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hey everyone, discostu here. i am looking to build a computer because my current one lacks a certain kind of "oomph" im looking for (not the fastest in the world mind you) and i had a quick couple questions and was looking for everyone's help.
first, is it viable to build a computer that is pretty powerful for pretty cheap (not cheap like 20 cent wings on thursday at the bar down the road, but i don't really want to spend upwards of $1100)? this is my main concern (cost) and if it turns out to be too expensive, it might not be an avenue i want to explore at this stage of my life (just graduated from college, renting an apartment, etc etc).
if i do build one, i would like to build a computer similar in size to the falcon "fragbox" (http://news.digitaltrends.com/images/news/fragbox.jpg for reference). mind you, i wouldnt want to use the exact case, but something of the same size. is it worth it to use this case? or more worth it to use a bigger case like a normal computer?
last questions (keep in mind with this i have NEVER done this before and as such i do not know where to begin): where do i look for parts? is there a website thats good for it or should i stick to amazon or something? also, what AM i looking for?
thanks everyone, i really appreciate your time.
joey
first, is it viable to build a computer that is pretty powerful for pretty cheap (not cheap like 20 cent wings on thursday at the bar down the road, but i don't really want to spend upwards of $1100)? this is my main concern (cost) and if it turns out to be too expensive, it might not be an avenue i want to explore at this stage of my life (just graduated from college, renting an apartment, etc etc).
if i do build one, i would like to build a computer similar in size to the falcon "fragbox" (http://news.digitaltrends.com/images/news/fragbox.jpg for reference). mind you, i wouldnt want to use the exact case, but something of the same size. is it worth it to use this case? or more worth it to use a bigger case like a normal computer?
last questions (keep in mind with this i have NEVER done this before and as such i do not know where to begin): where do i look for parts? is there a website thats good for it or should i stick to amazon or something? also, what AM i looking for?
thanks everyone, i really appreciate your time.
joey
ARS has a guide for 3 different builds:
http://arstechnica.com/guides/buyer/guide-200805.ars - You can mix and match the components to get the price you want. The video card options would probably change at this point since prices have gone down and there are a lot of new ones since May. The next link may help with that: http://arstechnica.com/guides/buyer/guide-200807.ars
The site is a good starting point. The ATI cards are the most bang for the buck now so you might consider them.
As far as where to buy, there are several options online- amazon (as you mentioned), newegg (http://www.newegg.com/) and tigerdirect (http://www.tigerdirect.com/)
Just a start, hope it helps.
http://arstechnica.com/guides/buyer/guide-200805.ars - You can mix and match the components to get the price you want. The video card options would probably change at this point since prices have gone down and there are a lot of new ones since May. The next link may help with that: http://arstechnica.com/guides/buyer/guide-200807.ars
The site is a good starting point. The ATI cards are the most bang for the buck now so you might consider them.
As far as where to buy, there are several options online- amazon (as you mentioned), newegg (http://www.newegg.com/) and tigerdirect (http://www.tigerdirect.com/)
Just a start, hope it helps.
Woograze wrote:
Only get ATI if you really can't afford the extra dollars to get nVidia.
The ATI cards are the most bang for the buck now so you might consider them.
Only get ATI if you really can't afford the extra dollars to get nVidia.
Just so you know, the problem with building a machine with that Fragbox case or one similar is that the case alone will $300 of your $1100.00 budget (30% or so). You can get an equally functional case and spend maybe $100.00. Given your budget, don't blow it on a case.
GPU
CPU
RAM
Harddisk
Motherboard
Powersupply
After you've got the best you can out of those with your budget, find a case and the rest.
-Stephen
GPU
CPU
RAM
Harddisk
Motherboard
Powersupply
After you've got the best you can out of those with your budget, find a case and the rest.
-Stephen
I would definitely steer clear of ATI right now. I had one originally in my newest machine, and had lots of problems with it. I don't think they're translating very well to Vista and have been getting some bad press lately. nVidia is the way to go, if you can. GPU is probably the one thing you don't want to skimp on.
