Need a new gaming desktop, please help

[TheOmegaTitan]

Hey everybody! So I really want to get a sweet new comp. I've had my old one for over 5 years and it still runs good but its a prebuilt HP a6554(2.2ghz quardcore 5g ram ddr2 with an ati radeon 3670 gcard) it runs every game I have including BF3 and Borderlands 2 on high settings on a 46 inch led TV. But I know its about time for an upgrade. I was something that can run everything on ultra high settings on my TV. I got a pretty good spending plan of between $900-1300 tops. I don't have the time for building myself nor the knowledge. So if anyone can help me find a great rig at a good price, please let me know. Im knowledgable about comps but I know there is still a lot I need to learn.

I like ati cards since mine has lasted 5 years and works great still, so im hoping to get a 7950 but im open for suggestions.

[Deleted]

Well, this one is $900 and it should be pretty much futureproof for at least 2-3 years. Sadly, it only has an OS SSD. This one comes in at $90 more than the other one, but it has 2GB on a GTX660, which should be enough to eat any game on the market.

If you could get someone to self-build, you could probably get as good a rig for less, but those are pre-builds just as you asked for.

[Evil Inside]

Building a computer is pretty easy, it's like stacking legos really as long as you dont force anything in it'll be fine, you can get a much better computer if you build yourself rather than resorting to pre-built pcs.

[TheOmegaTitan]

Well, this one is $900 and it should be pretty much futureproof for at least 2-3 years. Sadly, it only has an OS SSD. This one comes in at $90 more than the other one, but it has 2GB on a GTX660, which should be enough to eat any game on the market.

If you could get someone to self-build, you could probably get as good a rig for less, but those are pre-builds just as you asked for.

I really like that second one you recommended but everyone seems to be having issues with the power supply. Should I listen to those reviews or just try it myself. Or hell even go all the way and make one myself. Everyone seems to be saying they are pretty easy to make now of days. If that's the case any suggestions for all the components I should get?

[Deleted]

Want help with your build? Read me!

If you fill out that little checklist, we can start suggesting builds to accommodate your needs.

As far as buying prebuilt goes, you'll always lose either money or performance. Building it yourself is really easy (provided you watch a few videos) - the stacking legos metaphor is pretty accurate.

[Deleted]

Want help with your build? Read me!

If you fill out that little checklist, we can start suggesting builds to accommodate your needs.

As far as buying prebuilt goes, you'll always lose either money or performance. Building it yourself is really easy (provided you watch a few videos) - the stacking legos metaphor is pretty accurate.

It's not like back even five years, when it was much more difficult to build a PC. As for the linked list - budget and resolution is noted in the OP (Budget > between $900-$1300, Screen of 42" {LED TV} likely 1080p at minimum). I recommended pre-built as per the OP'#s request, but if I was to go for a self-build, it would be something like this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($80.06 @ Amazon)
Thermal Compound: Arctic Cooling MX-2 4g Thermal Paste ($12.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD4H ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($164.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($67.99 @ Microcenter)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 660 2GB Video Card ($199.99 @ Microcenter)
Case: Cooler Master CM 690 II (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Case Fan: Antec 75024 79.0 CFM 120mm Fan ($12.98 @ Outlet PC)
Power Supply: Antec EarthWatts Green 650W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: LG UH12NS29 Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer ($49.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $1093.92
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-02-28 06:05 EST-0500)

[Deleted]

Budget and resolution are two of 8 listed questions. Answers to the other six would help as well, before suggesting a build.

(Also: Does that ram fit in combination with that cpu cooler? - and why exactly 2133? )

[Deleted]

Budget and resolution are two of 8 listed questions. Answers to the other six would help as well, before suggesting a build.

(Also: Does that ram fit in combination with that cpu cooler? - and why exactly 2133? )

I absolutely understand where you're coming from on the recommendation thing - however, the RAM and cooler should be perfectly fine. I went for the 2133 CAS11 RAM because it seemed like the most appropriate thing to do.

[Ifeanychukwu]

Building a computer is pretty easy, it's like stacking legos really as long as you dont force anything in it'll be fine, you can get a much better computer if you build yourself rather than resorting to pre-built pcs.

