GPFontaine's Computer wrote:

DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER

WTF???

<Press Enter>

GPFontaine's Computer wrote:

DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER

FUCK!!!

That was how my evening went last night. My personal machine that I use for business, and once upon a time gaming, had a fit of rage and finally decided to stop functioning.

For those of you who are technically savvy, you will recognize that the text I posted was a hard disk error and the entire computer isn't completely shot to shit. However, the system is running an AMD Athlon 64 3000+. I could salvage the system by replacing the hard drive, but the system is designed to run Windows XP and it is very slow with image processing, gaming, and web design. I would spend days reinstalling software and reestablishing my digital life only to need a computer replacement in another year anyways.

So here is the good news. I use DropBox for my current files, a Maxtor backup drive for my archived files, Xmarks for my Bookmarks, and Gmail for my daily email. I live enough in the cloud that I am not seriously hampered by a few days without this system. What I cannot access easily is my personal domain emails (about 10 accounts) because they use Outlook as their client. I am also out my primary address book and my NeatWorks receipts database. Yes I am a huge geek. You already knew that. All of these things are backed up, but until I reinstall those applications I can’t use them.

This brings me to the part of the post that the title/subject line suggested I would be discussing. I need to buy a new computer. So many times I have been asked what parts I would suggest for others, yet when the time comes for me to choose for myself, I have found my overcritical brain getting stumped as I try to choose what I want to use for me. After about 30 seconds of consideration I made the decision that I would absolutely build this machine instead of buying a prebuilt from Gateway, Dell, HP, etc… I have the expertise to do it, so I would be a fool to buy subpar parts in a prepackaged system just because I was too lazy to put them together myself.

With the knowledge that I would prepare my own system, I decided I needed a budget. Of course, I knew I would overshoot it, but setting a goal is a good idea. I threw out $1000 as my target.

The next step was figuring out where I would buy the computer parts. Newegg, Amazon, Zipzoomfly, and a few other stores were options, but realistically Newegg is the only option that makes sense. They stock everything I need (almost) and they have a great reputation for getting their orders correctly delivered on time. I have ordered from them before, so I am comfortable choosing them as a vendor. I should also mention that they generally have some of the best pricing on the net. I would be hard pressed to find the total purchase for cheaper elsewhere.

Now that I knew how much I wanted to spend, and where I wanted to spend it, I needed to figure out what to buy. I spend a lot of time reading reviews, discussing builds in other forums, and keeping up on this stuff. Still, when it comes to specific parts, I don’t buy them often enough to be able to really see performance differences with my own eyes. I had to ask around a bit. I spent some time on MaximumPC.com in their forums and on their IRC channel. I talked with Greeneyedzeke who just built a system himself. And now I am here talking with you all.

I have a decent list of parts that I am thinking about and I’ll let you guys chime in with your opinions.

So what is next? I need to finalize this parts list and make the order. Once I do that I will wait a few days until it arrives, ship back at least one broken part because I have bad luck, and then when the fixed product arrives I’ll begin to build the system. While I do that I’ll try to take some pictures and write some commentary in this thread.

My next post will include the system parts that I am thinking about using and a brief discussion about why I am going with those parts. Feel free to offer suggestions all along the way and also ask any questions you might have about a new build.

• Motherboard: $289.99 - ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
  
• Power Supply: $79.99 - CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W ATX12V V2.2 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power ... - Retail
  
• Processor: $288.99 - Intel Core i7-920 Bloomfield 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail
  
• Memory: $165.99 - OCZ XMP Ready Series 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Voltage Desktop Memory Model OCZ3X1600LV6GK - Retail
  
• Hard Disk: $109.99 - Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives -Bare Drive
  
• Thermal Compound: $6.99 - Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - OEM
  
• Processor Fan: $26.98 - ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro Rev.2 92mm Fluid Dynamic CPU Cooler - Retail
  Sub Total: $953
  

Missing Parts:

• Case
  
• Optical Drive
  
• Video Card
  
• Operating System
  
• Keyboard
  
• Mouse
  

PROCESSOR

In my opinion that first component to choose should always be the motherboard. Naturally, I decided on a processor first. Right now I am looking for something that will allow me to run a bazillion things at once. I want to have 30-40 browsers, Photoshop with a few images, music playing, and maybe even minesweeper kicking in the background. This means I can benefit from multiple cores and hyperthreading. For me I decided on the Intel i7 920 processor.

What makes this processor a very specific choice is that it requires a socket type "LGA 1366". Intel processors now a days can run on either LGA 1366 or LGA 1156. The 1156 runs dual channel memory which means you buy your RAM in pairs. The 1366 runs triple channel memory which means you buy three sticks at a time. There isn't a huge performance difference between the two yet and Intel has claimed that they will support both of them for the long haul. So what is the big deal? The 1366 generally means you will be spending an extra $100 on the motherboard and an extra $100 on the processor. The alternative is to choose an i5 processor or the i7 860 processor. It is a gamble for me. The i5 is out because it isn't as strong for multitasking, however the 860 and 920 are practically twins, so it is a question about how well I think that the other technologies will age. I personally believe that the 1366 motherboard will get me another year or two of upgrades while the 1156 will not support future generations of processors. Of course I might end up eating that couple of hundred bucks.


