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

Thx man, I noticed that all the pc part makers have near same po box address, guessing its handled by same company, don't wanna bother talking to anyone so I'll just mail it from her address, a little bit of a hassle but meh
 
I'm looking to build a new PC. I want to upgrade mine, but my parts are old and my mobo doesn't have a PCI 2.0 slot.

I have a MicroCenter near me and they have a $40 discount when you get a LGA 1155 CPU and matching motheboard. I'd get the i5 2500K CPU.

http://www.microcenter.com/specials/promotions/save40_promo.html

My friend bought the $99.99 Biostar one (http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0356578) but I wanted to get some other opinions. For rear ports (what I usually pay attention to the most), I'd like at least 1 PS/2, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, and a SATA (though the case I'm looking at has a SATA port on the front).

Speaking of the case, this is what I'm looking at. I prefer simple cases and all the ports near the middle or top (why they make cases with them on the bottom is beyond me). Not a fan of LED lights (waste of energy IMO). $50 is a good price and has enough for me.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147153


RAM and a HDD aren't hard to get, I'll post the link to the RAM I was looking at later.

I will need help with video cards. I have no idea what to look for or what to get. My computer can run most games adequately, but they usually crash more often than I'd like. Oblivion often does now and I can't run it in 1920x1080 since I got my new monitor last year. I'm mostly upgrading my PC for Skyrim since I want that to run flawlessly (or as close to as possible).

Games I play or will eventually play include Minecraft, League of Legends, Half-Life 2, Dragon Age Origins and 2, Fable 3, and Torchlight 2.

Here's what I use now. As I said, it's pretty outdated.
CPU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115032

Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813121319

Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150229

RAM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134192

HDD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148262

Case w/ PSU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147025
 
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The Rosewill case is nice, but for the same price you could be getting the HAF 912.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119233

This thing is a champ at keeping your PC well ventilated.

As for the graphics card, look at this list and pick from there.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card-game-performance-radeon-hd-6670,2935-7.html

The top of the list being the best. If you are on a budget the GTX 460's have been going on sale for $100-$150, which is a great card that can do the job and cheap that it won't feel like you broke the bank on your gaming rig.
 
The Rosewill case is actually cheaper by $18 plus tax (Newegg ships from my state so I have to pay tax).

I looked at GTX 460 on Newegg, but I saw they all are GDDR5 whereas most motherboards I've looked at are GDDR3. Or does this not matter?
 
I'm starting the upgrade on my pc, my switch is failing and the psu is weak 300W. I planned on buying a whole new pc in the spring, but I probably would have cheaped out on the case and psu. So I decided to fix my current one with these two pieces which will be a nice upgrade(overkill) on my current pc, but should future proof for years to come by my standards.

I'm looking at this case, from everything I read its great at its price point and has great air flow and I like the cable management it provides. And it has USB 3.0 which I don't have a capable motherboard right now but I will within 6 months.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147107

The psu I'm want is Corsair, I've been bouncing around with these but I feel corsair is the way to go. The other one I was looking at the PC Power.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007657%2050009830&IsNodeId=1&bop=And&CompareItemList=58%7C17%2D703%2D027%5E17%2D703%2D027%2DTS%2C17%2D139%2D021%5E17%2D139%2D021%2DTS

I"m also debating on a wireless router I'm deciding between the Linksys E3000 recertified for $80 or the new E2500 for $80 which are both dual band routers. I just don't fell comfortable purchasing anything but Linksys and have been swayed by the brand name. I've never had an issue with Linksys and like the fact that Cisco is selling their products under the linksys name. Any thoughts or comment would be apreciated.
 
I just bought this graphics card, EVGA GTX 460 SE. It was on sale at Newegg today for $120. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130597 Came out to $140 after tax and has a $30 rebate. I'm pretty sure it will work with my motherboard (MSI P67A-G43). I figured for $110, it was worth taking a chance that it's worth it. Otherwise I can just return it.

Motherboard http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130583

CPU Intel i5 2500k http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072

RAM: GSkill Ripjaw 4GB (2x 2GB) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231427

CD/DVD-Burner http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204

Case http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147153 (for some reason it's now showing the spacing in my post. Sorry for the mess).
 
