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

Hey guys! I'm thinking about building myself a new computer. It'll mostly be used for school related stuff which involve a lots graphic heavy software (Solidwork, cad, cam, after effects, etc..) I will do some gaming on it as i am a CAG. I have a build set up and ready to start buying parts but I'm a little confused on the mobo part. There seem to be a lot of different type of mobo for the intel i series. What would be the best? Z67? Z77? H75? I don't get what those different thing stand for. Any help?
 
[quote name='luan87us']Hey guys! I'm thinking about building myself a new computer. It'll mostly be used for school related stuff which involve a lots graphic heavy software (Solidwork, cad, cam, after effects, etc..) I will do some gaming on it as i am a CAG. I have a build set up and ready to start buying parts but I'm a little confused on the mobo part. There seem to be a lot of different type of mobo for the intel i series. What would be the best? Z67? Z77? H75? I don't get what those different thing stand for. Any help?[/QUOTE]

Depends on the processor you want. And there's a Z77 Sabertooth.
 
so like what is the tier list break down on those notation? P>Z>H?? Oh and I'm trying to keep the budget below $800 so probably won't go too fancy on the mobo. probably stick with a Z77 from MSI or gigabyte.
 
[quote name='luan87us']so like what is the tier list break down on those notation? P>Z>H?? Oh and I'm trying to keep the budget below $800 so probably won't go too fancy on the mobo. probably stick with a Z77 from MSI or gigabyte.[/QUOTE]

I think it goes Z > H > P Unlosing Ranger vs Darkdeath Evilman
 
Read and consume. This guide makes this thread easy to update :)

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[quote name='j-cart']ASUS Sabertooth P67 or nothing, well of course if you have the money :D[/QUOTE]

That board has been nothing but a nightmare for me. :fridge:

First two DOA and a third that stopped working 4 months later.
 
Just do note that SSD prices have been falling like crazy for the last two weeks alone, hitting $.50/GB or below on just last gen SATAIII drives, even the latest drives are still below the $1/GB mark. I picked up an older sataII 120gb drive for about $40 that I'm enjoying on an older system.
 
Just finished my build last night. Thanks for everyones help with recommendations. So far so good. Heres the specs:
AMD FX-8120
Asus HD7870
GIGABYTE GA-990FXA-UD3 AM3+
8gb Corsair vengeance ram
Cooler Master 430 elite case
Cooler Master hyper evo 212 cpu cooler
2tb seagate hdd
120gb ssd
LG dvd rewriter
windows 7 64 bit
and like 5 case fans
 
I hope for my sake it doesnt either. I have a couple external HDD's so ill probably back up what i need on those but this is gonna be used exclusively for gaming so the only thing ill need to back up is saves really
 
I got myself setup nice last week. i5 3570k on an easy, low-temp overclock (4.2 GHz) and MSI 7950 Twin Frozr on an easy, low temp, low-fan speed overclock (1000 MHz core). I got the Asrock board everyone goes on about -- I can see why. My only complaint is that it's very bendy, had a tough time seating the GPU properly.

I really wanted a good 670 on the cheap, but I got tired of waiting so I went for a good deal on the 7950 (305 incl 2-day shipping). I've got nothing against Nvidia, but they're just not aggressive enough between 200 and 300 this gen (i.e. borderlands promo in response to AMD price drops ain't cuttin' it). Yes, there's AMD driver problems, but from what I've read online and experienced in person, it's really overblown. So far mine's running like a champ, sips power, little heat, quiet, and really good performance at that price.

Sliders up, y'all!
 
Rosewill BLACKHAWK Gaming ATX Mid Tower Computer Case, come with Five Fans, window side panel, top HDD dock
Item #: N82E16811147107
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$20.00 Instant
$99.99
$79.99


GIGABYTE GV-R787OC-2GD Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video ...
Item #: N82E16814125418
Return Policy: VGA Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
$20.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
$259.99
1

AMD Gift - Free Sleeping Dogs Coupon
Item #: N82E16800995133
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$49.99 Saving
$49.99
$0.00


Rosewill CAPSTONE Series CAPSTONE-450 450W Continuous @ 50°C, 80 PLUS GOLD Certified, Single +12V Rail, ATX12V v2.31 / EPS12V ...
Item #: N82E16817182066
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$20.00 Instant
$79.99
$59.99


ASRock Z77 Extreme4 LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
Item #: N82E16813157293
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
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$134.99
1

G.SKILL Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-1600C9D-8GAB
Item #: N82E16820231546
Return Policy: Memory Standard Return Policy
-$41.99 Saving
$41.99
$0.00


Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 BX80637I53570K
Item #: N82E16819116504
Return Policy: CPU Replacement Only Return Policy
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$229.99


SAMSUNG 830 Series MZ-7PC128B/WW 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
Item #: N82E16820147163
Return Policy: Limited Replacement Only Return Policy
-$20.00 Instant
$119.99
$99.99


ASUS Black Blu-ray Drive SATA Model BC-12B1ST/BLK/B/AS - OEM
Item #: N82E16827135247
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
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Service Net Replacement Extended Warranty Plan
1 year: $5.99 INCLUDED
-$18.00 Instant
$67.99
$49.99
Subtotal: $914.93

any thoughts?
 
