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Author Topic: Buy or Build/Advice Needed  (Read 3232 times)

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gamergirl

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    • OS: Windows 7
    Buy or Build/Advice Needed
    « on: June 24, 2015, 09:15:48 PM »
    Hi

    Should I get this or do you think I can build a better one for the same price?
    -Web browsing, gaming and video editing/graphic works.

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883227602&cm_re=iBUYPOWER_Desktop_PC_VERSA_SERIES_NE403-_-83-227-602-_-Product

    What do you guys think?  :)

    _______________________________________ ______
    Current updated build in mind [Budget : around 1,000]

    CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor
    ______________________________
    CPU Cooler
    Any suggestion?
    ______________________________
    Motherboard:should I get Asus Z97-E ATX LGA1150 Motherboard or
    Gigabyte GA-Z97X-Gaming 5 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard
    or other options?
    ______________________________
    Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory or
    G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory
    or other options?
    ______________________________
    Storage suggestion? (something from Crucial or Samsung) 1TB
    ______________________________
    Video Card
    EVGA GeForce GTX 960 2GB Superclocked Video Card or
    EVGA GeForce GTX 960 2GB SuperSC ACX 2.0+ Video Card
    or other options?
    ______________________________
    case
    any suggestion?
    ______________________________
    Power Supply
    any suggestion?
    ______________________________
    Wireless Network Adapter
    any suggestion?
    ______________________________
    Case Fan
    any suggestion?
    -keep computer cool
    -noise level doesn't matter

    Thank you guys!  :)


    « Last Edit: June 24, 2015, 09:40:26 PM by gamergirl »

    Geek-9pm


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    Re: Buy or Build/Advice Needed
    « Reply #1 on: June 24, 2015, 10:39:42 PM »
    What is your budget? Maybe $500, $1000 or $2000? The more you want the costs goes way up.

    DIY is a great hobby. I started because there were few options. But that was years ago. Nowadays you get more bang  for your buck buying pre-asembled stuff and adding upgrades. Exception for very high end cutting edge things.

    I would suggest   you find a used desktop that has a nice case and take it apart.Notice how things go together. Then try r some upgrades to improve the performance. Like more RAM, better hard drive, graphics card and so on.

    At the present time you can get a good refurbished desktop with very good specs for about half the price of components. Plus it comes with Windows 8.1 and a one year warranty. Dell sells some good units  and give you a warranty.

    I assume you are a first time builder. IMO you need to get into a working machine and learn how it goes together. One thing. Never get a SFF PC. They are impossible to upgrade. The Small Form Factor  has no room for anything.

    Now if you already have years of experience, ignore what I said.  :)

    camerongray



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    Re: Buy or Build/Advice Needed
    « Reply #2 on: June 25, 2015, 03:22:16 AM »
    Those prebuilt gaming PCs on Newegg tend to use quite cheap parts to cut corners.  If you can build one yourself I would certainly recommend doing that or at least get it from a company who will let you customise it to your needs.

    The built you have there looks good although you may want to consider whether for your needs you would maybe be better off with a cheaper CPU such as an i5 4690k and a better graphics card such as a 970.
    • CPU cooler: If you are overclocking I'd look at a good air cooler, it really comes down to how much you can spend, something like a Coolermaster Hyper 212 is decent value.  If you aren't overclocking then the stock one would do the job fine.
    • Storage: I'd recommend getting an SSD (probably around the 250gb mark) from Crucial or Samsung and then a separate HDD of the size you require.
    • Case: Very much personal preference, take a look and see what you like the look of - I'd recommend getting a decent case now instead of skimping on it, you can keep the case for a long time - It doesn't really become obsolete or need "upgraded" unless you fancy a new one.
    • PSU: I'd suggest something from the likes of XFX or Seasonic around the 550w mark.  Higher end Corsairs would also be good (i.e. higher end than their VX and CX lines (RM,HX.etc))
    • RAM: Either of those will be fine, just get whatever is cheaper.
    • Wireless Adapter: If you absolutely need it to be wireless just get a reasonable card, possibly with dual band/802.11ac - Even if your current access point doesn't take advantage of this, future ones you get might.  Don't however go overboard with silly "gaming" cards with ridiculous heatsinks.etc - They are more of a gimmick rather than anything.
    • Case Fans: You don't really need anything special for a simple case fan, I'd just get a decent brand such as Corsair/Fractal Design/Antec.etc.  You may also want to see what the case you pick includes as it may come with enough fans and if it doesn't you may want to buy more of whatever fans it does include so that they are all matching.

    coastie65



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    Re: Buy or Build/Advice Needed
    « Reply #3 on: June 26, 2015, 06:23:18 PM »
    Hi. The computer you linked to. is a pretty good buy. I was going through some of the reviews. Most are good and the two worse ones, were not major and could be dealt with. iBuyPower is a good Custom Builder and I have recommended them on occasion. The one I won't recommend, is CyberPower. Way too many complaints. As For Buy over build, These days I don't know. You get what you want when you build your own. I have seen some pretty nice custom built stuff, that had a good price. I built mine and just do upgrades from time to time. It's a fun Hobby, but can get expensive over time.
    Cooler Max 912 HAF Case, ASUS Z87-Pro MOBO, i7 4770k CPU OC'd to 4.6 Ghz, 16 GB of GSkill Ripjaws Series X 2133 Mhz Ram, EVGA GTX 980, Gelid Tranquillo cooler, 2 1Tb WD Caviar Black HDDs, Samsung Series 850 EVO 1 Tb SSD, Corsair AX850w PSU, LITE-ON iHAS124-04 Optical drive. Running Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit

    gamergirl

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      Re: Buy or Build/Advice Needed
      « Reply #4 on: June 27, 2015, 08:15:12 PM »
      Thank you Geek-9pm, camerongray, and coastie65!  :) :)

      gamergirl

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        Re: Buy or Build/Advice Needed
        « Reply #5 on: June 28, 2015, 12:09:11 PM »

        • Storage: I'd recommend getting an SSD (probably around the 250gb mark) from Crucial or Samsung and then a separate HDD of the size you require.
        • PSU: I'd suggest something from the likes of XFX or Seasonic around the 550w mark.  Higher end Corsairs would also be good (i.e. higher end than their VX and CX lines (RM,HX.etc))

        What specific HDD do you recommend and can you link me to a PSU?  ;D Thanks!

        Here is the the updated build in mind. Can someone check if all the components are compatible or other recommendation? Thanks!

        Build for: Heavy Gaming/Video Editing/Graphic Design/ working with programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects, etc

        Link to build:
        http://pcpartpicker.com/p/9kd3Q7


        Build Credit: Thanks @Quantos, camerongray, Geek-9pm, DaveLembke, Calum, coastie65, & all the others who contributed!  ;D
        « Last Edit: June 28, 2015, 12:19:23 PM by gamergirl »

        gamergirl

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          Re: Buy or Build/Advice Needed
          « Reply #6 on: June 29, 2015, 12:58:40 PM »
          checking in