Help me build an awesome computer.

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Chazwozel

I've got 1500 bucks to blow next month and it's time I upgrade my old heap.

I'm looking at a new motherboard, vid card and processor, case/cooling

what's the best bang for the buck I can get?
 
PatrThom

PatrThom

CPU - Core i7 860 ($275)
MLB - P55-based Mobo with 2xPCIe x16 2.0 slots (Newegg lists $100 to $350 depending on features, though my recommendations fall in the $150-$175 range)
GPU - ATI 5870, no question. ($400-$500 depending on brand and accessories). Save up and get a second one later for XFire.
OS - Win7 64-bit ($150 and up depending on edition - I recommend either Professional or Ultimate)
HSF - Good models run in the $30-$50 range.
CAS - Good ones run about $150 or so.
PSU - Decent 80 Plus Gold 900-1000W PSUs can be had for about $250.

Total, approx 1490, right under budget.

EDIT:
Math242 said:
advice from local tech guru Patrthorn
Click to expand...
Huh. I'm PatrThoM, not PatrThoRN. Never even thought about the possibility of seeing it that way.

EDIT 2: Any of the above figures are subject to revision at a moment's notice depending on whether anybody introduces something awesome 5 minutes after reading this post...or five minutes after that, or after that, etc.

--Patrick
 
C

Chazwozel

PatrThom said:
CPU - Core i7 860 ($275)
MLB - P55-based Mobo with 2xPCIe x16 2.0 slots (Newegg lists $100 to $350 depending on features, though my recommendations fall in the $150-$175 range)
GPU - ATI 5870, no question. ($400-$500 depending on brand and accessories). Save up and get a second one later for XFire.
OS - Win7 64-bit ($150 and up depending on edition - I recommend either Professional or Ultimate)
HSF - Good models run in the $30-$50 range.
CAS - Good ones run about $150 or so.
PSU - Decent 80 Plus Gold 900-1000W PSUs can be had for about $250.

Total, approx 1490, right under budget.

EDIT:
Math242 said:
advice from local tech guru Patrthorn
Click to expand...
Huh. I'm PatrThoM, not PatrThoRN. Never even thought about the possibility of seeing it that way.

EDIT 2: Any of the above figures are subject to revision at a moment's notice depending on whether anybody introduces something awesome 5 minutes after reading this post...or five minutes after that, or after that, etc.

--Patrick
Click to expand...
LoL you're like the official Orbitz of Halforums.
 
PatrThom

PatrThom

It's tech, man. Someone is making it all obsolete right now.
The [STRIKE]i7[/STRIKE] i5 870 CPU is actually noticeably better in performance, but it costs twice as much. If the new CPUs cause the old ones to drop a lot in price, the 870 is really the one to get. But until it comes down below $300, it's just too $$$pendy.

--Patrick
 
Shegokigo

Shegokigo

Pat is the man to go to with computer questions. My rig is currently built practically 98% off his recommendations and I am satisfied with it. That's saying something.
 
Necronic

Necronic

Staff member
Have to agree on taking one or two steps back from the latest and greatest. I got the E8550 instead of the 8750 and saved ~50% with very very little loss of performance.

ATI is definitely the way to go on video cards at the moment, although it still chaps my ass that its so hard to find lifetime warranties from their vendors/manufacturers.

The one place I will throw some advice out there, case and powersupply. These are sooooo often overlooked and people don't spend as much money on them as they should, which is a shame because they are arguably the least succeptible to obsolescence these days. Powersupplies aren't going to get much heftier because of the nature of housing wiring limits the wattage to...what..1400 I think? And with cases ports have become pretty universal these days, and anything you don't have you can run through a USB.

For powersupplies I would take a look at Silverstone. They supply very high end power supplies and come and sell the steak, not the sizzle. The only issue some people may have with them is that they don't run multiple rails (unless that has changed), however, I'm not sure how real of an issue that is since most power supplies don't have 2 true rails, and to be honest I believe you can run 2 video cards off of a single rail if its good (may be totally wrong here.) There are tons of good brands though, PC Power and cooling, coolermaster, lancool, all of them are good.

2 other notes on power supplies: Don't spend less than 100$, a 50$ 900W power supply is just a 1500$ smoking computer in the future. Other thing is that modular is the way to go. Some people argue that the additional connections add noise, which is true, but I think its insignificant with a higher quality supply.

For cases there are a lot to suggest, but here are my top 2 picks

Coolermaster - The enthusiast computer cases. They are usually built with good abilities to hotswap hard drives and make it really easy to access parts. That said they are not the highest quality cases.

Lian Li - Quality. Quality. Quality. Cooler Master is the riced out CRX. Lian Li is the Mazerati. They look simpl and clean, no bells and whistles. To be honest many people won't be able to tell the difference between one of their cases and a plain old 25$ case. But when you look closer, they are beautiful. They make Apple cases look like cheap pieces of crap.