Only thing I'd mention is that if you want to overclock your CPU (and you have a k-suffix CPU, so presumably you're gonna overclock it), you'll want to throw a CPU heatsink in there.
 
Well, I use the exact same processor. The 3570k is the standard gaming processor; no real reason to get anything more expensive.

As for the video card? I can only see a few cheaper; one that's slightly cheaper and supposedly has major heat dissipation issues, and one that's $200 but is sold out.

Your PSU is good, your RAM is fine, your motherboard is good, and I don't know shit about the case.
 
I have a Scythe MUGEN 3. It's, uh... it's pretty fuckin' big. But does its job well enough, and I got a good deal on it. A buddy of mine has this and speaks well of it.
 
Hey guys, I'm actually looking to build my first gaming PC and was hoping to get your thoughts on this build I found online:


CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($34.98 @ NCIX)
Motherboard: ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($139.99 @ Canada Computers)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($46.99 @ NCIX)
Hard Drive: Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($79.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Hard Drive: Mushkin Chronos 60GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($67.99 @ NCIX)
Video Card: MSI Radeon HD 7850 2GB Video Card ($279.99 @ Canada Computers)
Case: Corsair 400R ATX Mid Tower Case ($99.99 @ Canada Computers)
Power Supply: PC Power & Cooling 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($94.99 @ NCIX)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($20.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Total: $865.90
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-05-24 09:29 EDT-0400)


One thing to keep in mind is that's it's hard to find parts in Canada :cry: Hopefully this will sustain me on high settings for a while :D Let me know your thoughts!
 
[quote name='MattJ1991']Hey guys, I'm actually looking to build my first gaming PC and was hoping to get your thoughts on this build I found online:


CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($34.98 @ NCIX)
Motherboard: ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($139.99 @ Canada Computers)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($46.99 @ NCIX)
Hard Drive: Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($79.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Hard Drive: Mushkin Chronos 60GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($67.99 @ NCIX)
Video Card: MSI Radeon HD 7850 2GB Video Card ($279.99 @ Canada Computers)
Case: Corsair 400R ATX Mid Tower Case ($99.99 @ Canada Computers)
Power Supply: PC Power & Cooling 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($94.99 @ NCIX)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($20.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Total: $865.90
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-05-24 09:29 EDT-0400)


One thing to keep in mind is that's it's hard to find parts in Canada :cry: Hopefully this will sustain me on high settings for a while :D Let me know your thoughts![/QUOTE]


Nice list and all but where is the CPU?
 
[quote name='mcdaking84']thanks a ton. Also I noticed cpu heatsinks are cheap, are there any you would pick?[/QUOTE]

I have the blackhawk case and the COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus you cannot really go wrong for the price and way better then stock. You will have to remove the fan from the side panel not a big deal. There are better ones but it will cost $60+
 
This seems like the best place to ask this, but I've got a 6870 1GB right now. What would be the next step up that's under $200? Looking for something 2GB.
 
[quote name='BrownThunder']This seems like the best place to ask this, but I've got a 6870 1GB right now. What would be the next step up that's under $200? Looking for something 2GB.[/QUOTE]


http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-7.html

Rule of thumb on upgrades is that you need to go three levels up from your current card to see a difference.

Honestly, your card is still a worthy contender. To find something better and also under $200 is going to be a stretch.
 
I was really considering just adding another card in crossfire for about $100 since they're going for cheap, but I'd probably need a new PSU and I've heard crossfire can be buggy.
 
Hey guys. Looks like my PSU is starting to fail so I was in the market for a new one - can anyone suggest some compatible ones for my setup?

Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz
ASUS P7P55D-E LX LGA 1156
G.SKILL 4GB 240-Pin DDR3
Western Digital 1TB 7200
EVGA 896-P3-1255-AR GeForce GTX 260

I was looking at these two currently:
OCZ ModXStream Pro 600W
CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W

Thanks for any advice and help!
 
