That should be more than enough machine to get the job done. Comes to $584 before shipping. Just ask if you decide to build it yourself and need help.
Ive heard that vista is buggy or something or has it been fixed? im using XP.
It's not bad at all. The vast majority of problems that plagued it at launch are resolved. But more importantly, if you plan on running a 64 bit OS, Vista 64 is MUCH better than XP 64. The only problem that Vista still has is that it is a bit of system hog.
Could someone else critique this build for me? I would rather not listen to just one person's opinion.
Hello I am looking to build a computer to play L4D. I am looking to not spend to much money but get good value out of my money. This is what I think is good, I am probally wrong. I am most nervous about the Barebone case. All these Items are from newegg.
Hello I am looking to build a computer to play L4D. I am looking to not spend to much money but get good value out of my money.
I don't think you'll be happy with the 9500GT unless you're running a very low resolution. For about the same price you could get one of these, which blows the 9500GT away. BUT, I don't know if it'll work with that 300w power supply.
Unfortunately, the best I can do with individual case+motherboard+good psu is $200ish. Another option would be this barebones setup for $30 more, it comes with a 400w PSU instead. Or you could get the first case and replace the power supply (say with one of these), but I can't tell if they use a standard size power supply that you could replace or not.
Fats, Thank you for the reply. I dont know much about graphics cards on the ATI side of things. However the graphics card and barebones setup look like good choices thank you for pointing them out to me. It looks like Ill get alot more out of it for only a little more money
That should be more than enough machine to get the job done. Comes to $584 before shipping. Just ask if you decide to build it yourself and need help.
Ive heard that vista is buggy or something or has it been fixed? im using XP.
It's not bad at all. The vast majority of problems that plagued it at launch are resolved. But more importantly, if you plan on running a 64 bit OS, Vista 64 is MUCH better than XP 64. The only problem that Vista still has is that it is a bit of system hog.
Could someone else critique this build for me? I would rather not listen to just one person's opinion.
I would probably go for a 4850 instead of a 4830 for the Graphics card.
The rest is good though. The build listed is going to be fine for the games you wanted but I think if you bump up the graphics card esp. you will get more life out of it.
This might be a stupid question but does the monitor have to be a specific type of monitor or can i just pick out whatever i want?
You can pretty much pick whatever you want.
The only thing you might want to check is what type of connectors the monitor has. Some budget monitors only have D-Sub (VGA) connectors, while most video cards have DVI connectors now. Just make sure your card comes with an adapter if you get a budget monitor like that.
I don't want to jinx it, but this was the least problematic build I've ever done, everything fired right up first try. Now I have to figure out how to make my RAM run the correct speed and get all the drivers for Windows 7 -- but goddamn this thing is quick.
I picked up a virus somewhere so I reinstalled Vista. Problem is, I did it over my previous install (there's two "windows" folders in my file browser now). I don't want to format and install AGAIN, so can I safely just delete "Windows.old"? It's bothering me that I have 80 gigs of stuff I don't intend to use ever just sitting there.
This might be a stupid question but does the monitor have to be a specific type of monitor or can i just pick out whatever i want?
You can pretty much pick whatever you want.
The only thing you might want to check is what type of connectors the monitor has. Some budget monitors only have D-Sub (VGA) connectors, while most video cards have DVI connectors now. Just make sure your card comes with an adapter if you get a budget monitor like that.
Most cards will come with adapters, but if it doesnt they usually can be had for less than 10$.
I picked up a virus somewhere so I reinstalled Vista. Problem is, I did it over my previous install (there's two "windows" folders in my file browser now). I don't want to format and install AGAIN, so can I safely just delete "Windows.old"? It's bothering me that I have 80 gigs of stuff I don't intend to use ever just sitting there.
Yes, safe to delete. Go through the users folder and make sure you don't have anything in your old documents folders you want to keep.
I picked up a virus somewhere so I reinstalled Vista. Problem is, I did it over my previous install (there's two "windows" folders in my file browser now). I don't want to format and install AGAIN, so can I safely just delete "Windows.old"? It's bothering me that I have 80 gigs of stuff I don't intend to use ever just sitting there.
