Should I Build My Own PC?

[JaneGael]

I teach computer literacy and have done some minor work such as video card and memory installation, but basically I'm a teacher - not a geek. I don't have time to keep up with all the technology. In the past I've bought computers from Dell and relied on their tech support more than once when it went toes up. I fell in love with World of Warcraft and need to replace my 4 year old Dell Dimension.

I'm considering whether to use my tax refund to find a good place to have a custom system built or trying it myself. I'm sure I can plug the stuff together, I'm just not sure I'm up to dealing with problems. I need to balance the desire to say "I built it myself" with the reality that I may not have the knowledge to deal with things that go wrong.

It seems that folks here might be able to give me some sage advice, it so, I'd appreciate it.

Peace,
Jane

[street1030]

Time for World of Warcraft but no time to read up on computer hardware. Someone has an addiction

You can try building your own around your budget at www.ibuypower.com

or

Make a post in this here forum with your budget and what all you want to do with this PC. Is WoW the only thing you'll be doing or is it for other uses? Will you want it to play next gen MMO's after WoW becomes stale? etc etc...

[glc]

Why not just upgrade your Dell with a stronger video card (and power supply if necessary) and max out the ram? One of my grandsons is playing WoW on a computer that's a lot older than yours.

[Petef56]

Originally Posted by JaneGael I'm considering whether to use my tax refund to find a good place to have a custom system built or trying it myself. I'm sure I can plug the stuff together, I'm just not sure I'm up to dealing with problems.

Here's a compromise that would offer you some security. Use the advise from the experts on this forum to select the components that will make up your new PC. Then take that list to a local computer shop and have them build it for you. Make sure your PC builder gives you all the docs and disks that came with the individual components.

Over the years after you have maintained and upgraded this computer, you may feel more confident to build the next one all on your own.

---pete---

[triquee]

I look at it this way...I could end up having problems with my machine regardless of whether I built it or bought it.

But what building affords that buying doesn't is that with building, I know every piece of hardware in that box. I researched ever part and read all of the manuals. If my motherboard dies, I know exactly what to buy and can likely have it shipped, installed and up and running in less time than it would take to send my entire machine off to Dell - and it would probably cost less too.

Besides, Dell's word of mouth praise winning customer service has gone squarely into the toilet as of late.

Edit: If you do decide to go to a custom builder though, I've read good things about Vigor Gaming. Their prices are decent too, but if you need a monitor, best to buy one separately.

[thom]

I was also ambivalent but with the help from this forum, I put together a parts list and built my 1st computer. I am having some issues with it but apparently not a result of my build. So you are correct in saying that "I'm sure I can plug the stuff together". The computer is now with my tech guy as I am way in over my head when it comes to dealing with problems. In the end, I am happy with my decision. I learned so much and would feel confident in doing it again.

[rwest]

Originally Posted by JaneGael I need to balance the desire to say "I built it myself" with the reality that I may not have the knowledge to deal with things that go wrong.

You missed one...'the want'

needs and desires we balance everyday

the knowledge to deall with.... that's what GLC's here for

Really, how bad do you really want to build is the real question. Research is the key, while we have an abundance of knowledgable people here to help and offer information, if you really don't want to research the problems ascoiated with pc's then building is probably not for you. I peronally usually recommend building, but if you're concerned about the research of problems, then you're starting on a bad foot. For me, i enjoy it so much that my pc I just recently built has a problem, and I'm looking forward to finding it's solution.

I'm not trying to put a damper on the "I built it myself" scenario, It's a great feeling. But, I think you're looking beyond that. One of the many reasons to build, is so that when something does go wrong, you kinow what's in the computer. Here's the catch 22- if you really don't want the hassel of fixing it yourself-you already know you'll most likely be taking it in to a repair shop-without a warranty.

Baste in that, probably about 80% of computer users don't even know how to upgrade the ram, and many are highly intelligent people. GlC and Petef56 offered some excellent options and ideas. If you already know you can do it...if you want to.

