Page 1 of 3
1
2
3
LastLast
  1. #1

    Building the perfect desktop for my pockets - Help appreciated

    Good night everyone!
    First of all I'd like to thank any one giving me some help on building this. I will keep an avid eye on this thread as I think it will take quite some time to get the best possible build.
    I will also update the thread as I choose parts from your advices.


    Porpuse of this thread:
    I am writing this because I know a bit about hardware and getting computer pieces together, but not enough to build the best computer within my pockets reach and that work perfectly with each other. I've read some guides here like the ones in Important build help threads consolidated and the Help Requests & Upgrades - Required Information so I could better create this thread and be more familiarized with the subject.



    • Building a NEW computer from scratch:
      All I currently own is a laptop, the discontinued Clevo M570TU which has served me great for the past 4 years and some months allowing me to still today play WoW at max configs with 60 FPS. Therefor I want to build a new desktop from scratch.

    • Willing to Self Build or a Pre-Built:
      I am willing and I actually prefer to self build it. I am even designing my own case but I'll talk about that later.

    • How much you want to spend:
      In terms of wanting, I'd go at around 700€/930$/590£.

    • How much you can spend:
      Honestly I currently have no idea, but I would say at maximum 900€/1200$/750£ to 1100€/1450$/910£. Although I'd prefer to be at the budget I said in the "want to spend" if it's a great upgrade I don't mind reaching the first or even the second mark I set in this topic.
      This is the budget ONLY for the case and whatever goes inside!

    • What all you plan to use it for:
      Playing video games - mostly WoW, but I would like to have a machine capable of putting out at least good scores in other games such as Crysis and such.
      Programming - I am studying Computer Science and I usually work with more then one average to heavy program at the same time for development.
      Designing - I currently design in 2D and 3D. And rendering some images in 3D can be quite heavy especially round-shapped objects or items and scenarios.

    • What Operating system you want to use & Bit:
      The best currently available, which is Windows 7 64 bit I believe. I might, might, try Win8.

    • What Resolution you hope to be in:
      Not sure whether it's referring to screen size or actually the resolution, but either way, I'm aiming for maybe a 24'' monitor, WideScreen as those fit me best for the designing/programming and they are great for playing. I'll also be rocking in really high resolutions, currently in 1920x1200, as I like the small icons on the computer. Not sure how it would be on a24'' though.

    • What Settings do you Want & how much FPS:
      I'm expecting to run max settings in WoW at least with 60 steady FPS, and be able to run some max settings on the newer games, althought I'm not expecting to be running Crysis 4 at Max settings and still run 100 FPS. I do however hope that it's good enough to let me render 3D objects without much problem as this is my main goal with the new machine.

    • What Country are you from:
      Portugal, but I don't mind shipping from other places as long as it's not absurd shipping costs like 100€.

    • What can you re-use:
      Nothing really.

    • Network will be wired or wireless:
      Wired.

    • Keyboard:
      I'm also going to buy a keyboard (this is OUT of the PC budget) and I would like some tips on it. I'm not sure whether I want a mechanical keyboard or not, but I will use it a LOT to PvP and even more to type and use keybinds in designing/programming. I also, since I'm a designer in heart, care a great deal for aesthetics, so I want the keyboard to match the rest of the set, and that colour is black. Also I would like to have backlits on it due to a stupid taste of working/playing at night without any lights on. Wired is prefered also. If possible, changing led colours is a great plus!

    • Monitor:
      (Also out of the PC budget) I'm searching for a normal 24'' Widescreen that once again, if possible, fits the black theme I'm chasing. I'll probably dual 24'' also.

    • Case:
      I would like to find a nice simple case that is black coloured, because I will be then cutting it with a design I made for the sides. I'm also considering water colling but I'm not sure of the prices. I would however prefer water colling for near to no noise. Once I get the case, I'll also update this thread with the development of cutting the sides and personalizing it into my own. The theme will be Black with possible orange/red neons which is why it would be a plus for the keyboard to be able to change colours.
      Here is a great video for someone thinking of installing a liquid system.
      As a small update, I believe I am going to buy these sound proof high-density boards. The ammount of heat they would produce is easily compensated by a good ventilation system.

