Help Me Choose My Specs

Air18

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Apr 25, 2013
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Hi everyone,

I'm 22 and have been gaming for my whole life. For the last 4ish years I've been using a Mac laptop to game (boooooooo!). After struggling to get GW2 running properly on my Mac last night, I decided I've had enough and I want to invest in a PC desktop that I hope to have for a while. I don't know much about computers or their specs, and I was really intimidated when I was faced with all the customizable options available.

My goal: To get a PC that can run any high-end game (GW2, D3, etc.) at high performance with high FPS (I'm currently getting 10 fps on GW2) for the cheapest price possible.

I did some initial research and was drawn to the CyberPower Black Pearl. I called the sales rep and he really wasn't helpful, he just confused me more. Thus, I read some blogs about gaming specs and this is what I came up with.

I would really appreciate if someone could take a look at the specs and let me know if there's anything else I need to put in here OR if I've chosen something super expensive that I don't actually need. Keep in mind that I will probably have to connect to the internet wirelessly (I already have a router).

Thanks!

EDIT: I formatted the post to make it a little easier to read. Sorry for the huge wall of text initially.


Black Pearl

*BASE_PRICE: [+1220]

CAS: Apevia X-Dreamer4 Mid-Tower Gaming Case w/ Side-Panel Window, USB 3.0 & Temperature Display [-58] (Black Color with Blue LED)

COOLANT: Standard Coolant

CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-3820 Quad-Core 3.60 GHz 10MB Intel Smart Cache LGA2011 (All Venom OC Certified)

FA_HDD: Vigor iSURF II Hard Disk Drive Cooling System [+21] (1 x System)

FAN: Asetek 510LC Liquid Cooling System 120MM Radiator & Fan (Enhanced Cooling Performance + Extreme Silent at 20dBA) (Single Standard 120MM Fan)

HDD: 1TB SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 32MB Cache 7200RPM HDD [-23] (Single Drive)

HDD2: 128GB ADATA SP900 SATA-III 6.0Gb/s - 550 MB/s Read & 520 MB/s Write [+126] (Single Drive)

MEMORY: 8GB (2GBx4) DDR3/1600MHz Quad Channel Memory [-58] (Corsair or Major Brand)

MONITOR: 24" Widescreen 1920x1080 Hanns-G HL249DPB LED Backlight LCD (Viewable 23.6") Monitor w/ Built-in Speakers [+159]

MOTHERBOARD: (SLI/CrossFireX Support) MSI X79A-GD45 Plus Intel X79 Chipset Quad Channel DDR3 ATX Mainboard w/ Winki 3, OC Genie II, 7.1 HD Audio, GbLAN, 3 Gen3 PCIe X16 & 4 PCIe X1

NETWORK: Intel Pro Gigabit 10/100/1000 Network Card [+34]

OS: Microsoft® Windows 8 (64-bit Edition)

POWERSUPPLY: 850 Watts - Thermaltake Smart Series SP-850M 80 Plus Bronze Modular Power Supply [+65]

SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO

VIDEO: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti 3GB 16X PCIe 3.0 Video Card [+249] (EVGA Superclocked)

WNC: 802.11b/g/n 300Mbps PCI Wireless Adapter Network Card [+26]

FINAL PRICE: (+1839)
 
That build is....interesting. For starters:

For gaming, anything over and above an i5 3570k Cpu is overkill and/or not needed. That i7 Cpu will perform slightly better in games, only due to it's higher base clock speed. Games don't take advantage of Hyperthreading, which is actually the main difference between an i5 and i7 Cpu. Ditch the extra cost.

The Psu is overkill. Even if you went with a second 660ti video card, you wouldn't need anything that robust. Also, the brand isn't as good as you should be getting for a build costing this much money.

If you know someone, or feel comfortable doing it yourself, 1800 is quite a bit of money for a brand new pc build. We who troll the forums could spec out a machine that would run circles around this one, for less money easily, if you are willing to build it.
 

Air18

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I'd ideally like someone else to build it for me, but I won't rule out building it myself. It would be a fun project. How long would it take to build once I had all the parts? Could I get it done over the weekend?

With regards to the brand, is there a more cost-effective one you could recommend?

Thanks
 

leandrodafontoura

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Is a good build. As this is your first build, its gonna be hard to understand that you dont have to spend that much in order to have a very nice gaming rig, but in the first build is normal to feel that is better to exagerate then get a underpower machine. With this build you gonna better understand components and how Windows PCs work, so I say go ahead with it. I do have a few recomendations:

Get a Windows 7 copy, not Windows 8. You also dont need i7 for games, simply a i5. To conclude, I would make a entire SSD system, getting perhaps a chepaer graphics
 

Air18

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Alright, I'll build it myself. How hard could it be? I'm pretty good at tinkering with things and putting them together. I just have no idea what parts to get. Could you help me with that? My budget is pretty open ended. I would say anything in the $1200-$1400 would a nice surprise.
 
