In a magical concurrence, I've got some tax refunds coming my way at the same time that my laptop appears to be dying. I don't have a ton of money to spend, so I'm leaning towards building my own rather than buying a premade. But I've got some questions that I hope y'all can help me with; thanks in advance.
1) I've never built a computer before. I consider myself reasonably tech savvy though by no means an expert. I've read through the "how to build a computer" links in the OP, but I'm still not entirely confident and I certainly don't want to wind up with a $700 brick. Is this something I'll be able to do by myself?
2) I'm leaning towards the "bang for the buck" build in the OP, as I don't know enough about components to try to piece together something on my own. Is this still a reasonable way to go? Is there anything about it that you all would change at this point? How about upgradeability; will I be able to swap out the weak links in a couple of years or will there be any problem with that?
3) Software questions: OK, so obviously I have to buy a copy of Win 7. What about stuff like a browser? As I've only bought premades in the past, IE came preinstalled, and I downloaded a copy of Firefox. But how to download a browser without a browser? Or do I stick a copy of the Firefox installer on a DVD, or something? As for productivity software, I have an OEM copy of Office 2007 that came with my last computer; will I be able to install this on the new one? Or will I have to buy a new copy/download OpenOffice?
4) Seriously, I'm really not going to break this thing?
Sorry, I know these are noob questions, but I appreciate the help. Thank you.
Shadowen, are you planning to overclock your CPU? If not, there should be no need for an $80 cooler.
Do you think you might want to run 2 5870s in Xfire? If not, then you could probably save a bundle on your PSU and maybe some on the motherboard.
Also you don't really need more than 4 GB of RAM.
Anyway, I'd say that a SSD would be a better investment than that stuff and , at 1080p, would also think about sticking with a 5850.
No, two of those running together would be a little overkill. At least for now...
Hrmm...
Okay, new system. Changes include 5850 instead of 5870, reduced RAM (4GB instead of 8), less expensive power supply (it's on special this week), smaller HD, less expensive cooling unit (do such things usually come onboard?--if so, I might be able to take that out entirely), slightly less costly mobo and case, and OEM instead of retail Office.
Total cost, including assembly, $1847.80. So that's better than before, clearly, but how do you guys estimate cost vs. performance?
Retail CPUs come with CPU coolers. As long as you're not planning to over clock it should work fine for now. With the newer Core i7 930 you really don't need to over clock anyway. On top of that I'm not sure how could that cooler you picked is. Check test site reviews on those things before you buy.
Also, WD green drives are not the best as a main drive. That Asus Mobo you picked has a combo for a WD Black iTB for $99, go with that.
As for your case, with an i7 you're going to want breathing room and plenty of fans. Get yourself a bigger case.
In a magical concurrence, I've got some tax refunds coming my way at the same time that my laptop appears to be dying. I don't have a ton of money to spend, so I'm leaning towards building my own rather than buying a premade. But I've got some questions that I hope y'all can help me with; thanks in advance.
1) I've never built a computer before. I consider myself reasonably tech savvy though by no means an expert. I've read through the "how to build a computer" links in the OP, but I'm still not entirely confident and I certainly don't want to wind up with a $700 brick. Is this something I'll be able to do by myself?
2) I'm leaning towards the "bang for the buck" build in the OP, as I don't know enough about components to try to piece together something on my own. Is this still a reasonable way to go? Is there anything about it that you all would change at this point? How about upgradeability; will I be able to swap out the weak links in a couple of years or will there be any problem with that?
3) Software questions: OK, so obviously I have to buy a copy of Win 7. What about stuff like a browser? As I've only bought premades in the past, IE came preinstalled, and I downloaded a copy of Firefox. But how to download a browser without a browser? Or do I stick a copy of the Firefox installer on a DVD, or something? As for productivity software, I have an OEM copy of Office 2007 that came with my last computer; will I be able to install this on the new one? Or will I have to buy a new copy/download OpenOffice?
4) Seriously, I'm really not going to break this thing?
Sorry, I know these are noob questions, but I appreciate the help. Thank you.
Well lucky for all of us IE8 comes preinstalled on Win7. I'm not a fan of Firefox but you'll be able to download anything you want, I would start with MSE.
Let me look at the current builds then I'll comment on the rest.
I'm just stopping by to say that the Core i5-750 suggestion that I got back in Nov/Dec of last year was a great one. I love this thing. It blows through just about anything I throw at it. Like at the moment the Task Manager is showing that Handbrake's encoder is using all 4 cores, taking a 1280x720 rip of a 2hr long movie I've got down to an iPhone compatible file and it's gonna take 25 minutes total. <evil laugh>
Well, Mrs. Detroit is interested in upgrading our house, and I kinda concur that we need more space. So I'm gonna have to suffer with my 5-year-old system for a little while longer...although I'm wondering if I could try and pop a new 775-based CPU in there. (Note: it's a Dell, and CPU isn't one of the upgrade options they give...) I'm just wondering if it would be worth it to try swapping in some sort of $100-range CPU and get a decent performance boost until more money frees up?
