You can easily spend more money than you really need to by chasing Crysis performance, IMO.
I see.. Well you recommend upgrade right now to te Core i5 or buy a C2Q? Reading your link i see the Core 2 duo E8600 have a equal or better performance than the Core 2 Quad 9550.
Think with that's processors the PC game's will be a better performance? And other more thing: I see a combo with Core i5 750 + a Foxconn Motheboard P55mx <-- Is this motherboard good?
EDIT: How about a power supply? i have a supply with only 600w, and i have 1DVD-ROM, 2HDD, and a GTS250 Graphic card. Guys think i need a better power suply or is ok with this?
It depends a lot on the PSU since just Watts is pretty meaningless. A GTS250 should run on any decent 400W PSU. 500W should be enough for two of them in SLI.
As for motherboards the safe bets are Gigabyte, MSI, Asus and ASRock (this is the Asus "budget" brand). You can normally pick these based on just the features. Any other brand and I'd want a couple review plus read a good number of the newegg user comments before buying.
lowlylowlycook on
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
I would suggest waiting until the end of CES, it's January 7-10. Intel is going to make a bunch of announcements and introduce their new lineup including new i5s & debut the i3 series & hopefully the i9 as well. Without going into huge detail basiclly this should drop the current i5 & i7 prices.
Otherwise I could spec a nice i7 build for you at a rough price of $900.
It sounds like that may be worth waiting for, and it's not that far away which is good (my old computer is very quickly dying). I am thinking now that I'll go with the i7, especially if the price drops at all in January. Do you recommend any upgrades over the powerhouse build in the first post, or would that be a good build for what I want (with the i7 instead of i5)? Or do you have other recommendations? I would love some links to parts or full names/descriptions at least, since I am a little overwhelmed with all the specs and their meanings in general. Thanks for your help!
So my computer is old and nearing the end of it's life span. For my first replacement, I really need a better case with good airflow and heat reduction, and preferably a quieter one as well. Any recommendations? Cheap is good, but i'm willing to go around 100 if necessary.
This is a good case and it's one sale with extra fans already installed. This is a great deal because it also has free shipping.
What games are you playing? I went from an Athlon X2 4200+ to a Core i5 and saw a significant improvement in practically everything. I think it's a pretty safe bet that someone upgrading from a P4 is going to see a massive improvement
What games are you playing? I went from an Athlon X2 4200+ to a Core i5 and saw a significant improvement in practically everything. I think it's a pretty safe bet that someone upgrading from a P4 is going to see a massive improvement
No, most games are getting CPU bound now. All Unreal Engine games, Crysis, Gamebryo, Frostbite, all require a good cpu more than they do a good graphics card.
I would suggest waiting until the end of CES, it's January 7-10. Intel is going to make a bunch of announcements and introduce their new lineup including new i5s & debut the i3 series & hopefully the i9 as well. Without going into huge detail basiclly this should drop the current i5 & i7 prices.
Otherwise I could spec a nice i7 build for you at a rough price of $900.
It sounds like that may be worth waiting for, and it's not that far away which is good (my old computer is very quickly dying). I am thinking now that I'll go with the i7, especially if the price drops at all in January. Do you recommend any upgrades over the powerhouse build in the first post, or would that be a good build for what I want (with the i7 instead of i5)? Or do you have other recommendations? I would love some links to parts or full names/descriptions at least, since I am a little overwhelmed with all the specs and their meanings in general. Thanks for your help!
It depends a lot on the PSU since just Watts is pretty meaningless. A GTS250 should run on any decent 400W PSU. 500W should be enough for two of them in SLI.
As for motherboards the safe bets are Gigabyte, MSI, Asus and ASRock (this is the Asus "budget" brand). You can normally pick these based on just the features. Any other brand and I'd want a couple review plus read a good number of the newegg user comments before buying.
Ah okay. Thanks for the tips, i looking for references and comments. So, finally you think is better buy a Core i5-750 once for all?
What games are you playing?
Same Question here.
No, most games are getting CPU bound now. All Unreal Engine games, Crysis, Gamebryo, Frostbite, all require a good cpu more than they do a good graphics card.
Oh ok. You say with a Core i5 750, 4 or 6 GB of RAM and a decent graphic card those games will be running a constanly 60fps in mainstream? (check Crysis Warhead for example). What about other games? The Saboteur, Dragon Age's Origins and Batman: Arkham Asylum need a lot of everything settings.
What games are you playing? I went from an Athlon X2 4200+ to a Core i5 and saw a significant improvement in practically everything. I think it's a pretty safe bet that someone upgrading from a P4 is going to see a massive improvement
No, most games are getting CPU bound now. All Unreal Engine games, Crysis, Gamebryo, Frostbite, all require a good cpu more than they do a good graphics card.
This is why I'm consider going from a Core2Duo to a Core2Quad of the same speed (3.0 ghz). I think it'd be a big step up for FSX and ArmaII....but not at a low price.
EDIT: I realize how far I'm behind on this subject. Am I screwed by the fact that I have a LGA 775 motherboard? I mean, there are still a lot of CPUs availble on NewEgg in that format. this is one I had in mind.
Well, I did get my PC about two years ago (and that's the age of the motherboard). I've always hated how short-lived CPU sockets are.
What games are you playing? I went from an Athlon X2 4200+ to a Core i5 and saw a significant improvement in practically everything. I think it's a pretty safe bet that someone upgrading from a P4 is going to see a massive improvement
No, most games are getting CPU bound now. All Unreal Engine games, Crysis, Gamebryo, Frostbite, all require a good cpu more than they do a good graphics card.
This is why I'm consider going from a Core2Duo to a Core2Quad of the same speed (3.0 ghz). I think it'd be a big step up for FSX and ArmaII....but not at a low price.
EDIT: I realize how far I'm behind on this subject. Am I screwed by the fact that I have a LGA 775 motherboard? I mean, there are still a lot of CPUs availble on NewEgg in that format. this is one I had in mind.
Well, I did get my PC about two years ago (and that's the age of the motherboard). I've always hated how short-lived CPU sockets are.
Well that CPU is slightly slower than this one. I don't know, most games won't use the other cores so over $300 seems like a lot.
Oh, and I would never suggest someone running a P4 doesn't need a new CPU and as far as I know I haven't, but upgrading a decent Core 2 cpu isn't a no brainer IMO.
lowlylowlycook on
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
What games are you playing? I went from an Athlon X2 4200+ to a Core i5 and saw a significant improvement in practically everything. I think it's a pretty safe bet that someone upgrading from a P4 is going to see a massive improvement
No, most games are getting CPU bound now. All Unreal Engine games, Crysis, Gamebryo, Frostbite, all require a good cpu more than they do a good graphics card.