Kasto is one of our resident experts on this, he'll have some good ideas I'm sure.
Kasto is one of our resident experts on this, he'll have some good ideas I'm sure.
I'm trying to squeeze one together for my parents right now for about $750us. to the door. Not including the price of this generations version of Windows ME. We call it VISTA. F#CK Micro$oft in the neck.
Mind you they have a keyboard , mouse , monitor.
Im going with a full tower case because i cant stand working on micro cases. They dont need a huge hard drive so i'm shaving some money there. So here is the list I have that I'm still tweeking to try and wait for parts to go on sale :D
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811121018 CASE Steal full tower = $104.oo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817256045
Power Supply 4 x 12v rails , modular cables = $109.oo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136075
hard drive 160g = $53.oo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131178
Mobo = $89.oo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115052
CPU 2.53 Intel Core 2 Duo = $120.oo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820104001
RAM (2 x 2g =4G) ( I might drop this down to 2g but vista sucks) = $100.oo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130318
Video Card EVGA 8800 GT 512m = $130.oo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106245
DVD Burner with Lightscribe = $29.oo ( i'm switching this out with mine. )
=============================================
GRAND TOTAL +/- = $739
=============================================
Now mind you this is for my parents and they probably wont be gaming much. But I think the computer could take care of several games out there. Yes I could go cheaper, but I'll be kicking in some of my own money here to make sure they get something a little better, and I dont want my parents to have problems doing anything on there computer. My dad plays this deer hunter game and I want to make sure he gets those big horns in one shot.
Anyways , To answer your question. Yes you can make your self a decent gaming PC for a decent price. And with the full tower Case you can upgrade one part at a time instead of dropping another $800.oo on another oem computer.
Keep it Freaky.
Mind you they have a keyboard , mouse , monitor.
Im going with a full tower case because i cant stand working on micro cases. They dont need a huge hard drive so i'm shaving some money there. So here is the list I have that I'm still tweeking to try and wait for parts to go on sale :D
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811121018 CASE Steal full tower = $104.oo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817256045
Power Supply 4 x 12v rails , modular cables = $109.oo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136075
hard drive 160g = $53.oo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131178
Mobo = $89.oo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115052
CPU 2.53 Intel Core 2 Duo = $120.oo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820104001
RAM (2 x 2g =4G) ( I might drop this down to 2g but vista sucks) = $100.oo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130318
Video Card EVGA 8800 GT 512m = $130.oo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106245
DVD Burner with Lightscribe = $29.oo ( i'm switching this out with mine. )
=============================================
GRAND TOTAL +/- = $739
=============================================
Now mind you this is for my parents and they probably wont be gaming much. But I think the computer could take care of several games out there. Yes I could go cheaper, but I'll be kicking in some of my own money here to make sure they get something a little better, and I dont want my parents to have problems doing anything on there computer. My dad plays this deer hunter game and I want to make sure he gets those big horns in one shot.
Anyways , To answer your question. Yes you can make your self a decent gaming PC for a decent price. And with the full tower Case you can upgrade one part at a time instead of dropping another $800.oo on another oem computer.
Keep it Freaky.
A tyrant with an eccentric or nonconformist personality who is the leader of a counterculture that makes life a nonspatial continuum in which events occur in apparent irreversible succession from the past through the present to the future
I kinda Put something together quickly, not sure if everything is compatable, should be though also F Micro ones =-P
Mobo: EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard - T1 Version, NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI, Socket 775, ATX, Audio, PCI Express, SLI, Dual Gigabit LAN, S/PDIF, USB 2.0 & Firewire, Serial ATA, RAID
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2945261&csid=ITD&body=MAIN#detailspecs $180.00
CPU: INTEL quad core, 2.40Ghz 8Mb Cache
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2643933&csid=ITD&body=REVIEWS#tabs $180.00
RAM: 4 Gigs Centon 2048MB Dual Channel PC6400 DDR2 800MHz
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2850373&csid=ITD&body=MAIN#detailspecs $102.00 for all 4 or just 51 for 2G
Vid Card: EVGA GeForce 9600 GT Video Card - 1GB DDR3, PCI Express 2.0
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3763188&CatId=3585 $170.00
HD: 500Gb Maxtor SATA
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3323621&Sku=TSD-500M4 $70.00
So about 700 bucks right now, No CD/DVD, No windows no Case/PSU
but It'll FLY TBH buy the case in person somewhere, the two i bought over the interwebz broke during shipping. CD/DVD burners are nothing, nice and cheap and add another 200 bucks for vista and thats 900 case+dvd a little over 1k
Feel free to pick that apart if it's not all compatable or optimal for eachother
^.^
EDIT: I forgot to add the monitor...but i think you have one right? not a Tube one tho?
