Please, Advice Needed on Building My Own Gaming Rig
neogeo0823
Deep within the bowels of a sperm whale
ok, im pretty sure that this is the right board to post this on, but if im wrong then feel free to move it please.
now, onto the topic at hand! i consider myself to be at least mildly savvy with software, but a pc's hardware is a bit of a different story for me. that said, ive recently realized that my laptop is old and begining to crumble. ive decided that i want to get a new desktop that will be able to play more resource intensive game like unreal 2007 and fable. the problem is that i dont have the odd $5000 that some places are asking for these more top-line computers. so, in the interest of trying to preserve my bank account, im going to ask anyone who can care to explain to me the finer details of buying and building your own desktop pc. im looking to spend around $2000 or so but i could probably go a couple hndred higher. of course, the less i can spend to get the same results, the better.
please take into consideration the following things:
estimated unreal 2007 stats, taken from several websites that all said the same thing:
Preliminary UT2007 System Requirements
Minimum Requirements
CPU: 2.8Ghz
RAM: 512MB
Graphics: Geforce 6 series
Recommended System
CPU: 3-4Ghz
RAM: 1024MB
Graphics: NVIDIA 6800GT/Ultra or 7800GT/GTX SLI
UT2007 Technical features and requirements
* Dual-core CPU: Multi-threading is supported and should provide much better performance
* 64-bit version to be available with better textures
* Renderers: SM3.0, 2.0, possible DX8 renderer
* HDR supported
* Physics: Novodex Physics Engine
* AGEIA PhysX PPU supported.
so, i figure that i should go with the system requirements for unreal 2007, as that would probably cover me for another few years and its really what i want the new pc for anyway. any info that can be provided, such as explainations on what to expect when looking for parts, building tips, good sites to shop at, or anything else would be highly, highly appreciated. ive never actually built my own pc before, so this is new for me. a step by step guide from start to finish would be entirely ideal for me.
thanks in advance to anyone who can help out :bigggrin:
now, onto the topic at hand! i consider myself to be at least mildly savvy with software, but a pc's hardware is a bit of a different story for me. that said, ive recently realized that my laptop is old and begining to crumble. ive decided that i want to get a new desktop that will be able to play more resource intensive game like unreal 2007 and fable. the problem is that i dont have the odd $5000 that some places are asking for these more top-line computers. so, in the interest of trying to preserve my bank account, im going to ask anyone who can care to explain to me the finer details of buying and building your own desktop pc. im looking to spend around $2000 or so but i could probably go a couple hndred higher. of course, the less i can spend to get the same results, the better.
please take into consideration the following things:
estimated unreal 2007 stats, taken from several websites that all said the same thing:
Preliminary UT2007 System Requirements
Minimum Requirements
CPU: 2.8Ghz
RAM: 512MB
Graphics: Geforce 6 series
Recommended System
CPU: 3-4Ghz
RAM: 1024MB
Graphics: NVIDIA 6800GT/Ultra or 7800GT/GTX SLI
UT2007 Technical features and requirements
* Dual-core CPU: Multi-threading is supported and should provide much better performance
* 64-bit version to be available with better textures
* Renderers: SM3.0, 2.0, possible DX8 renderer
* HDR supported
* Physics: Novodex Physics Engine
* AGEIA PhysX PPU supported.
so, i figure that i should go with the system requirements for unreal 2007, as that would probably cover me for another few years and its really what i want the new pc for anyway. any info that can be provided, such as explainations on what to expect when looking for parts, building tips, good sites to shop at, or anything else would be highly, highly appreciated. ive never actually built my own pc before, so this is new for me. a step by step guide from start to finish would be entirely ideal for me.
thanks in advance to anyone who can help out :bigggrin:
0
Comments
I've edited your thread title so it will get more attention.
We love helping people learn how to build their own.
im fine with waiting a few days, as im currently waiting on some papers for a loan from the bank which will give me more than enough money to build a good machine. of course, most of that moneys supposed to go to long standing bills, so like i said, the cheaper, the better.
but i know from previous threads ive made on this forum that you guys are very good at what you do, so im sure im in very good hands here.
- Will you need new peripherals - monitor, keyboard, mouse...?
- How long do you wish to keep the computer, or...
- How long will you wish it to be capable of high-demand games before you are willing to upgrade?
