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Desktop Tower, best bang for the buck?

WaterfallSandSunWaterfallSandSun Registered User regular
in Help / Advice Forum
Hey guys, so I am in need of a new computer (desktop tower, no need for monitor or accessories), and while I know building your own computer is the best way to go, I have not been current with hardware for well over a decade. So I will need to either need a website that will tell me what is compatible with what so I can purchase the parts myself and build one, or a custom PC website where I can fully customize a desktop computer with prices near to what it would cost if I built it myself (obviously I will have to pay for labor costs, so that's fine).

I have not found either with my quick googling, 'cept for maybe the latter, but they (custom PCs) are really expensive. My budget is $500, max.

Posts

  • SmokeStacksSmokeStacks Registered User regular
    Stop by the Build Thread in Moe's, there is a ton of info there.

    You can give them your budget, as well as your plans for the new PC (media, gaming, streaming, etc), and your budget, and the dudes there can recommend you a build.

    You may be able to re-purpose components from your current rig in your new one (hard drive, optical drive, sound card if you have one, that sort of thing) as well.

  • Donovan PuppyfuckerDonovan Puppyfucker A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered User regular
    For $500, the additional costs of having someone else assemble your system is going to cut in at least 10%, more likely about 20% of your total build budget.

    Build it yourself. Ask in that ^^ build thread, there are a bunch of nerds in there that will try to help you out with your build (myself included) re: which bits go with what, and what makes the best sense fot your budget and usage. Then find the cheapest place for your components on something like pcpartpicker.com, and you'll be good to go.

  • MegaMan001MegaMan001 CRNA Rochester, MNRegistered User regular
    Just came here for my usual obligatory "The PC Build Thread" walked me through step by step on putting together a great machine a few years back. I'd never touched the inside of a computer prior and they were just phenomenal. I'll be building another system next fall and I'll definitely be back.

    I am in the business of saving lives.
  • DivideByZeroDivideByZero Social Justice Blackguard Registered User regular
    My go-to for the last few PC build-outs has been the system guide at ars technica. Their budget box should be roughly in line with your numbers as long as you don't need new peripherals.

    First they came for the Muslims, and we said NOT TODAY, MOTHERFUCKERS
  • SmokeStacksSmokeStacks Registered User regular
    edited November 2013
    If you're afraid of building yourself, don't be. Modern PCs are fairly simple compared to the stuff we had to put up with in the 90s (tons of extra peripheral cards, dip switches, etc). The majority of your components are integrated into the motherboard these days, so it's basically drop in the mobo, drop in the RAM and videocard, hook up the drives, route the cables so they don't block your airflow, and you're ready to roll.

    Also, there are a ton of resources for people new to building their own rigs, designed to get a person from "I have never even opened a PC before" to deciding whether or not you should get a new HSF because although your 212 is doing fine at stock you're thinking of OCing to 4+GHz and maybe watercooling might be the answer to bringing those load temps down and hmmm check it out newegg has a sale on radiators and...

    Basically, if you can build a Lego set, you can build a PC.

    SmokeStacks on
  • schussschuss Registered User regular
    SmokeStacks wrote: »
    If you're afraid of building yourself, don't be. Modern PCs are fairly simple compared to the stuff we had to put up with in the 90s (tons of extra peripheral cards, dip switches, etc). The majority of your components are integrated into the motherboard these days, so it's basically drop in the mobo, drop in the RAM and videocard, hook up the drives, route the cables so they don't block your airflow, and you're ready to roll.

    Also, there are a ton of resources for people new to building their own rigs, designed to get a person from "I have never even opened a PC before" to deciding whether or not you should get a new HSF because although your 212 is doing fine at stock you're thinking of OCing to 4+GHz and maybe watercooling might be the answer to bringing those load temps down and hmmm check it out newegg has a sale on radiators and...

    Basically, if you can build a Lego set, you can build a PC.

    The cables these days are so skinny you don't even need to worry about airflow (other than not draping your entire PSU set over a fan)

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Penny Arcade Forums› Help / Advice Forum