Buying a New Desktop computer

[Jenksismyhero]

So, I used to be on top of this stuff back in the day, but now not so much. It's been about 6 years since my last desktop purchase and my old Gateway is becoming slower and slower and more of a pain in the ass. So what's a decent computer these days? It will be used primarily for web surfing, photo viewing (not editing), the occasional Netflix watch and the occasional game, though I'm not sure i'm interested in anything other than Diablo III and that seems to have a moderate set of requirements but nothing too drastic.

 

I can get an i5 processor with 8gbs of ram (expandable to 16) and a 1tb hard drive for about $530 bucks at Best Buy. It has an internal graphics card, so I might have to drop a hundred or two on a new graphics card, but that seems to be a good price. Everything jumps in price 2-300 bucks when you look at the i7 stuff. Anyone have one? Is it worth the jump? Are i5's pretty fast (keeping in mind i'm stuck with a dual core 1.8ghz proc with like 3gb or ram now)?

 

Thoughts are much appreciated.

 

[CrimsonWeltall]

So, I used to be on top of this stuff back in the day, but now not so much. It's been about 6 years since my last desktop purchase and my old Gateway is becoming slower and slower and more of a pain in the ass. So what's a decent computer these days? It will be used primarily for web surfing, photo viewing (not editing), the occasional Netflix watch and the occasional game, though I'm not sure i'm interested in anything other than Diablo III and that seems to have a moderate set of requirements but nothing too drastic.

 

I can get an i5 processor with 8gbs of ram (expandable to 16) and a 1tb hard drive for about $530 bucks at Best Buy. It has an internal graphics card, so I might have to drop a hundred or two on a new graphics card, but that seems to be a good price. Everything jumps in price 2-300 bucks when you look at the i7 stuff. Anyone have one? Is it worth the jump? Are i5's pretty fast (keeping in mind i'm stuck with a dual core 1.8ghz proc with like 3gb or ram now)?

 

Thoughts are much appreciated.

 

There's no way you need an i7.

 

Diablo 3 has low requirements.

 

You can look at guides like the stuff at Tom's Hardware. http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/build-...clock,3159.html

[Soxbadger]

Jenks,

 

When I was thinking desktop, I was considering the X51 as desktop computer that can run games.

 

http://www.alienware.com/Landings/desktops.aspx

 

Its small and I figured I could pick it up and move it to different rooms like my PS3.

 

Its a little bit more expensive, so it depends on the longevity.

[CrimsonWeltall]

Jenks,

 

When I was thinking desktop, I was considering the X51 as desktop computer that can run games.

 

http://www.alienware.com/Landings/desktops.aspx

 

Its small and I figured I could pick it up and move it to different rooms like my PS3.

 

Its a little bit more expensive, so it depends on the longevity.

 

Unless something major has changed (which I doubt with them being bought out by Dell), Alienware has always been extremely overpriced for their performance.

 

Build your own.

[Soxbadger]

I dont build computers and I like Dell's warranty when I break them.

 

Not for everyone but was definitely worth it for me.

[IlliniKrush]

You aren't old, until desktops completely go away, I will probably always own one.

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

I have always had great success with Dells, and if you know anyone with a current .edu address, you can get a pretty substantial student discount through Dell. My laptop was $1300 before my student discount. I think I paid $900.

[knightni]

You can buy a cheap desktop on eBay (that's where I got mine). There are a lot of really good refurbished ones out there. If you're concerned about spyware etc, just take it to a local computer guy for a diagnostic after you get it.

 

 

[chw42]

So, I used to be on top of this stuff back in the day, but now not so much. It's been about 6 years since my last desktop purchase and my old Gateway is becoming slower and slower and more of a pain in the ass. So what's a decent computer these days? It will be used primarily for web surfing, photo viewing (not editing), the occasional Netflix watch and the occasional game, though I'm not sure i'm interested in anything other than Diablo III and that seems to have a moderate set of requirements but nothing too drastic.

 

I can get an i5 processor with 8gbs of ram (expandable to 16) and a 1tb hard drive for about $530 bucks at Best Buy. It has an internal graphics card, so I might have to drop a hundred or two on a new graphics card, but that seems to be a good price. Everything jumps in price 2-300 bucks when you look at the i7 stuff. Anyone have one? Is it worth the jump? Are i5's pretty fast (keeping in mind i'm stuck with a dual core 1.8ghz proc with like 3gb or ram now)?

 

Thoughts are much appreciated.

 

If you want value, get AMD. If you want the performance and don't really care for the price, get Intel.

