How to build a gaming computer?

[PeteA24]

I never built a computer in my life, and I don't know where to start...Everyone keeps telling me its very easy and all that, but I just don't feel comfortable handling 1 to 2 thousand dollars worth of merchandise when I have no clue where to even begin. Everyone recommended this site, can anyone help me?

 

[EasyLover]

Dear, Pl relax. You can read multiple threads or articles on doing the installation. I would recommend you to watch PC Building Guide on youtube in which they'll show you step by step guideline by actually building the PC. My favorite channel is LinusTechTips. Watch him and learn and you'll enjoy doing your PC Build.

It is not difficult but you must need to know some basics though.

 

[MurrayA]

recommend to keep watching youtube videos, the easiest way to learn about building is visually

I'm not endorsing this video, But looks like it can start off your search
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPIXAtNGGCw

When it comes time for you to be looking at your parts check
pcpartpicker.com

the site has a compatibility tool, which is handy if your not sure about sockets and power supply wattage

 

[PeteA24]

How do I know which parts are best for my needs? I wanna be able to play any game smoothly and at its highest settings whenever I like...I heard I need a high end video card, with a few other things, but I don't know if I'm buying things that is overkill for my needs or too little or whatever...:/ I did watch taht video murray thx for that and I get the basics down sorta..I'll re-watch when I do get it and that website should come in handy.

 

[MurrayA]

How do I know which parts are best for my needs? I wanna be able to play any game smoothly and at its highest settings whenever I like...I heard I need a high end video card, with a few other things, but I don't know if I'm buying things that is overkill for my needs or too little or whatever...:/ I did watch taht video murray thx for that and I get the basics down sorta..I'll re-watch when I do get it and that website should come in handy.

Hi Pete

Its not always about the parts you need, its about getting the best parts for the budget you have, how much are you thinking to spend on a gaming pc?

here is my recommendation
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2Ok4F

This can be adjusted depending on what your budget is

 

[PeteA24]

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2PkkI

Hey I was wondering if you guys can take a look and see if this is a good list of parts....I honestly have no idea about anything, all I nkow is i need 1 of each of these components to create a computer...I just picked each part that has the best reviews with a little bit of educated guessing... Anyways I wasn't sure if any of the parts I chose has liquid cooling or do I need to get that separately? and Do i need fans still if i do?

 

[tiny voices]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.29 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Asus Z87-PRO (V EDITION) ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($169.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: PNY XLR8 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($114.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($87.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 780 3GB Video Card ($499.99 @ Newegg)
Wireless Network Adapter: TRENDnet TEW-805UB 802.11a/b/g/n/ac USB 3.0 Wi-Fi Adapter ($38.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Stryker (White) ATX Full Tower Case ($149.99 @ Microcenter)
Power Supply: XFX 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($99.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: LG UH12NS29 Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer ($52.99 @ Mwave)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($84.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1732.18
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-08 01:25 EST-0500)

Fixed that build for you. DO this. MUCH better performance for the same money.
-dropped the lan card becase the motherboard has a better one built in.
-Same quality but cheaper PSU
-Newer CPU and motherboard
-MUCH better GPU

 

[Yaksh Shah]

Dear, it's really easy to build a gaming computer you can find out some video tutorials on www.youtube.com. It's all about knowing which part you need.

 

[PeteA24]

Thanks tiny voice, I was just wondering if this build came with liquid cooling? or if its even needed?..?

Does everyone agree with the build tiny voices provided, if not why or why not I'm a curious individual and wanted to get as much insight as possible ;D. Thanks for all your help everyone.

Btw all the terms u said about fixing "Lan card" or GPU or any of that stuff I didn't really understand, did you get rid of something because it was already built into something else?

 

[g-unit1111]

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2PkkI

Hey I was wondering if you guys can take a look and see if this is a good list of parts....I honestly have no idea about anything, all I nkow is i need 1 of each of these components to create a computer...I just picked each part that has the best reviews with a little bit of educated guessing... Anyways I wasn't sure if any of the parts I chose has liquid cooling or do I need to get that separately? and Do i need fans still if i do?

