Build me a new computer.

[Poodle]

Seeing manlove's thread reminded i should clean this machine up, so i set about the usual rounds with the various system tools that have always served me well. However, this time there appears to be feck all difference in performance, if anything a couple of programs appear to be having more issues. It also failed to fix my issues with logging into things like my internet banking, ebay and paypal, which is rapidly becoming a massive pita.

So, i've decided it's high time for a NEW computer, and one at a decent spec this time. I used to be pretty up on what components were best, but i haven't really paid attention to any of that for the last five or so years so i'm horribly out of date and need advice. Last time i was speccing up dual-core processors were still top-notch stuff lol. I've never been impressed by Intel so would prefer an AMD-based package, but i'm open to influence on that.

I don't need anything particularly special - i don't do gaming and only really use it for media and browsing at the moment. In future it'd need to be able to run some more complex stuff like CAD-based programs, mapping software and simulators, but nothing too demanding. I would rather buy individual components and build it myself, unless someone knows of something to suit my requirements that's easily upgradeable in future.

My budget is theoretically unlimited, but i want to keep the cost as low as possible, for the time-being at least. I know my processing requirements won't be high yet, so can skimp a bit there in exchange for spending more on the ram for instance, then upgrade the processor when necessary.

All advice, suggestions and pontifications welcomed! Thanks in advance.

[Just Sean]

Visit overclockers. Google them. They're based in stoke and is a good place to get started.

They build stuff on a range of budgets that's optimised to run well together.

[Matt]

Scott built his iirc he should have some decent input.

I'm no use, hate computers really. My laptop annoys me so much I don't use it haha

[Poodle]

I know of overclockers. They're overpriced - unless they've changed in the last few years - and they don't give me much information on what i'm buying beyond tech-specs. It's the technical bit i need advice on, I can soon find somewhere to buy the stuff once i know what i want, thanks though.

[Just Sean]

Yeah I agree its overpriced but its somewhere to look for components that are in your price range as a background check.

For techical input, I'd say if your gonna run windows then avoid windows 8, get 7. I've heard bad things about 8 as its still relatively new.

6gb of ddr3 ram as a minimum, especially if you want to be playing with cad.

As big a HDD as you need.

I'd go for amd trinity quad core. I'd go for a 'black edition' if you can.

Decent motherboards are normally made by MSI and gigabyte. Most places do a bundle option of a CPU and mobo

I'd go for an amd graphics card. Anything above the 6500 series should see you crack on quite happily with sims. Their is a decent site to get cheap gfx cards from. Give me 10mins I'll try and remember it!

Hope that's the technical answer you was lookin for!

[Niall]

Buy a mac

/can of worms

[Scott]

Processor wise, Intel are definitely the market leaders at the moment. Depending on whether or not you always want the latest and greatest, it might be worth waiting until around June, when Intel are set to release their latest processors (Haswell). I doubt it'll bring down processor prices too much on Ivy Bridge processors (current gen) as the Sandy Bridge equivalents are still around the same price.

I went for an i5 3570k, which will be capable of handling pretty much anything you throw at it. Some people may suggest the i7 3770k but you don't really need it unless you're doing video editing.

RAM - 8GB of Corsair Vengeance RAM. Fooby will be here shortly to tell you to get the Arctic White version as it's got lower voltages and different timings which means they can be overclocked, but I doubt you'll be planning on overclocking RAM so a standard set of Vengeance RAM will do the trick.

Motherboard - There are lots of different options out there. I got an Asus P8Z77 Deluxe, though even the 'Pro' model would be good. As Sean said, Gigabyte are also good.

PSU - I went for Corsair for this too, their GS600. You probably won't need as much power unless you're planning on having multiple hard drives and a fairly beefy graphics card.

GPU - If you're not gaming, you won't need anything top end. I'm not sure on the mid-range market but you should be able to get something for around 100 quid.

Storage - SSD. The Samsung 830 is good, and the 256GB version can be bought for around 120 if you look around before buying. OCZ SSDs have fairly high failure rates so I'd avoid them.

Case - that's up to you, just got to make sure you get one that fits your motherboard (i.e. ATX or mATX).

Cooling - CoolerMaster Evo 212.

You'll also need a CD/DVD drive, which should only cost about a tenner, then other bits and pieces like thermal paste.
Off the top of my head, you should be able to build that spec for around 500, without the graphics card. What might be useful for now, would be to build a system without the graphics card and just run it using the inbuilt Intel HD graphics, which are surprisingly good and will be more than capable for your intended use until you're ready to start CAD.

[Fooby]

Fooby will be here shortly to tell you to get the Arctic White version as it's got lower voltages and different timings which means they can be overclocked

ohai

Poodle, we shall discuss in person cba to make a long reply

[Just Sean]

For what poodle wants i wouldnt recommend a ssd personally scott. Yeah theyre fast, but nowhere near as big and if you not gaming/editing video, you really dont a ssd.

A decent 10k rpm hdd will be just as quick and im sure you would struggle to notice loading web pages and playing with cad....

[lolsteve]

Ebuyer.com
Below is something I threw together quick, it should blitz cad in 2d/3d
You could cut costs on the cpu and graphics card though, since my lesser spec machine does autocad 2013 in 3d with not much problem.
My cpu is a Althon II x3 415e overclocked to 3.2ghz
Same graphics card
If you want to go cheaper cpu let me know and I'll give you the link to the ebay guy I got my cpu from , was £30 posted from china.

