Help build my PC

Mostly_Harmless

Mostly_Harmless

Tribe of Judah Unreal Tournament Chapter Co-leader
So, I am computer illiterate and Tek7, told me to ask my question here. My sister has a friend who builds and fixes computers for a living and he's willing to make one up for me. I was going to buy a prebuilt computer, but many people told me that the video card was really not worth buying.

This is the machine that I was planning on buying.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-de...219050992109&skuId=1362128#tab=specifications

If you guys could help me build a super computer with an awesome graphics card, I'd really appreciate the help. I'm looking for something powerful, but for a good deal.

Thanks guys. :)
 
Mostly_Harmless said:
So, I am computer illiterate and Tek7, told me to ask my question here. My sister has a friend who builds and fixes computers for a living and he's willing to make one up for me. I was going to buy a prebuilt computer, but many people told me that the video card was really not worth buying.

This is the machine that I was planning on buying.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-de...219050992109&skuId=1362128#tab=specifications

If you guys could help me build a super computer with an awesome graphics card, I'd really appreciate the help. I'm looking for something powerful, but for a good deal.

Thanks guys. :)
Click to expand...
that video card isn't terrible. What kind of games are you looking at playing? i have a similar system with a radeon 6770 and it works fine for what i play...warcraft...starcraft 1 and 2...left for dead 2...
 
Nothing about that computer screams "Buy me".

Best Buy is typically overpriced for gaming machines. I'd even recommend TigerDirect/CompUSA over Best Buy for a gaming rig. Even Dell PCs can be easily upgraded to be more "gamer-friendly".

Processor - The 4th Gen Core i7 is a good choice - can't offer much advice on that. Processors are a bit more beastly to swap out (primarily due to motherboard/processor compatibility), so definitely target systems with the processor you want. Everything else can be upgraded after the purchase.

Video card - I have a Radeon 4890 - it is sufficient to play GW2 and BF2, but I haven't tried it on more recent FPS games (not my style). Use this site to compare video card specs and "prices":
http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html
My 4890 ranks around 1500, where the GT 640 in the BestBuy system rates only around 1285 - so there will be a small difference between the two.
According to that site, you can get a GTX 7850 (rank around 3700) for around $130 (probably cheaper, if you look hard enough). It makes the top 30 of the list, and is one of the best bang-for-the-buck cards I've seen. Video cards are easy-peasy to install, so don't let that scare you off from upgrading.

Memory - 16GB is certainly admirable. You can buy 16GB of memory (4x4GB) for around $100 if you look around. Manufacturers like to overcharge for that kind of thing, so be mindful that memory upgrades can be much cheaper (and very easy to install) than trying to get a system with exactly how much you want to end up with.

Two words of advice:
1. Shop around. Visit sites like FatWallet and SlickDeals to find killer deals on systems. Computers are hot items that often pop up, and finding systems at 50% off list price is rather common.
2. Black Friday is JUST around the corner - and things go on sale for DEEP DISCOUNTS. If you're patient, you can very easily capitalize on one of these sales. Remember, prices continuously drop, so if you don't get anything that weekend, the prices will likely still be better than they are right now, especially as the Christmas season continues on.

A quick search on Slickdeals turned this one up:
http://slickdeals.net/f/6378654-ref...ac-or-12gb-2tb-hd7770-645-ac-free-ship-newegg

If you're OK with a refurb, this Dell has the same (or similar) processor, a better graphics card (one you wouldn't want to immediately upgrade, anyways), 12GB of memory, same 2TB hDD and is over $300 cheaper at $645. But comments on this post even hint that there were better deals offering similar systems with 16GB memory for $500 - you just need to keep you eyes open for these sales to pick up.

Just my two cents - I've found that when buying computers, fortune favors the patient and alert.
 
JGouldie said:
Just my two cents - I've found that when buying computers, fortune favors the patient and alert.
Click to expand...
This is probably the best advice here. Be patient. There are plenty of parts that come up for sale that have rebates or huge discounts.

And I would highly recommend building your own PC yourself. Nowadays, putting a PC together is very easy. It's like an expensive puzzle.
 
