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Building a Gaming PC

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Cassity14

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Title says it all. I'm considering building a gaming PC and I've heard it's not a very difficult feat. However, I'm completely new to this stuff, so I need as much feedback as possible. I've always been a console gamer and know next to nothing about components, building a rig, etc. I have a few questions for those of you out there who are familiar with it:

Is it really as easy as everyone says? The physical assembly, I mean. Do I literally just snap some parts together and arrange wires like everybody says online? I find it hard to believe, but I haven't heard anything but that it's a pretty easy feat. Am I better off buying parts and then paying someone to put it together?

What's a fair price point? I'm hoping to build a legitimate machine for around 1000$. Is that too little of a budget to build something that will last me at least a few years? Right now I don't play very high requirement games on my computer (WoW, LoL, Diablo) because it's a macbook pro from 2011. I love my computer for everything else and am hoping if I build a gaming rig I can keep this baby around for quite a while longer.

That said, I feel like if I invest this much into something, I won't be using a console anymore at all. That means stuff like fps games, Skyrim type stuff, etc. would be played on it in an ideal world. If a grand isn't enough, what am I looking to spend? This is all for the machine itself, I'm not including peripherals in this budget. That's further down the line when this preliminary stuff is sorted out.

What are the most important parts of this hypothetical machine? I've done preliminary research on what all I would need, but I don't know the priority list of things. Should I put more into my motherboard vs gpu vs cpu etc. What are the most important pieces? I'd think a GPU would be priority number one since I'm gaming, but I have no idea. What's the value of RAM vs VRAM, etc. Should I go i7 or hold back and stay with an i5? I'm very new to this.

Are there retailers out there I should go through to just buy all the parts at in one trip or should I shop around online? Is online better than going into a computer store?

I've always loved my consoles, but this new generation feels really underwhelming to me and I'm not sure I want to invest into them for the long term. I was 13 when I got an xbox 360 and am 21 now. I also am able to buy my own shit this time around, so I want to make sure I make a quality choice.

I know it's a lot. Any feedback is highly appreciated. Perusing other threads in this forum, there's definitely a quantity of people here who know their shit when it comes to this stuff. Please don't try to fit any response into a budget or argument of X brand vs. Y brand. I need basics before anything else and will go from there.
 
OK, first off, $1,000 won't be a top of the line machine obviously, but it should be plenty to put together a decent gaming rig that can last a while.

Now, while the GPU is the most important part in a gaming computer, we should price everything out (relatively) so we can see how much of the budget is left for the GPU and then adjust the other components as necessary to get to a good amount to spend. The things you will need to purchase are:

1) CPU - For you I would suggest an i5. The i7 would be overkill for this board and add an extra $100 onto the cost. Just not necessary. They go for around $200 from newegg but actually MicroCenter tends to have specials on top-tier CPUs sometimes so be sure to watch their website/ads.

2) Motherboard - Since you probably won't be looking to overclock or use a lot of the advanced features on the higher-end motherboards, however, I do think it would be nice to be able to upgrade to a dual GPU system easily so I would go with something like this :http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157372&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&PageSize=10&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&IsFeedbackTab=true#scrollFullInfo . You can sort through newegg, which is a very good source for information via solid reviewers, for any specific features you might want, just be sure that your CPU and motherboard have the same socket type. The one I linked to was socket 1150, which corresponds with the "Haswell" line of Core i5/i7 processors.

3) RAM - Choosing the right RAM used to be a much bigger deal 10 years ago or so, but not so much today. This set of 2x4GB should give you all you will need for a while. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231476

4) Power Supply - With a single GPU system you won't need more than 600 Watts from a power supply, so search for a good price on a model with good reviews. Should run $50-$70.

5) Case - Mainly personal preference on how you want it to look. Just make sure that is an ATX mid- or full-tower case so that your Motherboard and GPU will fit inside of it. Spend $50-$100

6) Hard Drive - Again personal preference on size and SSD vs. HDD. Budget $60 for HDD or $100 for SSD.

7) Optical Drive - $20 DVD Burner

8) CPU Cooler - $30-$40 for what you need. Either of these would be fine: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118003http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103182

9) Monitor - This is a good budget IPS panel monitor http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009484&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&PageSize=10&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&IsFeedbackTab=true#scrollFullInfo IPS is definitely the way to go. No point spending the money on a gaming PC to display it on a POS monitor.

10) GPU - So that leaves around $200 to use on a GPU. I would go with this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127699. One generation behind the most recent cards but has more than enough processing power to handle today's games. Plus on sale with MiR as well.