[Fooby]

the cpu and graphics card though, since my lesser spec machine does autocad 2013 in 3d with not much problem.
My cpu is a Althon II x3 415e overclocked to 3.2ghz
Same graphics card
If you want to go cheaper cpu let me know and I'll give you the link to the ebay guy I got my cpu from , was £30 posted from china.

SSD > HDD any day of the week.

10krpm or not, there is no seek time on an SSD, its responsiveness and throughput figures are high also.

Personally 128GB SSD for OS/Software - 1TB or so HDD for storage.

[Poodle]

Thats more what I was looking for, cheers Sean.

Thanks for all the other responses, reckon I might just spec this up next Saturday tbh when I can bug Scott and Foobs in person. Like the proposed hard drive combo, god knows windows needs all the help it can get lol, plus experience has taught me to keep os and storage seperate.

Im not bothered about shiny, more price motivated, so will go for parts that are at least a couple of marks behind the latest development.

[Dum-Dum]

Im also considering building myself something. What do you geeks think about the twin processor motherboards, a pair of quad core processors would be pretty epic.

[Niall]

Im also considering building myself something. What do you geeks think about the twin processor motherboards, a pair of quad core processors would be pretty epic.

Just typical of you Chris. "i know nothing about the subject but automatically bigger numbers are better"!

[Just Sean]

If you need Microsoft office and all that carry on I have it...

[Dum-Dum]

Im also considering building myself something. What do you geeks think about the twin processor motherboards, a pair of quad core processors would be pretty epic.

Just typical of you Chris. "i know nothing about the subject but automatically bigger numbers are better"!

Yep, More = Better.

I am aware that the world dosent work like this and that is why i asked the question.


And yes I fully admit I know pretty much f*ck all about computers.

[Scott]

Im also considering building myself something. What do you geeks think about the twin processor motherboards, a pair of quad core processors would be pretty epic.

In short, I highly doubt you will ever be using your PC for anything which would require 2 physical processors. How much do you want to spend?

Oh and Alex, chatting about it when I see you is cool

[samass]

Id be shocked if dum uses a computer for anything other than eBay, forum, and porn.

[Pompey306mark]

You looked at Novatech? Its local, normally not bad on price either

[Poodle]

Well aware Mark, use them all the time, good recommendation haha! Genuinely one of the best companies i've ever had to do business with.

Cheers Scott, appreciate it.

Steve, that's not far from what i'd probably have specced up left to my own devices, at least i'm on the right track i guess lol. Probably double the ram and hd space and lose the graphics card...

Don't know about the newer stuff though, what are the solid state hard drives about, how the hell do they work?

[Dum-Dum]

From what I understand solid state hard drives are just like a big f*ck off memory card. Unlike an old hard drive that is effectively a disc and a reader they store stuff on a chip/chips.

[lolsteve]

I got an ssd, they change the computer complety in terms of boot. Can open the internet browser before the internet is even connected if im quick lol
I think cad uses the graphics card to boost performance so you might want some kind of graphics hardware when you get to that stage.

[Niall]

Yeah you would of thought CAD wouldnt be very GPU power hungry but it bloody is! Was murder at my old work when we were using cad on shitty old celeron machines with on board graphics that were about £300 new

[Poodle]

Ok gotcha, CAD is definitely a future thing, rather than a now thing, so graphics card can go on hold. SSD sounds awesome, i have to turn this thing on ten minutes before i want to use it. :S

[Niall]

you have to do that with any windows computer though...?

I desperately want a SSD for my laptop. Do completely transform a computer!

[Dum-Dum]

Poodle speaking of CAD I've been looking into building one of those 3D printers / rapid prototype machines that was in PPC about 6 months ago.

[Poodle]

Yeah get one man, you'll love it. My mate's had one for a few months now, is amazing what you can make with it. Will be getting one myself when i've got some spare dosh.

[Poodle]

Found an old Antec case with a few random bits in. Fairly sure it's all at least 10 years old, so I'll bin the motherboard and other obsolete gubbins, but the case, psu, cooling stuff and dvd drives should be alright shouldn't they? I think the psu is a 400w jobby, should be up to it...

Thinking maybe i'll combine it with this, this, this and that to create an uber-cheap and capable pc...

Thoughts?

[Fooby]

If the PSU is 10 years or even >4+ years old, wattage is irrelevant, as motherboards overtime have different standards.

Basically, some older PSU's don't have the extra pins on either the main power connector or the extra 4pin connector (sometimes 8 on new stuff) on near the PSU.

[Dum-Dum]

What fooby said about the PSU, mine was about £15 for 500w but you need the £20 one for 600w or above and the latest PCi-e power cable (ive got a pretty good PCi-e graphics card and it dosent have a slot of the power cable)


I wouldnt go for the OCZ SSD as apparently they have a pretty high failure rate.

My Samsung 840 series was cheaper but only 120gb, they do a load of other sizes, 250gb is only £120

Motherboard bundle looks good though, does that mean you dont actually need that extra ram though.

Also the proper HDD would you consider a 2.5" rather than a 3.5" incase you decide you want to build smaller one day. It also gives you more space in the case for shiny stuff like water cooling.