View Full Version : Son and i have decided to build our own gaming PC
Guest110
10-30-2006, 04:51 AM
We have made a decision to build our own.. due to finances this will be buy a piece for it week by week,
I thought it would be quite interesting as well and i know where to come if we get stuck.. which we will
I have seen inside my PC and i know there is not much to them:)
So for week number 1.. what do you suggest???? I am all ears
writeco
10-30-2006, 06:52 AM
I am not a hardware expert but I would expect that the motherboard you select will dictate the many of the other components.
Guest110
10-30-2006, 07:09 AM
I am not a hardware expert but I would expect that the motherboard you select will dictate the many of the other components.
Well we want to have a gaming computer that will play Oblivion like butter and his other fav game Battlefield2
mylanta
10-30-2006, 07:37 AM
Most important components for any good build are motherboard as Joe states, and ram. For gaming I need to add video card as super important and for some reason motherboard is where most builders try to save the most $ and make mistakes. PC Chips, Ecs, Chaintech, AS Rock, Matsonic, Mercury and Fic are all really bad boards and should be avoided at all costs. Asus the most popular boards today, have major issues.
oh and another place you really need quality, not wattage, is power supply and I suggest only Enermax, Sparkle, Thermaltake or Antec psu's.
Guest110
10-30-2006, 07:39 AM
Most important components for any good build are motherboard as Joe states, and ram. For gaming I need to add video card as super important and for some reason motherboard is where most builders try to save the most $ and make mistakes. PC Chips, Ecs, Chaintech, AS Rock, Matsonic, Mercury and Fic are all really bad boards and should be avoided at all costs. Asus the most popular boards today, have major issues.
oh and another place you really need quality, not wattage, is power supply and I suggest only Enermax, Sparkle, Thermaltake or Antec psu's.
Just remember we are in the UK... please dont have me hunting for USA brand names.. if you get my picture
So what is the choice for week 1........
Dudeking
10-30-2006, 07:39 AM
You need to decide what you want:-
CPU - Intel or AMD
Graphics Card - Nvida or ATI
- APG or PCI-E
I recomend AMD, socket 939
And for graphics card, Nvida PCI-E
The first thing you need to buy is the motherboard, shop around make sure its the best deal and supports everything you want it to.
Most will have good onboard sound so there will be no need for a sound card.
The motherboard should be ATX size.
Dudeking
10-30-2006, 07:41 AM
http://www.overclockers.co.uk
http://www.novatech.co.uk
There the best to comp shops in the UK, find a well known brand of motherboard there, and make sure it fits with what you want to build.
Guest110
10-30-2006, 07:44 AM
http://www.overclockers.co.uk
http://www.novatech.co.uk
There the best to comp shops in the UK, find a well known brand of motherboard there, and make sure it fits with what you want to build.
Thank you Eddie so you think we should start with the motherboard and then step 2 would be graphics.. whats this duel core processor i keep hearing about
I will be visiting pc world a lot
Dudeking
10-30-2006, 07:44 AM
You could get the case first then you would have somewere to put the parts.....
Guest110
10-30-2006, 07:46 AM
You could get the case first then you would have somewere to put the parts.....
LOL make your mind up young Eddie
i need a list like so
Week one.. case
week 2 motherboard
week 3 etc
how many weeks is this going to take ???????
Dudeking
10-30-2006, 07:52 AM
#1 Case
#2 Mobo
#3 Graphics Card
#4 Ram
#5 CPU
--Comp Should Boot UP--
#6 Hard Disk
#7 CD Rom/DVD Drive
#8 Any thing else, Cables, Card Readers etc...
#6 (If you got a case with a window) Get some lights
#7 If you want a good moniter or Speakers
Dudeking
10-30-2006, 07:52 AM
Oh, you might want to get a Power Pack after the CPU
Dudeking
10-30-2006, 07:54 AM
If you look here: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Athlon_64X2_Bundles.html
There are some bundles of Motherboards CPU's and RAM that are Guaranteed to be compatable.
But ask here before you buy, especialy with RAM lots of problems if you get the wrong sort.