This is why I'm consider going from a Core2Duo to a Core2Quad of the same speed (3.0 ghz). I think it'd be a big step up for FSX and ArmaII....but not at a low price.
EDIT: I realize how far I'm behind on this subject. Am I screwed by the fact that I have a LGA 775 motherboard? I mean, there are still a lot of CPUs availble on NewEgg in that format. this is one I had in mind.
Well, I did get my PC about two years ago (and that's the age of the motherboard). I've always hated how short-lived CPU sockets are.
Well that CPU is slightly slower than this one. I don't know, most games won't use the other cores so over $300 seems like a lot.
Oh, and I would never suggest someone running a P4 doesn't need a new CPU and as far as I know I haven't, but upgrading a decent Core 2 cpu isn't a no brainer IMO.
Yeah, I'm torn myself. Two years ago, I had people screaming in my ears (on these forums and elsewhere) "All games use quad core! You're an idiot!", and at this point, I'm starting to consider that they might be right.
To my knowledge, i5 and i7 are carried by the other socket type, and not mine, so I'm screwed (and slightly annoyed) in that regard. So that's why I considered upgrading my GPU instead. I guess trying to find a faster dual-core isn't a non-option, just a bad one.
As it stands, more of the games I play most often--Company of Heroes, WiC, Arma II, FSX--can all take advantage of quad core (to my best knowledge), so that seems like the logical way to go. Other games, however, will get no improvement (hence, the attractiveness of a GPU upgrade). I refuse to believe I'm at an upgrade dead-end though. o_O
To my knowledge, i5 and i7 are carried by the other socket type, and not mine, so I'm screwed (and slightly annoyed) in that regard. So that's why I considered upgrading my GPU instead. I guess trying to find a faster dual-core isn't a non-option, just a bad one.
Same question here. I trying to update my CPU for other more good, after now core i5 used other socket. Basically i want a decent-GPU for play good games the next year in a maximum settings.
Core i5 750, Quad Core Q9550? (same type of socket i have). Just let my know what processor is better for play.
I have 5 or 6 games I cannot play with max settings, 2x msaa, 8x af @1080p and get 60 fps on average (40 - 50s in busy areas)
Saints Row 2 - low 30s with ao off - runs like poo on everything.
STALKER:Clear Sky - low 390s in the am, 40-50s in open areas, low 30s in dense area using medium settings
Shattered Horizon - mid 30s using a mix of low and medium settings
Crysis - high 30s except in heavy action areas (can dip below 20) using a mix of high and very high
Crysis Warhead - same as above
GTAIV - it's cpu bound somewhat but I can get mid 30s with a good balance and a few tweaks from gtaforums
All capcom games using their latest engine (batman, sfiv, re5, etc...) run [email protected] with max settings and room to spare. I can use fraps in most games and still get 60fps with the exception of the games noted above. Heavy cpu intensive games like Arma2 will bring my machine to its knees as will games that use newer effects like sun rays and ssao (ambient occlusion).
I intend to upgrade my video card as soon as I see the offerings from nvidia's dx11 line and the prices become competitive again. The jump to core i7 is compelling, but not enough to justify the cost of the upgrade.
What games are you playing? I went from an Athlon X2 4200+ to a Core i5 and saw a significant improvement in practically everything. I think it's a pretty safe bet that someone upgrading from a P4 is going to see a massive improvement
No, most games are getting CPU bound now. All Unreal Engine games, Crysis, Gamebryo, Frostbite, all require a good cpu more than they do a good graphics card.
This is why I'm consider going from a Core2Duo to a Core2Quad of the same speed (3.0 ghz). I think it'd be a big step up for FSX and ArmaII....but not at a low price.
EDIT: I realize how far I'm behind on this subject. Am I screwed by the fact that I have a LGA 775 motherboard? I mean, there are still a lot of CPUs availble on NewEgg in that format. this is one I had in mind.
Well, I did get my PC about two years ago (and that's the age of the motherboard). I've always hated how short-lived CPU sockets are.
Well that CPU is slightly slower than this one. I don't know, most games won't use the other cores so over $300 seems like a lot.
Oh, and I would never suggest someone running a P4 doesn't need a new CPU and as far as I know I haven't, but upgrading a decent Core 2 cpu isn't a no brainer IMO.
Yeah, I'm torn myself. Two years ago, I had people screaming in my ears (on these forums and elsewhere) "All games use quad core! You're an idiot!", and at this point, I'm starting to consider that they might be right.
To my knowledge, i5 and i7 are carried by the other socket type, and not mine, so I'm screwed (and slightly annoyed) in that regard. So that's why I considered upgrading my GPU instead. I guess trying to find a faster dual-core isn't a non-option, just a bad one.
As it stands, more of the games I play most often--Company of Heroes, WiC, Arma II, FSX--can all take advantage of quad core (to my best knowledge), so that seems like the logical way to go. Other games, however, will get no improvement (hence, the attractiveness of a GPU upgrade). I refuse to believe I'm at an upgrade dead-end though. o_O
For the price of the Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650 you listed you could easily upgrade to a Core i5 & mobo. Really all I would need to know is what type of ram you're using. Even then 2gig sticks aren't that much now a days.
Gerarrv, Here are a few games I have, the average fps I get, and the system specs.
0.o Thanks man!
Well i said in other's pages, i'm not running the game's in more resolution than 1024*769. I only have a LG LCD 15 Inch monitor, and not 1080p.
I'm only trying to Run those games in maximum with a normal-low resolution with my graphic card and other CPU (a Core 2 Quad or Core i5).
What processor Recommend you? you think with a C2Q 9550 will be okay for the games a constanly 60fps in maximum? or is better the core i5?
Depends on what you tell me i buy a new GPU or not. It is also thought to future. If I buy one of these two processors, i don't change it in a 2 o 3 years.
Gerarrv, Here are a few games I have, the average fps I get, and the system specs.
0.o Thanks man!
Well i said in other's pages, i'm not running the game's in more resolution than 1024*769. I only have a LG LCD 15 Inch monitor, and not 1080p.
I'm only trying to Run those games in maximum with a normal-low resolution with my graphic card and other CPU (a Core 2 Quad or Core i5).
What processor Recommend you? you think with a C2Q 9550 will be okay for the games a constantly 60fps in maximum? or is better the core i5?
Depends on what you tell me i buy a new GPU or not. It is also thought to future. If I buy one of these two processors, i don't change it in a 2 o 3 years.
The Core i5 is a better CPU. It has L3 cache while the C2Q 9550 does not.
The Core i5 is a better CPU. It has L3 cache while the C2Q 9550 does not.
Okey, that's all. Im triying to buy it the next year.
Thanks for the tips!
