Malice's Guide to Building a Custom PC

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

Hey Malice just wanted to say that so far really great stuff But I was just wondering when more updates are coming and... I had a few questions of my own. Some of which will probably be covered with your explanations of what to buy for what need etc. But a few I am curious about now, or if any others would care to share their input and asnwer my questions feel free

1. How much will a low end self made computer run me? (the basic needs of logging online and making cds, dvds and listening to music, watching movies.) run me?

2. Same as #1, but high end self made computer run me? (online game play, burn movies/music, download various content, photo/movie minor edit etc.)

3. Is it better to buy piece by piece as I get the money (HD, case, memory, motherboard etc.) or to figure out how much it will cost me roughly and save then buy it all at once?

4. Are any of the dell or Hp computers worth buying, then upgrading later?

Examples

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/odg/yahoo_east_040606?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/compare.aspx/dimen_lo?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd

http://compusa.shoplocal.com/compus...agenumber=5&rapid=257788&prvid=CompUSA-060402

 

[War Lord]

Hey Malice just wanted to say that so far really great stuff But I was just wondering when more updates are coming and... I had a few questions of my own. Some of which will probably be covered with your explanations of what to buy for what need etc. But a few I am curious about now, or if any others would care to share their input and asnwer my questions feel free

1. How much will a low end self made computer run me? (the basic needs of logging online and making cds, dvds and listening to music, watching movies.) run me?

2. Same as #1, but high end self made computer run me? (online game play, burn movies/music, download various content, photo/movie minor edit etc.)

3. Is it better to buy piece by piece as I get the money (HD, case, memory, motherboard etc.) or to figure out how much it will cost me roughly and save then buy it all at once?

4. Are any of the dell or Hp computers worth buying, then upgrading later?

Eamples

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/odg/yahoo_east_040606?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/compare.aspx/dimen_lo?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd

http://compusa.shoplocal.com/compus...agenumber=5&rapid=257788&prvid=CompUSA-060402

A computer will cost you from 800 (low end basic) to 2500 (high end gaming machine).

I can answer your third question easily enough, I think. It is best that you save your money and purchase everything at once. That's the best way to ensure compatibility.

I can also answer your fourth question. If you're going to purchase an HP computer, buy the best that you can afford and don't upgrade it because HP uses proprietory parts and that can be rather expensive. Dell uses fairly general parts and you can upgrade that much easier.

I hope Malice puts a sticky back on this thread.

 

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

A computer will cost you from 800 (low end basic) to 2500 (high end gaming machine).

I can answer your third question easily enough, I think. It is best that you save your money and purchase everything at once. That's the best way to ensure compatibility.

I can also answer your fourth question. If you're going to purchase an HP computer, buy the best that you can afford and don't upgrade it because HP uses proprietory parts and that can be rather expensive. Dell uses fairly general parts and you can upgrade that much easier.

I hope Malice puts a sticky back on this thread.

Ditto and thanks Warlord. But you didn't quite answer quesion 4 exactly the way I wanted. I know I can upgrade them, but is it worth it? Is it cost effective at all? Should I even attempt it? It sounds like a no from you with HP but what about Dell? Would I be okay buying a basic starting PC then upgrading it? Or should I not waste my money and just save and build one of my own?

Really $800 even for a low end? Wow.

And what about Laptops? What is your take? Brands, reliablity, price, needs, function, upgrades? Macs? The new powerbook?

 

[War Lord]

Ditto and thanks Warlord. But you didn't quite answer quesion 4 exactly the way I wanted. I know I can upgrade them, but is it worth it? Is it cost effective at all? Should I even attempt it? It sounds like a no from you with HP but what about Dell? Would I be okay buying a basic starting PC then upgrading it? Or should I not waste my money and just save and build one of my own?

Really $800 even for a low end? Wow.

And what about Laptops? What is your take? Brands, reliablity, price, needs, function, upgrades? Macs? The new powerbook?

I'm building a computer for the purpose of learning how to, so I'm choosing to purchase parts as I can afford it so it's not as burdensome for me. It's more expensive this way, but future computers, if I succeed in building this one, will be built at once.

