I want to build a new machine...

[leptar]

I've been looking online and i want to build a new machine...

I used to build systems as i worked at a couple of Computer shops back in the early 90's... Last system I built was for myself was in 2003...

I haven't been keeping up with the technology as i changed fields...

So on that note i know many of you are in the field today and keep up with whats hot and whats not...

I have a low end Intel laptop and a high end AMD laptop both are under a year old.(which after playing with a high end Intel laptop makes the AMD laptop a joke)...

I was a huge AMD fanboy and still a little biased towards them but with all due respect I have been fiddling with AMD and Intel machines that are out there and all bloat ware aside i have not seen a single AMD machine snap thru applications without hiccuping during certain stages...

I want to build an Intel system...

Here is what i'm looking for...

Mother boards
Video cards
Memory
Besides $400+ CPU's which CPU under $250 would you consider..

I was ready to buy a barebones system and slap it together but i wanted some "real" input and not what some 13 yr old wrote imagining he/she had...

My son is 11 so he might want to do some computer gaming..
My wife might get back into photography..
Me i couldn't care less as long as i can log on and post/read S-B.com, check tides/weather, look up a schematic and order parts/tools and check email..

Thanks,
Paul..

I thought about a Mac as my wife's sister owns one as she did photo/video and website design... cost a pretty penny too..

[iamskippy]

Paul, i too was a AMD head till Intel stepped it up,

Few questions
1) What level of Gaming are you looking for?
2) Storage are you going to need as you metioned pics and vids do you use externals?
3) Burners?
4) how much room will you need the case to fit in.


I have a pretty good idea for a machine for you, but will need those questions answered, but you maybe able to get away with a cookie cutter productions system.

P.S whats your over all budget? $800?

[iamskippy]

I put together a few things to start

Case i have the 900 and its a killer case best i have ever bought.

Power Supply

Core i5 combo!, i do prefer the i7 but this one is nice for the price

8 gb ram i would not run any less the board supports up to 32, i would put 16 in if you plan on photo and video editing.

Hard drive if you not storing externally.


Video Card


and a burner is about $20

[striperman36]

that have a wifi integrated?

Sweet setup Skip

Run Ubuntu on it

[leptar]

Skip,
Thank you...

That MB is one of 3 (Gigabyte and Intel) with the Z77 chipset that i was thinking of but was undecided with the sandy or ivy bridge cpu.

Level of gaming not hardcore... as my son might do some..
I think that card will be more then sufficient...

I'm going to spend a little more and get the gold Corsair Powersupply.. Seems to be the most reliable PS out there.

I have several cases from mid to full tower from back in the day.. Fugly but me thinks i can repaint them... Rolled edges, welded frames, $$... I think i have a Lian or 2......

16gigs it is.. thats what i was thinking of.. now 2 X8 gig modules or 4X4 gig modules?

I7 is out of my budget.

I appreciate it.
Thanks again,
Paul

[iamskippy]

Originally Posted by leptar

Skip,
Thank you...

That MB is one of 3 (Gigabyte and Intel) with the Z77 chipset that i was thinking of but was undecided with the sandy or ivy bridge cpu.

Level of gaming not hardcore... as my son might do some..
I think that card will be more then sufficient...

I'm going to spend a little more and get the gold Corsair Powersupply.. Seems to be the most reliable PS out there.

I have several cases from mid to full tower from back in the day.. Fugly but me thinks i can repaint them... Rolled edges, welded frames, $$... I think i have a Lian or 2......

16gigs it is.. thats what i was thinking of.. now 2 X8 gig modules or 4X4 gig modules?

I7 is out of my budget.

I appreciate it.
Thanks again,
Paul

I agree with your power surply choice i have the 750 and love it, i was looking at budget when i listed the on i did, as far as the ram, its all about what you want to do in the future add more or not but some time you can get 4x4 cheaper then 2x8.

As far as the case that one is loaded with fans, you will need it with todays vid cards and processors as well as the heat the ram produces, that one is a reasonable deal, but thats me being particular.

Best of luck can wait to hear and see the final build.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[PRBuzz]

Isn't building your own computer like building your own car from parts? Is do-it-yourself really less expensive or is it that you get to customize to your exact needs?

[leptar]

Originally Posted by striperman36

that have a wifi integrated?

Sweet setup Skip

Run Ubuntu on it

That particular model does not have intergrated wifi...

USB wifi thumb cards can be had for $19.

Also the P8Z77 with wifi also offers RAID so the board is a little bigger..
The more integrated you get the more you run a risk of something failing IMHO.

Asus P8Z77 with wifi

Asus P8Z77 no wifi

Originally Posted by PRBuzz

Isn't building your own computer like building your own car from parts? Is do-it-yourself really less expensive or is it that you get to customize to your exact needs?