GerarRv on
0
VariableMouth CongressStroke Me Lady FameRegistered Userregular
edited December 2009
I'm not totally clear on the OP with what's outdated.
is the powerhouse build up to date? I mentioned already I'm looking to do video editing but it was a few pages ago so I'm saying it again. I know I was told that gaming has surpassed editing in videocard demands... but as I do game and am sorta going all out with this I'll probably still get a top end card.
ummm oh, is this an okay thread to ask for monitor recommendations in? I want to get a 24 inch monitor, that I'll plan to use with my 20 incher, but I'm kinda of scared to make the call by myself since it is the largest individual investment in the entire build.
I don't need a soundcard, do need a case because I don't want to take apart my old machine (besides the soundcard which I'll maybe get cheap replacement for) though I may just get another of what I have, I like it a lot.
looking at an SSD for my windows install, don't mind if that's not huge, and then probably a terabyte internal or external (I'll go external unless internals are considered more reliable... any advice?) to hold my video stuff that I'm not working on.
obviously want a quadcore as I see the OP build has, and a fair amount of RAM, not sure how much yet but honestly push for as much as I can get. or as much as is useful. I am not constrained with this build so I want to go right on the edge of overboard.
this post was half just to explain myself for future posts and half to ask some questions so thanks if you read through it all! I'll be back
What games are you playing? I went from an Athlon X2 4200+ to a Core i5 and saw a significant improvement in practically everything. I think it's a pretty safe bet that someone upgrading from a P4 is going to see a massive improvement
No, most games are getting CPU bound now. All Unreal Engine games, Crysis, Gamebryo, Frostbite, all require a good cpu more than they do a good graphics card.
This is why I'm consider going from a Core2Duo to a Core2Quad of the same speed (3.0 ghz). I think it'd be a big step up for FSX and ArmaII....but not at a low price.
EDIT: I realize how far I'm behind on this subject. Am I screwed by the fact that I have a LGA 775 motherboard? I mean, there are still a lot of CPUs availble on NewEgg in that format. this is one I had in mind.
Well, I did get my PC about two years ago (and that's the age of the motherboard). I've always hated how short-lived CPU sockets are.
Well that CPU is slightly slower than this one. I don't know, most games won't use the other cores so over $300 seems like a lot.
Oh, and I would never suggest someone running a P4 doesn't need a new CPU and as far as I know I haven't, but upgrading a decent Core 2 cpu isn't a no brainer IMO.
Yeah, I'm torn myself. Two years ago, I had people screaming in my ears (on these forums and elsewhere) "All games use quad core! You're an idiot!", and at this point, I'm starting to consider that they might be right.
To my knowledge, i5 and i7 are carried by the other socket type, and not mine, so I'm screwed (and slightly annoyed) in that regard. So that's why I considered upgrading my GPU instead. I guess trying to find a faster dual-core isn't a non-option, just a bad one.
As it stands, more of the games I play most often--Company of Heroes, WiC, Arma II, FSX--can all take advantage of quad core (to my best knowledge), so that seems like the logical way to go. Other games, however, will get no improvement (hence, the attractiveness of a GPU upgrade). I refuse to believe I'm at an upgrade dead-end though. o_O
For the price of the Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650 you listed you could easily upgrade to a Core i5 & mobo. Really all I would need to know is what type of ram you're using. Even then 2gig sticks aren't that much now a days.
I appreciate the recommendations, but I think I'm missing something here--practically speaking, I do not want to replace my motherboard. I like my motherboard. More pressingly, I like the fact that my desktop has all the necessary cables tucked into the walls (in my first build, the cable arrangement was so bad I ruined a PSU because of a bad contact). And I have a feeling getting my motherboard out of my case will be a long, painful, process.
Correct if I'm wrong, but the principle reason for 1) buying a new motherboard 2) going through the trouble of installing it is so I can replace my CPU. Given that I'm getting conflict reports about how much money it's worth investing in a CPU upgrade from my E8400, is it really worth it? I realize I'm behind the curve, but this basically sounds like shooting myself in the foot so I have an excuse to buy new shoes. I'm sure the i5 processors are great and all, but I can get a much higher speed processor for the money I'd save not buying another motherboard.
Am I just missing something blatantly obvious? Is my EVGA 780i really all that horrible? I think I've just been really misinformed about the usefulness of Quad Cores for the past two years.
RAM wise, I'm using 4 sticks of 1 GB 800mhz DDR. Corsair recently replaced all my RAM (Well, not that recently, about six months ago), so I might want to try overclocking again. Assuming I can actually get better instructions than I have in the past. I know successfully overclocking my CPU might shave me a upgrade (and the E8400 is reportedly not a bad choice for upgrading), but I have never managed it without getting crashes after Vista booted up. Unless I actually clear that hurdle, I'm stuck with whatever my CPU comes clocked to by default. Which is a shame, because I'm not really taking advantage of my CPU heatsink.
Synthesis on
0
VariableMouth CongressStroke Me Lady FameRegistered Userregular
edited December 2009
are there new cards coming out in the next month or two? or any big game changers as far as good builds?
but one complaint in the reviews is it's not good if you get the crossfire/sli thing going. as in it doesn't have enough room if you have a pci card (which I do, for a sound card, which yes I'm gonna use even thought this has onboard).
so I have to ask how necessary that is. I think I'd rather get a single nice card and only thing about getting a second in the future. I don't know that it's something I need for moderately high end gaming and video editing, but maybe I'm wrong.
thanks folks. I am looking for answers to my questions as I post but I always ask here first so I can come back and have something to talk about
edit - I'm thinking of getting a blu-ray drive (not burner) and a separate dvd burning drive. I think that would be best since I don't really need to burn blus especially at the price of an individual disc. I guess the best question I can ask for this is simply what are the brands to look at for media drives? lite-on was the way to go last time I built a machine.
bu then again samsung has a nice looking blu-ray playing drive that can burn dvds and cds. only one review though. hrm.
asus also seems to have the best rated 24" monitor and it has a faster response time than the closes samsung (which I looked at first because I love my samsung tv). it says GTG after the response time and I'm not sure what that means... but anyway it's this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236049
I already have a hard drive, so that makes that easy. The case and CPU look good, in my limited knowledge, but....
Would you be willing to spec a whole i7 build, like you mentioned initially? Or anyone, really....
I want a really good computer for gaming and maya, and like I said a few posts ago, I already have a monitor, keyboard, and hard drive and have a leftover budget of $1700. I'll be getting Win7 64bit, too, but that doesn't have to factor into my budget. I just want good hardware, and I want to make sure it is all compatible.
Edit: As a reminder, no need for overclocking, and no SLI please.
Variable: Basically the main thing that might get better is the supply and therefore the price of ATI 5XXX cards will come down. Right now they sell for over retail which is why it's hard to come up with a Powerhouse or E-Peen build I'm really happy with.
