# [SOLVED] Building an Entirely New PC



## Pakhawaj (Jan 9, 2010)

It's been a long time since I last built a PC and I've quite forgotten most of the things I need to take into consideration when building one, so I hope that someone on these forums could help me out.

My current build is so dated that I don't really want to save anything but the C Drive or maybe just the contents of which. Even the box itself is a little battered.

*Budget:* It seems like one can get quite wonderful machines for very cheaply these days so a budget of £500 (US$762) does not seem too small I would hope, though I am willing to go a little higher (and certainly a little lower!) if need be.

*Brands:* I am neither inclined nor disinclined towards any particular brands.

*Multitasking:* When I am working I will multitask; I am sometimes given the task of designing graphics for various things and having a image editing program open at the same time as an internet browser and the program I am working on is important.

*Gaming:* The main reason I want to upgrade my computer is to play games, I mostly play strategy games so I shouldn't be needing anything top-of-the-line but to be able to play new games like Crusader Kings II or the new SimCity without any issues would be fantastic.

*Calculations*: I will not be doing any intense calculations.

*Overclocking:* I will probably overclock my machine.

*Storage:* My current disk drive has 200GB, this is insufficient. I think 500GB would suffice.
*
Legacy Support:* I will not need any support for older hardware.

*Operating System:* I'm used to using Windows and would like to continue doing so. For a new computer, I would probably install Windows 7 as it seems to have a good reputation and I cannot stand Windows 8.

*Case:* I think a new case would be a good idea. I can probably get hold of a basic free one unless there is some reason for me not to. I'm not against the idea of buying a new one.

*Accessories:* I won't be needing any new accessories.

*Recycled Components:* The only thing I might recycle is my disk drive, though I would like to get a new one too. I'm not dead set on recycling it.

*Monitor: *I won't need a new monitor.

*Stores:* I have no preferences regarding stores.
*
Location:* I live in the UK.

The motherboard of my current PC is utterly dreadful and not well supported at all, so I would like a non-obscure motherboard that will be supported in the future.

Thank you very much for reading my post, I will trying to reply back as quickly as I possibly can.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

Look over our suggested build list. All use top quality known compatible components: http://www.techsupportforum.com/for...ams-recommended-new-builds-2012-a-668661.html

No point in OC'ing new CPU's.


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## Pakhawaj (Jan 9, 2010)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

I'd looked over the recommended builds but I was unsure which one most suited my needs and it seems to me that asking about a specific build which I want makes more sense than just buying a standard, all-purpose build. Does one of the builds that are recommended suit well the specifications that I want?

Is that true for all new CPUs? My current one is quite aged and overclocking it helped out a bit.

Thanks for responding.


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## gozzygozborn (Feb 26, 2013)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

the $800 intel build will be able to do what you need and should last you sometime, if you need to you can save some money on the case since its more a personal preference (just make sure it has decent cooling)


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

Only you can determine what meets your specific needs. Our builds are composed of reliable top quality components known to work together.
The cheapest builds we have listed will do general computing as well as multitasking but serious graphics work and gaming are more demanding and you would need to up the budget for those tasks.
Newer CPU's will not benefit from OC'ing. other than benchmarks, and it voids warranties.


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

The $800 Intel Build should be able to fit your needs just fine.

Any gaming or computer work should run smoothly.


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## toothman (Jul 13, 2008)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

You don't need much gaming power, so a video card in the $100-150 range should be suitable.

Doing graphic design, CPU power with extra cores would be be helpful.

500gb HDDs cost only a little less than 1tb drives, so I'd recommend a 1tb.


Something along these line should suit your needs and budget perfectly:

AMD FX-8120, FX-6300, or FX-6100
G.Skill or Corsair 8gb (2x4gb) DDR3-1600 RAM
GTX 650 Ti 1gb
ASUS M5A97 R2.0 (_non-LE_)
550-watt XFX PSU
~$50 Antec/Cooler Master/NZXT case
any DVDRW
WD or Seagate 1tb 7200 RPM

Putting these together in a shopping cart on a USA site totals out to about $660, which should leave enough room for your budget with Europe's higher costs (VAT and such).