Mobo: EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard - T1 Version, NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI, Socket 775, ATX, Audio, PCI Express, SLI, Dual Gigabit LAN, S/PDIF, USB 2.0 & Firewire, Serial ATA, RAID
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2945261&csid=ITD&body=MAIN#detailspecs $180.00
CPU: INTEL quad core, 2.40Ghz 8Mb Cache
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2643933&csid=ITD&body=REVIEWS#tabs $180.00
RAM: 4 Gigs Centon 2048MB Dual Channel PC6400 DDR2 800MHz
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2850373&csid=ITD&body=MAIN#detailspecs $102.00 for all 4 or just 51 for 2G
Vid Card: EVGA GeForce 9600 GT Video Card - 1GB DDR3, PCI Express 2.0
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3763188&CatId=3585 $170.00
HD: 500Gb Maxtor SATA
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3323621&Sku=TSD-500M4 $70.00
So about 700 bucks right now, No CD/DVD, No windows no Case/PSU
but It'll FLY TBH buy the case in person somewhere, the two i bought over the interwebz broke during shipping. CD/DVD burners are nothing, nice and cheap and add another 200 bucks for vista and thats 900 case+dvd a little over 1k
Feel free to pick that apart if it's not all compatable or optimal for eachother
^.^
EDIT: I forgot to add the monitor...but i think you have one right? not a Tube one tho?
Eupha wrote:
I thought you where looking for a complete system ?
This one he posted is missing a few pieces that are good to have. You know , Case , Power Supply , An Operating system , A DvD player so you can install the OS.
So about 700 bucks right now, No CD/DVD, No windows no Case/PSU
but It'll FLY TBH buy the case in person somewhere, the two i bought over the interwebz broke during shipping. CD/DVD burners are nothing, nice and cheap and add another 200 bucks for vista and thats 900 case+dvd a little over 1k
EDIT: I forgot to add the monitor...but i think you have one right? not a Tube one tho?
but It'll FLY TBH buy the case in person somewhere, the two i bought over the interwebz broke during shipping. CD/DVD burners are nothing, nice and cheap and add another 200 bucks for vista and thats 900 case+dvd a little over 1k
EDIT: I forgot to add the monitor...but i think you have one right? not a Tube one tho?
I thought you where looking for a complete system ?
This one he posted is missing a few pieces that are good to have. You know , Case , Power Supply , An Operating system , A DvD player so you can install the OS.
A tyrant with an eccentric or nonconformist personality who is the leader of a counterculture that makes life a nonspatial continuum in which events occur in apparent irreversible succession from the past through the present to the future
Timefreak wrote:
That's all trival stuff! i mentioned the case saying better off to buy it because of my previous experiance w/ them breaking during shipping,
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3509190&Sku=P129-1018 DVD/CD burner $25 bucks.
CASE+800W PSU
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3685290&csid=ITD&body=REVIEWS#tabs
120 bucks
Vista 190
So now it's complete for 1035
And if you want a new monitor they're like 150-200 bucks
So you'll bust 1100 with the monitor. But if you end up using you're Old XP, you've saved that there bringing it back under 1100 bucks
all this stuff can be picked up at a local computer shop, i didnt include it because i figured not much room for error, more just what you like. /shrug
Eupha wrote:
I thought you where looking for a complete system ?