 

I'm guessing you're not going to build this computer since you don't plan on doing anything exhaustive on it, so you might as well just buy the computer you're talking about. Just keep in mind that the stuff big manufacturers put into your PC might not be of the highest quality. From what I've experienced, they usually tend to cheap out on vital things like your power supply.

 

I've been building computers since I was in high school, so I'm biased. I've never bought a pre-built computer myself.

[gatnom]

If you want value, get AMD. If you want the performance and don't really care for the price, get Intel.

 

I'm guessing you're not going to build this computer since you don't plan on doing anything exhaustive on it, so you might as well just buy the computer you're talking about. Just keep in mind that the stuff big manufacturers put into your PC might not be of the highest quality. From what I've experienced, they usually tend to cheap out on vital things like your power supply.

 

I've been building computers since I was in high school, so I'm biased. I've never bought a pre-built computer myself.

 

Agree with this. Building a computer is a lot easier than people perceive it to be, and you get much better value as well.

 

 

[StrangeSox]

Agree with this. Building a computer is a lot easier than people perceive it to be, and you get much better value as well.

It really isn't much more complex than building some ikea furniture.

 

I just built a new desktop last month for about $500. A little less memory and storage than the machine in junks post but I didn't cheap out on the mobo or p/s.

[cabiness42]

So, I used to be on top of this stuff back in the day, but now not so much. It's been about 6 years since my last desktop purchase and my old Gateway is becoming slower and slower and more of a pain in the ass. So what's a decent computer these days? It will be used primarily for web surfing, photo viewing (not editing), the occasional Netflix watch and the occasional game, though I'm not sure i'm interested in anything other than Diablo III and that seems to have a moderate set of requirements but nothing too drastic.

 

I can get an i5 processor with 8gbs of ram (expandable to 16) and a 1tb hard drive for about $530 bucks at Best Buy. It has an internal graphics card, so I might have to drop a hundred or two on a new graphics card, but that seems to be a good price. Everything jumps in price 2-300 bucks when you look at the i7 stuff. Anyone have one? Is it worth the jump? Are i5's pretty fast (keeping in mind i'm stuck with a dual core 1.8ghz proc with like 3gb or ram now)?

 

Thoughts are much appreciated.

 

I have an i5 laptop and use mine pretty much the same way you are describing, so you should be fine.

[southsider2k5]

I dont build computers and I like Dell's warranty when I break them.

 

Not for everyone but was definitely worth it for me.

 

 

I have always had great success with Dells, and if you know anyone with a current .edu address, you can get a pretty substantial student discount through Dell. My laptop was $1300 before my student discount. I think I paid $900.

 

I have had Dells for over a decade now. Two to be exact. Never had any problems that weren't self-induced. Pay attention the their ads in the Sunday section of the Sunday Tribune and they run some really good specials.

[Jenksismyhero]

It really isn't much more complex than building some ikea furniture.

 

I just built a new desktop last month for about $500. A little less memory and storage than the machine in junks post but I didn't cheap out on the mobo or p/s.

 

I checked that tomhardware link. If I bought all of the components of their $600 system, does it come with all the parts I need? For example, tiny little screws I need to mount the mother board to the case, wires to connect everything etc. My computer hardware installation is limited to installing some new ram and a video/sound card.....nothing crazy.

 

Also, are all cases equal? Looks like they recommend a $30 case, but why couldn't I just take apart the one I have and use that?

[StrangeSox]

I checked that tomhardware link. If I bought all of the components of their $600 system, does it come with all the parts I need? For example, tiny little screws I need to mount the mother board to the case, wires to connect everything etc. My computer hardware installation is limited to installing some new ram and a video/sound card.....nothing crazy.

 

Also, are all cases equal? Looks like they recommend a $30 case, but why couldn't I just take apart the one I have and use that?

 

Your p/s will come with all the power cords. You'll need a couple of SATA cables to hook up your DVD and HD drives. If you buy the retail version and not the OEM version it may come with the SATA cables. I think my mobo came with at least one and I pillaged the other from my old computer.

 

Some cases have some additional features like front-panel USB and audio ports. But unless you're getting into some crazy high-end stuff where you need to optimize cooling and air flow, just about any case will do. This is the case I got and I'm pretty happy with it. It came with all of the mounting hardware I needed as well as several fans pre-mounted. The blue light is kinda dumb but you could always unplug that if you wanted. Mine's inside of a desk so it doesn't matter. Since the ATX/microATX form factor has been around forever, I'd imagine that you can reuse your old case. Newer cases that aren't the absolute cheapest you can find have some nicer features that can make assembly and wire routing cleaner and easier.