For what it's worth, the relevant current system specs are P4-630 (3.0 GHz), Windows XP, 4.5 GB DDR2 800 (3.25 GB seen by XP), and a GeForce 7600 GT.
Building your own computer isn't rocket science, there's a lot of "piece a fits into slot b, put it there".
However, I would be hesitant to suggest it to someone asking me whether or not windows comes preinstalled with a browser program, and if not, what methods would be best for transferring an install file.
I don't mean to be rude, it's just that in selecting components that build up a computer there is a lot to consider, and there's a big difference between watching it on youtube and actually doing it. At the very least I would sit down with a search engine, and seriously research why you need each part, so that you understand better what you're putting together and what your individual needs will be on this project.
Putting together enough pieces until you have something that boots up is easy. Managing airflow in an elegant way, cable clutter, identifying and eliminating bottlenecks based purely on spec information before you've ever touched the hardware, that's the hard part.
Well lucky for all of us IE8 comes preinstalled on Win7. I'm not a fan of Firefox but you'll be able to download anything you want, I would start with MSE.
Let me look at the current builds then I'll comment on the rest.
Building your own computer isn't rocket science, there's a lot of "piece a fits into slot b, put it there".
However, I would be hesitant to suggest it to someone asking me whether or not windows comes preinstalled with a browser program, and if not, what methods would be best for transferring an install file.
I don't mean to be rude, it's just that in selecting components that build up a computer there is a lot to consider, and there's a big difference between watching it on you tube and actually do it. At the very least I would sit down with a search engine, and seriously research why you need each part, so that you understand better what you're putting together and what your individual needs will be on this project.
Putting together enough pieces until you have something that boots up is easy. Managing airflow in an elegant way, cable clutter, identifying and eliminating bottlenecks based purely on spec information before you've ever touched the hardware, that's the hard part.
I don't think that's rude at all; that's exactly what I was looking for.
I think what I'll likely do at this point is to buy the components, but to try to find someone local who'll put them together for me, and pay him/her a little bit extra to let me watch. :winky: I really would like to learn how to put together a machine by myself, but I might like a little hand-holding along the way.
I was hoping to upgrade my video card from an Nvidia 8800 gts to either an ATI 5750 or 5770, however I noticed that both have a minimum requirement of a 450W PSU. Mine is only 400W.
HOWEVER the OP makes a point to note that the wattage isn't necessarily such a big deal, and in fact the sample budget build has a 400W power supply with a 5750 that claims to require 450W.
HOWEVER HOWEVER the OP also says you want at least 28 amps on the 12 volt rail, which I definitely don't have. I think it's more around 18.
So... I guess I'm looking for some guidance on whether or not I'm likely to need a new PSU if I want to upgrade my graphics card. Thanks!
I was hoping to upgrade my video card from an Nvidia 8800 gts to either an ATI 5750 or 5770, however I noticed that both have a minimum requirement of a 450W PSU. Mine is only 400W.
HOWEVER the OP makes a point to note that the wattage isn't necessarily such a big deal, and in fact the sample budget build has a 400W power supply with a 5750 that claims to require 450W.
HOWEVER HOWEVER the OP also says you want at least 28 amps on the 12 volt rail, which I definitely don't have. I think it's more around 18.
So... I guess I'm looking for some guidance on whether or not I'm likely to need a new PSU if I want to upgrade my graphics card. Thanks!
You'll be fine. There are two 12V rails on your PSU, each at 18A.
I run a 5770 on a 350W PSU and I only draw like 250 from the wall when playing games.
Building your own computer isn't rocket science, there's a lot of "piece a fits into slot b, put it there".
However, I would be hesitant to suggest it to someone asking me whether or not windows comes preinstalled with a browser program, and if not, what methods would be best for transferring an install file.
I don't mean to be rude, it's just that in selecting components that build up a computer there is a lot to consider, and there's a big difference between watching it on you tube and actually do it. At the very least I would sit down with a search engine, and seriously research why you need each part, so that you understand better what you're putting together and what your individual needs will be on this project.
Putting together enough pieces until you have something that boots up is easy. Managing airflow in an elegant way, cable clutter, identifying and eliminating bottlenecks based purely on spec information before you've ever touched the hardware, that's the hard part.
I don't think that's rude at all; that's exactly what I was looking for.
I think what I'll likely do at this point is to buy the components, but to try to find someone local who'll put them together for me, and pay him/her a little bit extra to let me watch. :winky: I really would like to learn how to put together a machine by myself, but I might like a little hand-holding along the way.
Thank you both.