[Petef56]

Here's another possible option for a first time builder that helps to ensure a smooth trouble free build. Many years ago, when I built my first computer, I found a vendor that sold me a motherboard complete with CPU and memory installed and fully tested. Are there any vendors that still offer such a package?

---pete---

[EzyStvy]

And then there's the part about-> One hour shopping on line-> Insert CC number here...wait two days and BINGO - new Dell pc at your door step.

Who cares where the mobo etc came from. Odds are you'll out grow a new machine way before you have to replace any broken parts. (and the parts come from the exact same companies that pc builders use)

[Masaki 7-11]

I think there are a few things you need to look at/consider before you can decide whether to build or buy prebuilt, some of them:

-Budget (This will probably include Monitor, OS and Peripherals in addition to the Computer)
-Use (Will it just be for gaming, what else you will be using it for, what settings/resolution you want to run games at)
-Whether or not you are willing to put time and effort into building/learning about computers, generally you will have to put in more time into a self built computer at the start, but will take less time than a pre-built computer if you have problems or need to make changes to the computer (upgrading/repairing self built computers are always easier than prebuilt).

Once you know exactly what you are looking for, it will be easier to decide which way to go.

[JaneGael]

Wow! So many good replies so quickly and a lot of food for thought.

The reason I'd like to build it is that I know what's in it. There is no place that I know of here who is reputable to repair it. With my Dells I've called tech support, they walked me through some trouble shooting and they either sent me a replacement part that I installed or after warranty I bought the component from New Egg and did it myself. The key is that someone could help me diagnose the problem. And I know that Dell's support is being flushed. I work with and issue Dells to the veterans I teach and we've had some issues that Dell has refused to acknowledge.

Frankly I also like those snazzy cases with the blue lighting. My computer sits on my desk and I'm sick of an ugly black box that replaced the ugly beige box. What I'd really like to have is one with a dragon on the side because they one of the few things I collect.

I don't have the time to do the research. I wish I did. PC components change quickly and I've found that hard won knowledge for today is useless trivia tomorrow. I work all day and when I come home I have to take care of and play with my dogs (I have a pack of special needs rescues.) By eight I'm ready to escape to Azeroth and shoot some bad guys.

I think after reading how you read all the manuals and do all that research that you folks have both more time and more understanding of electronic components than I do, or have time to learn. It's starting to look like I need to find a reputable company who does custom builds. If you hear of one, please let me know.

Thank you all so much for taking the time to reply and give me so much good information. I really appreciate it.

Peace,
Jane

Ps. I do want a machine that can handle the next gen games. I love WOW because I remember being thrilled to bat a little white dot back and forth on a tiny screen, and WOW's graphics amaze me. But I want to see what's coming next too.

pps: Street....it's way beyond addiction. LOL

[JaneGael]

I was over at I Buy Power looking at systems and doing some research on components on New Egg and found this review. Bye bye I Buy...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16883227181

Not Good
white Reviewed By: on 12/29/2009
Rating + 1
Tech Level Tech Level: high - Ownership: less than 1 day
This user purchased this item from Newegg

" Pros: Was delivered on time.
Cons: Set it up, checked all cables connectors and turned it on, tried to register windows, key not correct. No , biggie. Seemed to run well for a couple hours and boom, black screen. After rechecking all cables and connections I called tech support for iBuypower (46minutes on hold) and we determined in 4 minutes that the hard drive was defective. I Sent back for repair and they, kept it ! I called a few weeks to check on the status and iBuypower had this listed as a backordered item. I couldnt even have my computer back broken if I wanted it. When I talked to the folks at NewEgg, they were nice but, told me I couldnt have my computer repaired because iBuypower has that model listed as backordered. So basically iBuypower took my defective computer that I OWNED and kept it, refused to repair it and thats that. Heres the weird part ... the computer is still being sold on the NewEgg site as we speak.
Other Thoughts: This really isnt a bad reflection on NewEgg as it is on iBuypower. The customer service there is horrible obviously."

[Khalil]

Build your own computer and we will help you!

