Deji Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 I've had custom built computers before and added/taken parts from it, etc. so I know how most of the building works. However, I'm still in the SIMMS/DDR era of computers... Where AGP GFX was new and such, remember that time? Anyway, I want something that will run better than my previous top-of-the-line (8 years ago) PC's. I'm not a huge gamer and unlike most gamers, I have this extraordinary ability to play at 7 FPS.. it just makes the whole gaming experience last longer, eh? I mod San Andreas a lot, though and it to run very well at the top resolution/quality etc. No interest in most newer games (I'm oldskool). Here are the few games I have in order of use (mainly for you to laugh if you want ): GTA: San Andreas Sega Megadrive/Genisis (w/e) Emulator (mainly playing Kid Chameleon ) Lemmings The Sims GTA III Age of Empires II Abuse (oh I love Dos!) GTA: Vice City Doom Alfred Hitchcock: The Final Cut (loads of people say it's crap, I found it enjoyable) The Simpsons: Hit & Run (I've barely ever played it ) Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory (can't run it) PSX Emulator (can't run it, either) Slightly derailed from the main point there (I seriously suspect I have some sort of disorder when it comes to this..). Basically, I like old, low-intensive games but due to that, I've wanted to run PS1 emulators for a while (even though I don't know how they work)... I do programming (trying to get into creating games and compilers are incredibly slow), web design, music production and hope to actually be able to put those costly movie editing programs to use (Sony Vegas runs like crap).. movie editing is probably the one thing that I need a really good GFX card for, I dunno. Plan on getting Windows 7, but probably keeping Windows XP. Other random programs I have... Endorphin 3Ds MAX gmax (runs better and is easier to use than 3Ds.. I have some regrets in life) Macromedia Flash 8 (I hate Adobe) Various Music / DJ-ing programs SA Map Editors I've probably gone into wayy to much detail I plan on buying in January and I currently have £320 (about $500). Obviously, the addition of christmas will probably add a nice buffer onto that. So anyone wanna spend my money for me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unopescio Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 (edited) If you already have a screen, mouse/keyboard, speakers, case and dvd drive and all that junk you could easily build a acceptable computer for $500. it wont be top of the line or anything but it will easily run everything on your list and more. If you do have all that stuff than your shopping list is 1.mobo 2.powersupply (if your computer is as old as you say I doubt yours will be of use) 3.graphics card 4. some ram (4gb is pretty much low range these days) 5. a harddrive (maybe maybe not? I dont know what you have now or what youre looking for) Edited November 28, 2010 by OnePiece Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deji Posted November 28, 2010 Author Share Posted November 28, 2010 Mmm.. yeah, that's the thing.. I don't know what motherboard, power supply, graphics card, ram or hard drive to buy That's why I was told to post here. My hard drive had about 3 months of ticking a year ago and is now making infrequent groaning sounds... I think it's time to update that. Also, I wanted a motherboard that still allows me to update to what's considered high-end now in the future. I don't need that much now, but by the time I start making real money, I'll probably want more. I was told there was even differences between RAM quality.. and that higher quality RAM was expensive... I bookmarked a load of things on eBuyer, but I doubt my decisions. A case will have to be added to the list. The current PC I've got is a non-custom built PC (eMachines) and it's REALLY crap. It's small, has on board sound and graphics and the way stuff fits in seems stupid. I also have to leave the case open for the computer to keep running without having to increase fan speed (which is really loud). So I'd guessed I needed to worry about cooling and such, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anus Posted November 29, 2010 Share Posted November 29, 2010 It's best to come back when you got the cash from Christmas and are ready to buy. Prices can change and you may be able to get a better deal if you look when you're ready to buy. Around how much do you think your total budget will be after Christmas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leik oh em jeez! Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 If that's all you really do, I'm thinking a 750i/E8400 Setup with 2-4Gb DDR2 and say a GTS250 would do nicely, be quite cheap, and not use too much power. Also, Age of Empires II is f*cking awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dog_day_sunrise Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 (edited) If that's all you really do, I'm thinking a 750i/E8400 Setup with 2-4Gb DDR2 and say a GTS250 would do nicely, be quite cheap, and not use too much power.Also, Age of Empires II is f*cking awesome. You're better off going Phenom II than Core 2 for midrange performance, IMHO. C2 sockets are already dead and the AM3 socket will be by mid next year with the release of Bulldozer- at least with AM3 you can re-use your RAM when you have to upgrade- you won't be able to with DDR2 Core 2 motherboards. Plus a quick google shows you can get a quad-core Phenom for about £89, between one and ten quid less than the price the only E8400s I can find for sale that aren't second hand are up at. Edited December 16, 2010 by dog_day_sunrise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Node Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 well i would normally say, one word: ALIENWARE but..... they are hella expensive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dog_day_sunrise Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 well i would normally say, one word: ALIENWARE but..... they are hella expensive And hella sh*t. Seriously, there isn't a mainstream PC out there that can hold a candle to a home-build half it's cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deji Posted January 3, 2011 Author Share Posted January 3, 2011 I'm back with a budget of £345 I'm owed £100 but no use waiting. Still clueless about what to get, really... but lets count these towards my spendage... Hard Drive (256GB or more) RAM (2GB or more?) And that's as far as my imagination goes... Cases look wayy more expensive then they should be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pico Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I just got a sexy looking Antec 300 mid-tower for $60. You could probably find it for the same or less, or at least a similar quality case for around the same. USD, that is. As for your price range, I know through Newegg which is the best place to get computer parts here in the US, you've got about $460 USD to spend. That's not very much, so you'll have to choose wisely. Going from your current specs, something in that price range will be beyond night and day of a difference. You could easily get a cheap AMD dual core and 2-3GB of RAM with a mid-range graphics card in that budget. The thing is, you'd be upgrading to something that would have been mid-range like a year or so ago. That extra £100 could go a long way in making it a much better build. Being from the US, I can't suggest any parts because the prices vary quite a bit. But I'd say stick with a dual core processor, and around 2-4GB of RAM. You can probably find a 500GB HDD for roughly $50 USD, a ~256GB drive will be only slightly less, so may as well put out a few more bucks and get much more space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anus Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I'm back with a budget of £345 I'm owed £100 but no use waiting. Still clueless about what to get, really... but lets count these towards my spendage... Hard Drive (256GB or more) RAM (2GB or more?) And that's as far as my imagination goes... Cases look wayy more expensive then they should be This is above your budget at £368.78 (with the 'Within 5 Working Days (FREE)' shipping option), but I don't recommend going any lower than this: Case: Silver Mid Tower PSU: Antec Basiq Power 350W Motherboard: Asus M4A87TD/USB3 CPU: Athlon II X4 635 RAM: OCZ 2x2GB DDR3 1333 Video card: PowerColor HD5770 1GB HDD: WD 500GB SATAII ODD: reuse from your current PC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deji Posted January 8, 2011 Author Share Posted January 8, 2011 (edited) Damn, keep forgetting about this topic What's an ODD? I forget about Wikipedia. Edited January 8, 2011 by Deji Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unopescio Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 well i would normally say, one word: ALIENWARE but..... they are hella expensive Yeah thats an awesome way to waste a couple grand The only people who buy alienware are morons who cant build their own computer and rich parents who buy them for their spoiled kids at christmas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deji Posted January 8, 2011 Author Share Posted January 8, 2011 Will an IDE disc drive work in these newer computers? I have plenty of them in my house, but they're all good ol' IDE ones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dog_day_sunrise Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 Will an IDE disc drive work in these newer computers? I have plenty of them in my house, but they're all good ol' IDE ones Some have IDE ports, some don't. They're being phased out really, I can't see many Sandy Bridge/Bulldozer motherboards keeping IDE compatibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf68k Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 Most mobos if they do have an IDE slot, there's only 