Closer and closer...

shaqxolotl · Oct 23, 2011

Hey there eveyone,

I have a job and am saving up for a gaming computer. I am 14 years old and have a pretty good knowledge about computers.

As I get more and more money, my budget keeps going up! I was going to spend $2500 including shipping and tax, but now it has exceeded to $3500 and I have caped it at that, i'm not going higher
:non:

Emelth · Oct 23, 2011

a 14 year old with $3500 on a gaming computer wtf are you doing to make that much and how long did it take you to save all that. I know when I was younger I told my parents that I'm spending that amount on a computer she would kill me. But thats beside the point...

Lets hook you up I'm gonna try and keep it well below 3k mark and still give you all the performance you need. What games will you be playing on it?

DelroyMonjo · Oct 23, 2011

and 1 year from now, shaq will be behind the curve.

Emelth · Oct 23, 2011

Edited: Noob mistake forgot PSU please standby...

Emelth · Oct 23, 2011

Pyree · Oct 23, 2011

Biggest problem is storage. You are also better off with a 240GB ssd or a 120GB SSD and 1TB HDD instead of a 60GB one and a 150GB velocipede.

Try to get better gpu and have surround monitor before all of the gaming keyboard/mouse and headphone stuff. Graphics and screen space is more important.

But to tell you the truth, I think the $3500 build is unwise because your $2500 build is already really good and the extra $1000 gives you diminishing return.

Better split up the $3500 into a $2500 build and a $1000 upgrade. Build it now and upgrade around 2013.

flong · Oct 23, 2011

Hello - welcome. BTW, if you have saved up this money, that is commendable. People should not be questioning or criticizing you. You don't need $3500 to build what you want - following are some choices for your evaluation.

Your post lists are very scattered. For example you list two fan controllers and several fans. I am not sure that you understand exactly what you need. Since you seem to be very young, I admire your pro-active stance to take up the challenge of building your own computer. Here are some suggestions:

1. GPU: GTX 580 is a good choice and you have the budget for it. You may also want to look at two GTX 570s in SLI or two ATI 6950s in crossfire. But for now, because this is your first build, the 580 would probably be the best choice

2. CPU, you can afford the 2600K but since Ivy bridge is coming out soon, the 2500K you have chosen is probably the best choice. It is a very fast CPU and it is $100 cheaper than the 2600K

3. Case: with your budget you could get almost any case. I would recommend that you look at the Silverstone Raven, the Cooler Master HAFX 942 (careful it is huge), the Corsair 650D, the Corsair 500R, the Silverstone Fortress FT02. These are all top cooling cases and come highly recommended. You may want to start a separate thread to ask gamers what their favorite cases are. However, the cases I have listed are top performers.

4. You list several fans which is not necessary. With the cases that I have listed you will only have to add one or two fans at the most. Probably you will not have to add any

5. CPU Cooler: while the Hyper 212 listed earlier is a capable cooler, I would suggest that you go with the Corsair H100 or the Noctua NH-D14. These are probably the top two coolers available right now unless you go to water cooling which is expensive and unnecessary unless you are going to be a major overclocker

6. You list several fan controllers, you probably won't need any. Some of the cases I have listed have built-in fan controller and your motherboard will also control fan speed if you get PWM compliant fans. Typically, you won't really need a fan controller.

7. Motherboard: you may want to look at the AsRock Extreme 7 Gen 3 or the AsRock Fatality Gen 3 motherboards. These are compatible with Ivy Bridge and are top performers. They are also PCI-E 3.0 compliant

8. Monitor: for the cheaper gaming monitors many gamers are using Asus 24" Tn panel monitors. They are just coming out with the new models. The best monitors are HIPS. You may want to consider the HP 2475 or Dell 2410 Ultra-sharp. Still for your age, I would suggest going with the Asus monitor for now. Get a 24" monitor. They are cheap and you can always move up later. 14 year olds tend to break things a lot (I was 14 once). The Asus monitors are the monitors of choice for gamers on a budget

9. PSU: I am torn on this point because you will probably run two video cards. However for now, I would recommend the Corsair HX 850 - it is the highest rated 850W PSU by professional reviewers and it is fairly cheap (around $150). It is modular and has a 7 year warranty. It will run two 580s in SLI although for that configuration I would recommend the AX 1200. However the Corsair AX 1200 costs over $100 more and it is a serious PSU for serious gamers. It is probably the best PSU available for the money ($250). However, for now, the HX 850 PSU will provide excellent performance for your build.