    • Additional Notes:
      I will choose the person that helps me the most, and this means actually helping, not just replying a lot of times, and I will send a gift as a personal thank-you, with either in-game exclusive rewards such as TCG loot, or if the person does not play WoW, with Computer Gaming Acessories. (For Mods: I do not know if this is legal or not, but I did not find such rules in the 'Forum Rules & Guidelines', if it is, please remove this part of the thread and I will personally talk with the one helping me the most)
      Please don't consider it as a "Job" or "He's trying to get attention with rewards". I simply do not have the skills nor knowledge to get together everything I want and I will never do without someones help, and in these forums there seem to be a lot of people with great knowledge on this subject.



    ===========================================CURRENT SETUP SO FAR===========================================
    What would you change according to my price ranges?

    MoBo: MSI Z77A-G45 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard $125.47 @ Amazon UK
    CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor $169.99 @ Microcenter
    RAM: Kingston 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory $69.99 @ NCIX US
    GPU: Asus GeForce GTX660 TI $366.28 @ NCIX US
    SSD: Crucial M4 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk $99.99 @ Newegg
    HDD: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive $93.44 @ Amazon UK
    PSU: SeaSonic S12II 520W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply $75.98 @ SuperBiiz
    SoundCard (if needed):
    Case:
    Fans/Water Coolling:
    =======PERIPHERALS=======
    Monitor:
    Headset: GameCom 367 owned
    Mice: SteelSeries World of Warcraft Cataclysm Edition owned
    Keyboard:
    MousePad: Razer Vespula incoming
    DVD Burner: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer $19.99 @ Newegg
    .
    Total Price:
    $1021.13
    ========================================================================================== =============


    Thank you very much for any help!
    To speak to me personally send me a private message.[td][/td]
    Last edited by Tedj; 2013-04-12 at 12:25 PM.
    World PvP and how it stands/standed.
    World PvP isn't meant to be balanced, fair nor honorable. It's meant to be brutal, relentless, deadly.. and it's the survival of the fittest. It's a fight where everything goes and you use anything you can to survive and win. It's War.. a World of Warcraft where only the best survive!

  2. #2
    Moderator chazus's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Las Vegas
    Posts
    17,222
    Currently working on a build for you. Will edit post in a few minutes.

    I should also point out... Don't get a touchscreen. It's a waste of money. I've used a number of them, and they just don't have the... They aren't built right. Look up "Gorilla Arm" and you'll see what I mean. If you want to use a touchscreen for artwork of photoshop, get a wacom.
    Last edited by chazus; 2013-01-12 at 04:27 AM.

  3. #3
    Wow, that was fast, thank you very much though! I'll be waiting
    World PvP and how it stands/standed.
    World PvP isn't meant to be balanced, fair nor honorable. It's meant to be brutal, relentless, deadly.. and it's the survival of the fittest. It's a fight where everything goes and you use anything you can to survive and win. It's War.. a World of Warcraft where only the best survive!

  4. #4
    Moderator chazus's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Las Vegas
    Posts
    17,222
    Okay, here we go. [EDIT] Holy crap that post was longer than I thought.

    PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

    CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($169.99 @ Microcenter)
    Motherboard: MSI Z77A-G41 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($79.98 @ SuperBiiz)
    Memory: Kingston 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($69.99 @ NCIX US)
    Storage: Crucial M4 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($99.99 @ Newegg)
    Video Card: Galaxy GeForce GTX 660 2GB Video Card ($209.99 @ NCIX US)
    Case: Cooler Master Elite 430 ATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ Amazon)
    Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 520W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($75.98 @ SuperBiiz)
    Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($19.99 @ Newegg)
    Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ Outlet PC)
    Total: $855.88
    (Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
    (Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-01-12 00:02 EST-0500)

    So, here's the breakdown and why I feel these selections work.