Overclocking would require an aftermarket cooler. Good overclocking generally yields an extra 20-25% performance, which, in your case, would only be observable while rendering your graphical designs. If you're certain you're going to OC, buy the better CPU (FX-8350) before purchasing the cooler. Better CPU is more cost-effective than overclocked inferior CPU.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

We have UK priced builds in the suggested build list.


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## Pakhawaj (Jan 9, 2010)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

Thank you for your responses.

Toothman, thank you for proposing a specific design. I've decided to use the parts you've recommended. Before I spend a lot of money clicking "buy", I would be grateful for someone to overlook what I'm buying and remark should I have made any mistakes or if I have made a silly decision:

*Case:* Cooler Master RC-430-KWN1 Elite 430 Midi Tower with Window - Black (I had enough money spare for a shiny new case :smile
*Motherboard:* Asus M5A97 R2.0 Motherboard
*Power Supply:* XFX P1-550S-XXB9 PRO550W Core Edition Power Supply
*Hard Drive:* WD Caviar Green 1TB SATA III 6GB/s Internal Hard Drive 3.5 inch 
*CPU:* AMD FX-Series FX-8120 Black Edition Eight Core Processor
*Graphics Card:* EVGA GeForce GTX 650 1GB GDDR5 Graphics Card
*RAM:* G-Skill 8GBXL Ripjaws X for Intel Sandybridge Platforms DDR3 PC12800 1600MHz 8GB Kit 

I hope I'm not missing anything. I would presume that the CPU would come with a fan.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

If you are going to overclock you will need an aftermarket cooler. Standard cpu coolers are not designed for overclocking unless the overclock is very small which is pointless in it self.

As said overclocking really isn't needed these days although I always overclock because I always have.

Your build looks good although I always choose intel and nvidia where as if I was to build an AMD system I would use an ATi card.


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## Pakhawaj (Jan 9, 2010)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

According to Tyree one needn't overclock new CPU's and I am happy to agree with his knowledge.

Is there any reason you would always go with Intel? All of my machines in the past have been AMD, so perhaps I have been missing out on something.
I was a bit wary of the graphics card just because the name was unfamiliar to me, but the techincal details state:
"Nvidia SMX Engine
Nvidia Kepler GPU Architecture
Nvidia Adaptive Vertical Sync
Nvidia Surround Technology"
Which would suggest to me that it is just a Nvidia card with a different name tacked on. I've been told in the past that AMD systems work well with ATi cards, is it important or greatly beneficial that this combination should exist?

Edit: Just found out ATi cards no longer exist! Shows how behind-the-times I am. :smile:


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

Yes the card you chose was NVidia. In the past (not now) it was always that nvidia card worked better with intel and AMD always worked better with ATi and that is a rule I have always stuck with.

I prefer Intel CPUs because intel have more money behind them and have been far ahead of AMD since the intel core 2 duo was released.


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## Pakhawaj (Jan 9, 2010)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

Well, as it seems that ATi no longer exist, the harmonious combination of AMD and ATi is no longer relevant.

What do you mean by "far ahead"? Would I be disadvantaged by not buying an Intel chip of similar specs somehow? It seems to me that there shouldn't be a great deal of difference, they're only brand names after all.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

Intel and AMD CPU's are both good. It's basically a matter of preference.
AMD can usually be built a little cheaper.
The Mobo/GPU chipset conflicts are basically a thing of the past.
In the parts you list you posted- there is no need for an 8 core CPU so you may be able to save some money there.


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## Pakhawaj (Jan 9, 2010)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

Okay, I can save around £30 by downgrading my CPU which doesn't seem like a lot. Do you think it would be prudent to buy an unnecessarily powerful CPU for future-proofing considering my downgrade would save only £30 and half the CPUs cores?

Thanks for your inputs, I do appreciate it.

Edit: Perhaps that £30 could be put to better use by upgrading a different part?


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

You could put it aside for a new monitor.


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## Pakhawaj (Jan 9, 2010)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

Ah! That's a good idea. Okay, so my CPU is now an AMD FX6300 Black Edition 6 Core and the rest of the parts remain the same. If there aren't any problems with this build, I feel pretty confident about buying it.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

More than 4 cores is pretty much a waste but if the price is right, fine.


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## Pakhawaj (Jan 9, 2010)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

Well, there's no point in waste but the 6 core and 4 core are more or less the same price.
Thanks for helping everyone.


