Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[GlyphGryph]

While I personally need some advice on putting together a new PC, I figure this thread can be more of a general purpose resource. Basically, good component lists for a variety of price ranges and an opportunity for people to argue.

Best suggestions for each price range will be added to the first post, assuming there's a consensus.

Now, a bit about my own personal needs and desires:
I've currently got an old crappy Dell running Mint Linux. I want a new PC that can handle basic flash games without choking, load all the pages in the MSPA thread, get quick response times from GIMP. I primarily use the computer for web browsing, artwork, and development. I use two monitors, and would like to be able to hook it up to the TV as well, though that's not a requirement.

I assume I can get a machine that can handle all of that smoothly for a pretty decent price. My limit is $1000, but the cheaper the better. I plan on buying components and putting it together myself. What I've learned in my research:
A solid state drive for the OS seems like a good thing.
Despite my longtime commitment to Athlon, it's probably time to switch to Intel.
Linux hardware compatibility is a lot better but still not perfect for things like video cards.
Hard Drives are a lot more expensive after that disaster.
Everything I knew about computers that least time I did this, maybe 5 or 6 years ago, is pretty outdated.

Bonus:
I hate power buttons, and the first thing I do on most computers I buy is switch it out with a toggle switch (which is actually a good deal more complicated than it sounds). This time, though, I want to go with a lever, preferably one similar looking to the ones in this picture here. If anyone knows what they are called or where I can purchase one, I'd be much obliged.

[Muz]

I got a good desktop able to run just about everything for about $330. Didn't even build it, the guy who I bought it from was selling parts and offered to build it for free. There was a similar laptop my brother bought with almost the same specs -2 GB RAM for only about $500, so you might consider getting that if you actually leave the house


I agree on the Intel thing. I've used AMD once, and I'd have to say it was a very bad choice, not recommended.

Maybe get Windows 7. Vista is major fail, but Win 7 boots up fast and runs flash games smoothly. Even stopped using linux on that computer

Get pretty much a high speed CPU with less cores (for lower price), since DF is going to be multithreaded any time soon. Plus a lot of programs/OS suck more at multithreading than they'd have you believe.

Get about 6 GB RAM. Heck, RAM is so cheap you might as well get 8 GB, but I can't think of anything that could possibly use up 8 GB of RAM.

You didn't specify games, so I assume you're not a hardcore, graphics obsessed gamer. Still, you probably want a graphics card for that TV output. And you never know when there's a good game that you'd really want to play. And graphics cards these days also contribute to processing power. So, I recommend a budget card like the Geforce 210. You should be able to run almost any major game smoothly, just without shadows and anti-aliasing (not that anti-aliasing helps with today's resolutions)

[GlyphGryph]

Maybe get Windows 7. Vista is major fail, but Win 7 boots up fast and runs flash games smoothly. Even stopped using linux on that computer

I do a lot of development, and windows is just a pain to develop on compared to 'nix. Also, I've gotten used to not having to trawl the net for software and have no desire to go back. I like my packet manager. And I'm not sure, but does windows actually support multiple desktops natively yet, or would that be something I'd have to download additional software to accomplish? Either way, I can imagine that would add a hefty chunk to the price, no?

[Dutchling]

Windows supports multiple desktops without any programs. Vista does, at least.
And those levers look awesome ^^

[Patchouli]

Those levers are called knife switches.

I don't know how well it'd work for replacing the power button. I think it'd be a fun experiment at least.

[nenjin]

Everything I knew about computers that least time I did this, maybe 5 or 6 years ago, is pretty outdated.

You're not that far behind the curve. An "average" video card is PCI-Express 2.0, carries about a gig of memory, have cores running at around 1000Mhz, and they only go up from there. They're all power hungry SOBs. Boards can take shite loads of memory now, but 4 gigs memory is all you really need for gaming (although development will leave you wanting more.) You can cut cost on a high end video card by SLI-ing two weaker ones, which seems to becoming more popular, especially if your gaming needs aren't AAA.

I just priced an i7 and a good mobo to go with it at around $500 from Newegg. Which is too much, especially considering you have to buy the complete package. And that SSD is going to really set you back in light of the disaster.

[ChairmanPoo]

Hey, this sli thig, it,s like an external videocard?

[nenjin]

No. It's a second video card in your computer, linked to the first one by an SLI-bridge (a little thing that goes across the top of the two.)

It can give you more raw horsepower or you can do silly stuff like off-loading Nvidia PhysX on to one card only, freeing the other one up for all the dedicated gaming. What SLI doesn't get you is any increases in technology, although that's not particularly an issue in this generation.

You also have to have the power for both those cards, and depending on what cards you chose to SLI, that can require a (relatively) beefy power supply.

[Mullet Master]

You have indicated you want to run linux. This - to me - implies you are not a "hardcore" PC gamer, therefore you can get by with a much lower budget. To keep budget low, consider AMD. Yeah, you aren't going to have the "greatest gaming system evar!", but AMD has been making processors for a long time, and they are good for 90% of non-gamers need.

My thoughts on building a computer that are not redundant to what people have said previously in this thread:

Buy a quality power supply with high efficiency. High efficiency = lower power wasted as heat = longer life. Furthermore, think of what you are attaching to the power supply. Do you want to risk $800 of components because you wanted to save $25 on a power supply?

As you said, hard drives are very expensive right now - about 150% of what they were a year ago for the same drive, due to storm damage in Asia. I would buy the smallest drive you think you can get away with using for a short time and then plan on adding on a drive in 12-18 months. For most people, I think 250gb should be an absolute minimum - it takes almost no time to fill one up, especially if you store movies.

As far as your choice of switch :

Be careful if you choose to use a knife switch. The case of the computer (all metal) is usually connected to the common of the power supply. The knife switch is largely uninsulated, so if you drop a metal object onto it (spoon, paperclip, pen, etc) you'll short the switch to common. This may not be too hazardous depending on what type of input the motherboard is using (NPN vs PNP) but I would do a little research (with a multimeter).
 

[Lectorog]

As an AMD user, I would recommend an Intel processor. Unless cost is an issue there, you'll get better quality from Intel. Even if you're not a "hardcore PC gamer", you'll benefit from a better processor, especially when playing DF. AMD isn't bad, it's just not as good.
If you would like to save money there, AMD is the choice to go with; but overall, I'd say Intel is more worth the money.
Either way, get a dual-core processor.

And using two video cards is silly.

[GlyphGryph]

Even if you've got two monitors?

And no, for those wondering, I don't do much in the way of gaming, and the games I do play are like Cataclysm and Dwarf Fortress and Terrarria

Nothing graphics intensive, really.

[ChairmanPoo]

Last time I chechked intel gave more bang for the buck, except in netbooks, apparently

Speaking of which, there havent been new netbook models in over a year.... this crisis is nasty

[GlyphGryph]

Anyone have any suggestions for specific pieces of hardware? A high quality mobo/cpu combo, a cost effective video card, a power supply that will do what I need without being overpriced, a reliable company for ram?

I've decided I'll probably be okay cannibalizing some of my current computers stuff - at the very list the disk drives and hard drive should be fine.

[Mullet Master]

Anyone have any suggestions for specific pieces of hardware? A high quality mobo/cpu combo, a cost effective video card, a power supply that will do what I need without being overpriced, a reliable company for ram?

Tom's hardware makes a couple of computers in any price range on a nearly monthly basis. They give what is probably the closest you are going to get for an optimum DIY computer. The current article can be located at http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/core-i5-overclock-performance-gaming,3097.html

A quick summary :
Intel i5-2400 is the processor of choice.

[GlyphGryph]

Very nice! Thanks!