Major Upgrade After Disastrous Event

[r-486]

More info of air compressor destroying my PC, see here: http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1816821

1. Budget
I’ve got some money. I just don’t want to spend too much. I won’t list a budget. I just want best bang for the buck so value.

2. Components
PSU
RAM
Motherboard
APU or (CPU and Videocard)

I’d like to get bluetooth capability and could use a 80mm fan. My case uses 120mm and 80mm fans.

3. Usage
Video/graphics editing
I use a TV card, too.
Lots of Virtual Machine usage.
Light gaming but nothing crazy.
Internet, etc.

4. Features
USB 3.0
At least four HDDs will be used.
I have a DVD drive that’s IDE/PATA. IDE seems to be fading out, so I can just buy a cheap SATA DVD drive.
I already have a soundcard and wireless network card and TV card. My graphics card is too old, and I suspect bad.

5. OC
Not on this rig.

6. Durability
As long as possible. I don’t always update or upgrade, but I want to keep my options open.

8. Ideas for Components

Motherboard
ASRock FM2A88X Extreme4+ FM2+ / FM2 AMD A88X (Bolton D4), $76
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157468

PSU
Antec BP550, $65
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371016

RAM
Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3, $73
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148662

APU
AMD A10-7700K Kaveri, $160
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113360

Plextor DVD Drive, $30
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827249084

I'd like bluetooth support and motherboard doesn't have that built-in, so I'll probably buy some add-on device or card. I'll add a cheap fan, too.

9. Retailers
I don’t care. I use Newegg and Amazon a lot.

 

[E4g1e]

Ditch the Basiq BP550 PSU: It's too expensive for the quality and performance it provides. Besides, there are much better quality PSUs for equal or lower price than that BP550.

 

[Dangman]

More info of air compressor destroying my PC, see here: http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1816821

1. Budget
I’ve got some money. I just don’t want to spend too much. I won’t list a budget. I just want best bang for the buck so value.

Yeah, that's not very helpful: There's no such thing as "THE" or single best bang for the buck build since you can find bang for the buck value parts at almost every price point above $500 to %600. So please tell us your max budget?

Got a lot more questions:
1) What case will you be reusing?
2) Just how much video/graphics editing do you actually do? I.e does it take up more than 30% of the time spent on the PC?
3 What's your definition of "light gaming"?
4) How many VMs do you run at the same time? WHat kind of VMs are they?
5) Which country do you live in? If the U.S, please tell us the state and city if possible.
6) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
7) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
8) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? 32bit or 64bit?

And yes you will need to buy a new SATA DVD burner. However, at $31, that Plextor DVD burner is overpriced considering that it's the same quality as a dozen or so cheaper DVD burners out there. I also agree with E4g1e that particular Antec PSU is not a good choice for the money.

I'm holding off on recommendations until I know the budget and answers to the above questions.

 

[r-486]

Ditch the Basiq BP550 PSU: It's too expensive for the quality and performance it provides. Besides, there are much better quality PSUs for equal or lower price than that BP550.

Recommendations?

Yeah, that's not very helpful: There's no such thing as "THE" or single best bang for the buck build since you can find bang for the buck value parts at almost every price point above $500 to %600. So please tell us your max budget?

Got a lot more questions:
1) What case will you be reusing?
2) Just how much video/graphics editing do you actually do? I.e does it take up more than 30% of the time spent on the PC?
3 What's your definition of "light gaming"?
4) How many VMs do you run at the same time? WHat kind of VMs are they?
5) Which country do you live in? If the U.S, please tell us the state and city if possible.
6) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
7) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
8) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? 32bit or 64bit?

And yes you will need to buy a new SATA DVD burner. However, at $31, that Plextor DVD burner is overpriced considering that it's the same quality as a dozen or so cheaper DVD burners out there. I also agree with E4g1e that particular Antec PSU is not a good choice for the money.

I'm holding off on recommendations until I know the budget and answers to the above questions.

Budget I guess $750 although the lower, the better. Current chassis supports extended ATX and ample space with a gazillion bays. It's bigger than I'd like. I don't know model off my head. It's an old case. Video/graphics editing isn't something I do often. I run Linux distros and different Windows OSs in VirtualBox and also TeamViewer. Sometimes I need a certain app or want to configure an OS in a VM before installing or have to work on a client's PC with TeamViewer. Hardware virtualization is something I'd like that I forgot to mention. Modern motherboards are better at this. I live in VA, USA. I run 2048×1536 on an 18" display. I'd love 4k or two wide-screen displays, but I'm not going that route yet. I'd like the parts as soon as possible. Yes, I'm just going to put the parts in my current chassis. I have XP x86 and Win7 x64 and plenty of Linux ISOs. They're legit and useable. Which PSU would you suggest? With the Plextor being only $10 more, I'm not really bothered by it. I've found Japanese products to be better quality than Chinese or Taiwanese ones, so that's why I opted for the Plextor.