Oh no, there is *ZERO* reason to pay that much for a rig only to get last year's hardware, it will shorten the lifespan of your system significantly. Here's what you should do:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.29 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Thermaltake Water 3.0 Extreme 99.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($109.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme6 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($158.49 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($76.50 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($114.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($60.17 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 780 3GB Video Card ($683.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Titanium Grey) ATX Mid Tower Case ($110.98 @ Best Buy)
Power Supply: NZXT HALE90 V2 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($168.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1733.37
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-08 02:27 EST-0500)

 

[PeteA24]

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2PkkI

Hey I was wondering if you guys can take a look and see if this is a good list of parts....I honestly have no idea about anything, all I nkow is i need 1 of each of these components to create a computer...I just picked each part that has the best reviews with a little bit of educated guessing... Anyways I wasn't sure if any of the parts I chose has liquid cooling or do I need to get that separately? and Do i need fans still if i do?

Oh no, there is *ZERO* reason to pay that much for a rig only to get last year's hardware, it will shorten the lifespan of your system significantly. Here's what you should do:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.29 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Thermaltake Water 3.0 Extreme 99.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($109.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme6 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($158.49 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($76.50 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($114.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($60.17 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 780 3GB Video Card ($683.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Titanium Grey) ATX Mid Tower Case ($110.98 @ Best Buy)
Power Supply: NZXT HALE90 V2 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($168.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1733.37
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-08 02:27 EST-0500)

What do you mean by "rig" and what parts are from last year?

 

[PeteA24]

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2PkkI
Ok So this was the original link, after looking at these gentlemens post, I made a few revisions, but I do have a few questions.
for the CPU, I intially had i7 intel 3.5 ghz processor, why is it better that I have
: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor instead?

For the CPU Cooler: which is better? I intially picked Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU CoolerP, gunit revised it and put down a bit more expensive but I guess maybe a more superior coolant? No idea, because Corsair got a lot of good reviews so I was JW.

For the motherboard: tiny put down a more expensive 1 as well, I had ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard, but he put down Asus Z87-PRO (V EDITION) ATX LGA1150 Motherboard. JW why it would be better...I plan on getting these parts ASAP.

For memory which is better between these 3: 1. PNY XLR8 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory. 2. G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory. or the 1 i picked 3. Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory.
As for the video card, I'm definitely going to go with tiny's and gunits since its known as # 1 in the market.

In addition I wanted to know which power supply is better and why NZXT HALE90 V2 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply, or XFX 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power SupplyP, or Corsair Professional 750W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply

As for the Storage part, no one modified it so I'm assuming Seagate and the SDD samsung 840 is fine...

What do you guys think? I'm a newb when it comes to all of this, this is my first time building a computer EVER .

 

[PeteA24]

O and I really wanted to know the best possible Case to fit all this stuff, if anyone knows the most reliable, spacious, and best organized Case there is and ez to use.

 

[EasyLover]

Dear after reading all above I wonder would there be an end to it! I wonder why i7 is being recommended when you are not into OCing that much? Here is a list you may consider (Also follow your heart/mind because at the end it will be you who would be using this system not us )

CPU i5 4670k (It is more than enough for your need pl)

Mobo is Asus Maximus VI Hero (Wlecome to ROG series, It has all the features that you need 8 SATA ports, 2 PCIe 3.0 (Yes ASRock has 3 these ports) , Supreme-FX, Xonic Radar), However if you also require BLUETOOTH and WiFi features then go for Asus Z87 Pro. Check this comparison

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007627%2050001315%2050001944%20600438202%204017&IsNodeId=1&bop=And&CompareItemList=280%7C13-131-989%5E13-131-989-TS%2C13-157-382%5E13-157-382-TS%2C13-131-979%5E13-131-979-TS&percm=13-131-989%3A%24%24%24%24%24%24%24%3B13-157-382%3A%24%24%24%24%24%24%24%3B13-131-979%3A%24%24%24%24%24%24%24

GPU is EVGA GTX780 DUAL/FTW w/EVGA ACX Cooler

RAM : You may safely pick any of G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB/16GB or Corsair Vengeance Pro 8GB/16GB

Chassis: very honestly speaking, your choice you may still check Cooler Master HAF-942/932 or Mid Tower Storm Scout-II Advanced

Cooler: Either Noctua NH-14D/NH-U14S or Corsair H100i. If you are not into liquid cooling then go for Noctua otherwise stick with Corsair H100i because it is AIO water based cooling solution, easy to install and maintain and gives you best temp under load.