    CPU- You mentioned rendering and whatnot, and SOME rendering does benefit from the i7's Hyperthreading, however it's extremely selective, and not by much (15% max). Unless the artwork/rendering you do is tied to your income (ie, it would pay for itself), I can't justify recommending an i7. Hyperthreading does not benefit games. Notably, the 3570K can be overclocked, which DOES benefit gaming, specifically WoW.

    MoBo- There's really no sense in spending a ton of cash on 'better' boards. The only thing that could MAYBE be better is VRMs, but I mean.. You'll likely replace the system or at least MB/CPU in 4 years, which is barely outside the warranty anyway. MSI is a good brand, and it can support more ram.

    Memory- RAM benefits photoshop stuff, and honestly on your budget, RAM is cheap enough to warrant the small extra cost of 16gb

    Storage- I don't know if you have an external HDD or something for main storage. If that's the case, an SSD is enough. If you don't, you probably will want to get a larger HDD. SSD's do not improve gaming performance, however they DO improve quality of life with simply using a computer. I always used to say Nay to SSD's because they don't give FPS benefits... I just built a new computer (effectively the one I'm listing here) about 2 months ago, and got an SSD. The difference in just USING my computer (Which most people do more than gaming) is crazy. The Samsun 830 is what I have, and I'm happy with it. I've been having trouble finding them (out of stock) lately though.
    Crucial is a good brand.

    Video Card- A very good card, especially for WoW. On your budget, it's hard to recommend something higher, and still fit all the things you want without increasing the budget. I currently run WoW on High @ 60fps (vsync). I overclocked and tried Ultra @ 60fps, and did not see a difference in the game's appearance. As such, I felt that not overclocking, and sticking with High was acceptable. I will comment on why the situation is different for you shortly.

    Case- Honestly, a case is a case is a case, more often than not. I included that, because it's a decent representation of cost. I think you can probably pick one out on your own that you like the look of.

    PSU- Seasonic is good and reliable, and pretty cheap. You really don't need more power. Technically you could get a 430w, but it's nice to have some headroom for upgrades later, and the extra cost is like $7

    DVD- A DVD-RW is a DVD-RW is a DVD-RW. People usually use these to install the OS, and likely never use it again.

    Not included in this build- A specific CPU Cooler. You mentioned liquid cooling. If you go that route, I see a lot of people using the Corsair H60 or H80. If you don't go liquid cooling, I see a lot of Noctuas. I cannot recommend anything in particular, because I have next to no experience in that particular part field. I can poke around (and you can too) to get better opinions. I should point out that if you get a non-liquid cooler, you MAY need to change the ram to a low profile, to account for the large air cooler.

    On the topic of coolers, you can ALSO just not get one, and stick with the stock retail cooler (which is what I currently have). However, this will also prevent you from overclocking much. I kicked mine up to 3.8 without an issue, but I just didn't need the extra performance. With a Noctua, Liquid cooler, or whatever, you can easily crank that up to 4.2 or higher (again, not an area of my expertise).

    As I mentioned above, I get WoW High @ 60fps, and Ultra @ 50fps. Overclocking brought Ultra to 60fps. So again, if you go that route, you can definitely get WoW at Ultra with the 660 video card. High looks pretty dang good too. GW2 looks beautiful as well.

    A few notes.
    -I don't know if you need an OS included in this build or not, or the monitor. I might have just skimmed over that part. I would not recommend Win8. I personally hate it, but thats more opinion than professional recommendation. Some people swear by it.
    -As I said earlier... Touchscreen is a gimmick. It SEEMS like it might be cool, but go to a store and find one, and use it for five minutes. It's obnoxious and difficult to actually USE under any pretense. Just like 3D TV, it's sort of a failed tech concept that is being jammed down the market's throat. My girlfriend (an art and photo major) had one, and not only didn't use it, but hated it. She ended up getting a wacom, which she's now going to swap out for a Nexus Galaxy Note with wacom tech.

