Build at home vs. pre-built (and I want to exceed my MacBook Pro specs...)

thecoloryes · Jan 21, 2015

In case it wasn't clear from the title, I'm new to the world of building a computer. Really, what I'm trying to do is out-perform the Windows 7 partition on my MacBook Pro, or at least match its performance, with a budget of $750. (It's got a 2.9GHz i7 processor and 8gb 1600MHz DDR3 ram, with an integrated video card (to my understanding -- it's the 13" model).)

However, I don't know enough about the different pieces to be able to compare them, so I was wondering about a couple of things. First of all, would this pre-built desktop do what I want? (That is, match or exceed the gaming power of my laptop.) Either way, would this custom build be worth the extra ~$50? (It's a modified version of a build from ChooseMyPC.net, because I don't care about a SSD, and frankly I could make do with a 1TB build version as well, which would save me $20.) To me, it doesn't seem like it's that much better than the pre-built, but that's why I'm asking.

Also, if what I'm asking for in performance is totally outside of my budget, let me know, and maybe what the budget for what I want would look like.

g-unit1111 · Jan 21, 2015

No build your own - you will hate life gaming on an APU, they are not meant for hardcore gaming.

This would be a much wiser use of ~$700:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4330 3.5GHz Dual-Core Processor ($124.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H97 PERFORMANCE ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($77.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.50 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 280X 3GB Tri-X Video Card ($239.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12G 550W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply ($75.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-14 DVD/CD Writer ($18.76 @ Amazon)
Total: $727.20
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-21 20:37 EST-0500

An Intel i3 + a Radeon R9-280X will be a screamer for a $700 budget.

Math Geek · Jan 21, 2015

building your own is always better for maximizing your money. if you do wish to go pre-built then i would suggest checking out cyberpowerpc.com they offer better parts and you can customize as you go to get exactly what you want. for instance...

http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/saved/1GPLMY

only missing a monitor and for $700 is a lot better than that acer you linked. can change out the case to whatever if you don't like the bumblebee yellow. it lists the price increase or decrease for each case as you can see

g-unit1111 · Jan 21, 2015

Math Geek :

People either love or hate Cyberpower, there is no in between. The thing about Cyberpower is that on lower budget builds they include a lot of junk, no name components, mystery brands on crucial parts (and junk power supplies), and overall shoddy build quality. If you're building on a budget, stay very far away from Cyberpower. And I'm not usually one to criticize taste but that yellow case in that rig is an eyesore.

thecoloryes · Jan 21, 2015

g-unit1111 :

Thanks for the help! A couple quick questions, if you don't mind!

1- Any particular reason that you exchanged the pieces you did? Just wondering if I'm missing something basic I should know, like "X company makes much better motherboards than Y even if they're a little more expensive", or if you're just prioritizing things differently. (Which is totally fine, because I have no idea how to prioritize this stuff!)
2- Should I worry about the compatibility note that says "The Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory operating voltage of 1.6V exceeds the Intel Haswell CPU recommended maximum of 1.5V+5% (1.575V). This memory module may run at a reduced clock rate to meet the 1.5V voltage recommendation, or may require running at a voltage greater than the Intel recommended maximum."?
3 - Is the case I use important? Past making sure it fits all of the pieces, of course.

Thanks again!

Math Geek · Jan 21, 2015

i've only seen a handful personally from them and did not see any problems. but i have also read issues people have had. i prefer home built of course but for some it is just not in the cards so i suggest this as a better than acer/hp/lenovo.... alternative. the acer he picked has an apu as noted and this of course would blow it out of the water for the same money. i'd take my chances with them rather than getting a pc that won't be worth anything right out of the box.

and yah that yellow is an insult to eyes everywhere.....

and i would personally lower that 280x to a 280 and put the extra into an i5. changed the psu to a slightly cheaper one to make up for the i5 as well.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock H97 PERFORMANCE ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($77.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.50 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon R9 280 3GB WINDFORCE Video Card ($189.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($54.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-14 DVD/CD Writer ($17.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $710.41
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-21 21:04 EST-0500

g-unit1111 · Jan 21, 2015

thecoloryes :