1. The one that Warlord posted before for example only has 1 IDE (PATA) slot. Since most people (myself included) will update their HDD(s) long before the ODD(s) that is why there is just the 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finn 7 five 11 Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 Warlords list is not bad for your budget, but i would save another 100-200 get a bigger PSU and a better MOBO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stinky12 Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 (edited) If you live on the other side of the pond... - Item Pcs Price 1 SAMSUNG DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223L LightScribe Support - OEM 1 $16.99 2 COOLER MASTER Elite 330 RC-330-KKN1-GP Black SECC ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 1 $39.99 3 Western Digital Caviar Blue WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive 1 $49.99 4 GIGABYTE GV-R685D5-1GD Radeon HD 6850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with ... 1 $179.99 5 SeaSonic S12II 620 Bronze 620W ATX12V V2.3 / EPS 12V V2.91 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply 1 $79.99 6 G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL9D-4GBNQ 1 $43.99 7 GIGABYTE GA-P67A-UD3 LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard 1 $129.99 8 Intel Core i5-2500 Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I52500 1 $209.99 - Subtotal - $750.92 Edited January 9, 2011 by Stinky12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf68k Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 That's a nice list but pretty much useless since he's in England. He even listed how much he has to work with in Pounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stinky12 Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 That's a nice list but pretty much useless since he's in England. He even listed how much he has to work with in Pounds. That's why I said if he lives on the other side. Looks like SB is available over there too. If only he has some extra pounds to get a nice setup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deji Posted January 10, 2011 Author Share Posted January 10, 2011 I'll probably go with Warlords suggestion. I'm not waiting just to get a "high-tec" setup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deji Posted January 20, 2011 Author Share Posted January 20, 2011 Okay, I did some searching based on Warlords suggestions and found an affordable (and hopefully decent) setup. Just wanted to make sure it isn't a disasterous combination of parts or something Qty Description Tot. Price 1 Silver Mid Tower Gaming Case with Massive 14cm Front Fan - No PSU £18.00 1 Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 2.66GHz Socket 775 1333FSB 4MB L2 Cache Retail Boxed Processor £99.06 1 Gigabyte GA-G41M-ES2L G41 Socket 775 VGA 8 Channel Audio MATX Motherboard £29.87 2 Kingston 2GB 800MHz/PC2-6400 Memory Unbuffered Non-ECC CL6 1.8V £48.32 1 Inno3D 9800GT Esave Edition 1GB GDDR3 DVI VGA HDMI Out PCI-E Graphics Card £61.19 1 Western Digital WD5000AAKS 500GB SATAII 7200RPM 16MB Cache - OEM Caviar Blue £25.66 1 Plexus SATA 2.0 to right angle SATA 7-pin Cable (Red) 46cm / 18" £1.60 1 Sumvision 500W 20+4pin SATA 80mm Fan PSU - Retail Box £14.15 Budget: £365 Total: £357.46 Any suggestions or can I happily buy all that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anus Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 The build I posted earlier is much better. Don't get LGA775 now, the socket is dead. AM3 is much more futureproof, especially since you'll be able to use the chips on Bulldozer motherboards. The RAM isn't enough. The sweet spot for RAM these days is 4GB. DDR2 prices are also higher than DDR3 now and isn't worth the price. The 9800GT is much slower than the HD5770. It's also extremely outdated and doesn't even support DX11. The PSU is unreliable and you risk damaging or frying your components with that. The build I posted before should use no more than 318W at most even when overclocked and this is under Furmark which stresses the video card much more than everyday apps, games, etc: Don't get my previous build. Prices have changed, get this instead: Case: Silver Mid Tower Gaming Case with Massive 14cm Front Fan - No PSU PSU: Corsair 430W CX PSU 4x SATA 1x PCI-E Motherboard: MSI 870A-G54 Socket AM3 8 Channel Audio ATX Motherboard CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 640 Socket AM3 3GHz 2MB L2 Cache Retail Boxed Processor RAM: Corsair 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1333MHz XMS3 Memory Kit CL9 unbuffered Video card: PowerColor HD 5770 1GB GDDR5 DVI HDMI Out PCI-E Graphics Card HDD: Seagate ST3500418AS 500GB Hard Drive SATAII 7200rpm 16MB Cache - OEM Total: £364.72 (with the 'Within 5 Working Days (FREE)' shipping option). Much better than your build and the build I posted before . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leik oh em jeez! Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 Contrary to popular belief, you do not NEED 4gb of RAM. Remember that short while ago when 2gb was more than enough for any game? Those games still get the same performance they did originally. 2gb of 1066mhz ddr2 at 5-4-4-8 is better than 4gb 667mhz ddr2 at 5-5-5-13. So if you're left do decide between 2gb corsair gaming ram vs 4gb slower ram with horrible timings, go with the faster RAM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dog_day_sunrise Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 Contrary to popular belief, you do not NEED 4gb of RAM. Remember that short while ago when 2gb was more than enough for any game? Those games still get the same performance they did originally. 2gb of 1066mhz ddr2 at 5-4-4-8 is better than 4gb 667mhz ddr2 at 5-5-5-13. So if you're left do decide between 2gb corsair gaming ram vs 4gb slower ram with horrible timings, go with the faster RAM. I'm not sure that's entirely true. 64-bit Windows 7 requires a minium of 2GB RAM alone, let alone any other programs running alongside it. I've had my 4GB Corsair up to about 89% full under heavy load usage. However you are right about timings- Timings > RAM Speed in almost all scenarios. Much rather have 7-7-7-20 1600MHz than 9-9-9-24 1800MHz stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deji Posted January 21, 2011 Author Share Posted January 21, 2011 (edited) {cut} Don't get my previous build. Prices have changed, get this instead: Case: Silver Mid Tower Gaming Case with Massive 14cm Front Fan - No PSU PSU: Corsair 430W CX PSU 4x SATA 1x PCI-E Motherboard: MSI 870A-G54 Socket AM3 8 Channel Audio ATX Motherboard CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 640 Socket AM3 3GHz 2MB L2 Cache Retail Boxed Processor RAM: Corsair 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1333MHz XMS3 Memory Kit CL9 unbuffered Video card: PowerColor HD 5770 1GB GDDR5 DVI HDMI Out PCI-E Graphics Card HDD: Seagate ST3500418AS 500GB Hard Drive SATAII 7200rpm 16MB Cache - OEM Total: £364.72 (with the 'Within 5 Working Days (FREE)' shipping option). Much better than your build and the build I posted before . Hmm, ok. Btw, I was going to get two of those 2GB sticks as it says on the table. Dunno what "LGA775", "HD5770" or "AM3" is (numbers and latin letters, by the looks of things?). The RAM you posted is out of stock, by the way. EDIT http://www.ebuyer.com/product/173122 - Good RAM? Strictly going by numbers, it seems better and is £1 cheaper Oh yeah, and I plan on running 64 bit (never known what difference that makes to a computer) so I'd say the 4GB RAM is needed Edited January 21, 2011 by Deji Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anus Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 (edited) Contrary to popular belief, you do not NEED 4gb of RAM. Remember that short while ago when 2gb was more than enough for any game? Those games still get the same performance they did originally. 2gb of 1066mhz ddr2 at 5-4-4-8 is better than 4gb 667mhz ddr2 at 5-5-5-13. So if you're left do decide between 2gb corsair gaming ram vs 4gb slower ram with horrible timings, go with the faster RAM. Depending on what the PC is going to be used for, 4GB would be needed and may even not be enough. IV for instance is way too much for 2GB RAM to handle (personal experience). @Deji, LGA775: basically the socket and platform used by the Q9400 CPU HD5770 is a video card. AM3: basically the socket and platform used by the AM3 processors by AMD. That RAM is much better than what I listed. Go for it . @DDS, Timings aren't always faster though, there's a point where higher frequency is better than tighter timings and low frequency. For example, 2500MHz DDR3 at CAS9 would be much faster than DDR2 800 at CAS4. Edited January 22, 2011 by Warlord. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dog_day_sunrise Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 @DDS, Timings aren't always faster though, there's a point where higher frequency is better than tighter timings and low frequency. For example, 2500MHz DDR3 at CAS9 would be much faster than DDR2 800 at CAS4. Ahh yes, but comparing DDR2 to DDR3 is like comparing apples to hand grenades. When your talking differences of a mere couple of hundred MHz, it's the timings that are more important than the speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deji Posted January 22, 2011 Author Share Posted January 22, 2011 (edited) Apples may actually be more fun than hand grenades.. I'm not planning on playing IV or any games aside from the ones I listed in the first post RAM can always be upgraded later. I'm sure they'll have 20GB sticks in no time. Thanks for all the help. Already ordered most of the parts, just need to put the rest of my money in the bank to buy the RAM Edited January 22, 2011 by Deji Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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