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  1. #1
    The People's Choice Draz's Avatar
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    Default The Official: Building Your Own PC/Laptop

    I've seen many threads on building computers or laptops here, I thought I'm in the same situation myself. Let this be the official thread for building PC's and laptops, with tips, tricks, suggestions. We have a few people here who are good at this. State what your looking for, your budget, and any more details. Also, tips on monitors. If you know where to purchase custom built PC's, post it here. Any links would be fine to any information that can be used to base building on (graphics card, etc)

    Looking for: A good gaming PC
    Budget: $500
    Monitor: Have one (HP 2010i Monitor)

    I tried building my own PC & it came out to almost $900.

    [quote]AMD FX 4-Core Configurator
    1 x Case ( NZXT Alpha Gaming Case - Black )
    0 x Case Lighting ( None )
    0 x iBUYPOWER Labs - Noise Reduction ( None )
    0 x iBUYPOWER Labs - Internal Expansion ( None )
    1 x Processor ( AMD FX-4100 CPU (4x 3.60GHz/4MB L2 Cache) )
    1 x Processor Cooling ( Liquid CPU Cooling System [AMD] - [Free Upgrade] Standard 120mm Fan )
    1 x Memory ( 4 GB [2 GB X2] DDR3-1600 Memory Module - Corsair or Major Brand )
    1 x Video Card ( NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti - 2GB - Single Card )
    1 x Video Card Brand ( Major Brand Powered by AMD or NVIDIA )

    1 x Free Stuff ( [Free Game Download] - DiRT3 - Free with purchase of AMD FX / A-Series processor )
    1 x Motherboard ( ASUS M5A97 -- AMD 970 )
    1 x Motherboard USB / SATA Interface ( Motherboard default USB / SATA Interface )
    1 x Power Supply ( 650 Watt - Casegears ECO-Element / 80+ )
    1 x Primary Hard Drive ( 500 GB HARD DRIVE -- 16M Cache, 7200 RPM, 6.0Gb/s - Single Drive )
    0 x Data Hard Drive ( None )
    1 x Optical Drive ( 24X Dual Format/Double Layer DVD
    Last edited by Draz; 02-14-2012 at 07:24 PM.

  2. #2
    Not airballing my layups anymore hops and stops's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Official: Building Your Own PC/Laptop

    how do you build a laptop?

  3. #3
    The People's Choice Draz's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Official: Building Your Own PC/Laptop

    Quote Originally Posted by hops and stops
    how do you build a laptop?
    http://www.ibuypower.com/IbpPages/Notebook.aspx

    It's very much possible. I believe it's been possible for 5-6 years or more now. I remember if you specifically called Dell up they would of helped with that or any products needed to be customized. Now you can just about customize laptops yourself online. I personally don't know how to work that website in terms of budget because it's really confusing, don't know if anyone here knows a good reliable customized pc site?

  4. #4
    Not airballing my layups anymore hops and stops's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Official: Building Your Own PC/Laptop

    Quote Originally Posted by Draz
    http://www.ibuypower.com/IbpPages/Notebook.aspx

    It's very much possible. I believe it's been possible for 5-6 years or more now. I remember if you specifically called Dell up they would of helped with that or any products needed to be customized. Now you can just about customize laptops yourself online. I personally don't know how to work that website in terms of budget because it's really confusing, don't know if anyone here knows a good reliable customized pc site?
    i know you can customize a laptop to purchase, but i don't think you can actually buy parts and assemble a laptop yourself like you can with a desktop

  5. #5
    The People's Choice Draz's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Official: Building Your Own PC/Laptop

    Quote Originally Posted by hops and stops
    i know you can customize a laptop to purchase, but i don't think you can actually buy parts and assemble a laptop yourself like you can with a desktop
    Don't know much about that. I was told you can't upgrade parts.

  6. #6
    Game. Set. Match. bdreason's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Official: Building Your Own PC/Laptop

    Hard drive prices are finally coming down. Another month or so and they should be back to reasonable prices.


    I've built two gaming computers in the past 3 months, so feel free to ask any questions. I built one for around $1300 (Intel), and another for around $800 (AMD).

  7. #7
    Game. Set. Match. bdreason's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Official: Building Your Own PC/Laptop

    Also, I learned everything about building a PC from Tom's Hardware website. I would suggest going there and doing your homework before purchasing anything.


    http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum-31.html

  8. #8
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    Default Re: The Official: Building Your Own PC/Laptop

    You can't build a laptop.

  9. #9
    The People's Choice Draz's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Official: Building Your Own PC/Laptop

    Quote Originally Posted by bdreason
    Hard drive prices are finally coming down. Another month or so and they should be back to reasonable prices.


    I've built two gaming computers in the past 3 months, so feel free to ask any questions. I built one for around $1300 (Intel), and another for around $800 (AMD).
    Sounds great. Do you mind offering your suggestions, tips, and advice in this thread to some people who may need help from time to time? Feel free to do so. I'll get back to you in this thread as well sometime.

    $800, mhm. I just want to know two things as of now:

    1. Is it financially possible to build a computer on a budget of $500-$600?
    2. Is it possible to update/upgrade every part in that $500-$600 or "x" amount of money PC?

    I want to get a reasonable price out of gaming, not to extreme. I'll be using it for writing, downloading, etc. If I can get all the "important" parts in such as a motherboard, things that I wouldn't be able to put in myself (novice) in opening op PC's & modifying/upgrading. Up-gradable parts like CPU/RAM/Graphics card can be REASONABLE. If I can go in there and do it myself, save cash, etc.

    Anyone can also feel free to respond.