This one he posted is missing a few pieces that are good to have. You know , Case , Power Supply , An Operating system , A DvD player so you can install the OS.
So about 700 bucks right now, No CD/DVD, No windows no Case/PSU
but It'll FLY TBH buy the case in person somewhere, the two i bought over the interwebz broke during shipping. CD/DVD burners are nothing, nice and cheap and add another 200 bucks for vista and thats 900 case+dvd a little over 1k
EDIT: I forgot to add the monitor...but i think you have one right? not a Tube one tho?
but It'll FLY TBH buy the case in person somewhere, the two i bought over the interwebz broke during shipping. CD/DVD burners are nothing, nice and cheap and add another 200 bucks for vista and thats 900 case+dvd a little over 1k
EDIT: I forgot to add the monitor...but i think you have one right? not a Tube one tho?
I thought you where looking for a complete system ?
This one he posted is missing a few pieces that are good to have. You know , Case , Power Supply , An Operating system , A DvD player so you can install the OS.
That's all trival stuff! i mentioned the case saying better off to buy it because of my previous experiance w/ them breaking during shipping,
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3509190&Sku=P129-1018 DVD/CD burner $25 bucks.
CASE+800W PSU
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3685290&csid=ITD&body=REVIEWS#tabs
120 bucks
Vista 190
So now it's complete for 1035
And if you want a new monitor they're like 150-200 bucks
So you'll bust 1100 with the monitor. But if you end up using you're Old XP, you've saved that there bringing it back under 1100 bucks
all this stuff can be picked up at a local computer shop, i didnt include it because i figured not much room for error, more just what you like. /shrug
malicjc11 wrote:
Seems to me that He didnt want to spend that much. But I might have read that wrong.
first, is it viable to build a computer that is pretty powerful for pretty cheap (not cheap like 20 cent wings on thursday at the bar down the road, but i don't really want to spend upwards of $1100)? this is my main concern (cost) and if it turns out to be too expensive, it might not be an avenue i want to explore at this stage of my life (just graduated from college, renting an apartment, etc etc).... .....
thanks everyone, i really appreciate your time.
joey
thanks everyone, i really appreciate your time.
joey
Seems to me that He didnt want to spend that much. But I might have read that wrong.
A tyrant with an eccentric or nonconformist personality who is the leader of a counterculture that makes life a nonspatial continuum in which events occur in apparent irreversible succession from the past through the present to the future
Timefreak wrote:
AHHH, I see what you're saying, WEll played good sir...
But, the main components i picked, those are compatiable? I want to make sure i didnt miss something little
malicjc11 wrote:
Seems to me that He didnt want to spend that much. But I might have read that wrong.
first, is it viable to build a computer that is pretty powerful for pretty cheap (not cheap like 20 cent wings on thursday at the bar down the road, but i don't really want to spend upwards of $1100)? this is my main concern (cost) and if it turns out to be too expensive, it might not be an avenue i want to explore at this stage of my life (just graduated from college, renting an apartment, etc etc).... .....
thanks everyone, i really appreciate your time.
joey
thanks everyone, i really appreciate your time.
joey
Seems to me that He didnt want to spend that much. But I might have read that wrong.
AHHH, I see what you're saying, WEll played good sir...
But, the main components i picked, those are compatiable? I want to make sure i didnt miss something little
Eupha wrote:
FYI .. Your short a Power Supply , Case , DVD burner , and OS.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
My 2 cents.
MOTHERBOARD ..... ? 3 x PCI-Express slots = Over kill
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2945261&csid=ITD&body=MAIN#detailspecs
You dont need a mobo that supports SLI unless your buying two video cards right now. SLI boards also raise the price of the board by more then its worth.
CPU ..... Intel Core 2 Quad 2.4g . Killer CPU , but again over kill for price
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2643933&csid=ITD&body=MAIN#detailspecs
I think they charge too much for the quade cores right now and the speed increase just doesnt add up to the price increase. But If I wont the lotto I would get one. This CPU should work just fine with your lotto motherboard.
RAM ...
