Buying a new computer.. tell me what you think!

[Quinton595]

Don't trust that calculator...With having graphics card, a quad CPU, possibly two HDD's...you'll need the 400W+ at least, and 500W is being on the safe side.

 

 

 

 

 

I own a Q6600 and to be honest it runs everything fine without it being OC'd, and to me there is no difference in performance with it OC'd to 3.2 ghz. Honestly

 

 

 

[hide=More detailed personal review of the Q6600]I am capable of having a ridiculous amount of programs run at startup (like 30 non-important ones and 10 100mb+(RAM) programs), and still have the startup in under a minute and 40 seconds. Before my graphics card I was able to have like a quadzillion tabs in Chrome or FF open, or both, and have one game running, with things like Xfire, music, and at times recording with FRAPS @ max'd settings for FRAPS.

 

 

 

After the video card pretty much everything doubled in terms of what I could use, which is no doubt to the bottlenecking 7350LE. I'm also capable of running two games (Left 4 Dead & CoD:WaW) at the same time with 30-40 FPS at max settings on both at the same time. So that's just awesome with one video card imo, but I do have to turn off a lot of stuff...=P.

 

 

 

But anyways I still feel like I got a lot of room to push things at a non-OC'd CPU.

 

 

 

Q6600 is user-friendly and is a quad core for those that don't like OC'ing. Thw Q6600, according to Extremtech's benchmarks, is also a very price/performance guarantee. You're getting your money worth.

 

 

 

So unless you plan on doing anything more extreme that this, the Q6600 is probably the best choice.[/hide]

 

 

 

The psu you linked looks good to me.

 

 

 

Wow, thanks for taking the time.

 

You've solidified my thoughts about the Q6, if that makes sense. BTW, which PSU did you think was better?

 

 

 

Jason -- Do you have any examples? there were only 20 PSU's in the 500-600W range, that were modular, so my selection was limited.

[Jason321]

Are you on a budget with the Power Supply because I've mentioned the Corsair 520HX several times :P Anything by seasonic, IMO. Although it's more expensive. The Antec NeoPower's 500W+ are very good and modular. But according to Customer Reviews, they're terrible :|

 

 

 

Strange because on another forum I frequently visit (An Australian tech forum) everyone recommends them and I know people with them. Oh well, up to you. Get what you want, IMO. If the reviews look good, go ahead and get it.

 

 

 

Good luck with ya build :D

[sloter]

I regret telling you to build your computer. Don't! You don't have a damn clue what your doing. Once you have the parts this topic will be 30 pages long. Like you have way over done it. Just go buy your dell. People are going to stop helping you soon cause there tired of your [cabbage]ting. I think you should do some googling to learn about the parts.

[Nadril]

I regret telling you to build your computer. Don't! You don't have a damn clue what your doing. Once you have the parts this topic will be 30 pages long. Like you have way over done it. Just go buy your dell. People are going to stop helping you soon cause there tired of your [cabbage]. I think you should do some googling to learn about the parts.

 

 

 

In all honest I'm still not entirely sure what was wrong with my original suggestion over a month ago.

 

 

 

But honestly? If he wants to buy something that may turn into a $1,000 brick once he [bleep]s it up fine by me. After all it isn't MY money he's spending here. But yeah he doesn't have a damn clue what he is doing, I don't know how he thinks he will build a PC.

[Jason321]

^ Aww guys, why'd you warn him? I wanted to see pics of a blown-up 1k+ Rig :P Only joking.

 

 

 

But seriously guys, he could just pay a build fee or get someone more experienced to help him. Though I have to agree this thread is going overboard. He could've just bought the parts from a list recommended a long time ago and could've cut this topic down a lot.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited cause apparently something was wrong with my reply...

[sloter]

^ Aww guys, why'd you warn him? I wanted to see pics of a blown-up 1k+ Rig :P Only joking.