    Background- My system is as far as specs go, more or less identical to yours. I play WoW and GW2 on High, raiding. I run dual 24" LCDs, at 1920x1080 each. I do not stream or do recording, but I may pick it up soon. Tax return might equal a liquid cooling solution soon. I've worked in the retail tech industry for about a decade now (Worked at PC Club, some private firms, as well as Citrix) so I feel I'm familiar with the technology, as well as sales vs 'whats best'.

    Let me know if I missed anything glaring, or if prices can be tweaked here or there to adjust things.

  5. #5
    I love long posts, usually they actually contain info! I'm gonna read it all and will edit this after!

    *edit*

    Ok I've read it all and let's go part by part.
    Firstly I said I could go all the way to 900€/1200$/750£ to 1100€/1450$/910£ so I could still go for some pieces if upgrade is needed.

    CPU - If what you say it's true then I probably have no business going for an i7, however art designing and rendering MAY very well be the source of my income in the next year (finishing college), so what would you say?

    MoBo / RAM - Nothing to say here, completely agree.

    Storage - I indeed forgot that I need a HDD for main storage. I'll add it and so, which HDD should I get?

    GPU - Don't forget that my main goal isn't WoW, it's rendering and design, and I want the GPU to be able to last for some years while running at good FPS's and still work at rendering. So do you still think that's the best one?

    Case - Yeah I've been checking some cases so I'm ok in this matter. Just one question: Do every case work with all MoBos? I remember some cases didn't used to work with it and some cases were not able to get Water Coolers.

    PSU / DVD - Completely agree.

    Water Cooler - If I choose this setup I will still have leftover money to get the water cooling system so I will most likely get it. Guess I will have to poke around to see what is the best!

    OS - Yeah after some reviews I've been seeing I think I'm sticking with W7 for now, especially because I have the official version of it.

    Monitor - You managed to convince me out of it so I'll be editing the thread to removing it. I've also been thinking that using the arm so much in that position would be uncomfortable especially after reading the "gorilla arm" thingy.

    What you forgot -
    -Then which monitor should I buy with 24''? I am going for dual most likely also.
    - Anything on the SoundCard?
    - How about the keyboard?

    Thanks a lot mate

    ---------- Post added 2013-01-12 at 07:05 AM ----------

    done editing gonna wait for a reply thanks
    Last edited by Tedj; 2013-01-12 at 06:01 AM.
    World PvP and how it stands/standed.
    World PvP isn't meant to be balanced, fair nor honorable. It's meant to be brutal, relentless, deadly.. and it's the survival of the fittest. It's a fight where everything goes and you use anything you can to survive and win. It's War.. a World of Warcraft where only the best survive!

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Tedj View Post
    CPU - If what you say it's true then I probably have no business going for an i7, however art designing and rendering MAY very well be the source of my income in the next year (finishing college), so what would you say?

    What you forgot -
    -Then which monitor should I buy with 24''? I am going for dual most likely also.
    Get the i5 for now and when you end up doing it for a living you can step up to an i7 if you feel like you need it.

    For the monitor you should go for an IPS since you will be working with design and such things.
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...20pa248q%20ips comes pre-calibrated from the factory.
    Intel i5-3570K @ 4.7GHz | MSI Z77 Mpower | Noctua NH-D14 | Corsair Vengeance LP White 1.35V 8GB 1600MHz
    Gigabyte GTX 670 OC Windforce 3X @ 1372/7604MHz | Corsair Force GT 120GB | Silverstone Fortress FT02 | Corsair VX450

  7. #7
    Holy F**k, that's $329.99 for one monitor and I wanted dual ._. Isn't there anything cheaper but still at a good range?
    And also, for the rest of the build do you agree with it?
    thanks for the help
    World PvP and how it stands/standed.
    World PvP isn't meant to be balanced, fair nor honorable. It's meant to be brutal, relentless, deadly.. and it's the survival of the fittest. It's a fight where everything goes and you use anything you can to survive and win. It's War.. a World of Warcraft where only the best survive!

