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

[quote name='HowStern']I think the only reason there are reports of bad 5800 performance is because the 9.10 drivers weren't out until a few days ago.

I wouldn't worry about the performance difference between the 4870 and 4890. You can OC the 4870 in CCC overdrive and get almost the exact same clocks.

Now that the 9.10s are out I would strongly reconsider the 5870.[/QUOTE]

The deal's already done. I'm getting the 4890. It's no slouch. Anyway, I like that particular card. It's got S-Video. I could get it working on my old TV with that should I need to. Probably won't since my current computer I built for the specific purpose of being transferred to the TV, but it's underpowered. That won't be a problem most of the time, but should I need to, the new one will be ready for me.

And it's not like the games are here yet for DX11, so it's kind of a waste to buy a DX11 card right now. Especially since I can just upgrade to a better one in the future. I didn't know about the 9.10 drivers, but I still think it's unwise to adopt the technology so soon.
 
Yeah I use ATI for that exact reason. Using my 37" hdtv as my gaming monitor. :)

I was going to maybe get one of the new fermis when they come out, depending on the price, for my next card but all I ever hear about sound thru hdmi on nvidias is problems :/ So, since I like using my tv as my monitor on my gaming rig we'll have to see.

You should be able to OC the 4890 pretty nicely and will def tide you over 'til the prices drop on the DX11 cards (and when DX11 games actually start coming out, like you said.)
 
hey guys, where can I find used high-end computer parts other than ebay? theres some forum like CAG but for people selling their PC stuff?
thanks
 
This thread is fantastic. I just spent the past hour on Toms Hardware trying to get up to date on what processors/boards/RAM are out these days (I last built a machine several years ago when video cards were still AGP and PCIe was just coming around and dual-core was brand spanking new). I browsed to CAG real quick to see if there were any hardware threads and I found this.

Very nice and thanks.
 
i havent been really pc gaming a whole lot lately...
been using the same build for about a year now... waiting till 6g and usb 3.0 are in. My q9550 died for some reason a few months ago so ive been using my q6700 cpu.

The whole Nvidia 3d vision thing is catching my eye. Anyone have any info or feedback on it? I have 120hz tv but I see them trying to force feed their own lcd bundles
 
[quote name='Bragarb07']hey guys, where can I find used high-end computer parts other than ebay? theres some forum like CAG but for people selling their PC stuff?
thanks[/QUOTE]

Not sure about high-end stuff, but I bought a computer from Pacific Geek, and it was good.

http://www.pacificgeek.com
 
If anybody remembers that terrible thread I started trying to fix my computer I figured it out. It was the usual suspect, memory. Apparently all three sticks of my ram went bad at the same time and somehow the stick my roommate lent me was incompatible. Jesus Christ.

Anyways this is the ram I just bought:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146731
Why does DDR2 have to be so damn expensive now? Just a year ago this was probably going for $50. I think I'm going to go hang myself now.
 
DDR2 prices skyrocketed, they're now 200% of what they used to cost in the spring/summer. I dont think they're coming down anytime soon either. Factories are trying to balance making both DDR2 and DDR3 chips so they're not meeting the demand for DDR2 since they shifted some concentrations to DDR3. Also the dollar weakening doesn't help either.
 
Here's what I got so far:
Gigabyte EP45-UD3R
GSkill 2gb 800 ram
CD/DVD burner
HEC PC case

What I'm hopping to get:
XFX 4890 or XFX 4670
Intel Core 2 Duo 3.0 GHz e8400 or Intel Core 2 Duo 2.8Ghz e7500
PSU 700w(ocz,or corsair)
 
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[quote name='aihuman']Here's what I got so far:
GSkill 2gb 800 ram

What I'm hopping to get:
XFX 4890 or XFX 4670[/QUOTE]


Might wanna bump it up to 4GB of RAM by adding another 2x1GB. Also is the 4890 vs 4670 depending on budget? 2 completely different cards from 2 completely different performance and price classes.
 
DaBoltz, I've put together a build for you. Total should come to well under $400 after shipping/tax/rebates:

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=11199351

It has a AMD Radeon 4670 video card so it should run many recent games respectably. You can reuse your DVD burner and monitor no problem.