If you think it's worth it for peace of mind, then by all means go ahead, but building a computer really isn't that hard. As far picking out the components, that's what we're here for. For the actual build, I'm not going to lie, I still get all nervous and sweaty every time I do it, but there's really not much to it. I think this new computer I just built took me an hour to put together, and that was taking it slow and double checking everything.
I was hoping to upgrade my video card from an Nvidia 8800 gts to either an ATI 5750 or 5770, however I noticed that both have a minimum requirement of a 450W PSU. Mine is only 400W.
HOWEVER the OP makes a point to note that the wattage isn't necessarily such a big deal, and in fact the sample budget build has a 400W power supply with a 5750 that claims to require 450W.
HOWEVER HOWEVER the OP also says you want at least 28 amps on the 12 volt rail, which I definitely don't have. I think it's more around 18.
So... I guess I'm looking for some guidance on whether or not I'm likely to need a new PSU if I want to upgrade my graphics card. Thanks!
You'll be fine. There are two 12V rails on your PSU, each at 18A.
I run a 5770 on a 350W PSU and I only draw like 250 from the wall when playing games.
If anyone is planning to get an ATI card in the next week or so, put it on hold. rumor mill says they're expected to announce a refresh and price drop for the 5000 line: 5970s and 5870s with higher clockspeeds and better cooling reversioned as the 5990 and possibly 5890 (not confirmed).
and the word on nvidia's new 400 line is between 5 and 10 percent faster than the current ATI cards, but NDAs aren't lifted until a couple days into April, so no one is certain.
If anyone is planning to get an ATI card in the next week or so, put it on hold. rumor mill says they're expected to announce a refresh and price drop for the 5000 line: 5970s and 5870s with higher clockspeeds and better cooling reversioned as the 5990 and possibly 5890 (not confirmed).
and the word on nvidia's new 400 line is between 5 and 10 percent faster than the current ATI cards, but NDAs aren't lifted until a couple days into April, so no one is certain.
Could anyone recommend me a good, reliable hard drive? Not solid state, and I am looking for around 500gb. Not going to be making movies or taking many photos so space shouldn't be an issue. I've been looking at Western Digital and Seagate hard drives and there seems to be a high failure rate for them so I am not sure what would be good for my computer.
So, my motherboard took a dive the other day. I know mucking about with the warranty on it will take weeks, so I just went ahead and ordered a Gigabyte GA-785GMT, which has three USB 3.0 ports. I went by a local computer repair store just to see if they might sell motherboards. When I told the guy what I was looking for, he told me USB 3.0 didn't exist.
Needless to say, I will not be returning there anytime soon.
Could anyone recommend me a good, reliable hard drive? Not solid state, and I am looking for around 500gb. Not going to be making movies or taking many photos so space shouldn't be an issue. I've been looking at Western Digital and Seagate hard drives and there seems to be a high failure rate for them so I am not sure what would be good for my computer.
If anyone is planning to get an ATI card in the next week or so, put it on hold. rumor mill says they're expected to announce a refresh and price drop for the 5000 line: 5970s and 5870s with higher clockspeeds and better cooling reversioned as the 5990 and possibly 5890 (not confirmed).
and the word on nvidia's new 400 line is between 5 and 10 percent faster than the current ATI cards, but NDAs aren't lifted until a couple days into April, so no one is certain.
But but but I want to play Dragon Age nnnoooooooooow.
If anyone is planning to get an ATI card in the next week or so, put it on hold. rumor mill says they're expected to announce a refresh and price drop for the 5000 line: 5970s and 5870s with higher clockspeeds and better cooling reversioned as the 5990 and possibly 5890 (not confirmed).
and the word on nvidia's new 400 line is between 5 and 10 percent faster than the current ATI cards, but NDAs aren't lifted until a couple days into April, so no one is certain.
But but but I want to play Dragon Age nnnoooooooooow.
:P
Thanks for the heads up.
I'm in the same boat. By the end of this week I should be able to order most of the parts for my i7 system.
But it's getting pretty damn hard to pick a video card and stick with it. MSI's 5870 Lightning just broke several world records and their 5770 hawk is really good as well. The Asus ROG series versions of the 5970 & 5870 aren't even out yet. Power Cooler also has really good over clocked versions of the 5800s & the5770. And of course Sapphire with all their Vapor-X brands.
Between these four companies re-designing & engineering the ATI 5000 series Nvidia is screwed right now.
I think your best bet is probably the Radeon 4850, in the 512 MB flavor. And depending on your future upgrading budget, it should deliver solid performance crossfired with another 4850.
I'd say the 4850 or 4770 would be good choices assuming that Xaviar doesn't want to scrape up $40 extra dollars for a 5770.
You had to use words that made it sound like getting together a little extra money wasn't a big deal. I convinced myself to go with the 5770. Then I convinced myself the little extra money for expedited shipping wasn't a big deal. Then, hey.. What's an extra $3 on rush processing? (Which I'm pretty sure is a ripoff. But since I'm spending the money anyway..)