Hey guys...my computer looks to be...well, dead. It's having a ton of issues and doesn't work more often than it does now, so I'm stuck on my 10 year old laptop at the moment. I need a new system, I'm almost certain of it...trouble is, I'm unemployed and don't really have the money to afford one, but without one I can't imagine I'll be able to get employed, so yeah.

Anyway...does anyone know of either a good, cheap build or even a prebuilt company's sale or refurbished or something I can get? It doesn't need to be great, doesn't even need to be gaming capable at all really...it just needs to be cheap and good enough for extensive internet browsing and such. Thanks...
 
[quote name='dudestorm']Hey guys. Looks like my PSU is starting to fail so I was in the market for a new one - can anyone suggest some compatible ones for my setup?

Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz
ASUS P7P55D-E LX LGA 1156
G.SKILL 4GB 240-Pin DDR3
Western Digital 1TB 7200
EVGA 896-P3-1255-AR GeForce GTX 260

I was looking at these two currently:
OCZ ModXStream Pro 600W
CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W

Thanks for any advice and help![/QUOTE]


I just finished my build a few weeks ago and put a CorsairGS700 in it. So far i am very happy with it, but when I do buy my next PSU I think I'll definitely go modular, theres a pretty good mess of unused wires in there, and its kinda a tight fit in my case (Cooler Master 430 Elite)
 
[quote name='DrowVampyre']Hey guys...my computer looks to be...well, dead. It's having a ton of issues and doesn't work more often than it does now, so I'm stuck on my 10 year old laptop at the moment. I need a new system, I'm almost certain of it...trouble is, I'm unemployed and don't really have the money to afford one, but without one I can't imagine I'll be able to get employed, so yeah.

Anyway...does anyone know of either a good, cheap build or even a prebuilt company's sale or refurbished or something I can get? It doesn't need to be great, doesn't even need to be gaming capable at all really...it just needs to be cheap and good enough for extensive internet browsing and such. Thanks...[/QUOTE]


Get a netbook. Should be able to swing one for about $250-$300, maybe even less if you buy an older model. The Asus EEE PC series are usually priced fairly. I purchased my 1005HA 4 and half years ago for $350 shipped.

Don't expect any gaming to be done on it. but it does a pretty good job with movies and has an awesome battery life (over 4 years later and it still pulls 8 hours on a full charge!).
 
The integrated graphics on the motherboard of my laptop(or it might just be the motherboard) has crapped out after 2 years. Dissapointed in the lifetime of it, but I think I may want to upgrade now.

Is it possible to build a gaming PC within the price range of $650-$700 ?(monitor included in the price, already have Mouse and Keyboard though)

How good would the computer be at this price, can it play most new games at higher settings?

I have no idea about most hardware, but I'm sure I can put one together.

Also, is it possible to transfer files/programs from my dead laptop onto the new PC?

One more question: Would it be possible to somehow transfer over Windows 7 to the new computer?
 
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[quote name='ral1121']Is it possible to build a gaming PC within the price range of $650-$700 ?(monitor included in the price, already have Mouse and Keyboard though)

How good would the computer be at this price, can it play most new games at higher settings?

I have no idea about most hardware, but I'm sure I can put one together.

Also, is it possible to transfer files/programs from my dead laptop onto the new PC?

One more question: Would it be possible to somehow transfer over Windows 7 to the new computer?[/QUOTE]

Yes, but your budget is basically about $550, so you won't be getting an i5 / 670 gtx.

Yes.

Yes, assuming your hdd didn't die. The easiest way is to put it in a 2.5" USB enclosure. Especially if you already have one.

Not really. Laptop preinstalled Windows are OEM, and licensed for only that laptop.
 
As it goes based on most MSRP:

$450-$600 = a decent gaming PC, but it will still be sub HD resolutions (meaning you can play games on high settings, but only at resolutions below 1080p) Will last to play the latest PC games, but at expect to keep dropping your resolutions/texture settings to maintain decent fps (45+).

$600-$800= HD quality gaming with a majority of all games @ 1080p with high to max settings. Future proofed to 3 years.

$800-$1500= Premium gaming. With a monitor that supports resolutions above 1080p this rig will be able to play all games at a superior performance that is above the HD standard. Future proofed to 4-5 years.

$1500 and up= Maximum Gaming. This kind of system is for those that want clear 60+ FPS @ 1440p with setting set to Ultra. These rigs are usually future proofed for the next 6-7 years.
 
Thanks for the help.

If I go with a $700 set, lets say for instance my PC wouldn't be able to run GTA V or some other game at higher settings in the future with a good FPS, could this PC be upgradeable as the years go by to make it a better machine?

I don't have to sink another 700 dollars for an upgrade right?
 
[quote name='ral1121']Thanks for the help.