Yes, safe to delete. Go through the users folder and make sure you don't have anything in your old documents folders you want to keep.
That's the one I've got. My only complaint is that the cables are so long as to be intimidating -- the left side of my p182 where you're supposed to route cables is bulging outwards trying to contain them all. If you're more patient than I am when it comes to wire routing, it's a great PSU.
How are gaming laptops comparing to gaming computers. I'd like to get a new computer soon, but I need to fly down to an internship in texas soon so I dont want to package it all up and ship it down there, then do it again in a few months. Plus currently I go over to my buddies' place on weekends and bring my lappy and play some games on it when nothing exciting is going on.
I guess my main point is I prefer the mobility of the laptop but I don't want to get one and be stuck a generation behind for awhile like I am currently. Will a good new laptop last me awhile or is there going to be another breakthrough like the dual-core ++ happened?
I think you're going to find most folks here recommending against gaming laptops. the parts are usually already last gen when you buy them, a "good" gaming laptop is just a desktop replacement, meaning that it weighs too much, has too little battery life, and is a pain in the ass. Oh, and they're horribly out dated 6 months after you buy them.
Right....a problem happened and i had to use the money for the computer for something else but i can get the money for it again in around 3-4 months, but by then would their be better cheaper parts ?
I think you're going to find most folks here recommending against gaming laptops. the parts are usually already last gen when you buy them, a "good" gaming laptop is just a desktop replacement, meaning that it weighs too much, has too little battery life, and is a pain in the ass. Oh, and they're horribly out dated 6 months after you buy them.
I would never recommend a gaming laptop, ever.
Agreed. I would always recommend building a desktop and buying an inexpensive, practical notebook instead--both together usually come out to the same price as any decent gaming laptop. Hell, if you can get away with it, even a netbook plus desktop.
OremLK on
My zombie survival life simulator They Don't Sleep is out now on Steam if you want to check it out.
Right....a problem happened and i had to use the money for the computer for something else but i can get the money for it again in around 3-4 months, but by then would their be better cheaper parts ?
In 3-4 months you will be able to get a better rig for the same price.
I think you're going to find most folks here recommending against gaming laptops. the parts are usually already last gen when you buy them, a "good" gaming laptop is just a desktop replacement, meaning that it weighs too much, has too little battery life, and is a pain in the ass. Oh, and they're horribly out dated 6 months after you buy them.
I would never recommend a gaming laptop, ever.
Agreed. I would always recommend building a desktop and buying an inexpensive, practical notebook instead--both together usually come out to the same price as any decent gaming laptop. Hell, if you can get away with it, even a netbook plus desktop.
One situation where a "gaming" laptop makes sense is if you don't have enough money for a true gaming system and you are just trying to build a cheap "something" that plays most games and gets the job done.
You can get a pretty decent laptop that uses outdated gear that will play "most" low requirement games for under $1,000 (or the same price as a behind the bleeding edge desktop.) and you like to game on the road.
However, to call these laptops "gaming laptops" is a misnomer. Instead they are laptops on which you can play some games.
When you could build a better gaming desktop for around $500 I don't really see the point. Why not just do that and spend another $300 on a netbook, or some such?
OremLK on
My zombie survival life simulator They Don't Sleep is out now on Steam if you want to check it out.
When you could build a better gaming desktop for around $500 I don't really see the point. Why not just do that and spend another $300 on a netbook, or some such?
Well if the only games you play are games that can run on your standard $900 laptop but won't run on a netbook, and you are in different places a lot (college student, long business travel) then you can play those games while not at your home base.
Well lets assume you only have $600 or so to spend and you need a laptop and you want to play games. Clearly an older tech laptop is really the only choice. $300 dollars just wont cut it if you are building a desktop computer from scratch (assuming $300 on the netbook).