The only problem I see is that many times when people transfer/clone the same hard drive with the same Windows (XP/Vista/7) to a new computer with a different motherboard, Windows will tend to blue screen a lot. I do believe that Acronis 2010 might have options to clone the image of your existing HDD for the purpose of moving to a different motherboard, but that's the research you might have to do since I have not use Acronis for that purpose yet. In short, my recommendation is that save yourself the headache down the road, and just do a clean install of the Windows XP on the new build, and install all your applications back manually, then transfer your old files back over to the new HDD. It does sound like a lot of work, but it's the best and cleanest way to setup your new computer. People usually only use clone software (such as Acronis) to transfer from old HDD to new HDD on the same motherboard.
 
[quote name='SOSTrooper']Might wanna bump it up to 4GB of RAM by adding another 2x1GB. Also is the 4890 vs 4670 depending on budget? 2 completely different cards from 2 completely different performance and price classes.[/QUOTE]
It's a budget and I want this computer put together thing.Right now my parts are just sitting on my desk collecting dust.
 
[quote name='SOSTrooper']DaBoltz, I've put together a build for you. Total should come to well under $400 after shipping/tax/rebates:

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=11199351[/QUOTE]

Such a quick reply! I was expecting a much later reply on a holiday weekend. Thank you VERY much for your work on this! :applause:


[quote name='SOSTrooper']In short, my recommendation is that save yourself the headache down the road, and just do a clean install of the Windows XP on the new build, and install all your applications back manually, then transfer your old files back over to the new HDD.[/QUOTE]

I was afraid of that. I got some favorite apps that I can't re-install (from givawayoftheday.com, lost install disks, etc).:cry: Oh well, chalk it up to "the cost of moving"...Thanks again for the quick reply and build specs. Will place to order tonight.
 
Hi everyone. I'm looking to build a PC for as close to $200, but more likely ~$300. I've never done it before and would like to keep it simple. I have no urge to play games on it and plan to surf the web/listen to music. Here's what I have so far. It came out to ~$340 with shipping.

https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=16724627

1) Would it all be compatible? with Linux?
2) Any ways to get close to $200?
3) For the HDD, I was gonna go with the Samsung I see on a lot of builds, but it is OEM, so that means I would need to buy the cord to hook up to the mobo, correct?

I don't care if it is Intel or AMD. I would also like to get a tv tuner in there, but it's more of an afterthought. Also the CPU and mobo are a combo deal with $30 off for a combo total of ~$110. From what I know, it seems like this build would have room to upgrade in the future, but that is not a priority at all.

I have a monitor and my friend is able to get me on Windows 7. Or if not, I will go via Linux. I am actually curious about linux, so I would like everything to be compatible with that if I wanted to try it.

Thanks in advance.
 
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It's impossible to get it to $200 nowadays. Memory prices are way too high to make it possible. $300 is very hard to get to without lots of sacrifices.

AMD Athlon II X2 240 + GIGABYTE GA-MA785GM-US2H Micro ATX motherboard - $103
WINTEC 2GB (2 x 1GB)DDR2 800 - $44
WD Blue 320GB - $48
LG DVD Burner - $27
Rosewill R103A Black Steel ATX Mid Tower with 350W Power Supply - $30
GIGABYTE GN-WP01GS PCI Wireless Adapter - $17

Total: $269

Or you can also pick the following cases + power supply for $10/$20 more. Looks better at least.

RAIDMAX Scorpio Mid Tower Computer Case 420W Power Supply - $40
HEC Steel MicroATX Mini Tower Computer Case 485W Power Supply (your original choice) - $50

All the cables and accessories you need come with the case and motherboard. So you don't have to buy anything extra. You may find yourself needing to get 1 or 2 case fans for your case, but you can do that later.
 
Ah very cool, thank you. How do you think this compares between my original build and yours in terms of speed/power? Again, does not need to do anything, but I'm curious if the extra ~$80 is getting me any more.

And, my understanding is micro ATX board goes to micro ATX tower, so with your build I can go micro ATX board to an ATX tower, no problem? Sorry if this is a dumb question.

Thanks again.
 