PSU: XFX 750W is a good one. Corsair AX series is expensive, leave it.

Dear, no need to spend too much on Chassis. H100i will do its job to your satisfaction without any doubt. i5 is sufficient to fulfill your needs so don't go for i7 unless you are into extreme OCing/gaming and CPU intensive apps which I doubt.

Happy Hunting

 

[PeteA24]

What is Ocing? I will be doing intense gaming tho... I don't know any terms so please elaborate further when replying, and I do appreciate ur response sir ;D

 

[EasyLover]

What is Ocing? I will be doing intense gaming tho... I don't know any terms so please elaborate further when replying, and I do appreciate ur response sir ;D

OC stands for overclocking. This is what when thru voltage regulation you increase the base clock of your CPU/GPU/RAM etc. Problem in OC is that too much heat is dissipated whoch inf unattended could damage your system. Also OCing shortens the life time of your components because we no longer operate at recommended voltages.

Even for intense gaming, specs quoted are ok. You may consider RAM 1866MHz though in that case. For gaming you should consider Asus Maximus VI Hero. This is their ROG series purely for enthusiasts in gaming.

What is your budget for Chassis anyhow

 

[PeteA24]

What is Chassis and My budget is whatever gets every game known for PC's running smoothly and thats about it...What about Ramm? 8gb or 16 gb?, Btw did you have a hard time building your own computer? I looked at the video, I mean it seems simple, but I just feel like I won't be able to connect everything, or I'll forget something or I won't have the right systematic way to put everything in correctly by order to make sure everything fits properly...Also does this motherboard come with WIFI built in? Or do i still need to buy the adapter to attach it to the motherboard?

 

[EasyLover]

Chassis means PC Case. Go with 16GB. No dear I did not have hard time doing it though air cooler was bit difficult though Hero does not have built in WiFi/Bluetooth so you'll have to buy adapter else get Z87 pro asit has both but this should not be your basis of comparison or buying decision as we can always add these functionalities thru adapters.

Dear, relax and calm down. I don't think you are nervous but excited which is good thing don't let it turn into anxiety .

Still if you think you are not comfortable, get an helping hand. Ask your friend or someone who has built PC before to guide you on building or build the PC in that guy's presence. I've built many rigs. Believe me it is not hard and nothing can go wrong because of the design of cables and components.

Reason for putting down ASRock 77 series would be that all specs are for 87 series which have 1150 socket whereas 77 does not have this scoket.

Good luck and happy hunting! Should you have more queries pl let me know

 

[g-unit1111]

What do you mean by "rig" and what parts are from last year?

"Rig" is another slang term for PC build. And what I mean by last year's parts are your motherboard and CPU. They've since been replaced by the much newer i5-4670K and i7-4770K, and the motherboards have been replaced with their Z87 equivalents. And that offers a 20% improvement in performance over the previous generation. Every year or so Intel releases new parts under new names and identifications, and they're usually offering about a 20% increase over the last generation.

 

[PeteA24]

What do you mean by "rig" and what parts are from last year?

"Rig" is another slang term for PC build. And what I mean by last year's parts are your motherboard and CPU. They've since been replaced by the much newer i5-4670K and i7-4770K, and the motherboards have been replaced with their Z87 equivalents. And that offers a 20% improvement in performance over the previous generation. Every year or so Intel releases new parts under new names and identifications, and they're usually offering about a 20% increase over the last generation.

O, ok. That power supply you put in, what makes it better? and I need a case that is allows plenty of airflow and newb friendly...so i guess spacious. Something thats good, any recommendations...

 

[EasyLover]

What do you mean by "rig" and what parts are from last year?

