Help Building a PC

[1cor1313]

Hiya, this is probably a familiar story by now but I'm going to build my first PC and I need help.

I've had some pretty bad experiences/luck with computers. My first laptop was a $1,500 Dell Inspiron 5150 whose screen broke, hard drive crashed and mobo fried within 2 and a half years. Not acceptable at all when your major is Computer Science and you don't have a working computer. Horrible scary time when you lose all your data and projects right before finals *shudders* I got it repaired for free a couple of times from Dell because of the class action lawsuit lobbied against this particular model but I swore off buying all things Dell after that.

My second/current laptop is a $1,400 HP TX2000z. It was pretty fun with the touch screen and whatnot but eventually, the keyboard broke, then the finger print scanner and now the GPU has become unseated. Apparently the nVidia chip or something is causing overheating problems and there is another lawsuit brewing against HP for it. Thankfully, I did not lose data or work. Just lost time this time.


All in all, I'm just tired of the vigorous thrusting to my posterior that these companies have given me.


I've had some experience putting together computers and repairing them from when I interned at a computer repair store but I am totally clueless on what components to buy. I'm pretty sure I can set it up pretty easy but I have zero experience with compatibility and whatnot so I'm pretty desperate for your help. I surfed the internet around for a bit and your site/help place definitely seemed like the best place to ask.

I am a web/graphic designer and software programmer with a passion for video games so my needs are basically something that can make pretty pictures with Adobe, make some purdy animations, run Starcraft 2 when it comes out and just y'know... not suck. I do not need a laptop anymore since I miraculously finished college already despite all that crap but I just want a good solid system that can last maybe 4 years. I already have a good keyboard and mouse that I can use but I will have to start with scratch with everything else.

I was looking around and I found this spec list

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/fea...647?page=0%2C0

CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 620 $99 Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-MA74GM-S2$57 Memory: Patriot 4GB DDR2/800 $85 Videocard: Sapphire Radeon HD 5770 $166 Hard drive: Seagate 500GB Barracuda 7200.12 $55 Optical drive: Samsung SH-S223C $26 Chassis: Rosewill R220 $19 Power supply: Cooler Master RS-460 $35 Operating system: Windows 7 Home Premium OEM $105 TOTAL COST $647

It seems pretty recent and decent. I just wanted to make sure if everything was cool and nothing splode-ey would happen from those components. Plus since my budget is around $ 1,000, I was wondering if I could improve upon those specs a bit after getting a good monitor. Or if the specs totally suck, I was wondering if you guys could suggest more awesomeness or something better suited to my needs.

So can you help a foo out? Please?

[flanzig1]

With the spec from that computer, here's what I would do different.
HD: WD Black
DVD: Asus or Lite-on(good quailty)
PSU: 500w or higher using Antec or Corsair(the 5770 requires a 450W or bigger.)

[The Other Steve]

Hello.

You will want the 64-bit version of the OS, of course.

If you do have money left in your budget, I would consider a larger HDD, or a second HDD. Especially if you are doing graphics work and animation.

I don't know that case, or its air-flow and fan-configuration options. It certainly seems very inexpensive. For $50, I went with the Antec Three-Hundred. I have been quite pleased with it. With rear and top fans, I find it noisy, but the case seems to have good airflow with the fans' speed set to LOW, and there is the possiblity of an additional three fans, two front and one side. One thing I especially appreciated was that the case came with an adequate supply of device mounting screws and MB-standoffs. The side panels are also removable via thumbscrews, and the screws themselves are nice quality.

I have also been frustrated by components failing (what seems to me) too quickly. I am not familiar with that power supply, but I believe that the Cooler Master RS-460 PSU has a two-year warranty. For an additional ~$20, the Corsair 450VX has a five-year warranty, for example.

[1cor1313]

My $1,000 budget is a bit flexible. I just want good value for it, yknow? So if something makes more sense price-wise, I don't mind shelling out a bit more for it.

Those suggestions sound really awesome and I think I'll order the parts on Monday after I confirm things. I already have an external hard drive so I just need something decent. An upgrade would be nice though.

The antec 300 case sounds pretty awesome but the graphic design douche in me likes the other case better haha. Besides, I don't think I'll be doing any overclocking so I won't need the extra airflow. But I will mull on it since I think I can save a couple more bucks on the OS with that student promo which btw, thanks for the heads up about the 64 bit OS.

I will be doing the rest of the upgrades that you guys suggested but the PSU still confounds me haha

Thanks you guys so much. You've been very helpful


One last thing though, what monitor or speakers would you guys suggest? I hear Acer monitors are pretty awesome. So are Dell ones but yeah...

[jdeb]

follow flanzig's recommendation for sure. If you like the other case, fine just replace the power supply with a good one.

These have been very good to me in several builds, nice, bright, crisp, display and never had any dead pixels.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824254035

Speakers, nice sound and the price is right.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16836113024

[glc]

If you would like a reasonably priced quality power supply with modular cables for better cable management, get an Antec BP550. Otherwise, for absolute top quality, get one of the Corsair modulars.

[1cor1313]

So these are the final specs I'm going to order soon:

CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 620 $99
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-MA74GM-S2 $57
Memory: Patriot 4GB DDR2/800 $85
Videocard: Sapphire Radeon HD 5770 $166
Hard drive: Western Digital Caviar Black WD5001AALS 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive $70
Optical drive: ASUS 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA CD/DVD Burner $34
Chassis: Antec 300 $60
Power supply: CORSAIR CMPSU-450VX 450W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply $70
Operating system: Windows 7 Home Premium OEM 64 bit $105
Monitor: Hanns·G Hi-221DPB Black 22" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 1000:1 Built-in Speakers: $140

TOTAL COST $885

I don't think I'll be getting speakers yet if the monitor comes with it. I'm not quite an audiophile so I'll see how the monitor ones are first.

Just want one last check before I order stuff off of Newegg haha. Really don't want to order them and find out that something doesn't work or fit with everything else hahaha. I'm so excited to start working

I'm so glad that I came here. You guys have been awesome

[flanzig1]

A 450w PSU is right at the bottom of the recommended size of a PSU for a 5770. Would suggest at least 550w.

[1cor1313]

So would getting more wattage than that be better? Cause I could probably spring for the 650 one. Which one would be optimal?


and this is the one you suggested right?
CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W ATX12V V2.2 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply

Sorry for being ignorant :X haha

[jdeb]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139005

or a modular one to keep things neat...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817371016

[1cor1313]

I actually like the corsair ones a lot cause of the warranty and the reviews but I just need to know which one to pick for my system.

Soooo excited!

[glc]

If cost is not an issue:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139012

[1cor1313]

Yeah, I'll be ordering that one then

Ordering stuff now. Thanks a whole bunch everyone!