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[quote name='icedrake523']The Rosewill case is actually cheaper by $18 plus tax (Newegg ships from my state so I have to pay tax).

I looked at GTX 460 on Newegg, but I saw they all are GDDR5 whereas most motherboards I've looked at are GDDR3. Or does this not matter?[/QUOTE]

nope, the DDR3 is for RAM.
 
[quote name='icedrake523']I'm looking to build a new PC. I want to upgrade mine, but my parts are old and my mobo doesn't have a PCI 2.0 slot.

I have a MicroCenter near me and they have a $40 discount when you get a LGA 1155 CPU and matching motheboard. I'd get the i5 2500K CPU.

http://www.microcenter.com/specials/promotions/save40_promo.html

My friend bought the $99.99 Biostar one (http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0356578) but I wanted to get some other opinions. For rear ports (what I usually pay attention to the most), I'd like at least 1 PS/2, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, and a SATA (though the case I'm looking at has a SATA port on the front).

Speaking of the case, this is what I'm looking at. I prefer simple cases and all the ports near the middle or top (why they make cases with them on the bottom is beyond me). Not a fan of LED lights (waste of energy IMO). $50 is a good price and has enough for me.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147153


RAM and a HDD aren't hard to get, I'll post the link to the RAM I was looking at later.

I will need help with video cards. I have no idea what to look for or what to get. My computer can run most games adequately, but they usually crash more often than I'd like. Oblivion often does now and I can't run it in 1920x1080 since I got my new monitor last year. I'm mostly upgrading my PC for Skyrim since I want that to run flawlessly (or as close to as possible).

Games I play or will eventually play include Minecraft, League of Legends, Half-Life 2, Dragon Age Origins and 2, Fable 3, and Torchlight 2.

Here's what I use now. As I said, it's pretty outdated.
CPU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115032

Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813121319

Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150229

RAM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134192

HDD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148262

Case w/ PSU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147025
[/QUOTE]

That mobo should be fine. What's your budget for video cards though? And you're going to need a new PSU most likely.
 
It's been about 4 years since I last built a gaming PC - and I haven't kept up to speed with all of the new technologies. For reference, the last card I put in my PC was a top of the line AGP slot BFG GeForce 6800 Ultra :) That card died, and I've had to revert back to a GeForce 4 that I had laying around, so now I'm pretty much without a gaming PC.

Im in the process of spec'ing out a new PC, but have to admit that the graphics cards have me confused. I'm looking for a single card that will provide me with decent power to play games on medium high settings.

This PC will also dual as the home / family PC so it will likely be on for most of the day.

Any recommendations on which card I should consider? Would like to spend $250 or less. Will probably be an Intel build with either an i5 or i7 - still not sure if the i7 is worth the extra $$, so any insight there would be appreciated as well.
 
[quote name='daminion']It's been about 4 years since I last built a gaming PC - and I haven't kept up to speed with all of the new technologies. For reference, the last card I put in my PC was a top of the line AGP slot BFG GeForce 6800 Ultra :) That card died, and I've had to revert back to a GeForce 4 that I had laying around, so now I'm pretty much without a gaming PC.

Im in the process of spec'ing out a new PC, but have to admit that the graphics cards have me confused. I'm looking for a single card that will provide me with decent power to play games on medium high settings.

This PC will also dual as the home / family PC so it will likely be on for most of the day.

Any recommendations on which card I should consider? Would like to spend $250 or less. Will probably be an Intel build with either an i5 or i7 - still not sure if the i7 is worth the extra $$, so any insight there would be appreciated as well.[/QUOTE]

The i5 2500(k) is just fine for gaming. You won't need the i7. And cards around the $250 range would be the Nvidia 560ti or the Radeon 6950. Newegg has some open box ones atm for both for $180 ish.
 
Can anyone help me configure a pre-built gaming PC for around $2k or less? Yes, I know all about the benefits of building one yourself but it's just not an option at the moment. I've been looking around at various sites and good ones I've come across thus far as computerlx.com and cyberpowerpc.com, the former having a better rating on resellers.com. Also looked at Falcon. I've heard less compatibility issues with nvidia cards compared to ati for games in general. Alienware seems like it's too pricey even for pre-built systems with similar specs to other sites. Would prefer the system last 4-5 years. Already have a good monitor, keyboard, mouse.
 
