New Computer!

DZwart

DZwart

Legacy of Elijah Officer
I've been hoping to replace my gaming computer for quite some time now and I am hoping that the November-January time frame, this might be able to happen. I built my last machine, but I'm not sure I want to bother putting one together this time and the little that I've looked, I'm not sure I'll get much better than a pre-assembled at the same price anyway. I found one on Costco's website that looks promising in the $500-$700 range that I was hoping to stay in. Does anyone have any other sites to recommend that I could look at?
 
And along the same lines, unless I pull the trigger in the next week, it looks like I'll be getting the new machine with Windows 8. Getting that in the first couple months after launch makes me a little nervous. Has anyone heard any reliable information or reviews on the new OS? Would it be worth suggesting to my wife that we should go right away to avoid problems?
 
i am running Windows 8 Preview release 64-bit and have no trouble playing Guild Wars 2.
my Fps is low because im running off of onboard graphics and 4GB of RAM.

the only concerns i Had were;
my DVD drive won't appear on the menu with Hard drive etc..
but that appears to be a bad IDE Slave Cable (it came out of an old tower)

Only other thing was getting used to the different interface. (i was on Vista for a few years)


when i finish it will be about $313 on this machine total and
a store is a minimum of $500 ($400 system,$100 monitor) plus u may need a video card upgrade
here are some specs to give you an idea
Windows 8 64-bit
Athlon II x3 450 3.2Ghz triple Core CPU
8GB DDR3 1333MHz 240-pin RAM
640GB HD (160GB 7200rpm internal & 500GB 7200rpm external)
XFX Geforce 8800 GT Alpha Dog Series 512MB (will use this when adapter is bought)
Corsair CX 500 Watt Power supply
USB wireless adapter for gaming 300Mbps

Breakdown of cost;
used system $50 (craigslist) -----------(only bought it for the tower as a base to start with)
Motherboard,CPU and RAM $140 (tigerdirect.com)
Power Supply $30 (craigslist)
External hard Drive $25 (craigslist)
USB 300Mbps Wireless Adapter for Desktop $35 (Walmart)


parts left to buy;
DVI-I 24+5 Male to VGA Female adapter $5 (newegg)
Second stick of 4GB RAM $21 (tigerdirect)
$33 total with shipping..so hopefully soon lol
 
Waynos said:
i am running Windows 8 Preview ... onboard graphics
Click to expand...

Heh, I think that answers that question. As for your computer buying, you're a smart guy so I'm sure you can do good research on a good "bang for the buck" CPU/GPU/etc combo...so I'll just give the same warning I always do on new computers: don't skimp on the power supply, cooling, or thermal paste. Spending a little extra on these will save you time, headache, and $$$ down the line.

  • There's more to a PSU than just having enough wattage; higher-quality will give you more stable currents to your other components, use less energy, and generate less heat. I usually buy Corsair, just a personal preference, sure others have preferences as well. Look for something 80plus certified.
  • Value of efficient cooling is obvious...quieter stuff, longer-lasting components, and can even OC if you're brave. For example, it could be less expensive to buy a cheaper CPU and OC it with proper cooling than buying a more expensive CPU. CPUs tend to be able to run faster than on the box, anyway, because of how they are manufactured. IE: if a factory is making 2.5-4.5GHz processers, most of them will pop out able to run safely at close to 4.5GHz, but due to pricing strategies they put many on the shelf @ 2.5.
  • Don't skimp on thermal paste. CPUs are expensive; bad thermal paste will dry out in a few years and then cause your components to get hot. This is a large reason you see hardware components tend to die juuuuust out of warranty. I usually buy Arctic Silver, but again, a preference.
 
RyanB said:
Heh, I think that answers that question. As for your computer buying, you're a smart guy so I'm sure you can do good research on a good "bang for the buck" CPU/GPU/etc combo...so I'll just give the same warning I always do on new computers: don't skimp on the power supply, cooling, or thermal paste. Spending a little extra on these will save you time, headache, and $$$ down the line.

  • There's more to a PSU than just having enough wattage; higher-quality will give you more stable currents to your other components, use less energy, and generate less heat. I usually buy Corsair, just a personal preference, sure others have preferences as well. Look for something 80plus certified.
  • Value of efficient cooling is obvious...quieter stuff, longer-lasting components, and can even OC if you're brave. For example, it could be less expensive to buy a cheaper CPU and OC it with proper cooling than buying a more expensive CPU. CPUs tend to be able to run faster than on the box, anyway, because of how they are manufactured. IE: if a factory is making 2.5-4.5GHz processers, most of them will pop out able to run safely at close to 4.5GHz, but due to pricing strategies they put many on the shelf @ 2.5.
  • Don't skimp on thermal paste. CPUs are expensive; bad thermal paste will dry out in a few years and then cause your components to get hot. This is a large reason you see hardware components tend to die juuuuust out of warranty. I usually buy Arctic Silver, but again, a preference.
Click to expand...

I actually got most of my advise from CGA/TOJ/LOE brothers and sisters in the LORD
this was my first build and i had to learn fast before i started buying things lol
 
I can vouch for Windows 8. Been using it as my main OS for several weeks now. I'm using the RTM final build from MSDN. It works very well with all of my hardware drivers, including the all-important graphics drivers. That said, the OS does move a lot of stuff around that may confuse you for a while, but as long as you don't go in expecting the same old thing as W7, you shouldn't be too thrown off.
 
Windows 8 is awesome! It works with everything on my laptop. I have been using an official version from Microsoft for about 2 months now. I am a fan.

Ryan gave very sound advice regarding your hardware.
 
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