advice on new computer

Comments

• Quizzical Member LegendaryPosts: 25,350

  February 2013

  While you're picking nice parts, they don't really fit a $1000 budget.

  If the budget is after rebates, then go ahead and grab the Seasonic Platinum power supply, but make sure you do it before the promo code ends, as it's a one day promo code.  The OCZ ModXStream Pro is decent but not great.  It's not bad enough to be a danger to your system, but if you actually needed a 700 W power supply, you should go for higher quality.  The Seasonic Platinum line is the best quality consumer power supplies on the market, regardless of price tag.  Normally the price tag would rule them out on a $1000 budget, but $90 after rebate is quite good if you'll do the rebate.

  The SSD makes sense if it's enough capacity that you won't also need a hard drive.  But if you're going to get both an SSD and a hard drive and trying to squeeze it into a $1000 budget, you'll probably need to take a smaller SSD.

  There's no need to buy your own thermal paste.  The heatsink will come with thermal paste, and you can use that.  Likewise, there usually isn't a need to buy extra case fans, as it typically makes more sense to pick a case with as many fans as you need.  Unless you're already buying a high end heatsink, it's nearly always more effective to spend more on a heatsink and use the thermal paste that comes with it than to buy aftermarket thermal paste.

  Don't plan on going CrossFire or SLI.  Those are only for people who decide that one high end video card isn't good enough, so they'll get two high end cards.  With Nvidia's GK110 GPU chip so close to launch, it's hard to justify going CrossFire or SLI with any cards currently on the market, as one higher end GPU is better than two lower end ones.  And a $900 video card really doesn't fit a $1000 budget very well.

  Don't forget that you do need an OS license and a video card.  For a video card, either of these would do nicely on your budget:

  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500270

  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202025

  With the promo code opening up a $25 price gap between the cards, I'd probably go with the GTX 660 unless you want the free games.
• marion242 Member UncommonPosts: 22

  February 2013

  Thanks for the reply. ended up not getting the SSD, had it in the cart but by the time I went to actually purchase it sold out. Just my luck.

  The OS I wasnt counting in the budget I have the $100 set aside for that purchase seperately. budget is just for the hardware and is flexible if it actually makes a difference but if I can save a little i will. Willing for this to take up to a month to get all the parts depending on when items go on sales or rebates.

  Upon your recommendation I will definitely go with 1 video card.

  Since I am only going 1 graphics card which motherboard would you recommend. Will be picking up the CPU and motherboard monday when I will be in the area of microcenter.

   

   
• Quizzical Member LegendaryPosts: 25,350

  February 2013

  On your budget, you definitely want to get some SSD.  It's just a question of which one.

  If you want to save some money on the motherboard, then either of these will get the job done:

  http://www.microcenter.com/product/401768/Z77A-G45_Socket_1155_ATX_Motherboard

  http://www.microcenter.com/product/393422/P8Z77-V_LK_LGA_1155_Z77_ATX_Intel_Motherboard

  I'm assuming that the processor/motherboard combo deal works with any motherboard.
• marion242 Member UncommonPosts: 22

  February 2013

  Hi again all just started ordering some parts seem to be pretty good. Just wanted to check with you all to make sure I haven't made any mistakes.

  ordered so far

  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136891

  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236117

  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204

  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227915

  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151121

  will be picking up shortly

  http://www.microcenter.com/product/401768/Z77A-G45_Socket_1155_ATX_Motherboard

  http://www.microcenter.com/product/388577/Core_i5_3570K_34GHz_LGA_1155_Processor

  still looking for a case, memory and windows8. hopefully some deals on those in the next couple days, starting to get antsy with being fairly close.

  so anything I might have missed or just made a bad choice on parts wise ? any thoughts are appreciated
• marion242 Member UncommonPosts: 22

  February 2013

  ok added these tonight corsair 500r case, corsair vengenge 16gb ddr3 ram and a copy of windows 8. which I believe just leaves the graphics card. I liked the zotac that was linked earlier but its sold out. Any advice on a good card that I can get the best bang for my buck at $200

   

   

  wouldn't let me link anything for some reason.

