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Official 2008 "I Need A New PC" Thread
- Thread starter Kosma
- Start date
SupraDarky
Member
Ok a week later I know, but I followed SRG01's link (http://configure.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=ca&CS=cabsdt1&l=en&OC=D410QV_F_1E) since I basically want a new computer ready to play all the newer games.
Regarding that link:
1)Processor: I'm taking the first option. It's enough right?
2)Sound Card: I want a great sound card because I also make my own music as a hobby with FL Studio. Is the basic one there enough for me? Or should I go with the Audigy / X-Fi ?
3)Video Card: I'm getting the 8800GT
Regarding that link:
1)Processor: I'm taking the first option. It's enough right?
2)Sound Card: I want a great sound card because I also make my own music as a hobby with FL Studio. Is the basic one there enough for me? Or should I go with the Audigy / X-Fi ?
3)Video Card: I'm getting the 8800GT
SupraDarky
Member
Would they even give me the option to get it if it couldn't fit? Hmm I'll send an email.
SlaughterX
Banned
Ok so I finally got rid of that 1066MHz Dominator RAm thta I couldn't even take advantage of, so I'm in the market for some new (800MHz) RAM. What I'm wonder is would it be best to just try to add 2GBs to what I already have, or go for 4GBs of all the same model RAM? This is what I'm using now...
How important is it to keep the timing and voltage the same? Also what is the timing for my RAM, 4-5-5-15 or 5-6-6-18? What RAM would you all reccomend? This RAM looks like a really good deal, but I would only be able to get the rebate on one of them...
How important is it to keep the timing and voltage the same? Also what is the timing for my RAM, 4-5-5-15 or 5-6-6-18? What RAM would you all reccomend? This RAM looks like a really good deal, but I would only be able to get the rebate on one of them...
RoodyPooUS
Member
SlaughterX said:
I would go with this - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145194
JSnake said:
Solid, but get this RAM instead: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231098
I love G.Skills no questions asked warranty, plus the 800 will give you room to OC later when you feel comfortable. :lol
But overall solid build.
MaritalWheat
Member
So, without overclocking, which one would probably be better: the e8400 or q6600?
I'm looking to be pretty futureproof for at least 2 years, though I want current games running nice too (I'm thinking CoH and Crysis).
I'm looking to be pretty futureproof for at least 2 years, though I want current games running nice too (I'm thinking CoH and Crysis).
MaritalWheat said:
E8400. It's just faster (especially if you don't wanna OC) and most modern games don't utilize four cores. They will in the future, but the E8400 will give you faster performance now. Then you can get a quad core down the road when games use them more efficiently.
MaritalWheat
Member
Thanks dudes, I've been debating that for a while. E8400 it shall be!
SlaughterX
Banned
RoodyPooUS said:
And why is that, what makes it better than the OCZ RAM, which is cheaper?
OK I'm almost ready to buy a new PC. I want to put in the OS, graphics card, and processor of my choice, but I can't build it myself because I simply don't know shit about building PC's and don't have the time. I would prefer to just walk in and buy it outright.
Which of these major retail chains allows you to custom select and put together a configuration of your choice?
Best Buy
Circuit City
Fry's Electronics
Radio Shack
Other????
Also, will they install XP instead of Vista if I ask them to? If they don't supply XP anymore, can I bring in my OEM disc and give it to them?
Please let me know.
Which of these major retail chains allows you to custom select and put together a configuration of your choice?
Best Buy
Circuit City
Fry's Electronics
Radio Shack
Other????
Also, will they install XP instead of Vista if I ask them to? If they don't supply XP anymore, can I bring in my OEM disc and give it to them?
Please let me know.