Guest110
10-30-2006, 07:55 AM
#1 Case
#2 Mobo
#3 Graphics Card
#4 Ram
#5 CPU
--Comp Should Boot UP--
#6 Hard Disk
#7 CD Rom/DVD Drive
#8 Any thing else, Cables, Card Readers etc...
#6 (If you got a case with a window) Get some lights
#7 If you want a good moniter or Speakers
Lights ????? what for.. its not a car:brick: :help:
Dudeking
10-30-2006, 07:59 AM
No but some people like to 'pimp' there computers.
You can get cases with windows in so you can see inside, then you get strobe lights and disco lights ect. Looks good :)
mylanta
10-30-2006, 08:03 AM
Just remember we are in the UK... please dont have me hunting for USA brand names.. if you get my picture
So what is the choice for week 1........
Almost no such thing as US brand names anymore...
mylanta
10-30-2006, 08:05 AM
You could get the case first then you would have somewere to put the parts.....
But as yet there is no need of case as there are no parts to put them in.
Buy the box then the parts? Nah buy the mobo first that is the most important part and there decide if you are going Amd or Intel before figuring anything else.
mylanta
10-30-2006, 08:06 AM
Amd dual core the best buy right now though older Intel D series cheap too. Just saw D940 which is 3.4 dual core for $167 (US of course), that could be best price of all!
Dudeking
10-30-2006, 08:11 AM
AMD 64 x2 4400+ Best CPU ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And I have always wanted a DFI-LanParty Mobo With ATI Crossfire :D
Guest110
10-30-2006, 08:12 AM
AMD 64 x2 4400+ Best CPU ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And I have always wanted a DFI-LanParty Mobo With ATI Crossfire :D now you are going all technical on me
Case is the first item on out list..without a window:)
mylanta
10-30-2006, 08:16 AM
ATI chipsets suck....and I would not even think about Crossfire or SLI as I think they are the major problems ikn Socket 939 and Am2 boards these days.
What really is the need of that anyway?
Dudeking
10-30-2006, 08:19 AM
Oooo Windows are great :P
http://www.adkgaming.com/systems/pictures%5Cyellowalien.jpg
See the nice window in the side with blue lights :)
mylanta
10-30-2006, 08:21 AM
Great job!!!
Guest110
10-30-2006, 08:22 AM
Oooo Windows are great :P
http://www.adkgaming.com/systems/pictures%5Cyellowalien.jpg
See the nice window in the side with blue lights :)
looks like a dust trap to me:)
Dudeking
10-30-2006, 08:26 AM
Oh thats another thing, get a case that has bulit in washable dust filters.
I got them with my lastes case, there great, no dust in PC now :D
Guest110
10-30-2006, 08:36 AM
Oh thats another thing, get a case that has bulit in washable dust filters.
I got them with my lastes case, there great, no dust in PC now :D
Not something else i have to wash :brick:
Dudeking
10-30-2006, 08:38 AM
Sorry I'm complicating things. lol
Just get a case, or an old cornflakes box and make your own. :rotflmao:
Guest110
10-30-2006, 08:41 AM
Sorry I'm complicating things. lol
Just get a case, or an old cornflakes box and make your own. :rotflmao:
Never eat cornflakes Dudeking:brick:
mylanta
10-30-2006, 09:33 AM
Soon time to close this thread before it disintegrates?
Guest110
10-30-2006, 09:37 AM
Soon time to close this thread before it disintegrates?
Its all getting a bit confusing..
. But i need a case
week one buy a case..Yes please close and week 2 to follow...;)
Making my head spin young Eddie:)
I will be visiting pc world a lot
Is pc world a local pc shop/chain?
Guest110
10-30-2006, 10:34 AM
Is pc world a local pc shop/chain?
yes it is where i got my PC from.
They have a special self build section and the staff are really helpfull
www.pcworld.co.uk
he likes this one (http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0805610295.116222258 1@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccefaddjfdmdljhcflgceggdhhmdgmh.0&page=Product&fm=null&sm=null&tm=null&sku=071353&category_oid=)
Guest110
10-30-2006, 10:46 AM
Have a look in there and see if you can spot something that might do for gaming at a good price....... you never know// i dont really know what i am looking for
this looks quite interesting (http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/editorial/core-2-duo)
after all the trouble deciding what to buy first
it might be worth just buying one
dbarrow
10-30-2006, 12:26 PM
30 minutes to put it together
6 months to research the parts
Obsolete the day after you build it and the new stuff comes out.....
