Need Help Building a computer, new to this

[diabloplayer75]

Well I have decided to go ahead and try to build a computer. The primary use of the pc is going to be gaming. I would like it to be powerful enough to play the current/future games: Age of Conan, Starcraft 2, Crysis

Here are my main questions~

Windows Xp or Vista? I read an article saying how Vista and Direct x 10 is going to make gaming reach new heights and such, but then left and right I am told Vista is a bloated OS and I should go with Xp.

Where should I buy my parts from? Online from newegg or buy it from a store I can pick up from like Fry’s. I’m worried if I buy online it will take forever to send, and would shipping costs make it not worth buying online might as well get it from the store? Also I feel like if anything is wrong with the parts I get shipped to me, it would be very hard to return.

How hard is the assembly? This will be my first time going through it am I likely to damage any of my hardware? Should I try and have a friend help me/ take it to a store?

My price range can go anywhere from 750-1200, I could spent more, but from what I understand at a certain point I could spend say 50% more, and only get a 10% performance increase which is obviously not very efficient. I would like to keep it as low as possible, but don’t mind spending more if the performance is worth it.

I will probably be building another computer in 2-3 years when windows 7 comes out, I have read that in 2-3 years the new processors like intel are doing some big things and the graphics will be like 5x better or something?

Should I avoid buying warranties? I know that is the first thing that will get shoved down my throat if I go and try to buy it from fry’s in the store from a salesman.

Now, I have been told to buy the 8800gt nvidia card, but when I looked at it I saw atleast 10 different brands and speeds, so I don’t know really which brands to go with on anything.

I have read most of this post
PC Gamer Message Board :: View topic - **New Computer Build Questions and Comments Go Here**

And found it very helpful, was curious if it is all up to date and if I should go with that 1000 dollar build, or does anybody have better suggestions on how to spend my cash?
Also, are their any other posts I should look at like it?

I was planning on going with Intel instead of AMD this time around, preferably a quad core.

Should I wait a month or two? Are any prices about to drop significantly? I read just now that the intel C2Q 6600 are suppose to drop in price in the next 12 days?

Thanks in advance for any help, I know this was a long post I hope my questions were specific enough/ made sense.

I would love second opinions and such as well as it could only help me at this point.

This is probably pushing it, but if anyone has a build at hand with the links to exactly which parts I should buy that would be amazing. Thanks you.

[oldman_gamer]

Originally Posted by diabloplayer75

Well I have decided to go ahead and try to build a computer. The primary use of the pc is going to be gaming. I would like it to be powerful enough to play the current/future games: Age of Conan, Starcraft 2, Crysis

Here are my main questions~

Windows Xp or Vista? I read an article saying how Vista and Direct x 10 is going to make gaming reach new heights and such, but then left and right I am told Vista is a bloated OS and I should go with Xp.

Where should I buy my parts from? Online from newegg or buy it from a store I can pick up from like Fry’s. I’m worried if I buy online it will take forever to send, and would shipping costs make it not worth buying online might as well get it from the store? Also I feel like if anything is wrong with the parts I get shipped to me, it would be very hard to return.

How hard is the assembly? This will be my first time going through it am I likely to damage any of my hardware? Should I try and have a friend help me/ take it to a store?

My price range can go anywhere from 750-1200, I could spent more, but from what I understand at a certain point I could spend say 50% more, and only get a 10% performance increase which is obviously not very efficient. I would like to keep it as low as possible, but don’t mind spending more if the performance is worth it.

I will probably be building another computer in 2-3 years when windows 7 comes out, I have read that in 2-3 years the new processors like intel are doing some big things and the graphics will be like 5x better or something?

Should I avoid buying warranties? I know that is the first thing that will get shoved down my throat if I go and try to buy it from fry’s in the store from a salesman.

Now, I have been told to buy the 8800gt nvidia card, but when I looked at it I saw atleast 10 different brands and speeds, so I don’t know really which brands to go with on anything.

I have read most of this post
PC Gamer Message Board :: View topic - **New Computer Build Questions and Comments Go Here**

And found it very helpful, was curious if it is all up to date and if I should go with that 1000 dollar build, or does anybody have better suggestions on how to spend my cash?
Also, are their any other posts I should look at like it?

