Gaming PC questions
#1
Tue, 04/02/2013 - 14:20
Gaming PC questions
1) Is it worth buying a pre-built gaming PC or would my money be better spent on a custom jobber?
2) How much would it cost to build a decent custom PC? I would mostly be playing Starcraft.
3) If at some point in the future I decide to go for a custom build, does anyone on this site build them? If there's anyone out there, I would entertain bids on the contract.
Check out this thread. http://www.2old2play.com/forum/divisions/2o2race/new-pc-build-501597
One of the guys in the 2O2R just went through a PC build recently. There is a lot of info in the thread. Some may be a little overkill, as he was building towards a system w/ triple montor capabilites for sim racing.
You'll get more for you're money (along with a custom tailored to your needs) system by building yourself. If you have a tech savy friend that can assist you with the build, I highly recommend this route. Most pre-builts you will be making compromises, and "custom pre-builds" are going to cost a bit more. To be honest, computers have come a LONG way for the self builds. Especially with modern OSes. Much simpler to do for the everyday user than they used to be.
I'm fortunate that I've got a good friend who is really into computers, so I've got my own source for tech support. For me, that makes building a no brainer.
I posted this (wow!) 4 years ago and it was an upgrade not a full build but it might give you a general idea of what it would take to build your own. Unfortunately I'm not much of a hardware guy myself (which you could take good or bad since you aren't either) so I can't be of further assistance. I'll monitor the thread though in case there is a contribution I can make at some point to help you reach your goal.
http://www.2old2play.com/node/450531
If you're going desktop PC , i think it makes the most sense to build your own if you have the know how.
Build your own. Prebuilt machines are overpriced and usually underpowered for the money. Building a pc is really pretty simple. If you can setup a home theater setup you can build a pc. Youtube is a incredible resourse with hundreds of how to build videos that take you step by step through the whole process. I built my 1st gaming pc in 13 years last may and youtube walked me through the whole thing no sweat. 1st off you need to get some ideas about builds and prices. So here's a couple build sites that will give you various builds based on budget. Follow this and then spend accordingly based on which game anticipate playing. Keep in mind you can always upgrade in the future to adapt to what you want to play at that time. Here's two that will help you out. http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/build_pc_any_budget_three_buil...
Here's another that allows you to piece out builds and get a total price withouth having to go to a retail site. http://pcpartpicker.com/
Don't buy prebuilt! Save yourself money and have some fun learning how to build your own. Gives you a real sense of control adn choice when it comes to your gaming needs. I love my new gaming pc and it has so far rendered my consoles with the exception of exclusives to basically afterthoughts. If you have questions feel free to message me.
Seriously, it was said, but build your own. If you can operate the internet to get to this site, you can build your own...really all it involves is a little research and patience. Research and price all your parts, research that they all work together (user forums are great for this) and then once you get the pieces, either follow the part instructions or follow all the various youtube videos. I would never buy a prebuilt again.
Bonus of building your own, when a part goes bad or needs to be upgraded, order that shit online and do it yourself...no more $89.99 per hour computer store upgrades or service fees.
This. Self build.
With just the help of the internet( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eruQCZz8duo ) I built a new PC for Video editing.
I was terrified I was going to blow up all these expensive, high end components, but it was less complicated than putting together the Lego kit my nephew got for Christmas
.
Also have a look for Dave's Monster video build on Youtube. Seeing what he does wrong and right gave me the confidence to try it.
As for budget..good luck, mine got way out of control. I don't htink my wife realises we're going to be eating pasta and ketchup for a couple of months :0)
I am building my own right now. I fianlly have all the parts and am putting it together. I can't wait to get the thing built. Tom's Hardware has fantastic sample builds, good hardware advise and a big community that is into this sort of thing.
http://www.tomshardware.com/
If you are not mechanically inclined, maybe buying one is for you but I recommend doing it your self. Cost is relative. Here is another site that may help:
http://www.build-gaming-computers.com/
I knew this thread wouldn't get much of a response but i didn't realize the responses were going to be so vague and on the fence with their opinions... Obviously a joke. Thanks for all the feedback. I'm going to have to start researching this in secret cause my wife, who has been very good about my money spending so far, may kill me if she finds out i'm pricing a pc build.
Something that may make you feel better and I think is a general sum of what everyone is trying to say here, a PC looks complicated from the outside because, well it is. But fortunately they have designed them where they aren't as complicated to put together as they appear. It's been a while since I've built one (4 years apparently although I'm pretty sure I have an 8 gig gaming machine now - I couldn't figure out how to see my computer specs through that dang'd Windows 8 interface... and I'm apparently already getting senile at 40... I'm way digressing...) so someone who's more experience can correct me but even the memory stick has a notch to where you can't put it in backwords, the processor has a beveled(?) corner so you put it in the right way, all the cables that plug in will only plug into one area and in one direction... I even bet the guys here would help you figure out the parts to buy and walk you through the process. So I wouldn't be too intimidated by going that direction. Good luck! :)
Give me your budget and I'll throw a build together and message you with it if you want. Here are some things to consider 1st. Are you going to be playing at a desk? If you already have a flat panal television lcd/led or plasma then consider playing your pc on that instead of purchasing a computer monitor. Save you some money if you don't need to purchase one. Wireless keyboard and mouse with a wireless 360 controller and you can play games from your couch just like your consoles. Do you want something that will fit in a entertainment center? Small form factor Mini-ITX motherboards and cases are nice for that. Or you can always go with your standard size cases/ motherboards if your concerned with upgrading in the future. Your choice mainly depends on what you are looking to spend. Keep in mind that you will be adding 100 dollars to any build for a OS. Windows 7 or Windows 8 depends on what you prefer.
Mr402:
I appreciate the offer. I'm just in the planning phase right now. My wife would kill me if I started building a PC. I just bought a motorcycle. I'm looking to start building after the summer most likely.
No problem. Main issue for me was how to get the most bang for my buck. That's what build sites really have a problem explaining is what will give the performance you want and how much you need to spend to get it. Of course you can shell out big bucks for the best parts but that isn't always needed to get a great experience. You'll do fine on your own with research and patience. Look for sale prices and don't sit there worrying about future proofing because there is no such thing. Better to buy cheaper parts that will give you great performance for 1-2 years rather then spend a ton hoping the pc will last you 5-6. Upgrading a couple main components in a couple years to catch up is better then sinking huge dough on something state of the art now. Good luck. Once again if you have questions hit folks up.
I've built my own in the past but this time around I decided to be lazy and let someone else do the work for me. I went to http://www.ibuypower.com/lobby.aspx . My PC is a beast and they did an amazing job. The customization options are almost unlimited and it really takes the guess work out of compatibility. The best part is the 3 year warranty, i'm as confident as the next guy in my abilities to build a machine, but we all know that shit can and will happen. It's nice to have that warranty to back my baby for the next few years.
I bought mine of the shelf. The only request I had that the graphics weren't integrated, but a normal card. The part about pre-builts being underpowered is true though, the best card I could get with my prebuilt within budget was a Geforce GT420. It's trooper though, easily handles Skyrim on Ultra if I disable the HiRes DLC. (Difference = minimal). In the end, it all depends on what you want to do with your PC and how dickish you are with your graphics-need.
I'm running a 440 on an older system now.
You can find some parital built systems on Newegg.com for a decent price.
I've built my own before but for my last PC I didn't wanna go through the hassle and had one custom built from http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/ Cost around $1,200, have never had any problems with it and 3 years later it still runs any game I throw at it on highest settings.
Post a budget and watch the suggestions roll in.
I just built a new rig, for work not gaming and have been building my own since about '95. Pretty sure we walk you through about anything.
I picked up a Lenovo gaming laptop, was very happy for the technology for the price and am equally happy with the results. Though over time it won't keep up with a desktop that can keep being upgraded but I'm confident it'll be able to produce console quality graphics just fine and I wanted something I can travel with.
My son tasked me with researching a gaming PC build. I've got most things nailed down now. Used some of the links on here and else where. Thank you very much.
The only serious question I have is SLI. The setup my son seems to want is only for two monitors. One being primarily for gaming and the other for desktop activity. Does dual SLI give much of a performance boost for single monitor gaming? My initial impression is no. FYI, if he went dual SLI, it would probably be GTX 660 or 670. If he goes single GPU it will likely be a GTX 680.
I have a Gigabyte GTX670. So far, there hasn't been anything I have run that I can't max out the settings on. The 670 is capable of running multiple moniters. Keep in mind that this GPU suffers from high temps under load so get one with dual fans. I shyed away from the 660ti. To get the one I wanted, it cost damn near what I could get a 670 for. I think you would be better going with an AMD card over a 660ti.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-670-test-review,3217-16.html
Check out the 3x windforce Gigabyte card if you are going to go to a GTX670. I have had no issues with mine, it was easy to set up and I got nVidia software that automaticaly performs my driver updates. It has an easy search option that optimizes for the supported games.
SLI and Crossfire suffer from microstutter. I opted for a single card. You won't be disapointed with a 680 if you decide to go that route. Look for one with extra cooling.
Get a GTX 770. It's basically a 680, but has an increased clock speed and bandwidth. It's cheaper and performs better. I purchased one last month and it absolutely crushes everything I throw at it.
I have always gone with a powerful single card over SLI or Crossfire. Two cards will give massive improvements in some games, others have issues. My friend has been using Crossfire for years and has had the AMD microstutter issue that has been driving people crazy in some games. He finally gave up on it two weeks ago and says he'll never go back.
All good setups have three monitors.....front and both peripherals for that bastard sneaking up on your blind side...yes, you Church!
FPS? People do come at you from the side? Multiplayer of course.
Anytime Deep. Please feel free to ask anything.
unless you need to run every possible game at the highest possible settings (shadders/shadows/etc) without fail. I really do not see a need for multiple graphics cards.
I run dual monitors in my office on a single card (GTX560) and have yet to run into a problem of running a game a above average settings.
Agreed!
Some of the new games don't have support for Crossfire or SLI when they release either. Take FFXIV for example, it will be a bit after release before it is supported by either. My take was that by having dual cards it would mean more work maintaining the system. I wanted my PC to be as close to a plug and play system as possible. After listening to the hovercraft 360 for years I wanted it to be quiet and efficient.
After some thought, a bad ass single card was the easy choice..gif "1")