By the time you finish paying for it, time to build another one.
Guest110
10-30-2006, 12:27 PM
30 minutes to put it together
6 months to research the parts
Obsolete the day after you build it and the new stuff comes out.....
By the time you finish paying for it, time to build another one.
I cant win then can i????:) destined to play scrabble forever
Have a look in there and see if you can spot something that might do for gaming at a good price....... you never know// i dont really know what i am looking for
this looks quite interesting (http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/editorial/core-2-duo)
after all the trouble deciding what to buy first
it might be worth just buying one
Unfortunately they dont provide much info about the components they use, so its difficult to advise you on their "custom" pc's, but based on their limited selection of components, I suggest you shop around.
yes it is where i got my PC from.
They have a special self build section and the staff are really helpfull
www.pcworld.co.uk
he likes this one (http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0805610295.116222258 1@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccefaddjfdmdljhcflgceggdhhmdgmh.0&page=Product&fm=null&sm=null&tm=null&sku=071353&category_oid=)
BM,
For what its worth, I did a search on "where to buy pc's and pc components in UK", and among the sites that were listed, PC World was NOT recommended (poor customer service, poor quality, etc).
I browsed a bit and these two sites seem to have a good reputation and carry a wide variety of components and "custom built pc's" --->
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/home/
BM,
For what its worth, I did a search on "where to buy pc's and pc components in UK", and among the sites that were listed, PC World was NOT recommended (poor customer service, poor quality, etc).
I browsed a bit and these two sites seem to have a good reputation and carry a wide variety of components and "custom built pc's" --->
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/home/
check out "OC's-UK" online catalogue "specials", for example the "Ultima X1950 XTX" --->
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_This_Week_Only_25.html
mylanta
10-30-2006, 03:07 PM
BM,
For what its worth, I did a search on "where to buy pc's and pc components in UK", and among the sites that were listed, PC World was NOT recommended (poor customer service, poor quality, etc).
I browsed a bit and these two sites seem to have a good reputation and carry a wide variety of components and "custom built pc's" --->
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/home/
Rob and BM, these are the ones I always here good things about too!
Guest110
10-30-2006, 03:07 PM
check out "OC's-UK" online catalogue "specials", for example the "Ultima X1950 XTX" --->
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_This_Week_Only_25.html
That looks the beast:)
BM,
Are you still considering building your own pc?
Guest110
11-01-2006, 12:43 PM
BM,
Are you still considering building your own pc?
We are at loggerheads at the moment
he cant make a decision and i understand if you want to close this:)
We are at loggerheads at the moment
he cant make a decision and i understand if you want to close this:)
the thread can remain open as long as you want.
i asked because, if cost is an issue, this is the time of year when one can get good deals on "last years model" components and still have a decent system.
Guest110
11-01-2006, 02:00 PM
the thread can remain open as long as you want.
i asked because, if cost is an issue, this is the time of year when one can get good deals on "last years model" components and still have a decent system.
if you have teenagers you know the battle i am up against.. change their mind like the weather.. he cant decide between a new pc or some decks and very large speakers.. leave it to mum
dbarrow
11-01-2006, 02:06 PM
Some points:
For gaming, a higher end vid card does make the difference.
Not necessarily the most expensive one you can find but, at least up in the top third of the price tree.
Choose a camp: ATI or Nvidia
Both have their following and their strong points.
CPU:
I am impressed with the Core Duo Intel CPUs.
From all reports I have read, it would seem all of them OC to a considerable extent with no problems.
Several of the cheaper ones are proving to be real performers given a slight boost.
Check the many tech site articles on Core Duo and the ones the OC crowd prefers.
The "el-cheapo" we put in son's machine clocked up nicely to 3.6 and goes like a raped ape! $120 CPU!
Ram: games are going 2g, though not required, highly recommended as the newer game engines require huge amounts of processing power and will use the extra ram.
Throw 2g behind an OC'd Core Duo and it does scream.
You get what you pay for...
