Curse

beagle warrior · Nov 27, 2010, 02:09 AM // 02:09

Hey,
so im going to college next year and i plan on building a desktop for my room and a netbook for walking around campus and taking home during holidays.

for the netbook i just need something basic that i could use to type up reports and surf the web.

For the desktop i want something thatll be able to handle games like starcraft 2 and gw2 when it comes out, but i really have no idea what parts i need. so could someone help me out with some of the basic parts i should get.

im looking to spend about $1000-1200 for both

thanks

Iron Monkey · Nov 27, 2010, 03:52 AM // 03:52

$1000 sounds difficult for both, but roughly, I think you should just about be able to get a i3 system, 4GB, 500GB, Win 7 OEM, 22'' LCD, and a HD6850 / GTX460. I've got a complete i3 + 6870 for £1000. OK, it's not $1000, but with your rebates and how often 1$ translates to 1£, it should run close. And I've gone for a proper gaming keyboard (sidewinder x4), mouse (MX518), and decent 22'' LED backlit LCD.

Personally, I'd ditch the netbook, get a better desktop, which should be where you'll do most of your work, and get a good pen and paper. You may even be able to find second hand netbooks later on the cheap around your university.

I'd also not go for a netbook, but a 13'' CULV instead. Or at least a netbook with standard resolution (1366 x 768). It's a pain to surf on a 1024 x 600p screen, and it's my biggest gripe with netbooks, alongside their lack of power. Moved from a NC10 to a UL30A, and it's a lot more capable, and it didn't cost a fortune either (£350, netbooks are £250).

But, if you have an online shop where we can build a basket, it'll be easier to show you a decent build.

Iron Monkey · Nov 27, 2010, 04:00 AM // 04:00

here's the spec of the pre-build system.

System Specification
- Case: Xigmatek Asgard Mid tower with White LED case fans.
- Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W
- CPU: Intel Core i3 540 3.06GHz Clarkdale overclocked to 4.20GHz
- Motherboard: Asus P7H55-M/USB3 (Socket 1156) PCI-Express DDR3 Motherboard
- Cooler: Corsair H50 CPU Cooler
- RAM: Corsair XMS3 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C9 1600MHz Dual Channel Kit
- Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 500GB SATA-III 32MB Cache
- Graphics Card: Nvidia 400 Series DX11 Compatible Graphics Cards
- Sound: Realtek 7.1 Channel Sound (On-Board)
- Optical Drive: LG DVD+/-RW SATA Drive

Even this is a bit over-spec for you, but it's in the ballpark. a i5 would be quite a bit more expensive, but it's a potential future upgrade. Quad-core i5 will drop down in price once SandyBridge is out. Even though a i3 is very capable at gaming, even at stock speeds.

Snograt · Nov 27, 2010, 07:05 AM // 07:05

^ when someone quotes a budget in dollars, it's always best to link to newegg.com.

Iron Monkey · Nov 27, 2010, 11:36 AM // 11:36

ok then :

Code:

	Qty.	Product Description	Savings	Total Price
	

Sony Optiarc CD/DVD Burner Black SATA Model AD-7260S-0B - OEM
Item #: N82E16827118039
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
$19.99
	

Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Item #: N82E16811129042
Return Policy: Limited Replacement Only Return Policy
-$10.00 Instant
$69.95
$59.95
	

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Item #: N82E16822152185
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
$69.99
	

ASUS VW224U Black 22" 2ms(GTG) Widescreen LCD Monitor
Item #: N82E16824236050
Return Policy: Monitor Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
-$20.00 Instant
$20.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
$189.99
$169.99
	

ASUS EAH6850 DirectCU/2DIS/1GD5 Radeon HD 6850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video ...
Item #: N82E16814121399
Return Policy: VGA Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
$199.99
	

CORSAIR Builder Series CMPSU-600CX 600W ATX12V v2.3 Active PFC Power Supply
Item #: N82E16817139019
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
-$20.00 Instant
$10.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
$79.99
$59.99
	

Microsoft SIDEWINDER X4 Keyboard
Item #: N82E16823109191
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$30.00 Instant
$59.95
$29.95
	