If you're looking to save money, it is always better to purchase the best machine you can afford right there, as opposed to buying a cheaper machine and upgrading later. The reason for this is that Dell can afford to purchase parts in bulk (forcing manufacturers to give a favourable price) and build their machines, whereas if you buy parts one at a time, you won't get that favourable pricing.

In general, depending on your finances, expect to spend about $1,600 and you'll have a computer that will last about 3 years. It's also advisable to wait a few months after saving the money, because you'll be able to get a slightly better computer for your money as technology advances and prices drop.

When it comes to laptops, I'm of the opinion that unless you're making it your main computer, don't spend a lot because most of the stuff you'll be doing (word processing, internet) aren't that processor intensive.

Toshiba and HP make the best Window laptops out there and that's what I'd consider when getting one.

As far as Apple products go, I'm sure they're pretty good because I've never heard any real complaints out there, other than less choices in software and proprietory complaints.

 

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

I'm building a computer for the purpose of learning how to, so I'm choosing to purchase parts as I can afford it so it's not as burdensome for me. It's more expensive this way, but future computers, if I succeed in building this one, will be built at once.

If you're looking to save money, it is always better to purchase the best machine you can afford right there, as opposed to buying a cheaper machine and upgrading later. The reason for this is that Dell can afford to purchase parts in bulk (forcing manufacturers to give a favourable price) and build their machines, whereas if you buy parts one at a time, you won't get that favourable pricing.

In general, depending on your finances, expect to spend about $1,600 and you'll have a computer that will last about 3 years. It's also advisable to wait a few months after saving the money, because you'll be able to get a slightly better computer for your money as technology advances and prices drop.

When it comes to laptops, I'm of the opinion that unless you're making it your main computer, don't spend a lot because most of the stuff you'll be doing (word processing, internet) aren't that processor intensive.

Toshiba and HP make the best Window laptops out there and that's what I'd consider when getting one.

As far as Apple products go, I'm sure they're pretty good because I've never heard any real complaints out there, other than less choices in software and proprietory complaints.

3 ****ing years! That's it? Or I will just need to upgrade? Yeah that's the main thing that sucks about tech, it's always advancing so fast, even if you get the newest and the best, a week later it's no longer on top.

 

[War Lord]

3 ****ing years! That's it? Or I will just need to upgrade? Yeah that's the main thing that sucks about tech, it's always advancing so fast, even if you get the newest and the best, a week later it's no longer on top.

That's not bad. You can stretch it out to 4, but unless you're intending to stick with the software you had when you bought it, that's it.

 

[GoldenAgeHero]

i wanna hae the option to build a custom laptop, the way i wanted it, too bad there arent any companioes like that.

 

[War Lord]

i wanna hae the option to build a custom laptop, the way i wanted it, too bad there arent any companioes like that.

There are far less options for parts, because laptops are very much proprietory machines. Just spend the most you can afford and you'll get the best machine over all.

 

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

Sooooo? ANy updates?

 

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

What the hell is going on here?

 

[Malice]

I will try to update this

 

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

Okay, just checking

Not sure if you got too busy or what not.

 

[Dr.Doom]

around how much for a gaming/art pc?

not horribly old nor cutting edge, like what malice suggests.

 

[War Lord]

around how much for a gaming/art pc?

not horribly old nor cutting edge, like what malice suggests.

$1500 to $2000 for a decent machine.

 

[Edward Brock]

That's way too much. I payed €800 for mine and it's pretty decent.

 

[Malice]

I built a great machine for 1000
Bleeding edge will run you 1500 to 2000.

 

[War Lord]

That's way too much. I payed €800 for mine and it's pretty decent.

I'm talking Canadian dollars here.

 

[War Lord]

I built a great machine for 1000
Bleeding edge will run you 1500 to 2000.

$1000 American is equal to about $1200 Canadian, so I wasn't too far off.

 

[Dr.Doom]

I'm american, aka better

 

[Mixairian]

The following information was found while I was waiting for Oblivion to come out on PC. The big question for a lot of people was would their systems be able to handle this massively beautiful game. For 9 out of 10 people, the answer would be no. So a lot of folks convened and put together a list of the most recent processors and graphics cards and listed their power range according to Obvlion.

