Computer illiterate with $1000 to spend! What would you do?!

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kyle497

New Member
Hello, I need to purchase a desktop computer. I have a $1000 budget and do not want to throw the money away on a trash computer just because I'm illiterate, so I have come here to the professions for advice.

Here is what I will be doing on the computer:
Microsoft word
the internet (I run a lot of pages at once)
World of Warcraft
Diablo 3
Music (60,000 songs)
Photoshop (Super light work, editing photos and such)

That is my basic usage. The music I have is on an internal hard-drive I tore out of my old desktop so the new desktop will need to have an extra hard-drive slot.
I have been browsing the gaming computers on newegg.com and truly have no idea the differences between the computers minus the reviews and price tag.

Can the professionals of this forums please advise me as to where my $1000 would best be spent? Links would be appreciated and if you have the time an explanation of why?
 
Are you looking for building one or buying a pre-built?
Getting parts and building yourself or by a professional will give you a fast, efficient desktop.
 
Re:

I am definitely leaning towards pre-built. I'm mechanically inclined but computers are beyond me, all the little parts. I am bound to break something off or hit roadblock after roadblock.
 
On newegg this is the PC with best specs I could find
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883229336
CyberpowerPC, but not sure about its quality and service. Just wait for someone to confirm the links.

Dell, but with a weak GPU.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883155405

The pre-built ones aren't really good at quality, I still suggest you to build one with the help of a computer guy, probably one near your house, that will even save you about 200$ and get you good parts.
 
Looks like a decent PC there (the CyberPower). It's only using 1333MHz RAM and likely has a generic PSU though. The only info it gives on the PSU is it's 800W, no mention of make or model at all.

The bottom line is that if you build it yourself, you'll get a much better machine for less usually, as you can pick the components you need and spend money where you want to spend it.
 
Alright I'm taking your advice and just put an ad out to find a local computer guy to put together the components. So that said, What parts would I need? I have a monitor.
 
If you don't already, you need a keyboard, a mouse, speakers etc etc.

For the actual PC itself you'll need:

- CPU
- Motherboard
- RAM
- Hard drive or SSD or both
- Case
- Power Supply
- Optical Drive
- Graphics card
 
CPU - i5 3570K
Board - GA-Z77X-D3H
RAM - 8GB DDR3 1600MHz RipJaws-X
Case - Corsair Carbide 300R
PSU - Corsair CX 600
Optical Drive - any old SATA DVD-RW
GPU - HD 7850 or HD 7870

Should all be under 1000 maybe.
 
 
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If he'd like an SSD, I've used a few and the Crucial M4 is still my personal favourite. I'd also recommend the SanDisk Extreme and the Samsung 830/840, as well as some of the Hyper-X drives from Kingston and the new Vertex 4 from OCZ.

They're all quite similar in speed, basically - fast! :D
 
My screen resolution is 1600 x 900. I went ahead and switched the mobo as you advised spirit.
Ok, in the cart it is 839$. Is an SSD the next upgrade you would recommend?
 
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Then if I do this and build my own computer, where do I get windows and Microsoft office and such? I had that stuff on my old computer, does it transfer somehow?
 
Ankur said:
CPU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116504

GPU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102984

Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139011

Mobo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157293

PSU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139020

Memory
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231445

CPU HSF
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099

I think you can select an optical drive yourself?
Comes out to be 825$, I will leave the HDD/SSD for spirit.
And do you have Keyboard, mouse, speakers, OS?
Whats your monitor resolution.
Click to expand...
Stay away from that motherboard with an extreme prejudice. The support system is just not there for it, the warranty sucks, and you can get better quality for about the same price. Look for Gigabyte, EVGA, or high end Foxconn boards.
 
wolfeking said:
Stay away from that motherboard with an extreme prejudice. The support system is just not there for it, the warranty sucks, and you can get better quality for about the same price. Look for Gigabyte, EVGA, or high end Foxconn boards.
Click to expand...

I've had bad experiences with Foxconn too, would never recommend them. Their software sucks and their support is terrible, their products are pretty crap too.

I recommended the Z77X-D3H, I think that is what the OP is now going for.
 
Foxconn it is a hit or miss company. The really high up ones, like the bloodrange, are pretty good. The medium and low end ones are really bad. Support, well it is support, it will never be good anywhere.
 
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