So gosh darnit. There's an extra $65 I wasn't planning on spending, and probably shouldn't have. Oh well. Soon I'll be able to play precious, precious games written in this decade. Sweet, sweet shader model 3...
Sorry to do that to you Xaviar but the $100 price point is a bit of a mess right now.
There's something competitive with the 4850 at that price point?
That's just the problem. The 5750 should be competing with it but that hasn't happened. Anyway with DX11 and better power consumption the 5770 just seems like a better deal than anything that can be had for $100, IMO.
Actually, for a while the 4850 wasn't even available at less than $100 but the prices on those have seemingly dropped down to where they are a good but not great deal.
lowlylowlycook on
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
Hey all. I was wondering if you could help me identify a suitable laptop. I apologize if this thread is geared entirely toward desktops, but the independent and short lived threads on notebooks that throng the forum pages seem a tad unnecessary.
Anywho, here's my situation:
I am an art student, and will remain so for three or four more years (one left in undergrad, 2-3 in graduate), studying animation, motion graphics, video, and other time based media. $1000 is about the ceiling of my budget (some leeway can be given), and I need this to last me a decent length of time (3, possibly 4, years). I commonly use ToonBoom, AD Maya, all Adobe cs, and anticipate adding more software to my repertoire. Though I may not be rendering from this computer, I expect a significant degree of digital fortitude, as it were. I may end up playing some Civ 4, and even some SWtOR, but that's a ways away.
Also, note: I soon leave for Taiwan, and so I need something that will suffice my lack of desktop there. I need a platform upon which to transfer HD video taken on my trip in the near future, as well as satisfy my preoccupation with animation in days following.
Regarding graphics and processors, I have little preference. Having an Intel in my desktop now, I am more familiar with them, and I hear tell that NVidia is not the best choice for a notebook. This laptop need not be perfect on the outset, and so I would like the ability to upgrade it to some degree in the future - eventually compensate for its inevitably dated hardware.
I have been looking at these things obsessively for the past couple of days now, and, having never bought a laptop, I'm sort of lost. I see "integrated graphics" everywhere and sigh, and begin to wonder if I am supposed to get by without a dedicated GPU. I read that DDR4 looms on the horizon, and ponder how long DDR2 has before the pc world abandons it and moves on.
Any ideas that come to mind, do tell me. I am at the mercy of your advice.
Well one tricky thing is that while it's possible to upgrade a laptop it's pretty hard to find the parts you'd need.
Another thing to think about is size/weight/screen/battery life . In other words it's important for you to think about how and when this will be used and how often you will be toting it around.
Anyway how does something like this look? Seems like it might be OK but for the screen which isn't really high rez enough to be ideal for art (I'm guessing).
Oh, and here is the old list of mobile GPUs for when you have no idea how good or bad some of them are.
lowlylowlycook on
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
Goal is to (1) have a big upgrade from my current 4 year old system to be able to play some current gen games -- Borderlands, DA:O, ME2 -- at max settings, and (2) be somewhat future proof (esp. in the PSU?) to be able to add RAM/SSD/2nd GPU down the line.
Explanations for variations if needed:
PSU: The NewEgg comments on the OCZ are pretty consistent in the cords to the motherboard (24 and 8 pin I think) being a little short for cases with a bottom mounted PSU. Alecthar turned me on to the longer corded Corsairs back on page 71.
Video Card: Without a PSU combo, I decided to go with the Sapphire since it's $10 cheaper ($20 w/ MIR), appears slightly smaller, and has somewhat more positive (albeit fewer) reviews on NewEgg. Mistake?
Optical Drive: This one has Lightscribe, and I've had good Samsung experiences in the past.
Case: The 'rational' explanation is that this will be going on the floor and it has washable dust filters on the intake fans. The real explanation is that I am weak and it is beautiful.
Anything I'm missing (or just plain wrong about in my variations)? In particular, is 650W a good number to balance existing needs versus likely future upgrades? The Corsair 400W is ridiculously cheap ($35 after a $15 MIR) and awfully tempting.
I looked at newegg, trying to see if I could drive the cost down a little more (Sorry. When I say $1000 is a ceiling, I should probably say that I would not mind headroom). I came across the following:
Asus N81
-I find its graphics card and weight a boon, and also the firewire port. But with the advent of usb 3.0, is that entirely necessary anymore? Though my Canon Vixia hf11 transfers via usb, other camcorders use firewire at this point in time. Should I expect a sea change and bank on usb 3.0?
An Asus K70
-The GPU here isn't as strong, it seems, as in the N81. But does everything else (processor and HDD) make up for that?
And a Gateway NV7901u
-I have not seen anyone use a gateway in a long time, so I have no idea what they are like anymore (quality-wise).
