First Build for new work/gaming desktop

J

JerryRoyals

New Member
Hi, I know only so much about computers. The computer I am using now is an Asus G1s notebook. Good little guy, but now its been three years and I'm looking to buy a desktop with very good gaming features and can handle my work load. I use music and video editing software which tear my asus to pieces on the RAM and CPU. These programs pretty much hog the computer. As for gaming I'd like to play games like Crysis on High just to give you an idea.

Here's my budget and knowledge of what I am looking at.

Budget:$2,000-$2,500

RAM:6GB or 8GB
GPU: Not sure about SLI/Crossfire but maybe around the GTX 460 or better or an equal choice from AMD??
CPU:Quad-core? at least 2.8Ghz
Cooling fan of somesort
Many USB ports, eSATA input or better, HDMI input
SD slot
7200RPM Hard drive or better, 500GB of space maybe?

I already have a keyboard, mouse, speaker system and monitor. As you can see I know somethings but definitely not all. I would like to order the computer this December. I am open to all comments and questions.

Thank You,
Jerry
 
The parts you are mentioning are characteristic of a sub-$1000 computer.

$2000-$2500 gets you a VERY high end system. You'd be looking at the GTX580(or two?) for a graphics card, and an Intel i7 950 for the cpu. Either 6 or 12GB of RAM. Probably a 1TB(or more) hard drive for storage, and an SSD to put your operating system on.

If you can wait a couple of months, Intel is completely replacing their current line of processors. The new ones will be more powerful. They are set to release on January 5th, I think. I would strongly recommend this.
 
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If I had ~ $2,500 burning a hole in my pocket I'd do something like this,

CPU - i7-950, $295
CPU Cooler - Budget, $80
MB - ASUS P6X58D, $265
RAM - 6 GB Corsair Dominator (8-8-8-24), $150
GPU - GTX 580, $530
PSU -Corsair HX750, $140
SSD - OCZ Vertex 2 120 GB, $250
HDD - WD, Seagate, Samsung 1TB, $80
ODD - Budget, $25
Case - Lian Li PC-B25FWB, $200
OS - Win 7 64 OEM -$100

About ~ $2,200 total
 
jevery said:
If I had ~ $2,500 burning a hole in my pocket I'd do something like this,

CPU - i7-950, $295
CPU Cooler - Budget, $80
MB - ASUS P6X58D, $265
RAM - 6 GB Corsair Dominator (8-8-8-24), $150
GPU - GTX 580, $530
PSU -Corsair HX750, $140
SSD - OCZ Vertex 2 120 GB, $250
HDD - WD, Seagate, Samsung 1TB, $80
ODD - Budget, $25
Case - Lian Li PC-B25FWB, $200
OS - Win 7 64 OEM -$100

About ~ $2,200 total
Click to expand...

+1, except I would probably suggest a cheaper case around $100 - 130 with a smaller SSD.
 
Drenlin said:
wait a couple of months, Intel is completely replacing their current line of processors. The new ones will be more powerful. They are set to release on January 5th, I think. I would strongly recommend this.
Click to expand...

I am about to purchase a complete rig around the Intel i7 950 processor. What is it to be replaced with? Is there something that you can point me to that I can read as to what the 'replacement' processor is to be? I'd hate to buy it and have something better, how much is always the $64million question, in weeks...
 
To start off, that is a nice run up of hardware. I didn't know I was mentioning things at a $1000 price. SLI doesn't seem appealing to me. But I'm confused on whats better to get: Radeon HD 6870, GTX580, GTX 480, and possibly GTX 460. Also do I need a cooler if I am not going to overclock? I do have a high budget but anything that costs less is a plus :).

What do you think about this case. Seems like I could save money here.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...8&cm_re=centurion_case-_-11-119-068-_-Product

I'd like to have 8GB of RAM, the i7 950 is appealing.

What are your thoughts

As far as Sandy Bridge goes, I'm buying my comp with the i7 if it all works well before Jan. 5. I've been in the wait cycle before. Its all just a cycle and in 3 years you'll get the next best one.
 
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JerryRoyals said:
To start off, that is a nice run up of hardware. I didn't know I was mentioning things at a $1000 price. SLI doesn't seem appealing to me. But I'm confused on whats better to get: Radeon HD 6870, GTX580, GTX 480, and possibly GTX 460. Also do I need a cooler if I am not going to overclock? I do have a high budget but anything that costs less is a plus :).

What do you think about this case. Seems like I could save money here.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...8&cm_re=centurion_case-_-11-119-068-_-Product

I'd like to have 8GB of RAM, the i7 950 is appealing.

