So I'm finally in a position to build my own computer, hopefully for gaming. I don't know my exact budget yet, but I'm not looking to spend a ton of money. I want a system that will run the Total War games, Starcraft II, and probably Final Fantasy XIV when it comes out.
I'm just starting doing the research into what's good and not, but I thought I'd ask trusty old Hatrack for suggestions. Thanks!
[ July 28, 2010, 10:02 PM: Message edited by: Dr Strangelove ]
Posted by Samprimary (Member # 8561) on :
You're looking to actually build it yourself, yeah? Then a lot of your answer is gonna come from newegg.com
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
The computer I built from Newegg parts and no prior experience 7 years ago is still running like a champ, while my new computer from HP crashes every damn day.
So I for one support your decision .
Posted by scifibum (Member # 7625) on :
Set your budget THEN optimize within it. It's too easy to keep noticing that for an extra hundred or so, the part you'd get would be nicer to have, 4 or 5 different times. You could end up in $1200-$1500 territory without trying too hard, but that's a lot to spend given the rapid depreciation of components.
Posted by Black Fox (Member # 1986) on :
There are lots of great deals out there if you look hard. Basically start by picking the processor you want and the video card ( ATI for sure at the moment ). As far as picking between AMD and Intel I would take a look at price/performance points. See what you can spend and get the best bang for your buck in that area. From there pick a motherboard etc. I would just hit up sites like Toms Hardware or Anandtech to get a look at benchmarks across the board.
That and a little tip. Once you have picked what you want go look at their technical support forum and see what problems, if any, people have been running to with that particular mobo etc.
Posted by scifibum (Member # 7625) on :
Oh, btw. Good for you. I greatly enjoy building my own computers and it has worked out very well for me. This isn't the way to get the cheapest acceptably functioning PC possible (with a Best Buy clearance sale I once got an acceptable new PC for about $140; you couldn't have built it for anything close to that). But it is a way to get a really good price for what you end up with, and, more importantly, end up with exactly what you want. Plus it lays a foundation in confidence and knowledge about how computers work, which pays off when you replace just the piece that is failing without paying retail repair prices or getting upsold to a total replacement scenario.
Posted by Geraine (Member # 9913) on :
When purchasing your video cards, there are a few things you should know.
If you prefer SLI and Nvidia, and want to go on the cheaper side, consider the Geforce 8800GT. It is an older card and can be harder to find, but the first card that out performed them was the GTX260. The cards under it are basically re-hashes of the 8800's, and are often over priced.
If you are looking for a little bit more of a mid market card you could go for the 270 or 290 series, but if you want massive power that will last you for years, go for one of the new cards in the 400 series. They will cost you about $500 a piece, but you are not going to need to upgrade for the next 5-10 years.
On board audio has actually caught up and is sufficient for most gaming. Most have the EAX chips as well so you don't have to worry about buying anything extra for it. If you do any audio mixing or music however you will want a good internal card.
RAM, Motherboards, and Processors are more tricky. The new I7 processors are nice and powerful, but an I3 or I5 will play any game out there and for half the price.
Make sure that your motherboard supports the RAM you purchase. DDR3 and DDR4 may be nice, but it is a hell of a lot more expensive than the DDR2. Again, it depends on how much you are spending.
Make sure the motherboard has SLI/ Crossfire support if you are going to go that route or plan to in the future.
Other than that, if you are going for a powerful machine don't get anything less than an 800 watt power supply, and get a good pair of headphones.
Tiger Direct and New Egg have good deals all the time, keep an eye on those two sites. I picked up a 24 inch Acer LCD Monitor for $129 around 6 months ago, and I love it.
Posted by scifibum (Member # 7625) on :
quote: if you want massive power that will last you for years, go for one of the new cards in the 400 series. They will cost you about $500 a piece, but you are not going to need to upgrade for the next 5-10 years.
I think that's an exaggeration. 5, maybe. After a couple of years you'll be unable to play some newer titles at high quality settings. In 10 years you'll be lucky if the thing works at all, and if it does work it'll be horribly outdated.
Don't pay enthusiast prices for future proofing. It doesn't work.
Posted by Herblay (Member # 11834) on :
Ehh, cap yourself at about $500 or $600. Expect the computer to last for three years. Get the "almost best" of every component (Core i3, 1.5 T harddrive, Blu-Ray reader / cd burner).
You'll save a bundle and replace in three years. You'll be able to run anything you like in the interim. Likely, it'll still run great and you can have two PC's (I'm up to four fairly current PC's, just update video cards etc.)
Check Tigerdirect and Newegg. Sometimes you save by using both -- or just one. Check the shipping.
Good luck, have fun, and learn about "grounding yourself" if you aren't that experienced.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
quote: Don't pay enthusiast prices for future proofing. It doesn't work.
Is this the general consensus? I've been trying to decide whether or not its worth it to go for a quad core over a dual core, and whether or not to go for DDR3.
Posted by Black Fox (Member # 1986) on :
Unless you are using a lot of well programmed multi-threaded applications, then stick with the dual core. As it seems that this is mainly for gaming I would most certainly stick to 2 cores. Lower system temperatures, not to mention a much better price point.
DDR3 has dropped in price a lot, but you can get low latency DDR2 memory for a lot less than the equivalent DD3. Then you have to think if you will be running a 32 or 64 bit OS, since going over 3-4 gigs on a 32 bit OS will do you no good as it can't address more than 4, with a 64 bit OS you do not have the same limitation.
That and I would personally avoid the 400 series Nvidia cards, they are nothing but heat demons. With video cards it is almost always more efficient to pay around 150-200 for a card and then simply uprgrade on a fairly regular basis and you end up with better real world performance then you would otherwise. Not to mention do not spend a ton of money on a video card if you do not have a monitor that will keep up with what you have. Who cares if you can play games at an insanely high resolution if you have a monitor that can't display at those resolutions. Hence, go for the middle.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
I was just looking into the 32 bit vs 64 bit question and it seems like a good idea to go for 64.
Posted by Herblay (Member # 11834) on :
With a Windows 7 64 bit rig, a cheap quad core will run circles around a cheap dual core. You'll notice a huge difference in performance, especially game performance.
