Should I build it myself?

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mpaterson

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Jan 5, 2014
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Hi i am new to the forum so please excuse me if i am doing something wrong.

I am looking into getting myself a new desktop pc. I will use it mainly for gaming and also some work, using programs such as ms office, photoshop and visual studio. I have narrowed it down to two options but i am open to suggestions. The first option is to buy it off chillblast.co.uk the second to build it myself.

http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/2w2EI
http://www.chillblast.com/pconf.php?productid=18792

Building it myself would save about £60 which means i could put more into buying a quality gaming screen. But i am worried that:

  • It would be too hard
    I might break something
    The Warranty won't be as good
So basically i am asking if it is hard to build a pc (i have limited knowledge of pc hardware).
Also, are all off my parts compatible with each other? And would i have room to upgrade in the future? Are individual part warranties unreliable and tricky?

Thanks for taking the time to read this post. Any helpful answer will be much appreciated.
 
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I would suggest you build your own because you "know" the PC better then. It will make it much easier to upgrade in the future. It's not hard to build a PC, It's just like adult Lego. The warranty can be good on a product. This also means you don't have to send your whole PC back to Chillblast. And about the breaking something. I built my PC when I was ten and I am the clumsiest person on Earth. My computer's still breathing.

As for those parts I would change your CPU cooler for a Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO and get two sticks of 4GB RAM instead of 1 stick of 8GB. If you can afford it get a Gtx 760 instead of the 660.
 
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mpaterson

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Thanks for replying so fast, sorry i was unable to reply until today.
http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/2wJJf
I have made amendments to my build, the fan, the ram and a new case which took my fancy. I also upgraded the cpu and the mobo to 4th generation so that it would have driver support for a longer amount of time. (Please correct me if I am wrong). Although it says i'm going to use the gtx 660, I'm going to buy everything else first and use the intel hd graphics until i have enough money for a gpu. I will then probably get the gtx 760, depending on how much money i manage to save. So i would like to know:

  • Is everything compatible?
    Does it allow for future ugrades including sli'd GPU's?
    Is it worth the extra £50 for a later generation CPU and compatible mobo?
    Will the z87 chipset support future 5th generation intel CPU's?
    will the GTX 760 last for much longer than the 660, if so, roughly how much? (i'm not worried about going to medium or even low settings in the long term)
Thanks in advance for anybody who replies :)
 
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jben04

jben04

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When doing your first build,just take your time.
I finished my build just before christmas,and its runs great even with no GPU ( im just using the on board ).
Its actually quite easy,and if you do get stuck look for advise on here or google :)
 
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tlgriffith

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1. Yes you have a compatible build.
2. If you are going to SLI in the future I suggest changing your power supply. At the moment you have selected a 500W bronze rated power supply. An additional graphics card will require even more power and your PCpartpicker list already estimates your current build will use 333W.
3. If you are comparing, is it worth it to save money by going the i5-3570k/z77 vs. the i5-4670k/z87?(CPU/Motherboard), then no probably not worth it and just purchase the newer generation. In all honesty it depends. The i5-4670k/z87 (Haswell) will provide 5-6% performance, which is negligible, however if you prefer to overclock, they will both roughly equal the same in performance. Here is a short list of Pro's and Con's

Haswell Pro's: Slightly faster at stock. More energy efficient. The motherboard has more options with "newer" technology (i.e. more USB 3.0 slots compared to USB 2.0 slots). Possibility of upgrading to the next generation of CPU (Broadwell).

Haswell Con's: Runs hotter compared to the i5-3570k/z77

Ivy Bridge Pro's: Runs cooler, and because of this can be overclock slightly more than Haswell.

Ivy Bridge Con's: The opposite of Haswell Pro's and it is an older generation.

4. No idea if it will support next generation of CPU's. That is why I said "possibly" in the Haswell Pro's section. I am unable to find a definitive answer to this question myself.

5. The 760 will always last longer than the 660, because it's newer. Your 660 will be outdated quicker than your 760. Depends how long you want it to last before you have to upgrade again. Below is the article to Tomshardware December update on Graphics cards worth your money within certain value ranges.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107.html

My bit: I suggest sticking with Haswell. The downside is you may want to think about cooling options whether that be adding case fans, or researching a different case to buy for improved cooling performance. Your selection for the CPU cooler is a commonly used choice and will suffice. If you are seriously considering the 760 over the 660, you may as well just go with the 770 instead. Yeah it is a little pricier, but its a refined version of the 760 and provides better performance is more energy efficient and has better cooling.
 
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mpaterson

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Thanks everybody once again for taking the time to answer my post, it's much appreciated :)

http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/2xlx4

I made the necessary tweaks to my part list, including the vengeance ram, a new case (the zalman zll plus) and the gtx 760.

I went for this case because it has 2 usb 3.0 front ports and also a lot of internal fans. Will these extra fans mean that it will be cool enough inside or will i need to get extra/better fans?

I went for the gtx 760 because i don't think i will appreciate the extra performance given by the 770 as i am not quite a "pro" gamer.

I chose the gtx 760 tf with 2gb of gddr5 ram not the one with 4gb gddr5. Does the difference in memory matter that much? (I willl only be using one screen at 1080p)

Is there anything that can go horrendously wrong while building the pc, and how could that be prevented?
 
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mpaterson

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Also, dies anyone have any advice or recommendations on a good 27" ips monitor for less than £200?
Or if not a 27", a 24" monitor.

What is the screen size generally used by gamers?

Willl a 1080p 27" monitor look pixelated due to the lower ppi?
 
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giltyler

giltyler

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You should be fine with 2 Gig for 1080P
Most people agree that the GTX760 and GTX770 are not able to fully utilize the 4 gig anyway
That case looks cool for that price point
Take your time and make sure you install the MB stand offs in the right place.
If you are unsure post up a question here on PM me I can assist you if needed.
Read the documents for the Mother board before you start.
Zip Ties are a good way to help with cable management.
It will take some time to know if you want to upgrade the fans so I would wait on that.
Having a 2nd fan on the 212 cooler will help and it should have the extra clips for that fan
My first build December 2011
photo.jpg
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photo1-1.jpg
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giltyler

giltyler

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I use a small Phillips screw driver and a precision tool kit made for computers and small electronics
For cutting zip ties and other stuff a Xcelite side cutter
Plenty of zip ties and anchors and assorted heat shrink tubing sizes if I am making any custom cables.
This stuff is not expensive at all
Links to show you what I use and you can use as a reference for things you may have or want to get
http://www.amazon.com/Xcelite-170M-General-Shearcutter-Diagonal/dp/B0002BBZIS
http://www.amazon.com/Olympia-Tools-76-506-N12-Precision-Screwdriver/dp/B005N97LWI
http://www.amazon.com/Ziotek-Zip-Tie-Mount-Pack/dp/B000BSJHLE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1389138963&sr=8-2&keywords=zip+tie+anchor
http://www.amazon.com/Plastic-Cable-Ties-100-Pack-Black/dp/B002BCOH2C/ref=sr_1_28?ie=UTF8&qid=1389139200&sr=8-28&keywords=zip+tie
 
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