The other reason to get a laptop rather then a desktop is convenience. Some people don't want to deal with two computers or having to lug their desktop over to their friends house to play games. There is an advantage to convenience and portability.
If you are fine with slightly behind the curve tech (i.e. you don’t need to turn on all the pretties or are running easy games) you wont notice a difference going to a “better†computer. A user doesn’t need the best and the fastest if they aren’t going to utilize it.
While this may not be true for you, a lot of people just want “their computer†they don’t want a gaming computer and a laptop (or whatever). For them, sacrificing some performance is worth it.
tl:dr Laptops have worse price/performance but that’s okay for some people, and we should feel okay for them.
So I just built a computer. And it didn't work, when I turned it on it would perpetually go though cycles of turn on, (fans spin up lights go on) wait 2 or 3 seconds, turn off, turn back on 2 or 3 seconds, turn back off, rinse, repeat. I tested the parts extensively, I've put the video card in another machine it works, it can't be the ram, I've tested other ram that I know works, it can't be the PSU because I've tested it in another machine, all it could be is the CPU or the MoBo. So I looked online, and lo and behold I see a few people with the exact same issue on the same motherboard who've RMA's their stuff 3 and even 4 times, and still never gotten it to work. So I called Newegg (where I got all the parts) and request to simply return it for credit on another motherboard, they agreed, and so I just shipped the old one out today. So Computer Build Thread I am asking you: I have everything but a Mother Board, and all these parts which are almost all no longer refundable, what is a motherboard that will work with them/which one should I buy.
Here are the parts:
G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel
BFG Tech GeForce GTX 260 896MB 448-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0
Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core
Antec EA650 650W ATX12V Ver.2.2 / EPS12V version 2.91 SLI Certified
NZXT Guardian 921 CS-NT-GD921-B Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Pioneer 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black IDE Model DVR-116DBK
Western Digital Caviar Black WD5001AALS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA
The motherboard I was using is
GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD3R LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard
Also bonus points if anyone can figure out why it didn't work
LGA 1366 motherboards are still pretty new on the market and may generally have more kinks than older technology, even though they are more expensive; that said, I think I have heard good things about this Asus motherboard, so it may be worth a shot.
OremLK on
My zombie survival life simulator They Don't Sleep is out now on Steam if you want to check it out.
I've heard nothing but good things about that Gigabyte board, I think I would have tried at least one replacement before scrapping it. Anyway, I have the Asus P6T Deluxe and everything works great.
I was looking at the deluxe model of the same board, but it just seems like $50 extra for no apparent gain, other than a different onboard sound chip and 2 extra sata ports neither of which matters to me. Thanks.
Yeah, they're pretty much the same. You should be fine with the non-deluxe.
Fats on
0
TetraNitroCubaneThe DjinneratorAt the bottom of a bottleRegistered Userregular
edited February 2009
Hey there, computer build thread. I'm having a very similar problem as what Toastly described. About two or so years ago (Whenever the e6750 processors just came out), I built myself a machine using an Asus p5K motherboard. The system was (And periodically remains) very stable, but more and more lately it fails to POST on a cold boot. Combined with some really bizarre software issues, it made me check things out online. As it turns out, the p5K looks like a lemon of a motherboard, and dealing with an RMA is only going to get me into the same problems. I'm hoping to find a motherboard that can support all my current stuff, but I guess I'll probably have to buy new memory and also a new heatsink/fan for the processor. What would be the best choice for something stable to support my components?
Antec nine-hundred case (Important, since it's not exactly a standard case)
Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 processor (Stock cooling)
2 GB Kingston RAM
eVGA GeForce 8800GTS 640MB
2 LiteOn optical DVD/CD writer/readers (SATA connected)
Western Digital 320 GB drive (Caviar 3200YS)
Creative X-Fi gamer edition
Corsair Hx620 620W PSU
Hey there, computer build thread. I'm having a very similar problem as what Toastly described. About two or so years ago (Whenever the e6750 processors just came out), I built myself a machine using an Asus p5K motherboard. The system was (And periodically remains) very stable, but more and more lately it fails to POST on a cold boot. Combined with some really bizarre software issues, it made me check things out online. As it turns out, the p5K looks like a lemon of a motherboard, and dealing with an RMA is only going to get me into the same problems. I'm hoping to find a motherboard that can support all my current stuff, but I guess I'll probably have to buy new memory and also a new heatsink/fan for the processor. What would be the best choice for something stable to support my components?