The real question is dual core versus the low-end i3.
Posted by scifibum (Member # 7625) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dr Strangelove:
quote: Don't pay enthusiast prices for future proofing. It doesn't work.
Is this the general consensus? I've been trying to decide whether or not its worth it to go for a quad core over a dual core, and whether or not to go for DDR3.
Personally I'd look for dual core with hyperthreading and DDR3. I think this is doable without getting into the priciest stuff.
The point I was trying to make is that buying the top of the line stuff now will not mean your stuff isn't outdated in a few years compared to the stuff that will be available then. (If you want high end stuff now, don't kid yourself that you're saving money over the long run by buying it.)
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
So would this be a good deal? It's a AMD Phenom II X4 940 Black Edition Deneb 3.0GHz Socket AM2+ 125W Quad-Core Processor for $125.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
According to this review, it sounds like one of the best processors in that price range.
Posted by Ecthalion (Member # 8825) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dr Strangelove: So would this be a good deal? It's a AMD Phenom II X4 940 Black Edition Deneb 3.0GHz Socket AM2+ 125W Quad-Core Processor for $125.
Yea, for a simple (or complex) gaming machine AMD's are a better bang per buck
Posted by Geraine (Member # 9913) on :
quote:Originally posted by scifibum: I think that's an exaggeration. 5, maybe. After a couple of years you'll be unable to play some newer titles at high quality settings. In 10 years you'll be lucky if the thing works at all, and if it does work it'll be horribly outdated.
Don't pay enthusiast prices for future proofing. It doesn't work.
Half true. The more powerful video card you have now, the longer you can use it until you have to upgrade. If you purchase a card in the 8000 series now, you may get a few years out of it, but will have to upgrade sooner than if you purchased a top of the line card.
I've been playing brand new games such as Mass Effect 2 at maximum settings with my two 8800GT's at a cool 50-60 fps. I got my cards in 2006. The only game I have not been able to run at full settings is Crysis, though not even the new 400 series can play it at max settings, so there you are.
I can also play Starcraft 2 at full settings with no slow down, even with massive amounts of units on the screen. The computers at Blizzcon last year that had Diablo 3 at max settings were running on single Geforce 250 cards. That game won't even be out until 2012.
Video card improvement has slowed down in the past four or five years. The jump from the 6000 series to the 7000 series to the 8000 series was greater than the 8000 to the 9000 and 200 series. Likewise, games haven't been taxing computers as badly as games in the past. I remember when Doom 3 came out and a ton of people needed to upgrade in order to even play the game. Now you can go down to Walmart and pick up a computer for $350, go home and install almost any game and play it without a problem. (Though at reduced settings)
It is my opinion (and only my opinion) that game performance at this point in time are going to be determined more by your processor and amount of RAM than your video card.
When I play World of Warcraft, I use two monitors. I have a 24" that I play Wow on (In windowed mode with max settings) and a Sony 19" that I always have displaying movies, music, anime, or internet pages. I have never experienced any slow down on either WoW or in any movie I've watched. My two 8800GT's handle it just fine.
Not even close to being the most powerful machine, but I can run 99% of games at max settings with cards that are 4 1/2 years old. I bought the cards the day they came out for $263 each (I got them at cost since I worked at a computer store at the time)
Posted by scifibum (Member # 7625) on :
Geraine,
The 8800 GTs were released in Oct 2007. That would put their age at this point at a bit over 2.5 years, not 4.5.
Plus, you were recommending "one of" the new GeForce cards, not two in SLI (which would double the initial cost).
As for decelerating improvements, I think you're wrong. Let's compare pixel fillrate (since it's a convenient metric).
In the first half of 2005, the 6800 Ultra was released with about 6.4GP/s.
In the second half of 2007, the 8800 GT was released, and can do about 9.6GP/s. The needle moved 50% in 2.5 years.
Now the Fermi cards, after another 2.5 years, can do 24.3GP/s. (GTX 470). 150% improvement in the same time span, compared to 50%.
More importantly, your 8800GTs cannot support DirectX 11. Future revisions to standards will probably only be supported by future products, not the ones on the shelf right now.
In 5 years the current Fermi cards will be outdated, although I believe many of them will still be in use. In 10 years it'll be like a Diamond Viper v770 is now.
Posted by scifibum (Member # 7625) on :
I will say this. One fermi card now, plus a second once they are a few years in and available for less money, would mean you had SLI later (when games might be taxing enough to require two) without as much cost. This would give you more life than a single card without a dramatically increased cost.
Also, this: I'm considering a Fermi card right now too. It's not like I'm against buying the new expensive stuff. Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
Can you even buy 8800GTs anymore? And even if you can, why would you buy one instead of a 9800GT, which is just a rebadged 8800GT that uses a little less power and supports HybridSLI?
Posted by scifibum (Member # 7625) on :
Who's suggesting you buy 8800GTs anymore?
As to why one would: I have one. I don't think I can do SLI with anything other than another 8800GT. So it might be something I would do, if I didn't want to get DX11 support with my next upgrade.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
quote:Originally posted by scifibum: Who's suggesting you buy 8800GTs anymore?
Geraine did. I have a 9800GT and love it, but I think there are better recommendations for someone building a new machine.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
So how big of a difference is there between, say, a 2.6 GHz processor and 3.0 GHz? I'm talking about AMD here.
Posted by The White Whale (Member # 6594) on :
Oh, I'd say about 0.4 GHz.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
Assuming you're talking about Phenom II X4s, here's a comparison chart. Not a huge difference in some things, but there is a pretty decent difference in others.
Posted by Sterling (Member # 8096) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dr Strangelove:
quote: Don't pay enthusiast prices for future proofing. It doesn't work.
Is this the general consensus? I've been trying to decide whether or not its worth it to go for a quad core over a dual core, and whether or not to go for DDR3.
You know, five years ago I would have absolutely agreed. Right now it's a lot less clear. The extended game console cycle and the long-term success of World of Warcraft has kept some of the excesses of game designers in check for now. With the exceptions of some of the Crysis engine games, a quad-core system with a mid-level video card has been a very comfortable place to be for some time. I think in the medium term (5 years or so) you're more likely to have trouble with the OS (and Direct X, and relevant drivers) than you are with hardware.