The CyberPower build might be powerful, but it is inappropriate for the intended uses and has some poor parts choices.
Not saying either is necessarily your best choice, but just as examples, either of the machines in my .sig can play GW2 quite well. I'd recommend an Intel CPU for it, as GW2 is more CPU-dependent than typical FPS titles.
I'm guessing you're willing to spend as much as $1800 on this system (not including monitor), but you did say "for the cheapest price possible," so please tell us what you'd prefer to spend. For the hardware alone, $600-$700 should build a PC able to play GW2 (and the other games you listed) very well; $900 would offer a visible jump over that.
Edit: Ah, saw your post. Twelve hundred then...
 

g-unit1111

Titan
Moderator


It's not hard at all - once you get the case wires hooked into the motherboard and the motherboard screwed down, everything else hooks into place. Apevia cases are among the absolute worst possible brands you could pick from, along with Raidmax. Stay very far away from them. On that budget here's what I would suggest:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($134.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($63.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: OCZ Vertex 4 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($134.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($379.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Titanium Grey) ATX Mid Tower Case ($134.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: PC Power & Cooling Silencer Mk II 750W 80 PLUS Silver Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1361.88
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-25 13:59 EDT-0400)
 
There isn't anything wrong with G-unit's build, but I'd change a couple of components out for a variety of reasons.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.98 @ Outlet PC)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Pro4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($109.98 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($47.20 @ Newegg)
Storage: OCZ Agility 4 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($101.04 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($66.32 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card ($389.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Enforcer ATX Mid Tower Case ($53.00 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($62.98 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer ($17.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($93.61 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Acer H236HLbid 60Hz 23.0" Monitor ($159.99 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Cooler Master CM Storm Trigger Wired Gaming Keyboard ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Mouse: Razer Naga Hex Wraith Red Edition Wired Laser Mouse ($77.47 @ Amazon)
Speakers: Logitech Z313 25W 2.1ch Speakers ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1534.50
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-25 14:05 EDT-0400)

There is a lot of fluff in this build. You certainly don't need an 80 dollar keyboard, but it is mechanical, red backlit and fairly nice. Same thing with the mouse, however, the side buttons are nice and it is also red glowy. You can find a keyboard/mouse combo you like and spend far less money for sure though. I'm gaming on a 12 dollar keyboard and 60 dollar mouse myself. This build includes literally everything for a Pc, minus a wi-fi ethernet connection adapter.
 
Building a Pc isn't hard at all. You could get through it in a few hours for sure, even for your first time. There will be a ton of videos online detailing the process step by step for reference even. The advantage is you'll get exactly what you want in your system, spending the money on the parts you feel most needed, instead of buying from a boutique and being pigeon-holed into certain parts or upgrade paths. Also, further down the road you'll feel more comfortable upgrading parts instead of having to rebuild your entire system(although that still happens from time to time :) ).
 

Air18

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Apr 25, 2013
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What wi-fi adaptor would you recommend? I do already have a very nice $50 RAT mouse but I might consider spending the money for a nice keyboard. I could definitely stomach spending $1500 on a computer. I did forget to mention that I live in Canada... I hope that won't increase shipping costs too much.
 

g-unit1111

Titan
Moderator


I don't cut corners on parts and I especially don't suggest expensive peripherals - that is my philosophy on builds. Especially with something as critical as the power supply and SSD. I wouldn't recommend changing those to get a $120 keyboard and $80 mouse, I just don't do that sort of thing. I always leave peripherals up to the OP because that's something that not everyone agrees on and you can always get the quality ones down the road, you don't have to get those things initially.
 
And, here's my take on it. As you have seen, there are a lot of ways to do this. ANY of the builds posted so far would be better than the Cyberpower, whether in performance, quality, or both. I believe your budget allows some "premium" parts, so I haven't always scrimped. Many of these choices currently have promo codes. I don't know if Newegg.ca has the same codes.

Rosewill CHALLENGER-U3 Black Gaming ATX Mid Tower Computer Case ,comes with Three Fans-1x Front Blue LED 120mm Fan, 1x Top ...
Model #:CHALLENGER-U3
Item #:N82E16811147060
$69.99 -$10.00 Instant $59.99
You might want to spend a little more here. Someone listed the Fractal Define R4; that would be an excellent, more upscale choice.

