Buying a new Gaming PC - Page 2

Professor S · 08-11-2011, 02:48 PM

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

Vampyr · 08-11-2011, 07:12 PM

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 · 08-11-2011, 11:09 PM

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.

magus113 · 08-10-2011, 11:24 PM

I'm saving my money for until about October/November for BF3 and to be closer to the time where Intel is gonna start releasing 22nm dies on their processors. The Sandy Bridge-E processors are absurd, but they're only for the new LGA 2011 socket that's not coming out yet, and let's add that since it's a new socket, it's going to need a new motherboard which will probably be expensive.

Let's see how much I can actually save to decide how crazy of a computer I want to get.

I have nowhere near enough money to do so now though. Especially with my car payments.

Seth · 08-12-2011, 10:08 AM

I've got the Phenom 965 BE running on the ASUS crosshair formula MB. GSkill Ram and an MSI GTX 460 1 gb. Coolermaster storm scout and a 30$ heatsink that works great.

It's a good cpu. The 3.4 can be overclocked to an even 4.

The only thing I would have wanted to know for sure is the gpu brand(asus, msi, sapphire, etc) and the specifics of the motherboard. I noticed it doesn't have usb 3 support and only one 16x slot which limits your option to add a second gpu, which in 2 years would reinvent your rig.
Good choice though, a good gaming rig at a good price.

I'd recommend an aftermarket heatsink(coolermaster) since the extra size won't be interfering with an added jumbo gpu.

KillerGremlin · 08-12-2011, 02:21 PM

Yeah, replacing stock heatsinks and adding thermal paste is an easy and cheap way to improve longevity and durability of pre-built PCs. Fans too.

Professor S · 08-12-2011, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KillerGremlin

Yeah, replacing stock heatsinks and adding thermal paste is an easy and cheap way to improve longevity and durability of pre-built PCs. Fans too.

The case comes with two fans, but I'm waiting to see what I get when it comes to the CPU heatsink. Cyberpower usually includes liquid cooling. At this price point they might have left stock, but you never know.

I'll post pics when it comes.

manasecret · 08-14-2011, 05:20 PM

Might also be that there's high humidity where you live. I could walk around all day on carpet here in Houston and never get a static shock, while I remember being in Dallas one winter at my sister's carpeted house and shocking everything. The moisture in the air absorbs the charge.

manasecret · 08-15-2011, 02:36 PM

First off, oh please.

That argument only holds up if you had spent the time you would have spent building the computer making money by working instead. By your own admission you wouldn't have. You would have done, what? Fixed a leak in bathroom sink, or painted your house, or cleaned up, or some other household chore? Talk about useless knowledge and skills, yet I bet you don't pay someone to do most or any of your housework, am I right?

Now, playing with your kid, fine, that's lost opportunity. But I'm sure not even the majority of that time would have been spent playing with your kid.

Secondly, I think you're still arguing the wrong point. Computers rule the work world. It's not like you're learning how to change the brakes in your car, which for most people does not supplement their work knowledge. Instead you have just lost a great opportunity to pull yourself ahead of everyone else in the market doing your job. I don't know the economic term for it, but I know the worth of that knowledge is far more than $100.

Thus, laziness. It's ok, call it opportunity cost if it makes you feel better.

Professor S · 08-15-2011, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manasecret

First off, oh please.

That argument only holds up if you had spent the time you would have spent building the computer making money by working instead.

Absolutely not. If you're not applying a dollar value to your non-work time, you basically consider it worthless. My non-work time is the most valuable time I have. Its the time I spend with my wife and child, and maintaining my home (my single largest investment).

And if you don't think you spend the majority of your free time with a 1 year old, then you've never had a 1 year old...

Professor S · 08-15-2011, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manasecret

By your own admission you wouldn't have. You would have done, what? Fixed a leak in bathroom sink, or painted your house, or cleaned up, or some other household chore? Talk about useless knowledge and skills, yet I bet you don't pay someone to do most or any of your housework, am I right?

Again, we're talking about opportunity cost. It would cost me about $300 to pay a plumber clear a clogged drain line (not a sink, a main line). Takes me about an hour or less to do it myself.

Having someone build my PC costs me $100, and saves me 6-8 hours (likely).

Economically, it makes sense for me to clear my own drain AND pay someone to build my PC. Then again, if I needed to replace plumbing it may pay me to hire someone. It all depends on the cost vs. time equation. We make these tradeoffs everyday (and it keeps McDonalds in business).

Quote:

Secondly, I think you're still arguing the wrong point. Computers rule the work world. It's not like you're learning how to change the brakes in your car, which for most people does not supplement their work knowledge. Instead you have just lost a great opportunity to pull yourself ahead of everyone else in the market doing your job. I don't know the economic term for it, but I know the worth of that knowledge is far more than $100.

What I know is that every time I even think about "fixing" a PC at work the OPs department smacks me on the back of the head and tells me to "cut the shit". Tech people don't want me to fix a computer. That's what they're paid to do. I'm paid to teach and provide consultation. This is another important economic concept called "specialization" that creates efficiencies and wealth.