I was planning on going with Intel instead of AMD this time around, preferably a quad core.

Should I wait a month or two? Are any prices about to drop significantly? I read just now that the intel C2Q 6600 are suppose to drop in price in the next 12 days?

Thanks in advance for any help, I know this was a long post I hope my questions were specific enough/ made sense.

I would love second opinions and such as well as it could only help me at this point.

This is probably pushing it, but if anyone has a build at hand with the links to exactly which parts I should buy that would be amazing. Thanks you.

First of all,welcome to HL!
You will get a few different aspects from different folks here in this thread for sure.Lord knows I am not the sharpest tack here,but can give you some answers to some of your questions.

Xp or Vista? I say Vista Ultimate 64 bit,because I have it,like it and have no problems with it.As far as "bloat"...that depends on what disc you purchase (OEM or RETAIL).

Where would I send you for parts..Newegg for sure.Great pricing,shipping is within 3 days in most cases and alot of times in 1 or 2.They back the sales with outstanding service after the sale and good deals,rebates,free shipping etc.

Putting all the parts together is easy when you have a site with a bunch of great,friendly people...ready to help with anything you need.This is the place to be.Here at HL,no one will put you down if you don't know something,and if you ask a "stupid" question.....oh wait,there are no stupid questions.If you have a question,by all means,please do ask.

I'm going to let the more expirienced crowd answer the rest of your questions.They will be able to give more indepth answers, since they have much more knowledge in the technical areas.

Capper has a nice gaming rig for sale in the for sale thread,if you would choose to go that way.He's the head cheese here

[Yellowhello]

Welcome! I'd say go with Vista. SP1 got most of the kinks out, and it's getting more and more polished everday. Personally I've had no problems with my Vista Ultimate 32-bit install.

You can get some parts from Newegg and some locally. Some parts like cases are a lot of money to ship, and you may save some money buying it locally. But most of the deals are online, and that's where I'd get the majority of your parts.

Assembly isn't too hard. It's pretty straightforward, but if you have any question feel free to ask. It's not unlike a puzzle, and once you get the general gist of it, it's very easy. Also most of it is common sense. Don't put bare circuit board on the carpet (static electricity can kill motherboards, GPU's, etc.). Ground yourself (touch bare metal to eliminate any charge your body may have) before touching components, etc. If you have a friend experienced with assembling computers, it may be wise to enlist his help. But I wouldn't pay for a shop to do it.

I'd stick with Intel for the next few years. Things aren't looking good for AMD at the moment (CPU-wise anyways). And since you plan to upgrade in the 2-3 years anyways, don't go for the extended warranties.

I would recommend Evga, BFG, XFX, and MSI as good GPU companies. These have good customer service and their parts are generally pretty high quality. Most GPU's are exactly the same, only differentiated by small things like their warranties, bundle, and the manufacturer's customer service.

Go for a E8xxx CPU from Intel like a E8400. They are based on the new Penryn core, and run faster and cooler. While they are not quad-cores, many feel they are actually faster than a Q6600 for example. Alternatively, you can look at some of the Penryn quad-cores like the Q9300.

Some links you should look at:

HL's recommended hardware lists
System Building: Putting it all together
System Building: Choosing the right parts

[diabloplayer75]

Wow thanks for all the hospitality. I did not know about the Penryn core, that is very interesting to me. I was told that the Dual core is actually better then a quad core for gaming, as the quad core is not optimized for gaming. So right now, I am looking at either the E8400, or Q9300 for my CPU
I’m leaning twords the E8400 because it has 410 reviews and 95% of them are 5star and its cheaper.
Newegg.com - Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - CPUs / Processors <E8400 209$
Newegg.com - Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300 Yorkfield 2.5GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 95W Quad-Core Processor - CPUs / Processors <Q9300 294$


Could you tell me what the difference between the Retail CPU and the OEM is? The OEM is about 30 dollars cheaper, but I’m not sure what it stands for.

I think I’m going to have to slow it down a little, as I may have been asking for too much on my first post, so ill try to go piece by piece, CPU and Graphics cards first as they are the core of my system.

Would you also recommend going with the 8800gt or go for the more pricy 9800GTX? The link you showed also added one more card for me to consider, the VisionTek 3870.

