decided (but not actually purchased yet) my processor, motherboard, and video card. ive provided links.

core i5 2500k
asus p8p67 pro
geforce gtx 560 ti

im planning to be running on the on chip gpu rather than immediately getting the gtx 560 because of money. here are some questions i have on my mind right now:
1)ddr2 vs ddr3 ram: is there a huge difference? which one would you recommend?
2)what is an appropriate wattage my power supply should be? (i dont want the bare minimum but some room to work with)
3)how about heat sinks for my processor? (i definitely dont know much about those)

thanks in advance for the replies[/QUOTE]

First take a look at this:

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af150/The_FalconO6/CurrentLogicalPCBuyingGuide/Guide.png

Then look at this:

http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=296099

Then figure out how much you want to spend. Ball park for Price Vs. Performance is anything around $800 will run any current game and high or VERY high settings. $1500 is future proofing and anything above that is securing yourself for life.


[quote name='crystalklear64']now i remember why i stopped posting build advice at cag[/QUOTE]

More reason for this thread to become a wiki.
 
[quote name='sinned47']its summer time and i want to build my very first pc! :]
can anyone advise me? i have no idea what to look for in components. so far ive decided (but not actually purchased yet) my processor, motherboard, and video card. ive provided links.

core i5 2500k
asus p8p67 pro
geforce gtx 560 ti

im planning to be running on the on chip gpu rather than immediately getting the gtx 560 because of money. here are some questions i have on my mind right now:
1)ddr2 vs ddr3 ram: is there a huge difference? which one would you recommend?
2)what is an appropriate wattage my power supply should be? (i dont want the bare minimum but some room to work with)
3)how about heat sinks for my processor? (i definitely dont know much about those)

thanks in advance for the replies[/QUOTE]

If you want to use the integrated video, you're going to want either a H67(if you don't care about overclocking) or Z68 motherboard. P67 based motherboards don't allow you to use the i5's integrated gpu.

1. Not really a choice with the processor you're using. Sandy Bridge chips only support DDR3.
2. Read this: http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=296099
3. That really depends on how much you want to spend, how much room you have in your case, and how quiet you want the cooler to be. FrostyTech only reviews heatsinks and should be able to point you in the direction of a good one.
 
I'm looking to build a PC soon in preparation for this Fall's killer release schedule (BF 3 being "the one" lol). Well, not really build one all the way from scratch but rebuilding my current PC. What I mean is that I have some parts already I plan to keep in my new build. I'm going to use my same tower, PSU, optical drives, HDD's (1 TB Drive and 2 160GB Raptors w/RAID), and MAYBE my GPU (GTX 460).

But here's my question, nothing about specifics just yet, but more as to timing. I try to keep up on new releases from all these parts manufacturers but it's pretty damn tough. Also I am not the best tech guy, on a scale from 1 to 10 I'd say my PC tech knowledge is about a 7. Is this a good time to build a PC? I was going to wait until August but I'm starting to get antsy. If I do get serious about this in the next month is that a mistake? Is there anything new that I would want to have coming out before September?

Now I know there are always bigger and better things on the horizon but just generally speaking I need a little advice. I prefer Intel CPU's BTW. I'm not apposed to AMD I just have no real experience with them. Also what about SSD's? Are they worth the investment for gaming yet? Can you justify buying a 300 gig SSD for >$500?
 
[quote name='cgarb84']I'm looking to build a PC soon in preparation for this Fall's killer release schedule (BF 3 being "the one" lol). Well, not really build one all the way from scratch but rebuilding my current PC. What I mean is that I have some parts already I plan to keep in my new build. I'm going to use my same tower, PSU, optical drives, HDD's (1 TB Drive and 2 160GB Raptors w/RAID), and MAYBE my GPU (GTX 460).

But here's my question, nothing about specifics just yet, but more as to timing. I try to keep up on new releases from all these parts manufacturers but it's pretty damn tough. Also I am not the best tech guy, on a scale from 1 to 10 I'd say my PC tech knowledge is about a 7. Is this a good time to build a PC? I was going to wait until August but I'm starting to get antsy. If I do get serious about this in the next month is that a mistake? Is there anything new that I would want to have coming out before September?

Now I know there are always bigger and better things on the horizon but just generally speaking I need a little advice. I prefer Intel CPU's BTW. I'm not apposed to AMD I just have no real experience with them. Also what about SSD's? Are they worth the investment for gaming yet? Can you justify buying a 300 gig SSD for >$500?[/QUOTE]
nvidia's new GPU in q4 2011 or q1 2012, ati's in july or august, bulldozer coming "soon" (could be next month benchmarks already coming out, and it looks good), SSD's still a little pricey but for me a game's startup time is a big one. If a game takes a long time to launch I'm much more likely to play something else even if I like the game better. If you're like that a SSD is a godsend. I'd still wait though. So, if you can, I'd at least wait for Bulldozer to come out. It might just dethrone intel, and even if it doesn't, it should make intel lower their prices. With the GPU's you'll have to decide if you want to buy older tech for cheaper or buy better performing tech that hasn't got the drivers and support in place yet if you wait for those. But it wouldn't be a bad idea to wait till July.

and if you don't' know, bulldozer is amd's new processor line.
 