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[quote name='runsongas']http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/saved/1DEKM8

Getting SLI GTX 570 is also within your budget or switch to a 580 for less hassle with drivers. on the ATI side you can also go with crossfired 6870 or 6950.

You can get a 2nd fan for the radiator but theres better ones from Newegg for cheaper.[/QUOTE]
Thanks for taking the time. A few questions...is it really better to go with 2 lower cost SLI vid cards vs having just 1 but more powerful card? In terms of a radiator fan, if I wanted another one would I just select the option under "Asetek 510LC Liquid Cooling System 120MM Radiator & Fan (Enhanced Cooling Performance + Extreme Silent at 20dBA)" where it says "Dual standard" or are you referring to some other type of fan? Also, am I making a bigger deal about nvidia vs ati than I should be...obviously ati cards are cheaper in general and I've heard they're even better in crossfire than nvidia in SLI
 
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/314?vs=305

This is with the 460 which is inferior to the 560 Ti by about 25 to 30 percent. If you run double monitor or don't have the patience to deal with SLI drivers, the 580 is probably a better choice. You can have cyberpower put in the extra fan, but its probably some cheap chinese fan that barely does 30 cfm if that. SLI vs crossfire really depends more on your budget and needs. (eg Do you need eyefinity, cuda, and what type of games). cheapest to most expensive that is worthwhile is probably 460 SLI to 6870 xfire to 560 Ti SLI then 6950 xfire. If you only have a single monitor 6870 xfire is probably all you need or a single 6950 maybe a 570.

If you have a Microcenter close the Antec fans are discounted right now
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0365890
 
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Thank you all for compiling the info on the first post, but some of the links seem to be a bit out of date.

I am looking to upgrade my PSU and Video Card in my stock HP P6674y. I really like how quiet it is, so Im okay with sacrificing performance to make it quieter. My goal would be to run Source games at fairly high detail. Id also prefer a modular PSU. Does anyone have any recommendations on combos?

Edit: My budget is as cheap as possible while running Source stuff like EYE, Portal, TF 2 and HL 2 on high settings. Id prefer the $100 to $120n range, but could go as high as $150 if it would mean a significant jump in quality or quietness.
 
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what is your budget?
also source games aren't very graphics intensive, you could probably get by with a 5770 or 4850 for pretty cheap.
 
[quote name='runsongas']what is your budget?
also source games aren't very graphics intensive, you could probably get by with a 5770 or 4850 for pretty cheap.[/QUOTE]

I completely forgot. For both items, Im aiming for under $120 or even $100 if possible, but if the quality and quietness could be significantly improved Id be tempted to go up to $150.

That is what I was trying to get at. I have a PS3 for most new games so I dont need a powerhouse, but I recently got into some of the indie Source engine stuff that stutters on low settings with my current setup.
 
cheapest modular psu I could find on the egg right now are the OCZ and Antec
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341016
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371016

There is a Lepa with a really large rebate too, but it's kinda ymmv and overkill for a single card setup
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817194093

As far as graphics cards, I don't see anything under 100 bucks that's a good deal right now.
Probably you should wait for a 5770/4850/gts 450 go on sale.
An alternative is see if you can get a 6670 for cheap even though its not as powerful as the other midrange cards, it doesn't require pci-e connectors and you might be able to get away with not needing a power supply.
 
I'd go with the OCZ power supply and probably a Radeon 5670 to stick within your price range. It'll run circles around the integrated video. Although you could save quite a bit of money going with a non-modular PSU like the Corsair CX500.
 
[quote name='Lawyers Guns N Money']I'd go with the OCZ power supply and probably a Radeon 5670 to stick within your price range. It'll run circles around the integrated video. Although you could save quite a bit of money going with a non-modular PSU like the Corsair CX500.[/QUOTE]

I am aiming for modular because I would expect them to be a bit quieter and cooler than running a PSU in a case full of cables. I actually have an old 400W Seasonic from the last PC I built.

