Desktops: Very new to building, need major advice!
Very new to building, need major advice!
by shad559 - 8/20/09 2:16 AMAs of late i have found myself with alot of free time. I've always liked to make my own computer but never really had the money to start. But i do right now and i'm willing to spend 1500 on a computer. I just have no idea on where to start. I've been looking at cases and i never really thought of myself as a flashy guy so i'm ok with not having the expensive cases. If anyone could help me along with this i would be extremely grateful!
Also, does anyone know where if there is an online store that offers military discount when buying these parts?
I want to make a computer that can handle the next-gen games. Preferable with a 320 gb hard drive. I know i should be more specific on what exactly i want but i'm sure on what i need to be exact on.
"Wat exactly I want".
by Kees Bakker
- 8/20/09 2:29 AM
In reply to: Very new to building, need major advice! by shad559
I'd start with looking around for a ready-made computer.
Once you selected one that nearly exactly is what you want, you can add the finishing touch building one yourself. So let us know what you selected (and why) and what you want (even) better than pre-packaged.
Just to get you thinking! It's easier to have a good starting-point.
Kees
Checkout and decide....
by Willy - 8/20/09 3:35 AM In reply to: Very new to building, need major advice! by shad559If any vendor offers a military discount, they will post it on their website. If not shown, then simply ask.
I strongly suggest you think the case and PSU as these are hardly thought of. They are taken for granted but are the basis for a decent stable system. Since, we're talking about possible gaming, these are very demanding and if you slack off on cooling and power, they will bite you over time. So beware of those issues.
As for any other components or devices, those can be had or reviewed by your true needs. Find your need, then try to supply it by visiting online websites or local sales. Your request for a 320gb HD is far easily matched by a typical 500gb now, 1tb is becoming very common and these are not that costly. For a good system, you need at least a dual core cpu, 512mb video card and 2gb of ram or more. Anything above that is gravy. However don't shop too cheaply while deals are out there, buying cheap can unrewarding for a long lasting PC. I suggest you visit this website:
http://www.tomshardware.com for reviews and offering
For parts/prices:
http://www.geeks.com
http://www.newegg.com
http://www.zipzoomfly.com
http://www.tigerdirect.com
OR any other websites for special parts and/or whole systems. A barebones or white box, is the PC case alone plus the mtrbd./ram/PSU for a jump start on building a system. Eeven, if you don't buy, checkout what they offer gives an idea what's expected on typical systems nowadays. enjoy
tada -----WIlly 
Update
by shad559 - 8/20/09 10:08 AM In reply to: Very new to building, need major advice! by shad559Alright here's an update.
I bought the--- SAPPHIRE VAPOR-X 100269VXL Radeon HD 4890 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card from newegg.com.
I also purchased the--- NZXT TEMPEST Crafted Series CS-NT-TEM-B Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case (i said ah screw it make it look half decent)
I'm looking to get 4gb of memory and i've been looking at ATX motherboards but there's just so many...i do want a dual core and is a quad core worth it?
my 2 cents
by nuentes - 8/24/09 8:50 AM In reply to: Update by shad559For gaming, especially for next-gen gaming, you should probably go quad core.
If money is of no object to you, then buy Intel. But if you want to get more bang for your buck, I recommend AMD. You can get a quad core Intel at 2.6Ghz for about $170, or the same from AMD for about $120.
Next you will need a compatible Motherboard for whatever type of CPU you want.
Most motherboards come with integrated sound, so you wouldnt really need a sound card if you arent a very demanding audiophile. If you are, you will need to drop an extra $100 on one of those.
For RAM, I recommend up to 8GB for gaming. RAM is pretty cheap, in comparison to everything else, and it is very easy/cheap to max out what your motherboard is capable of holding.
for an optical drive - you can almost always find a DVD burner on newegg for about 20-25. I myself just bought a blu ray burner for $140... but you may not think that is as cool as I think it is....
you will need thermal compound for your CPU. I recommend Arctic Silver 5.
Get a good CPU cooler. Your CPU will undoubtedly come with one, and it will undoubtedly not be good enough. Just read reviews on newegg to find one for your CPU type, and sort the list by rating. Maybe even consider liquid cooling...??? Probably not necessary, unless you will be overclocking your CPU... which isnt likely.
For this system, you should probably get a Power supply rated for about 700w... just a guess. Again... look at reviews to find the right one for you.
Next, just get whatever cables you need (i.e. SATA, IDE), and whatever cooling you need, such as a chassis fan(s), maybe a PCI fan, and also, maybe a Hard drive fan.
hope this help!
Building Your PC
by wexmary - 8/29/09 3:56 AM In reply to: my 2 cents by nuentesI am also looking to build a new PC next year to replace my Dell.
I am a PC tech, but there are a couple of suggestions I offer. Buy the motherboard, case and CPU from the same vendor and have them assemble thos parts. I have seen way too many motherboards messed up inadvertently from a bad install. Getting the heat sink on correctly is not for a beginner either.