Please note Oblivion is a very graphics intensive games and I would go out on a limb to say perhaps one of the most graphics intensive games out there for the "PUBLIC" right now. Also note that this post is old and there are better cards out there.

Source: http://elderscrolls.co.uk/Forums/viewtopic/t=165.html
Specs revealed:

"Translated" official specs

For the sake of everyone, I have considered everything and made up this set of specs, that likely reflect what you'll need accurately, and in a more convenient way:

Minimum Playable : (least needed to be able to play the game half-decently)
+ Intel Pentium 4 2.0GHz, Celeron 2.6GHz, AthlonXP 2000+, or Pentium M 1.2GHz
+ 512MB RAM
+ Any video card listed in the "low-end" category or better (see the "video card ranking list" at the bottom of this post)
+ Video card must have at least 128MB video RAM
+ Windows XP (perhaps Windows 2000 as well)
+ 8X DVD-ROM or DVD burner drive
+ 4.6GB Hard drive space (full install?)

Medium-Level : (Enough to play it enjoying all of the features of the game, at decent resolution and performance)
+ Intel Pentium 4 2.5GHz, Celeron D 3.0GHz, AthlonXP 2500+, or Pentium M 1.5GHz
+ 1024MB (1GB) RAM
+ Any video card listed in the "mid-range" category or better (see the "video card ranking list" at the bottom of this post)
+ Video card must have at least 128MB video RAM; 256MB or more is recommended
+ Windows XP (perhaps Windows 2000 as well)
+ 8X DVD-ROM or DVD burner drive
+ 4.6GB Hard drive space (full install?)

Recommended : (enough to play the game as it's envisioned, with everything turned on and turned up)
+ Intel Pentium 4 3.0GHz with hyper-threading, Celeron D 3.4GHz, AthlonXP 3200+, Athlon64 2800+, or Pentium M 1.73GHz
+ 1024MB (1GB) RAM
+ Any video card listed in the "high-end" category or better (see the "video card ranking list" at the bottom of this post)
Support for shader model 3.0 is preferred
+ Video card must have at least 128MB video RAM; 256MB or more is recommended
+ Windows XP (perhaps Windows 2000 as well)
+ 8X DVD-ROM or DVD burner drive
+ 4.6GB Hard drive space (full install?)

Unofficially supported graphics chipsets :
+ GeForce FX 5200, GeForce FX 5500, GeForce FX 5600, GeForce FX 5700, GeForce FX 5800, GeForce FX 5900 & GeForce FX 5950
+ GeForce PCX 5300, GeForce PCX 5700, & GeForce PCX 5900
+ GeForce 6200, GeForce 6500, GeForce 6600, GeForce 6610 & GeForce 6800
+ GeForce 7300 & GeForce 7800
+ Radeon 9500, Radeon 9550, Radeon 9600, Radeon 9700 & Radeon 9800
+ Radeon X300, Radeon X550, Radeon X600, Radeon X700, Radeon X800 & Radeon X850
+ Radeon X1300, Radeon X1600, Radeon X1800 & Radeon X1900
Chipsets that will NEVER work:
+ Intel Extreme, Intel Extreme 2, as well as most integrated graphics chipsets
+ GeForce 2, GeForce 3, GeForce 4MX, GeForce 4 Ti
+ Radeon 7xxx, Radeon 8500, Radeon 9000, Radeon 9100, Radeon 9200, Radeon 9250
------------

The video card ranking list

Lastly, for those that are really curious as to how good their video card is, I have sketched out a ROUGH outline of how just about any video card in use today stacks up against each other. It's VERY rough, and not guaranteed to be accurate. Also, keep in mind that the amount of video RAM on the board has NO real impact on performance in and of itself; it merely comes into play in determining how well the card will do on certain detail levels. As a general rule, the lower on the list the card comes, the more powerful it is; all cards in one lower list section ARE more powerful than those of the section above it, and generally, the card at the bottom of any given section will be the most powerful, and the least powerful at the top of the section. (this comparison was done fairly loosely after looking at enough benchmarks to make one's eyes hurt, and aren't perfect, obviously) Also, cards that support shader model 3.0 will be listed with underlines.