I need to take a little bit of a break but I'll explain my other choices and why some things are omitted at this point in my next post.

I think that Fry's is a West Coast thing. We have Micro Centers here, but they are limited and unavailable to me at this time. I really have no options other than internet ordering.

Knyte, I really appreciate all of the comments, but most specifically about the cooling solution. I didn't love the one I chose but I found myself rushed to find something other than a stock cooler. The one you selected looks very nice and I'll do some further research on it tomorrow.

As for the missing components, I just don't have a plan to purchase them yet. I'll go through them now and tomorrow will detail more about each part including the ones I do buy.

Missing Parts:

• Case: The case I have is actually a very good one. I have this case, but in silver: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112025 I see no reason to switch cases at this time since I can save some money here. This will be the only part I reuse from my old system.
  
• Optical Drive: I have an external Dual Layer DVD Burner that I will make an internal drive. The drive in my current system would have been good enough but it broke when I moved from Boston to CT. I moved it with a CD in it... fucked up my Dungeon Siege disk and the burner. Whoops. I only plan to use this drive to rip Audio CDs to uncompressed digital, watch DVDs, and install software. I will not be using this drive to burn often. At the most it would be OS disks from my MSDN subscription. (By the way, I got my Office 2010 beta invite today).
  
• Video Card: Radeon HD 5850 is on my shopping list, however it is out of stock EVERYWHERE. I plan to use an old Geforce 7800 card that Greeneyedzeke gave me several years ago until I can get one. I have every intention of playing games on this system, but that is the secondary function of the box. I need it running today and can wait a month or two for the part. Until then I'll just use an older card and enjoy the games that run on it. I expect to pay around $300 for this card and am factoring that into the overall budget.
  
• Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate 64 Bit. I happen to be lucky because I get my Microsoft Software for free due to the fact that I test it just about all day every day. I would otherwise require the Professional edition which I think retails for $300. Just a note, anyone who has a .edu email account can get the $29 copy of the home premium version here http://windows7.digitalriver.com
  
• Keyboard: I have a USB Dell keyboard that I have been using for years and I really like it. Not as much as a Lenovo one I have at work though. These keyboards have no great functionality, however they really do have a good feel. I will most likely use them for business but I might eventually pick up a gaming keyboard and use two. For now though, I will just use what I have access to.
  
• Mouse: I currently have the Microsoft Sidewinder http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/gaming/ProductDetails.aspx?pid=100 I really like this mouse and plan to use it for both business and gaming. On the fake wood top surface I have here I like the white colored feet and maximum weight.
  

Knyte, you asked a great question about what I plan to do with the system. I haven't really talked much about the type of gaming I plan to do. I am interested in something that can run games at 1900x1200 and regular desktops apps at 3800x1200. I would like to run the games with at least a little bit of Anisotropic filtering and Anti-aliasing. Right now the game I am most eager to get my hands on is Dragon Age Origins, but I haven't been playing many games that came out over the last 3 years, so I hope to get to play some of them with maxed out settings. Crysis and Far Cry 2 are two that I'd like to see.

I am curious about the choice of G.Skill over OCZ. I have always known them to be comparable, but price wise I didn't see anything offered by G.Skill that made sense. I want to go with 3 sticks at 2GB. If G.Skill offers a comparable product at about $150ish then I am interested.

Knyte wrote:

What timings are you looking for in the RAM? You can get these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231304 G.SKILL Ripjaw DDR3 1600 3x2GB kit for 169.99 and they run @ 1.6v, which is lower than the OCZs you listed. Lower volts = cooler running, longer life, or better range for OCing, if that's what you're going for. The last build I did for a client I used these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231225 Which are also 3x2GB DDR3 1600 G.SKILL, they have looser timings, but run at only 1.5v. Also, they are only $149.

Knyte, I am planning on overclocking this system since the processor speeds offered by Intel are so far from the overclocked potential. We aren't talking about 1-2% but rather substantial gains in clock speed. I have heard that with the correct components a 25-30% gain is not only reasonable, but almost expected.

The ram that you suggested looks very reasonable, and the markup of $20 for lower voltage ram does seem worth investigating.

Out of curiosity, do you happen to know if the P6T supports XMP and if it is worth using it instead of manually OC'ing the machine?