There are cheaper sticks but for assured performance, stick with a brand like Corsair, Kingston, Crucial, OCZ.
Get a MATCHED pair of 1g sticks (as fast as things change you will never be able to match it again after six months so buy it now and get it over with)
Go with the lowest latency that will match the highest bus speed you anticipate for the OC.
If you OC the CPU, you have to have a ram that can keep up with it and go that high, but don't overshoot as you can mismatch by going too high unless you crank up the CPU to an appropriate match.
Sound cards:
Onboard, which you will undoubtedly get with your mobo, can be adequate or not. Most of the newer ones are the reason aftermarket sound cards are vanishing except for Creative.
If you want the full SOUND experience of the game (and Oblivion is a prime example with people talking and footsteps behind you) You need a sound system that can render full surround (and that includes speakers)
Son upgraded to a Soundblaster after not being satisfied with the onboard. It made a considerable difference.
Mobo:
Stick with a brand name and popular model.
Mobo SUPPORT is hard to come by and most of the mnfr support isn't worth a crap.
If you pick a popular board that everyone is using, particularly gamers and overclockers, there will be a wealth of information and forums dedicated to it where you can find help.
DVD/CDRW
Combos are relatively cheap.
Unless you plan on doing a lot of burning, spending money on a top line unit, like Plextor, is a waste.
Cheap ones work just as well and are easily replaced if they crap out.
Drives:
Games, particularly ones that do a lot of "saves", can farkle drives. Have a dedicated "games" drive. 100g is adequate and cheap these days.
Monitor:
CRTs are vanishing. They used to be the choice for gaming due to faster refresh rates.
22" LCDs are the current rage. Prices have dropped and refresh rates are up... but, it would pay to visit gaming specific sites and forums to get info on choosing one as some LCDs still do not game well. Carefully hunt out and read reviews and user comments before choosing one.
Build your own is still going to be half the price of over the counter almost anyway you look at it and give you far more choice in components ... EXCEPT... if you need software "suites" to go along with the machine for your other needs.
This is where, if you don't already have it, bundled software can make or break the price factor. If you are going to have to buy and install software, then you may want to consider OTC machines that come fully loaded with what you will need.
Guest110
11-01-2006, 02:11 PM
Thank you for that info
I was thinking with a ready out of the box pc you get the added protection of a service warranty...
I have been through 3 pcs since 1999
So what do you get if you assemble it yourself.. can you insure it aganst breakdown??
sorry for the questions biut i know you wont mind:)
the thread can remain open as long as you want.
i asked because, if cost is an issue, this is the time of year when one can get good deals on "last years model" components and still have a decent system.
For Example, here are the "basics" to get you started (these items are available at OC's-UK):
Antec P150 Quiet PC Case with Antec Neo HE 430 watt Power Supply
or
Antec 900 Ultimate Gamers Case (no power supply)
Antec Neo HE 430 watt Power Supply
Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe Motherboard with Audio and LAN
AMD Athlon64 X2 DC 4600+ Socket 939 CPU with HeatSink and Fan
Crucial 1GB DDR PC3200 Memory (2 Sticks required for 2GB)
Sapphire ATI X1600 Pro 512mb PCI-E Video Card
Western Digital Caviar SE SATA II 80GB Harddrive with 8mb Cache
LG or NEC 16X DVD+-RW Dual Layer Drive
Guest110
11-01-2006, 02:21 PM
For Example, here are the "basics" to get you started (these items are available at OC's-UK):
Antec P150 Quiet PC Case with Antec Neo HE 430 watt Power Supply
or
Antec 900 Ultimate Gamers Case (no power supply)
Antec Neo HE 430 watt Power Supply
Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe Motherboard with Audio and LAN
AMD Athlon64 X2 DC 4600+ Socket 939 CPU with HeatSink and Fan
Crucial 1GB DDR PC3200 Memory (2 Sticks required for 2GB)
Sapphire ATI X1600 Pro 512mb PCI-E Video Card
Western Digital Caviar SE SATA II 80GB Harddrive with 8mb Cache
LG or NEC 16X DVD+-RW Dual Layer Drive
Thank you so much i will have a price check and see what it going to cost HIM :)
Thank you for that info
I was thinking with a ready out of the box pc you get the added protection of a service warranty...
