# Should I wait to build?



## irishred (Feb 13, 2011)

Hi,
I need a new computer. I imagine by today's standard, my computer is quite old. There isn't any thing I would reuse in a new computer except a 500gb hard drive. My motherboard is four years old. Have new g-series keyboard, mouse and a new emachine 24" monitor and 5.1 speakers. I have done research by looking at prebuilt computers. I didn't like that these prebuilt are expensive for what I want and that some of these used very cheap parts. Same goes for barebone kits unless I want to pay a fortune for high quality parts. So I have decided to build my own, finding parts on sale. I have spent weeks on the internet and discovered I know squat about computers. I was about to build around a sandybridge system but now it would appear I would have to wait til april or march but it is stressful wondering if my old computer will make it. I want a computer to last and be upgradeable. I'm not a die hard gamer but I read that a good gaming pc is the one to get for a high performance all around pc. I started reading all the forums and now I am even more confused. Everyone has their own opinions. "Get a intel i5 or i7, no, get a Amd. Wait for the bulldozer to come out, no get a sandybridge then you can upgrade to Ivybridge.....etc etc etc". I guess that what I get for reading forums. I mainly use the computer for little gaming, internet research, multitasking, video watching and downloading. 
I know for sure that I want get a ssd for os and programs files. I want to upgrade to windows 7, I do want to do some overclocking (not extreme) and I am a novice on that. I am on a budget of 1000.00. I wanted to buy parts on sale as I go along but that is not wise. There is so many things that could go wrong like incompatiblity or parts defective and I would not be able to return them. Will anyone please help me on this? Please help me develope a system now or should I wait on the bulldozer or sandybridge? Thank you so much.
P.S. My son doesn't know this yet but he will be building the computer with me.


----------



## Dblanchard1278 (Jun 18, 2009)

Hello Irishred

Welcome to TSF, building a pc can be a head ache with all these manufactorers out there and the tech changes so much and it's hard to keep up with it at times. Building your own pc is garenteeing you the ability to upgrade later on like replacing the motherboard and cpu with out having to contact the maker of an oem pc to see if it is supported. The cost of an oem pc might seem appealing right now to a lot of people but a few years down the road they end up regretting it once some new piece of hardware comes out or a componet fails and you're stuck with a dead pc with no warrenty. The common componet to fail in a pc is the power supply unit (PSU) due to the oem mfg using cheap psu's or consumers buying a low quality psu and not thinking ahead for upgrades.

It is a good rule of thumb not to go out and buy the new cpu or ram if it's just been introduced on the market. Companies don't throughly test thier products to get the bugs out cause they want to make a quick buck, look what happened with intel's new chipset. It is best to give that new tech to allow them to fix the bugs that way when you buy it you don't have to worry about problems. Now before I have you clicking on the suggested builds link in my sig I would like to give you a few tips about what to look for.

1. Get quality parts. A pc built with cheap parts won't last as long as one built with quality parts. Cheap parts have a short warrenty and a lousy cusomer support to go with it, this is a pain when you need to return a defective motherboard or video card.

2. Don't skimp on a psu, the psu is the heart of the system since it provides power to it and if you go with a low quality psu you will be asking for trouble. That cheap psu will take out componets if it is pushed to it's limits and no matter what the company says the limit is far less then they say. Check out the power supply info and selection link in my sig.

I'm not to sure why you want an ssd drive, an ssd will make your pc boot a little faster but not much else unless you'r proned to beating the crap out of your pc now and then. But I don't think you are and I don't think your hdd gets messed up from being dropped or any thing like that. A WD calalair black drive would be the best option in my opinion for the 32 meg cache and 5 year warrenty. If it was my pc I would use two drives one for the os and programs and another for data. For yor budget I would look at the AMD builds in our suggested builds link, you can change parts out for something cheaper or better depending on what you like but I'd recommend keeping the psu's they have listed as they are quality parts.


----------



## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

Good advice by dblanchard....I don't know if you heard that Intel is having mega issues with Sandybridge cpu's or what, but from where you are sitting, I would be looking at Intel i-5 or 7 that is well tested and undoubtedly you would perceive that as a big change. And I am not putting down the Phenom II 6 core either, as it happens I have one of each systems. I think in many ways I prefer the feel of the Amd but that is personal as I have a 1090 Phenom cpu and an i7 860 cpu system as well. 
Build 64 bit Windows 7 and take advantage of inexpensive ram prices to use 6 or 8 gb Ddr3 and you won't miss anything, believe me.
Buy a good quality psu, as it could be the most important and frequently ignored component by Seasonic, Corsair, Pc Power and Cooling or Enermax and match your motherboard to an exact model of ram at a ram maker's site such as RAM Memory Upgrade: Dell, Mac, Apple, HP, Compaq. USB drives, flash cards, SSD at Crucial.com or www.kingston.com and then buy the model. If you cannot match the board, buy another board, that's my maxim because if you get ram and psu right, it should be smooth sailing for you.
Here are some tested builds offered here:
http://www.techsupportforum.com/for...evised-2010-and-updated-regularly-448272.html


----------



## irishred (Feb 13, 2011)

Ok, I have a system build here. I would much rather have a mid tower but also want to have the usb 3.0 front panel. Also I don't want to have a case that look like from out of space. I have a 500gb hard drive as a second drive mainly as storage. I have a pioneer blu ray. Do I need a sound card? Also I plan on buying those that are on sale now and wait alittle for sale on the rest of them. My cpu is x4 core. I wouldn't need a x6 unless i do heavy gaming or application work. This is something of a future proof computer, right? Thanks for any advice.