Logitech G500 10 Buttons Dual-mode Scroll Wheel USB Wired Laser Gaming Mouse
Item #: N82E16826104318
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
-$35.00 Instant
$69.99
$34.99
	

CORSAIR XMS3 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMX4GX3M2A1600C9
Item #: N82E16820145260
Return Policy: Memory Standard Return Policy
-$10.00 Instant
$64.99
$54.99
	

ASUS P7H55-M LX LGA 1156 Intel H55 Intel Motherboard
Item #: N82E16813131664
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
-$7.00 Instant
$89.99
$82.99
	

Intel Core i3-550 Clarkdale 3.2GHz LGA 1156 73W Dual-Core Desktop Processor BX80616I3550
Item #: N82E16819115065
Return Policy: CPU Replacement Only Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
$129.99
	

Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade
Item #: N82E16832116713
Return Policy: Software Standard Return Policy
-$10.00 Instant
$119.99
$109.99
Subtotal:	$1,022.80
Calculate Shipping
Zip Code:    GO
Shipping:	$0.00

Iron Monkey · Nov 27, 2010, 11:43 AM // 11:43

Something like that. You could probably squeeze a bit more and try to fit a netbook, but imo, that's the sort of build you'll be looking at.

[EDIT] Change to win 7 home premium RETAIL or OEM, or if microsoft makes a Students offer.
[EDIT] And the monitor suck apparently. I'd go with LG or Samsung 22''.

Lourens · Nov 27, 2010, 05:52 PM // 17:52

Why would you pay extra for a led lcd? theyre not better as normal lcds.

beagle warrior · Nov 28, 2010, 03:03 PM // 15:03

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL8D-4GBRM

Item #:N82E16820231275

$63.99
1

ASUS M4A88T-V EVO/USB3 AM3 AMD 880G USB 3.0 HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard

Item #:N82E16813131668

$109.99
1
ePOWER EP-450PM-1 450W ATX12V Power Supply - OEM
$23.99

1

ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM

Item #:N82E16827135204

$17.99
1

AMD Phenom II X4 945 Deneb 3.0GHz Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor HDX945FBGIBOX

Item #:N82E16819103675

$135.99
1

Western Digital Caviar Green WDBAAY0010HNC-NRSN 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Retail

Item #:N82E16822136776
$74.99
1

COOLER MASTER RC-690-KKN1-GP Black SECC/ ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

Item #:N82E16811119137
$59.99

Grand Total: $486.93

^What about something like that. for the graphics card ill prob just overclock my current geforce 9400 gt for now. and when GW2 comes out ill see what kind of graphics card it requires and can upgrade then.

Iron Monkey · Nov 28, 2010, 04:37 PM // 16:37

It looks ok. But I still think the PSU will struggle once you factor in the video card (which imo will be either a GTX460 or a HD6850, or better). The 945 is pretty good, in the same ballpark as a i5. Quad-core comes in handy for multithreading, but in general the i5 has more raw power (better IPC) and does pretty well with it's hyperthreading. Noneless, either should have no problem for gaming.

beagle warrior · Nov 28, 2010, 04:50 PM // 16:50

OCZ StealthXstream II OCZ600SXS2 600W Power Supply
Item #:N82E16817341039
$54.99

could go with that for the power supply. and the 945 was pretty significantly cheaper than the i5 and my buddy, who games more than i ever will, swears by it so i figured it was a good deal

Iron Monkey · Nov 29, 2010, 02:20 AM // 02:20

The 945 is fine.

Much better PSU. You also have the Antec TruePower 650W, the Corsair CX600, and the Rosewill RG630-S12 630W, both single-rail design. But the OCZ will work fine. Anything reasonable (GTX 460 / HD 6870...) will be fine as they draw under 300W under load. Note that over-clocking a graphics card / CPU increases the power requirements. But in any case, there is enough power.

There are some questions about cable length on the OCZ, your case fits the PSU at the bottom, so should be no problems with the PCI-e connectors, but maybe with the mother board power connector. In any case, there are extensions you can buy locally if that becomes a problem.

All in all, when you build a gaming rig with power hungry video cards, you do have to take a hard look at the PSU, as it's where most of the power comes in and comes out. And a busted PSU can mean a busted motherboard, graphics card, hard drives...