Sorry, when I stated we could easily build you a high performance computer for your budget, I wasn't considering monitor, keyboard, and mouse. But still, your budget is plenty healthy.
as for how long i plan to use it? well... i plan to have the computer for a few years at least. its not like im looking for constant, top-line upgrades. i just want something that will play todays top games, then when it becomes horribly obsolete, ill replace/upgrade it.
also, it would help me figure in a few other numbers for my own personal calculations of you could give me a rough estimate on what a decent budget is for this sort of project. i shopped for computers for a bit and decided that $5000 was way too pricey for me and was hoping that $2000 would be a reachable goal but if you think we could significantly lower that(in the hundreds of dollars increment) then that would be even better.
its much better to upgrade peice by peice rather than shell out for a new comp every three years. even though it is fun to drop a couple thousand on a brand new system
im by no means an expert but that advice was given to me and so i am passing it on
good luck with your build
a bit of background: the laptop i currently have was bought as a highschool graduation gift for me by my mom. back when i first got it, it was pretty decent, but it was, by no means, top-line. i had always wanted to build my own desktop gaming rig that i can just upgrade bit by bit instead of replacing my whole system every once in a while. of course, its extremely hard, i found out, to upgrade most laptops in the way that i want to.
that said, it sounds to me like a motherboard is the place to start when building a new computer. can anyone elaborate on the specifics of things i should know when selecting one? what are good brands to look for? whats a decent price for one? for the system requirements that ive listed, whats a decent suggestion for a motherboard? is there anything else that you can tell me that i should know?
then get yourself a compatible motherboard that is fairly well equipped and future proof (or at least as future proof as possible)
then go through the motions of picking out storage, drives, case, psu etc etc
pick what suits you but also whats gonna give you value for money
snapping up the items with the best performance-price ratio seems to be the golden rule
lets start off with the motherboard/cpu. the specs i posted up top are pretty much what im going for for my new system. whats a decent cpu for the task at hand? i was looking through some that were listed at 2.8ghz, but its been my experience that cpus dont necessarily always go at that rated speed. maybe something around 3ghz or so would be better? or does it matter? and what about motherboards? i have no idea what to do about motherboards. no clue on good namebrands, specifications, or anything.
Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe 2.4GHz 4M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor - Retail $317.00
ASUS P5B Deluxe/WiFi-AP LGA 775 Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $194.99
OCZ Platinum Revision 2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail $245.99
XFX PVT80GTHD9 GeForce 8800GTS 640MB 320-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Video Card - Retail $459.99
So far I have only spent $1216.00 of your money and you need a case, power supply, drives and OS yet to go.
http://secure.newegg.com/NewVersion/wishlist/PublicWishDetail.asp?WishListNumber=1720198
This is pretty much what Mt_Goat have recommended but I chose more economical graphics card and motherboard for you. You can still replace the graphics card with GF8800GTS within your $2000 budget, your choice IMHO, the graphics card in the above list, GF7900GS, will be sufficient for almost every game in the market today as long as you do not want to go very high resolutions (you will need an expensive monitor for that anyway), and until it becomes outdated, there will be better cards for the same price.
Regarding choosing a retailer to buy the PC parts, Newegg is a reliable place to buy the PC parts and they also have competitive prices.
If you do not have the operating system from your previous PC that you can transfer to your new PC, you can add an OEM copy of Windows XP to the shopping list.
ok, ive looked at both setups and between the two, i have a few questions regarding some of the items.
firstly, the two motherboards you guys chose. can either one of you (or both of you, if you can) elaborate on why you guys chose each one of those? like i said, i know next to nothing about motherboards, so explainations on your choices would be appreciated. i read through the descriptions, and it might be that im tired right now, but it all seems like greek to me.
nextly, the video cards. i can see the differences in the video cards, but for an extra ~$300 is the geforce 8800gts really the better option? i can see how it would probably be a better option for the long run, as i could probably wait a bit longer before upgrading it, however, in your opinion, is it worth the extra money?
thats about all i can think of for right now. but i am taking every suggestion and item into consideration. if anyone else has any suggested setups, feel free to post and ill check those out as well.
