Choices with a new computer

Adam_J_Milton

Solid State Member
Messages
12
Location
Alexandria
I want to upgrade my computer/get a new one and as I see it I have 3 options. I have come here to see what you guy think I should do and to help me weigh the pros and cons of each choice.

I am looking for a powerful Desktop that can video edit and do a few other things.

Option 1 - Straight up New Computer

Perhaps the easiest thing I could do is to simply buy a new computer. I have found one computer on the HP website an HP Pavilion Elite e9180t series, that while pricey, I think in the end would be well worth it.

Pros
- I know it will work (at least a higher percentage chance of it working).
- A company support system that will help with trouble shooting.
- The most straight forward way to what I want

Con
-Price. With everything I want I think the price would range somewhere around 2000$. (That's with all of the customizations I would add on the Website.)

Option 2- Refit my old Computer

This would be me simply getting a new hard drive, DVD burner and more RAM. Maybe a new graphics card and a new power supply to handle all of that.

Pros
-Cheaper. Getting the components myself and installing them should be easy enough. I have friends to help me do that as well.
- All of the refits could be done by the end of this month. If not sooner.

Cons
-I would still have the same old processor (which isn't the greatest).
-I don't know exactly what I am doing in terms of building a computer.
-This might require multiple tricks to Best Buy/ packages in the mail to get the right parts and make sure everything worked correctly.

Option 3 - Simply build my own new computer.

Pros
-It would be a fun hobby and frankly very satisfying to build my own computer.
- This computer would be EXACTLY what I wanted. Everything from the look to the features.

Cons
- I don't have any experience on building a computer
-Could be expensive if I get the wrong parts or do something wrong.
-I have no space to build it really. I live on base and I have little room.
 
Option 3 bro! all the way.

- I don't have any experience on building a computer

no one knows what there doing on there first build so your ok lol

plus were here to help

-Could be expensive if I get the wrong parts or do something wrong.
sure as hell wolnt cost no 2000 bucks lol
1500 Max will get you what you'll want.

you cant do it wrong, especially if you post your build and we will tell you if its all good.

-I have no space to build it really. I live on base and I have little room.

all you need is an area the size of a small table, head boards work good to, lol.

built my first PC (sig) using my bed, even if thats a big no no lol


I am guessing your in the US,
You want AMD/Intel and ATI/Nvidia ?
 
Intel, runs a bit faster (like number crunching), but is in a higher price range

AMD, runs just as fast on regular apps, cheaper, better at gaming.
 
OK, so I have decided to go with building my own computer! I have asked around, in this place and a handful of others, and I have decided that I should try.

My goal, over all, is to have a computer with enough power to be able to run movie editing software with ease. (This will bring me to another question later in this post, maybe in another section all together.) Secondary goals is to have a desktop with enough power to run Star-Craft 2. I don't know the requirements for this game just yet but I figure I have a better chance of having the right type of machine to run it if I build it myself, and if I don't I will know how to easily upgrade it. The last goal is to simply have enough space to keep all of the files that I have on this computer. This won't be hard.

I don't know what else to say in regards to what I am looking for aside from the fact that I want a computer with over a terabyte of space, and upwards of 2.5 gigahertz processor speed. At least a dual-core set up, maybe even more. And an ass load of ram, maybe 4 GBs of ram.

So right now I have a series of questions...

1) My friend told me that I should look in to a processor first and THEN search for a mother board that works with it. Is this correct?

2) What do I need to look for when I go to buy a case for the actual computer itself.

3) How are processor speed, ram and amount of processors linked in terms of production of speed.

4) What should I look for in a Mother board?

5) I know that RAM is important but how much will I really need? 2 GB? 4? Or more?

6) How can I calculate what kind of power supply I will need. I know this will depend on what I will ultimately put into the machine. But is there a way to figure that out before I actually attempt to build it?

7) Is there a way to determine the amount of time a DVD burner will take to burn a DVD based on its burn speed? Given, of course, the amount of information to be burned on the disc.

8) Is windows 7 really worth it?

9) Any common pit falls newbies fall into when they first attempt to build their first computer. What should I absolutely NOT do, or not TRY to do?

Thank you guys in advance!
 
Intel, runs a bit faster (like number crunching), but is in a higher price range

AMD, runs just as fast on regular apps, cheaper, better at gaming.

Not always. It really depends on comparing individual classes, rather then companies. Although those are decent generalizations, they aren't always true. But AMD's do tend to run hotter, but are designed to do as such.
 
The new AMD Phenom II (940, 945, 955, 965) class Processors, run really well i think.
mine has never slowed down nor crashed.