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Actually my build is better even at $70 less. The CPU you picked out is a single core, while the one I picked is dual core. Everything else between your build and mine are similar. It's all about finding the best deal, especially when it comes to CPU and mobo combo. And yes you can put an micro ATX mobo into an ATX case.
 
All of my e5200 parts are still in the process of shipping...Then I saw this combo mobo and processor ($70 AR). I picked up the combo just now with minimal thinking as I didn't want to miss out on it. I was thinking of keeping the mobo that comes in the combo. Since I'm 'starting over', could I use this memory? With Amazon FSSS, saves me some $ vs. Newegg...I just don't know if the new GA-M68M-S2 can take 2.1v memory as it's set for 1.8v.

Thanks in advance for your help again.
 
[quote name='DaBoltz']All of my e5200 parts are still in the process of shipping...Then I saw this combo mobo and processor ($70 AR). I picked up the combo just now with minimal thinking as I didn't want to miss out on it. I was thinking of keeping the mobo that comes in the combo. Since I'm 'starting over', could I use this memory? With Amazon FSSS, saves me some $ vs. Newegg...I just don't know if the new GA-M68M-S2 can take 2.1v memory as it's set for 1.8v.[/QUOTE]

First of all, the Athlon II X2 550 outperforms the Intel E5200. So if you're going to pick a combo to keep, definitely keep the AMD one.

As for the 2.1V memory on a 1.8V motherboard, typically many motherboards will allow you to adjust the voltage in the BIOS. But if in the worst case that the motherboard doesn't have this option, then the motherboard will downgrade the memory speed to something like 667MHz or 800MHz (instead of the 1066MHz being advertised) and delay the timings to compensate for the undervoltage that the motherboard is supplying. The system should run stable, and nothing will be fried, the only sacrifice is that the memory will run at slower-than-advertised specs, but you won't notice any difference. So in short, it should work.

I'm actually glad you live near a Fry's. They have some insane combo deals for the past week. I missed out on the i5 750 + Gigabyte mobo for $190 AR deal last week, would have gotten one to put into my HTPC.
 
SOSTrooper, thanks again for your helpful advice! I'll stick with the AMD. Hopefully I can adjust the voltage in the BIOS of the new mobo.

Crazy how I'm spending more on memory than on the CPU+mobo!
 
So I made the build as reccommended and have run into a problem.

Something was shorting out and not letting me start up and so I got it isolated to the sys_fan (system fan) connector on the mobo. If I don't connect that to the psu, then it will start up fine, give me a single beep and be ready to install the OS. Any ideas of how/why it would be doing this? It's a 4-pin connection for both halves of the connection, so that's not the issue.
 
[quote name='alexconcarne']This is a fantastic thread, but may I recommend this graphics card:
HIS H483FN512P Radeon HD 4830 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card

I'm borrowing my friends until Christmas (mine is donezo) and hoooooly crap, I might just pay him for it. I was playing MW2 maxed TOTALLY out at 60+ frames. It's niiiice even if you're not on a budget. :)[/QUOTE]

This item is has been deactivated on Newegg.

Muchisimas thanks to the OP and others for this thread. I wish I'd thought to look for it 2 weeks ago.
 
[quote name='martin8me']Hey guys, awesome thread im really thankful. I've learned alot on this thread and wana get into pc gaming.

Heres what i might get in a few months: https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=16817528

Any feedback? good to go? all parts good and compatible? Thanks[/QUOTE]


First I would swap the memory to this Corsair 4GB DDR2 800 instead. Then probably swap out the video card to Biostar 4850 1GB since the one you picked out isnt in stock. Next get rid of that IDE DVD burner and get this SATA burner. Finally swap out the hard drive to Samsung F3 500GB since it is faster for the same price. The rest of the parts look good!
 
I'll post up some updated builds this weekend, as the Intel i3 processors are now available at newegg, I can use it to configure $500 - $700 Intel systems.
 
I'm going to post my Hackintosh gaming rig build in here, if you all don't mind. My purpose when building this machine was to get a computer capable of playing the most recent releases without compromise but also have a Mac for my primary use. (I just prefer using OS X to Windows.) And I didn't want to have 2 computers.

