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Solve : Buying a new gaming computer.? |
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Answer» Hey guys, I'm hoping to get a little help. I'm an online gamer (raider in WoW) and my current computer is lackluster. I've done some research and *think* I've come up with a configuration for a new computer that fits my needs. I was hoping you guys could give me some advice or answer a few questions regarding that configuration. I must say, it's nice to read a well thought out, polite post with good spelling and grammar. Seconded!Thank you very much for the response! I wouldn't mind building a new computer. I am afraid I'd make some bad decisions (such as forgetting important components that I wasn't even sure I needed, or getting components that aren't compatible). I received some similar advice from a guild member of mine, and so am heavily leaning towards doing that. I've been looking up different parts that I'll need. Some parts I'm pretty confident I want. Others I'm not too sure about. For a few parts, I have no clue what to get. Checklist Found: Case Video Memory OS Software PSU Optical Drive Unsure: Mouse Keyboard Mobo HD Not Found: Sound Cooling Network Card (?) Case: Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case ($109.99) Question: I heard this is the top rated case at the moment. It's a Mid Tower (I'm hoping it's size won't matter). Is this the case you guys would recommend? Video Card: BFG Tech GeForce GTX 280 1GB 512-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card ($369.99 - $35 Rebate) Question: I saw a BFG and an EVGA version of this (BFG was less expensive). Does the brand matter? Sound Card: No clue what to get. Memory: Kingston HyperX 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model KHX8500AD2BK2/4GR ($68.99 - $40 Rebate) Free Gift with Memory: Kingston DataTraveler I 4GB Flash Drive Question: Is there a brand I should be looking for? I opted to get 4GB and a 32-bit OS. I wouldn't know the difference between a 32-bit and a 64-bit. Unless there's a difference that's worth noting, I'll go with the cheaper option. Mouse: RAZER Lachesis RZ01-00170100-R3M1 Banshee Blue 9 Buttons 1 x Wheel USB Laser 4000 dpi Gaming Mouse ($79.99) Question: This is kind of expensive. Is it worth the price? Keyboard: RAZER Lycosa RZ03-00180100-R3U1 Black 104 Normal Keys USB Wired Standard Gaming Keyboard ($79.99) OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 32-bit for System Builders - OEM ($99.99) Questions: Is Vista worth getting? I'm not sure I'd be willing to troubleshoot system problems on a regular basis because the OS isn't stable. If Vista will be too much of a hassle, I'll go with XP instead. Software: Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 Licensed for 3 PCs ($79.95) Mobo: ASUS P5Q Pro LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard ($78.75) Question: This appears to be the one Calum recommended. I noticed two versions on Newegg.com. The more expensive one has "8-Phase Power Optimize Stable Overclocking CrossFireX," whatever that is. The one I linked is "Open Box." Is the Open Box one fine? HD: Western Digital Caviar Black WD5001AALS 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM ($69.99) Question: I'm not worried about having a very large Hard Drive. 500GB is most likely way more than enough for me. I don't know much else about HDs besides their storage capacity. Is there a brand I should be looking for? Are there any other specs on a HD that I should be aware of? PSU: CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply ($119.99 - $20 Rebate) Question: It's my understanding that I need a 600-800W PSU for the type of system I plan to build. Is this correct? This particular manufacturer received "Best Power Supply Manufacturer 2008 by Custom PC’s readers." This PSU is good enough for my needs, right? Optical Drive: SAMSUNG Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 16X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 20X DVD Burner with LightScribe - OEM ($22.99) Current Price: $1175.61 Tax: $85.23 Shipping: $51.66 Total Price: $1,312.50 Total Rebates: $95 Question about OEM: A few of the components I'm buying come as "OEM" vs Retail. The Hard drive, the optical drive, and the OS are all OEM. What (if any) additional parts will I need to purchase with these?Case: very nice case, I'd certainly recommend it. I'm going for one of those myself when I have the money. Other alternatives to consider are the Coolermaster CM-690 and Raidmax Smilodon. Video card: again, nice choice of card. It will definitely handle almost every game out there entirely maxed out, with exceptions of Far Cry 2 and similar games at a massive resolution. The brand matters, as far as warranty is concerned. Looks like BFG cards come with either a 10 year or lifetime warranty, which is good. performance wise, the different brands will perform exactly the same unless one is factory overclocked, but the performance difference will still be quite small. Sound card: cards to look at here would be the Creative X-Fi XtremeGamer, Elite, or Auzentech Prelude. Memory: nice memory. The speed will most likely not be taken advantage of, because it's higher than the usual specifications. However, this isn't a bad thing, and as it's pretty cheap there's no reason to downgrade for the sake of it. Mouse: I've not used that mouse, but it has got a lot of positive feedback over the web. I felt the same way when I bought my G5 - is it worth it? The answer for me was a definite yes. Ditto, keyboard. OS: You'll get differing opinions on this one. Some people say Vista sucks, others that Vista is awesome. My advice would