Antec nine-hundred case (Important, since it's not exactly a standard case)
Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 processor (Stock cooling)
2 GB Kingston RAM
eVGA GeForce 8800GTS 640MB
2 LiteOn optical DVD/CD writer/readers (SATA connected)
Western Digital 320 GB drive (Caviar 3200YS)
Creative X-Fi gamer edition
Corsair Hx620 620W PSU
I just want you to know you have almost exactly what I upgraded from and now I totally regret it.
I just wanna let you guys know that thanks to you I was able to put together a good build and now I've got a good gaming PC for the first time in my life! Thanks a bunch! I never knew AudioSurf was supposed to be this pretty! Putting together my own computer (With a bit of my dad's help) is incredibly liberating and rewarding.
Though I do have to ask, at the Hi setting are the fans on the Antec 300 supposed to be kinda loud? I think most of the noise is just the vibration of a potentially loose cable against the side of the case or something, but I wanna ask, just in case.
The only other change I might suggest is switching the processor to a Core 2 Duo like this. That would net you better gaming performance at the expense of worse productivity performance. But it really depends on what you want to do with the system. If you're going to do a lot of Photoshop, 3D rendering, video editing, etc, then the quad core is probably a good idea.
Other than that, it looks great. Good selections on the GPU, case, hard drive, etc.
OremLK on
My zombie survival life simulator They Don't Sleep is out now on Steam if you want to check it out.
From everything I've heard 64-bit Vista is great and totally worth it, so I wouldn't worry about that. Unless you happen to have a Windows 7 beta key, in which case don't waste your money.
OremLK on
My zombie survival life simulator They Don't Sleep is out now on Steam if you want to check it out.
Wonderful denizens of Moe's Tavern, I am in need of your expertise. I figured this would be the best place to ask this, being the build thread, if it is not, I will delete and ask somewhere else. My question is this: I have an Asus P5RD2-VM mobo, which until now has been running 1gb (2x512mb) of DDR2 600mhz (I don't remember the designation and it's currently in the computer or I would check) RAM, having only two slots I never really got around to putting more in. The mobo is rated as being able to take up to 4gb. I have recently purchased 2x2gb Corsair DDR2 6400 (800mhz) ram, and cannot for the life of me get the system to boot with it in. I recently updated and flashed the bios, though because I've not dabbled too much in RAM updates, I have no idea if there's such a thing as RAM drivers. If there is, well, I can probably figure that out.
My question is basically, how the heck can I make this work?
Wonderful denizens of Moe's Tavern, I am in need of your expertise. I figured this would be the best place to ask this, being the build thread, if it is not, I will delete and ask somewhere else. My question is this: I have an Asus P5RD2-VM mobo, which until now has been running 1gb (2x512mb) of DDR2 600mhz (I don't remember the designation and it's currently in the computer or I would check) RAM, having only two slots I never really got around to putting more in. The mobo is rated as being able to take up to 4gb. I have recently purchased 2x2gb Corsair DDR2 6400 (800mhz) ram, and cannot for the life of me get the system to boot with it in. I recently updated and flashed the bios, though because I've not dabbled too much in RAM updates, I have no idea if there's such a thing as RAM drivers. If there is, well, I can probably figure that out.
My question is basically, how the heck can I make this work?