  10. #10
    Buckle up Bucket_Nakedz's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Official: Building Your Own PC/Laptop

    im looking into building my first rig and dipping my toe into the gaming and home theatre pc world.

    ill be buying parts here and there for the next month or two but will save the motherboard, graphics card and processor at the very last.

    i've settled on the intel i5 2500k and gtx 570, but im favoring gigabyte motherboards so far yet don't know which one.

    can some of you geeks suggests some good brands for a power supply, case, cooling fans and hard drives/ssd? my budget is no more than $1200. and wtf is bios, crossfire and all this geek talk? enlighten me, dawg

  11. #11
    I post-up midgets magic chiongson's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Official: Building Your Own PC/Laptop

    Quote Originally Posted by Bucket_Nakedz
    im looking into building my first rig and dipping my toe into the gaming and home theatre pc world.

    ill be buying parts here and there for the next month or two but will save the motherboard, graphics card and processor at the very last.

    i've settled on the intel i5 2500k and gtx 570, but im favoring gigabyte motherboards so far yet don't know which one.

    can some of you geeks suggests some good brands for a power supply, case, cooling fans and hard drives/ssd? my budget is no more than $1200. and wtf is bios, crossfire and all this geek talk? enlighten me, dawg
    my geek mode is on.

    if you can buy the old sandy bridge (i5 2500k) for cheap then go get it, otherwise wait a little bit since the new i5 3xxx series just came out and prices should go down soon.

    and dont buy the gtx 570 if its over $280, if you wait for a month tops the latest graphics cards should come down in prices, that model is more than a year old.

    also, don't buy the i5 2500k if you don't know how to overclock, it'll be a waste (i assumed you dont since you dont know what a bios is). get the i5 2400 instead, same performance if you dont overclock.

    i'd go with at least a 500w power supply to go along with that coming from any of these brands: seasonic, corsair, xfx, superflower.

    looking at your budget, i'd go with this set-up:

    http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/buy...ide-may-2012/3

    since you don't overclock, i'd replace the processor with a cheaper non 'K' version and the motherboard with a matx H77. you'll be able to save about $150 without losing any performance, you could also use that extra cash to buy a more powerful graphics card (GTX 670 or HD7970).

  12. #12
    Buckle up Bucket_Nakedz's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Official: Building Your Own PC/Laptop

    Quote Originally Posted by magic chiongson
    my geek mode is on.

    if you can buy the old sandy bridge (i5 2500k) for cheap then go get it, otherwise wait a little bit since the new i5 3xxx series just came out and prices should go down soon.

    and dont buy the gtx 570 if its over $280, if you wait for a month tops the latest graphics cards should come down in prices, that model is more than a year old.

    also, don't buy the i5 2500k if you don't know how to overclock, it'll be a waste (i assumed you dont since you dont know what a bios is). get the i5 2400 instead, same performance if you dont overclock.

    i'd go with at least a 500w power supply to go along with that coming from any of these brands: seasonic, corsair, xfx, superflower.

    looking at your budget, i'd go with this set-up:

    http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/buy...ide-may-2012/3


    since you don't overclock, i'd replace the processor with a cheaper non 'K' version and the motherboard with a matx H77. you'll be able to save about $150 without losing any performance, you could also use that extra cash to buy a more powerful graphics card (GTX 670 or HD7970).
    what is the purpose of overclocking? yes, i don't know anything about bios but i know its use to overclock your computer. and what is crossfire/sli?

  13. #13
    I post-up midgets magic chiongson's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Official: Building Your Own PC/Laptop

    Quote Originally Posted by Bucket_Nakedz
    what is the purpose of overclocking? yes, i don't know anything about bios but i know its use to overclock your computer. and what is crossfire/sli?
    overclocking basically means pulling more juice out of your processor. it will run faster, hotter, and consume more electrical power. basically if you buy the 'K' version, you are paying a premium for its ability to be overclocked. if you don't overclock it, it will run just as fast as processors that are about $30 or so cheaper.

    well the bios is like the control panel for your PC. even if you dont overclock, you may need to know a little something about it if you are planning on using multiple hard drives, ssd, enable crossfire/sli, other tweaks etc

    crossfire/sli means using multiple graphics card on your PC, if you are planning on buying only one graphics card you're better off saving $ on non-crossfire/sli boards

  14. #14
    Buckle up Bucket_Nakedz's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Official: Building Your Own PC/Laptop

    Quote Originally Posted by magic chiongson
    overclocking basically means pulling more juice out of your processor. it will run faster, hotter, and consume more electrical power. basically if you buy the 'K' version, you are paying a premium for its ability to be overclocked. if you don't overclock it, it will run just as fast as processors that are about $30 or so cheaper.

    well the bios is like the control panel for your PC. even if you dont overclock, you may need to know a little something about it if you are planning on using multiple hard drives, ssd, enable crossfire/sli, other tweaks etc

    crossfire/sli means using multiple graphics card on your PC, if you are planning on buying only one graphics card you're better off saving $ on non-crossfire/sli boards
    then it sounds like i will overclock my processor and have the option to add a second graphics card (for future preference).

    if i do add a second gpu down the road, will a mid tower case provide enough room? or will it be safer to get a full tower?

  15. #15
    I post-up midgets magic chiongson's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Official: Building Your Own PC/Laptop

    Quote Originally Posted by Bucket_Nakedz
    then it sounds like i will overclock my processor and have the option to add a second graphics card (for future preference).

    if i do add a second gpu down the road, will a mid tower case provide enough room? or will it be safer to get a full tower?
    you should get a z77-based motherboard then, or z67 if you stay with the older 2500k.

    most mid towers can usually fit dual graphics cards set-up, full towers are usually for tri/quad setups. personally, i choose the chassis for its looks

    take note you'll also need a beefier power supply if you plan on going dual graphics in the future..around 700 watts at least with the proper connectors

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