[raftero]

anyone can build a computer , i built my first one when i was 69yrs old and i had never turned on a computer until about 3mo before, the hard part is the right parts for the one you want to build and Khalil, glc and a lot of others can and will help you there, you can take your time after the parts arrive and have it built in less than a day. the second one in about an hour. you can probably buy a Dell cheaper but once you build your own you are never satisfied with a bought one.

[JaneGael]

Thanks for the offer of help, I'm starting to see that this is the only way to go. At I Buy, they had systems with no-name components and charged extra for a slim selection of name brands.

I need a new roof, so I'm wondering about ordering recommended parts as New Egg has them on sale to keep from having a large cash outlay. That would let me build a better system. I do abuse them a bit, as aside from gaming, I run all sorts of adaptive programs trying to get the best for my students. We are getting younger vets with this awful war and they want their tunes and videos even if they can't see them very well, or at all. It's my job to see that they don't just get what they need, but what they want as well.

Thanks for the offer of help. You have NO idea how much I appreciate it!
Jane

[glc]

Okay, let's help you build one.

Give us a budget figure for the contents of the case. Do not include the case, operating system, software, or peripherals - research those yourself and budget them separately. Just pick a case that you like, and with VERY FEW exceptions, choose one that does not come with a power supply. Let us know what case you choose. WAIT till you can order everything at once, buying parts piecemeal has drawbacks.

Parts we need to spec:

Power supply
Motherboard
CPU
Ram
Hard drive
Optical drive
Video card

[JaneGael]

I've been looking at mini-towers such as the Lian Li V351 because it would be nice to have a pc that does not take up half my desk. What do you folks think of mini cases? Apparently they are popular for lan parties so they do run game software pretty well.

One thing that's made my search harder is that we are back to the black box. Sigh. I wanted something futuristic and snazzy.

[glc]

The only downside to micro cases is the limited space can make assembly challenging. If you do get a micro case, make sure it will take a standard size ATX power supply. For quality, you are looking in the right place, Lian-Li is absolute top quality. Other quality manufacturers are Antec and Coolermaster. If you are looking for something with bling, look at Apevia and NZXT, but take a pass on their power suppliies. The only manufacturer that includes power supplies that I trust is Antec.

There are plenty of other brands, and the quality varies from a cheap flimsy poorly aligned piece of junk to very well made. Reading the Newegg reviews can give you some guidance to the case's quality. You generally get what you pay for.

Why not get a standard mid-tower case and put it under or next to your desk?

[triquee]

Originally Posted by JaneGael I've been looking at mini-towers such as the Lian Li V351 because it would be nice to have a pc that does not take up half my desk. What do you folks think of mini cases? Apparently they are popular for lan parties so they do run game software pretty well. One thing that's made my search harder is that we are back to the black box. Sigh. I wanted something futuristic and snazzy.

Some colorful options:

Silver

Blue

Green

Pink

Orange

Red

White

Pick your poison

Also, you could always spray paint it to match your aesthetic

[glc]

If you buy one of those Apevias, throw the power supply in the trash. Try to find someone selling them bare with no power supply.

[quartet-man]

After getting frustrated with computers that use proprietary parts and not having options that are exactly what I want, I intend to either build or have my next oneb built one with help from the fine folks here.

[JaneGael]

Well after looking at cases until my eyes crossed I've come to the conclusion that ugly black boxes are what's available and that they are somehow considered "sophisticated." No, to me anyway, sophisticated is the red burl maple colored case that apparently isn't sold anywhere, but is on the manufacture's page tempting me.

Anyway, considering that I don't actually like any of the cases out there, or if I do like they they are junk, I ran across a place that can build me the X-Q Pack with better components chosen for a reasonable price ($1553). Cyberpower Pc seems to have reasonable reviews, certainly no worse than Dell. Since I'm strapped for time anyway I thought this might be the way to go. By the way I can't put a computer on the floor. With 7 dogs it would choke on a hairball in a month. LOL

What do you think?


http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/saving/show.aspx?id=2442851


Case: X-QPack II Aluminum Mini 500 Watts Case with 3 See-Thru Windows (Silver Color)