EDIT: here we go, i just thought of the other thing i wanted to ask. as i had said before, im gonna replace my monitor, and i was looking through the newegg catalog and was wondering if its basically a matter of preference or if theres anything specific i should consider when choosing a monitor. i want to go for an LCD, but the CRT monitors are a bit cheaper. are the LCDs the better choice for video quality, or do the CRTs still do a good job? i would want a display that can fully reflect the capabilities of the graphics card i choose to use. that said, do you guys have any specific recommendations, or is it all a matter of opinion?
I chose the basic P5B for you to save money. It is a quality brand, reliable motherboard, and has the same chipset with other P5B models (other than RAID capability) so performance is the same too. But it does not come with heat-pipe cooling, and RAID system. I think, heat-pipe cooling will not make any difference for you regarding the performance of this system since you seem not to have any extreme overclocking intentions. Still, the board is a respectable overclocker. If you want to invest on a component to increase performance, upgrading the video card is the best option. Regarding upgradability, basic P5B supports upgrading to quad cores in the future. I would recommend you not to invest anything you do not need, everything will be cheaper and better if you buy when you need them.
Regarding the monitor, I recommend LCD. Do not even consider buying a CRT, it is dead technology. Monitor is the most critical part that enhances your PC usage experience; choose the best LCD monitor you can afford. I would recommend a good brand 19" or 20" wide screen LCD. There has been several discussions in this forum earlier about the better models and brands of LCD monitors.
I recommend LCD.
Name brand LCD monitors like Samsung are hard to beat these days! It took some getting used to for me but now I would never go back to a CRT!
Thrax,
What is your take on the vid card issue since you have had both flavors?
Why it is best of the three? How to save money while paying $50 more? I think you need to be more clear here.
I used the MSI P965 Platinum mobo, no SLI or Crossfire support, but only $135
The low end Core2Duo E6300 about $190. I figure I can either overclock, or go quadcore, or see what teh E4xxx cpus look like.
A Seagate HDD. 160GB for $55
I did splurge on memory. OCZ DDR2 800, 2x1GB. $250
I used a X1950pro video card since I am going to fold with it. For gamming the 7900GS is great. In a few months the DX10 cards will be coming out and you can always upgrade this later.
With DVD burners, case and power supply it spent $1,100.
Monitor question, Do you have to have an LCD? Will you feel out of place with a big old CRT? If you think that you can live with a CRT (higher resolution, faster refresh, better contrast, better color) look at used ones on azatek.com I haev bought two and like them a lot (22" Mitsubishi).
The name of company is Cyberpower and very great PC company I have been hard core gaming for some time with major companys like Dell XPS's, and Alienware. This site is purley awesome for gamin rigs!! Below is all you need for $2,538 which includes a great 19 inch LCD with 2ms refresh monitor. Remember you can add or take away to catar your cost. The only thing by the way the sound card is stock you may wish to upgrade depending if you spend another $100 bucks and the trade off the LCD monitor. GOOD LCK !!
CASE: CoolerMaster Stacker 830 Tower 420W Case W/ Side-panel Window
CPU: (Sckt775)Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E6600 CPU @ 2.4GHz 1066FSB 2x2MB L2 Cache EM64T
MOTHERBOARD: (Quad-Core Supports) EVGA nForce 680i SLI Chipset LGA775 FSB1333 DDR2 Mainboard
MEMORY: (Req.DDR2 MainBoard)2GB (2x1GB) PC6400 DDR2/800 Dual Channel Memory (Corsair Value Select or Major Brand)
VIDEO CARD: NEW!!! NVIDIA GeForce 7950 GX2 1GB 16X PCI Express (Major Brand Powered by NVIDIA)
VIDEO CARD 2: NONE
LCD Monitor: Gaming LCD ViewSonic VX922 19" (2ms White-Black-White Typ) SXGA LCD Display Monitor
HARD DRIVE: Extreme Performance (RAID-0) with 2 Identical Hard Drives (148GB (74GBx2) Gaming Western Digital Rapter 10, 000RPM SATA150 8MB Cache WD740ADFD)
Data Hard Drive: 80GB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 8MB Cache 7200RPM Hard Drive
Optical Drive: (Special Price) 16X DVD±R/±RW + CD-R/RW DRIVE DUAL LAYER (BLACK COLOR)
Optical Drive 2: 16X DVD ROM (BLACK COLOR)
SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
ok, firstly, i believe that my build would consist primarily of items from mirages wishlist suggestion with a few different items swapped out, so ill be reffering to that list, then talking about other items i may switch around.