But I would definitely go with a quad-core system. The prices on them have fallen so dramatically there's very little reason to go with dual-core unless you find a truly amazing deal on a pre-built system. And while AMD's best still fall behind the i7 line, with a decent video card one is talking about the difference between receiving 100fps on the latest and greatest and only getting, say, 60.
Oh, and while I love me some NewEgg, I've often found it's worth having a gander at TigerDirect as well if you're buying things piecemeal.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
quote:I think in the medium term (5 years or so) you're more likely to have trouble with the OS (and Direct X, and relevant drivers) than you are with hardware.
The Direct X thing was something I was thinking about with video cards. My gut says go for something with Direct X 11 support, but that definitely limits my selection by a lot. But it seems like we are pretty much at the cusp where from some point in the near future, Direct X 11 compatibility will be necessary. Am I misjudging things and making it too big of a deal?
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
The main reason I ask is because this EVGA GeForce 9500 GT Video Card is only $50 over at Tigerdirect. I could get two and do the whole SLI thing and pretty much be at budget, or just get one and be quite underbudget.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
The 9500 GT is not that great of a card—there are much better cards for the money, I think. Check here.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Yeah, I actually went to that exact page not too long after I posted. I actually right now am liking the look of the Radeon 5750. It's a little pricier, but I suppose for a gaming machine if I'm going to put a bit of money into something it should be the graphics card. And right now it's going for around $120 on Newegg (that's with a little rebate action), which isn't that bad.
My goal is to stay under $130 (maybe a little more) for the graphics card and processor and under $100 for the memory (in other words I'm going to be happy with 4 gigs).
Posted by Herblay (Member # 11834) on :
There's a 9800gt for $99 at Newegg. Get it. If you need the horsepower in the future, buy another. Don't get the 9500.
I recently built a nice gaming rig (2 months ago). The parts I used:
AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition (3.2) Motherboard - Asus M4A785D-V Evo Hard Disk 1TB 7200rpm, SATA 3 Gb/s, Cache 128 MB 4x Memory Markvision 2gb 1333MHZ (DDR3) Case - Gabinete CoolerMaster Elite 335 Video - Nvidia GT 260
Cost: Well... I'm from Brazil, so computer stuff is more expensive here. At least I can provide you some specs.
Bye.
Posted by Sterling (Member # 8096) on :
The Radeon 5750 and GeForce 9800 are apparently quite comparable. The most significant difference I see between them, if it's an issue, is the GeForce pulls significantly more power. Failing that, it comes down to price; I suspect that either would make a fine choice.
Regarding Direct X, I honestly don't know for certain. Game companies were very slow to adopt DX 10, many choosing to release games that played just fine under DX 9 and only used 10 to deliver a little bit of extra "chrome". Again, the fact that the majority of AAA games these days are cross-platform releases that have to be playable on the Playstation 3 and XBox 360 has reduced the willingness of many developers to make massive redesigns (of the sort that would most advantage the latest versions of DX) just for the PC. Consider that Assassin's Creed 2, Mass Effect 2, and Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands - three of the latest and greatest, all considered to be at or near the graphics state-of-the-art- all require DX 9 rather than 10.
If the pattern holds consistent, I wouldn't expect versions of DX after 10.1 to be a requirement for some time.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
That's quite good to know. Thank you.
Posted by Vasslia Cora (Member # 7981) on :
I have found these to be extremely helpful in my own planning to build a computer.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Alright. It's come down to three processors.
First, we have the Intel Core i3-530. Clocking in at 2.93 GHz, this is only a dual core, but it also is reasonably priced.
Next, we have AMD Phenom II X4 945. Slightly pricier, but it also has the four cores and clocks in at 3.0 GHz.
Last but not least is the AMD Phenom II X4 940. The differences I note between this and the previous one are that this one is cheaper, but does not include a fan, is 125W as opposed to 95W, uses the AM2+ socket instead of the AM3, and the HyperTransports (??) are 3600 as opposed to 4000.
Honorable (pricey) mention goes to the AMD Phenom II X4 955, the 945's big brother. Slightly faster, includes the fan and heatsink, but also slightly more expensive.
So, is the 945 worth it? Or the 955 for that matter? If I stick with something a little cheaper will I notice a significant difference?
Posted by Herblay (Member # 11834) on :
The i3 would be preferable if you intend to upgrade this PC in the future or if you intended to overclock.
The 945 would be preferable if you'd prefer raw power now and have no intention of overclocking or upgrading, though the difference would vary depending on the game you played.
Wouldn't the i3 drive up the motherboard / RAM cost a little (or a lot)? It's a total re-engineer, omitting the front-side-bus that has been used forever. Though I haven't played a lot with the new series of processors, you'd think that their performance in SOME tasks would be quite superior (just due to the FSB changes).
I'd say to go with whichever can give you the cheaper overall computer with comparable performance (once you add in the motherboard / ram prices).
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
So right now I'm looking at getting:
AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition 3.2 GHz Quad-Core Processor
AMD 790GX Motherboard
Radeon HD 5770 1 GB Graphics Card
AMD Black Edition 4 GB DDR3 1600 Memory
Individually that would cost almost around $575, but with combo deal discounts and rebates it comes out to around $460. I figure that's a pretty good price for some quite good parts. Not top of the line, but quite good. I also like that the motherboard, memory, and processor are all compatible.
Any thoughts? Am I missing something?
Posted by rollainm (Member # 8318) on :
Hard drive, case, cooler, fans, thermal paste, OS...
You have any of that already?
Assuming you also already have keyboard, mouse, and monitor.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Haha, I know I need all of that. I meant more am I missing something about this being a good deal.
Posted by rollainm (Member # 8318) on :
Just checking.
That looks good to me.
Posted by Herblay (Member # 11834) on :
What are you paying for the 5770? Newegg has a recertified 260 GTX for 139.99. If you're looking to shave your pennies.