 

Powersupply

 

CPU

 

MoBo Since I'm just using the integrated graphics for now, I needed to make sure I got a MoBo that was compatible with it. The Z68 chipset allows you to use integrated graphics and overclock. The only downside so far is that since it's a microATX, it doesn't have as many slots and features and I haven't been able to hook up my front-panel USB 3.0 connectors.

 

Like you, I used to follow this stuff more closely years ago, but then my computer became outdated to the point I couldn't upgrade and I stopped paying attention. My desktop started barely functioning a few months ago so I finally dug in and read up a little, mostly on Tom's Hardware.

 

[StrangeSox]

One thing to keep in mind is that you'll need to either use a free OS like something Linux or acquire a copy of Windows, so factor that into your budget. I had a purchased copy of Windows 7 that I installed on my old netbook that I broke so I used that.

[CrimsonWeltall]

I checked that tomhardware link. If I bought all of the components of their $600 system, does it come with all the parts I need? For example, tiny little screws I need to mount the mother board to the case, wires to connect everything etc. My computer hardware installation is limited to installing some new ram and a video/sound card.....nothing crazy.

 

Also, are all cases equal? Looks like they recommend a $30 case, but why couldn't I just take apart the one I have and use that?

 

The motherboard you buy would come with the screws. I've never had to buy any parts (screws/connectors/etc) when building a computer.

 

As far as the case goes, What is your existing case? If it's some standard ATX case, you'll be fine. However, companies like Dell often use proprietary case-mobo combinations that won't work with anything else.

Edited April 25, 2012 by CrimsonWeltall

[CrimsonWeltall]

Your p/s will come with all the power cords. You'll need a couple of SATA cables to hook up your DVD and HD drives. If you buy the retail version and not the OEM version it may come with the SATA cables. I think my mobo came with at least one and I pillaged the other from my old computer.

 

I think most mobos usually come with 2-4 now. The one from my earlier Tom's Hardware link comes with 2.

 

[StrangeSox]

Oh and I'm not sure how well it actually correlates to performance, but the "Windows Experience" rates my new desktop as 5.6 out of 7.9 overall, with the graphics being the lowest rating. I haven't actually tried to run any games, though. For comparison, my work PC, which has a $500 workstation graphics card, gets a 6.7 graphics score.

 

[Jenksismyhero]

One thing to keep in mind is that you'll need to either use a free OS like something Linux or acquire a copy of Windows, so factor that into your budget. I had a purchased copy of Windows 7 that I installed on my old netbook that I broke so I used that.

 

Ugh, forgot about that. Yeah I might just buy a cheap i5 computer and buy a decent video card for 150 bucks and call it a day

[StrangeSox]

Ugh, forgot about that. Yeah I might just buy a cheap i5 computer and buy a decent video card for 150 bucks and call it a day

 

You can get a copy for $100

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16832116986

 

Going with the BB computer is definitely easier in the short term and probably a little bit cheaper. Just keep in mind that you may be replacing the power supply down the road.

[Jenksismyhero]

What about power supply? My buddy recommended I get this graphics card: http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-Radeon-6850...pd_rhf_dp_p_t_1

 

Looks like it requires a 500w power source. Is that a mandatory thing or just a recommended thing? I can't tell what the computer i'm looking at has

 

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Gateway+-+Desk...p;skuId=3155928

 

edit: looks like it's got a 300W supply.

Edited April 25, 2012 by Jenksismybitch

[CrimsonWeltall]

What about power supply? My buddy recommended I get this graphics card: http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-Radeon-6850...pd_rhf_dp_p_t_1

 

Looks like it requires a 500w power source. Is that a mandatory thing or just a recommended thing? I can't tell what the computer i'm looking at has

 

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Gateway+-+Desk...p;skuId=3155928

 

edit: looks like it's got a 300W supply.

 

Google "power supply calculator" and enter your parts. It will give you a recommended minimum for the PSU.

 

I strongly doubt 300W is going to be sufficient. Also, good brand 300W PSU is WAY better than a no-name 300W PSU, which is what the BestBuy unit probably has.

[StrangeSox]

You can run into weird problems and even potentially damage your components by under-powering them. Newegg has a handy calculator for recommended power supply sizing.

 

Since I knew I was sticking with integrated graphics for now, I haven't really read up on graphics cards.

[RockRaines]

I would BYO as well if you have those simple requirements. A Dell is just going to have those rebranded parts marked up, and sometimes they are lesser version of ones you can buy for cheaper (harddrives especially).