Then again, if you want to spend $300 on a motherboard that has 3 decently fast PCI-E slots even though you aren't that interested in Xfire/SLI, maybe the high prices don't really matter to you.
As far as gaming goes the only new stuff we are waiting for is Nvidia's new chips, which probably will be expensive and in short supply since they use TSMC just like ATI and NVidia's chip is even bigger. Also there might be Hydra based motherboards that might give better multi-GPU performance, maybe.
lowlylowlycook on
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
0
VariableMouth CongressStroke Me Lady FameRegistered Userregular
edited December 2009
alright excellent.
well, I went towards that mobo because of it's high feedback on newegg. if sli/xfire isn't something you'd say I should definitely get I'm fine with going for a cheaper mobo. I'm not sure if I'm better off with 2 lesser cards to one better card.
I don't mind spending money but I obviously don't want to 'waste' any. don't need functionality I won't use.
edit - now looking at ASUS P6T LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard because I have a pci soundcard and from the looks of the other board, I won't be able to fit it if I ever get a second video card.
none of that sounds worth waiting for to me. good.
thanks cook, a lot. I'm probably being/gonna be a pain to help so I truly appreciate this.
edit - is the difference between these at all enough to justify the price difference?
I might go duel monitors. see if I can fit it. obviously get both the same though. would that make getting 2 vid cards more necessary? I don't know how this stuff works.
edit - alright, to try and stop making my videocard question so vague... I think I'm going to buy a single ATI Radeon 5870, and I'll have the option for another should I ever feel I 'need' it. unfortunately Sapphire and Diamond brands are sold out, which are two I've used before. anyone know anything about HIS? I can wait for the other stuff to be in stock but, well I'd rather not unless there's a reported difference. I highly doubt it, but I thought it couldn't hurt to ask.
well, I went towards that mobo because of it's high feedback on newegg. if sli/xfire isn't something you'd say I should definitely get I'm fine with going for a cheaper mobo. I'm not sure if I'm better off with 2 lesser cards to one better card.
I don't mind spending money but I obviously don't want to 'waste' any. don't need functionality I won't use.
edit - now looking at ASUS P6T LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard because I have a pci soundcard and from the looks of the other board, I won't be able to fit it if I ever get a second video card.
none of that sounds worth waiting for to me. good.
thanks cook, a lot. I'm probably being/gonna be a pain to help so I truly appreciate this.
edit - is the difference between these at all enough to justify the price difference?
I might go duel monitors. see if I can fit it. obviously get both the same though. would that make getting 2 vid cards more necessary? I don't know how this stuff works.
edit - alright, to try and stop making my videocard question so vague... I think I'm going to buy a single ATI Radeon 5870, and I'll have the option for another should I ever feel I 'need' it. unfortunately Sapphire and Diamond brands are sold out, which are two I've used before. anyone know anything about HIS? I can wait for the other stuff to be in stock but, well I'd rather not unless there's a reported difference. I highly doubt it, but I thought it couldn't hurt to ask.
On your memory, you will not see the difference. The price is for lower timings and more OC head room, means dick unless you are benchmarking things.
psychotix on
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VariableMouth CongressStroke Me Lady FameRegistered Userregular
edited December 2009
thanks!
I've decided for sure that unless I need it for two monitors, I'm just going to go with a single high quality card. I suppose I'll go with the mobo listed in my last post since it's about $70 cheaper and as far as I can tell I lose nothing.
I'll be posting a full build soon, probably edited into this post. always open to any pointers... I don't really follow this stuff but with the help from newegg and this thread I -think- I understand what I need and how it all works together.
edit - okay here we go. yes this is expensive. feel free to criticize or whatever if I'm doing anything dumb.
the only thing that isn't simply a decision on my part that I want advice on but an actual technical lack of knowledge is, what's the best brand for a large hard drive? I believe I can find that info in this thread already, though.
so, another long post but I figured throwing a build out would be the best way to get advice. and then I can cease whoring it up in this thread
any drive will work so long as its a 3.5" with 3.0 gb/s (the max your mobo can take) SATA
but I'd go with seagate or western digital.
also, for the monitors, why do you want built in speakers? especially if you have a nice sound card.
this samsung is cheaper without the speakers and I got my brother the 22" version of this benq which is cheaper still. its cheaper because of the loss in .4 inches due to them using older production screens that are slightly smaller (there was a new rule that said LCDs had to be measured based on actual viewing size instead of the size of the screen they used if I remember right)
Dunadan019 on
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VariableMouth CongressStroke Me Lady FameRegistered Userregular
edited December 2009
I don't actually want speakers, but I didn't realize they had the same one without.
Anyone have any feedback on these components, good or bad? I am particularly interested to hear if anyone has experience with the Antec Mini P180 case. Seems like a great deal right now at $70, but this is my first MicroATX system and I was wondering if there are any gotchas.
Hey all, I'm in the market for a new computer, and I thought "where do I 'know' a bunch of people who know waaaay more about computers than I do?" Thus, I come to the experts.
As for my level of "expertise," I don't think I can handle literally building my own computer, but I'm comfortable with some personal customization (now or in the future), and I don't need to buy from a recognizable brand. On to the questions
What is your total budget? Not counting a monitor and software, I'd say $700 is a realistic limit. I could probably talk the wife into a slight overage in the right situation. What has to be included in that budget? Just an upgrade, just the computer itself or a computer with monitor, mouse and keyboard? Do you have parts from your old computer that you can use? I have a 4 year old Dell (xps 600 I think) that is dead (95% sure it's the power supply) that I could scavenge for parts if needed. I have a keyboard and a mouse. I also have the monitor from that Dell. Is this computer just for gaming and casual computer use or do you have other computationally intensive tasks in mind? Expected uses are gaming (more casual, play maybe 1 or 2 PC games a year, currently need the new PC for Dragon Age), general use (web surfing, word processing), and my wife wants to use it for Photoshop. She is a semi-professional photographer and really puts photoshop to work regularly. She currently uses her laptop for this, but would prefer a desktop. This final use also begs the question of whether or not the 4 year old Dell monitor is good enough to use for photo editing in the latest edition of photoshop. What resolution to you plan on gaming at? No idea, lol. Do you feel the need for cutting edge performance in the most demanding games (*cough* Crysis) or is good performance in most games and "good enough" performance in the most demanding games? Any particular games or upcoming games you care about? Good enough is probably good enough. Other than Dragon Age, maybe World of Warcraft or Warhammer Online, the only other game I would want to be able to play would be the Star Wars KOTOR MMO if it ever comes out. Are you biased towards either ATI/NVidia or Intel/AMD? Nope How long do you want this computer to last? As long as possible. I would be very open to a system that I can add/replace things over time to keep it running for the long term How important is being able to upgrade your computer at a later time? See above.