Here are a few tips from my own computer parts shopping experience I hope prove helpful:

  • Select the components you want, with help from others on our forums.
  • Feel free to vent on our forums. Selecting computer parts, especially if you're as frugal as I am, can be an exhausting experience.
  • Favor spending more on parts that are more difficult to replace (i.e. mainboard and processor).
  • Use camelcamelcamel.com to check price history on Amazon items.
  • Add the items you've chosen to Amazon and Newegg wish lists.
  • Wait patiently sales leading up to and including Black Friday. (If you're like me, it will take you that long to pick out your parts anyway.)
  • Before you make the actual purchases, check FatWallet.com for cash back opportunities. I scored ~$26 that way when I bought my upgrades in January.
  • After you've purchased the parts and assembled your computer, do not look at any online computer parts stores or deal sites for at least 60 days.
 
For your consideration:

http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/107...sktop-amd-a10-5700-8gb-ddr3-1tb-hdd-windows-8

Staples has Lenovo H535 Desktop on sale for $400 - $100 off with coupon code 64888 = $300. Shipping is free.

Specs:
AMD A10-5700 3.4GHz Quad Core CPU
8GB DDR3
1TB HDD
AMD Raedon HD 7660D Graphics
DVD+/RW drive
WiFi N
Windows 8

Staples also has Lenovo H530 Desktop on sale for $650 - $100 off with coupon code 64888 = $550. Shipping is free.

Specs:
Intel Core i7 4770 3.4GHz Quad Core CPU
8GB DDR3
1TB 7200RPM HDD
Intel HD Graphics 4600
WiFi N
DVD Drive
Windows 8
Click to expand...

Either should be upgradeable to add more memory or a better video card. In case you're still looking, and really don't feel like building from scratch.
 
I wouldn't go with anything AMD at this point..hot..slower...if cost is absolute then i'd go intel pentium before an AMD these days. The Intel mentioned there isn't going to be a good gamer due to the video chip..the AMD is going to be better with it's integrated graphics. I've gotten back into pc building...i've had enough clients ask me to build for them so they can avoid windows 8...:)
 
May I put in my 2 cents worth? I traditionally was AMD processors, I had an Athlon Thunderbird back a long time ago that served well for many years, then got stuffed in a comp for my better half, then stuffed in a refurb for give away. That said if you can handle the price the Intel I7 is a better current proc for most applications. When I had a comp built for me and my wife in 2009 I had the brand new Intel I7 put in mine, and an AMD Athlon II X4 620 put in hers, the AMD was a frog hair better for her because she likes to mess around with video and photo applications. Look at price/performance for your applications, not at the AMD/Intel fanboy wars.
 
A fellow Brony in Christ from one of my groups spent a few hours with me helping me find the best gear for a good price. This is what he came up with for me!

1. http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7750589&CatId=1509



2. http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=8037048&Sku=I69-4770K



3. http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=8021815&CatId=4534



4. http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=8139496&CatId=8586



5. http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7462667&Sku=L49-8018 OEM



6. http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7869889&Sku=C19-2001



7. http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=744346&CatId=2459



8. http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4864601&CatId=7686



9. http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=8201545&CatId=7387
 
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There are some rather pricey components in your list. I hadn't realized your budget was that large.

Also, I don't like TigerDirect. I prefer Newegg. But that's just personal opinion and not completely relevant to your list.
 
ugh that's a ton of really wasted money..ram...windows...storage..bd burner. To each their own but i can easily go below that cost AND keep the same performance..most of those components are able to be equaled for much less money..the viper ram for one..the case for another..
 
That's what I was thinking, BIG BUDGET, I would have saved a little in a few areas and applied it to software for home production, specifically Microsoft home office software. It is amazing how handy that kind of stuff becomes once you get used to it. Also since I don't like liquid cooling, yet love lower temps, I would have invested in an extra fan or two. In addition I will express my love for Newegg over Tiger Direct. TD is fine, but I find Newegg can pretty consistently give me an edge in lower prices, and their customer service has always been top notch for me. One last note, Newegg pushes Rosewill products a lot, and Rosewill products are getting better and better all the time, and have a big edge in prices.
 
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