Buying a new pc

PatrThom

PatrThom

Self-built might save you around 300 USD or more, assuming there are no embargoes on components in your area. Just make sure your case is up to your future plans.

--Patrick
 
bhamv3

bhamv3

In the end I took that build down to the builders and they gave me a roughly equivalent computer for more than $300 less.

E3-1230v3 processor
Asus GTX 760-2GD5 video cardH87-Pro motherboard
Toshiba 128G SSD
Seagate 1TB HDD
Kingston C10 8GB 1600 x 2
Same 550W power supply as before
Asus DVD-RW

Plus a 23 inch AOC monitor, and a Logitech mouse and keyboard set. All in all, I'm pretty happy with it.

Thanks again to @PatrThom for
 
Bubble181

Bubble181

First post from the new pc. Yes, I know, I haven't done anything in a few weeks :p
Anyway, installing Windows has really changed. The longest part was literally typing in the key; I don't think the rest took more than 15 minutes of just waiting around and picking a color scheme.

Now to install the drivers for everything and see if it all still works. I wonder - install drivers first or install Win 8.1 first? Hmmm....
 
Bubble181

Bubble181

A-hah-ha. Befoire I can upgrade to 8.1, I need 54 critical security (blahblah) updates. Trying to download those results in a crash. Oh, good old Windows.
 
Bubble181

Bubble181

Different question...Since this motherboard, unfortunately, only has 2 audio outputs, I can't use my surround system. I'd buy a sound card, but they go from around €10 to well over €150 (in the "supports 5.1" category). What the...?
Can anyone tell me what I should look for and what I should try to avoid? I'm not much of an audiophile and I rarely-if-ever watch movies on my pc, it's mostly for games and occasionally some music.
 
strawman

strawman

Just get a cheap cheap surround sound one then. They often use the Realtek chipsets which are quite good, though not audiophile quality. It will be sufficient for your needs.
 
GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member
I agree with Stienman. I'd be surprised if you needed to spend more than $20 to get a sound card that gives you surround and performs well. And this is speaking from a standpoint of working with $1600 sound cards all day here.
 
PatrThom

PatrThom

Yeah. Don't get a hyper-expensive "isolated audio circuitry" or whatever sound card if you're just feeding the sound into a $100 speaker system.

--Patrick
 
Bubble181

Bubble181

it's a $500 surround system, technically, but I got it for free :p
And thanks; I just don't have the experience/knowledge if there was a huge difference. If you'd told me "get one from a good brand because everything under $50 is absolute crap and worse than the on-board audio" I'd have believed that too :)
 
Bubble181

Bubble181

Coming back to this thread, still haven't bought anything new because I'm....energy-conserving. Yes. Ahem.
Anyway, I wasl ooking around, and a lot - a lot - of sound cards that specify themselves as being 5.1 only seem to have 4 "outs". This is the Asus Xonar DGX, for example:

Now..;How the heck are you supposed to put 5 speakers and a subwoofer on that thing?! Seriously - is it a different type of connector, am I missing something blindingly obvious,...?
 
PatrThom

PatrThom

The Green/Black/Orange connectors carry 2 channels each, for a total of 6, giving you your 5.1 system.
The Pink connector is for sound in/mic.

Alternatively, you can use the optical out to hook up your receiver and let it do all the work.

--Patrick
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top