SeaSonic G Series SSR-550RM 550W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular Active PFC Power ...
Model #:SSR-550RM
Item #:N82E16817151119
$105.99 -$16.00 Instant $89.99
No one makes a better PSU than Seasonic. In particular, the Corsair "Builder" is made by CWT using some inferior Samxon capacitors known for early failure.

ASUS P8Z77-V LK LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard with UEFI BIOS
Model #: P8Z77-V LK
Item #: N82E16813131837
Mail in Rebate Card
$139.99 -$5.00 Instant $134.99
ASRock is cheaper, and is another brand I buy, but I consider Asus the premium part.

Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 BX80637I53570K
Model #: BX80637I53570K
Item #: N82E16819116504
$229.99 -$10.00 Instant $219.99
No need for any more than this. If you have no interest in overclocking, get an i5-3470 or i5-3350P instead.

Crucial M4 CT256M4SSD2CCA 2.5" 256GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) with Transfer Kit
Model #: CT256M4SSD2CCA
Item #: N82E16820148449
$249.99 -$65.00 Instant $184.99
More reliable than the Sandforce drives, and I no longer trust OCZ.

Western Digital WD Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Model #: WD1002FAEX
Item #: N82E16822136533
$94.99 $94.99
A data drive can be a slower "green" model, but again this is a better class of drive, and also has a five year warranty.

XIGMATEK Gaia SD1283 120mm Long Life Bearing CPU Cooler LGA1150 Haswell Compatible
Model #: GAIA SD1283
Item #: N82E16835233082
$34.99 -$15.00 Instant $19.99
Cools within 1C of the Coolermaster Hyper212 EVO, but is 6db quieter, and doesn't involve sending your money to a company guilty of willful consumer fraud (details available upon request; personally, I won't recommend Coolermaster anything regardless of quality).

LG 24X DVD Burner - Bare Drive Black SATA Model GH24NS95 - OEM
Model #: GH24NS95
Item #: N82E16827136259
$17.99 $17.99
Meh. One optical drive is much like another.

SAPPHIRE 100354XTL Radeon HD 7870 XT w/Boost 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 CrossFireX Support Video Card
Model #: 100354XTL
Item #: N82E16814202024
Mail in Rebate Card
$259.99 -$10.00 Instant $249.99
A vanilla HD7870 can max GW2. This card gives you a little future resistance.

Subtotal: $1,072.91
 


No, I agree. I just included them more for the idea of an inflated total cost for an entire system. And yes, they are totally a matter of personal preference. In the build you suggested, I like the wattage for the Psu, the brand, silver certification and price. I don't like the fact that it's a non-modular design. I also don't know the differences between a Vertex 4 and Agility 4 SSD. I do, however, have a friend that owns an Agility 3 SSD so feel comfortable making that suggestion. I also feel with that budget, opting for a 7970 card vs. a 670 isn't a bad thing. I play GW2 on a 6870 fed by an AMD 940 BE oc'ed to 3.5ghz, so I know that either card with that Cpu will run the game just fine.

I wasn't attacking your build by any means, or your philosophy in making suggestions.
 

g-unit1111

Titan
Moderator


Whether or not you choose to get a modular or non modular is entirely up to the OP. I've had good experiences with both and bad experiences with both.

The Vertex 4 is a bit higher quality than the Agility 4 is. The Indilinx drives are good. OCZ used to get a bad rap because their drives were based on the incredibly slow, frustrating, and buggy Sandforce 2.0 controller. Since they bought Indilinx and used them to make all their drive controllers, their drives have improved in quality tremendously.
 

Air18

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What is the difference between modular and non-modular? Which one is easier for someone with little building experience to handle?
 
A PSU has the cables that power every device in your case. Typically this is the 20 + 4 pin motherboard connection, another 4(?) pin motherboard power connection, either one or two 6 or 6+2 video card connections, power connections for your optical drive, hard drives and case fans(although these can be connected to your motherboard too in some cases).

A non-modular design has all of these cables attached to the PSU at all times, whether or not they are actually in use. A modular design has multiple cables that you can plug into the PSU so you can only have attached those cables that you actually use. It's a more elegant design with the modular Psu's, but it's more for aesthetics. The PSU G-unit recommended is actually a better quality one than the one I suggested.
 

Air18

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Apr 25, 2013
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I think I'll go with G-unit's build. Apart from what you listed, what else do I need to purchase to make this build complete?

I would need a keyboard (no mouse), a monitor (I want it to be 20'+ with 1920x1080 res), speakers and I need to connect to the internet wirelessly.

Thanks!