Hope someone can help.
Feel free to ask for any more info, I'll do my best.
Anyone have any feedback on these components, good or bad? I am particularly interested to hear if anyone has experience with the Antec Mini P180 case. Seems like a great deal right now at $70, but this is my first MicroATX system and I was wondering if there are any gotchas.
Looks good. Only thing I'd say is that your PSU might be more than you'll likely need in such a small case. 500W should really be enough.
lowlylowlycook on
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
Hey all, I'm in the market for a new computer, and I thought "where do I 'know' a bunch of people who know waaaay more about computers than I do?" Thus, I come to the experts.
As for my level of "expertise," I don't think I can handle literally building my own computer, but I'm comfortable with some personal customization (now or in the future), and I don't need to buy from a recognizable brand. On to the questions
What is your total budget? Not counting a monitor and software, I'd say $700 is a realistic limit. I could probably talk the wife into a slight overage in the right situation. What has to be included in that budget? Just an upgrade, just the computer itself or a computer with monitor, mouse and keyboard? Do you have parts from your old computer that you can use? I have a 4 year old Dell (xps 600 I think) that is dead (95% sure it's the power supply) that I could scavenge for parts if needed. I have a keyboard and a mouse. I also have the monitor from that Dell. Is this computer just for gaming and casual computer use or do you have other computationally intensive tasks in mind? Expected uses are gaming (more casual, play maybe 1 or 2 PC games a year, currently need the new PC for Dragon Age), general use (web surfing, word processing), and my wife wants to use it for Photoshop. She is a semi-professional photographer and really puts photoshop to work regularly. She currently uses her laptop for this, but would prefer a desktop. This final use also begs the question of whether or not the 4 year old Dell monitor is good enough to use for photo editing in the latest edition of photoshop. What resolution to you plan on gaming at? No idea, lol. Do you feel the need for cutting edge performance in the most demanding games (*cough* Crysis) or is good performance in most games and "good enough" performance in the most demanding games? Any particular games or upcoming games you care about? Good enough is probably good enough. Other than Dragon Age, maybe World of Warcraft or Warhammer Online, the only other game I would want to be able to play would be the Star Wars KOTOR MMO if it ever comes out. Are you biased towards either ATI/NVidia or Intel/AMD? Nope How long do you want this computer to last? As long as possible. I would be very open to a system that I can add/replace things over time to keep it running for the long term How important is being able to upgrade your computer at a later time? See above.
Hope someone can help.
Feel free to ask for any more info, I'll do my best.
Let me know what resolution your monitor is and I'll see what I can put together.
lowlylowlycook on
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
Anyone have any feedback on these components, good or bad? I am particularly interested to hear if anyone has experience with the Antec Mini P180 case. Seems like a great deal right now at $70, but this is my first MicroATX system and I was wondering if there are any gotchas.
Looks good. Only thing I'd say is that your PSU might be more than you'll likely need in such a small case. 500W should really be enough.
I agree that the PSU is a bit much. I am trying to keep plenty of extra power available for overclocking the CPU and upgrading the GPU in the future. My current system has lasted about 5 years through constant small upgrades and I want to give myself that flexability for future changes.
Cheers.
EDIT: Just ordered the components. I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve. Except Christmas Eve night is going to last about a week because of the New Year's Holiday.
Anyone else experience problems with Sapphire Radeon HD5850 and Win 7 64bit?
When I first built my rig I was using 32 bit and it ran fine. Ever since I upgraded to 64 bit I get "Video driver has stopped responding" errors frequently while doing 2d tasks like desktop browsing, internet surfing, or playing DVDs. Never when gaming, however. I've talked to ATI tech support and RMAd the card once already and that solved nothing, so it's not faulty hardware. I've read and posted on every damn tech support forum, but I thought I'd ask here since the Radeon HD cards are frequently recommended, and since I came here for build recommendations in the first place.
My system:
PSU: OCZ Modstream 500W OCZ500MXSP
Mobo: GIGABYTE GA-P55M-UD2
CPU: i5 750, 2.66G
RAM: OCZ Obsidian 4GB (2 x 2) OCZ3OB1600LV4GK
HDD : Western Digital Caviar Black 500GB
OPTICAL: LITE-ON combo BD/DVD/CD IHES208-08
GPU: Sapphire Radeon HD5850
Running the most current mobo BIOS and chipset drivers. Tried the most recent drivers from ATI as well as rolling back to some earlier hotfix versions from Sapphire's site. Also tried a fix involving increasing the card's idle speed through a Catalyst profile. Ran Memtest overnight with no errors. So far, the problem persists.
Let me know what resolution your monitor is and I'll see what I can put together.
I'm not really sure how to check that, lol
It's a Dell 1907FPc from 2006
Hmmm, part of me wants to tell you that $700 is a price at which building your own computer would pay off nicely.
But part of me thinks that if you don't know how to check your resolution then maybe another Dell might be just the thing.
If you don't know someone that could build your computer in return for some nice beers or dinner or something then you could check out ibuypower,cyberpower or maybe NCIXUS.com.
Just run whatever you might be planning on buying by us before you pull the trigger.
lowlylowlycook on
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
Let me know what resolution your monitor is and I'll see what I can put together.
I'm not really sure how to check that, lol
It's a Dell 1907FPc from 2006
Hmmm, part of me wants to tell you that $700 is a price at which building your own computer would pay off nicely.
But part of me thinks that if you don't know how to check your resolution then maybe another Dell might be just the thing.
If you don't know someone that could build your computer in return for some nice beers or dinner or something then you could check out ibuypower,cyberpower or maybe NCIXUS.com.
Just run whatever you might be planning on buying by us before you pull the trigger.
I think I can handle putting it together (I think )
That's a very nice processor but a barely adequate video card. If you stick with your current monitor it could work OK. If you're upgrading then you might want a better card.
Also the powersupply seems like it might be dodgy to me.
lowlylowlycook on
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
Posts
It depends a lot on the PSU since just Watts is pretty meaningless. A GTS250 should run on any decent 400W PSU. 500W should be enough for two of them in SLI.
As for motherboards the safe bets are Gigabyte, MSI, Asus and ASRock (this is the Asus "budget" brand). You can normally pick these based on just the features. Any other brand and I'd want a couple review plus read a good number of the newegg user comments before buying.
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
It sounds like that may be worth waiting for, and it's not that far away which is good (my old computer is very quickly dying). I am thinking now that I'll go with the i7, especially if the price drops at all in January. Do you recommend any upgrades over the powerhouse build in the first post, or would that be a good build for what I want (with the i7 instead of i5)? Or do you have other recommendations? I would love some links to parts or full names/descriptions at least, since I am a little overwhelmed with all the specs and their meanings in general. Thanks for your help!
