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Hey everyone. I'm planning a build which is going to eventually become a gaming/browsing/coding/modelling system. I have the majority of the parts already picked out on paper. Time is a bit of an issue, as I currently have a (really terrible) desktop and a work laptop that is going to be MIA for 3-4 weeks as it's going on a work trip that I'm not part of. Because of that, I am looking to build pretty bare-bones for now and expand as I go (and as $'s are available). With that being said, on to the questionnaire:
1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Gaming, web browsing, 3D modelling (Blender for now), coding (C# / SDK (UDK, Unity, Skyrim Creation Kit))
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
$1k USD or less for now, including tax.
3) Which country do you live in? If the U.S, please tell us the state and city if possible.
Canton, MA. Unless there is an insane savings by ordering online anywhere, my plan is to purchase everything from Microcenter in Cambridge to build ASAP. I'm willing to pay a little extra to have things now, as opposed to later.
4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc.
Here is the list so far (with MC prices):
Mobo - Asus P8Z68-V/Gen 3 $184.99
CPU - i7 2600k $279.99
RAM - Samsung 8gb (2x4gb) DDR3-1600 (MV-3V4G3D/US) $39.99
OS- Win 7 Home Premium 64-bit OEM $99.99
SSD - Crucial M4 128gb $169.99
(Sub-total without tax is $774.95)
Still need a case, power supply, optical drive, HSF and HDD for storage. (Note that GPU is not listed yet as I plan to ride out the wait between now and Pitcairn/Kepler release. I am only concerned with having a functional browsing box for now, I can game on my 360 or PS3 until then. Also, see below re: monitor.)
I want to get the SSD now as opposed to later because I honestly have zero desire to have to reinstall Windows if I can avoid it. SSD as an OS/major app drive now makes more sense to me than the hassle of a reinstall down the road.
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
Monitor. It's a Viewsonic CRT, don't recall the model as I haven't used it in a while (know that it works, though). This is simply a placeholder until I purchase a Dell U2412M. I'll also be reusing my USB keyboard/mouse and speakers.
6) Will you be overclocking?
Yes. Never have before, but with the parts I've chosen, it would be a crime not to.
7) What is the max resolution of your monitor? What size is it?
Currently a 17" CRT, I THINK the max res is 1200x1024 or 1024x768? It's been so long, I don't recall. Future will be 24" 1920x1200.
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Maybe this weekend (2/18-2/19)? If not, then two weeks from now.
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? eSATA? Onboard video (as a backup or main GPU)? etc.
IGP video is a MUST for now as main GPU, which is one of the reasons why I chose the P8Z68-V/Gen3. That being said, the ASUS site says it has HDMI/DVI/RGB connections. My monitor is "VGA," does that mean it will be compatible with the RGB port? It LOOKS like a standard VGA port, but this whole thing falls apart if my monitor won't work with it.
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
No, I will be purchasing Win 7 Home Premium 64-bit. I don't need any of the features of Pro or Ultimate.
So, on to some questions:
1. My *very* old desktop has an E-IDE hard drive, not SATA. Is there a way to connect it to the ASUS mobo? Or would I be better off just transporting stored data (music, pictures, etc.) via USB to the new drive?
2. Speaking of the new drive, what is a good, fairly cheap HDD? I'm fine with going 500gb for now, or even simply 250gb. I can upgrade later as storage space is not a massive limitation for me currently.
3. Surround sound gaming. This is something I want, but it's a future worry. What do I need to do to get that going on this build? Is it possible with the onboard audio, or would I be better off just buying a sound card? I'll either use my Turtle Beach DX11's or get a "good" set of headphones, like Sennheiser, in the future.
4. If I'm not mistaken, the current Microcenter deal is $50 off Z68 mobos with a i7 CPU. Aside from that and the bonus that HTT will give me in Blender, I don't think I really need the 2600k. However, modelling is a HUGE concern for me as I plan on attempting a career out of it. Am I doing myself a disservice by getting the 2600k over a 2500k? I am not worried about the performance hit on gaming with HTT, as I can turn it off. Gun to my head, I'm more concerned about the render times of modelling than I am about a few FPS in gaming.
5. I love the look of the NZXT Phantom, but that's out of my price range. The brushed look of the Lian Li cases is nice as well. What's a good compromise case as far as looks, cooling, space for expansion and cable management?