Anyway:

Rock Bottom (these cards do NOT support pixel shaders, and as such, won't run Oblivion)
+ (Any integrated graphics that's NOT listed elsewhere on here, save for any integrated Radeon or GeForce chips I forgot)
+ Radeon 7000 & Radeon VE
+ GeForce 4 MX 4000
+ GeForce 256
+ GeForce 2 MX
+ Radeon 7200 & ATi Radeon
+ GeForce 2 GTS
+ GeForce 2 Pro
+ GeForce 2 Ti
+ GeForce 2 Ultra
+ GeForce 4 MX 420
+ Radeon 7500
+ GeForce 4 MX 440

Outdated (these cards support shader model 1.x, which will not run the game)
+ Radeon 9100 IGP (integrated graphics)
+ Volari V3
+ Radeon 9250
+ GeForce 3
+ Radeon 9000
+ Radeon 9200
+ Matrox Parahelia 128
+ GeForce 3 Ti 200
+ Radeon 8500 & Radeon 9000pro
+ Radeon 9100
+ Radoen 9100pro
+ GeForce 3 Ti 500
+ GeForce 4 Ti

Very Low-end (these cards support what's necessary for Oblivion, but are very weak, and will likely provide unsatisfying performance even for modest gamers)
+ Intel GMA 900 Integrated graphics (chipset 915) (incredibly weak compared to other cards here, but does support SM 2.0)
+ GeForce FX 5200 & GeForce FX 5200 Ultra (different models have wildly varying performance)
+ GeForce PCX 5300
+ GeForce FX 5700LE
+ GeForce FX 5500
+ GeForce FX 5600
+ GeForce FX 5600 Ultra
+ S3 S8 256
+ GeForce 6100 IGP (integrated graphics)
+ Radeon Xpress 200 (integrated graphics)
+ GeForce FX 5700
+ GeForce PCX 5750
+ Radeon X300 HyperMemory
+ GeForce 6200 TurboCache
+ Radeon X550 HyperMemory
+ Radeon X600 HyperMemory
+ Radeon 9600SE & Radeon X300SE
+ Radeon 9550
+ Radeon X550SE
+ Radeon X300 & Radeon 9600

Low-end (these cards might be considered weak, but they can hold their own, and for most people, should provide a sufficient Oblivion experience)
+ GeForce 6200
+ Radeon X550
+ Radeon X550pro
+ GeForce 6600LE
+ Radeon X550XT
+ GeForce 7300GS
+ Volari V8 Duo
+ Radeon X1300HyperMemory
+ Radeon 9500
+ GeForce 6500
+ Volari V5 Ultra
+ Radeon 9600pro & Radeon X600pro
+ GeForce FX 5700ultra
+ Radeon 9600XT & Radeon X600XT
+ Radeon 9500pro

Mid-Range (these cards were/could've been considered top-end a few years ago, and are fairly powerful, and should be enough to fully enjoy Oblivion)
+ GeForce FX 5900XT
+ Radeon X1300 & All-in-Wonder 2006
+ GeForce FX 5800
+ S3 Chrome 25
+ Radeon 9700
+ GeForce FX 5900
+ GeForce PCX 5900
+ Radeon 9800
+ S3 Chrome 27
+ GeForce 6600
+ Radeon X1300pro
+ Radeon 9700pro
+ GeForce FX 5800ultra
+ Volari V8 Duo Ultra
+ GeForce FX 5900ultra
+ Radeon 9800pro
+ Radeon X700
+ GeForce FX 5950ultra
+ Radeon X700pro
+ GeForce 6800LE
+ GeForce 6800XT
+ GeForce 6800 (PCI-express version)
+ GeForce 6600GT
+ Radeon X800SE
+ Radeon 9800XT
+ Radeon X800GT & Radeon X800RX