Ordered this one. Thanks!
SniperGuyGaming on PSN / SniperGuy710 on Xbone Live
No, most games are getting CPU bound now. All Unreal Engine games, Crysis, Gamebryo, Frostbite, all require a good cpu more than they do a good graphics card.
Barring combos deals here are few basic parts.
This is one of the really good cases, you usually want a case to have free shipping. That will save you at least $20.
Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119160
You'll want a WD Caviar Black drive for your boot drive.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&Description=wd%20caviar%20black&bop=And&ActiveSearchResult=False&Order=PRICE
And the CPU of course. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202
Ah okay. Thanks for the tips, i looking for references and comments. So, finally you think is better buy a Core i5-750 once for all?
Same Question here.
Oh ok. You say with a Core i5 750, 4 or 6 GB of RAM and a decent graphic card those games will be running a constanly 60fps in mainstream? (check Crysis Warhead for example). What about other games? The Saboteur, Dragon Age's Origins and Batman: Arkham Asylum need a lot of everything settings.
This is why I'm consider going from a Core2Duo to a Core2Quad of the same speed (3.0 ghz). I think it'd be a big step up for FSX and ArmaII....but not at a low price.
EDIT: I realize how far I'm behind on this subject. Am I screwed by the fact that I have a LGA 775 motherboard? I mean, there are still a lot of CPUs availble on NewEgg in that format. this is one I had in mind.
Well, I did get my PC about two years ago (and that's the age of the motherboard). I've always hated how short-lived CPU sockets are.
Well that CPU is slightly slower than this one. I don't know, most games won't use the other cores so over $300 seems like a lot.
Oh, and I would never suggest someone running a P4 doesn't need a new CPU and as far as I know I haven't, but upgrading a decent Core 2 cpu isn't a no brainer IMO.
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
Yeah, I'm torn myself. Two years ago, I had people screaming in my ears (on these forums and elsewhere) "All games use quad core! You're an idiot!", and at this point, I'm starting to consider that they might be right.
To my knowledge, i5 and i7 are carried by the other socket type, and not mine, so I'm screwed (and slightly annoyed) in that regard. So that's why I considered upgrading my GPU instead. I guess trying to find a faster dual-core isn't a non-option, just a bad one.
As it stands, more of the games I play most often--Company of Heroes, WiC, Arma II, FSX--can all take advantage of quad core (to my best knowledge), so that seems like the logical way to go. Other games, however, will get no improvement (hence, the attractiveness of a GPU upgrade). I refuse to believe I'm at an upgrade dead-end though. o_O
Same question here. I trying to update my CPU for other more good, after now core i5 used other socket. Basically i want a decent-GPU for play good games the next year in a maximum settings.
Core i5 750, Quad Core Q9550? (same type of socket i have). Just let my know what processor is better for play.
The important bits are
CPU: Intel C2Q 9550 2.83Ghz
RAM: GB PC 1066
VIDEO: XFX GTX 260 Core 216
I have 5 or 6 games I cannot play with max settings, 2x msaa, 8x af @1080p and get 60 fps on average (40 - 50s in busy areas)
Saints Row 2 - low 30s with ao off - runs like poo on everything.
STALKER:Clear Sky - low 390s in the am, 40-50s in open areas, low 30s in dense area using medium settings
Shattered Horizon - mid 30s using a mix of low and medium settings
Crysis - high 30s except in heavy action areas (can dip below 20) using a mix of high and very high
Crysis Warhead - same as above
GTAIV - it's cpu bound somewhat but I can get mid 30s with a good balance and a few tweaks from gtaforums
All capcom games using their latest engine (batman, sfiv, re5, etc...) run [email protected] with max settings and room to spare. I can use fraps in most games and still get 60fps with the exception of the games noted above. Heavy cpu intensive games like Arma2 will bring my machine to its knees as will games that use newer effects like sun rays and ssao (ambient occlusion).
I intend to upgrade my video card as soon as I see the offerings from nvidia's dx11 line and the prices become competitive again. The jump to core i7 is compelling, but not enough to justify the cost of the upgrade.
For the price of the Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650 you listed you could easily upgrade to a Core i5 & mobo. Really all I would need to know is what type of ram you're using. Even then 2gig sticks aren't that much now a days.
EDIT 1:
Cheaper Quad Core, just get a better cooler and OC it. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115057
EDIT 2:
Ok here's some memory that's low latency and from a respectable: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231276
Core i5
Cheap LGA 1156 mobo from a respectable company.
Here are two Core i5 combos.
Combo 1: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.309193
Combo 2: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.303516
0.o Thanks man!
Well i said in other's pages, i'm not running the game's in more resolution than 1024*769. I only have a LG LCD 15 Inch monitor, and not 1080p.
I'm only trying to Run those games in maximum with a normal-low resolution with my graphic card and other CPU (a Core 2 Quad or Core i5).
What processor Recommend you? you think with a C2Q 9550 will be okay for the games a constanly 60fps in maximum? or is better the core i5?
Depends on what you tell me i buy a new GPU or not. It is also thought to future. If I buy one of these two processors, i don't change it in a 2 o 3 years.
The Core i5 is a better CPU. It has L3 cache while the C2Q 9550 does not.
Okey, that's all. Im triying to buy it the next year.
Thanks for the tips!
is the powerhouse build up to date? I mentioned already I'm looking to do video editing but it was a few pages ago so I'm saying it again. I know I was told that gaming has surpassed editing in videocard demands... but as I do game and am sorta going all out with this I'll probably still get a top end card.
ummm oh, is this an okay thread to ask for monitor recommendations in? I want to get a 24 inch monitor, that I'll plan to use with my 20 incher, but I'm kinda of scared to make the call by myself since it is the largest individual investment in the entire build.
I don't need a soundcard, do need a case because I don't want to take apart my old machine (besides the soundcard which I'll maybe get cheap replacement for) though I may just get another of what I have, I like it a lot.
looking at an SSD for my windows install, don't mind if that's not huge, and then probably a terabyte internal or external (I'll go external unless internals are considered more reliable... any advice?) to hold my video stuff that I'm not working on.
obviously want a quadcore as I see the OP build has, and a fair amount of RAM, not sure how much yet but honestly push for as much as I can get. or as much as is useful. I am not constrained with this build so I want to go right on the edge of overboard.
this post was half just to explain myself for future posts and half to ask some questions so thanks if you read through it all! I'll be back
Intel Core i5 750.
MotherBoard Foxconn P55mx
DDR3 4GB RAM.
Nvidia XFX GTS250 Core Edition 1GB.