WHats the main source of sound in a PC? The Seasonic system was pretty loud, but then it had a 8600GT running in it.
 
if you don't mind using the 400watt seasonic, getting a 4850 or 5770 (or gts 450/550) on a good sale is probably the most bang for your buck. if you opt for anything faster you'll need to get a power supply probably and a 5850/460 with a psu is probably going to be more like 150/160 total.

modular psu don't really help that much unless you have a pretty small case without cable management. modular psu's actually don't run much quieter too.

In my rig the video card and the cpu heatsink fan are the loudest ones. most fans for psu are 120 mm or larger and actually are pretty quiet. (smaller fan means higher rpm and more noise usually).
 
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[quote name='runsongas']if you don't mind using the 400watt seasonic, getting a 4850 or 5770 (or gts 450/550) on a good sale is probably the most bang for your buck. if you opt for anything faster you'll need to get a power supply probably and a 5850/460 with a psu is probably going to be more like 150/160 total.[/QUOTE]
According to AMD's website, the 4850 and the 5770 both require a 450W PSU to run them. Seasonic is a quality brand and might get by ok, but you'd be cutting it close.
 
His cpu is a 95watt tdp, the 4850/5770 run at about 160 watt on load, 180 for furmark.
mobo/ram/drives should probably come in under 100 watts without an issue.

should be like 350 total. If he had a 135 watt tdp cpu it might be a closer call.
 
I think I might just put back in my old PSU and buy the video card and then see where I am at on noise. I have never cut it close on a PSU though, will it just crash or am I looking at serious damage?
 
good psu's will just shut off if you try to draw too much power. crappy ones with chinese capacitors sometimes will give off sparks or you'll hear a capacitor pop inside the psu.
 
if you're just surfing the web and absolutely must have a small form factor then sure go ahead but that desktop is pretty limited and not a good deal imo.

its got 2 major issues: weak components as is and very limited upgrade potential.
The HD is at 5400 rpm, integrated Intel video, and the psu is a laughable 220 watts. Also the small form factor case will prevent upgrades with standard ATX size parts which means you will have to get a whole new computer instead of just swapping out some of the weakest parts.

if you are comfortable building your own desktop, you can probably put together a much better Llano based build for the same price.
 
here is my no frills 300 dollar build

CPU+Motherboard: Phenom II X4 965 + AM3+ mATX motherboard (Asus/Gigabyte) combo from Microcenter
Ram: 8gb (2x4gb) Any major manufacturer DDR3
Hard Drive: Seagate or Western Digital 7200 rpm (Blue series is fine) 1 TB
Power Supply: Corsair Builder Series CX430
Case: Antec 200/300 or Thermaltake V3
DVD Burner: whatever is on sale for 20 bucks
Video Card: 4850/5770/gts 450/550 (as budget allows and what is on sale)
Cheap cpu heatsink/fan optional (AC Freezer/Hyper212 etc)

Total Cost (After rebates):
CPU + Mobo: 120 at Microcenter
Ram: Patriot G2 was 30 bucks at Newegg as a shell shocker recently
Hard Drive: Seagate 1 TB 7200 rpm is 50 at Microcenter
Power Supply: 20 bucks at Newegg last week
Case: Both have been 30 bucks at Newegg before
DVD Burner: 20 bucks
Video Card: 4850 was 20 bucks Black Friday, otherwise those video cards more commonly seen at 40 to 60 bucks.
Optional heatsink/fan: 10 to 20 on sale

Total: 310 to 350 (taxes/shipping extra)
 
[quote name='runsongas']if you're just surfing the web and absolutely must have a small form factor then sure go ahead but that desktop is pretty limited and not a good deal imo.

its got 2 major issues: weak components as is and very limited upgrade potential.
The HD is at 5400 rpm, integrated Intel video, and the psu is a laughable 220 watts. Also the small form factor case will prevent upgrades with standard ATX size parts which means you will have to get a whole new computer instead of just swapping out some of the weakest parts.

if you are comfortable building your own desktop, you can probably put together a much better Llano based build for the same price.[/QUOTE]

Ive been wanting to build one, been looking around but don't know a thing about any of the parts needed. Is it possible to build a good machine for around 400? What about the OS? I know windows is up there price wise itself
 
[quote name='runsongas']
DVD Burner: 20 bucks
[/QUOTE]

I have a Plextor PX-740A sitting around that whoever builds this machine could have for the shipping costs plus a buck or two. Might let you get away with the whole system for under $300.
 
having to get a new copy of windows is another 100 bucks unless you can get it cheaper through your school.