be to go ahead with Vista, and the 32-bit version will be fine for you. Motherboard: "open box" means the box has been opened. It's covered only by Newegg's 15-day refund policy, rather than a "full" warranty. Me personally, I'd choose the other, brand new one, which is actually exactly the same, not sure why they added the red text onto it. HD: That HD looks good to me. There are others that people may recommend, if you want ultimate performance then a Velociraptor drive may be what you want. They're much faster, but more expensive and only come in 150 or 300GB sizes. The differences will be noticeable in level load times, Windows boot times, moving files, etc, but they may not make an impact on you. Up to you if you want to spend that much, just giving you the info. PSU: great PSU. Quality manufacturer, and enough power for you too. OEM components are designed for system builders. They'll usually come with no accessories, e.g. cables, screws etc. This shouldn't be a problem, for example the HDD screws will be provided with the case, and cables with the motherboard. If you end up short of anything, screws and cables are cheap. One problem I see is that you've forgotten a CPU, which will bring the price up a little, say to around $1400-1450. This might not seem like much of a saving compared to the original, $1515, but this way you gain the experience of building it yourself, and you have a better PSU, case, sound card and video card. What I'll do later today when I have a little more time is go through Newegg and see what I can come up with myself, along similar lines, and I'll post back with any suggestions for improvements.Thank you very much for responding again, Calum. Quote from: Calum on December 28, 2008, 03:57:38 AM One problem I see is that you've forgotten a CPU That was silly of me. I know that's one of the first things I was looking at, but somehow I forgot to add it to the cart and completely overlooked the fact that I didn't. I've opted to take some of the "extended warranties" for some of the more expensive components. The last thing I have yet to get are the fans. I wasn't sure what brand, how many, or which types of fans (HD, memory, case, etc) I should get. So, as things stand now, I have: Checklist Found: Case Video Memory OS Software PSU Optical Drive CPU Mobo HD Sound Unsure: Mouse Keyboard Not Found: Cooling Sound Card: Open Box: AuzenTech Auzen X-Tension DIN 24-bit 192KHz Sound Card ($36.00) Mobo: ASUS P5Q SE/R LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail ($102.99 - $15 Rebate) CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale 3.16GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail ($187.99) Service Net Replacement Extended Warranty Plan: 1 year HD: $14.99 Video Card: $32.99 Mobo: $24.99 CPU: $24.99 Current Price: $1423.84 Warranties: $97.96 Tax: $103.23 Shipping: $54.19 Total Price: $1,697.22 Total Rebates: $110 I'm at the point where I want to see what I am able to downgrade to reduce the price by a good amount without sacrificing too much quality. I hesitate not to get those warranties, especially for the CPU and Video Card, as those are some of the most important components on the system, and some of the least supported by Newegg's Return Policy. (The mouse and keyboard are probably the safest things to downgrade, but they look so cool!)I'd advise against getting those extended warranties. Newegg should cover a lot of the items, and if they won't take them back the components will have their own warranties. For example, Intel CPUs have a 3 year warranty with Intel directly, and most video cards come with a good long warranty with the manufacturer too. The final decision is of course up to you however. Here's a little build I just cooked up, I saw you were online and it jogged my memory. Antec 900 case - $109.99 Asus P5Q Pro motherboard - $129.99/$114.99 after rebate intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 CPU - $184.99 Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro CPU cooler - $26.99 Patriot Viper 800MHz RAM - $47.99/$22.99 after rebate PC Power & Cooling 750W PSU - $109.99/$69.99 after rebate Western Digital Caviar Black 500GB HDD - $69.99 Creative X-Fi Titanium sound card - $95.99 Asus radeon 4870 DK edition - $249.99/$229.99 after rebate Windows Vista Home Premium 32 bit - $99.99 Sony DVDRW drive - $21.99 Logitech G11 keyboard - $58.99 Logitech G5 mouse - $46.99 OCZ Behemoth mousepad - $9.99 Total, including tax and shipping - $1,317.53, -$100 in rebates for a total of $1,217.53. Feel free to use this build, or parts of it, also question anything you like. Anyone else is also welcome to jump in and offer suggestions.Very nice. Ty. As a note: The video card is very important to me. The sound card is not very important at all. I'm mostly concerned with visual quality (whether playing WoW or some other game, working with image software, such as Photoshop, or watching a movie on my computer). I don't plan to buy speakers for this system and will instead use my headset. If I can get away with getting a "cheap" sound card, I'd rather do that. You've helped me save some money though! Your PSU costs quite a bit less than mine did. I also got rid of all the warranties. I'm looking at a system that, with tax and shipping, will cost me $1,612.88. :S Is the Arctic cooling Freezer all I'll need to keep my system cool? Do you consider the Asus Radeon 4870 to be a better investment than my GeForce GTX 280? It's almost $100 less, but if the visual quality of the GTX 280 is worth the extra $100, I'd gladly spend it for that boost. I'm going to put more time into looking for a mouse and keyboard. I really like the Razers (the mouse's 9 buttons