Looking for the Ultimate Skyrim desktop

[FMod]

2. If it was "faster" they'd have cut the cas latency to keep the price down thus nullifying the higher frequency, or we'd be looking at an extra $50 just for the RAM. That's not worth a 2% performance increase.

Higher clock rate RAM with high CAS latency performs considerably better than lower clock rate with low CAS latency. It's been tested. Latencies have little effect on DDR3 performance.

 

It's a small issue. And the difference in price isn't $50, a DDR3-2400 kit costs barely $10 more than DDR3-1600.

 

The reason they use 1600 is because they put 1866 into more expensive product lines, to highlight the difference.

 

And this is really the problem with prebuilt PCs in "over $1,000" range: if you're buying something that's not top of the line, it will be intentionally gimped just so the next model is better in more ways.

 

Sub-$1,000, maybe up to $1,500 range doesn't have this issue. Profit margins are much lower, competition is much tighter, so builds are optimized to compete. When someone spends more on a desktop box, the general marketing thinking is that he's a dupe trying to get rid of cash.

 

 

5. No idea. Considering how little extra the "K" costs though, it's not exactly a downside, especially since it can be overclocked for use in a future build if necessary.

That's not something likely to happen - 1150 is a dead-end socket. If you're keeping the CPU, you are going to keep the motherboard.

 

Not to mention it barely overclocks anyway - you'll get the same clock on 4770 and 4770K, unless you're good at overclocking, in which case you wouldn't get a prebuilt in the first place. Now this is $30 thrown away, $10 on RAM isn't.

 

Why do they put an overclocking CPU into a platform that can't overclock? Because people have heard they should get 4770K, little detail like the point of "K" being to overclock it slip their mind, and system builders sell big words.

"4770K, 780Ti, SSD"... never mind that the CPU isn't used the way it's supposed to be because they skimped $10 on the mobo, the PSU will run dangerously hot if you overclock the video card, and the SSD is a small boot drive that won't help games run faster.

 

 

6. We'd need to know the actual model of the PSU for that. 430w out of 500w is a very acceptable margin on, for example, a Seasonic PSU. They listed very few specifics about anything, so we actually have no idea how it's certified.

 

It's still tight even on a high-end Seasonic. What we know is that

1) It's a "house brand" PSU (rebranded something),

2) More expensive lines use Corsair RM PSU.

3) It's the same PSU as in the baseline.

Loading a PSU this high OK in terms of not blowing up, but voltages will be worse and noise will be substantial.

 

 

 

What are really the alternatives? Cyberpower PCs ship broken half the time, Alienware is even more overpriced, etc.

 

Everyone (I hope) knows that building a PC is way better, but spending a lot more than he should is the only way he's going to be able to buy a totally assembled PC with no knowledge of hardware specifications required.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not ragging on your choice of system builder. Anything you pick will be as bad or worse.

 

The issue is bolded. In the ~$1,000 range, building a PC is better. Meaning there are multiple reasonable options, building is better, buying is not as good, but still an option. In the $3k range, it's not just a better way or a cheaper way, it's the only way you're getting something worth showing for your money. Otherwise you might as well save yourself the trouble and buy a cheaper box.

 

 

A custom build would break down as this:

Corsair AX760 $160

Fractal R4 $100

4770K $340

Asrock Z87 Killer $120

16GB DDR3-2400 $140

Cooler $30

Crucial 480GB $240

MSI 780Ti Gaming $670

Windows 7 h.p. $100

Total $1,900. If you get it on newegg, minus ~$100 in codes and rebates, i.e. $1,800.

 

For this you get higher CPU clock, better motherboard features, faster RAM, quieter GPU, better PSU, all-SSD storage.

 

If you pay someone $200 to build it for you, you still come out ahead with less expense and a system that's better in all respects.

[Thor.]

Hey if you have no budget restrictions i would go with a samsung 1tb ssd, that'll solve your storage and performance problems.

 

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147251

[Indoctrinated]

From what I see everyone is suggesting me to build one myself. It appears that I would save a lot of money that way. I guess I can put myself to the challenge but I'm just so afraid of messing up almost 2K worth of kit. Is there any good instructional vids that someone could send to me with simple, straight forward information to help?

[wismas]

Here you go, indoctrinated. This is where I got my start, just built mine two weeks ago. A first time builder myself.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPIXAtNGGCw

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_56kyib-Ls

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxaVBsXEiok

 

This will at least give you a base understanding on how difficult it is to build... and if I did it successfully, and I did, it's not that difficult.

 

New Egg also has very good videos about components and how they work. I also got great feedback and information on components here on this forum. My build would have been really wonky if it weren't for the help I received here.