6. Am I missing anything? I'm sweating the major details, so I feel like I'm forgetting something important in the minor ones.
Thanks in advance, guys and gals!
1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Gaming, web browsing, 3D modelling (Blender for now), coding (C# / SDK (UDK, Unity, Skyrim Creation Kit))
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
$1k USD or less for now, including tax.
3) Which country do you live in? If the U.S, please tell us the state and city if possible.
Canton, MA. Unless there is an insane savings by ordering online anywhere, my plan is to purchase everything from Microcenter in Cambridge to build ASAP. I'm willing to pay a little extra to have things now, as opposed to later.
4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc.
Here is the list so far (with MC prices):
Mobo - Asus P8Z68-V/Gen 3 $184.99
CPU - i7 2600k $279.99
RAM - Samsung 8gb (2x4gb) DDR3-1600 (MV-3V4G3D/US) $39.99
OS- Win 7 Home Premium 64-bit OEM $99.99
SSD - Crucial M4 128gb $169.99
(Sub-total without tax is $774.95)
Still need a case, power supply, optical drive, HSF and HDD for storage. (Note that GPU is not listed yet as I plan to ride out the wait between now and Pitcairn/Kepler release. I am only concerned with having a functional browsing box for now, I can game on my 360 or PS3 until then. Also, see below re: monitor.)
I want to get the SSD now as opposed to later because I honestly have zero desire to have to reinstall Windows if I can avoid it. SSD as an OS/major app drive now makes more sense to me than the hassle of a reinstall down the road.
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
Monitor. It's a Viewsonic CRT, don't recall the model as I haven't used it in a while (know that it works, though). This is simply a placeholder until I purchase a Dell U2412M. I'll also be reusing my USB keyboard/mouse and speakers.
6) Will you be overclocking?
Yes. Never have before, but with the parts I've chosen, it would be a crime not to.
7) What is the max resolution of your monitor? What size is it?
Currently a 17" CRT, I THINK the max res is 1200x1024 or 1024x768? It's been so long, I don't recall. Future will be 24" 1920x1200.
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Maybe this weekend (2/18-2/19)? If not, then two weeks from now.
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? eSATA? Onboard video (as a backup or main GPU)? etc.
IGP video is a MUST for now as main GPU, which is one of the reasons why I chose the P8Z68-V/Gen3. That being said, the ASUS site says it has HDMI/DVI/RGB connections. My monitor is "VGA," does that mean it will be compatible with the RGB port? It LOOKS like a standard VGA port, but this whole thing falls apart if my monitor won't work with it.
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
No, I will be purchasing Win 7 Home Premium 64-bit. I don't need any of the features of Pro or Ultimate.
So, on to some questions:
1. My *very* old desktop has an E-IDE hard drive, not SATA. Is there a way to connect it to the ASUS mobo? Or would I be better off just transporting stored data (music, pictures, etc.) via USB to the new drive?
2. Speaking of the new drive, what is a good, fairly cheap HDD? I'm fine with going 500gb for now, or even simply 250gb. I can upgrade later as storage space is not a massive limitation for me currently.
3. Surround sound gaming. This is something I want, but it's a future worry. What do I need to do to get that going on this build? Is it possible with the onboard audio, or would I be better off just buying a sound card? I'll either use my Turtle Beach DX11's or get a "good" set of headphones, like Sennheiser, in the future.
4. If I'm not mistaken, the current Microcenter deal is $50 off Z68 mobos with a i7 CPU. Aside from that and the bonus that HTT will give me in Blender, I don't think I really need the 2600k. However, modelling is a HUGE concern for me as I plan on attempting a career out of it. Am I doing myself a disservice by getting the 2600k over a 2500k? I am not worried about the performance hit on gaming with HTT, as I can turn it off. Gun to my head, I'm more concerned about the render times of modelling than I am about a few FPS in gaming.
5. I love the look of the NZXT Phantom, but that's out of my price range. The brushed look of the Lian Li cases is nice as well. What's a good compromise case as far as looks, cooling, space for expansion and cable management?
6. Am I missing anything? I'm sweating the major details, so I feel like I'm forgetting something important in the minor ones.
Thanks in advance, guys and gals!