Wonderful denizens of Moe's Tavern, I am in need of your expertise. I figured this would be the best place to ask this, being the build thread, if it is not, I will delete and ask somewhere else. My question is this: I have an Asus P5RD2-VM mobo, which until now has been running 1gb (2x512mb) of DDR2 600mhz (I don't remember the designation and it's currently in the computer or I would check) RAM, having only two slots I never really got around to putting more in. The mobo is rated as being able to take up to 4gb. I have recently purchased 2x2gb Corsair DDR2 6400 (800mhz) ram, and cannot for the life of me get the system to boot with it in. I recently updated and flashed the bios, though because I've not dabbled too much in RAM updates, I have no idea if there's such a thing as RAM drivers. If there is, well, I can probably figure that out.
My question is basically, how the heck can I make this work?
While I think the faster memory (page lists 667 Mhz as max) would work, I don't know if 4G will work - lists as 2G max.
Actually, google revealed the 2g limitation, and that nearly every retailer (in this case, I believe Zipzoomfly.com is where I got this one) had it listed as upgradeable to 4g. I guess now my question is moot, as I'd assume why the single 2g stick isn't working is, being upgradeable to 2g rather than 4, the slots can only handle 1g. So as usual, I'm SOL. Disappointment. Gonna return it. Or find the funds for a new mobo (may as well get a new CPU while I'm at it).
Posts
Could someone else critique this build for me? I would rather not listen to just one person's opinion.
MSI MBOX K9N6PGM2-V AMD Socket AM2+ / AM2 NVIDIA GeForce 6100 Black & Silver Barebone
Item #: N82E16856167036
EVGA 512-P3-N954-TR GeForce 9500 GT 512MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
Item #: N82E16814130378
OCZ Reaper HPC Edition 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ2RPR800C44GK
AMD Athlon 64 X2 7750 Kuma 2.7GHz Socket AM2+ 95W Dual-Core black edition Processor Model AD775ZWCGHBOX - Retail
Item #: N82E16819103300
Thank you,
CharlesVI
Looks pretty good to me.
I don't think you'll be happy with the 9500GT unless you're running a very low resolution. For about the same price you could get one of these, which blows the 9500GT away. BUT, I don't know if it'll work with that 300w power supply.
Unfortunately, the best I can do with individual case+motherboard+good psu is $200ish. Another option would be this barebones setup for $30 more, it comes with a 400w PSU instead. Or you could get the first case and replace the power supply (say with one of these), but I can't tell if they use a standard size power supply that you could replace or not.
I would probably go for a 4850 instead of a 4830 for the Graphics card.
I like either of these for motherboards as I'm not sure FoxConn can be trusted:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128345
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131347
The rest is good though. The build listed is going to be fine for the games you wanted but I think if you bump up the graphics card esp. you will get more life out of it.
The 4850 is good, too, but it's a pretty big jump in price and he in no way needs it to play the kinds of games he listed.
You can pretty much pick whatever you want.
The only thing you might want to check is what type of connectors the monitor has. Some budget monitors only have D-Sub (VGA) connectors, while most video cards have DVI connectors now. Just make sure your card comes with an adapter if you get a budget monitor like that.
I don't want to jinx it, but this was the least problematic build I've ever done, everything fired right up first try. Now I have to figure out how to make my RAM run the correct speed and get all the drivers for Windows 7 -- but goddamn this thing is quick.
Most cards will come with adapters, but if it doesnt they usually can be had for less than 10$.
Yes, safe to delete. Go through the users folder and make sure you don't have anything in your old documents folders you want to keep.
Great, thanks.
Making a new i7 build and won't be powering too much, but I'd like a high quality PSU with room to expand.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005&nm_mc=EMC-IGNEFL022409&cm_mmc=EMC-IGNEFL022409-_-PowerSupplies-_-LK1A-_-17139005
I guess my main point is I prefer the mobility of the laptop but I don't want to get one and be stuck a generation behind for awhile like I am currently. Will a good new laptop last me awhile or is there going to be another breakthrough like the dual-core ++ happened?
AKA [PA]Ilovepandas
I would never recommend a gaming laptop, ever.
Agreed. I would always recommend building a desktop and buying an inexpensive, practical notebook instead--both together usually come out to the same price as any decent gaming laptop. Hell, if you can get away with it, even a netbook plus desktop.
