APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE:
I'm not in a particular rush, but my current desktop is just about ready to die on me. I suppose I could try and see what I could get for Black Friday deals since November isn't too far away... I'd still have no idea what I should be looking for though.
BUDGET RANGE:
About $600~800, give or take. Cheaper is, of course, always welcome. I've been looking at pre-builts in the same price range but am wondering if I can do better and find myself a new computer building hobby while I'm at it.
SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT:
1) Multimedia aspects such as watching movies/listening to music are top priority.
2) Internet surfing for casual entertainment including media streaming, flash, etc.
3) I also do a bit of gaming, but mostly very low-demand fps games, so any components that help this would just be more of a bonus rather than a necessity. I assume whatever GPU I end up with for my multimedia purposes will do just fine, but I could be wrong.
PARTS NOT REQUIRED:
I need just about everything, but can live with the speakers, keyboard, and mouse that I already have if it starts to get a bit hectic in controlling my budget.
I also have a few really old CRTs lying around, so a monitor isn't dire, but I've been looking to clean up the clutter of my desk by getting with the times and going for some nice LCDs. I've also admired dual-monitor setups for quite a while, so even if it's not possible for me to do with this build, any advice just for future reference sake would be much appreciated.
PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS:
www.newegg.com is the only online site I'm actually familiar with from previous purchases and it seems to be quite popular on these forums as well, so I guess that'll do.
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
New Jersey, USA
PARTS PREFERENCES:
I'll be inclined to take you experienced folks' words over my own assumptions about what is good or bad, but brand names when possible for parts that are particularly susceptible to ZOMGWTH rage.
Though I understand that can hike up costs in comparison to using smaller company products, it just makes me feel more secure about any investments.
OVERCLOCKING:
Maybe. Getting intense benchmarks isn't a huge concern though. As long as my system is stable and can run the tasks I mentioned in the System Usage section, I'm pretty much a happy camper. Admittedly, I am interested in it though.
SLI OR CROSSFIRE:
Maybe. Again, not a huge concern considering what I need from the system. I do plan to use this system for a fair few years though, so whether I upgrade this system or shove it downstairs as a giant brick HTPC upon getting a new one for myself, I suppose it could be something to think about to make it a bit more future-proof.
MONITOR RESOLUTION:
Depends on my final build, doesn't it? I'd like to treat myself to a decent LCD for my multimedia viewing, but again, I can suck it up and stick with my clunky old CRTs until a ridiculous sale comes around.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
I don't really care about LEDs, windows, and other cosmetics. My system could look as dull as a cardboard box for all I care. Comp noise isn't much of an issue either, as long as it doesn't sound like a freaking lawnmower is going off inside.
Efficiency and reliability FTW.
My post got a little wordier than I had planned, apologies.
Thanks for reading, and thanks in advance for the help!
I'm not in a particular rush, but my current desktop is just about ready to die on me. I suppose I could try and see what I could get for Black Friday deals since November isn't too far away... I'd still have no idea what I should be looking for though.
BUDGET RANGE:
About $600~800, give or take. Cheaper is, of course, always welcome. I've been looking at pre-builts in the same price range but am wondering if I can do better and find myself a new computer building hobby while I'm at it.
SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT:
1) Multimedia aspects such as watching movies/listening to music are top priority.
2) Internet surfing for casual entertainment including media streaming, flash, etc.
3) I also do a bit of gaming, but mostly very low-demand fps games, so any components that help this would just be more of a bonus rather than a necessity. I assume whatever GPU I end up with for my multimedia purposes will do just fine, but I could be wrong.
PARTS NOT REQUIRED:
I need just about everything, but can live with the speakers, keyboard, and mouse that I already have if it starts to get a bit hectic in controlling my budget.
I also have a few really old CRTs lying around, so a monitor isn't dire, but I've been looking to clean up the clutter of my desk by getting with the times and going for some nice LCDs. I've also admired dual-monitor setups for quite a while, so even if it's not possible for me to do with this build, any advice just for future reference sake would be much appreciated.
PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS:
www.newegg.com is the only online site I'm actually familiar with from previous purchases and it seems to be quite popular on these forums as well, so I guess that'll do.
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
New Jersey, USA
PARTS PREFERENCES:
I'll be inclined to take you experienced folks' words over my own assumptions about what is good or bad, but brand names when possible for parts that are particularly susceptible to ZOMGWTH rage.
Though I understand that can hike up costs in comparison to using smaller company products, it just makes me feel more secure about any investments.
OVERCLOCKING:
Maybe. Getting intense benchmarks isn't a huge concern though. As long as my system is stable and can run the tasks I mentioned in the System Usage section, I'm pretty much a happy camper. Admittedly, I am interested in it though.
SLI OR CROSSFIRE:
Maybe. Again, not a huge concern considering what I need from the system. I do plan to use this system for a fair few years though, so whether I upgrade this system or shove it downstairs as a giant brick HTPC upon getting a new one for myself, I suppose it could be something to think about to make it a bit more future-proof.
MONITOR RESOLUTION:
Depends on my final build, doesn't it? I'd like to treat myself to a decent LCD for my multimedia viewing, but again, I can suck it up and stick with my clunky old CRTs until a ridiculous sale comes around.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
I don't really care about LEDs, windows, and other cosmetics. My system could look as dull as a cardboard box for all I care. Comp noise isn't much of an issue either, as long as it doesn't sound like a freaking lawnmower is going off inside.
Efficiency and reliability FTW.
My post got a little wordier than I had planned, apologies.
Thanks for reading, and thanks in advance for the help!
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