 

[Dangman]

If your case still has mounts for 80mm fans, I'd recommend getting a new case altogether as that case is probably too old to properly cool a modern system well. Newer cases these days are significantly easier to work with and roomier in some aspects compared to old large sized ATX cases of the past. Cheapest case replacement I tend to recommend:
$50 - NZXT Source 210 Elite Black ATX Case

How long is the drive to this Microcenter for you?:
http://www.microcenter.com/site/stores/fairfax.aspx

Oh, and what about the hard drive or SSD?

 

[r-486]

That would be about a 3h drive. I've got several HDDs including two 4TB drives with one that I clone to for back up purposes. I don't have an SSD. I want one, but I was going to hold off on that until I start working full-time or have more money. I'm only working part-time now. If I recall correctly, I think my CPU and HDD temps were in the 30s with the chipset being the hottest. That was with a bunch of dust accumulation from cats and stupid smokers living with me.

 

[Dangman]

So you don't know what case you have?

Oh and you didn't answer question 3 and 7.

 

[r-486]

I answered 7 earlier. As soon as possible would nice. I barely play games or the latest ones and don't need ultra settings, so I don't think I should bother spending the money for that. My current case is an old Lian-Li and aluminum. I don't think I like the material, and I hate working inside that thing. The Fractal Design cases look nice, but I really haven't looked at cases. I'd rather have steel.

 

[Dangman]

Here's a preliminary build for now:
$185 - Intel Core i5-4430 CPU
$83 - ASRock H87M Pro4 Intel H87 mATX Motherboard
$140 - 2 x Corsair CMV8GX3M1A1600C11 8GB DDR3 1600 RAM
$18 - LG GH24NSB0B DVD Burner
$45 - Corsair 430CX V2 430W PSU
$50 - NZXT Source 210 Elite Black ATX Case
---
Total: $471 shipped


Here's some cases that I recommend:
Cases (ATX):
$50 - NZXT Source 210 Elite Black ATX Case
$45 - NZXT Source 210 Elite White with Black Front Trim ATX Case
$56 - NZXT Source 220 Black ATX Case
$60 - Corsair Carbide Series 200R ATX Case
$70 - Corsair Graphite Series 230T Black ATX Case
$72 - Corsair Graphite Series 230T Black ATX Case
$79 - Corsair Graphite Series 230T Black w/ Window ATX Case
$100 - Corsair Carbide Series 400R ATX Case
$100 - NZXT Phantom PHAN-001WT White Full Tower ATX Case
$113 - Corsair Carbide Series 500R ATX Case
$120 - Antec 1100 ATX Case
$120 - Corsair Obsidian Series 450D ATX Case
$120 - Corsair Vengeance Series C70 Arctic White ATX Case
$120 - Corsair Vengeance Series C70 Gunmetal Black ATX Case
$120 - NZXT Phantom PHAN-002OR Black Finish w/Orange Trim Full Tower ATX Case
$130 - NZXT Phantom 530 Black Full Tower ATX Case
$130 - Corsair Graphite Series 600TM ATX Case
$140 - Corsair Graphite Series 730T ATX Case
$150 - Corsair Obsidian Series 650D ATX Case
$160 - Corsair Obsidian Series 750D ATX Case
$160 - Corsair Special Edition White Graphite Series 600T ATX Case
$170 - NZXT Phantom 630 Gunmetal Full Tower ATX Case
$170 - NZXT Phantom 630 White Full Tower ATX Case
$190 - Corsair Graphite Series 760T ATX Case
$230 - Silverstone FT02B-USB3.0 ATX Case
$250 - Silverstone FT02S-W-USB3.0 ATX Case


Case (Low Noise Oriented):

$112 - Fractal Design Define R4 Arctic White ATX Case
$112 - Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl ATX Case
$114 - Fractal Design Define R4 Titanium Grey ATX Case
$110 - Antec P280 ATX Case
$130 - Corsair Obsidian Series 550D ATX Case

 

[r-486]

Thanks for suggestions. I'm still contemplating here thinking the Kaveri is better suited for my needs which has better GPU which I probably won't upgrade. Any reason for recommending the Haswell instead? I should get a chassis... more money though.

 

[E4g1e]

I'm still contemplating here thinking the Kaveri is better suited for my needs which has better GPU which I probably won't upgrade. Any reason for recommending the Haswell instead?

The Haswell's CPU performance is simply faster overall than the Kaveri's. In fact, the Kaveri's CPU performance is actually worse than a five-year-old Intel Nehalem CPU.

 

[r-486]

I noticed newer Intel chipsets, the 9-Series based Z97 and H97. They're supposed to support M.2, SATA Express, and Broadwell. I was going to buy an SSD later in the future. I think I'd rather go that route.