More like building your own rod.
You can compare it ,for example to buying a factory Lami 1201 or a custom lami 1201. With the custom you can select your guides from different MFG's in different flavors, many options for reel seats and handle materials, and thread wraps/colors..

Yes you can build a custom Lami 1201 for less then a factory or you can build one with Titanium guides and reel seat and never have to worry about corrosion.



Skip, After looking and thinking and researching, I went with the MB/CPU combo you recommended...
Never had an issue with Asus in the past but almost every machine i built was an AMD machine except for the earlier 4 and 5 X86's including a few Pentium pro's... and back then Asus was one of the boards you avoided as they had issues with cap's popping.. wasnt until AMD came out with the pentium killer and kept Intel in the shadows for years... in terms of performance and price..

Neways I spent more on ram... but went with 16gigs 4X4 as that will be more then enough and surprisingly faster as with higher capacities have higher latency's...

For now i picked up an SSD drive 64gig big enough for OS and Office and a few other Apps... if SSD prices drop i'll pick up another but for the time being i have a few Sata drives in the 160 gig flavor that aren't being used...

I'll be using a borrowed dvd drive until i get the promotional gift cards to pick up a sata dvd burner.

I went with the same graphics card (GTX650) but 1 gig less made by Asus as it has a full sized HDMI port along with old school D-sub when i want to slap on the old 13" boot unix and start programing with C again .
Actually my last 2 cards were made by EVGA and while they are good out of the box after a while the cap's popped....

I went with the smaller AX650 Gold PSU and the Nine hundred case.

Thanks again Skip.. Just got to get the OS and i'll be good to go...

[leptar]

From this


to this


90% done...

Had to redo the wiring on the stock CPU fan.. Freaking joke when i powered it on... wires were holding the fan from spinning..

need to get the blu-ray drive and it will be done..

Also picked up a decent 256 ssd drive for little $$ playing the waiting game..

Had it run only in bios for a while and 0 issues.. going to find a mem checker thats bootable and let it run..

Took longer to unpack and find tools then it did to put it together.. the technology changed but the architecture has not... only thing that was scary was seating the cpu.. when i heard it squish and squash i was like... oooh CHIT... other then that rest was cake..

Case makers still aren't making cables long enough.. thats what zip ties are for... I need 1/2" more cable length to use the mic/head phone jacks as i don't want to put any pressure on the header.

bought the rosewill USB 3.0 all in 1 cardreader with extra usb3 dongle and mic/head plugs.. so thats that.. cheesy that the usb3 port on the case is a pass thru but it saves me from pulling the tower out i guess.
Spent more then i wanted to but thats how it goes i guess...

Priced out a comparable dell sytem I was looking @ $1400ish..
Spent just under a grand and I got better components.

Thanks again,
Paul

[iamskippy]

Nice job, should last you a long time, great work on the add ons as well
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[Raven]

some high end graphics there

watcha watchin

[JohnR]

Is that the HAF case?

I built similar 18 months ago. Sandy Bridge, i5-2500K, Gigabyte z68, 16gb ram, XFX 6850 - fast rig.

[leptar]

Originally Posted by Raven

some high end graphics there

watcha watchin

middle of the road actually... a nice mix... ASUS GTX650-DC-1GD5 I bought it as it had what i wanted plus a little bonus... I can over clock this thing and gain a performance boost similar to an upgrade down the road. Also it supports dual monitors and has a full size HDMI output.

Originally Posted by JohnR

Is that the HAF case?

I built similar 18 months ago. Sandy Bridge, i5-2500K, Gigabyte z68, 16gb ram, XFX 6850 - fast rig.

No, I did look at the HAF X942 case but went with the Antec 902 V3. Same size, won't be swapping out drives and almost 1/2 the price. Granted i've been a fan of EZ for a long time but not at $70+ more for a feature i'll only use when it comes time to upgrade. Granted it was tempting but it was either that or an SSD upgrade.

I'll say this... Huge fan of SSD right now.. Lightning fast.. makes old and slow seem like new.

System been running memtest86 for 10+ hrs with no hiccups...


Also I know it's somewhat nill but the case is in a cabinet only the front is exposed... Machine has been powered on for 15hrs with 10+ of those hrs running memtest. no oven here. Stock fans only thing i did was remove the t-tape and apply some artic silver5 i had.

[iamskippy]

Nice job
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[bassmaster]

2500 clocks really well. did my friends up on air with a nhd14 i put in after he seen me clock my 965ee to 4.2 on air
i really love overclocking.......

[JohnR]

NECROPOSTERBASSMASTAH