Power Supply Upgrade: 850 Watts Power Supplies (*CoolerMaster Silent Pro])

CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-860 2.80 GHz 8M L2 Cache LGA1156 [+86]

Venom Boost Fast And Efficient Factory Overclocking: Pro OC (Performance Overclock 10% or more)

Cooling Fan: Intel LGA1156 Certified CPU Fan & Heatsink

Motherboard: [CrossFireX/SLI] EVGA P55 TR Intel P55V Chipset DDR3 Socket 1156 mATX Mainboard w/ 7.1 HD Audio, GbLAN, USB2.0, SATA-II RAID, 2 Gen2 PCIe, & 2 PCIe X1

Memory: 8GB (2GBx4) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory Module [+135] (Kingston HyperX [+142])
Freebies: FREE! 4GB USB Pen Drive

Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GT 220 1GB 16X PCI Express (EVGA Powered by NVIDIA Multiple Video Card Settings: Non-SLI/Non-CrossFireX Mode Supports Multiple

Hard Drive: Single Hard Drive (300GB Gaming Western Digital VelociRaptor 10,000RPM SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16MB Cache WD3000GLFS [+199])

Data Hard Drive: Single Hard Drive(320GB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16MB Cache 7200RPM HDD

Optical Drive: Sony 20X Double Layer Dual Format DVD+-R/+-RW + CD-R/RW Drive

Optical Drive 2: None – I wrote and asked them why they don’t offer a Lightscribe drive.

Sound: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO Neither of their other choices for sound cards got good reviews): Creative Labs SB X-Fi Xtreme Audio 24-BIT PCI Sound Card [+48] or the Creative Labs SB X-FI Titanium Fatal1ty Champion Series PCI Express Sound Card -- I’m not that fussy about sound anyway, as long as I can hear and understand what’s coming out of my speakers I’m fine.

Speakers: None I have my own good Logitech speakers

Network: Onboard Gigabit LAN Network -- Thinking about going wireless though

Gaming Gear: Razer Sphex Gaming Grade Desktop Skins Mouse Pad [+13]

Flash Media Reader/Writer: INTERNAL 12in1 Flash Media Reader/Writer Video
USB Port: Built-in USB 2.0 Ports

Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® 7 Home Premium (64-bit Edition)

Service: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT

[triquee]

I would be hard pressed to recommend CyberPower PC. Looking at their reseller ratings, there was one red flag for me: in quite a few of their responses to unhappy customers, they address the reader, and not the customer which implies (to me anyway) that their goal is to derail potential buyers rather than address their existing customer's issues.

The other red flag for me is that apparently of the feedback they post on their website, only the ones that rate their experience/product 4 out of 5 stars or more are published. In other words, they screen their customer's ratings before they're posted and only post the good ones.

I know you're pressed for time and research is a little out of your time budget, but I would strongly suggest taking in a few pages of their forums before making your purchase:

http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/forum/fo...sp?FID=42&PN=1

This thread in particular is somewhat telling:

http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/forum/fo...?TID=6725&PN=1

[JaneGael]

Okay...after researching all the companies out there that build PCs I have to wonder how any of them stay in business with such poor service. Even Dell has slipped way way down. Rather than spend $1,500 for something that may or may not be DOA, I'm going to side with you folks and build my own. I will find the time.

My budget is $1,000 - $1,500, but could go a little higher for better quality.

My case is the APEX Vortex 3620 SGCC / ABS ATX Mid Tower Gaming Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811154098 It's not sexy but it fits my space requirements and got pretty good reviews. I'm restricted in length to 17" which didn't leave me many options.

World of Warcraft seems to prefer Nvidia GeForce cards.
I need a Lightscribe optical drive.
I have a keyboard, mouse, monitor and speakers.

So, what do you gurus think I should put inside?