Generally speaking coolermaster is cheaper price wise. Their premier tower a couple years ago went for 200 I think? A mid range Lian Li case will run you 2-300, the high end cases will cost 5-600. But its an investment. I will never buy another computer case as long as I live. I still love running my hands across its brushed aluminum flanks while melting wax on my nipples.
 
GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member
I will definitely say I like the higher end Antec cases, such as the one in the link I provided. I use one myself. It's got multiple speed-adjustable case fans, washable filters on all the air intakes that are easy to remove and reinsert, it keeps the Power supply in a separate compartment with its own airflow and intake fan, and all in all it's a joy to work on. The only downside is it's really pretty heavy, as quality construction often is, and as such is a bit cumbersome if you cart your computer to different places a lot.
 
Necronic

Necronic

Staff member
Oh yeah and for the Windows 7 ultimate, haven't they finally abandoned ultimate as having any real value for the standard consumer? Like its really for a very select crowd.
 
PatrThom

PatrThom

Silverstone also makes some pretty nifty fans, including ones which allow mounting 90mm in an 80mm hole, etc.

--Patrick
 
Necronic

Necronic

Staff member
I think I heard about those. I like companies like Silverstone or Lian Li because I think they are providing a product for a more mature audience. At some point you hit an age where black lights and see through cases aren't the end all be all, where you want something that is very high quality and gives off a more subdued sense of style.

I'll go back to my earlier comment, I like them because they sell the steak, not the sizzle, and that's rare in the hardware market, particularly with cases and PSUs.
 
PatrThom

PatrThom

Necronic said:
I like companies like Silverstone or Lian Li because I think they are providing a product for a more mature audience. At some point you hit an age where black lights and see through cases aren't the end all be all, where you want something that is very high quality and gives off a more subdued sense of style.
Click to expand...
Dude! I think that's it right there. I honestly don't care about lights, blowholes, decals, chrome, knobs, etc. It's a computer. I expect it to compute, and do so for as long as possible. Chrome/stripes/LEDs/exhaust pipes/smoke generators/etc won't make it go any faster. Heck, I'm a fan of Zalman heatsinks for their efficiency and low noise, but I get annoyed that it's almost impossible to buy one without an LED fan attached these days. Nobody is going to see inside of my case but me, no need to dress it up.

Alan Dean Foster has a story called "The Last Run" about a guy named Bill who likes to drag race and who gets snickered at for bringing an older model station wagon (with curtains in the back windows, no less!) to race against muscle cars, exotics, tuners, etc. which leave his 'wagon in the dust off the line. But then there is a mighty roar and you realize the reason he chose a wagon is because the back gives him enough room to stash and trick out the engine from one of those acrobatic single-seat airplanes that do the pylon races. Bill does not care what his rig looks like, Bill just wants it to go fast. I want to be like Bill.

--Patrick
 
Necronic

Necronic

Staff member
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112155

that's my case by the way. Its really a very very nice case. Also, it looks like the prices on Lian Li cases have dropped across the board. No reason not to buy one.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817256036

This was the PSU. There are some complaints about the modular cables, and I do remember them being a bit strange, like I had a hard time telling if they were in. But I still think its a fantastic PSU, and a great company.
 
PatrThom

PatrThom

I like the case. It's about the same size as the Lian-Li PC-7 I have right now but it has room for more drives, better cooling, etc. You can stuff it full of drives when it is no longer good enough to game with and it will make a great media server for years to come. The power supply looks pretty good, but I wonder if 800W is going to be enough for what you're looking for long-term (don't know how many video cards/drives you're gonna want).

--Patrick
 
C

Chazwozel

PatrThom said:
CPU - Core i7 860 ($275)
MLB - P55-based Mobo with 2xPCIe x16 2.0 slots (Newegg lists $100 to $350 depending on features, though my recommendations fall in the $150-$175 range)
GPU - ATI 5870, no question. ($400-$500 depending on brand and accessories). Save up and get a second one later for XFire.
OS - Win7 64-bit ($150 and up depending on edition - I recommend either Professional or Ultimate)
HSF - Good models run in the $30-$50 range.
CAS - Good ones run about $150 or so.
PSU - Decent 80 Plus Gold 900-1000W PSUs can be had for about $250.

Total, approx 1490, right under budget.

EDIT:
Math242 said:
advice from local tech guru Patrthorn
Click to expand...
Huh. I'm PatrThoM, not PatrThoRN. Never even thought about the possibility of seeing it that way.

EDIT 2: Any of the above figures are subject to revision at a moment's notice depending on whether anybody introduces something awesome 5 minutes after reading this post...or five minutes after that, or after that, etc.

--Patrick
Click to expand...
Pat, I followed your advice and let me just say my hair is windblown whenever I turn on my computer. Thanks a bunch man.
 
PatrThom

PatrThom

Finally got the chance to check back in. Glad to hear it!

Edit: For those who've wondered where I've been (glad to see both of you again, too!), I've been having PSU troubles. I have a replacement, but what I don't have is the time to put it in. So for now I'm running at reduced capacity (pulled out some cards and extra stuff to compensate).

My only regret is that I didn't get the chance to barf up a few dozen more haiku.

--Patrick
 
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