would be awesome for me), but I certainly don't like their prices. The Kingston RAM is faster than the Patriot Vipers, and after rebate they cost almost the same amount. I am going to get the mousepad and the Sony drive. I'm hesitant about getting a Intel Core 2 Quad processor. I assume a faster Dual core would be better for my needs (and require less Watts and a less expensive motherboard and cooling system). I'm really grateful that you put the time into finding those parts.Calum has a nice setup worked out for you, but don't take the mail in rebates into consideration when it comes to your budget. If I get 1/2 or the rebates I send in for, I consider myself lucky. Or am I the only one?heljik - I've never in my life used a rebate, as I've never seen anywhere offering them where I live. Aren't they covered by a law or something though? Dendrek - you could go for a cheaper sound card, but it can really make a difference. Without checking, I don't know if WOW supports hardware accelerated sound, if it does then the game will run faster. Dedicated sound cards definitely do offer a good improvement in sound quality, but if it doesn't bother you just take that card out and sue the built-in sound on the motherboard. The Arctic Cooling Freezer is a good cooler. it's not necessary as the CPU does come with a cooler anyway, but this is quieter and it will cool your processor better. As such, it's not actually necessary, but I'd recommend it, I have one. The reason I chose that Radeon 4870 is because it offers very good performance at a decent price, and that motherboard supports Crossfire, meaning that later on you can pick up another 4870 to improve performance. The GTX 280 is faster, but to do the same with that card you need an Nvidia based board, and in my experience Intel chipsets have been better and cheaper. You could buy a GTX 280 and use it on that board anyway if you like, the standard P5Q is almost the same price so I'd consider that the P5Q Pro is worth the extra few dollars. About the RAM, it's usually better to have the RAM running in sync with the FSB - in this case, the FSB is 1066, which I did overlook. In this case, the speed of the Kingston RAM is good, but the timings are very loose. Something like this would be better, in my opinion, and not too much more expensive. And regarding the quad core CPU, I went for a faster dual core myself and now wish I hadn't. However, it doesn't appear that WOW supports more than 2 cores, so a faster dual core would be better for you, at least for now. This E8400 looks good to me. I don't know how WOW performs or anything, and I don't know if it will be updates to support more cores - if you think it will be, a quad core is definitely recommended. I've not used any of the Razer gaming products myself, but they do tend to get good reviews. The G5 and G11 I linked to I can recommend, as I have the older version of the G5 and have used my friend's G11. Keyboard and mouse are obviously a personal preference though, so no one can DEFINITIVELY tell you what's best for you. I had a few more thoughts about this. The case - you say you don't want LEDs etc? All the fans it comes with have blue LEDs on them. I don't know exactly how bright they are, but if it will bother you remember to budget for some new 120mm fans. As far as I know, the big 200mm up top can't be replaced except by the same model, so those LEDs you'll have to live with if you buy that case. Also, it might be a good idea to get a 64 bit version of Vista after all. That way, you can upgrade the RAM later on, if you want to, as a 32 bit OS only supports up to 4GB. It might not be necessary, 4GB is enough for just about anything you want to do now, but just a little thing to consider perhaps.I finally bought all the parts. It was a little intimidating to click "confirm" on something that would reduce my bank account by $1500 (especially on something that isn't finished yet, that isn't entirely guaranteed to work, and that I've never done before), but I'm pretty confident in my investment. Thank you very much for all the help, Calum! Without your advice, I'm pretty sure I would have stuck myself with an overpriced, CRAPPY system that I would not have been satisfied with. I'll certainly be coming back to this site if I need anymore computer-related assistance.You're very welcome, hope you enjoy it. Please, do post back if you have any more problems or questions, and do let us know how it goes.If you haven't already built your system there is a great article on Tom's Hardware for Dec 08 about a $1250 gaming system that they built. With the extra money that you have you could get the faster cpu (in the Nov 08 article) and the better graphics card and you would still be under $1500 plus they have all the specs done for you.A 32-Bit OS won't recognise the full 4GB, it will recognise 3.4GB or something like that. Just thought I'd throw that out there.chevronman, I see the article you're referring to. However, compared to, say, the build I did above, Tom's build lacks a dedicated sound card, gaming keyboard/mouse/mousepad, has less RAM, a worse PSU, case and cooler, but a better CPU, video card and motherboard plus larger HDD, for a similar price. Overall, personally I'd prefer my system, especially as the i7 CPUs run very hot, not helped in this situation by the stock cooler. Good suggestion though, and I'm not everyone so I'm sure others will benefit. s-mac, thanks for the info but that's already been covered. For future reference, it depends on the hardware as to how much RAM a 32 bit operating system will recognize, in this case I'd expect to see around 2.8GB. |
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