 

A personal recommendation, try a Fractal Design case, they are well built, roomy and their customer service is top notch.

 

In the end, if the idea of building your own pc still intimidates you try to find somebody local to build to your specs.

[FMod]

From what I see everyone is suggesting me to build one myself. It appears that I would save a lot of money that way.

 

It's not just money. You can build a better system than you can possibly buy prebuilt.

 

The list I've posted is specifically what you should get, with at most only minor changes and clarifications.

 

 

 

Hey if you have no budget restrictions i would go with a samsung 1tb ssd, that'll solve your storage and performance problems.

Only matters if one has storage problems to begin with.

 

Ideally, you want 2 up to 3 physical drives in your PC. Any less and a potential drive crash causes too much loss, you can't duplicate important data. Any more and you get issues with space management.

 

That said, to lose data you have to have data. So for the first half year or so, the value of a second drive is almost nil. After that it increases.

So there are whole two reasons you don't want to buy "one drive for life". First is the above, second is that space will get cheaper the later you buy it. And possibly with other improvements as well.

 

480-512GB is a convenient size in that it's sufficient for most people for a good while, it will remain relevant and not turn into junk taking up SATA ports like a 120 will, and it offers the same performance as larger drives.

 

If and when it's no longer enough, one can decide which way to go from there, i.e. get a 1TB SSD, or get a 5400rpm HDD for backups and movies, or get an external HDD for the same plus portability, or smth else. If you only use legitimate software and content, your storage needs today can actually be lower than a couple years ago, due to digital distribution and fast broadband.

[hoofhearted4]

tons of videos on the internet on how to build PC. watch different videos from different people. they will point out different point of views, cover something someone else did it. and just give you (literal) different angles on the build.

 

Building is the way to go. for the most part, PC parts are designed to only fit one way. you really cant put them in wrong. just dont force anything, because if you are, that means it probably doesnt go in that way (however that said, sometimes it does take a little force to get a cable to click) just look at the cable end, and the slot it goes into. they are usually shaped so that they can only fit one way. if they match, then any force needed after that is normal.

 

youll be able to handpick the best parts, so price per performance of the build will be better then anything bought whole off the internet. plus you can see reviews of individual parts, compare charts, and etc. no matter how badly you want this build, take your time. research. make sures its everything you want in a PC. performance and look wise.

 

you might even find you dont need to spend all $3k of your money for your PC. my PC is pretty solid, built a year ago November. it cost me ~$1600 but thats with replacing all the fans, buying an unecessary closed loop cooler, LEDs and a replacement panel so that my case as a window....though ive added another SSD and a 1TB HDDs since then so im probably closer to $2k total cost.

[Indoctrinated]

Anyone care to check out this setup and criticize it if there is something I am missing.

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/parts/partlist/

[Thor.]

if you have steam installed, and you have the money to buy everything, that 500gb will fill pretty fast, trust me it already has. best to put steam on a ssd, because it makes things load so much quicker then installing it on a standard drive.

 

Steam dedicates to that particular drive, so its recommended.

Edited April 17, 2014 by Thor.

[FMod]

if you have steam installed, and you have the money to buy everything, that 500gb will fill pretty fast, trust me it already has.

Why would you buy everything, and do you have to keep everything installed, even games you don't play?

 

Large part of the advantages of Steam etc is you can load games onto your drive or remove them in one click. No installation process with 50 prompts, inserting 6 CDs, typing your CD key and all that. Just click "install", go back to what you've been doing, in half an hour click "play".

 

You don't have to hoard anymore. Except for modded games, but people don't normally mod out a lot of games.

 

 

Anyone care to check out this setup and criticize it if there is something I am missing.

http://pcpartpicker.com/parts/partlist/

 

This isn't a working link.

 

Anyway, I'll repeat the suggested configuration:

 

Corsair AX760 (660 or 860 also options)

Fractal R4 (other options: Fractal XL, Antec P280)

4770K

Asrock Z87 Killer (specifically)

16GB DDR3-2400 (matters little which)

Cooler - many options, I'm not up to date on midrange coolers, CNPS10X Performa and NZXT Havik 140 come to mind

Crucial 480GB

MSI 780Ti Gaming (specifically)

Windows 7 home premium (WIn8 also an option, but tbh I prefer 7 on a non-touchscreen)

 

[Thor.]

It was a statement that the games will fill a 500gb ssd, i have over 80 games and my Samsung 840 500gb is already full thanks to steam.

And my second ssd is also almost full as well, i had to use steam mover to make room.

 

http://www.traynier.com/software/steammover/

Edited April 18, 2014 by Thor.