Building a computer

[lich98]

Got a budget of closer to 13-1400 dollars, Hows this build look? I already have a USB mouse/keyboard to use.

[Grauniad]

I'm out of town. Will look at it when I return.

[lich98]

I'm out of town. Will look at it when I return.

Ok, no rush. I won't accually get to build one in a few months minamum, just trying to get used of putting parts together that work...

[Blaze]

Hate to steal the thread, but I have a friend who wants a new computer and is intent on building one from scratch.
He is asking me to help and all he has picked out is the case and he doesn't even know what he wants, just that is budget is $700 and that he wants me to shop for him. :'(

The issue is I can only take care of most of it, the issue I have is the motherboard and processor, I don't know how to check if they are compatible or not.
I just need to be taught on that, but if somebody wants to pull up a build for me to show him, within his price range and is able to run a game like SWTOR on medium, that'd be good too. :D

[lich98]

Hate to steal the thread, but I have a friend who wants a new computer and is intent on building one from scratch.
He is asking me to help and all he has picked out is the case and he doesn't even know what he wants, just that is budget is $700 and that he wants me to shop for him. :'(

The issue is I can only take care of most of it, the issue I have is the motherboard and processor, I don't know how to check if they are compatible or not.
I just need to be taught on that, but if somebody wants to pull up a build for me to show him, within his price range and is able to run a game like SWTOR on medium, that'd be good too. :D

Its an AMD Build, not sure if he wanted that or Intel

EDIT:

Also, buy from newegg not amazon

[Blaze]

Hate to steal the thread, but I have a friend who wants a new computer and is intent on building one from scratch.
He is asking me to help and all he has picked out is the case and he doesn't even know what he wants, just that is budget is $700 and that he wants me to shop for him. :'(

The issue is I can only take care of most of it, the issue I have is the motherboard and processor, I don't know how to check if they are compatible or not.
I just need to be taught on that, but if somebody wants to pull up a build for me to show him, within his price range and is able to run a game like SWTOR on medium, that'd be good too. :D

Its an AMD Build, not sure if he wanted that or Intel

EDIT:

Also, buy from newegg not amazon

Thanks, and I told him from Newegg only, he was pulling links from several sites, a few from E-Bay. :D

[CobraKill]

Blaze. When shopping for a motherboard and CPU, there's three things to look for: One. Often the motherboard listing will say the generation it's compatible with. Two. Look for the chipsets. 4th gen Intels (Haswell) uses Z87. Three. Look for the sockets. Intels 4th Gen Haswells use socket LGA1150.

Look at the supercombos that have a motherboard and CPU. You can make sure there compatible then.

[Blaze]

Blaze. When shopping for a motherboard and CPU, there's three things to look for: One. Often the motherboard listing will say the generation it's compatible with. Two. Look for the chipsets. 4th gen Intels (Haswell) uses Z87. Three. Look for the sockets. Intels 4th Gen Haswells use socket LGA1150.

Look at the supercombos that have a motherboard and CPU. You can make sure there compatible then.

Thanks, this will be useful for me when I decide to upgrade my motherboard and processor in the distant future.
I also plan on getting a 7950 and using Crossfire with it and my 7770 and just have it all on max settings forever and ever. ::)

[Grauniad]

Hate to steal the thread, but I have a friend who wants a new computer and is intent on building one from scratch.
He is asking me to help and all he has picked out is the case and he doesn't even know what he wants, just that is budget is $700 and that he wants me to shop for him. :'(

The issue is I can only take care of most of it, the issue I have is the motherboard and processor, I don't know how to check if they are compatible or not.
I just need to be taught on that, but if somebody wants to pull up a build for me to show him, within his price range and is able to run a game like SWTOR on medium, that'd be good too. :D

Its an AMD Build, not sure if he wanted that or Intel

EDIT:

Also, buy from newegg not amazon

Thanks, and I told him from Newegg only, he was pulling links from several sites, a few from E-Bay. :D

Blaze, if he has decided on a specific case for some reason or other, then a good place to start is with the form factor motherboard that will fit the case.

While Newegg is usually the best place to shop, there is nothing necessarily wrong with looking around. Good savings can be had at places like eBay.