  8. #8
    Deleted
    PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

    CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor (£168.94 @ Amazon UK)
    CPU Cooler: Corsair H55 57.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler (£52.99 @ Amazon UK)
    Motherboard: MSI Z77A-G43 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard (£76.99 @ Novatech)
    Memory: Corsair Vengeance LP 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory (£59.98 @ Amazon UK)
    Storage: Crucial M4 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk (£78.96 @ Amazon UK)
    Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (£57.96 @ Amazon UK)
    Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 660 2GB Video Card (£174.99 @ Amazon UK)
    Case: Fractal Design Arc Midi Tower ATX Mid Tower Case (£68.95 @ Amazon UK)
    Power Supply: SeaSonic 520W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply (£67.94 @ Amazon UK)
    Optical Drive: LG GH24NS90 DVD/CD Writer (£13.98 @ Novatech)
    Total: £821.68
    (Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
    (Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-01-12 06:02 GMT+0000)

    Both Amazon.co.uk (shipping info) and Novatech.co.uk (shipping info) delivers to Portugal so I put together a build using those two sites.

    I agree with most of what "Chazus" mentioned so there is no need to add a bunch of extra information. For the build I put together for you I included an SSD (OS+programs+games) and an HDD (Storage, media etc.)

    If you're gonna go with an aftermarket heat sink for your CPU and want to stick with liquid I'd recommend the H55 with your budget. For air I'd use the Noctua NH-C14 or a cheaper alternative to the stock cooling like the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO.

    For the case I'd recommend the fractal Design case. I used that in my old build (see my signature) and considering the price this is a really solid case. Front USB 3.0, good cable management etc.

    Total price should fit within your budget even with shipping.

    IPS: Asus VG23AH

    Non-IPS: ASUS VE247H
    Last edited by mmocca5d152c38; 2013-01-12 at 06:20 AM.

  9. #9
    Well you have http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824005240 which is still an IPS but it doesnt come with the pre-calibrated colors, it is 23" inch instead of 24" and is running 1920x1080 instead of 1920x1200.

    I do agree with most points in Chazus build but I would look into how much GPU power you actually need, the GTX 660 is a mid tier GPU and if you really want it to last a long time you might want to step it up a bit, this will of course increase the price also.

    Also about the case I think you could do with a more clean look before you start modding it, this is just look wise and the 430 is a good case for the price otherwise. It is just that cases is basically down to personal taste and I think you should spend some time looking around for a case you like.
    Intel i5-3570K @ 4.7GHz | MSI Z77 Mpower | Noctua NH-D14 | Corsair Vengeance LP White 1.35V 8GB 1600MHz
    Gigabyte GTX 670 OC Windforce 3X @ 1372/7604MHz | Corsair Force GT 120GB | Silverstone Fortress FT02 | Corsair VX450

  10. #10
    @Notarget:

    -Why Corsair and not Kingston for the RAM?
    -Any reason to choose LG Drive over Asus?
    -Also for the cooler, I'm definitly going with liquid one. Your best choice is the H55? But would you recomend me the liquid cooler if I have the money for it?
    -Damn if theres one thing I don't know anything about, is monitors. I have no idea what IPS and Non-IPS means nor which specs to search in a monitor. I'll go research that quickly.

