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Help me build a new computer!

1

1RSK087

n00b
Joined
Mar 11, 2011
Messages
4
1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc

Working (various programs, none of them use a lot of resources), gaming, watching movies

2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?

~$2000

3) Where do you live?

California, Silicon Valley

4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. The word "Everything" is not a valid answer. Please list out all the parts you'll need.

CPU, RAM, case, video card, hard drive, DVD drive, sound card, CPU cooler, possibly power supply

5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.

PC Power and Cooling 610W power supply (will it be enough?)

6) Will you be overclocking?

I plan to use the Sandy Bridge i5 2500k, so yes

7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?

at least 2 27" monitors, but I'll probably have 1 for the short term

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?

In the next 2-3 months

9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? eSATA? Onboard video? etc.

Crossfire support, USB 3.0, SATA 6GB

10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?

Windows XP 32-bit, Windows 7 64-bit
 
Here's what I'm thinking so far. It doesn't have a motherboard because most of them are sold out on Newegg. I'm also debating between an Intel 510, OCZ Vertex 3, or Revodrive (something around 120, 160, or 180 GB, depending on price)

Case - SILVERSTONE RV02B-EW Matte black reinforced plastic outer shell, 0.8mm Steel body ATX Full Tower Computer Case
$189.99

Video card - SAPPHIRE 100311SR Radeon HD 6970 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
$379.99

Sound card - ASUS Xonar Essence STX Virtual 7.1 Channels PCI Express x1 Interface 124 dB SNR / Headphone AMP Card
$199.99

RAM - G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9Q-16GBRL
$249.99

CPU - Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I52500K
$219.99

Cooler - CORSAIR Hydro H70 CWCH70 120mm High Performance CPU Cooler
$104.81

DVD drive - LG Black 10X Blu-ray Burner - Bulk SATA WH10LS30 LightScribe Support
$90.99

Total : $1,435.75
 
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Yeah you're planning way way too soon: Most of the parts we recommend aren't exactly the same parts we'll recommend a month from now let alone 2-3 months from now. A lot can change between now and then.

So if you want up-to-date advice on hardware, then your best bet is to ask again 2-3 weeks before your actual build date. You're pretty much expending unnecessary effort and time doing all this research so early.

With that said, some quick tips and answers:
- You will have to replace that PSU if you plan on using the HD 6970 or a video card with a similar power usage profile

- Avoid the Revodrive due to its current pricing

- Buy as much of your parts as possible from Amazon.com as they do not charge tax to CA residents. We've been able to shave off $100 to $300 off California based builds by simply buying from Amazon. Dunno about you but I'd rather use that $100 to $300 towards faster parts rather taxes charged by Newegg.
 
ahh, great points. Thanks for the advice.

I used to be heavy into computers like 9-10 years ago. I'll continue to research, but start finalizing parts until before the actual build as you suggested. Thanks!
 
I'm curious about the sound card you picked. Is there a reason you need that rather than using onboard?
 
just sound quality overall... I remember a stark difference going from dedicated sound card to on board.
 
1RSK087 said:
just sound quality overall... I remember a stark difference going from dedicated sound card to on board.
Click to expand...

How old is your current system though? The integrated audio on mobos these days have gotten better.
 
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