I've been running the same old copy of xp that I got in undergrad for 20 bucks. I tried to go the WINE on ubuntu route but it was just too much hassle. I generally run a mix of red hat/mint otherwise.

400 is doable by using sales and rebates. The example I put up would take about 2 months or so to get all the parts because it would take waiting for everything to go on sale before getting it. 400 without paying for windows would mean just getting a deal on the major parts (cpu mobo vid card) and maybe paying a bit more for the other pieces to get it all at once.
 
[quote name='runsongas']having to get a new copy of windows is another 100 bucks unless you can get it cheaper through your school.

I've been running the same old copy of xp that I got in undergrad for 20 bucks. I tried to go the WINE on ubuntu route but it was just too much hassle. I generally run a mix of red hat/mint otherwise.

400 is doable by using sales and rebates. The example I put up would take about 2 months or so to get all the parts because it would take waiting for everything to go on sale before getting it. 400 without paying for windows would mean just getting a deal on the major parts (cpu mobo vid card) and maybe paying a bit more for the other pieces to get it all at once.[/QUOTE]

Try Craiglist for a cheaper copy of Windows 7. Sometimes you catch legit copies on their from ppl that no longer want the OS. A worker at this place I volunteer at got a copy for $25.
 
[quote name='pbnate88']Ive been wanting to build one, been looking around but don't know a thing about any of the parts needed. Is it possible to build a good machine for around 400? What about the OS? I know windows is up there price wise itself[/QUOTE]

I agree, $400 is doable. Start by figuring out what you want to do with it (Gaming, Office Work, Photoshop, Video Encoding, HTPC) and do a bit a research. You can ask here and you will get lots of help. I would just make sure you to leave room to upgrade down the line so you can get the most mileage out of your initial $400.

As far as OS. Students can get Win 7 for cheap. If you aren't a student you likely can find one and throw some beer money their way for them to get you a key.
 
Thanks guys I am a student so that works. I only need the computer for everyday things. Not a gamer. I watch videos, browse internet download stuff stream.tv and type papers. Nothing fancy at all
 
I have a laptop but want to go back to a desktop, so i've been looking around. I wish I saw the microcenter deal a couple days ago. but for now I'm trying to piece together a 400 machine. Is there a doable 400 machine that works ok for some games? If I had a chance to play games on a decently run machine I would.

With my amazing amount of computer parts knowledge (looking to see which items had good reviews)

How does something like this work? Feel free to drop/add/tell me it sucks at all

http://secure.newegg.com/Shopping/ShoppingCart.aspx?Submit=view
 
microcenter pretty much always is the cheapest place to get a motherboard and cpu for building, their discount for bundling is there every month. Video cards are probably the one thing that you have to wait for really.

also you need put the stuff from newegg into a wishlist in order to share it
 
www.pcpartpicker.com also works to assemble and share builds quickly

For example: Here's one I am considering building for a media server.

Part list permalink / Part price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-2100 3.1GHz Dual-Core Processor ($124.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: MSI H61M-E33 (B3) Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Silverline 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 310 ATX Mid Tower Case w/460W Power Supply ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $364.94
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
Click to expand...

Still looking at better MB, more HDD's, and ditching the DVD burner
 
microcenter for the cpu/motherboard could be enough savings to get you a cheap video card also (the HD2000/HD3000 are still pretty craptastic).

just fyi the coolermaster power supplies are not highly regarded because they use chinese capacitors. I would look to a bundle from antec or corsair as their budget power supplies are considered the best value you can get in the price range.
 
[quote name='runsongas']microcenter for the cpu/motherboard could be enough savings to get you a cheap video card also (the HD2000/HD3000 are still pretty craptastic).

just fyi the coolermaster power supplies are not highly regarded because they use chinese capacitors. I would look to a bundle from antec or corsair as their budget power supplies are considered the best value you can get in the price range.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the tip on the CM PSU.

I'm not near a Microcenter so the 5 hour drive kills the savings as most of the really good ones are in-store only.
 
so I tried to submit some edits of the wiki entry on the first page but apparently it only saves the last submitted edit?

