Extremely overwhelmed and in need of help...

esoares73 · Jul 22, 2012

Hello,

i've just recently gotten into PC gaming and the laptop i have at the moment just isn't cutting it. I've decided to get myself a gaming desktop, something that can run pretty much anything I throw at it on high settings (mainly rpg's and rts games). I've been trying to research and look for something myself but there's so many variables and it's really overwhelming and stressful trying to weed out the bad computers when you have no idea what you're doing, so i've decided to swallow my pride and ask for help.

I'm technologically illiterate so building a computer on my own is most likely out of the question, but i'm still open for suggestions. I'm willing to spend around $1,000 not including a monitor or keyboard/mouse but I will spend a little more for a quality machine. I live in the US and would really appreciate any and all suggestions. A little insight would be appreciated as well.

Thank you in advance =)
Much love <3

JefferyD90 · Jul 22, 2012

4745454b · Jul 22, 2012

???? Really? Ultra PSU? 6770 to play games at 1080? An AMD CPU when you have $800-$1,000 budget?

Grab an Intel CPU. 2120 or 2400 if you can swing it. Antec, Corsair, or Seasonic for the short list of PSUs. Antec 302 case is good. 2x4GBs of ram fine. Pile everything else into the GPU.

Guest · Jul 22, 2012

if you are looking for a set of componients to build a great gaming machine i would like to suggest the following to play any game at a nice frame rate (35-60+):
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3450 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock Z75 Pro3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($92.55 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($43.99 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: Western Digital RE2 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($57.99 @ Compuvest)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 2GB Video Card ($284.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Antec Eleven Hundred ATX Full Tower Case ($94.98 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 520W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($59.50 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Sony DDU1681S-0B DVD/CD Drive ($17.00 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Full (32/64-bit) ($148.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $989.98
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-07-21 22:13 EDT-0400)
first off i picked a 3450 because i have my doubts that you are going to be an enthusiast and overclock and it also saves you the price and wonder of getting a third party cpu heatsink to keep an overclocked cpu cool.
now if you choose to try overclocking later the Z75 has the same capabilities as a Z77 board but no intel smart response for using a SSD as a cache for the hard drive (no one uses that anyhow). and speaking of an SSD, i decided to for go that because it really does not affect the frame rates when gaming, though it does make the overall system "snappier" it does allow the budget for a better video card which will have a dramatic performance increase while gaming.
the 7870 is the best performing video card for the price and doesn't draw a lot of power nor gives off a lot of heat. honestly the only card for a better bang for the buck is a GTX 670 but that is $100 more.
got a nice big well ventilated case, a favorite of most gamers . . (me, i pick up POS from the curb . as long as it has a motherboard tray, i could care less)
the seasonic 520 will be plenty of wattage for any single card solution. again, no offense, you being new to building and such; i suspect you won't be ready to dive into a multi card configuration. also i selected a full version on windows7 so if you change motherboards you will not have to buy another OEM version.

here is part 2 of how to build a computer, a video produced by new egg. if after watching this you feel a bit more confident in tackling building one yourself, its a great way to save $100+!
[flash=560,315]http://www.youtube.com/v/d_56kyib-Ls[/flash]

JefferyD90 · Jul 22, 2012

4745454b :

Once again, it is his first build... Second, I sudjested downgrading it to a $800 build so he can feel things out for himself... Third, yes the APU with a 6770 will run any game out there just fine, full steam ahead...

Im willing to bet that he will be VERY happy with this build.

Guest · Jul 22, 2012

JefferyD90 :

and a Pentium will run it better . . .

Build It: Picking Parts For Your Kid's Entry-Level Gaming PC

Llanos are a $400 budget build, nothing more.

ScrewySqrl · Jul 22, 2012

since he needs EVERYTHING:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3450 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock B75M Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($72.55 @ Newegg)
Memory: Pareema 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($40.89 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: OCZ Agility 3 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($86.99 @ eCost)
Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($77.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 560 Ti 1GB Video Card ($174.98 @ NCIX US)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 370 ATX Mid Tower Case ($29.98 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Corsair 500W ATX12V Power Supply ($53.50 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Acer G215HVAbd 21.5" Monitor ($119.41 @ CompUSA)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit) ($90.65 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Rosewill RK-700M Wired Standard Keyboard ($9.99 @ Newegg)
Mouse: Rosewill RM-2400L Wired Laser Mouse ($9.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $974.90
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-07-21 22:06 EDT-0400)

4745454b · Jul 22, 2012

Sorry, but I don't see how a 6770 CF'd with an APU will provide playable frame rates in all/most games at 1080 with the details up. Some sure, but games are more demanding these days.