I did a lot of research into the most compatible parts and I ended up with the following rig:

- Core i7 920
- Gigabyte X58-UD5: this is probably the most important part in the entire setup. You have to have a compatible board to get OS X running well and easily.
- 6 gigs DDR3 RAM
- Corsair 750W PSU
- Diamond Radeon HD 4890 XOC: this is the second most important part. Many video cards will work out of the box with OS X, but not all. For example, my first try was a Gigabyte Radeon 4870 that was most definitely not compatible.
- Antec P183 case

I believe that's it. You'll need a copy of Snow Leopard and you can follow these instructions to get a working installation of SL without difficulty. You'll need to follow the instructions in this thread to get the proper kexts installed.

You're probably wondering why I went with the 920 when the socket 1156 chips seem to be a better value for gaming. As I said, the motherboard is of the utmost importance in getting OS X working right and at the time I built my machine, there was no way to get OS X running on a 1156 board. There may be now, but the UD5 is the most compatible board out there with everything working out of the box. It was slightly more expensive of a board but it was worth it since it was so incredibly easy to get working.

Now I'm running Windows 7 when I want to play games and OS X when I want to do other things. The total outlay for the entire project was probably about $1100, but that's what I got when I sold my iMac, so I broke even. And I've got a computer that will last me for a really long time.
 
[quote name='Psykoboy2']Ah, thanks!

Okay, so here's the build I have going. I'm looking at an Antec 900 II for a case since I can get it on the cheap from a buddy of mine. I *think* the 5870 will fit in there, but if anyone knows for sure, I'd feel better about it.[/QUOTE]
Just replace your PSU with the slightly higher rated and cheaper Corsair 750W and you're all set. But to be honest, I bet you could get away with the Corsair 650W PSU with just one video card. The PSU estimator says you need a 525W PSU. If you were, down the road, to try putting a pair of 5870 in crossfire mode, you'd need to upgrade even that 750W PSU, so... Go with the 650W. Or get a smaller 550W PSU and save a few bucks.

Or you could buy this 1000W PSU and be safe for when you do throw in another card or a couple extra drives.
 
[quote name='Psykoboy2']Ah, thanks!

Okay, so here's the build I have going. I'm looking at an Antec 900 II for a case since I can get it on the cheap from a buddy of mine. I *think* the 5870 will fit in there, but if anyone knows for sure, I'd feel better about it.[/QUOTE]Minor points:
I'd probably go with the Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD4P motherboard instead. The P55 motherboards use the Foxconn CPU socket which has had some melting issues under extreme heat. The P55A ones use the LOTES socket which is improved. It's a minor point and probably not something you'll ever run into, but the Gigabyte is actually cheaper and just as good.

If you want to overclock much, I'd probably grab DDR3-1600 RAM. It won't make a huge difference, but it will help a little. For instance, these modules.

Again, these are minor points. You have a good build there. I agree with what the others said about going with Corsair for the PSU though.
 
Hey guys. I want to build my first PC. My 4.5 year old laptop is starting to show advanced signs of aging. This is also largely a learning process so I'm looking for some feedback/suggestions. I'm trying to come in under $600 with rebates (that are at $40.) I don't mind downgrading some things to make this happen, maybe save some more money (I am a cheapass). I want to do some light gaming on it though but I'm not looking to be playing Crysis, just something I can have some fun on and play some upcoming games on decent settings.
List: (still need case and power supply)
https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=17094428
Thanks (hopefully the link works as I just made the list a few minutes ago)
 
[quote name='Doc Bacca']Hey guys. I want to build my first PC. My 4.5 year old laptop is starting to show advanced signs of aging. This is also largely a learning process so I'm looking for some feedback/suggestions. I'm trying to come in under $600 with rebates (that are at $40.) I don't mind downgrading some things to make this happen, maybe save some more money (I am a cheapass). I want to do some light gaming on it though but I'm not looking to be playing Crysis, just something I can have some fun on and play some upcoming games on decent settings.
List: (still need case and power supply)
http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=17094428
Thanks (hopefully the link works as I just made the list a few minutes ago)[/QUOTE]

LGA775 is considered obsolete because Intel will not release anymore new CPUs for this socket. So upgrade path down the road is bleak. Since Intel released the i3, you should look into it. The i3-530 outperforms the E8400, so it's a good buy in the $600 range (for your entire system).

