Need help from computer people please

[jalopi]

Sup r3v bros, I think it's time I got a new compie and I don't know shit about selecting parts. That's where, hopefully, one of you come in.

I'm not a hardcore PC gamer, though I'd like to be able to play games that come out for the next four years or so. For instance, it would be nice if I could actually play Dota 2 with some of my friends, something that just isn't possible right now.

But more than anything, I just want something that's a little bit faster. Lately I've noticed websites have been getting more and more complicated and my computer just can't handle the load. That, and alot of stuff just isn't supported unless you've got windows 7 and up now. Also, porn these days is pretty high quality and it tends to lag unless I make the screen smaller. To give you all an idea of what I'm working with, here's my current specs:

Windows XP
Dual core (I think?) CPU @ 2.2GHz
3.25G of RAM
GEFORCE 8600 GT video card
I think that's the important info out of the way?

Anyway, I'm not looking to spend a ton of cash, so I thought I'd put something together myself (I can at least do that much). I saw that newegg now has "DIY" kits that have a slight discount. Found something that seems decent, all the parts have at least a "4 egg" review AND it's in my price range. It also helps that the case isn't too extreme (this'll be going in my office, so it has to look somewhat professional)

So what do you guys think of this?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.2144886

any other suggestions?

Thanks

[marshallnoise]

I haven't had an AMD based system in years, but the other parts look good. I think that's a fair price for what you have listed.

[gtdragon980]

If you're on a budget, I suggest keeping an eye on slickdeals for any cpu/mobo combos. Don't go for one of those DIY kits because you will end up with some shitty parts. Nowadays, the games require at least a R9 280x card or something comparable to play at max or almost max settings at 60 fps. Intel is the way to go if you want reliable performance and OC ability. The build I attached is quick and dirty, but gives you an idea of what to look for if you want great performance and longevity. Anything lower and your PC will be obsolete in 2 years time.

EDIT: Okay image is just missing one item. I put a Samsung 500gb SSD in the cart as well.

[jalopi]

yeeoouch, $1.1k is a bit high for me, though i believe you when you say i'd be good for years with that setup playing on max settings

however, max settings @ 60FPS isn't the most important thing to me

ideal budget = $500-600, absolute max is $800-1k

[GAbOS]

The kit in your original link should be plenty for your needs.

[gtdragon980]

Well, if you don't care much for the gfx performance, you can always go for a lower end card like a r9 270 or gtx960 to save some cash. Other than that, the build I posted will for sure last you 4 years without needing any upgrading. It will be blazing fast as well, mainly due to the SSD. Nowadays, SSD's have become very cheap compared to back when I bought my 120gb ssd. I can't recommend it enough to have one as it increases the PC performance tenfold. I am sure you can build something similar to what I posted under $1k, but it will take some time finding the deals.

[anabolice30]

PC gaming is awesome broski, splurge on it.

[AndrewBird]

A $40 video card will do what he wants. No need to spend almost $250.

Honestly, I don't see why you don't just add some RAM to your current computer, do a fresh install of windows 7 and call it good.

Two sticks of this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231310

will help a lot.

[jalopi]

thing is, a few games i play have started to freeze up after a few massive updates were applied (starbound). i've opened the "control+alt+delete" screen up to watch the resource usage and it's my CPU that keeps maxing out when the game freezes, RAM seems to be the only thing in my system that's OK.

anyway, i've made a few tweaks to the build dragon posted (thanks for that btw) - exchanged the HDD for a SSD and when i brought up the 4670k processor newegg told me there was an updated version - 4690k. and it's cheaper! i know it's a small hard drive but it's more than enough space for windows and a few games - i can just use my regular HDD for porn and other stuff that i'm not using at the time.

after adding everything up (including the rebates) it's actually not too far off from my max budget. it's more than what i was originally planning on spending, but i'm thinking it'll last me a decade like my current setup has.

so yay or nay?

[gtdragon980]

Looks pretty good! I would however recommend checking out sales on slickdeals though. I have seen tons of SSD's going on sale for ridiculously low prices. Also, typically when running an ssd setup, you would want to have a secondary HD for storage. Filling up HD space is extremely easy to do nowadays with how big games and programs are. I'd recommend a 256gb ssd like you have in the cart for the OS and a few programs that you want to boot up instantly. A WD Black 500gb or 1tb HD will be perfect for the games, music, porn, movies, etc.

You can probably shave some more off going with a cheaper case, although I have to admit, the Fractal case is fucking amazing (ask me how I know :) ). 16gb of ram is nice, but you can sacrifice 8 gb and still have an amazing PC and save another $50.

All in all, take your time and look for those sweet deals. I rushed when I built my PC and while it performs very well, I could have saved some money on a few parts. One thing to remember is that PC's are never an investment. You'll always lose money on it, so try and save where it is possible!

[jalopi]

good to hear man, thanks for the advice. i'm not too too worried about nickel and diming since 1/2 of this things use is for work (sup tax write off) and unfortunately i don't really have the luxury of waiting for deals to come along - i need something within the next week or so, bout to blow my brains out over the lag i've got with certain work stuff

the fractal case looks very lux, definitely not skipping out on that

as far as HDDs go, i have 4TB on my current setup, no worries there :D

[jalopi]

ugh... just pulled the trigger... super buyers' remorse right now, definitely will enjoy once i've got it up and running though