1st build- Budget build with adaptibility. Anyone have any thoughts?

robert burkhardt

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Apr 19, 2013
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10,510
I'm looking to build my first pc. I'm not a gamer, mostly web surfing, media applications and some drafting applications are what I'd use it for.
I'm thinking that a Gigabyte GA- Z77X-UP5-Th with an Ivy Bridge i3, a 128 GB SSD for a boot drive, a largish HDD and an optical drive.
Anyone have any thoughts on how big a power supply I should get, or thoughts on hardware at all?
I'd like to make this build something I can add to and/or change across time in order to keep up with changing tech.
 
What do you plan on updating in the future? Any plan to upgrade the CPU to a K version and overclock it? Will you eventually add a high power GPU?

Your current components selection require a 200W PSU at most, but you still want to get a quality 350-400W PSU just in case you add more components. If you don't plan on overclocking a future CPU (the one that you selected can't be overclocked), then you don't need a Z77 motherboard; an H77 or a B75 would be fine.
 

robert burkhardt

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Apr 19, 2013
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10,510
I would update the cpu- it's my understanding, I could be wrong, that operating systems are tied to the mobo, so I wouldn't want to be replacing that anytime soon. But I would probably want to upgrade the cpu- just something bigger/faster, though I'd not likely overclock, add a graphics card- I figure that'll be handy for drafting blueprints,change or add SSD's as they hold more and cost less.
 
You could get a quality 400-500W PSU just in case, but bear in mind that newer components usually are not that power hungry (except for high performance gaming GPUs and you most likely won't buy one of those for your requirements). SSD's require less than 3W each.
 
What software do you use to draft blueprints? Can it take advantage of Quadro or Firepro cards that cost hundreds of dollars (or more)? Do you make a living out of drafting blueprints? Is 2D or 3D performance the most important and what's your budget?
 

robert burkhardt

Honorable
Apr 19, 2013
15
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10,510
I need architectural blueprints for my work, I currently get my blueprints done at the community college here- at a pretty decent price, bless 'em, but that can dry up at any time, and down the line I'd like to streamline my process. I'm looking at Ashampoo 3D cad professional. I guess for now, I wouldn't want to spend more than 4-5 hundred on a card.
 
You could look at CAD graphics cards (they are not designed for gaming):

- Quadro 600 or Quadro K600 (more Cuda cores) for $200 or less
- AMD FirePro W5000, Quadro 2000D or AMD FirePro V5900 (very close to your maximum budget)

You should read the reviews and then decide on which one best meets your requirements and budget. Spending $500 may not be worth it if a $200 card performs well enough.