THIS IS IT GENTS:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/a8-3500m-llano-apu,2959.html
Summary: No one who builds PCs will give a shit about Llano. Its key feature is combining the CPU and GPU into one power effcient model that acts as an average CPU and a GPU that is just above the best integrated solutions, on par with a low to medium discrete graphics card. It takes up a lot less power than a cpu+gpu combo which means its good for laptops and thats about it.

Still waiting on that bulldozer news AMD...
 
yeah I assumed that all the intergrated AMD were going to be subpar, they are wonderful for HTPCs though and laptops, but never a desktop/workstation type system.

I too am waiting for the golden aura of that bulldozer... I hope it at least matches intel, because AMD will beat it easily by dollar.

Of course, all of the intel groupies can thank AMD.


Sidenote that I heard about SSD's, the pricepoint won't change for a long time. I know... there isn't a footnote, but I had read that SSD's are meeting a size limitation that they haven't yet overcome. So far OCZ has raided theirs within the enclosure to get the space they want with the speed they advertise, but price is not moving. Or at least not moving enough as to stay in line with regular mechanical HDs.

I am running 6 SSDs in all of my systems, and I will NEVER go back. They are godsends to netbooks and HTPCs. I can normally restart my HTPC from cold to ready about 6 times before I can get the damn Sony Bluray player ready to even eject the damn tray.

The only hurt is that I'm a gamer, and have Steam, and the space is painfully low.
 
[quote name='xycury']
The only hurt is that I'm a gamer, and have Steam, and the space is painfully low.[/QUOTE]

See this is my dilemma as well. I do almost all my gaming on Steam nowadays, hence my Steam folder is HUGE. I try to keep it around 100 gb's but that is a tough task. That really puts me in a bind when it comes to the current SSD's available. I don't think I would feel comfortable buying a SSD under 200 gb's, and hot damn are they expensive from 200 up!
 
pretty nice combo going on right now at newegg for a psu+case.

nzxt phantom is 140$, has a promotion for 20$ off.
corsair 750tx v2 is 109$.
buy them in a combo and get 20$ off in addition to the 20 from the case.

slick combo for ~200$
 
Link, pl0x? I can't find it on the site. I just see a recommended combo for the NZXT and a thermaltake psu.

I just got paid today and this is clearly a sign from Mecha-Shiva to purchase such things.
 
[quote name='danielisawinner']Link, pl0x? I can't find it on the site. I just see a recommended combo for the NZXT and a thermaltake psu.

I just got paid today and this is clearly a sign from Mecha-Shiva to purchase such things.[/QUOTE]
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.660205
also has a 10$ MIR and free shipping to boot. so it really is about 200$. the white case with red trim is also available but has a 25$ shipping cost and no extra 20$, but the black one looks the best anyway. the promo code for the 20$ off the case is listed on the case's page. It is EMCKDJF37 and ends the 20th of this month.
 
Oh, that's why I couldn't find it. I was looking for the white one.

Well... Even with the white case and the 750tx, my total would come to $219.98 after the $20 off code for the case and $10 MIR for the psu. Still cheaper than what I would spend buying them separately...
 
Well I just bought Windows 7 Professional on Amazon so I guess the first step has been taken. The retail version was somehow only $190 so I jumped on it, that's by far the cheapest I've ever seen it.

I have some build questions for you guys before I decide to order anymore parts. Here's what I am leaning towards so far:

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K ---- $220 on Newegg
MB: Any specific ones people recommend?
RAM: I want 8 gigs of something, I had Corsair Dominator DDR2 in my last machine and had 3 sticks fail on me in less than 4 years so IDK if I want to go there again.
GPU: Have a GTX 460 in my current build....maybe can use it again or buy another and SLI it?
HDD: I have 2 160 gig Raptors in RAID and a 1TB Storage drive in my current pc. I am thinking of getting a SSD, one big enough for my games (aka Steam) so minimum 240 gig? Any suggestions here? Or do I even need one?
Optical Drives/Inputs/Sound Setup/Tower/PSU: All good to go from my current build.

So in short I really just need a MB,CPU,RAM, and a SSD.

My goal is to keep it around $1000. If I have to get a new GPU obviously that will go up. Any and all help/input is appreciated.

EDIT: Forgot to mention the reasoning for the new build......Battlefield 3. That's what it needs to handle haha.
 
[quote name='cgarb84']Well I just bought Windows 7 Professional on Amazon so I guess the first step has been taken. The retail version was somehow only $190 so I jumped on it, that's by far the cheapest I've ever seen it.

I have some build questions for you guys before I decide to order anymore parts. Here's what I am leaning towards so far:

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K ---- $220 on Newegg
MB: Any specific ones people recommend?
RAM: I want 8 gigs of something, I had Corsair Dominator DDR2 in my last machine and had 3 sticks fail on me in less than 4 years so IDK if I want to go there again.
GPU: Have a GTX 460 in my current build....maybe can use it again or buy another and SLI it?
HDD: I have 2 160 gig Raptors in RAID and a 1TB Storage drive in my current pc. I am thinking of getting a SSD, one big enough for my games (aka Steam) so minimum 240 gig? Any suggestions here? Or do I even need one?
Optical Drives/Inputs/Sound Setup/Tower/PSU: All good to go from my current build.