Does anyone know if I can resurrect the other edits? I'd rather not retype them.
 
[quote name='pbnate88']Thanks guys I am a student so that works. I only need the computer for everyday things. Not a gamer. I watch videos, browse internet download stuff stream.tv and type papers. Nothing fancy at all[/QUOTE]

I would recommend a netbook for that. I have one I use for school stuff and it handles all of that, gets nine hours of battery life and is extremely light.
 
[quote name='TctclMvPhase']I would recommend a netbook for that. I have one I use for school stuff and it handles all of that, gets nine hours of battery life and is extremely light.[/QUOTE]

I have one I use all the time great machine. I didnt know tf2 and looks like CS is still popular. Think im going to try,to put together a decent rig for some games. I also want to get,in on the .99 batman deal. Wouldnt mind playing these games again
 
HAY YA'LL

Ok. I'm going to venture on this task of building my own PC over the next few months.
I came across this: http://www.build-gaming-computers.com/gaming-desktop-computer.html

After doing some (not much, but I'll do more) research on each of the items.. I have to admit, I'm sorta fond of what this person has for the 'Budget Gaming Rig'.

It consists of:

Motherboard
ASUS M4A88TD-V EVO USB3 Motherboard ($125)

CPU
AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Quad Core Processor ($120)

RAM
Corsair XMS3 4GB DDR3 RAM ($27)
(I'm going to take the suggestion and double this, so $54)

Video Card
EVGA GeForce GTX 550 Ti ($118)

Hard Drive
Seagate Barracuda 1TB ($55)

DVD Burner
ASUS DRW-24B1ST DVD Burner ($21)

Case
Thermaltake V3 Black Edition Mid Tower Case ($40)

Power Supply
Cooler Master GX Series 650W ($90)

TOTAL COST: $675 (USD)
Click to expand...

Now the cost is, of course, a rough estimate of what the prices are right this second..and that's only on one site listed. Though, I did look at Amazon and NewEgg and the prices are all fairly the same (I believe the RAM was actually $1 cheaper on NewEgg). And obviously, when I DO start purchasing pieces for this.. I'm going to do the best I can to be a smart shopper and look for coupons, rebates, etc etc etc.

All in all, I'm not going to nit pick over dollars.

I have a gaming mouse and I have a 22in LCD monitor already. I'd just have to get Windows 7, so that of course is another $100'ish.

The point of this is: What do you think of the hardware involved for this? What kind of performance, in your opinion, do you think a PC like this could I expect?

I am not a super huge PC gamer. Not into FPS at all. Funny enough, I play World of Warcraft a lot (Which isn't graphically amazing), Rift sometimes..but will be getting Diablo III. I'm probably also going to check out Guild Wars 2 eventually, too. Maybe that new Star Wars MMO.

With that being said: Would these choices be great for me? Perhaps they are too "much" for what I plan on doing? Any suggestions elsewhere?

Go easy on me, please. I really am having a hard time understanding all of this, but I'm doing well so far.

Thanks for any help/input/advice.
 
you can probably get a gtx 460 1gb for 120 on a sale after rebate which would be a bit better. also a corsair cx430/cx500 or something else by ocz/antec/etc would be a better value than that cooler master psu. Since you only have 1 video card you only need a 400 or 500 watt psu. cx430 can be had for 20 bucks after rebate. There also was a sale for Enermax psu's last week for 10 dollars after rebate but that would have been considered YMMV for me. If you like the motherboard go for it, but you can get cheaper AM3+ motherboards. If you are near Microcenter, you can save probably 60 bucks by going there for the motherboard and processor.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157243

Should be fine for WoW/Starcraft 2 etc. (High to Very High settings). FSAA would be the only problem for stuff like Metro etc.
 
Thank you.
I currently have GEForce 9500 GT... I'm going to assume that's worth upgrading?
I'm not sure when I'm going to start doing this, so if I can't find the GTX 460 for ~$120, is the one I listed the next best option?

Thanks also for the info on the power supply. I'll def look and keep that in mind.
Also, the motherboard that you linked. What's different between the one you shared vs the one I linked? Again, I'm still learning :(

EDIT: Just so we're on the same page, this is the video card you were speaking of? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814261088
 
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