After looking once more, and reflecting, this is probably the price range I am thinking of, and the array of qualities I find most attractive. I know there are plenty of people on newegg who like these machines, but their reviews are posted not long after the computer's arrival. What kind of headaches might I run into with these models in the near future? What kind of performance would I experience editing HD video, perhaps?
brzozowszki on
0
AlectharAlan ShoreWe're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered Userregular
edited March 2010
I pay absolutely no attention to reviews on Newegg. Well, that's not true, sometimes I read them for cases because the pictures often can't tell you about odd fan placement or short front panel cords. Otherwise, though, it's just a bunch of idiots complaining about the fact that the extremely sensitive piece of micro-electronics that they had sent to themselves by mail didn't work correctly.
GPU-wise, if you're not wedded to a certain model, just pick the cheapest. This HIS is fine. Some of the models are factory overclocked or have a (supposedly) superior cooler, but I wouldn't worry about it too much.
Also, you might be better off going AMD. You don't want or need integrated video, and (startlingly enough) Hyper-Threading is not as good as simply having additional physical cores. The cheaper end of the Phenom II X4 line will provide excellent performance. Pair one with something like this.
On the case front, I think between the cost of the case and the lack of free shipping, you're spending more than you need to, but case choice is also pretty subjective, and if you want that case, then go for it. I do think you're over-doing it on the PSU. The Corsair 400W is a really excellent deal, and it's perfect for your needs. Also, I'd say go with this Hitachi HDD. It's cheaper and, frankly, HDD cache barely matters.
I looked at newegg, trying to see if I could drive the cost down a little more (Sorry. When I say $1000 is a ceiling, I should probably say that I would not mind headroom). I came across the following:
Asus N81
-I find its graphics card and weight a boon, and also the firewire port. But with the advent of usb 3.0, is that entirely necessary anymore? Though my Canon Vixia hf11 transfers via usb, other camcorders use firewire at this point in time. Should I expect a sea change and bank on usb 3.0?
An Asus K70
-The GPU here isn't as strong, it seems, as in the N81. But does everything else (processor and HDD) make up for that?
And a Gateway NV7901u
-I have not seen anyone use a gateway in a long time, so I have no idea what they are like anymore (quality-wise).
After looking once more, and reflecting, this is probably the price range I am thinking of, and the array of qualities I find most attractive. I know there are plenty of people on newegg who like these machines, but their reviews are posted not long after the computer's arrival. What kind of headaches might I run into with these models in the near future? What kind of performance would I experience editing HD video, perhaps?
I can't imagine you will enjoy the experience of doing substantial HD editing on any laptop that costs less than 4k. Laptops simply don't come anywhere near the power output of a full desktop: what is the beefiest laptop power supply? 90 watt?
I'd strongly consider building yourself a desktop for relative cheap, and picking up a 299/Asus running Linux (windows is too slow on the lowest end of asus netbook) for taking notes/running around. The desktop does the HD editing, for roughly 600, the 299 netbook does the e-mails and on the go stuff.
I looked at newegg, trying to see if I could drive the cost down a little more (Sorry. When I say $1000 is a ceiling, I should probably say that I would not mind headroom). I came across the following:
Asus N81
-I find its graphics card and weight a boon, and also the firewire port. But with the advent of usb 3.0, is that entirely necessary anymore? Though my Canon Vixia hf11 transfers via usb, other camcorders use firewire at this point in time. Should I expect a sea change and bank on usb 3.0?
An Asus K70
-The GPU here isn't as strong, it seems, as in the N81. But does everything else (processor and HDD) make up for that?
And a Gateway NV7901u
-I have not seen anyone use a gateway in a long time, so I have no idea what they are like anymore (quality-wise).
After looking once more, and reflecting, this is probably the price range I am thinking of, and the array of qualities I find most attractive. I know there are plenty of people on newegg who like these machines, but their reviews are posted not long after the computer's arrival. What kind of headaches might I run into with these models in the near future? What kind of performance would I experience editing HD video, perhaps?
I can't imagine you will enjoy the experience of doing substantial HD editing on any laptop that costs less than 4k. Laptops simply don't come anywhere near the power output of a full desktop: what is the beefiest laptop power supply? 90 watt?
I'd strongly consider building yourself a desktop for relative cheap, and picking up a 299/Asus running Linux (windows is too slow on the lowest end of asus netbook) for taking notes/running around. The desktop does the HD editing, for roughly 600, the 299 netbook does the e-mails and on the go stuff.
I have a decently strong desktop, so that's no worry. But there are times where I have to take my artwork, which is inherently digital, someplace else. Firewire and usb drives simply do not cut it.
My apologies as I should have quoted my original post, and lowlylowlycook's response, when I mentioned that I will be going to Taiwan in a few months. Once there, I will want to transfer my footage someplace (not worth it to amass stores of memory cards). After Taiwan, I may need to do motion graphics, interactive design, and perhaps some maya in places far from my desktop. In general, I definitely see the utility in a netbook, but I have a litany of digital possibilities I may have to satisfy when not in front of a desktop.