JefferyD90 · Jul 22, 2012

The APU will... I have a A6 on a notebook and it plays WoW just fine when I use it on "Good" settings (its 1080)... And it doesnt have a video card.

ScrewySqrl · Jul 22, 2012

WoW is not BF3

and a 6770 will not CF with an APU

JefferyD90 · Jul 23, 2012

I know WoW is not BF3, but Im tring to prove a point, if you got a A8 instead of a A6 and had it crossfired it could play BF3 just fine. So its like takeing 2 steps up...

You are part correct... The Notebook version will crossfire, desktop will not... That is my mistake as I dont typically look at APUs on desktops... So just save the money all the way around and get a 6670 in dual mode...

And another thing, I was just trying to save dude some money.

4745454b · Jul 23, 2012

Saving money won't matter if it won't give him what he wants.

Looking again he want to play "mainly" RPG and RTS games which don't need 60FPS. Not meaning to say your way is wrong but if there are ANY higher FPS games that he wants to play "your way" isn't going to cut it. Metro and BF3 will choke on that setup. GTA4 probably as well. And for me if you are going to get a gaming setup get the best you can. Meaning don't hamper it by trying to use an APU.

JefferyD90 · Jul 24, 2012

4745454b :

I can agree with this 90%. I really think the APU's can handle a little more than you think tho

ScrewySqrl · Jul 24, 2012

APUs are great htpcs, and low-end notebook gamers. If you're building a PC under $450, an APU is going to give you good gaming results for the price. more than that and it swings back to intel

JefferyD90 · Jul 24, 2012

I dont know, Im more of a outside the case person. I like having nice keyboards, and nice speakers, and multi monitors. Most of the hardware that comes out today is good stuff. You almost cant go wrong throwing ANYTHING together. I mean 4GB of RAM is a given anymore, and that is plenty. 2Ghz+ dual or quad core is a given, that is more than enough for 95% of games (the 5% being BF3 and other "Crazy" games). And if you have a dedicated source of video your going to have at least 1GB of RAM and even a 6450 runs that 95% just fine at moderate settings. I think you are starting to see my point.

4745454b · Jul 24, 2012

I guess I look at things from a different view. Don't get me wrong, I'm not running GTX580s or 6970s here. My 1GB GTX460 is more then enough for me. But I'm not delusional to think I can put any game in my system, max it out, and get playable frame rates on my 1080 monitors. The GTX460 just can't do that for all games out now.

Its fine if you want nice keyboards and all. But I also run a $10 walmart/kmart keyboard so that everything looks great on my system. Different sides of the same coin.

JefferyD90 · Jul 24, 2012

Well there isnt any games that I cant run flat out anyways. But I would rather have my nice "accessories" or as I call them "necessaties". Every computer needs a keyboard, monitor, and all of that but not every PC needs a bad ass video card.

ScrewySqrl · Jul 25, 2012

true enough....but a gaming computer needs a certain level of muscle

JefferyD90 · Jul 25, 2012

ScrewySqrl :

Yea, what I always tell my customers is your keyboard is something you will use ALL THE TIME. Your monitor, its the most important part of the computer, it is what you look at 100% of the time you use your machine. You can have one of the best machines but a frustrating keyboard and mouse will ruin it. And the big kicker, over the past 10 years what has really changed with a keyboard, speakers, mouse... nothing, but you wont see the same video cards on the market in as little as a year...

What I'm trying to get at is you can buy a much better video card in 6 months for half the price as what you have now. Your accessories will last forever tho. That is why when I start a build, I get a keyboard, monitor, mouse, speakers, headset (if applicable) first, then I get everything else around it. Who ever heard of playing BF3 on a 7970 with a 19" monitor... lol

ScrewySqrl · Jul 25, 2012

and yet, I'm perfectly happy using a $9.99 rosewill RM700 keyboard for a decade

4745454b · Jul 25, 2012

For me its an issue of spills. I drink while gaming and countless times I've spilled whatever I'm drinking all over the keyboard. If a $12 keyboard dies, no big deal. I am tempted to upgrade my mouse but the one I have works so I'm not worried.

ScrewySqrl · Jul 25, 2012

does the OP even care anymore after this flamewar?:

Extremely overwhelmed and in need of help...

Honorable

Honorable

Titan

Guest

Guest

Honorable

Guest

Guest

Champion

Titan

Honorable

Champion

Honorable

Titan

Honorable

Champion

Honorable

Titan

Honorable

Champion

Honorable

Champion

Titan

Champion

Share this page