I posted these links as quick suggestions of things to look at, but you should definitely take the time to shop around and find the best deals. Every dollar saved is a dollar that can go to upgrade something different.

When you have everything purchased, assembly for a first-timer will probably take a couple hours. You will definitely want to read through the manual that comes with the motherboard as it outlines what each connection is for, where the RAM and GPU should be slotted, and other useful information. One of the first steps I do is to insert the DVD and disk drives into the case. It's much simpler to do it at the beginning when there is nothing in the way.

Next up is the motherboard. The first thing you want to do is determine if your CPU cooler has a backing that needs to be in place before inserting the motherboard into the case. If so, attach it to the motherboard. Then screw the motherboard into the case (usually 9-10 phillip's head screws). I do this with the case on its side as it is much easier. Then insert the CPU into the motherboard. This is straightforward as the CPU has notches that align with the socket in the motherboard. Next you'll want to apply the thermal paste that comes with the CPU cooler onto the CPU. It's best to apply about a pea-sized drop and then spread it over the entire face with a razor. Then you can install the CPU cooler, which usually attaches via four posts/screws around the outside of the CPU socket. Next the RAM and GPU snap into place, just make sure to align the slots and push until they are secure. The GPU will also be secured to the backplate of the case with a pair of screws to help support its weight.

At this point you can stand your computer up and install the power supply with 4 screws from the backplate.

Finally, connect the PSU wires to each component, and then connect your DVD and hard drives to the motherboard with SATA cables. Plug in the computer and you should be ready to begin installing Windows.
 
Some quick points:

1) Building a PC is like putting lego pieces together. Some advice: get a large mid-tower case, get a powerful MODULAR power supply; this will make assembly MUCH easier.

2) Check reviews on Newegg

3) With your budget you can get a solid machine.

4) If this is solely for gaming, you can get away with an AMD CPU. But I always recommend Intel as they are FAR better processors overall.

5) EDIT: I recommend building AROUND the GPU, so if you're getting a Nvidia get an SLI mobo. I also recommend thinking in terms of "When I get a 2nd GPU" rather than "If," so plan around that. For an exclusive game-machine, I'd put almost half my budget into this one component. This means spending between $300-450 on your GPU.

6) Get a motherboard with at least 2 widely separated (distance) PCIe 16x slots.

7) For maximum performance get two GPUs (if you can afford it).

8) RAM is important, and cheap enough to get plenty of it.

9) SSD makes all this a lot better.

10) Think in terms of replacing your console. If you like PS3 controllers buy an ASUS bluetooth adapter and lookup MotionInJoy drivers. If you like 360 controllers, buy the Microsoft Wireless receiver. The MS controllers work MUCH better for PC gaming btw, so I use them almost exclusively (except for emulation).

11) Get discount HDMI cables online for super cheap, like $1/ft or less. I have one that's 25-ft that stretches from the tower to the screen.

12) Wireless keyboard / mouse and wireless usb hubs can totally extend your PC.

13) Use Windows 7 Home Pro / Pro / Ultimate. Do NOT use Windows 8 for gaming.
 
PCPartPicker is a great website for picking out all of your pieces and making sure you don't go over your budget.

Other places to check out:
http://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc - People building pcs, helps you get more knowledge on what pieces to pick.
http://www.reddit.com/r/buildapcsales - People post when there are sales for PC parts, will help you meet your budget.

You don't need more than 8gb of RAM.
Don't get an i7 processor unless you plan on doing video editing.
 
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Thanks for all the info guys! I really appreciate it! I will definitely update this thread as I start to pick out parts, debate parts, etc. I'm hoping to make it a little project in May after I get out of school for the summer and before I start working.
 
I would check out this thread, it's on the head nerd gaming forum, I also used it to build my gaming PC. http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=745567

Can go with one of their preset ideal builds depending on your budget($438,$580,$840,$1030,$1510,$2620) or can build your own with their guide or look at other posters builds.

Good time to build a gaming PC, those new Nvidia Maxwell video cards are suppose to be dropping this summer, and they're pretty beastly from everything I've read/heard about them, and they won't be bank busters either.
 
Just a few quick notes,

I've been building gaming PC's for the better part of 12+ years, and through all of the hardware I can make two suggestions:

Intel and Nvidia.