"Rig" is another slang term for PC build. And what I mean by last year's parts are your motherboard and CPU. They've since been replaced by the much newer i5-4670K and i7-4770K, and the motherboards have been replaced with their Z87 equivalents. And that offers a 20% improvement in performance over the previous generation. Every year or so Intel releases new parts under new names and identifications, and they're usually offering about a 20% increase over the last generation.

O, ok. That power supply you put in, what makes it better? and I need a case that is allows plenty of airflow and newb friendly...so i guess spacious. Something thats good, any recommendations...

XFX produces best in the class. To guide you, check for 80+ certification (Though it is not mandatory and not having this certification does not mean that PSU can't work). There are four categories in this certification like Platinum, Gold, Bronze, Silver in terms of efficiency. Higher efficiency means PSU will work best under load and stress. Then there are modular vs smei modular vs non modular PSU. Words of caution: This has nothing to do with performance of the PSU. If PSU is modular it will make the task of cable management a lot easier and that's it.

I prefer three brands when it comes to PSU: XFX, Corsair, Cooler Master. I am still recommending you XFX.

PS: Spending money on good PSU is not a cost but an investment because this will ensure that your PC components are safe and system is stable.

So far as for Case, check Cooler Master HAF (High Air Flow) 942 Full Tower

http://www.coolermaster.com/case/full-tower/haf-x/

Corsair has announced their new full tower case at CES 2014 Graphite T-760 (Beautiful no doubt)

http://www.corsair.com/en/graphite-series/?utm_source=Corsair&utm_medium=Website&utm_content=graphiteseries&utm_campaign=FrontPage

or you can check cooler master's most successful Case here:

http://www.coolermaster.com/case/full-tower-cosmos-series/cosmos-s/

If you would ask me, I'll recommend you HAF series from Cooler Master because they are designed on the concept of high air flow hence ensuring the good temps inside the case.

 

[g-unit1111]

O, ok. That power supply you put in, what makes it better? and I need a case that is allows plenty of airflow and newb friendly...so i guess spacious. Something thats good, any recommendations...

The PSU I recommended is made by one of the best manufacturers in the business and uses high quality capacitors which will handle the loads required should you decide to add a second GPU. The case I recommended will fit those needs just fine, I won't recommend cases that don't.

 

[PeteA24]

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2Qzbt

This is my recently updated list...Tell me what you guys think... i also need to pick a Sound card, and I need to know something about the wired/wireless adapters....Do i need wireless adapter ? Thought this motherboard comes with it, and for the wired adapter, is this the best 1 i can get? Something about PC-EXPRESS - 1 or 4 or w/e Idk whats the difference and I dont know if it matters much I just chose the cheapest one...

O and tell me what you guys think of the case I chose...expensive but I like it

One last thing...the blue ray player..Idk why but I checkd off blue ray writer and reader and dvd writer and reader and i found 1 at the top of the list for 19.99 with pretty good reviews, but im skeptical on the price and the amazing reviews....can some1 shed some light on that? The name of it was Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS.... So yeah lol.. I'm ALMOST DONE! Picking parts !

 

[EasyLover]

Dear PeteA24,

System seems ok. What is your reason for Asus Pro V. Better buy Asus Z87 Pro @ $179 and it has builtin WiFi and Bluetooth facilities so you'll not be needing any additional adapter and it is only $10 difference. You'd saving $19 from your adapter.

Both motherboards have 2 PCIe 3.0 slots.

Case is very good and indeed I recommended it as well.

If you are buying Seagate Hard disk drive then I would recommend using Western Digital (WD) Black Caviar. It is one of the best hard drives in the market and I've a good experience with it. It is puerly for performance oriented systems.

Do you really need blue ray player? Asus model you've chosen is DVD Reader and Writer. It is not a Blue Ray reader/writer. Blue ray versions are starting from $49-$50 range.

Good luck!

 

[PeteA24]

Ok I changed the motherboard and harddisk, thanks so much...as for the "wired adapter"... I would still want a place to put a physical wire for faster internet speeds...So with that being said, do u recommend any1 or is there a specific 1 that you might've had in mind? 29.99 i heard is a bit much, but then again I would have no clue.
http://pcpartpicker.com/user/petea24/saved/3I2D
O and I added a monitor