Upgrade and Computer-Building Advice Thread

[dlf]

Yes I know this isn't the format of the original topic post but it's still gives detail of the parts I want to buy and vague detail of the computer I'm going from.

• Budget - Within about $1600 (American)
• Resolution - At first 1680 x 1050 - Eventually HD (and a dual monitor setup)
• Games / Settings Desired: Everything from DOS era on. Most should probably be high settings (if not ultra)
• Country - USA
• Parts that can be reused: Not that I can think of (see current specs as to why)
• Buying Parts: Before the end of the year, hopefully before fall or end of summer
• Will NOT prebuilt (like my last)
• Most parts will come from Newegg/NCIX/Microcenter . . .

The specs of the NEW build:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3550 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($209.98 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.90 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD5H-WB ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($209.99 @ eCost)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($46.99 @ Newegg) [x2 - 16 GB of total RAM]
Hard Drive: OCZ Agility 3 240GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($209.99 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($109.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($399.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master HAF 932 Advanced ATX Full Tower Case ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($159.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($16.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $1570.79
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-05-23 14:28 EDT-0400)

Current specs (prebuilt):

• CPU: CPU Type DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2000 MHz (10 x 200) 3800+
• Motherboard: Motherboard Name Asus A8N-BR (Pyrite) (1 PCI, 2 DDR2 DIMM, Audio, Video, LAN, IEEE-1394)
• Memory: System Memory 3008 MB (DDR2 SDRAM)
• Hard Drive: Disk Drive SAMSUNG SP2504C SCSI Disk Device (250 GB, 7200 RPM, SATA-II) [can I really use SATA speeds?]
• Video Card (GPU): Video Adapter NVIDIA GeForce 6150 LE (128 MB)
• Case: HP Pavilion Slimline (7700n)
• Optical Drive: Optical Drive HL-DT-ST DVDRRW GSA-H20L ATA Device (DVD+R9:8x, DVD-R9:4x, DVD+RW:16x/8x, DVD-RW:16x/6x, DVD-RAM:5x, DVD-ROM:16x, CD:48x/32x/48x DVD+RW/DVD-RW/DVD-RAM)
• Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 32 Bit

And what I wanted in a new system:

Hardware

• USB 2.0 speeds that are minimum of 30 MB a second
• USB 3.0 speeds that are at lest 300+ MB/s [I will get / use an SSD]
• Firewire (and or eSata port) --- because I have a external hardrive that has both along with USB
• At lest a solid terabyte (1.5 TB)
• Supports VGA & DVI (@ first) - eventually HD for the new monitor
• Multi card reader (although I mainly need SD and Memory Pro Stick Duo)
• Able to use a PS3 controller AND A XBOX 360 controller (yes I know 360 is native support . . .)
• I would like a quad core.

Software

• Windows 7 Ultimate (64 bit) (Main OS) -- Mostly for languages
• May first run Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit - as I have both 32/64 bit discs now)
• Windows XP - May run through virtual machine
• Folding @home - (alth ough I use my PS3 for that when I'm not using it)

Gaming Software:

Will use steam:

• Elder Scrolls (Morrowind -> Skyrim)
• Portal 1 & 2
• Batman Arkham (Asylum/City)
• Sonic Generations
• Quake (all)
• Doom (all)
• Wolfenstein (all)
• Commander keen (all)
• Bioshock (1/2) (perhaps infinite)
• L.A. Noire
• Bejeweled (all)
• Peggle (all)
• Various COD's
• anything else that interests me

Will use CD/DVD's of the games I have:

• Warcraft 2 - Tides of Darkness & Beyond the Dark Portal
• Warcraft 3 - Reign of Chaos & Frozen Throne
• Diablo 1 - 3 (when it comes out)
• The Sims 1 - And all expansions
• The Sims 2 (probably)
• Simcity 4000 & Rushhour
• May use emulation (to run up to the PS2/Wii)

Other Thoughts

• Eventually a dual monitor setup (and one be HD resolution)
• I will wait for some parts (hard drives, GPU, etc) to drop in price.
• Will wait for IvyBridge. . . .
• I WANT UEFI, NOT regular old BIOS (that this slimline has

Monitor Thoughts:

• First and foremost: HD
• Supports: HDMI, DVI, Displayport (if the motherboard of the computer does)
• Within 1 - 2 MS response time
• Screen size - 25 to about 27 inches (this desk doesn't really have a lot of room)
• Also is widescreen

FAQ

1. Overclocking? In no way shape or form will I EVER overclock any component
2. Crossfire/SLI? - I REALLY doubt it and with that GPU and the PSU, I'd need more power than 750 watts

[aliquidparadigm]

UEFI is somewhat redundant if you have a Gigabyte motherboard. @BIOS allows you to update your BIOS from Windows with as much ease as a drivers update.

Given that you won't be overclocking, just stick to the cheapest motherboard you can find that meets your needs in the USB and IEEE department. A package like this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...t=Combo.942858

should do you well. Everything else looks good.