So in short I really just need a MB,CPU,RAM, and a SSD.

My goal is to keep it around $1000. If I have to get a new GPU obviously that will go up. Any and all help/input is appreciated.

EDIT: Forgot to mention the reasoning for the new build......Battlefield 3. That's what it needs to handle haha.[/QUOTE]
MB your choice to make is p67 or z68. z68 has slightly better xfire/sli performance, some bullshit with using a small ssd as a cache for your harddrive, and some video encoding that makes that shit fly except you can do it with better quality using a cpu anyway. The prices are getting closer every day so if you find a deal on a z68 mobo with the stuff you want for 160$-ish snag it. Motherboards are one of the few things I have a brand loyalty to so I'm biased here. I won't buy anything that isn't a Gigabyte if they offer a board comparable to one I'm looking at so keep that in mind with my suggestions.

The ud4 of gigabyte's z68 lineup is "the shit" as far as z68 boards go in my opinion:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...494&cm_re=z68_gigabyte-_-13-128-494-_-Product

Of course you can drop to the UD3 to save some dosh, heres the performance model:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...493&cm_re=z68_gigabyte-_-13-128-493-_-Product

Any lower and I'd just get a p67.

The asrock p67 extreme4 is usually the one suggested to those considering a crossfire/sli option: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...57229&cm_re=asrock_p67-_-13-157-229-_-Product
 
can someone explain to me the advantage (if there is one) of intel's SRT? honestly, i cant see why you would do it instead of just using a ssd and a hdd as separate drives. please correct me if im wrong:
the ssd is a lot faster and all you would have to do is add and replace data between your ssd and hdd. for example, if i feel like playing game X and i have to get rid of game Y on my ssd, all i have to do is delete game Y off my ssd and move the files of game X from hdd to ssd
some of the benchmarks for SRT vs just ssd doesnt seem worth investing in SRT setup.
 
finally got all my parts today (3 day shipping my ass), got the rig up and running right after assembly with no problems. tracking down a copy of windows atm, won't get to do much with it tonight since i have work tomorrow but you best believe i'll be posting all sorts of stuff when i do.
 
Aye, it hasn't been updated in a year, so wiki would be nice.

Also, sent my newegg wishlist to everyone, so hopefully I can get some parts for my birthday. :D

Also, thoughts on this card?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10440897&PID=3067296&SID=

I mainly want it to play Portal 2 and do some video editing, (not much of a PC gamer.) Or would I even need a video card? (the motherboard I chose has an onboard Radeon HD 4250.)
 
Alright here's what I'm looking at for my new build. Let me know if you see any problems or have any suggestions/tips. I plan to start to start ordering stuff by next weekend and have this thing built by early July.

Helpful article I used when deciding on parts/strategy: http://www.anandtech.com/show/4456/sandy-bridge-buyers-guide

Components I already have:

PSU: Ultra X3 1000W (http://www.ultraproducts.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4267989&CatId=2535 )
GPU: EVGA nVidia GTX460 1 GB
HDD's: 1TB WD Drive, 2X WD Raptors 160GB in RAID 0
Drives: 1 DVD burner, 1 DVD player, 1 Floppy Drive
CPU Fan: Zalman 9500 Fan (I will probably get a better heatsink still)
OS: Windows 7 Professional Retail (just bought this week for $190)

Components I'm looking at:

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD4-B3 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128494&Tpk=GA-Z68X-UD4-B3 $190 on Newegg
CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K LGA 1155 http://www.amazon.com/Intel-i5-2500...UXHQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1308494897&sr=8-1 $220 on Amazon
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws DDR3 1600(PC3 12800) (2 X 4GB) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...(2_x_4gb)_240-pin_ddr3-_-20-231-314-_-Product $85 on Newegg
SSD: Intel 510 Series 250GB SATA III http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...ark=&IsFeedbackTab=true&Page=1#scrollFullInfo $600 on Newegg

In regards to the GPU I plan on keeping my GTX460 for now. I figured I will see how it handles games like Rage and the Battlefield 3 beta in September. If it holds me back (and I think it will bottleneck my system) then I will buy a new card at that time. For now I think I'm good though.

Now obviously the "bitch" of the system is the SSD. I have decided I would like to buy one now for my fresh Windows 7 install so instead of waiting until they get cheaper down the road just pony up now and spend the money. 250GB I about what I will need for size (my Steam folder is giant), it should be big enough for all my gaming and the OS itself. Everything else will go on either the Raptors in the RAID setup or my 1TB storage drive.

Total cost = ~$1100

OK so am I crazy on that? Any other problems or things I should think about before I start ordering stuff?
 
Overall it looks fine, the only thing I'd suggest changing is the SSD. Intel is good, but that drive is seriously overpriced. Take a look at a 256GB Crucial m4 instead. It should be very close to the Intel in performance, but costs $150 less.
 
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