now then, one thing i want to change is the case. im just not sure if i like the "big black brick" look, ya know? ive been looking over some of the different cases on newegg, and i was wondering how hot these systems get. i noticed that most of the cases ive been finding in a decent price range have only one 80mm fan and im wondering if thats enough. if the system shouldnt get very hot, ill probably switch it out with one of those cool blue cases. blues my favorite color :P.
that said, i would stick with the motherboard listed, as well as the video card. i was talking to some other people today and apparently theres a new set of cards coming out fairly soon, so once the popularity of the more powerful cards goes down, along with the prices, ill be able to upgrade to a better one if i need it. the power supply will cover all the items, right? i didnt check through every item on the list yet, but i noticed that some cases come with their own 400-500W power supply. if i can get away with one of those, then ill scrap the listed one, unless you guys think its absolutely necessary.
i will, of course stick with the cpu listed, but ill swap out the Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory kit with the one listed by Big Red, because its $10 less. of course, opinions on why one would be better than the other would be helpful.
as for the hard drive, i was looking through the lists, and i think that the "SAMSUNG SpinPoint T Series HD321KJ 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM" would probably do just fine for the slightly lower cost. both drives seem to be fairly identical, but this is about $10 cheaper. once again, this is me just penny pinching, but every little bit helps. and also, once again, any other suggestions or opinions will be listened to.
lastly, the CD drive will remain unchanged, simply because i dont care much about the specifications, as long as it gets the job done. not only that, but its about the cheapest thing on the list.
now, ive been looking through the monitors, and ive decided that i want to go with the LCD monitor. looking through the monitors, it seems that unless your looking for a fairly specific monitor, then a monitor is a monitor is a monitor, so to speak. i picked the "SCEPTRE X7G-NagaVI Black 17" 8ms LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 500:1 - Retail" as it is one of the more affordable monitors and looks like it will suit my needs well.
for a keyboard, i actually found a very nice product called "Z Board" that has an incredibly cool looking dual keypad set. its basically like two keyboards in once that you can change instantly. i first found it today at the local gamestop, but i also see its here at newegg.
im currently making an account at newegg, so ill post back a much easier to read list of what im thinking of getting soon.
mobo: ASUS P5B LGA 775 Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail - $126.99
cpu: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe 2.4GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80557E6600 - Retail - $317.00
hard drive: SAMSUNG SpinPoint T Series HD321KJ 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM - $89.99
memory: OCZ Platinum Revision 2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ2P800R22GK - Retail - $245.99
video card: eVGA 256-P2-N624-AR GeForce 7900GS 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 KO Video Card - Retail - $175.99
sound card: oh crap! i forgot a sound card. well... will the mobo's sound card work for this?
power supply: SeaSonic S12-600 ATX12V 600W Power Supply - Retail - $144.99
speakers: Cyber Acoustics CA3090WB 26 watts 2.1 Black Gaming Speaker - OEM - $19.99
CD drive: SAMSUNG 18X DVD±R DVD Burner With 12X DVD-RAM Write, LightScribe Technology Black IDE Model SH-S182M/BEBN - OEM - $31.99
monitor: SCEPTRE X7G-NagaVI Black 17" 8ms LCD Monitor - Retail - $147.99
keyboard: Ideazon Zboard Gaming Wired Keyboard - Retail - $49.99
mouse: stock logitech optical mouse that i currently own
grand total: $1,350.91
all prices listed are after special offers and discounts are taken out, but not after rebates are taken into consideration.
However good/fast/powerful is your computer, eventually what you hear and see come from the speakers and monitor. So, I recommend do not pinch pennies on those. Not that I claim Sceptre and Cyber Acoustics are bad, just a friendly reminder.
Regarding the case, pay attention to cooling fans. Front and rear fans are both important to save you from heat troubles later. 120mm fans are desirable since they move more air with less noise. And, every fan is not same, they can be very frustrating later if they are making too much noise or not moving sufficient air. Unless the case brand is a reliable one, such as Antec, Enermax, Thermaltake, etc. do not rely on the PSU that is coming with your case. You do not need to spend a ton of money for the PSU but make sure it is a reliable PSU from a known manufacturer such as Enermax, Antec, Seasonic, etc. There are reviews at Newegg that can help you on your decision.