Looks like a good system, but it might be a little bit of overkill. You've really rocked the price point, if you don't mind spending that much. After hard drive, case, and optical drive, you'll be lucky to run under $800.
I built a quad core a year ago with 4 gigs of ram, a 9800 GT, Blu-ray drive, ahd 1 T hard drive for around $600. It'll run any game I throw at it, in 1080P even.
I guess it just depends on how much you want to save money and how soon before you'll replace it as your primary gaming PC. You could get a cheaper AMD X4 processor, a 9800 GT, some cheaper ram and motherboard and shave several hundred dollars.
The setup you've listed should last for at least four years. Mine'll probably be good for another two or three.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
The 5770 is $160, but its part of a combo deal that takes $25 off it and the RAM, which was $100, then there's an additional $15 mail in rebate. So say I take $25 off the card, makes it $135, then $15 off the RAM, makes it $85, both of which come in right at what I was wanting to spend.
The motherboard and processor I'm not as sold on, as both are a bit pricier than I intended. But I do like the idea of the system lasting me quite a while. There's also a deal for a 500 GB Hard Drive for $40. That should do me, as I have a 750 GB external already.
ETA: I confess, I'm a bit lost when it comes to motherboards. There's such a big selection with such a price range that I'm not sure what to look for. So seeing this one recommended by both the RAM and the Processor appealed to me. Is buying a cheap motherboard ok? In this case the processor is $160 and the motherboard $125, but there is a $20 mail in rebate and $25 combo discount, making the processor $140 (which is what I was planning on spending with the 945) and the motherboard $100, which... well, I have no idea what an acceptable pricerange is there, but as I said, this one evidently works well with both the processor and the RAM.
[ July 20, 2010, 05:51 PM: Message edited by: Dr Strangelove ]
Posted by Sterling (Member # 8096) on :
If the motherboard works with the CPU and RAM, the two other things to consider are the reputation for reliability and the phsyical specifications. Does it have enough room for your video card? Will the presence of your chosen video card block anything else you might want to put into a PCI slot? Do you have enough room for future expansions you might want to make? Does it have onboard features you need- networking, modem, Wi-Fi, sound- or if not, does it have the PCI slots or USB ports to add them? If you need it, does it have a Firewire port? Adequate number of SATA connections, or even IDE connections if you plan to hook up an older drive?
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
I looked at several reviews of the board and it seems pretty good for what I need. The only thing that's questionable is the ease to Crossfire it, but I'm not planning on doing that anyways, and even if I was, it looks like its definitely possible, just perhaps not with the card I got, as it may or may not end up covering both slots.
So now on to power supply and case. What's the reason to get a really expensive case? Why not a $30ish one as opposed to a $130 one? I personally could care less how it looks, as long as my parts fit in it. I've noticed that some have significantly more fans. If get, say, a $70 case with 3 fans, will that be enough?
Same goes for power supply. I'm thinking I'll get 600W (I put what parts I got into a power supply calculator and it recommended 450, so I figure 600 gives me some room to expand), but why get a $100 one as opposed to spending $30?
It's pretty exciting. I'm almost there. If I'm able to spend $150 on the case, power supply, and optical drive, I'll be in at right around $650.
Posted by rollainm (Member # 8318) on :
The biggest thing with picking a power supply is long-term reliability. For that, check Newegg reviews.
There are substantial quality differences between cases. Sometimes the cheaper ones are hidden gems. Often, they're not. With a lot of the more expensive cases, you're paying for the flashy features more than anything. Not sure if you're into the flashing lights and whatnot. Either way - Newegg reviews. Antec makes decent looking reliable cases. Lian Lis are purdy and sturdy, but a bit pricey.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Dr. Strangelove: a power supply is arguably one of the most important components you can buy for your custom rig, and a good one is likely to outlive most of the other components you buy.
It actually makes more sense to buy a low-end GPU with the intention of upgrading someday than it does to buy a cheap power supply. Do not skimp on this.
Personally, I highly recommend Corsair supplies, but there are a number of solid, reliable brands out there. (Any one manufactured by Seasonic, regardless of branding, is worth investigating.)
[ July 21, 2010, 12:03 PM: Message edited by: TomDavidson ]
Posted by Herblay (Member # 11834) on :
Board: It's fine to go dirt cheap. MAKE SURE that it has the slots that you want (PCI-Express, etc). Check reviews to ensure that it doesn't have a bad rating (below 3.5 stars or so).
Power Supply: It's fine to go dirt cheap. MAKE SURE that it has the enough power connections for your peripherals and MAKE SURE that it either has the proper power cable for your video card or that you purchase a good adapter. Check reviews to ensure that it doesn't have a bad rating (below 3.5 stars or so).
Cases: It's fine to go dirt cheap. Make sure that the form factor (mATX, ATX, etc) is the same as the motherboard. Some cheap cases include a digital display and sensors for temperatures -- if you're overclocking, it's a good investment to have a manual temp monitor. Check reviews for bad ratings.
Fan: You can find a good, cheap, silent fan for around 10 or 15 dollars. Use every fan port that the case gives you -- they're designed to use that airflow, and omitting a fan is bad juju.
Optical drives: Cheap drives like Lite-On are usually fine. Check reviews based on the exact model. At this point, there isn't much need for a Blu-Ray burner, and you don't need a Blu-Ray player unless you're a videophile or using the PC as a media center.
Ram: Check the speed and the review. If you're buying the fancy ram, make sure that the motherboard can support the higher clockspeed. Make sure that the ram cards are THE SAME speed (or it'll run at the slowest speed). You don't always get a noticeable improvement from a higher speed / "better" brand ram.
Processor: Check reviews and benchmarks and compare to your pricepoint. AMD's are usually cheaper for the money and perform well in video games. Intel's usually a little pricier but performs better in raw computation (zip files, Photoshop, transcoding video). If you're a gamer, get an AMD. If not, you might want to invest in the Intel.
Video Cards: Reviews and benchmarks. Look at the different vendors. Look at the factory overclocked models.
Hard drives: Go for volume at the mid-range price point. Unless you have a teeny case, buy a 1.5 T and you can probably add a second down the road.