Nabs
Member
i think you're better off looking for another place. maybe a local pc spot, or an online site that can custom build a pc. i'd give you some sites, but i haven't been in the market for a new pc in years.
if you want to physically add your own gfx card / processor you may want to look into a barebone pc. check newegg to start, but there are many other sites as well.
if you want to physically add your own gfx card / processor you may want to look into a barebone pc. check newegg to start, but there are many other sites as well.
blackMamba1187
Member
These are the parts I'm going to buy within the next week. Finally I will be able to stop using my PS3 as a web browser. Can someone tell me if I've made any obvious mistakes? This will be my first build, although I just finished helping a friend build a similar system this week. All prices are from newegg.
Case: Antec 900 $119.99 (is there any reason to get the antec 1200 instead?)
MB: ASUS p5q-e $159.99
CPU: Intel Quad Q6600 $194.99
GPU: MSI R4870 - T2D512 OC ed. $289.99 - 30 MIR
RAM: (2x) OCZ Reaper HPC 4GB(2x2gb) ddr21066 265.98 - 60 MIR
PSU: COOLMAX RM-750B 750W 99.99
CPU Fan: Zalman 9700 NT 79.99 OS: Vista Prem.64 OEM 109.99
DVD: Lite-On model iHas120-04 OEM 23.99
HDD: WD SE16WD6400 640GB SATA 3.0gb/s 84.99
For a total of 1429.89 before tax and ship.
Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.
Case: Antec 900 $119.99 (is there any reason to get the antec 1200 instead?)
MB: ASUS p5q-e $159.99
CPU: Intel Quad Q6600 $194.99
GPU: MSI R4870 - T2D512 OC ed. $289.99 - 30 MIR
RAM: (2x) OCZ Reaper HPC 4GB(2x2gb) ddr21066 265.98 - 60 MIR
PSU: COOLMAX RM-750B 750W 99.99
CPU Fan: Zalman 9700 NT 79.99 OS: Vista Prem.64 OEM 109.99
DVD: Lite-On model iHas120-04 OEM 23.99
HDD: WD SE16WD6400 640GB SATA 3.0gb/s 84.99
For a total of 1429.89 before tax and ship.
Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.
blackMamba1187
Member
zoku88 said:
is that overkill? also, i plan to oc and eventually crossfire the gpu. am i set up properly?
I just installed an E8400. My mobo instructions say that I need to apply thermal paste to the top of the CPU, but I noticed that the heat sink has thermal on the bottom of it already. Do I still need to apply paste to the top of the CPU or no? Keep in mind this is my first build. 
Oh, and I don't plan to overclock a whole lot...
Oh, and I don't plan to overclock a whole lot...
Chiggs
Gold Member
Ravenn17 said:I just installed an E8400. My mobo instructions say that I need to apply thermal paste to the top of the CPU, but I noticed that the heat sink has thermal on the bottom of it already. Do I still need to apply paste to the top of the CPU or no? Keep in mind this is my first build.
Just use what's on the heatsink.
blackMamba1187 said:
4GB is more than enough.
This RAM instead: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231122
Or the 1000 version if you are gunning for a higher than 3.2 OC
750W is way more than enough, 650W Corsair atm would be a better choice. Not only is it a better PSU, but it's from a company with great CS and a 5 year warranty.
650W: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005
750W: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006
The 9700 imo is a nice heatsink for looks, but not as much for performance.
Get a TRUE instead from anywhere you can find instock if you are going to spend $80 on a HSF. TankGuys for example, good small website.
http://www.tankguys.com/product_info.php?products_id=1735
zoku88 said:
Not really shoddy programming, just lack of foresight. Vampire: Bloodlines, for example, can only recognize up to 3 GB, and if it can't detect any RAM it runs at minimum shaders/detail. The only way for to rectify this was to tell windows to only use 3 gigs in msconfig.
Does anyone know if Best Buy's Geek Squad will build PCs that you bring in store to them? I might go this route, and order the parts off NewEgg.
What about buydirectpc.com? Any impressions from them?
What about buydirectpc.com? Any impressions from them?
Hajaz said:
Mixed experienced with both.
Personally after running a E6600, E7200, and a E8400 in my same rig I have to say that people choosing the E8400 should go with the E7200 instead.