    Thanks for the HDD and all the rest also

    @n0cturnal:

    -Yeah I'm going to search for a case on my own. I actually just thought that there were restrictions to the cases due to MoBo's or liquid cooling systems.
    - I'm just going to ask, what's the IPS and what does coming with pre-calibrated colors means?
    - I'll probably step up on the GPU though, I agree there.
    - As for the moding I've done worked on a case already with a design of my own, gave me a little experience on how to cut and treat and etc so I still think I'm going to do it.
    Last edited by Tedj; 2013-01-12 at 06:29 AM.
    World PvP and how it stands/standed.
    World PvP isn't meant to be balanced, fair nor honorable. It's meant to be brutal, relentless, deadly.. and it's the survival of the fittest. It's a fight where everything goes and you use anything you can to survive and win. It's War.. a World of Warcraft where only the best survive!

  11. #11
    Moderator chazus's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Las Vegas
    Posts
    17,222
    CPU - If what you say it's true then I probably have no business going for an i7, however art designing and rendering MAY very well be the source of my income in the next year (finishing college), so what would you say?
    Honestly, the performance benefits of the i7 still don't really qualify. You'd be getting a 10-15% benefit, on SOME programs, maybe. I'd say you already would have a fantastic CPU as is, and if you do end up doing art design professionally in a year or so, then you just need to 'deal' with having an i5 for 2-3 years, until your next upgrade. Again, the benefit just isn't really there. If for some reason you find it absolutely necessary, then the job would likely be paying well enough to warrant simply upgrading the CPU 2 years down the road anyway.

    Storage - I indeed forgot that I need a HDD for main storage. I'll add it and so, which HDD should I get?
    Pretty much any WD Blue SATA drive, depending on size needed.

    GPU - So do you still think that's the best one?
    I'll make the changes (once I hear about the OS) and adjust accordingly. In cases like this, it ends up being 'get everything else first, and then just get the best video card you can afford'

    Case - Do every case work with all MoBos?
    Yes and no. Pretty much all ATX and mid ATX will fit almost all Mobos. Unless you get something weird, or really small, you should be fine. If all else fails, ask.

    OS - Yeah after some reviews I've been seeing I think I'm sticking with W7 for now, especially because I have the official version of it.
    Does that mean you can use an old license on the new system, and if so, can that be removed from the bill?

    -Then which monitor should I buy with 24''? I am going for dual most likely also.
    This may or may not be tricky. It may be worthwhile to go to a retail store and look at some. Personally, I'm partial to Viewsonic, since I've used them for years. Personally, most monitors look about the same to me in quality. I'll likely buy something with better price/size before brand, unless it's some ghetto no name north korean brand (Kim Jong HD!). Some people, especially picky art-types, can see differences in dot pitches and color ranges and black/white contrasts. So, again an area thats sort of out of my expertise, since either I can't see that, or just don't care >.>

    - Anything on the SoundCard?
    Up to you. Personally, I've always found onboard sound to be just dandy, both for headphones and speakers. I do not have a robust sound system for my computer though. I have heard people saying the quality is improved, and I may be getting a $40 card with tax return, just to see/experience. I hear Xonar is good.

    - How about the keyboard?
    AGain, totally a preference thing. I'm a bit of a whore for logitech. I'm currently using the K350 set. A lot of people enjoy "clicky" keyboards, which use what is called "Cherry" mechanical parts. I just cant justify spending $100+ on a keyboard.
    Last edited by chazus; 2013-01-12 at 06:36 AM.

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Tedj View Post
    @n0cturnal:

    -Yeah I'm going to search for a case on my own. I actually just thought that there were restrictions to the cases due to MoBo's or liquid cooling systems.
    - I'm just going to ask, what's the IPS and what does coming with pre-calibrated colors means?
    - I'll probably step up on the GPU though, I agree there.
    - As for the moding I've done worked on a case already with a design of my own, gave me a little experience on how to cut and treat and etc so I still think I'm going to do it.
    IPS is a type of panel that is used in LCD monitors. The IPS panel is better at color reproduction and viewing angles than a TN panel is.
    Pre-calibrated means that the settings of the monitor is setup from the factory to reproduce as correct colors as possible, ie red is actually red and not pink or orange. You can read about it here http://www.imaging-resource.com/ARTS.../CALIBRATE.HTM