Monitors: Save money in the rest of your PC and buy a 42" LCD for around $500.
Posted by Herblay (Member # 11834) on :
- Don't use a magnetic screwdriver. If you have deep screws, use a bit of wax. If you melt it first, you can usually get it on good.
- Pay attention to your cables. Tie them right. If you have to get back into the case, you'll be glad you did. I just buy cheap zipties, but the fancier velcro ones are nice too.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Goodish tower? It's compatible with the motherboard, has enough slots of the rights size, and comes with three 120 mm fans.
Posted by Herblay (Member # 11834) on :
I m disturbed that the Enermax tower's reviews center around "4" rather than "5", and that there aren't many reviews. HI tend to select hardware that has 30+ reviews. Sometimes a serious design flaw won't be found when there's only a handfull of reviews (like poorly designed ports, fasteners, cooling, etc).
Posted by Herblay (Member # 11834) on :
I'm tempted by this combo deal. Looks like a pretty amazing case and power supply. But, that is more than I wanted to spend, regardless if with all the discounts its like $140 off. I figure I can probably get a $30 case, put a $10 fan or two in it, then get a $60 power supply and save $70.
... but it is a really good deal...
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
That's the PSU I just ordered for my new gaming PC/hackintosh. I read a wide variety of reviews and it was a pretty good balance between passing the stress tests and being efficient.
I don't know about the case. I ordered a Lian-Li case myself, but it hasn't arrived yet.
Posted by Herblay (Member # 11834) on :
Really, case and power supply shouldn't be more than $60 or $70. If you really want to add a hundred bucks, upgrade the CPU to an i7.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Alright, well, Herblay, I went with some of your advice and didn't go with some of it. I went with the advice that recommended good reviews, not as much with the advice that recommended cheap power supply. I read some horror stories of people skimping on the power supply and it messing up other parts or dying quickly. The one you linked there has some pretty bad reviews.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Alright, so I've ordered parts. I was tired of going back and forth so I just did it. :-) And my nephew is coming up this weekend so assuming the parts get here in time, it will be neat to assemble it with him.
Drumroll please...
CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition, 3.2GHz RAM: 2x2GB OCZ DDR3 1600 (4GB total) GPU: Sapphire Radeon HD 5770 1GB Motherboard: MSI 790GX Hard Drive: Seagate 500GB Optical Drive: Samsung Blu-Ray Combo Drive Power Supply: XFX 650W Case: Lian Li PC-K62
Adding a bit for shipping costs (about $10 total I think) and taking away $60 worth of mail in rebates, this comes out to a hair above $700. It's a bit pricier than I had intended, considering I still need an OS and monitor, but it also is a much better machine than I intended.
Thanks for all the advice everyone! I'll keep you updated on receiving the parts and assembly.
Posted by scifibum (Member # 7625) on :
Looks like a beaut.
(It's really difficult not to spend more than you intended, isn't it? )
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Yeeeaah it is. Especially on Newegg, where the combo's are so scintillating.
Luckily my wife has been very supportive. Though I think she was getting a little tired of me debating the merits of .2GHz of processing speed or DirectX11 vs DirectX10. She seemed to like the idea of a blu-ray player though, so I can blame her for about $50 worth of the damage. .
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
As far as monitors go, I'm thinking I'll probably get a 19" or 20" (mostly for cost purposes) and also use my 32 inch LCD 720p TV some as well. Any recommendations or things I should be aware of?
Right now I'm liking the look of this one. I wasn't looking for over 20" since that was going to bump it out of my price range, but I was hoping for an HDMI port, which this has. It also has amazing reviews.
[ July 21, 2010, 02:29 PM: Message edited by: Dr Strangelove ]
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Ooo, here's another question. Do I have to get a full version of Windows 7 or can I get the student "Upgrade" version? I'm getting conflicting reports elsewhere. Anyone have any experience?
Posted by Ecthalion (Member # 8825) on :
the only advice i would give about your TV. Computer monitors can often run a refresh rate much higher than TV's. I was messing around with my display settings once and I ended up changing the computer to run faster than my tv could refresh. Thus i was given a blue screen. Normally it would revert back to normal after a few seconds if you dont select to apply. I apparently hit enter or something and it was stuck that way for quite a while.
I don't know if your tv would suffer the same fate mine did though.
Posted by Mucous (Member # 12331) on :
Failing that, the upgrade path for Windows 7 is here (effectively, looks like pretty much just upgrading from Vista is allowed): (bah, can't link due to bracket, google for "Windows 7 student upgrade path" and his the first link)
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
I checked MSDN-AA and only a few departments are listed, and mine is not one of them.
Here people seem to indicate that while the upgrade is only supposed to work as an upgrade, in can in fact work as a clean install.
Posted by Herblay (Member # 11834) on :
If you have a valid copy of Windows XP to upgrade from, then sure. Otherwise, it's illegal. And if you were going to go illegal, it'd be cheaper just to appropriate it in other ways.
So, you CAN use an update disk to install, but there's no good reason to.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Well say I have a copy of XP that I'm running using Parallels on my Mac... that article says that boxed copies of windows XP can be transferred to different machines. So can I transfer that copy of XP to my new computer and then upgrade it?
Posted by Sterling (Member # 8096) on :
Looks like a good machine. Best of luck with assembly.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Thanks . The parts have been shipped and I'm going out to get my anti-static wrist band thing tonight.
Posted by Ecthalion (Member # 8825) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dr Strangelove: Thanks . The parts have been shipped and I'm going out to get my anti-static wrist band thing tonight.
Hmmm didnt know that they sold those at the Krew....
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
I have to admit that, in a lifetime of computer work, I have never once owned or needed an anti-static wristband. *laugh*
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
quote:Originally posted by Ecthalion:
quote:Originally posted by Dr Strangelove: Thanks . The parts have been shipped and I'm going out to get my anti-static wrist band thing tonight.
Hmmm didnt know that they sold those at the Krew....