Also, you might be better off going AMD. You don't want or need integrated video, and (startlingly enough) Hyper-Threading is not as good as simply having additional physical cores. The cheaper end of the Phenom II X4 line will provide excellent performance. Pair one with something like this.
Second of all, you are rocking my world as the NewEgg cart I posted is the product of extended obsession basically since lowlylowlycook updated the OP builds. So that's lots of brain time with the i3-530.
So the cheapest end of the retail Phenom II x4's appears to be the 925 Deneb 2.8GHz. $20 more than the i3-530 gets me more performance/future proofing?
edited: I completely forgot I created an specific upgrade thread for this. My bad. But you guys can help me with something else. I can't seem to find that chart showing almost all the various GPU's temps. I rmember seeing it a few days ago but now, my google-fu is letting me down.
I've targeted June as the month I'm going to try to put together my new computer. Aside from the obvious matter component prices going down over time, is there any new hardware or anything coming down the pike within the next month or two that I may want to be aware of? I.e. I don't want to build my system right before some major new family of hardware comes out and knocks down the prices of what I'm about to buy.
What are the odds that the 5770 will still be the best bang for the buck card by then?
I'm trying to build a PC for myself at work with uber power (the video card doesn't concern me) but I need the ability to pump and compile code quickly, while having a bajillion things open (MSSQL, VS, web browsers, putty connections, etc etc etc etc). How could I improve this build:
It super is a shame that you're handicapping that computer with that video card, but you'll be more than fine with that setup, especially if the programs you use can take advantage of multiple cores.
Posts
1) I've never built a computer before. I consider myself reasonably tech savvy though by no means an expert. I've read through the "how to build a computer" links in the OP, but I'm still not entirely confident and I certainly don't want to wind up with a $700 brick. Is this something I'll be able to do by myself?
2) I'm leaning towards the "bang for the buck" build in the OP, as I don't know enough about components to try to piece together something on my own. Is this still a reasonable way to go? Is there anything about it that you all would change at this point? How about upgradeability; will I be able to swap out the weak links in a couple of years or will there be any problem with that?
3) Software questions: OK, so obviously I have to buy a copy of Win 7. What about stuff like a browser? As I've only bought premades in the past, IE came preinstalled, and I downloaded a copy of Firefox. But how to download a browser without a browser? Or do I stick a copy of the Firefox installer on a DVD, or something? As for productivity software, I have an OEM copy of Office 2007 that came with my last computer; will I be able to install this on the new one? Or will I have to buy a new copy/download OpenOffice?
4) Seriously, I'm really not going to break this thing?
Sorry, I know these are noob questions, but I appreciate the help. Thank you.
Retail CPUs come with CPU coolers. As long as you're not planning to over clock it should work fine for now. With the newer Core i7 930 you really don't need to over clock anyway. On top of that I'm not sure how could that cooler you picked is. Check test site reviews on those things before you buy.
Also, WD green drives are not the best as a main drive. That Asus Mobo you picked has a combo for a WD Black iTB for $99, go with that.
As for your case, with an i7 you're going to want breathing room and plenty of fans. Get yourself a bigger case.
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=29812&vpn=THREE%20HUNDRED&manufacture=Antec&promoid=1115
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=47260&vpn=SIX%20HUNDRED&manufacture=Antec
Well lucky for all of us IE8 comes preinstalled on Win7. I'm not a fan of Firefox but you'll be able to download anything you want, I would start with MSE.
Let me look at the current builds then I'll comment on the rest.
EDIT:
CPU & MOBO: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.354491
PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139008
Memory: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211409
Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119161
For what it's worth, the relevant current system specs are P4-630 (3.0 GHz), Windows XP, 4.5 GB DDR2 800 (3.25 GB seen by XP), and a GeForce 7600 GT.
However, I would be hesitant to suggest it to someone asking me whether or not windows comes preinstalled with a browser program, and if not, what methods would be best for transferring an install file.
I don't mean to be rude, it's just that in selecting components that build up a computer there is a lot to consider, and there's a big difference between watching it on youtube and actually doing it. At the very least I would sit down with a search engine, and seriously research why you need each part, so that you understand better what you're putting together and what your individual needs will be on this project.
Putting together enough pieces until you have something that boots up is easy. Managing airflow in an elegant way, cable clutter, identifying and eliminating bottlenecks based purely on spec information before you've ever touched the hardware, that's the hard part.
Excellent, thank you.
I don't think that's rude at all; that's exactly what I was looking for.
I think what I'll likely do at this point is to buy the components, but to try to find someone local who'll put them together for me, and pay him/her a little bit extra to let me watch. :winky: I really would like to learn how to put together a machine by myself, but I might like a little hand-holding along the way.
Thank you both.