    With the modding I was mostly talking about that you probably should look for a case without a window on the side since it seems like you want to do some cutting on your own.
    Intel i5-3570K @ 4.7GHz | MSI Z77 Mpower | Noctua NH-D14 | Corsair Vengeance LP White 1.35V 8GB 1600MHz
    Gigabyte GTX 670 OC Windforce 3X @ 1372/7604MHz | Corsair Force GT 120GB | Silverstone Fortress FT02 | Corsair VX450

  13. #13
    @chazus:
    I'm convinced at the CPU, Storage, CPU and Case! Thanks. I'll probably do that GPU choice in the end after all the budget.
    As for the OS license, yes it can be removed and yes I have an official license from my college (you know, programming course, they give us free shizzles).
    I'll probably leave the SoundCard out for now since I believe the MoBo sound will be enough for now and I can save some cash.

    Still unsure about the monitor. I'll probably have to go check it on my own in the stores to see which one I like the most.
    Same with keyboard although there isn't much of a choice for the requirements I put up (leds, black keyboard, PT lang) so I think I'll go poke somewhere around about it, as my only real question is whether to go with mechanical or not.

    Also, about the SSD, which one is better:
    - Crucial M4 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk
    - Samsung 840 Pro Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk

    Thanks!

    @n0cturnal:
    -Oh I see. And how hard is it to recalibrate it on my own? Is that such a big deal that would actually be worth spending more money in, since I'll also be working with design?
    -About the IPS, that's for example when you look at a screen from an angle and it's still the same as if looking straight to it?
    -Yep sorry, didn't understood you, but yeah I'm going to do some cutting on my own so that's the kind of case I'll be looking at.

    Thanks also !
    Last edited by Tedj; 2013-01-12 at 06:46 AM.
    World PvP and how it stands/standed.
    World PvP isn't meant to be balanced, fair nor honorable. It's meant to be brutal, relentless, deadly.. and it's the survival of the fittest. It's a fight where everything goes and you use anything you can to survive and win. It's War.. a World of Warcraft where only the best survive!

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by chazus View Post
    AGain, totally a preference thing. I'm a bit of a whore for logitech. I'm currently using the K350 set. A lot of people enjoy "clicky" keyboards, which use what is called "Cherry" mechanical parts. I just cant justify spending $100+ on a keyboard.
    With the amount of time most enthusiasts/gamers spend in front of their computers what is $100 for a keyboard that will most likely last 5 or more years? Cheaping out on peripherals is not a good idea since it is pretty much the only way you interact with your computer.


    Quote Originally Posted by Tedj View Post
    @n0cturnal:
    -Oh I see. And how hard is it to recalibrate it on my own? Is that such a big deal that would actually be worth spending more money in, since I'll also be working with design?
    -About the IPS, that's for example when you look at a screen from an angle and it's still the same as if looking straight to it?
    -Yep sorry, didn't understood you, but yeah I'm going to do some cutting on my own so that's the kind of case I'll be looking at.

    Thanks also !
    To properly calibrate it on your own you need to buy a calibration device and they are not cheap.

    Yes, if you lean back or something the colors will stay the same instead of shifting.
    Last edited by n0cturnal; 2013-01-12 at 06:55 AM.
    Intel i5-3570K @ 4.7GHz | MSI Z77 Mpower | Noctua NH-D14 | Corsair Vengeance LP White 1.35V 8GB 1600MHz
    Gigabyte GTX 670 OC Windforce 3X @ 1372/7604MHz | Corsair Force GT 120GB | Silverstone Fortress FT02 | Corsair VX450