Ah, see, me and Jamie were all like "Oh, we need to go because we're meeting somebody at 9" and where were you at 9? Posting on Hatrack. Mmmmhm. I got it at Bestbuy whilst getting Empire: Total War, thank you very much. Posted by Tstorm (Member # 1871) on :
quote:- Make sure that you get a cheap grounding strap and ground yourself before touching components. If you don't understand what I'm saying, check here:
I've fallen out of using those. I touch the metal of the computer case to ground myself, then pick up whatever I need...
quote: - Don't use a magnetic screwdriver. If you have deep screws, use a bit of wax. If you melt it first, you can usually get it on good.
I use a magnetic screwdriver all the time around computers. It's only weakly magnetized; it can barely pick up screws. I do keep hard drives away from my large neodymium magnets, though. Keep things in perspective.
quote: - Pay attention to your cables. Tie them right. If you have to get back into the case, you'll be glad you did. I just buy cheap zipties, but the fancier velcro ones are nice too.
Meh, just get the thing working first. You can always go back and organize the cables to your obsessive-compulsive standard later. I usually organize cables just to keep them out of the fans and help with airflow in the case. (My last build, and current home CPU, is a flamethrower...)
Posted by Herblay (Member # 11834) on :
quote:Originally posted by TomDavidson: I have to admit that, in a lifetime of computer work, I have never once owned or needed an anti-static wristband. *laugh*
Tom:
I am an engineer in defense electronics. I have to tell you: believe it or not, a lot of people believe that they aren't doing component damage -- but they are.
There are two types of electronic damage that can be done to components: catastrophic damage and latent defects.
If you are not electrically grounded, and the case is not electrically grounded, your clothes alone can generate well in excess of 10,000 V (you can barely feel a static shock around 50,000 V). These shocks can cause latent damage -- showing itself in premature component failure after a given number of hours of operation.
A good example is the power supply analogy. Power supply cables are the most handled by technicians. If you don't ground yourself, you induce electric charges that can damage the chip that regulates the voltage. If it's on, then the chip has the ground that it needs. If it isn't, and it isn't grounded, the chip can easily be damaged by having several thousand volts applied to its terminals. The factory workers have been very careful not to damage the components, wearing ESD smocks and shoes. It's the careless computer builder that normally causes the defects (OEM models, on the other hand, normally fail due to EXTREMELY cheap parts).
Sorry. I felt like ranting.
Posted by Herblay (Member # 11834) on :
quote:Originally posted by Tstorm:
quote: - Pay attention to your cables. Tie them right. If you have to get back into the case, you'll be glad you did. I just buy cheap zipties, but the fancier velcro ones are nice too.
Meh, just get the thing working first. You can always go back and organize the cables to your obsessive-compulsive standard later. I usually organize cables just to keep them out of the fans and help with airflow in the case. (My last build, and current home CPU, is a flamethrower...)
Would you take the same attitudes installing a flat panel in your home? If you're going to do it, do it right. Sure, you can just hang the plat panel on the wall -- but there's a good chance you'll regret it (especially when you want to sell your system for an upgrade).
Posted by Sterling (Member # 8096) on :
I only just got a grounding strap. It's certainly arguable that it isn't strictly necessary, but as someone whose first experience with trying to install computer hardware involved accidentally frying the mouse control board (hey, I was twelve at the time), it can be nice to have that tiny extra bit of insurance.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
Yeah, Jon Boy, but Windows is pretty adamant about not using an upgrade on a hard drive where there has never been a Windows OS. It's possible, but not legal. It is very tempting to just do it, but occasionally I do have a conscious, even where Microsoft is concerned.
ETA: Though as I said, I do have a copy of XP running on Parallels on my Mac, and someone said that out of box copies of XP can be transferred to different computers, so then the question is can I transfer my copy of XP from Parallels to my new machine and then upgrade?
Posted by Tstorm (Member # 1871) on :
quote:Originally posted by Herblay:
quote:Originally posted by Tstorm:
quote: - Pay attention to your cables. Tie them right. If you have to get back into the case, you'll be glad you did. I just buy cheap zipties, but the fancier velcro ones are nice too.
Meh, just get the thing working first. You can always go back and organize the cables to your obsessive-compulsive standard later. I usually organize cables just to keep them out of the fans and help with airflow in the case. (My last build, and current home CPU, is a flamethrower...)
Would you take the same attitudes installing a flat panel in your home? If you're going to do it, do it right. Sure, you can just hang the plat panel on the wall -- but there's a good chance you'll regret it (especially when you want to sell your system for an upgrade).
Flat panels are not computers. I'm not assembling a flat panel from parts, which requires testing it before installing it in it's home. Thus, I wouldn't do it the same way, but not for the reasons you're asserting.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
I'm gonna play it safe and go with Herblay's advice as far as the actual build goes. I'm definitely one of those "Better safe than sorry" people.
In other news, my parts were shipped last night at 7:20 PM from New Jersey! I figure there's a chance I'll get them by Saturday. Posted by Tstorm (Member # 1871) on :
Knock yourself out. It's your computer, after all. Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
So I may or may not be compulsively hitting refresh on the order tracking...
I was wondering, if/when I want to put some more memory in, does it have to be the exact same as in brand and everything, or is DDR3 1600 all that need to be the same?
Posted by Sterling (Member # 8096) on :
I think as long as the DIMMs are all the same size (memory capacity, that is) and speed, you should be all right. Just be sure to check the motherboard configuration for where it wants things to go- some are a bit snarky about the order things go in.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
I missed the delivery yesterday, but I'll be here this afternoon for it. So hopefully tonight I will be playing Empire: Total War on my new computer! Woot! I'll update again once I've completed the build.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Umm... help? I assembled everything, got all excited, and it turned on! Yay! But... my monitor is saying that nothing is connected. I've tried running HDMI and VGA from the motherboard and HDMI from the graphics card, but no luck.
Any thoughts?
Edit: I am at a loss. I've tried everything I can think of. I even tried hooking it up to my TV. Still nothing. So I have to assume the fault is with the computer, not the monitor. Am I supposed to install anything before the monitor will work? I was under the impression that BIOS was just supposed to pop up. I've got nothing. I mean, it says its not even detecting the video signal.
GAH!