They run a little hotter, but clock just as nicely and the 3MB of cache does not make an impact in anything I do.
All clocks were 400*9 = 3.6Ghz
E6600 / E7200 / E8400
1GB: 48s / 48s / 48s
WinRAR Compression: 2:43 / 2:37 / 2:20
1M: 14.656 / 14.578 / 13.067s (Cache dominates SPi, this is only for benchmarkers)
4M: 1m 23.851 / 1m 22.406 / 1m 14.375
150MB video Conversion: 3:22 / 3:18 / 3:05
TMN:F: 63 / 65 / 64 fps (Margin of error imo)
Crysis: 31 / 31 / 32 fps
R6V2: 84 / 84 / N/A fps (Un-installed and cannot find)
So how difficult is it actually building a PC? I mean, I'm pretty good at connecting AV cables and equipment. Someone said if you can play with legos, you can build a PC. Is it really that easy? The thing that scares me is things like installing ram, the CPU chip, heatsink fan, and the GPU. Are these things easy to install? Do things just snap together or is there soldering and tape involved?
And what about choosing components? How do I know which components are compatible?
I put together a configured PC at buydirectpc.com for just under 3 grand.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
1)Case:
*Antec 900 Gaming Mid-tower*
2)Processor:
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Dual Core 3.0GHZ 1333FSB 6MB 45nm OVERCLOCKED to 3.6GHz 1600MHz FSB
(yes, they will overclock it for me)
3)Motherboard:
ASUS P5Q Deluxe (Intel P45) 3 PCI x16
4)DDR2 Memory:
4GB dual-channel low-latency PC-6400 CAS4: 2 x 2048MB DDR2 800MHz
5)Hard Drive:
1000GB 32MB cache 7200RPM SATA2
6)Optical Drive:
LG Blu-Ray/HD-DVD player and 16X DVD burner SATA with Software GGCH20L
+
LG 22X SATA Lightscribe DVD-burner with Software GH22LS30
7)Video Card (PCI Express x16):
ATI Radeon HD4870 512MB Dual-DVI/HDCP/HDMI/HDTV-out
8)Sound Card:
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium FATAL1TY PCI-E 7.1
9)Network Card:
Bigfoot Networks Killer NIC K1 Card for Gamers
10)TV Tuner:
Analog NTSC TV Tuner with PVR software
11)Power Supply:
Silverstone Decathlon DA750 750W modular Active PFC
12)CPU Cooling:
Stage 4 Cooling: Self-contained maintenance-free water cooling system
13)Warranty:
2-Year Limited Warranty
TOTAL COST = US $2,946.73
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
So, with the added benefits of having it built professionally, plus 2 years warranty, plus overclock and tested, is this still a ripoff?
And what about choosing components? How do I know which components are compatible?
I put together a configured PC at buydirectpc.com for just under 3 grand.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
1)Case:
*Antec 900 Gaming Mid-tower*
2)Processor:
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Dual Core 3.0GHZ 1333FSB 6MB 45nm OVERCLOCKED to 3.6GHz 1600MHz FSB
(yes, they will overclock it for me)
3)Motherboard:
ASUS P5Q Deluxe (Intel P45) 3 PCI x16
4)DDR2 Memory:
4GB dual-channel low-latency PC-6400 CAS4: 2 x 2048MB DDR2 800MHz
5)Hard Drive:
1000GB 32MB cache 7200RPM SATA2
6)Optical Drive:
LG Blu-Ray/HD-DVD player and 16X DVD burner SATA with Software GGCH20L
+
LG 22X SATA Lightscribe DVD-burner with Software GH22LS30
7)Video Card (PCI Express x16):
ATI Radeon HD4870 512MB Dual-DVI/HDCP/HDMI/HDTV-out
8)Sound Card:
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium FATAL1TY PCI-E 7.1
9)Network Card:
Bigfoot Networks Killer NIC K1 Card for Gamers
10)TV Tuner:
Analog NTSC TV Tuner with PVR software
11)Power Supply:
Silverstone Decathlon DA750 750W modular Active PFC
12)CPU Cooling:
Stage 4 Cooling: Self-contained maintenance-free water cooling system
13)Warranty:
2-Year Limited Warranty
TOTAL COST = US $2,946.73
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
So, with the added benefits of having it built professionally, plus 2 years warranty, plus overclock and tested, is this still a ripoff?