I have been through 3 pcs since 1999
So what do you get if you assemble it yourself.. can you insure it aganst breakdown??
sorry for the questions biut i know you wont mind:)
although most of the "better" components have 3-5 year warranty, if your not willing or able to be your own tech support, buy a prebuilt system
Guest110
11-01-2006, 02:31 PM
although most of the "better" components have 3-5 year warranty, if your not willing or able to be your own tech support, buy a prebuilt system
I have a very large hammer and chisel for all tech problems.:) .and then of course i have the BEST tech support on the planet.. KH
:party:
I predict the future.. help what is this piece i have left over and which wire goes where and i have 3 screws left over.. Is KH ready for BM first pc build i wonder:help:
Thank you so much i will have a price check and see what it going to cost HIM :)
if he wants a tad better system:
Asus M2N-SLI Deluxe Motherboard
AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core Socket AM2 4200+ CPU with Heat Sink and Fan
Crucial CT2Kit12864AA53E 2GB KIT(2 sticks of 1GB matched memory)
dbarrow
11-01-2006, 06:21 PM
And exactly what do you get with a warranty?
They will replace the defective part ... once you jump through hoops to prove it's broke.
Tech support? We all know what tech support consists of.
Free service calls to your home? Or, spend a fortune to ship it back to wherever and wait 3 months to get it back.
Look closely at these "service contracts" and warranty offers. Unless it says you can take it back to the store down the street where you bought it and get if fixed same day.....
And if the fine print contains more than three pages of clauses....
mylanta
11-01-2006, 06:24 PM
For Example, here are the "basics" to get you started (these items are available at OC's-UK):
Antec P150 Quiet PC Case with Antec Neo HE 430 watt Power Supply
or
Antec 900 Ultimate Gamers Case (no power supply)
Antec Neo HE 430 watt Power Supply
Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe Motherboard with Audio and LAN
AMD Athlon64 X2 DC 4600+ Socket 939 CPU with HeatSink and Fan
Crucial 1GB DDR PC3200 Memory (2 Sticks required for 2GB)
Sapphire ATI X1600 Pro 512mb PCI-E Video Card
Western Digital Caviar SE SATA II 80GB Harddrive with 8mb Cache
LG or NEC 16X DVD+-RW Dual Layer Drive
Rob and MB,
Do not even think about that motherboard, it is a nightmare all to itself and will break all rma records probably for the entire history of Asus. In fact stay away from Asus for now. You are safe with Msi and Gigabyte for what I can see.
Guest110
11-01-2006, 06:58 PM
And exactly what do you get with a warranty?
They will replace the defective part ... once you jump through hoops to prove it's broke.
Tech support? We all know what tech support consists of.
Free service calls to your home? Or, spend a fortune to ship it back to wherever and wait 3 months to get it back.
Look closely at these "service contracts" and warranty offers. Unless it says you can take it back to the store down the street where you bought it and get if fixed same day.....
And if the fine print contains more than three pages of clauses....
The warranty i have with this pc is for 4 years. Old for new. only keyboard mouse ans speakers are not covered.
They send an engineer out and repair on site
PCWORLD.. i love you
casey
11-01-2006, 07:04 PM
Just finished a computer(couple of weeks ago) using the Asus A8N-SLI board with a opteron 146 chip. It runs cool and quiet without any problems so far.. The board was one I got from MicroCenter when they had a special
of $37.50 +shipping and the Opteron 146 from Newegg for $86. so far I'm please with it's operation and thinking of trying my hand at OC. I used the Aluminux Ultra case which was $29.95 with an Ultra 500 watt PS for $9.99. The memory was Kingston I picked up over the years and the Hard drive is a Seagate Sata with an IDE secondary... Just one DVD-RW and the 3.5 floppy drive. It's running XP Home very nicely at temperatures in the low 90'S F...
mylanta
11-01-2006, 07:18 PM
Naturally Larry, I returned 3 of those boards bought at full price did nothing right. You buy them at 67% off and it runs fine.
casey
11-02-2006, 09:34 AM
All the extras that come with this board almost account for the $37.50 I paid for it. I've never seen a board with as many extras as this one.
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