So right now I have a series of questions...
and we got the answers :)
1) My friend told me that I should look in to a processor first and THEN search for a mother board that works with it. Is this correct?
yes, that is correct.
2) What do I need to look for when I go to buy a case for the actual computer itself.

pretty much, make sure it has good air flow, good cable management, and that you like the way it looks, of course
3) How are processor speed, ram and amount of processors linked in terms of production of speed.
On intels, you hafto worry about a front side buss, but on AMD's, you do not.

If you get a quad core processor, just make sure it is a TRuE quad core proc.

anything 800Mhz DDR2 or higher, would serve you fine, 1066Mhz DDR2 if you want high end DDR2, and DDR3 is also available, its speeds are much higher. Though the ram you use, greatly depends on the mobo (mother board) you choose.


4) What should I look for in a Mother board?
do you want to crossfire/SLI graphic cards?
make sure it has atleast 1, PCI-E 16x 2.0 slots, for a graphics card.
make sure it supports the ram you want to use
make sure it supports the socket type of the proc you are using.

5) I know that RAM is important but how much will I really need? 2 GB? 4? Or more?
4GB is the sweet spot, though you would need Windows 64bit to use it all.
6) How can I calculate what kind of power supply I will need. I know this will depend on what I will ultimately put into the machine. But is there a way to figure that out before I actually attempt to build it?

there is a website that you can go to that would calculate it out for you, but for you, i would say between 550W-650W would be a good range.

7) Is there a way to determine the amount of time a DVD burner will take to burn a DVD based on its burn speed? Given, of course, the amount of information to be burned on the disc.
do you mean you want this down to the seconds? I dont you could calculate that.
8) Is windows 7 really worth it?
YES! 64bit edition of course.
9) Any common pit falls newbies fall into when they first attempt to build their first computer. What should I absolutely NOT do, or not TRY to do?
use the right amount of thermal compound if your using an aftermarket type heat sink fan (HSF), though the stock HSF's usually already have it applied.

ground yourself, static electricity eats electronics for breakfast.
use a static wrist band if you want, or just hold onto the side of the tower once in awhile to discharge static.

Thank you guys in advance!
Sure, np, happy biulding!

i am sure someone here can get your computer together, at least point ya in the right direction, i would now, but i am time limited.
 
Wow...Um...thanks there SuperViper21 but you will need to translate a lot of that for me into layman/newbie speak. Great answer though.


sniperviper said:
pretty much, make sure it has good air flow, good cable management, and that you like the way it looks, of course


I have been looking around for a case. I should have my choices narrowed down by tonight.
If you get a quad core processor, just make sure it is a TRuE quad core proc.

anything 800Mhz DDR2 or higher, would serve you fine, 1066Mhz DDR2 if you want high end DDR2, and DDR3 is also available, its speeds are much higher. Though the ram you use, greatly depends on the mobo (mother board) you choose.

Am I correct in the assumption that 1066 Mhz is equal to 1.066 Ghz? I know that DDR2 and DDR3 are types of RAM. So I am good there.

do you want to crossfire/SLI graphic cards?
make sure it has atleast 1, PCI-E 16x 2.0 slots, for a graphics card.
make sure it supports the ram you want to use
make sure it supports the socket type of the proc you are using.

What the hell does that mean?

4GB is the sweet spot, though you would need Windows 64bit to use it all.

I have decided to get Windows 7, so I will at least get 4GB of RAM. And use it.

use the right amount of thermal compound if your using an aftermarket type heat sink fan (HSF), though the stock HSF's usually already have it applied.

ground yourself, static electricity eats electronics for breakfast.
use a static wrist band if you want, or just hold onto the side of the tower once in awhile to discharge static.

Once again my friend, what the HELL does that mean?

Sure, np, happy biulding!

i am sure someone here can get your computer together, at least point ya in the right direction, i would now, but i am time limited.

Hey man, again no problem, just thanks for the advice you did give me! I am going to start looking for shit now. I will be posting again in a few hours/days. Depends on if I have duty.
 
Am I correct in the assumption that 1066 Mhz is equal to 1.066 Ghz

correct


you cant put DDR3 ram in a board that only supports DDR2 ram,
proc (processor) is clipped into the motherboard in a 'socket', like, AM2, AM2+, AM3 for AMD

ya know how when you drag your feet across the carpet, and u touch the door nob, u get a little shock sometimes? you do NOT want that to happen when working on the internals of a PC, it can damage/brake/kILL components.

to discharge the static on your body, just touch something metal before touching any pc parts, and your good.



and if anyone ever says something you dont understand, just ...

go to www.google.com and type "what is a proc socket" and u'll get any and all the answers you'd want.
 
Back
Top Bottom