Regarding the sound card, why don't you give a chance to the integrated sound on the motherboard. I doubt it but you can buy a sound card later if you feel the need.
The best is to build it yourself, good luck!!
for the speakers, i picked those based on what my environment was going to be like. a simple desk, in my room. i wanted more depth than i could get with 2 speakers, so i moved up to 2.1. then i found some nice looking speakers that were priced well and included headphone jacks and manual controls for ease of adjustment.
however, i believe i found a case for my computer. its the same price as the one you mentioned earlier, mirage, however, i think it more than meets the needs for my system. its got 5 fans, 2 80mm, 3 90mm, so if that doesnt keep the system cool, nothing will. its the "Thermaltake Damier V5000C Blue 1.0 mm SECC Chassis Aluminum made Front Door Modern Tower Xaser V Damier Computer Case - Retail ". it would bring the total cost for this pc up to $1439.90
hmm... i think ive got everything i need now, so if theres anything else anyone wants to add. then ill take that all into consideration and adjust things if necessary.
EDIT: also, i forgot to ask, is the 600W power supply necessary, or can i go with a lower one? the case doesnt come with a built in power supply of any kind, so at this point, im just wondering if i can go down in wattage to save money, or if thats the minimum i need.
DOUBLE EDIT: what about if the power supply had extra wattage to it, like, say, 650W? i found a nice combo deal on a 650W power supply that would save me a good $40 if i get it with my mobo. if the extra wattage doesnt matter, ill be getting that one.
I own a Samsung SyncMaster 205bw. It is an excelent monitor and the color is wonderful. If is on Samsungs 'b' line, but everything about it is grade A. This thing makes my 15" monitor sitting right beside it look like a pos. The whites are whiter and the blacks are deeper. Not to mention I got it for a great price at staples on black friday.
I would go with the E6400 if you would like to dabble in oc'ing, the E6300 if you want to upgrade to quad core when it becomes a little more economical. Actually, if I was going to wait and upgrade, I would through a $80 pentium D in there until quad core prices come down a little. Those processors will work fine for now, and the quad core would be a drop in replacement.
And the number of fans doesn't matter to a point. A properly designed case will work most efficiently with two fans. I've seen case studies about all the different places to put fans, and after you got the initial exhaust in the back, intake in the front fans running. Additional fans had nill to no effect, sometimes even raising system temp. You get a fan that can push 40cfm and it can exchange the air in the case several times a minute.
Apparently the cooling configuration for that case is very effective. Keep in mind though, that would be some complicated wiring for a first-time homebuilt. Thermaltake supposedly has additional wiring instructions for it at their site. Personally, I prefer simpler case cooling configurations based on one 120mm intake and one 120mm exhaust. I'm afraid the multiple little fans on that Xaser case, in addition to the fans from your PSU and video card might make for a symphony of buzzing madness. Maybe I'm wrong. The case you selected does however, come with a fan speed controller. I just know that I avoid small fans as far as possible for case applications. The little bit I read about that case praised it's quality and workmanship.
im fairly confident in my ability to direct wiring and keep things clear. back in highschool, i began studies in small circuitry and electronics, which im continuing today, but back then, we had a big project where we had to wire a very messy bread board, but keep the wires clean and easy to follow. i got a 95 on that project, and only lost points cause one wire came out when the instructor yanked it out by mistake.
anywho... about the PSU, at this moment, im trying to balance power/quality and cost. i just want to know if i need a 600W minimum so i can begin balancing quality and price. if its really something that you just need to eyeball, ill go with the 600W then. while im at it, could you guys give me your opinion on the Thermaltake Purepower W0129RU ATX12V 600 W Power Supply 115/230 V CE, FCC, UL, CUL, TUV certification - Retail? it seems to have adequit specs, and it is by thermaltake, which leads me to believe that if their PSUs are as highly praised as their cases... well, it may work out for the price.
EDIT: as i said, i could probably just unplug the two side fans. the main reason i chose that case was cause it looked so freakin cool without being a nightlight :P
That is a good PSU, it will work for you. Nice find
EDIT: i probably will end up choosing something a bit more... modest, leonardo, but probably not till near the end of my other research and browsing. as for now, its an interesting looking case with optional extra fans that i can use if i need them. however, i know that there are cheaper cases out there, so in the end, when im scraping for those last few extra dollars, ill probably switch to a cheaper, but still effective case.