   

   

   

   

   
• miguksaram Member UncommonPosts: 835

  February 2013

  Originally posted by marion242
  

  ok added these tonight corsair 500r case, corsair vengenge 16gb ddr3 ram and a copy of windows 8. which I believe just leaves the graphics card. I liked the zotac that was linked earlier but its sold out. Any advice on a good card that I can get the best bang for my buck at $200

   

   

  wouldn't let me link anything for some reason.

   

   

   

   

   

  You are basically in the AMD 7850 or Nvidia GTX 660 range.  If you can spring for a little over $200 and are willing to take advantage of rebates you could get into the AMD 7870 range.  BTW while it doesn't have the rebate available if you liked the Zotac it's still available on Amazon.

  http://www.amazon.com/NVIDIA-GeForce-DisplayPort-PCI-Express-ZT-60901-10M/dp/B009AEL3JO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1360983345&sr=8-2&keywords=ZOTAC+ZT-60901-10M

  Though if you can afford $220 and like I mentioned previously are willing to take advantage of rebates you could actually spring for either of these instead.

  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202025 

  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150604 

   

  There are two new versions of the AMD 7870 cards that recently released which have received rave reviews from professionals and customers alike but both of these will run closer to $250.  That said they are actually quite a good deal at that price as performance is said to be nearly on par (if OC'd) with the AMD 7950 (stock) which still typically runs around $300.  The card should honestly be classified as a 7930 but AMD isn't allowing it hence the "special" editions added onto the 7870 series.

  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202024 (XT edition)

  and

  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131484 (Tahiti LE edition)

  With the following promo code this really should be your ONLY choice, best bang for you buck on the market today

  + 13% off w/ promo code PWCHD7850, ends 2/22
• marion242 Member UncommonPosts: 22

  February 2013

  Thanks definitely can go over budget if it makes sense. So looks like the saphire 7870 is the card. Now just need work to slow down a bit when I get all the parts so I can enjoy them
• jdnewell Member UncommonPosts: 2,237

  February 2013

  Originally posted by marion242
  Thanks definitely can go over budget if it makes sense. So looks like the saphire 7870 is the card. Now just need work to slow down a bit when I get all the parts so I can enjoy them

  The sapphire 7870 will be a nice card for the money. I use an Asus 7870 which I bought when they were released, good solid card that I personally am very pleased with.
• drbaltazar Member UncommonPosts: 7,856

  February 2013

  might want to chose your component in the daily deal secction!most site have one!take this exemple!

  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182073&cm_sp=DailyDeal-_-17-182-073-_-Product

  as you can see this is a good deal!

   

  or this deal:http://www.microcenter.com/product/365238/TR2_Series_600_Watt_ATX_Power_Supply
• marion242 Member UncommonPosts: 22

  February 2013

  just an update, finally got all the parts in. Put everything together last night and the seasonic 660w platinum power supply I ordered is bad. Now have to deal with waiting a week or two to finish up. Damn was one thing to wait that long to order everything but now that I should be using it, different story.
• miguksaram Member UncommonPosts: 835

  February 2013

  For what it's worth you just happen to be unlucky and pulled a lemon (can literally happen to anyone no matter the manufacturer).  When you get a working version you really can't get much better than a Platinum PSU from Seasonic.
• jdnewell Member UncommonPosts: 2,237

  February 2013

  Originally posted by marion242
  just an update, finally got all the parts in. Put everything together last night and the seasonic 660w platinum power supply I ordered is bad. Now have to deal with waiting a week or two to finish up. Damn was one thing to wait that long to order everything but now that I should be using it, different story.

  Ouch

  Thats odd to get a dead PSU, especially from seasonic.