First off this is my current PSU:
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16817103013
I was hoping to upgrade my video card from an Nvidia 8800 gts to either an ATI 5750 or 5770, however I noticed that both have a minimum requirement of a 450W PSU. Mine is only 400W.
HOWEVER the OP makes a point to note that the wattage isn't necessarily such a big deal, and in fact the sample budget build has a 400W power supply with a 5750 that claims to require 450W.
HOWEVER HOWEVER the OP also says you want at least 28 amps on the 12 volt rail, which I definitely don't have. I think it's more around 18.
So... I guess I'm looking for some guidance on whether or not I'm likely to need a new PSU if I want to upgrade my graphics card. Thanks!
You'll be fine. There are two 12V rails on your PSU, each at 18A.
I run a 5770 on a 350W PSU and I only draw like 250 from the wall when playing games.
Also, I don't know if this is a good deal or not, the OCZ Agility Series OCZSSD2-1AGT60G 2.5" 60GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - Retail is on special for $164.00 w/ free shipping before another $40 mail-in-rebate for a final price of $124. Is that a good SSD/deal?
EDIT: And, as it turns out, the two of these together are in a -$15 combo deal.
Steam profile.
Getting started with BATTLETECH: Part 1 / Part 2
If you think it's worth it for peace of mind, then by all means go ahead, but building a computer really isn't that hard. As far picking out the components, that's what we're here for. For the actual build, I'm not going to lie, I still get all nervous and sweaty every time I do it, but there's really not much to it. I think this new computer I just built took me an hour to put together, and that was taking it slow and double checking everything.
Steam Support is the worst. Seriously, the worst
Cool, thanks.
and the word on nvidia's new 400 line is between 5 and 10 percent faster than the current ATI cards, but NDAs aren't lifted until a couple days into April, so no one is certain.
yeah the 5850 and 5870 will be getting 2gb memory
first ones up on announcement already
http://www.legitreviews.com/news/7654/
Needless to say, I will not be returning there anytime soon.
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http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136320&cm_re=wd_caviar_black-_-22-136-320-_-Product
But but but I want to play Dragon Age nnnoooooooooow.
:P
Thanks for the heads up.
I'm in the same boat. By the end of this week I should be able to order most of the parts for my i7 system.
But it's getting pretty damn hard to pick a video card and stick with it. MSI's 5870 Lightning just broke several world records and their 5770 hawk is really good as well. The Asus ROG series versions of the 5970 & 5870 aren't even out yet. Power Cooler also has really good over clocked versions of the 5800s & the5770. And of course Sapphire with all their Vapor-X brands.
Between these four companies re-designing & engineering the ATI 5000 series Nvidia is screwed right now.
You had to use words that made it sound like getting together a little extra money wasn't a big deal. I convinced myself to go with the 5770. Then I convinced myself the little extra money for expedited shipping wasn't a big deal. Then, hey.. What's an extra $3 on rush processing? (Which I'm pretty sure is a ripoff. But since I'm spending the money anyway..)
So gosh darnit. There's an extra $65 I wasn't planning on spending, and probably shouldn't have. Oh well. Soon I'll be able to play precious, precious games written in this decade. Sweet, sweet shader model 3...
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
There's something competitive with the 4850 at that price point?
Battle.net
That's just the problem. The 5750 should be competing with it but that hasn't happened. Anyway with DX11 and better power consumption the 5770 just seems like a better deal than anything that can be had for $100, IMO.
Actually, for a while the 4850 wasn't even available at less than $100 but the prices on those have seemingly dropped down to where they are a good but not great deal.
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
Anywho, here's my situation:
I am an art student, and will remain so for three or four more years (one left in undergrad, 2-3 in graduate), studying animation, motion graphics, video, and other time based media. $1000 is about the ceiling of my budget (some leeway can be given), and I need this to last me a decent length of time (3, possibly 4, years). I commonly use ToonBoom, AD Maya, all Adobe cs, and anticipate adding more software to my repertoire. Though I may not be rendering from this computer, I expect a significant degree of digital fortitude, as it were. I may end up playing some Civ 4, and even some SWtOR, but that's a ways away.
Also, note: I soon leave for Taiwan, and so I need something that will suffice my lack of desktop there. I need a platform upon which to transfer HD video taken on my trip in the near future, as well as satisfy my preoccupation with animation in days following.
Regarding graphics and processors, I have little preference. Having an Intel in my desktop now, I am more familiar with them, and I hear tell that NVidia is not the best choice for a notebook. This laptop need not be perfect on the outset, and so I would like the ability to upgrade it to some degree in the future - eventually compensate for its inevitably dated hardware.
I have been looking at these things obsessively for the past couple of days now, and, having never bought a laptop, I'm sort of lost. I see "integrated graphics" everywhere and sigh, and begin to wonder if I am supposed to get by without a dedicated GPU. I read that DDR4 looms on the horizon, and ponder how long DDR2 has before the pc world abandons it and moves on.