 

 

 

But seriously guys, he could just pay a build fee or get someone more experienced to help him. Though I have to agree this thread is going overboard. He could've just chosen pretty much any P43/45 board, 500GB+ HDD WD/Seagate/Samsung, doesn't matter. Any HD4850, Antec 300, Q6600, any Seasonic-built 500W+ PowerSupply (he could've just looked at the reviews).

 

 

 

Then he could've chosen a Corsair or Kingston Dual-Channel 800Mhz kit of ram as well as pretty much any DVD-RW/R Optical Drive and could've kept this topic to 1-2 pages.

 

-.-

[Jason321]

What did I post wrong? Feel free to correct me.

 

 

 

Is it the fact that I don't want him to get ripped off by Dell?

 

 

 

EDIT: Actually. Now that I re-read what Nadril & Sloter said I think you should go and buy a Dell. You're SO concerned about having that extra boost that you had to make comparison tables. Okay, it was alright when you made the first one, but then when you made it for every other part you were a bit. No that's an understatement, you were WAY too paranoid.

[Laura]

What did I post wrong? Feel free to correct me.

 

 

 

Is it the fact that I don't want him to get ripped off by Dell?

 

 

 

EDIT: Actually. Now that I re-read what Nadril & Sloter said I think you should go and buy a Dell. You're SO concerned about having that extra boost that you had to make comparison tables. Okay, it was alright when you made the first one, but then when you made it for every other part you were a bit. No that's an understatement, you were WAY too paranoid.

 

When I bought my Dell it wasn't too expensive compared to building it yourself. Granted, the CPU fan sounds like it's overclocked, and their sending me a new one. But their customer support was pretty good; on the technical chat at least.

[InkofDeath]

Dell isn't 'that' bad to use anymore, but don't expect to get help with the nitty gritty stuff.

 

 

 

Regardless what's wrong with a 30+ page thread? If people are getting tired of assisting this guy out, they don't need to start a flame fest here.

 

 

 

Actually you know what, this guy set out to buy a pre-made one, and you guys like usual went on about building your own will be cheaper and how much better it will be, and then you convinced this guy who doesn't know a thing about comps to build his own. Regardless if building your own is cheaper or not, you still suggested it, and then convinced him.

 

 

 

In my opinion it's your responsibility to see he gets the help he needs since you guys convinced him. Don't be jerks about it taking so long because you guys made it sound uberly awesome. Don't believe me? Go re-read your posts. I'm thinking I even told the guy it would be cheaper at some point. Honestly though don't shred your credibility to pieces.

 

 

 

@Quinton,

 

 

 

If these guys lose sense of responsibilities you can take the parts and everything you've collected so far to these forums that will help you through the entire thing, regardless if you have no clue about comps:

 

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum-31-322.html (this forum)

 

http://discuss.pcmag.com/forums/default.aspx

 

http://discuss.extremetech.com/forums/default.aspx

 

 

 

Just so you aren't left in the dark if they ditch you.

[Quinton595]

LOL... :lol:

 

 

 

Go to bed one night, wake up with about 10 posts of flames, now that's a first.

 

 

 

Assembling the computer itself isn't a problem. Obviously i wont do it the first day i get the parts. I'm opening up my current computer to see how it's set up. Once i attempt making mine, Il compare the two. Those video's on youtube were very useful. Obviously it wont be as if an expert was making it, but that's all the fun.

 

 

 

Now, it seems like on the last ten post's, Jason's the only one who's still trying to help me, so i will address him.

 

 

 

Jason:

 

 

 

Those tut links are very nice, I'm sure they will come in Handy.

 

 

 

Typing more as i speak, just checking previous posts.

 

 

 

Ok.. so i went back through this thread's history, and i reviewed all the PSUs mentioned to this point.

 

 

 

I've found that modular is just too rare, as only about 20 PSU's have it, and for one reason or another, I cant buy them (Too much power, too expensive, etc.) Now, i would still LIKE modular, but I've decided that my case is big enough that the extra cables wouldn't do much.