Don't believe the benchmarks and all the "more bang for your buck" that AMD claims to provide. I've purchased AMD processors and video cards the last two times(previously I had used Intel and Nvidia) and I can say the difference is completely noticeable. From better backward compatibility for older games, to updated driver support on release day of the new great games, it doesn't even come close. More games now(especially MMO's) are a lot more CPU intensive (BF4 is just one example), so it's not just about buying the best possible video card and skimping on the CPU. AMD's driver support is AWFUL and their crossfire support is even worse. Don't believe the crap about more CPU's as theres almost no games that utilize more than 4 cores. The Intel i7's completely blow away the AMD hexacore's. Even the first generation i5's are still faster than anything AMD is putting out.

The short and sweet of it is, even with the better hardware clock that AMD provides, it means nothing when the drivers are complete trash. This is unless you want to wait until 2-3 months after any new game is released for them to finally optimize their drivers.
 
While I agree with Ren's larger point that Intel CPUs are better and offer greater performance than AMD's, if you're looking at strictly a gaming rig, you won't notice the difference.

Again, if it's strictly for gaming, you'll be fine with an AMD CPU. Also, I prefer Crossfire to SLI due to being able to use it on non-gaming motherboards (you can pretty much use Crossfire on most motherboards rather than a select few).

With regards to Nvidia vs AMD, my personal preference is for AMD; although at present Nvidia is on top. But this is a recent development due to AMD's inability to keep up with demand and producing lower yields for the PC markets which has artificially driven up their costs literally pricing them out of the market. If AMD were still competitively priced as they were just a 12-16 months ago, they'd still be worth considering. However, in the here and now, Nvidia cards offer more bang for the buck.

I will concur with Ren though that AMD's Catalyst driver is garbage; however, because of the system architecture they've adopted, AMD is able to massively improve performance for particular games with each successive Catalyst iteration (and no, I do not mean by fixing bugs).

There are complicated reasons to why one architecture is better than another but for the short version:

AMD CPUs will give you the most bang for your buck, period.
Intel CPUs will give you the most performance, period.

Nvidia vs AMD GPUs is much less decisive. Honestly, it depends on the market and where you can find value. Also, it depends on your overall budget. Consider that an inexpensive motherboard with 2 PCIe 16x slots can support Crossfire, while only a higher-end SLI compatible motherboard can support dual Nvidia cards, and you start to see how murky the evaluation becomes. Again, right now, Nvidia gives the most bang for the buck, and is also the most performant, so if you can price a decent SLI motherboard out, then go for it.

Lastly, most video games are not CPU-bound; meaning, most of the cycles are offloaded to the GPU. With advances in Shader technology, more and more work can be parallelized and offloaded to the GPU, making CPU-intensive general purpose tasks unnecessary for the vast majority of game engines.

In essence, for a $1,000 rig where I did not plan to ever do anything but game, I might not buy an Intel CPU - simply because that money would be better spent on a better graphics card that will result in real measurable FPS increases rather than unused architectural benefits.

For the ultimate rig, of course you'd go Intel all the way; but on a budget, AMD is often the optimal solution.

p.s.
For full disclosure, I own many PCs for personal use: all are Intel. My office is opening in the next two weeks and I'll be filling it with AMD A6/8 workstations. I've built many AMD and Intel servers and am very familiar with the inner workings of both architectures.
 
If he sticks to the series of games he is talking about (Blizzard) he won't have much need for a decent CPU. I will say though that procedural content games are becoming the new thing and games like these do rely on CPU quite a bit. Battlefield series, as well as some Sony games(Planetside 2, Landmark) are examples of these, games that the environment is constantly being changed and it's more taxing on the CPU. Friend and I had the same exact graphics card (Radeon HD 6850) but different processors. Mine was an AMD Phenom 2 x4 3.8mhz and his was an i5-2500k(not sure the mhz). Side-by-side he has 20 more fps than me in BF3, and I had two GPU's to his one. I actually ran better with one GPU and ended up taking one of them out.

My point is while GPU is obviously still the most important aspect of your rig(or multiple ones for that matter), you don't want this to be an afterthought if you're planning on branching out your gaming roots.
 
For $450 i run a 7850 2GB and AMD X4 and max Skyrim with mods and Farcry 3 (the only games ive tried TBH) at higher FPS than my monitor can handle, and the CPU is not the bottle neck. Invest in the single best GPU you can get. As long as your CPU can run the game, you honestly wont be able to tell a difference past that.

PC Part Picker is your best friend
reddit.com/r/buildapc is useful too

edit- let it be known i have only done one PC build so i dont have a ton of experience
 
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For the record, I bought a reasonably priced (read: around 1400 dollars including a 1080p 32 inch TV for the monitor) gaming rig about a year ago. The CPU was an AMD 8-core processor. I have yet to meet a game that it can't handle on the highest settings at a great framerate. I also have an nVidia GPU, as I've never been a big fan of AMD cards, especially since the price/performance ratio isn't nearly as profound for their video cards than it is for their CPUs.