Any ideas that come to mind, do tell me. I am at the mercy of your advice.
Another thing to think about is size/weight/screen/battery life . In other words it's important for you to think about how and when this will be used and how often you will be toting it around.
Anyway how does something like this look? Seems like it might be OK but for the screen which isn't really high rez enough to be ideal for art (I'm guessing).
Oh, and here is the old list of mobile GPUs for when you have no idea how good or bad some of them are.
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
I'm looking at ordering this radeon 5870.
I think it's time I buy crysis.
Goal is to (1) have a big upgrade from my current 4 year old system to be able to play some current gen games -- Borderlands, DA:O, ME2 -- at max settings, and (2) be somewhat future proof (esp. in the PSU?) to be able to add RAM/SSD/2nd GPU down the line.
Explanations for variations if needed:
Video Card: Without a PSU combo, I decided to go with the Sapphire since it's $10 cheaper ($20 w/ MIR), appears slightly smaller, and has somewhat more positive (albeit fewer) reviews on NewEgg. Mistake?
Optical Drive: This one has Lightscribe, and I've had good Samsung experiences in the past.
Case: The 'rational' explanation is that this will be going on the floor and it has washable dust filters on the intake fans. The real explanation is that I am weak and it is beautiful.
Thanks in advance.
Steam profile.
Getting started with BATTLETECH: Part 1 / Part 2
Twitter 3DS: 0860 - 3257 - 2516
Asus N81
-I find its graphics card and weight a boon, and also the firewire port. But with the advent of usb 3.0, is that entirely necessary anymore? Though my Canon Vixia hf11 transfers via usb, other camcorders use firewire at this point in time. Should I expect a sea change and bank on usb 3.0?
An Asus K70
-The GPU here isn't as strong, it seems, as in the N81. But does everything else (processor and HDD) make up for that?
An Acer Aspire
And a Gateway NV7901u
-I have not seen anyone use a gateway in a long time, so I have no idea what they are like anymore (quality-wise).
After looking once more, and reflecting, this is probably the price range I am thinking of, and the array of qualities I find most attractive. I know there are plenty of people on newegg who like these machines, but their reviews are posted not long after the computer's arrival. What kind of headaches might I run into with these models in the near future? What kind of performance would I experience editing HD video, perhaps?
GPU-wise, if you're not wedded to a certain model, just pick the cheapest. This HIS is fine. Some of the models are factory overclocked or have a (supposedly) superior cooler, but I wouldn't worry about it too much.
Also, you might be better off going AMD. You don't want or need integrated video, and (startlingly enough) Hyper-Threading is not as good as simply having additional physical cores. The cheaper end of the Phenom II X4 line will provide excellent performance. Pair one with something like this.
On the case front, I think between the cost of the case and the lack of free shipping, you're spending more than you need to, but case choice is also pretty subjective, and if you want that case, then go for it. I do think you're over-doing it on the PSU. The Corsair 400W is a really excellent deal, and it's perfect for your needs. Also, I'd say go with this Hitachi HDD. It's cheaper and, frankly, HDD cache barely matters.
Battle.net
I can't imagine you will enjoy the experience of doing substantial HD editing on any laptop that costs less than 4k. Laptops simply don't come anywhere near the power output of a full desktop: what is the beefiest laptop power supply? 90 watt?
I'd strongly consider building yourself a desktop for relative cheap, and picking up a 299/Asus running Linux (windows is too slow on the lowest end of asus netbook) for taking notes/running around. The desktop does the HD editing, for roughly 600, the 299 netbook does the e-mails and on the go stuff.
I have a decently strong desktop, so that's no worry. But there are times where I have to take my artwork, which is inherently digital, someplace else. Firewire and usb drives simply do not cut it.
My apologies as I should have quoted my original post, and lowlylowlycook's response, when I mentioned that I will be going to Taiwan in a few months. Once there, I will want to transfer my footage someplace (not worth it to amass stores of memory cards). After Taiwan, I may need to do motion graphics, interactive design, and perhaps some maya in places far from my desktop. In general, I definitely see the utility in a netbook, but I have a litany of digital possibilities I may have to satisfy when not in front of a desktop.
Second of all, you are rocking my world as the NewEgg cart I posted is the product of extended obsession basically since lowlylowlycook updated the OP builds. So that's lots of brain time with the i3-530.
So the cheapest end of the retail Phenom II x4's appears to be the 925 Deneb 2.8GHz. $20 more than the i3-530 gets me more performance/future proofing?
Steam profile.
Getting started with BATTLETECH: Part 1 / Part 2
What are the odds that the 5770 will still be the best bang for the buck card by then?
Also, Scosglen. About your sig. You in a DnD game? They open/looking for people? PM me, so we don't clutter this thread.
http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=11528031
I don't need anything with graphics, I could probably pop in a fx5200 and still do what I need to do without issue.