 

 

 

Going with the blue look, and because it has good reviews, all the cables i need, and a nice price, The before mentioned Blue Storm:

 

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.as ... 6817104034

 

 

 

The OCZ stealth, because of it's nice Velcro strap, good reviews, nice power, all the plugs i need, and a nice price:

 

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.as ... 6817341012

 

 

 

This is one I really like, on top of the blue storm, for it's nice price, tons of cables, great reviews, and it's a solid company. (according to reviews) The Corsair 450:

 

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.as ... 6817139003

 

 

 

So those are basically my final three. And please, at this point, if you're quite pissed off, just don't post. I'd rather have help from 1 or two people, than get flamed.

[compfreak847]

Just a few things: You will save MASSIVE amounts of money over buying from dell. I PCed my (almost exact) desktop when I built it for $1250, and it was over 3600$ on dell.

 

 

 

GO WITH A DUAL CORE, NOT QUAD CORE

 

 

 

The E8500\8600 are what you want. A quad core isn't nearly as overclockable (a friend of mine got a E8500 to 8.6 GHz), has a much lower clock speed, and when are you going to run 4 programs at once?

[Quinton595]

Just a few things: You will save MASSIVE amounts of money over buying from dell. I PCed my (almost exact) desktop when I built it for $1250, and it was over 3600$ on dell.

 

 

 

GO WITH A DUAL CORE, NOT QUAD CORE

 

 

 

The E8500\8600 are what you want. A quad core isn't nearly as overclockable (a friend of mine got a E8500 to 8.6 GHz), has a much lower clock speed, and when are you going to run 4 programs at once?

 

 

 

 

 

Honestly, that's why i started this thread in the first place. I've compared my current pieces to sets on dell, and the dell's are about $2100

 

 

 

4 programs at once - does that count as ANY program? or just large cpu intensive ones?

 

 

 

The quad is an upcoming technology, right behind the i7m, and with more and more programs switching to quad, i think its a better buy, as stated by everyone here.

 

 

 

 

 

PS. Check two posts up.

[Laura]

Just a few things: You will save MASSIVE amounts of money over buying from dell. I PCed my (almost exact) desktop when I built it for $1250, and it was over 3600$ on dell.

 

 

 

GO WITH A DUAL CORE, NOT QUAD CORE

 

 

 

The E8500\8600 are what you want. A quad core isn't nearly as overclockable (a friend of mine got a E8500 to 8.6 GHz), has a much lower clock speed, and when are you going to run 4 programs at once?

 

Duo Cores are a waste, especially since he's not playing Crysis and wants his rig to be future proof. Now granted a Q6600 isn't impervious, but Quad's will soon the new Duo's. And yes, the farther up you go the more expensive in comparison. But budget desktops aren't that bad.

 

 

 

Dell:

 

My Components

 

Intel® Core2 Quad processor Q6600 (8MB L2, 2.4GHz, 1066FSB)

 

Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition SP1, 64-Bit

 

Microsoft Works 9.0

 

1Yr Ltd Hardware Warranty, InHome Service after Remote Diagnosis

 

No Monitor

 

4GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 800MHz- 4DIMMs

 

500GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache

 

16X DVD+/-RW Drive

 

ATI Radeon HD 3450 256MB supporting HDMI

 

Total: $624

 

 

 

Newegg:

 

Q6600: $190

 

Vista 64bit: $99

 

Motherboard: $105

 

4GB RAM: 40x2, $80 [$60 after rebate]

 

PSU: $50

 

ATI 3450: $30

 

Case: $50

 

CD/DVD: $26

 

HD: $54

 

Total:$684

[Quinton595]

Just a few things: You will save MASSIVE amounts of money over buying from dell. I PCed my (almost exact) desktop when I built it for $1250, and it was over 3600$ on dell.

 

 

 

GO WITH A DUAL CORE, NOT QUAD CORE

 

 

 

The E8500\8600 are what you want. A quad core isn't nearly as overclockable (a friend of mine got a E8500 to 8.6 GHz), has a much lower clock speed, and when are you going to run 4 programs at once?

