So I'm looking to see how building a computer will go. This computer might melt at anytime so I'm just tossing ideas around. I'm extremely new to this.
So I guess the fundamentals are:
Motherboard
CPU
RAM
Hard Drive
Operating System
CD Drive
Case
Power Supply
Graphics Card
USB Drives
A fuckton of cables.
I went browsing around newegg.com and estimating what I need, all of these things would sum up to around 800 dollars. That's without a monitor, speakers, or a keyboard.
I need help.
Needed specs:
Motherboard - No idea how to pick one out.
CPU - I probably need quad core. The versions and labels I have no idea about. I'll need help there.
RAM - 4 GB. It can get insanely expensive so I'm fine with 4 GB.
Hard Drive - 250 GB
OS - Windows 7. No idea of the difference between versions. Anyone know if pirating's easy?
CD Drive - All I know is that it needs to be able to read and write CDs and DVDs.
Case - Fan, maybe a power supply if it's compatible.
Power Supply - I guess 300 watts is enough..?
Graphics Card - ATI >5000 should be fine.
Internet - Ethernet port and wireless I guess. I have no idea what I'm doing there.
Please share what you prefer, what I'm missing, what parts would best suit these needs, etc. I'm still browsing now.
you'll want a mobo with at least 1 PCIe (express) 2.0 slot for your video card, a decent number of USB slots, SATA slots and for a mid-tower. but the most important thing is the socket - you want the socket to match the processor you're getting.
ram is actually pretty cheap, and i recommend 8gb, but most people don't need that much. but it does "future proof" your machine for the 64-bit gen.
HD, cheap, easy to install. i recommend seagate or western digital - SATA only
i wouldn't pirate win7. home is pretty cheap.
dvd-rw's are also cheap and easy to install . get SATA for this as well
case - always hard to choose. definitely read the reviews. you want a good front panel and lots of room for cooling, ventilation, easy cable access. no case will be perfect, but some are definitely ones to avoid. you don't wanna get a bad case because once you build it taking it out is not so fun.
power supply - 300 watts is aiming low imo. i have a 650w, probably too high but if your machine is underpowered it will suffer.
for gfx card i would recommend radeon series, the higher the better. check tomshardware for benchmarks. i'm getting the 4850 HD as my next card. the 5000 high-ends are too expensive atm
ethernet will come on the mobo. so will your sound card.
What I'm thinking (shopping only according to specs, not what would be compatible with eachother):
Mother Board http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16813131621 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131621)
RAM (edit) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16820211462 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211462) +2 GB, +60 dollars.
Hard Drive http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16822136358 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136358)
CPU http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16819115220 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115220)
OS http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16832116754 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116754)
CD/DVD Drive http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16827131061 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827131061)
Case http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16811147144 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147144)
Power Supply http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16817152028 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817152028)
Graphics (edit) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16814102855 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102855) looks better in price and for what i need.
oh god 740 dollars so far and im sure im missing a lot. panic attack fuck!
edit: seeing rtil's post now it helps. I'll browse some more.
I think I'm going to just customize an HP desktop. I found one that seems to suit me and if something fucks up at least I know how to fix it a smidgen.
While that all-in-one would be 860 for everything, the built tower alone would be 800. :/
good choice.
Quote from: MarcKI think I'm going to just customize an HP desktop.
Quote from: BluPhoeniX7good choice.
lol
well it's mostly my budget that's making me do this. I'd love to have an entirely custom machine but I need good specs and I can't seem to find the right prices for them.
you could turn to a life of crime idiot