[ July 28, 2010, 03:36 PM: Message edited by: Dr Strangelove ]
Posted by Tstorm (Member # 1871) on :
The computer is powering on? (Power light on the case is on, the fans are spinning?)
If that's the case, then check the big three things that can cause an error before the BIOS beeps:
1. Video card seated in its slot properly? 2. Memory chips seated in their slots properly? 3. CPU seated, and the CPU heatsink fan is hooked up properly?
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
CPU appears to be seated properly and the fan is working, so I'm assuming its ok.
I'll recheck the memory chips, but they clicked and everything when I installed them.
The video card is lit up and has its fan running as well. Should I take it out and put it back in again?
Posted by Tstorm (Member # 1871) on :
Hmmm...Yeah, I would reseat it (take it out and put it back in).
Does this motherboard have on-board video connectors, too?
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
You mean like a the VGA port in the back? Yeah, there's a VGA, DVI, and HDMI. I don't have a DVI cable but I've tired the VGA and HDMI.
Posted by Herblay (Member # 11834) on :
Try using the onboard video in the motherboard. Often, you'll have to use it first until you install the software for the new video card.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Yeah, I just tried that, still didn't work. At least I think I tried it. I assume all I have to do for onboard video is take the graphics card out and boot the computer up.
Would it be better to be trying this stuff out using HDMI or VGA or does it not matter?
About the RAM: There are two blue slots and two black slots. I put both sticks RAM into the blue slots. Was that wrong?
Also, on the graphics card note, the power cord from the power supply to the graphics card has a few different connections. Is there a specific one I should be using? Again, the graphics card is powering on so I doubt this is the issue, but... yeah.
Posted by Tstorm (Member # 1871) on :
Start with the VGA connector that's on the motherboard. (Not the one on the video card.) Plug your monitor into that connector.
If you're still not getting any video, try using the VGA connector on the video card.
If you're still not getting video, remove the video card and use the motherboard connector.
RAM - that sounds correct for a dual-channel memory setup.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
This may sound silly, but does the processor need a power cord? I notice on my motherboard that there is a four pin connector that the manual says is supposed to provide power to the CPU. As far as I could tell, there was no power cord coming from the CPU other than the one for the fan. Did I miss something colossal?
Posted by Tstorm (Member # 1871) on :
No, I don't think so. You did plug the CPU fan into the connector on the motherboard that was labelled 'CPU FAN' or just 'CPU', right? It's usually labelled with fine white print on the board.
There's a special controller for fan speed on that one, I think, so it may not be interchangeable with other fan connectors (despite the fact that they look identical).
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Yeah, I plugged the CPU fan into the one marked CPU Fan. *sigh*. Why can't thing ever be easy? Is it possible there's something I should do with the monitor?
Posted by Mucus (Member # 9735) on :
The CPU power header on the motherboard connects to a cable from the power supply.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
The connector on my video card? The connector on my video card is a 6 pin and the cord that came with it goes out to a four pin, but not like the one in your picture. It's actually just a three pin. Then put that in to my power supply. I can't find pictures but... yeah.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
As for your video problem, I'd guess it's not your monitor. Make sure your video card is properly seated in the slot and connected to the power supply, and check your BIOS settings to make sure the video is going to the card rather than the integrated graphics.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Yeah, I can't even get in to BIOS setting. I can't see anything. I'm 99% positive my video card is seated properly and connected properly. About the CPU power, are you saying that there should be a cord going from the power supply to that four pin CPU power slot? If so, I didn't see a viable candidate in the cords the power supply box provided, but I can check again.
Posted by Mucus (Member # 9735) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dr Strangelove: The connector on my video card? The connector on my video card is a 6 pin and the cord that came with it goes out to a four pin, but not like the one in your picture. It's actually just a three pin. Then put that in to my power supply. I can't find pictures but... yeah.
Ok, that should be a six pin PCI-Express connector. The one you're looking for should look like a smaller version of that, a four pin PCI-Express connector.
Woohoo! That was the problem. I mostly only used the instructions that came with the parts, which were quite lacking.
Now it's saying"Reboot and Select proper Boot device or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key"
Better than nothing!
Posted by scifibum (Member # 7625) on :
You know where to go from here?
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Ermm... Well, not exactly.
Posted by Tstorm (Member # 1871) on :
Great, I'm glad it was a simple power connector issue. Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Yeah, me too.
So... what is proper boot media?
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
Some sort of disk with boot data on it, like a Windows installation CD or a hard drive with an OS installed.
Posted by Tstorm (Member # 1871) on :
Oh, put your windows disk in the CD/DVD drive. The computer *should* automatically boot from the CD/DVD and bring up the installation wizard. You might need to press a key to get the computer to boot from the disk, though, so watch for the prompt.
Posted by Geraine (Member # 9913) on :
You should just be able go into the Bios and select the boot order. Choose your CD drive first, then your Hard Drive. Put the windows disk in, reboot, and go from there!
Technically you don't have to set the boot order, but its a good setting to keep.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Hmm. Windows is in the disk drive, but it's still giving me this message.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Orrrr that could have just been because I was using a wireless keyboard with no batteries in it. Nevermind!
(Dang, my CPU fan is loud!)
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Ok, I keep hearing about this BIOS... how do I get there? Now I'm installing Windows, so how do I get there after I've installed Windows.
Posted by Herblay (Member # 11834) on :
It should say when the computer first boots. If not, check out the following website:
Be careful. The settings of the bios are not to be taken lightly. This is where you can set boot drives, processor settings, video cards (sometimes), etc.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Alright, I think the main problem was that the keyboard wasn't working. Thanks everyone!
Posted by Tstorm (Member # 1871) on :
You can access setup (the BIOS settings) on your motherboard with the Delete key.
When the computer first turns on, but before the 'Loading Windows' screen is displayed, you can press that key to access the BIOS settings. You might have to be quick...some computers don't hang around and wait.
By the way, an online copy of your manual (PDF) is here: MSI Global
(Assuming you got the 790GX-G65 motherboard you talked about ordering earlier.)
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
My CPU is runnin 47 degrees in BIOS... isn't that a bit hot? The fan is screaming too.
