Hey, everyone!
As the title of this thread suggests, I'm a relatively new PC Gamer looking to build a decent Gaming PC, but the problem is that I'm getting lost in the sea of options. I'm not new to computers in general; I've been using them for years now, and I know my way around their hardware, software and applications in most general scenarios, but when it comes to these advanced levels, I get a little confused.
Before I continue on, I'll state that my intent isn't to play FPS games on the rig that I end up with; those I play on my consoles. The games that I'd like to play on the PC are more in the realm of RPG, such as Oblivion and Skyrim (especially Skyrim). I can play them on the PC that I currently have, and play them on the highest settings, but when I start applying Graphics Mods, the system just can't handle it, and the frame-rate drops to intolerable levels, causing unbelievable lag. I want a system that can allow me to run Skyrim on Ultra and add a lot of mods (graphics, gameplay, immersion, etc) without running into frame-rate issues again.
Here are the specs of my current system.
Tower: HP Pavillion A6620F
PSU: Thermaltake TR2 600W
Graphics Card: XFX Radeon HD 6750
Monitor: HP W1907 19" LCD
Other than the new power supply and graphics card, I haven't added anything else to the system. I thought about upgrading the RAM to 8GB (the max for this system), and adding a new processor, but because of the socket type (LGA 775), there aren't a lot of new processors available that would be much of an upgrade. Then I thought about completely swapping the motherboard out and adding a better graphics card, but I don't know if it's worth it. Maybe building a new machine is the better way to go?
I know the basics of building a PC:
- Case
- Motherboard
- Processor
- RAM
- Graphics Card
- Power Supply
- HDD
- Disc Drive (I already have one to use)
- Fans (if upgrading or adding more than what comes with the case)
- Operating System
The problem that I have is actually choosing the parts themselves; there are so many brands and varieties to choose from. I'm hoping that I can get some guidance. My budget isn't low, but it isn't outrageously high either; say... $1,000, maybe more?
I've been going through Newegg and picking out parts that seem to be "up to snuff."
So far, this is what I've got.
1) Rosewill Challenger ATX Mid-Tower Case
2) ASRock Z77 Extreme4 Motherboard
3) Crucial Ballistix Sport RAM (2x 4GB sticks) <<< Free w/ ASRock Motherboard
4) Intel Core i5-3570K Quad-Core Processor
5) Cooler Master Hyper-212 EVO CPU Fan
6) Cooler Master 120mm Fan 4-Pack
7) NZXT Sentry-2 5-Fan Controller
For a monitor, I was thinking of using my TV; a 42" Samsung Plasma. Is that a bad idea? Do I need to compensate with higher-end parts?
I have yet to pick a Graphics Card. I've been looking at them, but there are so many brands and variations to choose from. I've read that when you want to use a lot of mods in Skyrim, you should choose a card that has more memory, preferably 3GB, or 2GB at the very least, but I don't know if that's true. I'm also unsure if it's more important to have a higher core-clock speed, or more CUDA cores... Ugh. This is confusing.
As far as an HDD is concerned, that's not too big of a deal; a reputable brand with a decent capacity will be fine. My current PC has 275GB free out of 500, and I've got a ton of music, movies and designs (I'm a Graphics Designer) on it, as well as downloaded programs and applications, so I'd be fine with another 500GB, but I might opt for a 1TB, seeing as they aren't really that expensive.
How's this looking so far? Overkill? Not powerful enough? I need help, especially choosing a Graphics Card!
If there are any questions or more information that is needed, let me know.
Thanks!
As the title of this thread suggests, I'm a relatively new PC Gamer looking to build a decent Gaming PC, but the problem is that I'm getting lost in the sea of options. I'm not new to computers in general; I've been using them for years now, and I know my way around their hardware, software and applications in most general scenarios, but when it comes to these advanced levels, I get a little confused.
Before I continue on, I'll state that my intent isn't to play FPS games on the rig that I end up with; those I play on my consoles. The games that I'd like to play on the PC are more in the realm of RPG, such as Oblivion and Skyrim (especially Skyrim). I can play them on the PC that I currently have, and play them on the highest settings, but when I start applying Graphics Mods, the system just can't handle it, and the frame-rate drops to intolerable levels, causing unbelievable lag. I want a system that can allow me to run Skyrim on Ultra and add a lot of mods (graphics, gameplay, immersion, etc) without running into frame-rate issues again.
Here are the specs of my current system.
Tower: HP Pavillion A6620F
PSU: Thermaltake TR2 600W
Graphics Card: XFX Radeon HD 6750
Monitor: HP W1907 19" LCD
Other than the new power supply and graphics card, I haven't added anything else to the system. I thought about upgrading the RAM to 8GB (the max for this system), and adding a new processor, but because of the socket type (LGA 775), there aren't a lot of new processors available that would be much of an upgrade. Then I thought about completely swapping the motherboard out and adding a better graphics card, but I don't know if it's worth it. Maybe building a new machine is the better way to go?
I know the basics of building a PC:
- Case
- Motherboard
- Processor
- RAM
- Graphics Card
- Power Supply
- HDD
- Disc Drive (I already have one to use)
- Fans (if upgrading or adding more than what comes with the case)
- Operating System
The problem that I have is actually choosing the parts themselves; there are so many brands and varieties to choose from. I'm hoping that I can get some guidance. My budget isn't low, but it isn't outrageously high either; say... $1,000, maybe more?
I've been going through Newegg and picking out parts that seem to be "up to snuff."
So far, this is what I've got.
1) Rosewill Challenger ATX Mid-Tower Case
2) ASRock Z77 Extreme4 Motherboard
3) Crucial Ballistix Sport RAM (2x 4GB sticks) <<< Free w/ ASRock Motherboard
4) Intel Core i5-3570K Quad-Core Processor
5) Cooler Master Hyper-212 EVO CPU Fan
6) Cooler Master 120mm Fan 4-Pack
7) NZXT Sentry-2 5-Fan Controller
For a monitor, I was thinking of using my TV; a 42" Samsung Plasma. Is that a bad idea? Do I need to compensate with higher-end parts?
I have yet to pick a Graphics Card. I've been looking at them, but there are so many brands and variations to choose from. I've read that when you want to use a lot of mods in Skyrim, you should choose a card that has more memory, preferably 3GB, or 2GB at the very least, but I don't know if that's true. I'm also unsure if it's more important to have a higher core-clock speed, or more CUDA cores... Ugh. This is confusing.
As far as an HDD is concerned, that's not too big of a deal; a reputable brand with a decent capacity will be fine. My current PC has 275GB free out of 500, and I've got a ton of music, movies and designs (I'm a Graphics Designer) on it, as well as downloaded programs and applications, so I'd be fine with another 500GB, but I might opt for a 1TB, seeing as they aren't really that expensive.
How's this looking so far? Overkill? Not powerful enough? I need help, especially choosing a Graphics Card!
If there are any questions or more information that is needed, let me know.
Thanks!