[Khalil]

World of Warcraft does not prefer Nvidia Gforce cards, that is completely inaccurate. I have 2 kids and my wife who are WOW addicts all running ATI cards.
Your budget is really high for a world of warcraft computer.
Here is what I recommend

SeaSonic S12II 520 Bronze 520W Power Supply

ASUS M4A785TD-V EVO AM3 AMD 785G HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail

AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition

A-DATA Gaming Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3

Western Digital Caviar Black WD7501AALS 750GB

ASUS CuCore Series EAH5770 CuCore/2DI/1GD5 Radeon HD 5770 1GB this card will fit in the smaller cases in case you decide to go with a small one.

US Black 24X DVD+R - Retail

Windows 7 Home Premium
around $835 plus case plus shipping

Your choice for a case!!

[triquee]

Here are a few case offerings from Antec and Coolermaster that come close to meeting or exceed your space requirements:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129044

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129057

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811119193

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811119088

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811119195

Some of them require a smaller than standard sized motherboard, though. If you decide on any of them, be sure to check the specifications to make sure that the motherboard you choose will fit.

Also, a couple of optical drives with LightScribe support:

Sony Optiarc $32

Samsung 22x $26

[Khalil]

For a gaming rig, like glc recommended I recommend you stick to a mid tower that is ATX capable. Small cases don't make good for gaming rigs.

[Iamjosh]

For most efficient cooling, there is a very simple rule; the larger the case volume, the better the cooling.

[JaneGael]

Well this isn't my gaming computer -- it's my home computer and needs to do some of everything. I happen to play WOW a lot for fun. The lightscribe CD is for things that aren't so much fun...like work. LOL

Khalil, Here are the recommended video cards for WOW. I didn't have much luck with the ATI cards and neither did a number of other folks who told us to go to Nvidia. My husband, my sister and I all switched to Nvidia and have had no problems....but...we all have older systems. Mine is nearly 5 years old.

http://us.blizzard.com/support/artic...d=3720&rhtml=y
ATI
Radeon 7200
Radeon 8500
Radeon 9000
Radeon 9250
Radeon 9000 Series
Radeon X000 Series
Radeon X1000 Series
Radeon HD 2000 Series
Radeon HD 3000 Series
Radeon HD 4000 Series

Nvidia
GeForce2 MX
GeForce2 MX400 XP
GeForce2 GTS
GeForce2 Pro XP 71.89
GeForce3
GeForce4 series
GeForce FX 5000 series
GeForce 6000 series
GeForce 7000 series
GeForce 8000 Series
GeForce 9000 series
GTX 260
GTX 280

Triquee, I checked out the systems you listed but they seem to have much worse cooling. One doesn't even have a fan.

I'm aware that bigger is better, but it has to fit on my desk. What I really wanted was the COOLER MASTER Storm Sniper, but 17" just barely leaves me room for my mouse pad and this baby would leave me no room at all. I have to work on top of my desk as my husband leaned on my keyboard tray and broke it. The APEX Vortex case has fans fore and aft, although it sounds like I will need to replace them with more powerful fans. So I'm sticking with the Vortex. There might be something else out there but I couldn't buy it from New Egg.

The less I have to spend on my computer the happier I will be as I live in a house that needs a lot of work and I have to hire it all done now. I didn't realize my budget was so high, but I do not want to have to replace anything for several years or worry about it going toes up. I found out long ago that it's cheaper to buy quality in the first place.

Kahlil, shouldn't it have a bigger power supply? And I was going to put 8GB of memory in rather than 4.

I also need a recommendation for fans. It sounds like I will need to replace the ones it ships with, so I will need two 120mm fans, one with blue LED.

Do I need a heat sink?

Thanks for all the help. I really really appreciate it!!

[triquee]

Originally Posted by JaneGael Triquee, I checked out the systems you listed but they seem to have much worse cooling. One doesn't even have a fan. I'm aware that bigger is better, but it has to fit on my desk.

The Antec mini has two - one rear, one top (no fewer than the APEX), it's dual chambered, and from what I've read, Antec is a decent manufacturer. *And it's not the black box! Woo!!*

You can purchase and install your own fans for the one that doesn't come with them. Check out the product reviews.

I agree with Iamjosh when he says that the larger the case volume, the better the cooling.

Unfortunately, you may have to prioritize what is most important to you and compromise somewhere along the line.