1 DVD/CD ROM.
2 HDD, One of 1TB and the other of 80GB.
does a newegg 'preferred account' simply mean that you have their credit card?
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
I appreciate the recommendations, but I think I'm missing something here--practically speaking, I do not want to replace my motherboard. I like my motherboard. More pressingly, I like the fact that my desktop has all the necessary cables tucked into the walls (in my first build, the cable arrangement was so bad I ruined a PSU because of a bad contact). And I have a feeling getting my motherboard out of my case will be a long, painful, process.
Correct if I'm wrong, but the principle reason for 1) buying a new motherboard 2) going through the trouble of installing it is so I can replace my CPU. Given that I'm getting conflict reports about how much money it's worth investing in a CPU upgrade from my E8400, is it really worth it? I realize I'm behind the curve, but this basically sounds like shooting myself in the foot so I have an excuse to buy new shoes. I'm sure the i5 processors are great and all, but I can get a much higher speed processor for the money I'd save not buying another motherboard.
Am I just missing something blatantly obvious? Is my EVGA 780i really all that horrible? I think I've just been really misinformed about the usefulness of Quad Cores for the past two years.
RAM wise, I'm using 4 sticks of 1 GB 800mhz DDR. Corsair recently replaced all my RAM (Well, not that recently, about six months ago), so I might want to try overclocking again. Assuming I can actually get better instructions than I have in the past. I know successfully overclocking my CPU might shave me a upgrade (and the E8400 is reportedly not a bad choice for upgrading), but I have never managed it without getting crashes after Vista booted up. Unless I actually clear that hurdle, I'm stuck with whatever my CPU comes clocked to by default. Which is a shame, because I'm not really taking advantage of my CPU heatsink.
don't know if I'll wait anyway but I'm curious.
edit - I'm thinking of getting this board http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131614
but one complaint in the reviews is it's not good if you get the crossfire/sli thing going. as in it doesn't have enough room if you have a pci card (which I do, for a sound card, which yes I'm gonna use even thought this has onboard).
so I have to ask how necessary that is. I think I'd rather get a single nice card and only thing about getting a second in the future. I don't know that it's something I need for moderately high end gaming and video editing, but maybe I'm wrong.
thanks folks. I am looking for answers to my questions as I post but I always ask here first so I can come back and have something to talk about
edit - I'm thinking of getting a blu-ray drive (not burner) and a separate dvd burning drive. I think that would be best since I don't really need to burn blus especially at the price of an individual disc. I guess the best question I can ask for this is simply what are the brands to look at for media drives? lite-on was the way to go last time I built a machine.
bu then again samsung has a nice looking blu-ray playing drive that can burn dvds and cds. only one review though. hrm.
asus also seems to have the best rated 24" monitor and it has a faster response time than the closes samsung (which I looked at first because I love my samsung tv). it says GTG after the response time and I'm not sure what that means... but anyway it's this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236049
I already have a hard drive, so that makes that easy.
Would you be willing to spec a whole i7 build, like you mentioned initially? Or anyone, really....
I want a really good computer for gaming and maya, and like I said a few posts ago, I already have a monitor, keyboard, and hard drive and have a leftover budget of $1700. I'll be getting Win7 64bit, too, but that doesn't have to factor into my budget. I just want good hardware, and I want to make sure it is all compatible.
Edit: As a reminder, no need for overclocking, and no SLI please.
Then again, if you want to spend $300 on a motherboard that has 3 decently fast PCI-E slots even though you aren't that interested in Xfire/SLI, maybe the high prices don't really matter to you.
As far as gaming goes the only new stuff we are waiting for is Nvidia's new chips, which probably will be expensive and in short supply since they use TSMC just like ATI and NVidia's chip is even bigger. Also there might be Hydra based motherboards that might give better multi-GPU performance, maybe.
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
well, I went towards that mobo because of it's high feedback on newegg. if sli/xfire isn't something you'd say I should definitely get I'm fine with going for a cheaper mobo. I'm not sure if I'm better off with 2 lesser cards to one better card.
I don't mind spending money but I obviously don't want to 'waste' any. don't need functionality I won't use.
edit - now looking at ASUS P6T LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard because I have a pci soundcard and from the looks of the other board, I won't be able to fit it if I ever get a second video card.
none of that sounds worth waiting for to me. good.
thanks cook, a lot. I'm probably being/gonna be a pain to help so I truly appreciate this.
edit - is the difference between these at all enough to justify the price difference?
[url=" http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145222"]CORSAIR XMS3 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TR3X6G1600C9[/url]
CORSAIR DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TR3X6G1600C8D
edit - I really hate trying to find quality monitor reviews. currently between SAMSUNG 2494HM Glossy Black 24" 5ms HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 DC 50000:1 (1000:1) Built in Speakers and ASUS VW246H Glossy Black 24" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 ASCR 20000:1 (1000:1) Built in Speakers. Very very open to suggestion though.
I might go duel monitors. see if I can fit it. obviously get both the same though. would that make getting 2 vid cards more necessary? I don't know how this stuff works.
edit - alright, to try and stop making my videocard question so vague... I think I'm going to buy a single ATI Radeon 5870, and I'll have the option for another should I ever feel I 'need' it. unfortunately Sapphire and Diamond brands are sold out, which are two I've used before. anyone know anything about HIS? I can wait for the other stuff to be in stock but, well I'd rather not unless there's a reported difference. I highly doubt it, but I thought it couldn't hurt to ask.
On your memory, you will not see the difference. The price is for lower timings and more OC head room, means dick unless you are benchmarking things.
I've decided for sure that unless I need it for two monitors, I'm just going to go with a single high quality card. I suppose I'll go with the mobo listed in my last post since it's about $70 cheaper and as far as I can tell I lose nothing.
I'll be posting a full build soon, probably edited into this post. always open to any pointers... I don't really follow this stuff but with the help from newegg and this thread I -think- I understand what I need and how it all works together.
edit - okay here we go. yes this is expensive. feel free to criticize or whatever if I'm doing anything dumb.
Processor - Intel Core i7-920 Bloomfield 2.66GHz 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor
RAM - CORSAIR XMS3 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TR3X6G1600C9
Video Card - HIS H587F1GDG Radeon HD 5870 (Cypress XT) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card w/ATI Eyefinity
Sound Card - my currently installed auzentech f-fi prelude
Hard Drive - OCZ Agility Series OCZSSD2-1AGT120G 2.5" 120GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
Blu-ray Drive - SAMSUNG 8X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM SATA Internal Blu-ray Combo Model SH-B083L/RSBP LightScribe Support
Not 100% sold on this but it seems to make the most sense. I may get another drive in the future since having 2 has always been convenient for me and the one I have right now is about 5 years old and nearly dead, but for now this does what I need. burns cds and dvds and plays blu-rays.