If I go with a $700 set, lets say for instance my PC wouldn't be able to run GTA V or some other game at higher settings in the future with a good FPS, could this PC be upgradeable as the years go by to make it a better machine?

I don't have to sink another 700 dollars for an upgrade right?[/QUOTE]


I can't tell you what GTA 5 will be like on PC. If GTA 4 is any indication, then everyone will still have problems running the game (GTA 4 was poorly optimized for PC gaming).

I can tell you that if you can swing a 560ti in that $700 PC then you will be set to play pretty much every game at max or near max 1080p for the next 3-4 years. The expensive PCs are not just based on PC parts but also include additional prices from the case, PSU, liquid cooling and the likes.

If you are building your first gaming PC, I would suggest to not exceed $800 (tower only). Gives you practice on how to build without worrying about breaking expensive hardware.
 
[quote name='ral1121']Thanks for the help.

If I go with a $700 set, lets say for instance my PC wouldn't be able to run GTA V or some other game at higher settings in the future with a good FPS, could this PC be upgradeable as the years go by to make it a better machine?

I don't have to sink another 700 dollars for an upgrade right?[/QUOTE]

Well, depends on how you go about it. The HDD and video cards are usually easier to upgrade in the future. The processor and motherboard, probably not. If you really are planning to upgrade down the line, I'd personally get a weaker graphics card.
 
[quote name='elessar123'] If you really are planning to upgrade down the line, I'd personally get a weaker graphics card.[/QUOTE]


Never skip on the graphics card :D
 
That is a solid build, the 7870 is still a pretty awesome card. I am bit weary on the CPU. I have a 975 BE which is just a step up on the 965 and honestly, there are better CPUs out there for a better price.

That $200 micro center i5-2500K + mobo deal is the best thing out there. May not be on sale right now, but they put those things back out every holiday sale so far.

/edit: Yah that $700 build needs to drop the SSD for a better CPU. SSD prices are dropping so much that snagging a 120 gig for under $80 isn't far off. Still a great starting point for anyone trying to put together a solid gaming PC for $700.
 
By looking at that build posted, replacing the AMD with the Intel is a better solution?

I wasn't planning on going SSD anyway so a HHD was my option. Are there any other options to drop down the price a bit without cutting performance? Is there a comparable GPU to that but cheaper?

I can buy the OS separate from the 700 dollar price but I hope to squeeze in some money from the 700 to buy a monitor, nothing fancy though.

That build is a great start for me, so if you guys think that is a good build, I will work around that.

EDIT: in that link there is youtube video, someone posted there that they manage to get 60FPS on BF3 with ultra settings with a 600 dollar build. So are other options?
 
You can spend $500 and play BF3 on ultra with 60FPS...

...in window mode.

We need to know the resolution that that youtuber was playing at. Anything less than 1080 pixels is not HD gaming and honestly, if this is not a factor to you, then save your money for console gaming. Part of the reason you want a PC is for top of the line performance.

Note that you need a different motherboard if you plan to use an intel cpu.
 
This is a list that I came up with regarding your inputs and that list.

I have some credit on Amazon that I plan to use on the OS and may have some left.

could this card be good? http://www.amazon.com/VisionTek-Rad...TF8&colid=11LK1O2UAKFC4&coliid=I24GFX4D3O64V8

This is my other list

Are this things compatible with each other? I don't have much experience in this.

https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=20398305

I see that the intel CPU says integrated graphics. Could the computer be able to run without the need of a dedicated graphics card? I want the computer up and running ASAP and I wouldn't mind waiting on a few deals to be posted on newegg for some cards.


I went with the i 5 3570k instead of the i5 2500k, there is only a 5 dollar difference. Is this a good option?

This can give an edge in performance right? as i wont be setting close to the TV and can turn off some options
 
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Gonna need to share/public that wish list ral1121.

As for the i5 2500K vs i5 3570K

The higher number and newer the model number doesn't always mean better. However, you will go wrong with either one :D
 
won't go wrong, or will go wrong with either one?

I tried to make it public, but I don't if it is working:

https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=20398305

Power Supply: NZXT HALE82 HALE82-650-M 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Certified 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Modular Power Supply


CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000


Case: COOLER MASTER Elite 430 RC-430-KWN1 Black Steel / Plastic Computer Case

RAM: CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Profile Desktop Memory Model CML8GX3M2A1600C9


Storage: Western Digital AV-GP WD3200AUDX 320GB IntelliPower SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive



DVD/CD SAMSUNG 22X DVD Burner SATA Model SH-222BB/BEBE - OEMCOOLER MASTER Elite 430 RC-430-KWN1 Black Steel / Plastic Computer Case


Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Pro4 LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
 
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