 

Duo Cores are a waste, especially since he's not playing Crysis and wants his rig to be future proof. Now granted a Q6600 isn't impervious, but Quad's will soon the new Duo's.

 

 

 

Dell:

 

My Components

 

Intel® Core2 Quad processor Q6600 (8MB L2, 2.4GHz, 1066FSB)

 

Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition SP1, 64-Bit

 

Microsoft Works 9.0

 

1Yr Ltd Hardware Warranty, InHome Service after Remote Diagnosis

 

No Monitor

 

4GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 800MHz- 4DIMMs

 

500GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache

 

16X DVD+/-RW Drive

 

ATI Radeon HD 3450 256MB supporting HDMI

 

Total: $624

 

 

 

Newegg:

 

Q6600: $190

 

Vista 64bit: $99

 

Motherboard: $105

 

4GB RAM: 40x2, $80 [$60 after rebate]

 

PSU: $50

 

ATI 3450: $30

 

Case: $50

 

CD/DVD: $26

 

HD: $54

 

Total:$684

 

 

 

 

 

Wow, that's a nice budget setup.

[Nadril]

Just a few things: You will save MASSIVE amounts of money over buying from dell. I PCed my (almost exact) desktop when I built it for $1250, and it was over 3600$ on dell.

 

 

 

GO WITH A DUAL CORE, NOT QUAD CORE

 

 

 

The E8500\8600 are what you want. A quad core isn't nearly as overclockable (a friend of mine got a E8500 to 8.6 GHz), has a much lower clock speed, and when are you going to run 4 programs at once?

 

 

 

8.6ghz? I sure hope that's a typo because if not it's [bleep]ing [developmentally delayed]ed.

 

 

 

 

 

Assembling the computer itself isn't a problem. Obviously i wont do it the first day i get the parts. I'm opening up my current computer to see how it's set up. Once i attempt making mine, Il compare the two. Those video's on youtube were very useful. Obviously it wont be as if an expert was making it, but that's all the fun.

 

 

 

Whatever dude. Have fun with your $1,000 brick.

 

 

 

 

 

Actually you know what, this guy set out to buy a pre-made one, and you guys like usual went on about building your own will be cheaper and how much better it will be, and then you convinced this guy who doesn't know a thing about comps to build his own. Regardless if building your own is cheaper or not, you still suggested it, and then convinced him.

 

 

 

No, most of us actually didn't -- at least I know me and sloter didn't. I recommended him a great pre-built PC for $700 he seemed happy with, and then decided he wanted a dell until he decided he wanted to build something.

 

 

 

And we aren't responsible for his computer. HE is the one building it, HE is the one making decisions here (lord knows he isn't listening to any of us) and HE will be the one to deal with an expensive brick of a machine. When he is saying stuff like "oh well I'll look inside my computer to see how it's set up" you know it's set for trouble.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But like I said, whatever, it's his money.

[Quinton595]

Just a few things: You will save MASSIVE amounts of money over buying from dell. I PCed my (almost exact) desktop when I built it for $1250, and it was over 3600$ on dell.

 

 

 

GO WITH A DUAL CORE, NOT QUAD CORE

 

 

 

The E8500\8600 are what you want. A quad core isn't nearly as overclockable (a friend of mine got a E8500 to 8.6 GHz), has a much lower clock speed, and when are you going to run 4 programs at once?

 

 

 

8.6ghz? I sure hope that's a typo because if not it's [bleep] [developmentally delayed].

 

 

 

 

 

Assembling the computer itself isn't a problem. Obviously i wont do it the first day i get the parts. I'm opening up my current computer to see how it's set up. Once i attempt making mine, Il compare the two. Those video's on youtube were very useful. Obviously it wont be as if an expert was making it, but that's all the fun.

 

 

 

Whatever dude. Have fun with your $1,000 brick.