Power Supply - CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply
Case - Antec Twelve Hundred Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case
I love the Nine Hundred, using it right now, but I'd like some extra space. This is almost the only thing I had my mind made up on before I started.
Monitor - EITHER
SAMSUNG 2494HM Glossy Black 24" 5ms HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 DC 50000:1 (1000:1) Built in Speakers
OR
ASUS VW246H Glossy Black 24" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 ASCR 20000:1 (1000:1) Built in Speakers
This is still entirely up on the air, and I'd be open to advice even on another monitor entirely, as long as it's 24 inch.
the only thing that isn't simply a decision on my part that I want advice on but an actual technical lack of knowledge is, what's the best brand for a large hard drive? I believe I can find that info in this thread already, though.
so, another long post but I figured throwing a build out would be the best way to get advice. and then I can cease whoring it up in this thread
thanks very much, again.
Batmans an EIDOS/Squaresoft game running on UE3...
Nice info though - I was wondering about the Capcom games and my PC. I should have no problems with them.
for instance, this western digital 1.5 TB drive for $110
any drive will work so long as its a 3.5" with 3.0 gb/s (the max your mobo can take) SATA
but I'd go with seagate or western digital.
also, for the monitors, why do you want built in speakers? especially if you have a nice sound card.
this samsung is cheaper without the speakers and I got my brother the 22" version of this benq which is cheaper still. its cheaper because of the loss in .4 inches due to them using older production screens that are slightly smaller (there was a new rule that said LCDs had to be measured based on actual viewing size instead of the size of the screen they used if I remember right)
thanks a lot duna.
Here's the component list:
GIGABYTE GA-P55M-UD2 LGA 1156 Intel P55 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Antec EarthWatts EA650 650W Continuous Power ATX12V Ver.2.2 / EPS12V version 2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified ... - Retail
Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80605I5750 - Retail
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-10600CL8D-4GBHK - Retail
Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
3 components brought over from my current system:
ATI Radeon 4850
WD 1TB HDD
DVD Burner
Anyone have any feedback on these components, good or bad? I am particularly interested to hear if anyone has experience with the Antec Mini P180 case. Seems like a great deal right now at $70, but this is my first MicroATX system and I was wondering if there are any gotchas.
As for my level of "expertise," I don't think I can handle literally building my own computer, but I'm comfortable with some personal customization (now or in the future), and I don't need to buy from a recognizable brand. On to the questions
What is your total budget? Not counting a monitor and software, I'd say $700 is a realistic limit. I could probably talk the wife into a slight overage in the right situation.
What has to be included in that budget? Just an upgrade, just the computer itself or a computer with monitor, mouse and keyboard? Do you have parts from your old computer that you can use? I have a 4 year old Dell (xps 600 I think) that is dead (95% sure it's the power supply) that I could scavenge for parts if needed. I have a keyboard and a mouse. I also have the monitor from that Dell.
Is this computer just for gaming and casual computer use or do you have other computationally intensive tasks in mind? Expected uses are gaming (more casual, play maybe 1 or 2 PC games a year, currently need the new PC for Dragon Age), general use (web surfing, word processing), and my wife wants to use it for Photoshop. She is a semi-professional photographer and really puts photoshop to work regularly. She currently uses her laptop for this, but would prefer a desktop. This final use also begs the question of whether or not the 4 year old Dell monitor is good enough to use for photo editing in the latest edition of photoshop.
What resolution to you plan on gaming at? No idea, lol.
Do you feel the need for cutting edge performance in the most demanding games (*cough* Crysis) or is good performance in most games and "good enough" performance in the most demanding games? Any particular games or upcoming games you care about? Good enough is probably good enough. Other than Dragon Age, maybe World of Warcraft or Warhammer Online, the only other game I would want to be able to play would be the Star Wars KOTOR MMO if it ever comes out.
Are you biased towards either ATI/NVidia or Intel/AMD? Nope
How long do you want this computer to last? As long as possible. I would be very open to a system that I can add/replace things over time to keep it running for the long term
How important is being able to upgrade your computer at a later time? See above.
Hope someone can help.
Feel free to ask for any more info, I'll do my best.
Looks good. Only thing I'd say is that your PSU might be more than you'll likely need in such a small case. 500W should really be enough.
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
Let me know what resolution your monitor is and I'll see what I can put together.
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
I'm not really sure how to check that, lol
It's a Dell 1907FPc from 2006
I agree that the PSU is a bit much. I am trying to keep plenty of extra power available for overclocking the CPU and upgrading the GPU in the future. My current system has lasted about 5 years through constant small upgrades and I want to give myself that flexability for future changes.
Cheers.
EDIT: Just ordered the components. I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve. Except Christmas Eve night is going to last about a week because of the New Year's Holiday.
When I first built my rig I was using 32 bit and it ran fine. Ever since I upgraded to 64 bit I get "Video driver has stopped responding" errors frequently while doing 2d tasks like desktop browsing, internet surfing, or playing DVDs. Never when gaming, however. I've talked to ATI tech support and RMAd the card once already and that solved nothing, so it's not faulty hardware. I've read and posted on every damn tech support forum, but I thought I'd ask here since the Radeon HD cards are frequently recommended, and since I came here for build recommendations in the first place.
My system:
PSU: OCZ Modstream 500W OCZ500MXSP
Mobo: GIGABYTE GA-P55M-UD2
CPU: i5 750, 2.66G
RAM: OCZ Obsidian 4GB (2 x 2) OCZ3OB1600LV4GK
HDD : Western Digital Caviar Black 500GB
OPTICAL: LITE-ON combo BD/DVD/CD IHES208-08
GPU: Sapphire Radeon HD5850
Running the most current mobo BIOS and chipset drivers. Tried the most recent drivers from ATI as well as rolling back to some earlier hotfix versions from Sapphire's site. Also tried a fix involving increasing the card's idle speed through a Catalyst profile. Ran Memtest overnight with no errors. So far, the problem persists.
Hmmm, part of me wants to tell you that $700 is a price at which building your own computer would pay off nicely.
But part of me thinks that if you don't know how to check your resolution then maybe another Dell might be just the thing.
If you don't know someone that could build your computer in return for some nice beers or dinner or something then you could check out ibuypower,cyberpower or maybe NCIXUS.com.
Just run whatever you might be planning on buying by us before you pull the trigger.
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
On another forum, someone suggested http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5509087&CatId=4910
I think I can handle putting it together (I think
Any suggestions on a monitor? Or do you think a 3 year old Dell monitor will work for most photoshopping?
That's a very nice processor but a barely adequate video card. If you stick with your current monitor it could work OK. If you're upgrading then you might want a better card.
Also the powersupply seems like it might be dodgy to me.
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)