These are the links to each of the cards I’m looking at. Would going for the more expensive cards give me a better value per dollar/ or at least good enough for me to want to go with it?

Newegg.com - EVGA 512-P3-N871-AR GeForce 9800 GTX(G92) 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics 9800GTX 299$
Newegg.com - EVGA 512-P3-N802-AR GeForce 8800GT Superclocked 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics 8800GT 209$ 179 After Rebate
Newegg.com - VisionTek 900202 Radeon HD 3870 512MB 256-bit GDDR4 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics vison tek 214$

I have not heard of Vision tek line, but I am using a Readon X800 right now (when I bought it was top of the line, and amazing for the time)

Again, thanks for all the responses.

[Parker]

First off, Welcome to HL!!

Originally Posted by diabloplayer75

Wow thanks for all the hospitality. I did not know about the Penryn core, that is very interesting to me. I was told that the Dual core is actually better then a quad core for gaming, as the quad core is not optimized for gaming.

Actually there are a few games that do utilize all four cores, but then again, I still don't think it's worth spending the extra money on a quad unless you really really need it. Sticking with a Dual core would be the way to go.

So right now, I am looking at either the E8400, or Q9300 for my CPU
I’m leaning twords the E8400 because it has 410 reviews and 95% of them are 5star and its cheaper.
Newegg.com - Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - CPUs / Processors <E8400 209$
Newegg.com - Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300 Yorkfield 2.5GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 95W Quad-Core Processor - CPUs / Processors <Q9300 294$

I'd get the E8400, it's a popular choice around here, very good OC'er (Overclocker) and stays nice and cool.

Could you tell me what the difference between the Retail CPU and the OEM is? The OEM is about 30 dollars cheaper, but I’m not sure what it stands for.

Retail CPU = Fully packaged in the Intel box w/ Intel Cooler, Instructions, etc...
OEM CPU = Only CPU in a plastic case without cooler or instructions. (The CPU's remain the same though, there is no difference whatsoever between the OEM and Retail processors, it's just whats included with them.)

I would personally get the OEM chip as you can use the money you've saved for a better CPU cooler.
I would personally recommend the Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme (aka TRUE). It is the king of the CPU air coolers.
You can also get it on Newegg, but it's currently out of stock, Petra's is a great shop though, I buy stuff from them all the time.

I think I’m going to have to slow it down a little, as I may have been asking for too much on my first post, so ill try to go piece by piece, CPU and Graphics cards first as they are the core of my system.

Would you also recommend going with the 8800gt or go for the more pricy 9800GTX? The link you showed also added one more card for me to consider, the VisionTek 3870.

Well, read through THIS page, Montana here asked the same question and we got it answered.

I would personally suggest the 8800GT or 8800GTS 512MB, the 9800GTX is a great card in all but not worth the extra money IMO (in my opinion).
I own the 8800GT and absolutely love it, I couldn't ask for more performance. As for the 8800GT vs. 8800GTS 512MB, there is not to much a difference other than the cooler's and different clocks. Again not worth going over the GT IMO.

And the 3870 cards.... Well, I wouldn't really suggest them, as you could get an 8800GT for more or less the same price, which will almost always outperform it.

Would going for the more expensive cards give me a better value per dollar/ or at least good enough for me to want to go with it?

Well, it depends. If you have the money to get the better card then I say go for it! But if your on more of a budget, then go for the 8800GT as you won't see a noticeable difference getting the more expensive card (in this case, the 8800GTS 512mb and 9800GTX).

Again, thanks for all the responses.

Hey, we are here to help, keep the questions coming!! (it keeps us busy and out of trouble .... jk jk!!)

[One4yu2c]

OEM vs Retail
To expand, retail CPUs are also by backed by a 3-year warranty from Intel (or AMD, if going that route). OEM, or Original Equipment Manufacturer, means its intended for system builders/resellers, and the warranty is provided by the vendor. Depending on where you buy your processor from, this can range from 15 days to 1 year. Specifically at Newegg, you have 7 days to return for a refund, or 30 days for a replacement.

Newegg Reviews
Ignore them - that's what we're here for. Don't ever make a purchase based on a Newegg 'review,' though they can be somewhat handy in looking for common complaints about a product.