Antec Twelve Hundred V3 Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case
-$8.00 Instant
$167.99
$159.99
Western Digital Caviar Black WD5002AALX 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
$59.99
GIGABYTE GA-890FXA-UD5 AM3 AMD 890FX SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard
-$10.00 Instant
$189.99
$179.99
SAPPHIRE 100314SR Radeon HD 6870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
-$10.00 Instant
$20.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
$239.99
$229.99
CORSAIR CMPSU-850TX 850W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply
-$30.00 Instant
$20.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
$159.99
$129.99
Mushkin Enhanced Blackline 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model 996782
-$5.00 Instant (could I go little higher ram for a faster computer)
$69.99
$64.99
AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor HDZ965FBGMBOX
$159.99
ZALMAN 9500A-LED 92mm 2 Ball CPU Cooler
-$15.00 Instant
$54.99
$39.99
Subtotal:	$1,024.92


----------



## Dblanchard1278 (Jun 18, 2009)

Nice build, the motherboard has a sound card built in so there is no need to buy a sound card unless you feel you need one. Just add a copy of windows and you're set unless you already have the os but either way this will work just fine. Lots of upgradeability and will sereve you for a long time.


----------



## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Cases are a personal preference but to me $168 is too much for a case when you can do as well for less. The 600 and 900 Antecs are basically the same box and less fans to make noise and avoid problems with negative airflow. 
1066MHz or 1333MHz for the RAM will keep you within the Mobo manufacturer's memory standard. 
The rtest looks good.


----------



## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

Looks good to me, my only question is is the cpu oem so that you need another cooler, because there is nothing wrong with the Amd supplied cooler fan in the retail kit. I also don't see a dvd drive either.


----------



## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

Tyree said:


> Cases are a personal preference but to me $168 is too much for a case when you can do as well for less. The 600 and 900 Antecs are basically the same box and less fans to make noise and avoid problems with negative airflow.
> 1066MHz or 1333MHz for the RAM will keep you within the Mobo manufacturer's memory standard.
> The rtest looks good.


Yeah really good point I would never spend more than $99 for a case.


----------



## irishred (Feb 13, 2011)

Well, ok. I have decided to change things. 
Antec Mid-Tower Gaming Case Nine Hundred Two V3 
119.00
Will this fit everything that I have listed here? If I decide to add something like a box for connection hdtv. About the USB 3.0 Config with the mobo and the case. the tech is too new right. It seems there is no usb 3.0 header anywhere. Would I be better off just getting different case with standard usb 2.0/audio/esata front panel and just add usb 3.0 port to that. 
2 Western Digital Caviar Black WD5002AALX 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive 
118.00
Mushkin Enhanced Blackline 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model 998681 
90.00
I have a pioneer blu ray drive.
Oh btw, thanks so much for helping here. 
I'm pretty much sold on a AMD build and upgrade when needed. I read though that the bulldozer was suppose to give a better performance at lower power but none of today's components would be compatible.


----------



## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Speaking of Bulldozer, as it's not scheduled to be released until late this year and a smart consumer will wait another half a year past that to ensure the bugs are worked out (note the current socket 1155 motherboard chipset problems), you probably will have a couple of years on a current AMD build before the next generation components are competitively priced.

It rarely pays to wait for something new to come out when building a computer, unless you are on a limited budget, have a system that can get by for awhile doing what you need it to do, and are thinking that perhaps you can get today's components much cheaper six months from now when they are considered "obsolete" by those with more money and desire than sense.


----------



## Dblanchard1278 (Jun 18, 2009)

If I were you I would cut back on the ram 2x2 gigs is pleanty for the things you want to do with it. If you do heavy graffix and video work then that would use up more but I don't think you will be doing alot of that.


----------



## irishred (Feb 13, 2011)

So will this case "Antec Mid-Tower Gaming Case Nine Hundred Two V" 
fit everything I have listed in my latest build and will the MOBO work with the usb 3.0 front port panel? I have chosen the $1200 AMD Build and it recommended full tower. Also I am wondering about the extended warranties. That extra money will put me over my budget. Should I buy and if so, which hardware will the extended warranty benefit the most. Thanks!


----------



## irishred (Feb 13, 2011)

I have chosen the $1200 AMD Build and it recommended full tower. I would rather have a mid tower. So will this case "Antec Mid-Tower Gaming Case Nine Hundred Two V3" will it fit everything I have listed in my latest build or will it be too cramp? Will the MOBO work with the usb 3.0 front port panel? I saw a motherboard with front usb and esata but it was rated very low. My old pc has usb on back and we are constantly moving the computer to get to it. Isn't it bad to move the computer? 
I am wondering about the extended warranties. That extra money will put me over my budget. Should I buy and if so, which hardware will the extended warranty benefit the most. 
I am also wondering if I need any thing special to add to watch blu ray movies from Pc to hdtv? I have Pioneer BD-206 blu ray burner. 
Again, I thank everyone for helping me. I've research many forums and I find this to be the best. Not only are you guys very informative and easy to understand, you are very patience and kind to us noobies.


----------



## Dblanchard1278 (Jun 18, 2009)

The case will hold everything you selected, and it has one front usb 3.0 nport and two 2.0 and one audio in/out port. I don't really buy the extended warrentys cause of the money and in the long run I won't even use it so I just don't bother. I think your system can handle Blu-ray as long as there is a blu-ray drive and software installed.


----------