10. HDD - go with the Samsung F3 Spinpoint 1 TB - it is a very fast HDD and it is cheap

11. SSD: With your budget you should set up your build with a 120 GB SSD running your system. Look at the Kingston Hyper X extreme, the Patriot Wildfire, the Corsair Force 3 GT, the Mushkin Chronos Deluxe - all in the 120 GB size. Right now the 120 GB size is the best bang for the buck right now and it gives you the plenty of room to run your operating system and a few games.

12. RAM: use 1866 2 x 4GB

Good luck with your build. I hope this helps you. All of these components should be well under $2000 (about $1600) and they will give you amazing performance.

shaqxolotl · Oct 23, 2011

DelroyMonjo :

What do you mean?

shaqxolotl · Oct 23, 2011

Ok, sorry, I was in a bit of a rush.

This is everything in detail and just the components.

G.Skill Ripjaws X F3-12800CL8D-8GBXM (2x4GB) DDR3
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=16934 $79

Prolimatech Genesis CPU Cooler
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=17341 $85

Intel Core i5 2500K
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=16531 $229

Corsair Force Series 3 60GB SSD
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=17788 $129 (For boot up and applications)

ASUS P8Z68-DELUXE Motherboard
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=17497 $315

CoolerMaster MegaFlow 200 Blue
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=11185 $76 (x4 case fans)

Gigabyte GeForce GTX 580 Super Overclock
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=17355 $599 (don't plan on going SLI)

Corsair Force Series 3 90GB SSD
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=18387 $189 (I don't need lots of space for games, I usually only have 1 or 2 main games that I play)

Corsair HX-750 Power Supply
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=12110 $189 (enough?)

ASUS VE248H 24in Widescreen LED Monitor
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=16558 $215 (I am actually getting the VS model but they don't have it)

Prolimatech Blue Vortex 140mm Fan
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=15866 $38 (x2 for CPU cooler)

CoolerMaster 120mm Silent Blue LED Fan
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=8022 $30 (x2 case fans)

Thermaltake VN700M1W2N Overseer RX-I Case
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=18313 $145 (I really like this case)

Western Digital VelociRaptor 150GB WD1500HLHXhttp://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=18151 $175 (to back up everything on my other 2 drives)

Samsung SH-B123L 12X Blu-Ray DVD Combo Drive with Lightscribe $85

NZXT Sentry Mix Fan Controller
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=18295 $59 (for case fans)

Scythe Kaze Master Ace 3.5" Fan Controller Black $39 (for CPU fans)

Sub total = $2686 + $214 for shipping and parcel protection

Total = $2900

NOW what do you think?

shaqxolotl · Oct 23, 2011

Seriously considering how close we are till 28nm GPU and 22nm CPU launch now, I think u should delay your build for just a little longer.
I mean seriously, a GTX580 for 500++, you're gonna be crying when a HD7950 can beat it at just 50% the price

How long though? I want my gaming rig for the school holidays (December 15th 2011 - 1st Feb 2012)

shaqxolotl · Oct 23, 2011

Do you think that I should just wait until mid next year, even though I don't want too?

FinneousPJ · Oct 23, 2011

No. If you start the waiting game you'll be waiting for ever. There's always something new coming out, that's how the industry works. If you want to buy now, do so. If you want to wait until the new GPUs for example arrive (TBA as of yet AFAIK), do it.

flong · Oct 23, 2011

If you wait for Ivy Bridge - which might be a good option - you could be waiting anywhere from 3-6 months. You might have to wait that long or longer for the new PCI-E 3.0 video cards.