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## toothman (Jul 13, 2008)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

There are no known issues with mixing AMD and nVidia/Intel, just a slight concern that some drivers will be more optimized if you match brands.

For this build, gaming power needs are medium while some encoding power is desired. So AMD's 6/8-core CPUs are a pretty great choice here.

The FX-6300 would be pretty great.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*



Pakhawaj said:


> Well, there's no point in waste but the 6 core and 4 core are more or less the same price.
> Thanks for helping everyone.


If the 6-core is comparably priced, go with that.


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## Pakhawaj (Jan 9, 2010)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

Hi everyone.
I bought all the parts, they've finally arrived and the build is going well except for one thing; the mother board has a space underneath it causing it to move if I were to plug in something to the back of it.
The case came with spacers which presumably one is supposed to screw in first, but they are much too big to fit. The only two screws I've managed to screw in are on a raised bit of the box so the space between the board and the box is narrower, I would bend the board if I were to screw the other ones in.

I'm wondering firstly, whether this matters at all and secondly what I can do about it. My last case had little raised bits to help narrow the distance between the board and the case, but this new one is completely flat bar for a bit at the end.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

You need to use one stand-off, no more-no less- for "every" Mobo mounting hole. 
Not doing so can cause the Mobo to short to the case and possibly damage the Mobo.
Have you performed a bench test to insure all parts are working properly?


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## Pakhawaj (Jan 9, 2010)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

Ah, that's a bit of a hassle but never mind. Thank you for telling me.

I haven't performed a bench test.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*



Tyree said:


> You need to use one stand-off, no more-no less- for "every" Mobo mounting hole.
> Not doing so can cause the Mobo to short to the case and possibly damage the Mobo.


A bench test should always be performed before assembling in the case.


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

Make sure to preform your bench test on top of the motherboard's box to avoid any shocks to the board.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

Proper bench test-
Remove EVERYTHING from the case.
Set the motherboard on a non conductive surface. The motherboard box is perfect for this. DO NOT PLACE THE MOTHERBOARD ON THE STATIC BAG! It can actually conduct electricity! 
Install the CPU and heat sink. 
Install 1 stick of RAM.
Install the video card and attach the power supply connection(s) to the card if your card needs it.
Connect the monitor to the video card.
Connect the power supply to the motherboard with both the 24pin main ATX Power connection and the separate 4 pin (Dual Core CPU) or 8 pin (Quad Core CPU) power connection.
Connect power to the power supply.
Do NOT connect ANYTHING else. Make sure you have the power connector on the CPU fan connected.
Use a small screwdriver to momentarily short the power switch connector on the motherboard. Consult your motherboard manual to find which two pins connect to your case's power switch. Then touch both pins with a screwdriver to complete the circuit and boot the system.

If all is well, it should power up and you should get a display. Then assemble the parts into the case and try again. If the system now fails to boot, you have a short in the case and need to recheck your motherboard standoffs.

If the system does not boot after this process, then you most likely have a faulty component. You'll need to swap parts, start with the power supply, until you determine what is defective.


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## Pakhawaj (Jan 9, 2010)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

Tyree, I followed your instructions since I can't build the thing until my screws arrive in the post.
The first time I tried, everything worked fine bar nothing appearing on the monitor; both fans were whirring.
The second time I tried, without unplugging or changing anything a spark came from the two pins I was connecting and now I cannot get anything to react at all which makes me very uneasy.


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## Pakhawaj (Jan 9, 2010)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

Well, I'm no longer getting the problem where the parts don't react quite thankfully, I think the problem may have been a change in screwdriver.
Regardless, the monitor doesn't display anything, I think this may be because the machine does not stay on for very long- I don't know if is is the problem of my unsteady hands or something else.

Could I plug in only the power switch to the box to perform this test? I would change no other part from Tyree's instructions.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*



Tyree said:


> If the system does not boot after this process, then you most likely have a faulty component. You'll need to swap parts, start with the power supply, until you determine what is defective.


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## Pakhawaj (Jan 9, 2010)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

Well, I didn't bother with the boot test today as the screws I needed arrived so I just built the thing.
Everything is working fine, shouldn't need to use this thread again. Thanks again everyone.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: Building an Entirely New PC*

Glad it worked out and thanks for posting back.


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

Glad you got it going!


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