1. Prebuilt rigs are generally hose jobs. They often are very shoddy in quality, operating system is usually overloaded with bloatware, and the power supplies in these systems fail after about five months.
2. That's just a precautionary measure. On default settings the motherboard runs at the lowest speed and voltage it can handle.
3. Actually yes. Some people will say different but a good case is important because it protects your rig and if you get a case with good cable management it will increase the lifespan of your system.

g-unit1111 · Jan 21, 2015

Math Geek :

Yeah I get that not everyone wants to build one themselves but if you take the time to actually research the parts you will know exactly whats in your rig and should something go wrong, it will be much easier to diagnose the defective product and get an RMA for it. With Cyberpower a lot of the times, you don't know what you are getting. And I've seen some extremely poor and horrific things that have come out of that company, and quality control is definitely not one of their strong points. :lol:

and i would personally lower that 280x to a 280 and put the extra into an i5. changed the psu to a slightly cheaper one to make up for the i5 as well.

That depends. If it's a strict $700 budget I would leave in the 280X, because you can always upgrade the CPU on H97 all the way up to i7-4770. But if you have a flexible budget (say max. $850) then you could get both.

and yah that yellow is an insult to eyes everywhere.....

That it is! :lol:

DayzGamer · Jan 22, 2015

does the OP even have an OS because noone has included that cost and thats about $90 or more?

Math Geek · Jan 22, 2015

DayzGamer :

the pre-built i linked has it

just had to throw that in. until the op comes back this whole thread is dead anyway .....

DayzGamer · Jan 22, 2015

Yeah, well I just wondered cause noone else had put anything else up with an OS.

I think this one beats your suggestion to, kinda a smaller company but you gotta love the build at that price, I priced it myself and I couldn't put it together this cheap? (Maybe they are losing money on this sale or breaking even to get their name out there?)

Well if you'd prefer a prebuilt this company might be an option for you, better build quality (no shoddy Power supplies and such)
http://cwestrecruiter.wix.com.usrfiles.com/html/b2715d_6d6e9f7edfcebc6cf38fb366065a725a.html#!/~/
Thats the actual item at about the price point you suggested.
Heres the site.
http://cwestrecruiter.wix.com/flatratecomputerrepa#!amazing-deals/cq2m
Only with a GTX 970 (better than either of the other two video cards,) and an I5 4690 better than either processor, also they've got a free blue-ray writer upgrade, comes with windows 7or 8.1(I think 8.1 cost a bit different didn't really check I hate 8.1)
Heres the specs, I changed to just the 1TB which knocks it down to $791 shipped. Which ask anyone is a pretty good deal. I couldn't put that stuff together myself that cheap.
CPU: Intel Core i5-4690 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor
Motherboard: ASRock Z97 Anniversary ATX LGA1150 Motherboard
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory
Storage: Sandisk Ultra Plus 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Video Card: Zotac GeForce GTX 970 4GB Video Card
Power Supply: SeaSonic 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply

Math Geek · Jan 22, 2015

i only offered the prebuilt as an option. i assumed that folks would quickly offer custom builds that were better for the same money. often putting it in front of people like that is the only way to convince them to built it themselves.

i would build it myself everytime but for some this is just not an option or they need to be convinced it is an option. and i have seen lots of good sales on cyberpower that were lower priced than building it myself. one can easily configure the pc to include all the good parts but as noted above by gunit this is only at the higher budgets. lower cost pc's from them won't allow for getting the better parts (nor will ANY builder offer good parts on a budget)

it seems the op went for the custom build which is good

DayzGamer · Jan 22, 2015

yeah, no arguments there I always build my own, a buddy posted he bought one from these guys seemed pretty happy with it, and when I went to see how he had gotten screwed, I realized it was actually a pretty good deal.
(honestly I might have bought it myself if I hadn't just built a new system a short while back.) (wife would kill me if I wasted money on another new computer now)

Math Geek · Jan 22, 2015

i am bookmarking the site for future reference. sometimes people want a prebuilt and this looks like it could be an option to add to the list. i'll play with the sitr some and see what it can do. never heard of them so will also look around for reviews and such to see how their customer service and such is.

always good to add to the bookmarks.