High-End (some of these cards may be "outdated," but just about any given one is OVERKILL for almost any game out there, and will definitely be able to play Oblivion with all the settings enabled)
+ Radeon X1600pro
+ Radeon X800 & Radeon X800GTO 128MB
+ GeForce 6800 (AGP version)
+ Radeon X800GTO & Radeon X800GTO² (256MB version for either)
+ GeForce 7600GT (preliminary ranking; limited information)
+ Radeon X1600XT
+ GeForce 6800GS (AGP version)
+ Radeon X800pro
+ GeForce 6800GS (PCI-express version)
+ Radeon X850pro
+ GeForce 6800GT
+ Radeon X800XL & Radeon X800GTO 16
+ GeForce 7800GS (stock clock; 375MHz core)
+ GeForce 6800ultra
+ Radeon X800XT
+ Radeon X850XT
+ GeForce 7800GS (overclocked version; 400-430MHz core)
+ Radeon X800XT Platinum Edition
+ Radeon X850XT Platinum Edition

OMGWTFBBQ! (these cards are outrageous; they are rather expensive, but insanely powerful. Note that I cannot guarantee perfect accuracy of this ranking, but rest assured, all of them are more than overkill for this game)
+ GeForce 7800GS (superclock version; 460MHz core, 1350MHz memory)
+ Radeon X1800XL
+ GeForce 7800GT
+ GeForce 7800GTX
+ GeForce 7900GT (preliminary ranking, might be higher)
+ Radeon X1800XT
+ GeForce 7800GTX 512
+ Radeon X1800XT Platinum Edition
+ Radeon X1900 All-in-Wonder
+ Radeon X1900XT
+ Radeon X1900XTX

If your card is on the "rock bottom" list, please, for the love of Akatosh, upgrade it; those cards don't support shaders at all, and don't even run Morrowind at it's fullest!

For those who have cards in the "outdated" list, even if your card might still hold up, you'll still need to upgrade it. It may support pixel shaders, but not SM 2.0.

If your card is in the "low end" list, I can assure you Oblivion WILL run on your system; it's just a matter of what your going to wind up sacrificing, be it a part of quality, resolution, or performance.

If you find your card listed as "mid range," don't sweat it. Things will run FINE, and you'll get plenty enough eye candy to satisfy you. For those that need to upgrade, I'd recommend looking at some of these cards first. These ones will last for at least a short while.

If your card makes it to the lofty heights of the "high-end" list, rejoice! You have monstrous gaming power that will certainly eat up Oblivion quite greedily. Just remember to keep your drool bucket handy.

Lastly, if your card makes it into the "OMGWTFBBQ" list, careful there, steady! You were starting to hyperventilate. Please don't pass out on the forums. And make sure your drool-catching bib is still firmly tied on. You're going to need it when playing.

 

[Mixairian]

Yes I'm double posting. I'm looking for information like what I posted above for graphics card but for processors. Also if you have a source for graphics cards as well, one that updates frequently, that would be appreciated.

Online Stores to buy from:

http://www.newegg.com
http://www.pricewatch.com/
http://www.tomshardware.com/

I can personally vouch for newegg. Though they've become rather commercialized over the past few years, I've found some very good prices as well as reliable product here.

Also, my dream machine would run me at least 2,000$ if I get everything new (monitor, hard drives, etc). The three most expensive items would be dual core processor, dual graphics cards and monitor.

 

[Edward Brock]

Man, I really could use a new video card to replace my 9600... otherwise I won't be able to play Duke Nukem Forever!

 

[HerosOnFilm]

Yes I'm double posting. I'm looking for information like what I posted above for graphics card but for processors. Also if you have a source for graphics cards as well, one that updates frequently, that would be appreciated.

Online Stores to buy from:

http://www.newegg.com
http://www.pricewatch.com/
http://www.tomshardware.com/

I can personally vouch for newegg. Though they've become rather commercialized over the past few years, I've found some very good prices as well as reliable product here.

Also, my dream machine would run me at least 2,000$ if I get everything new (monitor, hard drives, etc). The three most expensive items would be dual core processor, dual graphics cards and monitor.

New Egg is a great place to buy components from. Customer svc is good and a liberal return policy. I fried a motherboard (well, it could have been defective too) and they took it back no problem

 

[Carter]

Awesome thread, I've been toying with the idea of building a pc.

 

[Malice]

Well Carter its really not all that hard.

There always can be exceptions to the rule.

We are here if you need us!