Unless the rules have suddenly changed, a 32-bit OS will only allow you to use 3-4 GB of RAM. If you buy 8, you have to use a 64-bit OS, and those may be quite flaky still.
You might consider buying a 2nd hard drive, don't skimp on those, they are cheap and reliable.
Building your own
by ny2nv - 8/28/09 6:19 PM In reply to: Very new to building, need major advice! by shad559Checkout Tigerdirect or Newegg for bare bones kits, You will need to add the OS of your choice. Some are budget all the way to high end.
FYI: from my experience easy with the thermal paste (if required for the cpu cooler) just a little.
I choose a midsized case as the small ones are tight to work with. There are some online guides that are quite good. As to motherboards should have at least 4 slots. Some boards have HDMI. Power supply 500 watts and above. I found a case with a removable motherboard rack, did most of the work outside the case.
Wait 6 months
by WilliamHarper - 8/29/09 5:17 AM In reply to: Very new to building, need major advice! by shad559Let Win 7 get issued, and see what new hardware is out there for "Next Gen Games".
1. If you buy now, you take a very high chance of getting the wrong or out-dated hardware.
2. If you are not familiar with PCs - INTIMATELY - forget building one. It’s a huge hassle, and you'll spend HOURS configuring. How much is your time worth? 100 hours of wasted time x $10 an hour = $1,000. You won't save money by building unless you are already extremely proficient in building from scratch.
Buy a mainstream PC and add a few upgrades with time.
The thrill of building your own
by flrhcarr - 8/29/09 12:24 PM In reply to: Very new to building, need major advice! by shad559Where to start can be hard. Do you know about computers enough to know which motherboard & chip you want?
If not, you should consider tweaking a bare bones.
If you're not sure about your skill in building a computer, buy a used one that is working & take it apart. Buy some thermal paste (for installing the CPU) & put it back together.
Take pictures of where everything is, inside the tower & use that as a reference point.
Don't buy some high end computer to tinker with, just one that boots, & stays running. This way you know that it worked before. Than donate or recycle it.
There are many resources out there for building your own. PC Mechanic is a fair place to start out. Do an online search for more info.
Once you feel that you're ready (more than you are now). Pick up the pieces that you want.
You can search for the better prices (stay away from "value brands" till you've built a few machines).
Most of the vendors are good (though most everyone has had an issue with them from time to time). Just do a search on the company name & see what comes up. I have a few negatives on a couple companies as well.
If you're not sure what all you want in your computer. Look at some & read the specs. Pick up a couple issues of computer mags to get an idea of what's out there.
Look at some sites, get some ideas. Make sure your tower has room to grow (an some for your hands as well.
Nearly all new towers come with the hardware to install, but not for all that you're going to install. Fans, nuts, screws, paste & things like that. I used Cyberguys for the hardware as well as other pieces.
You'll find many to choose from.
Compuplus & Geeks (dot com) are both great sources for inexpensive pieces & deals. Often you can get the OS for "free" on a HDD purchase.
It is quite rewarding (as it is infuriating) to build your own. Just keep in mind that you are your own tech support if something goes bump. The hardest is not powering it up before it's done & rushing to get it done. You say that you have time, use it.
Read before going in. Did you buy a sound card? Do you (most likely) need to disable the on board one in the BIOS?
Do you have EIDE cables for your SATA drives (oops)?
Anyhow, good luck on your build. Keep everything away from magnets, carpets & liquids. Keep your eye on the temperatures of your Chip & board, & download the beep codes before assembly, & remember you can always start over by removing the button battery (read your motherboard manual).
Hope this helps.
Two step
by msgale - 8/29/09 7:20 PM In reply to: The thrill of building your own by flrhcarrStep one - don't.
Step two - see step one.
Seriously, there is no way you can build a equivalent machine as any major manufacture as cheap. When you buy your parts, as an example a Seagate drive, you will have buy it from a reseller who will mark up the price to you. HP deals directly with Seagate so they get the same price as the reseller or maybe even less. Even if you got a legal OEM copy of Windows, do you really believe that Dell pays the same price as you would? Major manufactures have engineering staffs to insure a balanced PC is produced, heat flows are checked and proper cooling is installed. I have owned ten PCs since 1984, first IBM and now Dell; I have one motherboard failure on a six year old machine. Never had any heat problems.
Building v. Assembling
by msgale - 8/29/09 7:32 PM In reply to: Two step by msgaleA thought - what you are considering is assembling not building. I did many years ago build electronic devices, which meant cutting wires, mounting components, and soldering connection. I had to punch holes in aluminum chassis to mount vacuum tubes. I had to do troubling shooting using volt meters and an oscilloscope (which I built) - chicken a egg story. I built a RC transmitter from parts and an Amateur transmitter from a kit. The last electronics I built was a Heathkit computer which used a 8080 processor.
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