I'd like to build my own computer but I wouldn't want to risk the "what if" and break something or accidentally fry something with static electricity. If I ever was going to build my own computer I would probably buy the parts and have someone, a shop or something build it for me. That and installing the OS and doing all that shit in the BIOS... I'm clueless when it comes to things like that. I've wanted to re-install my OS for about a year now but when I bought my computer from someone on Craigslist the guy didn't give me the disks with the OS. I was able to get someone at Microsoft to send me the OS to download, it was even in the form you needed to install it in... whatever it's called, so I didn't have to convert it myself and I put it on a 8gb flash drive but when I tried to boot from the OS on the flash drive it didn't work so I'm a little afraid to even attempt it now >.<

[n0cturnal]

I absolutely understand where you're coming from on the recommendation thing - however, the RAM and cooler should be perfectly fine. I went for the 2133 CAS11 RAM because it seemed like the most appropriate thing to do.

There is no reason to pay double the money it would costs to get 1600MHz RAM.

[Evil Inside]

I'd like to build my own computer but I wouldn't want to risk the "what if" and break something or accidentally fry something with static electricity. If I ever was going to build my own computer I would probably buy the parts and have someone, a shop or something build it for me. That and installing the OS and doing all that shit in the BIOS... I'm clueless when it comes to things like that. I've wanted to re-install my OS for about a year now but when I bought my computer from someone on Craigslist the guy didn't give me the disks with the OS. I was able to get someone at Microsoft to send me the OS to download, it was even in the form you needed to install it in... whatever it's called, so I didn't have to convert it myself and I put it on a 8gb flash drive but when I tried to boot from the OS on the flash drive it didn't work so I'm a little afraid to even attempt it now >.<

Just look at guides on youtube and pay attention to what you're doing and where you're doing it, eg dont do it somewhere where you'll be walking across carpets and such. There is really nothing that you'd need to change in bios unless you want to overclock.

[Deleted]

There's really not that much that can go wrong when building it.

Sure, on the first build I ever did, I forgot the motherboard risers (to prevent it from touching the back of the case) and fried the entire thing. But that's where research comes in handy.

As a matter of fact, forgetting the motherboard risers is the only thing that easily goes wrong that I can think of atm. If you don't force anything (if it doesn't fit, it's not supposed to fit) and don't rush things, there's not much that can go wrong.

@tenangrychickens: That RAM is quite a bit more expensive and the performance gain vs regular 1600 sticks in games is minimal afaik. I was mostly afraid of the sticks being too high to use in combination with the aftermarket cooler. But if it fits, it fits.

[Evil Inside]

There's really not that much that can go wrong when building it.

Sure, on the first build I ever did, I forgot the motherboard risers (to prevent it from touching the back of the case) and fried the entire thing. But that's where research comes in handy.

Heh I remember doing that once too, it sucked. But back then I was a noob and didnt know what I was doing. If you're really unsure just look up step-by-step guides on youtube and just follow those.

[Deleted]

Heh I remember doing that once too, it sucked. But back then I was a noob and didnt know what I was doing.

I'm pretty sure that everyone who builds rigs either did that at some point, or took the effort to research it before screwing it all in. I was fairly young when it happened, and had to get one of my brother's friends to come over and take a look. He instantly spotted the mistake, and I still feel ashamed of it to this day. xD

Anyhoo, at the OP: You're probably best off creating a new thread with the filled-in survey linked above so people can start working on your build. Now we're just.. spamming your thread with relatively irrelevant info.

[Idrinkwhiterussians]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($223.79 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($80.06 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus P8Z77-V LK ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($109.99 @ Microcenter)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($50.39 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($73.52 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($92.99 @ Adorama)
Video Card: XFX Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card ($369.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Titanium Grey) ATX Mid Tower Case ($99.99 @ Microcenter)
Power Supply: NZXT HALE82 650W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($79.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $1270.68
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-02-28 11:42 EST-0500)

Threw in a 7970 as it is on a great deal, though that ends today, so you might be looking at a different GPU.