I agree with the comment on the GTX 580 - I think it is overpriced and it will be outdated in 6-12 months. Right now two 6950s in crossfire outperform the 580 and cost less. Really, you could purchase just one 6950 for $225 and buy Ivy Bridge compatible components and then upgrade at your convenience.

The 6950 is more than powerful enough to game with while you wait and when the next better video card comes out you won't be out $500 or more for the 580. There are several Gen 3 Ivy Bridge motherboards out there right now that are getting rave reviews. The AsRock extreme 7 Gen 3 board is one of them. It is highly unlikely that you will need to run three GPUs and these boards fully support two SLI or crossfire setups.

BTW your Thermaltake case looks like a good design - just make sure to read some reviews on it before you buy it. It is not listed on Newegg and therefore it may be an older outdated case. Check it out before you buy it. There may be a better version out there - check out the Newegg page here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&N=-1&isNodeId=1&Description=Thermaltake+computer+case&x=0&y=0

It looks a lot like the Cooler Master HAF X 942, you may want to look at the HAF X. I think that the Corsair cases are better but the HAF X is a great case.

The Velociraptor HDD is a waste of money. Seagate is getting read to ship 1 TB single platter drives which will blow the doors off of any current HDD and they should be cost competitive. For now just buy a $50 Samsung F3 Spinpoint - they are very fast and cheap (I own one and it has read and write speeds around 115 mb/s)

Don't get the Force 3 90 GB. I own the Corsair Force GT (emphsize the GT) - the GT does not cost much more and it has better performance. Also look at the Kingston Hyper X Extreme and other SSDs that I recommended above - these are the best out there right now. Don't mess around with the 60 and 90 GB sizes - get a 120GB. They provide you the most bang for your buck and give you enough room to put your favorite games on them. Also look at the Crucial M4 - it is also one of the best SSDs right now and it comes in a 128GB size. The M4 or the Mushkin Chronos Deluxe are probably the fastest 120 GB SSDs on the market right now.

The Asus Deluxe motherboard you list is not Ivy Bridge, Gen 3 compatible. I think that it is a mistake to not get a next generation motherboard. The AsRock Gen 3 Extreme 7 supports two 16 x 16 lanes and has several other features that the Asus Deluxe does not have.

The Promaltech Genesis does not perform as well as the Corsair H100 or the Noctua NH-D14 CPU coolers. I would strongly suggest that you go with one of these two coolers because you want to overclock. The H100 and the Noctua NH-d14 are the best reviewed CPU coolers on the market right now. I own the D-14 and my non-overclocked CPU temperature stays under 38C, which is phenomenal. The H100 is even BETTER than the D-14.

Get the Corsair HX 850 not the HX 750. I own both of these PSUs and so I am speaking from firsthand experience and the HX 850 is the way to go. It is much more powerful than the HX750 and it will operate at about 91% efficiency in your build. It will also be more quiet and cooler than the HX 750. This is especially important because you will probably run two GPUs in the future. The HX850 is a much more capable PSU to power a crossfire/SLI setup.

cutebeans · Oct 23, 2011

Hey shaq. You should not be wasting that $2000. A good $1500 build would be the best for you.

Someone, help this kid please.

Don't plan on SLI? A good 650w would be best.

shaqxolotl · Oct 24, 2011

Sorry you guys. I really do need advice please. Should I wait until the new GPU's, CPU's and Windows 8 come out? Will that be before mid next year? Thanks!

flong · Oct 24, 2011

cutebeans :

Why are you saying this? Just because the OP is 14 does not mean that they are not capable or learning to build a computer - in fact I believe the opposite; I think it is a great time for this young person to build a computer. I also think it is great that Shaq is humble enough and smart enough to go to Tom's Hardware to ask advice.