Yeah, Intel CPUs are better, but when you take into account that you can get an 8-core AMD CPU for the same price as an Intel quad, in my opinion the choice is easy if you're on a budget. If you're not, then by all means spend 1000 bucks on a top of the line Intel CPU.
 
If he sticks to the series of games he is talking about (Blizzard) he won't have much need for a decent CPU. I will say though that procedural content games are becoming the new thing and games like these do rely on CPU quite a bit. Battlefield series, as well as some Sony games(Planetside 2, Landmark) are examples of these, games that the environment is constantly being changed and it's more taxing on the CPU. Friend and I had the same exact graphics card (Radeon HD 6850) but different processors. Mine was an AMD Phenom 2 x4 3.8mhz and his was an i5-2500k(not sure the mhz). Side-by-side he has 20 more fps than me in BF3, and I had two GPU's to his one. I actually ran better with one GPU and ended up taking one of them out.

That sounds like a GPU issue, not CPU. There is just no way to account for a 20 FPS difference between those two processors considering BF3. The most likely difference was that one of you had MSAA turned on and the other had it turned off as that would account for such a discrepancy given the graphics cards you listed.

Also note that BF3 is optimized for the Intel i5-2600k (which is a great processor), but on a GeForce 580, you will get roughly ~80 FPS no matter what CPU you use. BF3 simply is NOT CPU bound. Only with multiplayer is the CPU an issue, and quad core or better configurations will all fair just fine.

Also, procedural asset generation (something I know quite a bit about) is almost always done on-demand and using a dynamic LOD (level of detail). It's not something that you would notice frame-to-frame as that would be VERY poorly optimized code. The assets should be generated and distinct points in the given timeline and this is assuredly offloaded to a particular thread on the CPU with a progressive return value (again, LOD). There's almost no chance that BF3 would cause such an issue with respect to your CPUs.

The graphics card and settings or another issue (perhaps different Catalyst drivers) was certainly the cause. BF3 is simply not CPU bound.

My point is while GPU is obviously still the most important aspect of your rig(or multiple ones for that matter), you don't want this to be an afterthought if you're planning on branching out your gaming roots.

Ehh.. If you have a limited budget of $1,000, and you know your only goal is to use this machine for gaming, the money spent on an Intel processor could be put into a better graphics card. Same goes for Nvidia GPUs; they drive up the cost of the potential motherboard to support SLI. A complete AMD solution CPU/GPU is fine, and in a dual-GPU configuration could give you substantially more performance while staying under budget.

Now, if budget isn't an issue at all, surely Intel is the choice processor, SLI is likely more performant (slightly), and Nvidia cards will do fine (for now). But we're not really talking about building the ultimate gaming rig are we? We talking about building one under $1,000. My money would be on AMD.
 
For the record, I bought a reasonably priced (read: around 1400 dollars including a 1080p 32 inch TV for the monitor) gaming rig about a year ago. The CPU was an AMD 8-core processor. I have yet to meet a game that it can't handle on the highest settings at a great framerate. I also have an nVidia GPU, as I've never been a big fan of AMD cards, especially since the price/performance ratio isn't nearly as profound for their video cards than it is for their CPUs.

Yeah, Intel CPUs are better, but when you take into account that you can get an 8-core AMD CPU for the same price as an Intel quad, in my opinion the choice is easy if you're on a budget. If you're not, then by all means spend 1000 bucks on a top of the line Intel CPU.

yep. My CPU is a quad core that can overclock like crazy (or so i am told by reviews) and was a whopping $78. If going AMD for the CPU can liberate $1-200 extra for your GPU, you gotta do it IMO
 
This is the CPU in my PC:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4904561&CatId=7339

$169 for an eight core 4GHz unlocked CPU. That's a hell of a deal, and AMD offers even cheaper options for a budget rig. You're just not going to get that kind of performance on a comparably-priced Intel rig.

Note: I think this CPU was either $200 or $250 around a year ago when I bought it. Still a great value.

My GPU is the nVidia GeForce GTX 680 4GB edition, which I'll probably be upgrading sometime in the next year. Probably when the third Witcher game comes out. Not sure my current rig can handle that beast on the highest settings. :chuckles:

For the best budget rig, go AMD for CPU and nVidia for CPU imo.
 

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