Updated Parts List with Links

• Motherboard: $289.99 - ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
  
• Power Supply: $79.99 - CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W ATX12V V2.2 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power ... - Retail
  
• Processor: $288.99 - Intel Core i7-920 Bloomfield 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail
  
• Memory: $150 - OCZ XMP Ready Series 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Voltage Desktop Memory Model OCZ3X1600LV6GK - Retail
  
• Hard Disk: $109.99 - Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives -Bare Drive
  
• Thermal Compound: $6.99 - Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - OEM
  
• Processor Fan: $26.98 - ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro Rev.2 92mm Fluid Dynamic CPU Cooler - Retail
  
• Processor Fan: $49.99 - COOLER MASTER Intel Core i7 compatible V8 RR-UV8-XBU1-GP 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler - Retail
  
  Sub Total: $976.93

Parts not being purchased or unavailable at this time:

• Case: $0.00 - Reusing Old Case - LIAN LI PC-61
  
• Optical Drive: $0.00 - Reusing external drive as internal - PHILIPS 20X Model SPD3600CC - Retail
  
• Video Card - ~$300 - Out of Stock - ATI Radeon HD 5850
  
• Operating System: $0.00 - Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate Full - Retail
  
• Keyboard - $0.00 - Reusing old keyboard - Dell Multimedia Keyboard Wired Keyboard - Black
  
• Mouse - $0.00 - Reusing mouse - Microsoft SideWinder Mouse - Retail

Rydog wrote:

Looks like your gonna break budget. I am guessing this computer will be pretty tits when your done. I'm sure your planning on reusing one, but your list lacks a monitor.

I had no doubt that I would break the budget. The point in setting one wasn't to make a defined limit, but rather to set a goal. If I had set it at $2000 I might have decided to get an SLI rig with solid state drives and RAID 5 storage. For me, I realized that I have enough to make a singular machine that will be good, but not insane. I am happy with my choice at this point and the extra $300-$400 is acceptable. If it were not though I can tell you that I would have to switch to an i5 processor on an LGA 1156 motherboard and cheaper ram.

As for the monitor, I currently have two Dell UltraSharp 2407WFP monitors. I received one of them as a bonus and the other as a parting gift when I left my last job. They are great for my needs and will be reused. The reason they aren't going into the list though is because monitors really shouldn't ever be part of a computing budget. Now you can use a TV, Monitor, or remote desktop to access a machine visually. You can almost always use an old monitor without performance degradation. It should always be selected independently of the computer being purchased unless it is an all-in-one unit.

I bought all of the components last Friday. It cost me just under $1,000 without the graphics card.

I am waiting for delivery which has been estimated for November 30th.

11/24/2009 04:03:00 IN TRANSIT TO[I] WINDSOR LOCKS, CT, US
11/24/2009 04:02:00 DEPARTURE SCAN[I] ONTARIO, CA, US
11/24/2009 00:49:00 LOCATION SCAN[I] ONTARIO, CA, US
11/22/2009 09:41:00 ORIGIN SCAN[I] BALDWIN PARK, CA, US
11/23/2009 23:52:46 BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED[M]

Burt Reynolds wrote:

Rydog wrote: That's the only thing I hate about online shopping, EVERYTHING comes from Cali and takes forever unless you pay a shitload for shipping. HAHA one of the reasons I use NEWEGG. I get my stuff next day every time using just their standard shipping.

It isn't their fault that UPS doesn't work on weekends, holidays, days after holidays, evenings, mornings, etc...

Seriously why do companies still even offer shipping through UPS?

I would go with ground shipping from the USPS over UPS any day.

joshwoodzell wrote:

GP, I have a question. I'm looking into upgrading my PC very soon and need some advice. As of now my computer runs OK and most of my favorite games work fine, such as Baldur's Gate, San Andreas, Fallout 1 and 2, etc. But I can't run any newer games and have missed out on Doom 3, Oblivion, Fallout 3, Knights of the Old Republic, etc. What all should I do to make this possible without having to buy a whole new PC? As of now my system info is: Compaq Presario AMD Sempron Processor 3200 1.79GHz 960MB RAM ATI Radeon Xpress 200 3 Extra Ram Slots I don't really need a new hard drive unless absolutely necessary, as I will probably just buy an extra external one. Any advice on this situation?

Sorry buddy, but your machine is the same class as the one I am replacing. There are no good upgrade paths for your hardware. You could do a cheaper build than I have chosen. Perhaps save a couple hundred bucks by choosing the i5 processor or even more by going to an AMD. In the end though you will spend between $700-$1000 if you want to play current games at reasonable framerates.

Also, it is important to realize that the games you are looking at are games that were really 2008 games, and we are quickly approaching 2010. You don't want to be in the position of being behind right when you get the computer.

Sadly, Knights of the Old Republic is a bitch with graphics. Expect trouble from it no matter what system you go to. This isn't about power, but rather aspect ratio. It is design for 800x600 displays and more specifically CRT monitors. It looks off on any current LCD screen that has a 5:4 or 16:9/10 ratio.

If you have a budget in mind I could try to see what could be bought with that amount of money.