What are your thoughts

As far as Sandy Bridge goes, I'm buying my comp with the i7 if it all works well before Jan. 5. I've been in the wait cycle before. Its all just a cycle and in 3 years you'll get the next best one.
Click to expand...

Yes. You'll blow your CPU if you don't get a cooler when your overclocking.
 
JerryRoyals said:
What do you think about this case. Seems like I could save money here.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...8&cm_re=centurion_case-_-11-119-068-_-Product

I'd like to have 8GB of RAM, the i7 950 is appealing.
Click to expand...

A case is a very individual decision so I try not to influence too much - Well maybe a nudge. I will say that you generally get what you pay for. The more expensive cases will have better features, fit, and finish. It would be a shame to put a $2,000 build in a $50 case IMO. I like cases with bottom mount PSUs for wire management and cases with 3 or more standard size (120/140mm) fans.

RAM choices on a socket 1366 build build will be triple channel - 6, 12, 24 GBs



OH, and Thank You Daisy,

daisymtc said:
+1, except I would probably suggest a cheaper case around $100 - 130 with a smaller SSD.
Click to expand...

That's a compliment coming from you.
 
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JerryRoyals said:
As far as Sandy Bridge goes, I'm buying my comp with the i7 if it all works well before Jan. 5. I've been in the wait cycle before. Its all just a cycle and in 3 years you'll get the next best one.
Click to expand...

Yes, but it doesn't make sense to me to spend that much money on a computer when you're getting something that will be dead in a couple of months, versus waiting a couple of months and getting something on a new architecture and platform that will be around for at least two years. They're stopping development on LGA 1156 and 1336 completely...there won't be any upgrades available to you.
 
Drenlin said:
Yes, but it doesn't make sense to me to spend that much money on a computer when you're getting something that will be dead in a couple of months, versus waiting a couple of months and getting something on a new architecture and platform that will be around for at least two years. They're stopping development on LGA 1156 and 1336 completely...there won't be any upgrades available to you.
Click to expand...

I see your point, upgrades would be the only reason for me to wait. However, I am also somewhat short on time. I'm more concerned about updates for work than gaming. The only upgrade I could see happening for gaming is going from a single GTX 460 to SLI. But I hear thats not even reasonable because it creates a bottleneck.
 
Well, even if you're not planning to upgrade the CPU, consider this: The ~$200 i5 that's coming out is supposed to be a direct competitor to the $300 i7 you're looking at.

However, if you're fine with not having CPU upgrades available, then an x58 system is a pretty good setup.

Also, There's nothing wrong with going SLI with 460's...they scale very well. Often north of 90%.
 
The 580 is a much better deal than the 480...

If you go with 460's, get factory overclocked versions. Stock core speed is 650MHz, buy you can buy models that are 800MHz or more stock.

The two best deals right now are from Gigabyte and MSI. The Gigabyte is the better card, but the MSI is very close behind it.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125345
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127534

Those cards are roughly equivalent to a GTX 470 in performance, but are cheaper and have lower power usage.
 
^ yerp


The factory OC'd 460's will be faster though. Of course the downside is, you can't add any more, whereas you could add a second 580 at some point and have a monster.
 
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jevery said:
If I had ~ $2,500 burning a hole in my pocket I'd do something like this,

CPU - i7-950, $295
CPU Cooler - Budget, $80
MB - ASUS P6X58D, $265
RAM - 6 GB Corsair Dominator (8-8-8-24), $150
GPU - GTX 580, $530
PSU -Corsair HX750, $140
SSD - OCZ Vertex 2 120 GB, $250
HDD - WD, Seagate, Samsung 1TB, $80
ODD - Budget, $25
Case - Lian Li PC-B25FWB, $200
OS - Win 7 64 OEM -$100

About ~ $2,200 total
Click to expand...

I would not put a 750w PSU into a system running two 580s and an i7....
 
Drenlin said:
^ yerp


The factory OC'd 460's will be faster though. Of course the downside is, you can't add any more, whereas you could add a second 580 at some point and have a monster.
Click to expand...

Thats true, about adding a second GTX 580. BurningSkyline, whats the correct PSU to have two 580's. Or at least one now and add another in a year. PSU and motherboards confuse me on which to have compliment the hardware. I'm sure they're not complicated tho. For me it seems like its coming down to buying GTX 460 SLI or one GTX 580 and add another 580 later. That means the PSU changes of course, and maybe other hardware?? GTX 460 SLI would save me money, but one 580 now would work. When gaming becomes choppy another 580 would help, correct?
 
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A 1000w would give one some headroom for a pair of 580s though I didn't know that was on the table. Would you really want or need $1,000+ worth of graphics power?
 
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