Buying a new Gaming PC

[manasecret]

I just built my new PC last October. I work with a bunch of engineers who pride themselves on building and getting the best PCs, and don't mind paying $3000+ for them. I play a bunch of games with them.

I paid ~$970 and it outruns all of theirs. While they spend a bunch of their time troubleshooting why it's not running very fast and keeping it from overheating, I have had zero problems with mine. I play Starcraft 2 and Civ 5 and Portal 2 on the highest settings with no slowdown.

Here's exactly what I bought:

1 x Rosewill Blackbone Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
1 x ASUS P7P55D LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard
1 x XFX HD-487A-ZWFC Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
1 x Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor BX80605I5750
1 x OCZ Vertex Series OCZSSD2-1VTX60G 2.5" 60GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
1 x G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9S-4GBRL
1 x ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro Rev.2 92mm Fluid Dynamic CPU Cooler
1 x Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM
1 x Western Digital Caviar Blue WD10EALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
1 x Sony Optiarc CD/DVD Burner Black SATA Model AD-7261S-0B LightScribe Support - OEM
1 x 2.5" to 3.5" converter (for the SSD drive, get the cheapest one you can find)
1 x ~700W OCZ power supply

Sorry, Newegg isn't good about linking your old orders to actual products. Just look for the equivalent versions that are still sold now, and you are golden.

Whichever way you go, make sure you SPEND EXTRA ON AN SSD DRIVE. It doesn't have to be big, 60 GB minimum will do though I recommend 120 GB as it does quickly run out for games. You're just putting the OS and any other programs you can fit on there, and regardless of how much you spend on all other parts, THAT ALONE will make your new PC the zippiest computer you have ever had.

EDIT: I added the power supply. I reused my very good OCZ one from my old PC, the only thing I reused.

Speaking of which... would anyone like to purchase the very best AGP videocard ever made? I give you good price my friend.

[Professor S]

While I appreciate all of the advice, you people are too fucking complicated.

How about this: I post the PCs I'm interested in, you you techno-people rate them in terms of value and running most games at max settings at 1920x1080 on the 23in monitor. Keep in mind, I need this to run MS Office for work as well.

Here is the one I'm leaning towards:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16883229253

Here is another I'm interest in with a better processor:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16883229262

Does the i5 2500k processor enhance gaming on any significant level, or will the GPU and RAM do the real work?

[TheSlyMoogle]

Originally Posted by Professor S

While I appreciate all of the advice, you people are too fucking complicated.

How about this: I post the PCs I'm interested in, you you techno-people rate them in terms of value and running most games at max settings at 1920x1080 on the 23in monitor. Keep in mind, I need this to run MS Office for work as well.

Here is the one I'm leaning towards:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16883229253

Here is another I'm interest in with a better processor:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16883229262

Does the i5 2500k processor enhance gaming on any significant level, or will the GPU and RAM do the real work?

It's mostly your graphics card and RAM that are doing the real work with gaming.

I have been running AMD for years in my PCs and have never had a problem. To be really honest my roommate is running a PC with one of the i7 processors and I swear it takes him at least 30 seconds more to load everything in games.

I honestly couldn't justify spending an extra like 120 dollars on the second rig. I would say go for the first, but either one will be good for you probably for at least 4-5 years of gaming, maybe even more than that.

Your basic question is "Can it run Crysis 2?"

Yes. Yes it can. At maximum settings.

As for Microsoft office, you'll definitely be fine. Lol.

AND ALSO THIS:

http://www.gameranx.com/updates/id/2...ents-revealed/

[TheSlyMoogle]

Also for the arguments, I've used ATi cards for years and never had a problem. Usually any driver issues with games will be patched soon after the release within a couple of weeks at most.

Also the only games I've ever heard about issues with were usually games I definitely wasn't interested in (Such as Dirt 3)

[TheSlyMoogle]

Also for the arguments, I've used ATi cards for years and never had a problem. Usually any driver issues get fixed pretty quickly after games are released.

Also the only games I've ever heard about issues with were usually games I definitely wasn't interested in (Such as Dirt 3)

[Professor S]

Final question: The the $829 AMD build a good deal for a boutique gaming PC?

[Vampyr]

This thread has really reignited my desire to build a PC.

My Vaio of the past 2 years is still chugging along beautifully though. Can't really justify replacing it. I finally ran into a game I wanted to play that it couldn't handle, though, Just Cause 2, but I just turned the resolution down a notch and it ran fine.

[Professor S]

I ordered the AMD version and after ebates.com discounts and a promo code I basically got shipping for free. Thanks to everyone for their help.

[KillerGremlin]

Originally Posted by Professor S

I ordered the AMD version and after ebates.com discounts and a promo code I basically got shipping for free. Thanks to everyone for their help.

Gives us updates yo.

Also I haven't seen such epic derailment in a thread in a long while. Good job guys!

[Blix]

Originally Posted by KillerGremlin

Gives us updates yo.

Also I haven't seen such epic derailment in a thread in a long while. Good job guys!

That's the side effect of bringing the Ati or Nvidia debate to any thread.

[manasecret]

Originally Posted by Professor S

I ordered the AMD version and after ebates.com discounts and a promo code I basically got shipping for free. Thanks to everyone for their help.

You shoulda priced the parts and built it yourself. Not a good price. And didn't even include an SSD drive at that price.

But I guess convenience trumps quality yet again.

[Professor S]

Originally Posted by manasecret

You shoulda priced the parts and built it yourself. Not a good price. And didn't even include an SSD drive at that price.

But I guess convenience trumps quality yet again.

You underestimate my lack of confidence and skill, lol.

I did price the parts (on new egg), and I paid about $100 extra (part for part) to have the computer built by professionals for me instead of my fumbling ass putting it together. That $100 probably saved me half a day or more of cursing and stress. That's half a day I can spent fragging noobs or smoking cigars.

Also, it's 10 times the PC I would get for the same price at Best Buy.

Time is money, my friend. Also, not frying my MB with static electricity is a blessing as well...

[Vampyr]

Originally Posted by manasecret

You shoulda priced the parts and built it yourself. Not a good price. And didn't even include an SSD drive at that price.

But I guess convenience trumps quality yet again.

I have an SSD at work, and one one hand I love the speed and snappiness of it.

On the other, they are much, much more prone to failure, and I live in constant worry it's going to die.

I think for a home PC I'd just go for a 7400 RPM drive. You'll also get a lot more space that way.