PC Build Advice/Review Thread

[Senji]

Hello. I'm about to buy my first self-built PC and have been trying to get as much feedback as possible. I'm not an expert in which parts are the best, so please be nice if I made a terrible choice on a part.

PC info: This new computer will replace my old piece of shit compaq computer that I bought from Staples 4 years ago for $300......... I'm looking to use this computer to surf the web, school work, and play games!(skyrim, diablo 3, borderlands 2, etc...) The budget I set for myself is ~$700


[reddit link] (the layout is really nice)
http://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc/com...gaming_pc_700/

(there is a 'first build' then an 'updated build'. I will probably end up going with the updated build if everyone okay's it here)

I didn't really get much feedback from Reddit, but there was one comment that had some good advice. So I made a few changes.

One thing I am concerned about is the video card. I've read some pretty bad reviews on NewEgg and am hoping if I do go with this card that I will not run into the same problems.

Thanks :]

You can save $10 on a dvd drive, $30 on the same HD's by going to 750gb or waiting for sales. The green drives are very slow. I'd go 120gb SSD + external + higher GPU budget and forgo the internal HD for the time being. Watch for 1600 ram. The 2500k is only $30 more.

[Ghost_Wheel22]

Throwing together a build for my cousin with a goal of $1000-1250. Unsure what to choose for GPU however and probably forgetting something important.

[Aidin]

Well, I don't see a motherboard in there.
edit: or a CD/DVD drive
edit again: Might want to throw a storage drive in there also, 111gb usable on that SSD is going to fill up fast

[Ghost_Wheel22]

Mobo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131701

Hah, I knew it. As for HDD and CD drive I can probably salvage his current computer for those parts. God only knows how fast he'll fill it with hentai.

[Jojimbo]

You don't need a MB that expensive.

try this, can drop down to HD 7870 if you want to spend less

[Kenshiin]

I'm ready to build my first PC but I'm going to need a lot of help picking out the parts. Can you guys make it easier and help me put together a list of components? As I said before, this will be my first PC that I build myself so please be gentle with me.

Budget: $800

What I want to do:
Right now I want it so I can play TERA, but I also want to get into video editing and possibly live streaming at some point.

What I have:
I have a 64 bit windows 7 ultimate upgrade disk.
- Do I need an official OS install disk or can I get by with this?
- If I do need a official OS install can I save money by getting a copy of XP and using the upgrade disk after?

I have 2 monitors already. 32" and 24"

I also have a secondary 2TB internal HD that I can take out of my old PC to use. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822152245
- Will it work with a new PC?
- Should I pair it with a SSD, or just get another 2/3TB hard drive to to put my OS on?

Please let me know if you need any other additional information.

Edit: Wow, scanning newegg and finding out this is harder than I thought. If you had my budget, taking note of what I need and already have, what would you buy?

[Arkanna]

I'm not sure if the Windows 7 upgrade disc will work for you or not, I've never used an upgrade disc. I've always done clean installs with OEM discs. Even if it doesn't, you can "find" copies of Windows 7 and activate them for nothing.

You CAN use the existing hard drive in a new system. I'd get an SSD that's at least 90-120GB and install Windows and other utility-type programs to that, and use the 2TB hard drive for game installations and media. Just make sure, if you get a motherboard with SATA3 support, that you match it with an SSD that can do SATA3 (such as Corsair's Force3/ForceGT lines or OCZ's Vertex3/Agility3 lines).

[Isiolia]

I'm not sure if the Windows 7 upgrade disc will work for you or not, I've never used an upgrade disc. I've always done clean installs with OEM discs. Even if it doesn't, you can "find" copies of Windows 7 and activate them for nothing.

I don't usually use Upgrade discs either - but in some cases it can depend. For example, a lot of Academic license copies are upgrades in terms of license. They're not supposed to be used for brand new machines without a preexisting Windows license, but will still work perfectly fine if you happen to use them that way. Depending on the source of the disc, it may still be branded as an Upgrade copy, even if it doesn't enforce the previous install/have disc thing.

[Kenshiin]

I don't usually use Upgrade discs either - but in some cases it can depend. For example, a lot of Academic license copies are upgrades in terms of license. They're not supposed to be used for brand new machines without a preexisting Windows license, but will still work perfectly fine if you happen to use them that way. Depending on the source of the disc, it may still be branded as an Upgrade copy, even if it doesn't enforce the previous install/have disc thing.

This is one of those discs that I got through my wife's academics. Think it would work?

[Isiolia]

Worth a shot.

[Ghost_Wheel22]

Handy PC building tool site is handy!

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/6WyB

I believe everything should be compatible. Any fat to trim?

[Jojimbo]

I don't trust Raidmax (low amps on 12v rails anyway), are you planning to SLI?

If you don't plan on SLIing http://pcpartpicker.com/p/6WQk would be better, cheaper RAM/cooler and more reliable (but smaller) SSD and much better PSU (if you want to SLI then get 700+W, but X79 can be better for SLI 680)

[Kenshiin]

I don't know what SLI is and both of those builds are $500 over what I have to spend.

[Jojimbo]

Ah, that build was in reply to Ghost lol

SLI = dual nVidia GPUs though

EDIT:: This would work for you http://pcpartpicker.com/p/6WkY or http://pcpartpicker.com/p/6Xgl if you want to be able to OC

[Koyangi]

inb4 shop or buy elswhere.

I'm going to be upgrading my video card (well 2 of them, 2 pc's), barring the huge Vid cards that look like hard drives(doesn't fit in my current mobo), out of cards sold at Best buy between 150$ and 200$ what's a very good card to get for multiboxxing ff11, ff14 (if it ever becomes awesome)?

Thanks.

[Jojimbo]

What do you mean huge cards? HD 6870 or 560Ti would be best options

[Senji]

If its just for 11 and 14, might as well wait until 14 becomes awesome.

[Kenshiin]

Ah, that build was in reply to Ghost lol

SLI = dual nVidia GPUs though

EDIT:: This would work for you http://pcpartpicker.com/p/6WkY or http://pcpartpicker.com/p/6Xgl if you want to be able to OC

Thank you for the 2 great suggestions. I'm leaning toward the 2nd as I would like to dabble in OC'ing. A couple more questions for you.

- I'm a little worried about only having a 64GB SSD. Is that going to be enough space to hold everything necessary plus a couple games? If I upgrade to a 128GB drive is there a big loss in performance if I lowered the video card to something cheaper? I could probably spend the $60 more and keep everything else that you posted but I just wanted ask.

- I know I'm not to knowledgeable about the PC build world, but I've never heard of NCIX US. Are they a reputable place to buy from and do they do a good job of handling any RMA's that might occur?

- Could you help me pick an Optical Drive? They don't show any reviews on that site.

[Ghost_Wheel22]

I'd ballpark you'd have around 30-35 GB of leftover room with Win7 on a 64 GB so it could be a bit small depending how much "couple games" you want on it. 128 GB is roomy enough to throw in several of your go-to games and still fit in utility programs if you're wanting to spring the extra bucks. Personally I just run my OS and essentials on the SSD and all the por--I mean games on my 1TB drives. Shaving off 3 seconds on starting a game isn't that big of a deal for me.

Never heard of NCIX. Only dealt with Amazon, Newegg, and Tigerdirect :/

And for optical drives, you can go pretty cheap and options are more or less the same. $75 if you really need a blu-ray writer, 20-30 bucks for your average cd/dvd read/write.

[Kenshiin]

If I were to buy that setup all from newegg it would be around $950. If I kept the CPU the same, what other options do I have that can save me some money?