isamu said:
It is extremely easy as long as you know what is what. No soldering or anything, the most real work involved is tightening a few screws. First timers might have a bit of trouble working out the motherboard pins for the case buttons/LEDs. The "things that scare you" are actually the easiest things to install.
That price is really high. Order the parts yourself and you can have it for about half of what they charge. Get rid of useless stuff like that Killer NIC card. Personally, I'd swap the whole watercooling system for a simple Thermalright Ultra-120+120mm fan.
EDIT: blu-ray/HD-DVD drives are needlessly expensive. You can get a cheaper blu-ray only drive for about $150.
TheHeretic
Banned
The E8400 recommendation has always shoddy. In terms of gaming the maximum return you'll get on average in terms of MHZ is somewhere between 3.0 and 3.2. Anything beyond that might have applications in encoding and such but just like system RAM (as opposed to video RAM) there are virtually no gains to be had once going over DDR800, the most extreme differences in timings making maybe a percentage point in difference.
Unoverclocked the E8400 is the better gaming CPU, but getting a Q6600 to 3.0ghz is guarenteed, and you've got 4 cores working for you. The E8400 is 45nm which means its more energy efficient and runs cooler, but with a $50 fan and a Q6600 you have a CPU that doesn't look like its going to become obsolete any time soon.
The difference between a 4.0ghz dual core CPU and a 3.0ghz quad core CPU simply boils down to the number of cores (FSB aside, the Q6600's is larger the E8400 is faster, the performance difference is negligable). I've yet to hear any reason at all why someone would get an E8400 if they are performance minded, CPU's can last a long time and "buying one down the road" which involves a new motherboard is a dumb philosophy.
Unoverclocked the E8400 is the better gaming CPU, but getting a Q6600 to 3.0ghz is guarenteed, and you've got 4 cores working for you. The E8400 is 45nm which means its more energy efficient and runs cooler, but with a $50 fan and a Q6600 you have a CPU that doesn't look like its going to become obsolete any time soon.
The difference between a 4.0ghz dual core CPU and a 3.0ghz quad core CPU simply boils down to the number of cores (FSB aside, the Q6600's is larger the E8400 is faster, the performance difference is negligable). I've yet to hear any reason at all why someone would get an E8400 if they are performance minded, CPU's can last a long time and "buying one down the road" which involves a new motherboard is a dumb philosophy.
Open Source
Banned
TheHeretic said:
What? The E8400 is better for gaming whether you overclock or not, and it's still a little cheaper. By the time a decent number of games make use of the extra 2 cores in the Q6600, you'll be upgrading anyway if you're concerned about performance.
Xyphie said:
Yeah you might be right. But the thing is, I build it, then after a few minutes what if it starts locking up for some unknown reason, and then I'm like "Oh shit! What did I do wrong?" :lol: I kinda like the piece of mind of having one professionally built and hanging the responsibility of any potential problems on the retailer.
I've done some research and found another place people have mentioned called AVADirect. I configured a similar PC on their site and I got it down to $2500
Anyone heard anything good or bad about Avadirect? What about Micro Center? There's on here in LA about 30 miles from me. Are they any good?
isamu said:
I reused an Alienware case, same processor, better ram, more expensive MB, GX2 at release, near same cooling, also have a BRD drive, and various other cosmetic components and I spent only half of that. Something is really wrong there. If you really spent $3000, those components should obliterate the ones I have and easily be absolute top of the line right now.