 

 

 

 

 

Actually you know what, this guy set out to buy a pre-made one, and you guys like usual went on about building your own will be cheaper and how much better it will be, and then you convinced this guy who doesn't know a thing about comps to build his own. Regardless if building your own is cheaper or not, you still suggested it, and then convinced him.

 

 

 

No, most of us actually didn't -- at least I know me and sloter didn't. I recommended him a great pre-built PC for $700 he seemed happy with, and then decided he wanted a dell until he decided he wanted to build something.

 

 

 

And we aren't responsible for his computer. HE is the one building it, HE is the one making decisions here (lord knows he isn't listening to any of us) and HE will be the one to deal with an expensive brick of a machine. When he is saying stuff like "oh well I'll look inside my computer to see how it's set up" you know it's set for trouble.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But like I said, whatever, it's his money.

 

 

 

Well indeed it is. And I'm obviously not blaming anyone for the outcome. I AM the one building it, I AM the one making the decisions, and as Nadril said, none of you are responsible, nor did i ever say so.

 

 

 

Now i know everyone here is fed up about the PSU's, but since it's the only piece left, any help on the top 3 I stated before would be appreciated. If not, you're welcome not to post.

[Quinton595]

Ok. Well I've deiced on the PSU, put it through, and I'm ordering the pieces as we speak.

 

 

 

First, I would like to thank everyone (Flamers too) for helping with the choices. Hopefully, contrary to Nadril, it wont be a brick :lol:

 

 

 

Your help was appreciated, and i obviously wouldn't of gotten this far without it. Thanks to those tut videos, I am learning very useful things, that I can use when I want to upgrade something.

 

 

 

Mods: Please keep this thread open, as i would like to state, in a few days, how the building process is going.

 

 

 

Thanks again. =;

 

~Quinton595

[Quinton595]

Hold on.. i didn't actually put the order through yet, and for a good reason. Im not too sure about my Motherboard.

 

 

 

I found tons, that were cheaper, with better reviews than the MSI one. Im using NEweggs Comparing tool, to select a few really good ones.

 

 

 

Now the price is jumping back up to what someone said was too expensive.

 

 

 

But i can find the extra 50 dollars somehow.

 

 

 

Here's the ones with tons of good reviews. (Up to 650)

 

 

 

GIGABYTE:

 

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.as ... 6813128358

 

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.as ... 6813128359

 

 

 

ASUS:

 

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.as ... 6813131296 --Expensive

 

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.as ... 6813131299 --Expensive

 

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.as ... 6813131237

[Laura]

The motherboard looks pretty good, what's wrong?

[Nadril]

yeah the MSI is perfectly fine AND it supports up to 1066mhz (overclocked) DDR2 ram.

[Quinton595]

Really? Cause I was watching some videos on building your comp, and i didn't know if the MSI had all the ports and slots I needed.According to you two it does.. I guess i stick with it then.

[Laura]

Really? Cause I was watching some videos on building your comp, and i didn't know if the MSI had all the ports and slots I needed.According to you two it does.. I guess i stick with it then.

 

It has a PCIe X16 for your graphics card. What else are you buying that's X16 or AGP?

[Quinton595]

Really? Cause I was watching some videos on building your comp, and i didn't know if the MSI had all the ports and slots I needed.According to you two it does.. I guess i stick with it then.

 

It has a PCIe X16 for your graphics card. What else are you buying that's X16 or AGP?

 

 

 

 

 

True.. I dun know.. i guess at the time it kinda seamed cheap. Well I'll stick with it anyways.

[Quinton595]

Hey guys, i looked around in the tech forum, and i couldn't find anythign simmilar, so here goes.

 

 

 

Xp vs Vista.

 

 

 

In all the Mac commercials, vista sounds like it has a ton of problems, but of course, that's macs idea, PCs competition, so what do you expect.

 

 

 

What are the flaws behind Vista?

 

 

 

Because if i should get vista, that's another 150-450 dollar I gotta spend.

 

With XP its close to the same.

[VjuliusT]

If you have decent or better parts it shouldn't be a problem with vista.