DayzGamer · Jan 22, 2015

yeah understood, I didn't really look them up just my buddy had a good experience. and I trust my friend more than reviews (the addage that people will take the time to complain more often than to leave a positive review) I don't usually buy anywhere that I or someone I know has bought from but I'm picky like that.

thecoloryes · Jan 22, 2015

DayzGamer :

I would need an OS, which I'm thinking will be 8.1 Pro because I get it for $70 as a student. Even if I haven't heard anything positive about 8.1.

Also I started this whole thing because I wasn't sure about building at home, I mean I'm not afraid of doing it but it would just be SO much easier to just get a functional piece of equipment...

And this might be a silly question but do prices fluctuate much? And/or are new technologies going to be released in the next few months? I start a new job in April, so if I wait till then I'd be able to be much more flexible with my budget. But I could also see how it might be silly to wait.

Math Geek · Jan 22, 2015

prices change daily

you just have to look carfully the day you want to buy and see what the best deals are. pcpartpicker is pretty good for finding sales on the bigger sites. plus a simple scan on newegg or wherever at a certain price range can show you something that is priced with a lower level product. if you're looking at $150ish and see a bunch of 270x's and all of a sudden there is a 280 for the same price, then you know you found a deal.

there will always be a sale on for one part or another and there will always be something new "coming out soon". all you can do is buy what you can afford when you can afford to and be happy. unless something has been announced for an exact release date, then it is not worth waiting for. you'll never buy anything always waiting a couple more months.

building is actually pretty easy to do if you can follow directions. the mobo manual goes step by step explaining what goes in every single spot on it. when i first started, i simply started at the front of the manual and hooked up everything as i came to it in the manual. if i did not have it, then i skipped it and moved on. easy way not to miss anything. if a piece is confusing then you have the manual of that part to look at for it's specific instructions.

once you are done, you'll sit back and wonder why you ever doubted you could do it

plus you have this forum ot ask any questions as you go. lots of experience here and we're always open!!

thecoloryes · Jan 22, 2015

Thank you so much for all your help! I'm sure I'll come back if I have any more questions. (Also probably when I end up making my final decisions about what to get...)

Math Geek · Jan 22, 2015

on the day you actually want to buy is the day to really look for sales. no good finding a good deal today that won't be there in a week or month.

also note that the gtx 960 just hit the market and give it a couple weeks and we will probably see a small shake-up for mid range card pricing. so a month from now, who knows what the prices will look like. reviews don't show a huge game changer like the 970 was but it's prices and others around it will surely adjust a bit to fit it onto the market.

thecoloryes · Jan 26, 2015

I did a bit of research, decided I didn't need the optical drive, and ended up with this build:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock H97 PERFORMANCE ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($77.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($48.88 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon R9 280X 3GB Video Card ($239.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 431 Plus (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 600W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $706.72
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-26 18:36 EST-0500

It'll come out to more like $775 when I buy windows, but that's close enough to my budget that I'm happy with it. Thanks again for all your help!

thecoloryes · Jan 31, 2015

Just thought I'd share for anyone who finds this page in the future -- just assembled the build and it works like a charm. I had to install the motherboard drivers (from a disc included in the motherboard package) in order for the LAN port to function, but it works brilliantly. Beautifully, even.

Thanks again to everyone who submitted suggestions on this thread!

Math Geek · Jan 31, 2015

enjoy the new build. it looks solid

HAPPY GAMING

Build at home vs. pre-built (and I want to exceed my MacBook Pro specs...)

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