After he has decided ion the case, then he should get a good processor and graphics card for the budget he has. Usually, AMD gets you a nice processor for a lot less than Intel, but the performance is a tad less than Intel processors.

[Blaze]

Hate to steal the thread, but I have a friend who wants a new computer and is intent on building one from scratch.
He is asking me to help and all he has picked out is the case and he doesn't even know what he wants, just that is budget is $700 and that he wants me to shop for him. :'(

The issue is I can only take care of most of it, the issue I have is the motherboard and processor, I don't know how to check if they are compatible or not.
I just need to be taught on that, but if somebody wants to pull up a build for me to show him, within his price range and is able to run a game like SWTOR on medium, that'd be good too. :D

Its an AMD Build, not sure if he wanted that or Intel

EDIT:

Also, buy from newegg not amazon

Thanks, and I told him from Newegg only, he was pulling links from several sites, a few from E-Bay. :D

Blaze, if he has decided on a specific case for some reason or other, then a good place to start is with the form factor motherboard that will fit the case.

While Newegg is usually the best place to shop, there is nothing necessarily wrong with looking around. Good savings can be had at places like eBay.

After he has decided ion the case, then he should get a good processor and graphics card for the budget he has. Usually, AMD gets you a nice processor for a lot less than Intel, but the performance is a tad less than Intel processors.

I showed him the link to the AMD build lich posted (he prefers AMD), and he likes whats in that and it's in his budget.
The main thing he likes is that since somebody else has used it he knows it'll work together.
All that remains now is finding the same parts as cheap as can be found.

[Grauniad]

Maximum PC is an online magazine that caters to gamers. They have frequently-updated lists of computers within specific price brackets.

Then it's merely a waiting game for the component prices to fluctuate or to be offered in bundles to assemble your dream computer. :)

[Grauniad]

I'm out of town. Will look at it when I return.

Ok, no rush. I won't accually get to build one in a few months minamum, just trying to get used of putting parts together that work...

Your build was weird. You chose a much inferior PSU with weaker output at the same time that you increased the video card power draw. Same thing for the motherboard.  The previous model had more USB 3.0, and more PCI-e 3.0 slots. Have not looked much at the case, but that's getting to low-down pricing and sometimes at that price level things get a bit nasty. Room for a water cooler might be one problem.

Only now did I notice that the previous "final" build did not include a CPU! :D

My recommendation is you use a spreadsheet. Then you won't forget some components. Google has nice online spreadsheets if you have no other access to one.  Libre Office also provides an open-source version.

[Blaze]

Maximum PC is an online magazine that caters to gamers. They have frequently-updated lists of computers within specific price brackets.

Then it's merely a waiting game for the component prices to fluctuate or to be offered in bundles to assemble your dream computer. :)

My dad brought one of those home about four years ago.
The build price was a little under $1000 and probably not much better than my current computer, saying it is, I'm not entirely sure...
It's under my dresser which I don't use seeing as I have all my clothes in a big pile in front of it preventing me from getting to the corner it's under.
I might dig it back out and list what it had on it if anybody cared about it. :D

Edit: Ooh, online magazine..?
Never heard of those.

Anyhow what I said still stands, I have some sort of computer magazine under my dresser and whatnot.

[lich98]

I'm out of town. Will look at it when I return.

Ok, no rush. I won't accually get to build one in a few months minamum, just trying to get used of putting parts together that work...

Your build was weird. You chose a much inferior PSU with weaker output at the same time that you increased the video card power draw. Same thing for the motherboard.  The previous model had more USB 3.0, and more PCI-e 3.0 slots. Have not looked much at the case, but that's getting to low-down pricing and sometimes at that price level things get a bit nasty. Room for a water cooler might be one problem.

Only now did I notice that the previous "final" build did not include a CPU! :D

My recommendation is you use a spreadsheet. Then you won't forget some components. Google has nice online spreadsheets if you have no other access to one.  Libre Office also provides an open-source version.

Accually the CPU was out of that shot but was in it afterwards, the cart hand't refreshed on that page :P

EDIT: Graunaid Got a recomendation on a ~200-400 dollar GPU?

[lich98]

With my question unanswered in the previous post i just chose one. Lets see what this build does...