  15. #15
    Moderator chazus's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Las Vegas
    Posts
    17,222
    -Why Corsair and not Kingston for the RAM?
    -Any reason to choose LG Drive over Asus?
    Unless you're doing something specific that requires is, RAM is RAM these days. If the price is similar, any brand ought to do fine, as long as it's DDR3, and preferrably 1600.
    As far as DVDRW goes.. Just picked cheapest. Chances are, you wont use it besides installing software from CD/DVD.
    Cheaping out on peripherals is not a good idea since it is pretty much the only way you interact with your computer.
    True, but, I've also been quite happy with my logitech stuff, which just happens to be cheaper. I've never tried one of the Cherry MX boards, but I don't really feel the need or desire to do so. Meanwhile, my girlfriend goes through keyboards like candy, I swear. I think we bought 4 keyboards last year, so... can't really afford for her to have a nice one >.>
    Last edited by chazus; 2013-01-12 at 06:58 AM.

  16. #16
    @n0cturnal:
    So would you say it's better to buy a calibrated one for my area? Or it's not worth the extra money?

    @chazus:
    how about the SSD's?
    Which keyboards did your GF had?

    @both:
    I'm actually trying to get a not so noisy keyboard also. I'm inclining to the Razer Lycosa but the problem is they do not have it in PT lang which sucks hard. Probably going with Corsair or a SteelSeries if I can actually find any in PT lang.

    edit: gonna get some sleep, I'll check the thread in a couple of hours! Thanks all!
    Last edited by Tedj; 2013-01-12 at 07:05 AM.
    World PvP and how it stands/standed.
    World PvP isn't meant to be balanced, fair nor honorable. It's meant to be brutal, relentless, deadly.. and it's the survival of the fittest. It's a fight where everything goes and you use anything you can to survive and win. It's War.. a World of Warcraft where only the best survive!

  17. #17
    Moderator chazus's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Las Vegas
    Posts
    17,222
    how about the SSD's?
    Which keyboards did your GF had?
    I'd probably go with the M4. The 840 Pro is faster, yes, however 90% of the 'benefit' of SSD's is simply having the SSD. I don't feel that it's worth the cost, especially when that cost can go elsewhere in the system. As for keyboards, she went from a slim line Microsoft keyboard that felt sort of like a laptop (No idea) to a cheap $10 walmart USB keyboard because she needed one, to a nicer Logitech that I recommended to a.. duh... washable keyboard. Personally I think it looks janky as all get out, but it's better than constantly replacing keyboards. Our cat loves to knock stuff over. I don't keep spillable things at my desk. >.>

  18. #18
    It really depends on how serious you will be with your graphical work, if you really are serious about it that factory calibrated ASUS is pretty much low-end of the spectrum.

    A step up from that one is a P-IPS such as http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824236119 or http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...k=dell%20u2410 .

    http://www.flatpanelshd.com/focus.ph...1472#grafikere has a list of recommended monitor for graphical design.
    Intel i5-3570K @ 4.7GHz | MSI Z77 Mpower | Noctua NH-D14 | Corsair Vengeance LP White 1.35V 8GB 1600MHz
    Gigabyte GTX 670 OC Windforce 3X @ 1372/7604MHz | Corsair Force GT 120GB | Silverstone Fortress FT02 | Corsair VX450

  19. #19
    Legendary! llDemonll's Avatar
    15+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Washington
    Posts
    6,582
    if you're doing lots of rendering the i7 3770k is most definitely worth it
    "I'm glad you play better than you read/post on forums." -Ninety
    BF3 Profile | Steam Profile | Assemble a Computer in 9.75 Steps! | Video Rendering Done Right

  20. #20
    Moderator chazus's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Las Vegas
    Posts
    17,222
    Quote Originally Posted by llDemonll View Post
    if you're doing lots of rendering the i7 3770k is most definitely worth it
    I've been given the impression that it only gives 10-15% on certain programs. I could be wrong, but that's what I've been seeing on most benchmarks. anecdotes, and articles. It also depends on what 'lots' is, and if that's worth $100 extra for that one thing.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •