Need Advice On New Build

[kaza1205]

Hey guys, ive posted in quite a few forums, but no one seems to be helpful :/ posted a ton of times in tomshardware, no replies.. so i stumbled upon this website, read through the forums a bit, you guys seem to know your stuff, hence why im here

I am looking to build a new computer for gaming and making games.

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc

Main priority is making games,models etc using Unity 4, Maya, Some blender. so i will have to render alot.
second is playing games, the newer games, maybe some cod for when i cba with life lol
Dota 2
Civillization V
Batman Arkham City etc
i would like to be able to play far cry 3 also
(dont care about max graphics on any game, im use to low)
and third simple web browsing.


2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
My budget, i know this may seem quite cheap, but its the best i can do at the moment, 450 to 500 max, incl shipping


3) Which country do you live in? If the U.S, please tell us the state and city if possible.

I live in Northern Ireland (UK)

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.

Motherboard
Processor
GPU
RAM
Case (doesnt have to be the best looking case out there, but a nice looking one would do)
SSD (128gb)

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

I have 2 monitors.
Have a mouse
Have a keyboard
Keeping my HDD 500gb (will upgrade to a 1tb when i have the money)
Keeping my disk drive, isnt the best one, but it does the job.
PSU - Hantol ATX silent 120mm Fan 550 Wat
My case,
http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=CS859SL
It isnt the best case, but even with my system at the moment, there is alot of extra room, and i mean alot. if i could get a cheap case which has room happy days, if not and i could use that money to help other parts, ill do that and keep this case :]



6) Will you be overclocking?
Nah, dont plan on it

7) What is the max resolution of your monitor? What size is it?

i have a 22 inch screen, the resolution is - 1080p - 1920 x 1080
I also have a 19 inch screen, the resolution is 1400 x 1050

I will be getting another 22 inch screen later on down the line, and dump my 19 inch one, so i have 2 of the same monitor.


8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Honestly, im going on holidays soon, and will be flat out at work for a wee while when i come back, so i guess id like to order all the parts in/around mid to late march, bit far away, but id like to know exactly what i have to buy and where from ( i like to be prepared)

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)? UEFI? etc.

Mostly basic, i know thats not the real answer you want, but thats all i can say, dont think id need anything more than the basic.
It isnt a must have, but the option to do Crossfire or SLI would be nice, for way on down the line.

My audio and headphone jack isnt working, so many have those on the mobo?

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

I dont at this moment in time, but i will have one by the time im ordering all my parts. it will be WIN 64 bit for when i buy my new hdd if i can, im going to use the HDD i have atm, which is Win xp 32 bit :/ i know it wont use the ram that i will be getting since it only supports a few gig, but it will last until i get my new HDD

 

[E4g1e]

Before you buy any new components, I'd strongly recommend replacing that PSU right away: That Hantol PSU and others similar to it have been known to use a fake PFC circuit - a wire attached to a block of cement. That alone is a giveaway that the PSU is a piece of crap to begin with. Moreover, even if it were "legitimate", that PSU could barely handle even 250W, let alone 550W, without risking major and serious damage to your new components.

 

[kaza1205]

just did some research on that psu, cheers man for the heads up :/ i have a few bob lying about atm, any psu you would recommend? one that i could obviously use for my build later down the line?

 

[Dangman]

2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
My budget, i know this may seem quite cheap, but its the best i can do at the moment, 450 to 500 max, incl shipping

450 to 500 what? Euros? pounds? dollars?

3) Which country do you live in? If the U.S, please tell us the state and city if possible.
I live in Northern Ireland (UK)

So will any British online computer hardware store ship to your area? Or are there Irish specific online stores?

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Honestly, im going on holidays soon, and will be flat out at work for a wee while when i come back, so i guess id like to order all the parts in/around mid to late march, bit far away, but id like to know exactly what i have to buy and where from ( i like to be prepared)

Unfortunately that's not the best of ideas when it comes to PC hardware as our specific hardware recommendations can actually change weekly let alone monthly. As such a build we recommend today may not be the same build we'd recommend in late March due to pricing, availability, and possibly new parts. Hell there's a rumor about that Intel might release their new Haswell CPUs as early as late March. So you can bet we'll be recommending that.

So I recommend just coming back when you're 2-3 weeks away from being to buy parts for the PC to ask for advice then. Bump up this thread if you want to.

My audio and headphone jack isnt working, so many have those on the mobo?

Correct.

10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
I dont at this moment in time, but i will have one by the time im ordering all my parts. it will be WIN 64 bit for when i buy my new hdd if i can, im going to use the HDD i have atm, which is Win xp 32 bit :/ i know it wont use the ram that i will be getting since it only supports a few gig, but it will last until i get my new HDD

Wait, so the cost of new OS is part of your budget as well or a seperate budget? Note that if you plan on getting a SSD, it's highly recommended to get Windows 7 and above for it.

i have a few bob lying about atm, any psu you would recommend? one that i could obviously use for my build later down the line?

bob? What does that mean? Can't recommend a PSU if we don't know what stores are available to you.