Dual vs Quad Core
Generally speaking, a faster clocked dual-core will outperform a slower clocked quad-core (there are some apps where the opposite is true). And dollar for dollar, you can purchase more MHz/GHz in a dual-core CPU than a quad. For this reason, dual-core usually gets recommended more often.

The current hot ticket is the E8400. It's fast at stock, and overclockers can typically expect to hit 4GHz or beyond, depending on experience level and complimentary components.

[screwballl]

Just an addition... as more games take advantage of more cores, the higher speed dual core becomes the lesser desired part for gamers. For that price range I would suggest getting a Q6700... has decent core speed and the 4 cores instead of only 2...
Again, this is something that is a matter of preference. You will not likely see any difference between a E8400 and a Q6700 outside of the benchmark numbers. but if you compare these same 2 in a year with a new game due out then, you will likely see better performance from the Quad then.

[One4yu2c]

On that same token, appling the $100 saved towards a faster videocard (or towards a videocard upgrade a year from now) will show a bigger performance dividend in gaming than getting a quad over a dual.

[Parker]

Originally Posted by One4yu2c

OEM vs Retail
To expand, retail CPUs are also by backed by a 3-year warranty from Intel (or AMD, if going that route). OEM, or Original Equipment Manufacturer, means its intended for system builders/resellers, and the warranty is provided by the vendor. Depending on where you buy your processor from, this can range from 15 days to 1 year. Specifically at Newegg, you have 7 days to return for a refund, or 30 days for a replacement.

Whoa, I never heard of intel not giving warranty's on there OEM chips! Thanks for posting that Paul

As for Dual Core vs. Quad Core, I didn't realize the size of your budget, so now I am going to have to recommend a quad! lol, I would personally recommend the one of Intel's new quads, the Q9450 or the Q9300.

As for Vista vs. XP, I have decided to stick with XP and completely skip Vista as all I have had is problems trying to install it.
A couple of guys here have upgraded to XP from there Vista install because they have problems, or because they don't like it's "slowness" and performance. Most recently, polobunny and stormcrow has gone back to XP.

BTW, what size monitor do you plan on running? (i.e. 22", 24", 27"....)
Your screen size will play a big part in choosing a video card.

[Captain Crunch]

Originally Posted by One4yu2c

On that same token, appling the $100 saved towards a faster videocard (or towards a videocard upgrade a year from now) will show a bigger performance dividend in gaming than getting a quad over a dual.

^^^^^^^^^^^
I will second that ...........
and also you will find most of us if I had to guess buy 90% or more of our computer parts from online......Hell some of us would buy everything online including groceries if we could get away from it.
There are a couple of big benefits to buying online.
1. you can look at reviews.
2. it's almost always cheaper.
3. you don't have some 18 year old trying to sell you something that's not right for YOU because his boss told him to sell it.
4. and other but you get the point.

As far as the CPU if you think you will over clock.......both OEM and retail are good choices. The biggest difference I can think of the the OEM doesn't come with a heat sink fan. (atleast it used to be that way I'm assuming it still is.
If your going to over clock then you WILL need something other than a stock fan.

The 9800 is a great card but would have to agree since it just came out it is a bit overpriced and the 8800gt and gts are better bang for buck.
But keep in mind your video card is the most important piece of hardware in a gaming system. If you got the cash to throw at it by all means do. But if you a bang for buck guy go for the 8800gt or gts and upgrade you card next year when the new cards come out. The 9800 is NOT a very big jump from the 8800 and may very well be doing your self a favor by say getting the 8400 verse the quad core like Paul suggested snagging a 8800 for less than $200 and with the money you saved just from those two thing get you a NEW card next year. That's just my 2 cents.
Also also DDR 800 is just redicilously low right not and you can add 4GB for under a $100 bucks.

I understand at a certain point I could spend say 50% more, and only get a 10% performance increase which is obviously not very efficient

^^^^^^^^^^ I agree with this 100%
You can get the best of the best and spend quite a lot or go for bang for buck still get 90% of the performance the big dogs are getting and upgrade you system in a year and still have a screaming fast system.

This applies for just about every thing stick with the big name brands......
Mother boards.....Asus gegabyte etc.
vid card ......BFG, MSI, evga, XFX ect.
ram OZC, crucial, corsair