Attempting 1st build

[zink937]

ive never built a pc before but goin to attempt to in the near future. budget is around $1,000 - $1,500. I plan on doin this over the course of the year piece by piece until I get all the pieces. I need something that's goin to last for 5-7 yrs if that's doable. I would like it to be gaming oriented because that's what I plan on doin with it soley. and advice/suggestions appreciated. thanks

 

[JJ1217]

5-7 years isn't going to last. One good way to look to see if a rig will do well in 5-7 years, is to look at how cards performed 5-7 years ago. Had a good look? Most of them won't even start the game let alone run it.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/353572-31-build-upgrade-advice

Use this please, and respond back into this topic. Someone can help you (or me) if we get some more information.

 

[zink937]

Approximate Purchase Date: over course of year

Budget Range: $1,000 - $1,500

System Usage from Most to Least Important:99% gaming 1% websurfing

Are you buying a monitor: Yes

Do you need to buy OS: Yes

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: best and cheapiest if that makes sense

Location: City, State/Region, Country - us, urbana , ohio

Parts Preferences: does no matter as long as they are good and dependable

Overclocking: maybe don't know how to do it

SLI or Crossfire: yes crossfire

Your Monitor Resolution: I would like a monitor that 1920x1080


And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading:i would like to know how to build a pc and understand my pc, also making a switch to pc instead next-gen consoles.

 

[zink937]

jj1217 as long as the build can last that long I can swap gpu's when necessary. sorry if I wasn't clear.

 

[manofchalk]

Bit of advice, save up your money until you can buy it all in one go. There's no point buying components over an extended period of time, as the components will just sit there as their retail price decreases, warranty periods expire while newer and better things come out to replace them.
For instance, buy a CPU now and its useless until the rest of the build arrives. By the time that happens, Haswell/Steamroller has released and its already outdated.

This will be a good build for you I think. Though as I said before, parts may change by the time you end up building the rig, so dont expect the components or price to stay static.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($134.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($72.04 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card ($399.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master HAF XM (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($129.99 @ Best Buy)
Power Supply: Corsair Enthusiast 750W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer ($15.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ Outlet PC)
Monitor: Asus VE248H 24.0" Monitor ($167.18 @ Newegg)
Total: $1375.12
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-07 06:57 EST-0500)

 

[zink937]

thanks a lot for the help.

 

[g-unit1111]

5-7 years isn't going to last. One good way to look to see if a rig will do well in 5-7 years, is to look at how cards performed 5-7 years ago. Had a good look? Most of them won't even start the game let alone run it.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/353572-31-build-upgrade-advice

Use this please, and respond back into this topic. Someone can help you (or me) if we get some more information.

To me evolving a build as you go along is the only way to ensure its' longevity. Make sure everything you get complies with standard form factors and that your case is large enough that it will accommodate full size motherboards and long video cards. Make sure your motherboard supports the latest standards - SATA/6, USB 3.0, Thunderbolt (if needed), PCI 3.0, etc. Do not skimp on the power supply and make sure you get one that's built to last. That way whatever you upgrade to will ensure that it works in your build.

Bit of advice, save up your money until you can buy it all in one go. There's no point buying components over an extended period of time, as the components will just sit there as their retail price decreases, warranty periods expire while newer and better things come out to replace them.

Agree 110%. Not to mention that most stores only have 60 day return policies. So if you do get bad hardware by the time you get your build completed, you'll be SOL when you go to request an RMA. What I've learned from my experience is that if something goes wrong, it's going to go wrong within the first 60 days of ownership.

That said here's a build I would recommend:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($134.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: OCZ Vertex 4 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($369.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Titanium Grey) ATX Mid Tower Case ($143.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: PC Power & Cooling Silencer Mk II 750W 80 PLUS Silver Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($103.98 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($21.98 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1404.86
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-07 13:34 EST-0500)

 

[zink937]

well i have a computer already its a hp A8-550. I was thinking of when i buy them try them out on that. I can do that right or what that not be a good idea? things like the cpu and gpu i will wait on til i save up enough money but things like storage,memory, fans wont but that out dated will it? if youcould give me and average shelf life for things like that. i know gpu's and cpu's change frequently and ill upgrade them when time comes. hope this makes sense

 

[g-unit1111]

well i have a computer already its a hp A8-550. I was thinking of when i buy them try them out on that. I can do that right or what that not be a good idea? things like the cpu and gpu i will wait on til i save up enough money but things like storage,memory, fans wont but that out dated will it? if youcould give me and average shelf life for things like that. i know gpu's and cpu's change frequently and ill upgrade them when time comes. hope this makes sense

I don't know what RAM standards Haswell will use but it will most likely be the same as Ivy Bridge - DDR3 1600Mhz. 1.5V, dual channel. As long as the RAM you get meets those standards you're fine.

Hard drives - at least mechanical ones will not change so you're safe there. SSDs are constantly changing - but the fastest on the market remain the OCZ Vector and the Samsung 840 Pro.

You don't need fans until you get your build up and running. Your air flow is determined by the position of your heat sink and the size and positioning of your fans does matter.

 

[zink937]

Thanks helps a lot. I've never built a pc before been reading the article on here on how to build. I wish I had enough money to do some like $100 dollar build before spending money and jacking it up. Been opening up my pc now and looking at it and trying to identify things to get a better understanding. In your opinion what things can I buy anyone from now to 6 months and b safe for a couple yrs and things I should hold off on til I know I got the money and can buy them?

 

[JJ1217]

Buy it all at once. Like stated before, if you get a dead part, you'll be left behind when you find out that its faulty. Computer parts are designed in a way, that if they are going to fail, they'll show indications extremely quickly. Usually within two weeks, maybe up to a month. You don't often see people saying their card died after a month of use, more within a week or two with use.

 

[bigcyco1]

the best building pc tutorial - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea_bs5G1yYU