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2850373&csid=ITD&body=MAIN#detailspecs
Ram should work fine with your motherboard. But the ram doesnt tell me everything I would want to know in the detailed info page
. Since it doesnt have one.
Video Card .....
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3763188&csid=ITD&body=MAIN#detailspecs
That will work just fine. Really fast , decent price. Should take care of you for a while.
Hard Drive .....
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3323621&csid=ITD&body=MAIN#detailspecs
Does it plug in and have power. If you answered yes to both those questions please continue to next step.
Buy the other half of your computer
Case , power supply , DVD burner , and having a operating system helps a TON.
But, the main components i picked, those are compatiable? I want to make sure i didnt miss something little
FYI .. Your short a Power Supply , Case , DVD burner , and OS.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
My 2 cents.
MOTHERBOARD ..... ? 3 x PCI-Express slots = Over kill
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2945261&csid=ITD&body=MAIN#detailspecs
You dont need a mobo that supports SLI unless your buying two video cards right now. SLI boards also raise the price of the board by more then its worth.
CPU ..... Intel Core 2 Quad 2.4g . Killer CPU , but again over kill for price
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2643933&csid=ITD&body=MAIN#detailspecs
I think they charge too much for the quade cores right now and the speed increase just doesnt add up to the price increase. But If I wont the lotto I would get one. This CPU should work just fine with your lotto motherboard.
RAM ...
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2850373&csid=ITD&body=MAIN#detailspecs
Ram should work fine with your motherboard. But the ram doesnt tell me everything I would want to know in the detailed info page
. Since it doesnt have one.
Video Card .....
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3763188&csid=ITD&body=MAIN#detailspecs
That will work just fine. Really fast , decent price. Should take care of you for a while.
Hard Drive .....
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3323621&csid=ITD&body=MAIN#detailspecs
Does it plug in and have power. If you answered yes to both those questions please continue to next step.
Buy the other half of your computer
Case , power supply , DVD burner , and having a operating system helps a TON.A tyrant with an eccentric or nonconformist personality who is the leader of a counterculture that makes life a nonspatial continuum in which events occur in apparent irreversible succession from the past through the present to the future
ive been looking into it, and considering my price range i like what you put up timefreak (sorry eupha haha). it seems to have a good bang for its buck (definitely in my price range).
i had another question for computer savvy people tho. for the OS, i have windows xp from a previous computer i owned (a dell from 2003) and i was wondering, would i still be able to use that XP? or will i have to buy another one... (im crossing my fingers that i wont haha). ive pretty much scrapped the computer, so i dont really need to use it anymore.
again, thank you everyone whos put time into helping me with this.
i had another question for computer savvy people tho. for the OS, i have windows xp from a previous computer i owned (a dell from 2003) and i was wondering, would i still be able to use that XP? or will i have to buy another one... (im crossing my fingers that i wont haha). ive pretty much scrapped the computer, so i dont really need to use it anymore.
again, thank you everyone whos put time into helping me with this.
Do you have the install disc for that version of XP? The only issue you will have with installing the XP from your old dell is this:
1. YOu need an install disc, most Dell's don't come with one.
2. Some of the install keys are matched to the media. So an OEM key can't be used with a retail install disc. This is hard to predict.
3. Sometimes you will have to reactivate and you will run into issues because the hardware changed. Don't panic, just call microsoft's activation phone number. Don't tell them you replaced the Dell, tell them you upgraded it. Put the old harddrive in the new machine as a secondary drive and that's a Dell upgrade as far as I know. They'll give you a reactivation key.
1. YOu need an install disc, most Dell's don't come with one.
2. Some of the install keys are matched to the media. So an OEM key can't be used with a retail install disc. This is hard to predict.
3. Sometimes you will have to reactivate and you will run into issues because the hardware changed. Don't panic, just call microsoft's activation phone number. Don't tell them you replaced the Dell, tell them you upgraded it. Put the old harddrive in the new machine as a secondary drive and that's a Dell upgrade as far as I know. They'll give you a reactivation key.