Here's a temporary build list I drew up for you, following what you had picked out in your wish list:
http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=13542286

The Intel P55 LGA1156 platform will give you a lot more headroom in upgrading down the path. You are going to go over the $600 budget when you factor in the case and power supply. It's hard to get builds under certain amounts now without major sacrifices due to high memory prices and high video card prices. But the i3-530 is definitely a good choice over any Core 2 Duo because of both performance and future upgrade-ability.
 
[quote name='Doc Bacca']Thanks SOSTrooper. For the upgrades you made, I think the extra money is well worth it. I added a Thermaltake 430w power supply, I don't know if that's enough though. Here's the updated list which I'm fairly happy with.

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=17094428[/QUOTE]

Everyone and their mothers are going to tell you to spend more on a power supply. A low quality power supply is going to increase the chance of it going bad and may kill many components in the computer. With that said, with your tight budget, the Thermaltake 430W will do the job. It is not a low quality power supply; if I am to rank it, it is probably somewhere in the middle of the road. The 430W is enough to power your system, but if you decide later to upgrade to a quad core i5/i7 or upgrade to a faster video card (5770, 5850, etc), then you will need to upgrade the 430W as well. If you can squeeze another $25 into your system, I would strongly recommend you to get this power supply instead. It is a good enough quality of a power supply for its price, and it'll support your future upgrades nicely.
 
[quote name='SOSTrooper']Everyone and their mothers are going to tell you to spend more on a power supply. A low quality power supply is going to increase the chance of it going bad and may kill many components in the computer. With that said, with your tight budget, the Thermaltake 430W will do the job. It is not a low quality power supply; if I am to rank it, it is probably somewhere in the middle of the road. The 430W is enough to power your system, but if you decide later to upgrade to a quad core i5/i7 or upgrade to a faster video card (5770, 5850, etc), then you will need to upgrade the 430W as well. If you can squeeze another $25 into your system, I would strongly recommend you to get this power supply instead. It is a good enough quality of a power supply for its price, and it'll support your future upgrades nicely.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, i questioned the power supply too and then changed to this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153052
 
alright, my situation has changed. i held off on purchasing because of changing needs.
im going to need a lot of ms office use. i see a significant increase in multitasking than id considered previously.
so ive cut amd out and am debating between i7-920 and i5-750
here are two builds
http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=17109388
http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=17109328

this build must last 3 years i may add an ssd down the road but outside that, I do not see any upgrades in that time.

there are a few $ in savings from packages not shown, the difference in total price is roughly the same though. is the i7 build worth that $200?
 
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[quote name='paz9x']alright, my situation has changed. i held off on purchasing because of changing needs.
im going to need a lot of ms office use. i see a significant increase in multitasking than id considered previously.
so ive cut amd out and am debating between i7-920 and i5-750
here are two builds
https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=17109388
https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=17109328

this build must last 3 years i may add an ssd down the road but outside that, I do not see any upgrades in that time.

there are a few $ in savings from packages not shown, the difference in total price is roughly the same though. is the i7 build worth that $200?[/QUOTE]

wish lists arent public, i think you put the wrong URL for them.
 
i did, linked from my account screen. looks like they arent in the public database yet or something. ill re-link when they come up.
 
[quote name='paz9x']i did, linked from my account screen. looks like they arent in the public database yet or something. ill re-link when they come up.[/QUOTE]

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=17109388

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=17109328

that should work...

edit... ok. i honestly think both builds will be fine for the next 3 years (maybe a video card upgrade in a couple if you do heavy gaming and like to play the latest greatest stuff at the max).

http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/...compare,1407.html?prod[2617]=on&prod[2884]=on
the benchmarks for the 2 cpus you picked out are pretty comparable.

so the question is, what are you using this for the next 3 years. if youre doing a little gaming and mostly office work (word, excel, power point with a dash of photoshop) you probably wouldnt even notice the difference in the 2 cpus. if you plan on doing more extensive stuff, then the extra cpu power and memory might be worth it in the long run.
 
thanks ramstoria. updated to show good links.

saw a fry's ad today showing a kingston 64gb SSD
with 2x2gb 1333mhz ram for $110

that should be enough for a win7 and office install right?
 
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