In 3-4 months you will be able to get a better rig for the same price.
One situation where a "gaming" laptop makes sense is if you don't have enough money for a true gaming system and you are just trying to build a cheap "something" that plays most games and gets the job done.
You can get a pretty decent laptop that uses outdated gear that will play "most" low requirement games for under $1,000 (or the same price as a behind the bleeding edge desktop.) and you like to game on the road.
However, to call these laptops "gaming laptops" is a misnomer. Instead they are laptops on which you can play some games.
Well if the only games you play are games that can run on your standard $900 laptop but won't run on a netbook, and you are in different places a lot (college student, long business travel) then you can play those games while not at your home base.
The other reason to get a laptop rather then a desktop is convenience. Some people don't want to deal with two computers or having to lug their desktop over to their friends house to play games. There is an advantage to convenience and portability.
If you are fine with slightly behind the curve tech (i.e. you don’t need to turn on all the pretties or are running easy games) you wont notice a difference going to a “better†computer. A user doesn’t need the best and the fastest if they aren’t going to utilize it.
While this may not be true for you, a lot of people just want “their computer†they don’t want a gaming computer and a laptop (or whatever). For them, sacrificing some performance is worth it.
tl:dr Laptops have worse price/performance but that’s okay for some people, and we should feel okay for them.
Here are the parts:
G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel
BFG Tech GeForce GTX 260 896MB 448-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0
Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core
Antec EA650 650W ATX12V Ver.2.2 / EPS12V version 2.91 SLI Certified
NZXT Guardian 921 CS-NT-GD921-B Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Pioneer 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black IDE Model DVR-116DBK
Western Digital Caviar Black WD5001AALS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA
The motherboard I was using is
GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD3R LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard
Also bonus points if anyone can figure out why it didn't work
Antec nine-hundred case (Important, since it's not exactly a standard case)
Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 processor (Stock cooling)
2 GB Kingston RAM
eVGA GeForce 8800GTS 640MB
2 LiteOn optical DVD/CD writer/readers (SATA connected)
Western Digital 320 GB drive (Caviar 3200YS)
Creative X-Fi gamer edition
Corsair Hx620 620W PSU
I just want you to know you have almost exactly what I upgraded from and now I totally regret it.
Though I do have to ask, at the Hi setting are the fans on the Antec 300 supposed to be kinda loud? I think most of the noise is just the vibration of a potentially loose cable against the side of the case or something, but I wanna ask, just in case.
Video Card
Motherboard
Processor
RAM
Hard Drive
DVD
Case
Power Supply
Windows
The main issue here is this: That video card requires more power than your chosen PSU provides.
That Earthwatts is a good PSU, but it only has 34 amps on the +12V. So I would suggest spending a bit more and going with
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005
The only other change I might suggest is switching the processor to a Core 2 Duo like this. That would net you better gaming performance at the expense of worse productivity performance. But it really depends on what you want to do with the system. If you're going to do a lot of Photoshop, 3D rendering, video editing, etc, then the quad core is probably a good idea.
Other than that, it looks great. Good selections on the GPU, case, hard drive, etc.
Looks solid, though I'm not sure 64-bit Vista is a good choice. Maybe someone else can chime in on that.
Also, I would probably go with a Corsair 620W psu since that video card is pretty beefy.
My question is basically, how the heck can I make this work?
This is the specs page: http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?modelmenu=2&model=1020&l1=3&l2=11&l3=179&l4=0
While I think the faster memory (page lists 667 Mhz as max) would work, I don't know if 4G will work - lists as 2G max.
Actually, google revealed the 2g limitation, and that nearly every retailer (in this case, I believe Zipzoomfly.com is where I got this one) had it listed as upgradeable to 4g. I guess now my question is moot, as I'd assume why the single 2g stick isn't working is, being upgradeable to 2g rather than 4, the slots can only handle 1g. So as usual, I'm SOL. Disappointment. Gonna return it. Or find the funds for a new mobo (may as well get a new CPU while I'm at it).