I agree that for his/her needs that he/she does not need a $3500 computer with two fan controls. I think Shaq should start off with a conservative $1500, Intel I-7 2500K build and it will be a great experience for him/her.

Anyway - I think that several people are trying to help this sincere young person. The components I have suggested probably can be found for around $1500 with rebates and a couple of good sales. I know that a couple of other people have suggested some more conservative choices along with me.

Look at it this way. This young person is going to build a computer. They will either build a well thought out system that gives them a good gaming computer for a reasonable price or they will buy a bunch of unnecessary components (like fan controls) and have a system that really costs too much. You can help the OP to make wise choices. However, in the end, this person is a 14 year old. They may choose some components that you or I don't think are the best. However, it will be learning experience for them.

Shaq if your smart, you will listen to what this poster is trying to say. You can have a great gaming computer for around $1500 - you don't need to spend $3500.

Also Shaq, make sure that you get some help building your first computer from someone who actually knows what they are doing (not your buddy down the street who has never built a computer). It is very easy to ruin an expensive motherboard or a CPU or GPU by not knowing what you are doing. Do your homework or you could brick a $200-$300 component in a heartbeat.

flong · Oct 24, 2011

shaqxolotl :

Shaq, this question has been answered so focus on the answers that have already been provided. Pay attention. You can learn this if you try and if you apply yourself.

Ivy Bridge is slated to start selling in the first quarter of 2012. That means it is 3-6 months out approximately. Windows 8 is coming out at approximately the same time. If you can wait until then, you will have the advantage of having the newest and fastest CPU available and the newest Windows system.

The PCI-E 3.0 compliant video cards will probably start coming out in 9-12 months although I am sure that there are many people on this forum who have better information than I do. As I understand it, the PCI-E 3.0 video cards will not come out till the second or third quarter of 2012, but as I said, someone else may have more current information.

I would advise you to wait and educate yourself for a while. You don't seem to understand a lot about computers yet. Start reading article on different sites about the different video card options available and what SSDs do and how to build a computer. Do some homework. This can be fun homework though because you can get with your buddies and discuss which video card is the best and which SSD is the fastest and which case is the coolest.

If you wait you can also wait for sales on the various components that you may buy. For example, the Corsair HX 850 was on sale at Newegg about three months ago for only $120, which is a steal. If you check Amazon and Newegg regularly you can get these great buys and save some money.

You need to read some reviews about different cases, and different video cards and CPU coolers and so forth in order that you can better understand how to wisely spend your money.

Anyway - I wish you the best as does everyone who has read your thread

shaqxolotl · Oct 24, 2011

Best answer selected by shaqxolotl.

shaqxolotl · Oct 24, 2011

Ok, thanks. I might as well buy this gaming rig in December.

Thanks everyone!

Emelth · Oct 24, 2011

FinneousPJ · Oct 24, 2011

Cool.

After you've read some more about this stuff, you should post again before buying

flong · Oct 24, 2011

Emelth :

I am not sure what is so funny - you were 14 once. I am willing to bet you may not have exhibited as much good sense as Shaq in several areas of life when you were 14. He was smart enough to start a thread and ask the questions and put together a prospective build - that says a lot doesn't it?

shaqxolotl · Oct 24, 2011

Thanks everyone.

Computers are my passion, I have just started learning about them this year and that is why I got a job to buy and build one for myself. I really enjoy learing about computers and watching videos on YouTube about people building them, info and reviews on products and online benchmarks.

I wish to do something along the lines of computer technology when I'm older, preferably something to do with hardware like a computer hardware engineer.

Thanks again everyone.

flong · Oct 24, 2011

shaqxolotl :

You are welcome - you have an excellent start on learning about this field. Apply yourself and focus and you will be able to master the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in the computer industry.

Project managers for computer products make very good money and they are in demand. Make sure that you go into a field in computers that has a high demand, so that you can get work.

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