Posted by Tstorm (Member # 1871) on :
What CPU fan/heatsink did you purchase?
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
... I just used the stock one. I'm thinking I might end up getting a different one though because this one is just ridiculously loud. Recommendations?
Posted by scifibum (Member # 7625) on :
47 seems normal.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Yeah, I actually just looked it up and it appears that my CPU just tends to run a little hot. Most people said low 60's isn't anything really to worry about. It is loud though.
Posted by scifibum (Member # 7625) on :
There are a lot of good options that aren't terribly expensive for aftermarket heatsink/fans. I'd just find one on Newegg with decent reviews and make sure it's compatible with your socket. Follow installation instructions carefully. Make sure the heatsink comes with thermal compound or that you buy some before starting the installation.
(Quad cores generate a lot of heat.)
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Alright, I am up and running and installing games! Woohoo! Now I just need to find space for this thing...
Posted by Geraine (Member # 9913) on :
quote:Originally posted by scifibum: There are a lot of good options that aren't terribly expensive for aftermarket heatsink/fans. I'd just find one on Newegg with decent reviews and make sure it's compatible with your socket. Follow installation instructions carefully. Make sure the heatsink comes with thermal compound or that you buy some before starting the installation.
(Quad cores generate a lot of heat.)
I had to buy a more powerful heatsink for my quad core processor because it got too hot. It still runs hot. I am running two 8800GT's right now which are known for running hot as well. I thought a new case would help out so I bought one that had two 120mm fans built into the side of it. That helped a little but my computer still locks up due to overheating. I have a feeling that the reason is because I have both monitors hooked up to the Video card that sits on top, and it blows so much heat onto the video card below it that it overheats and locks my computer up.
I am going to upgrade to two of the new GTX 460's in about a week, (They run a lot cooler) but do you think plugging the monitors into the lower video card would help, as there is a lot more room underneath that card?
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
So I just ran that Windows Experience Index thing. I am quite pleased with my results.
edit: ooohhh...I didn't know they'd updated the Raptor line. I have the 74gb in my old pc.
Posted by Herblay (Member # 11834) on :
quote:Originally posted by rollainm: Stick one of these in there.
edit: ooohhh...I didn't know they'd updated the Raptor line. I have the 74gb in my old pc.
I had a friend looking at these. Note that it claims high speed, but it's official transfer speed is only 3.0 Gbps (which isn't any faster than a fast traditional drive).
If you're building a mid-range computer and want a speed boost, you're FAR better off spending extra cache on processor / ram / video card than you are on a SSD. Unless all you care about is a fast boot drive.
Posted by rollainm (Member # 8318) on :
I would say Dr Strangelove's build is more in the mid-high range.
True, the hard drive may not be the most budget-smart upgrade, but there is a significant performance improvement. I know from personal experience that the 10k rpm is, at least. Not so sure about these new hybrids.
Posted by Geraine (Member # 9913) on :
I've been looking at some SSD's to stick in my machine for my Operating System. I can pick up a 64 GB drive for about $150, but I could also pick up a traditional drive for the same price. I know the SSD would never really go bad, but I don't know if I want to give up all of that space.
Posted by Herblay (Member # 11834) on :
If he hadn't built his PC yet, I would have argued that buying a Core i7 would be the best investment he could make, if he wanted to add $100-$200 and make the biggest power contribution.
Ehh, his system is high mid range, not mid high range. He'd need the i7 to breakout.
Posted by scifibum (Member # 7625) on :
Herblay, most SATA 2 hard drives don't even come close to utilizing all of the 3.0 Gbps interface speed. There's tons of room for that hybrid drive to deliver faster performance.
It is only designed to boost the speed of repetitive reads...but if you boot up and run the same applications every day, this could be really noticeable.
(I'm going to keep an eye on those...thanks for linking, rollainm)
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Yeah, if I was going for a "mid high range" I would have gone to an i7, but I really didn't feel like I could justify it. I'm happy with high mid range. Honestly, I probably would have been happy with mid mid range but I got kind of carried away. Posted by Herblay (Member # 11834) on :
They say that even the lowest end i7's eat everything else alive. It's because the new Core i's dumped the old front-side bus model. Before, everything on your motherboard was limited to the front-side bus speed when talking to the processor die. Now, with the Core i's, the whole board can talk at the die speed (except for the limitations of the interface, like the ram speed, pci or pci-e ports).
I've been trying for a year, but I still don't think that I can justify one. . . .
Posted by Sterling (Member # 8096) on :
quote:Originally posted by Herblay: They say that even the lowest end i7's eat everything else alive.
Until very recently, yeah. The new Phenom II x6 seems to keep pretty good pace with the lower-end i7s, though.
Congratulations on a successful build, Doc.
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
I've been thoroughly enjoying StarCraft 2 on my new system. I'm not in love with Windows 7, but that's okay since I specifically selected parts known to be compatible with OS X for hackintoshing purposes.
My case is pleasantly quiet. The case fans are nice and big, and even the stock CPU cooling fan (Core i5 750) is pretty quiet. I chose the video card vendor in part because their Radeon 5850 1GB is quieter than others. The HDD (640GB WD Caviar Black) is the most frequent source of noticeable noise, but I'm thinking SSD in Q4 (anticipated price drops), at which point things will get much quieter.
Edit: Geez, I got so caught up in thinking about my own build that I forgot to congratulate you on yours! Congrats! Posted by rollainm (Member # 8318) on :
quote:Originally posted by Herblay: Ehh, his system is high mid range, not mid high range. He'd need the i7 to breakout.
Yeah, that's what I meant. The upper end of mid-range.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
twinky, I've actually been reading about your system over on Sake and been meaning to chime in. Congrats yourself for getting a new rig .
I'm probably gonna wait a few months before I get Starcraft 2. I figure I've got a healthy little backlog of games that will keep me happy until the price drops a little. Though who knows how long that might take.
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
Thanks! I'm looking forward to getting OS X going on it so I can migrate to it full time.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
. The parts have been shipped and I'm going out to get my anti-static wrist band thing tonight. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
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