Building a New Computer

Technology and Gaming Help and Support
#41

I didn’t notice any “glaring” issues, but I’m not entirely sure what components you’re considering at this moment. Either way, the details are for you to figure out yourself by looking over specifications. It’s part of the learning process.

If you’re still set on building a new computer, post you’re current choices and updated price. I’d suggest finding the specific parts on Newegg or Tigerdirect and posting links to so we can see exactly what you’re looking at. Then you can get some focused feedback and suggestions.

#42

That just sounds like it was shittily built. If your specs aren’t good enough to run a game, you shouldn’t get blue screens, just a bad framerate.

#43

Exactly. I’ve had terrible performance on this thing, so I’m tossing the Graphics Card and Motherboard in an attempt to make a computer that will actually do what it’s suppose to. (If I can get some bragging rights for building the computer myself and save my parents money so that I don’t risk getting that “well, get a job and you should pay some of it off” then bonus!)

I suppose I don’t have to throw the tower away, but my dad customized it (for some odd reason… I mean, it’s not his computer) and I’ve never liked it. I also don’t want that Alienware logo plastered all over it after the crappy performance it gave.

#44

you’re confusing “performance” (framerate and load times) with construction… BSOD isn’t a performance issue, it’s a construction issue. You probably have a faulty RAM chip or something like that, and you’re talking about “tossing” the whole system. This is incorrect.

There’s nothing about the specs you posted that would cause poor performance. The 3870 is a budget graphics card, but running 2 of them simultaneously is probably more than adequate (I’m not really sure how that works, honestly). 2GB of DDR3 is enough, maybe make it 3, and upgrade the CPU to one of the lower-end Intel Quadcores. It would probably cost $500 to do, assuming you can use all the other components from the alienware.

#45

Well, trying to get different parts out of the computer to figure out what everything is and decide what all doesn’t need replacing, I’ve found the fan on the motherboard has fallen off and I can’t get it back on.

And you think the whole thing is a problem with one of the RAM chips not the graphics card? The one I have now is already a replacement for the first one they sent that didn’t work.

Also, I only own 1 graphics card. If I want to run two I’ll need to purchase a second card and figure out if I have the cables for the power supply. But again, I don’t think the card I have now is working since DX10 doesn’t work and every time I had a crash or BSOD the error was the about the video drivers. (If you were getting confused by the x2, that’s part of the card. It’s 1 card.)

I’m definitely going to upgrade to Windows 7. If I want to upgrade to 64-bit, won’t I also need to upgrade my Ram?

Update: I recalculated the price. If I use the cheaper items people suggested and do not use CrossFireX with the 5700 then the new price is: [COLOR=‘SeaGreen’]$1119
If I do 2 cards and a larger Power Supply it’s: [COLOR=‘SeaGreen’]$1528

#46

Cheaper yes. Faster clock speed yes. Better gaming/productivity performance no.

#47

Ok, looking at the Intel i5. The only Quad Core I can find has 2.66GHz which is less than the 3.16GHz on my current dual core. Is that a bad thing?

#48

…

4x2.66 is more than 2x3.16

#49

facepalm

Ok, thanks. I wasn’t understanding what that was measuring.

If I change to the i5 and buy from the right location, that would actually reduce the price by $20 or so.

Update: Oh, another reason for me upgrading everything: I’m still at an age where, like I said, dad will be paying for the computer. This will probably be the last gaming computer I get before I have to pay myself so for me upgrading everything right now could mean a longer lasting computer as well as less I’ll have to pay later down the road to replace parts as well as teaching myself now while I can how a computer works and how it all goes together. … Is that a failed logic?

#50

Assuming this is going to last you a while, and you’re building from scratch,

2x5770 in crossfire
i5
4GB ddr3
WD hdd
~650W psu, probably overkill. Make sure you buy a quality psu or it’ll blow up (inb4 Max’s vid)
mobo sound is probably fine
some P55, LGA 1156 mobo. I like Gigabytes.
probably forgetting something, shoot me.

on another note, even with 2 cores disabled, the i5 @ 2.66 will outperform the C2D @ 3.16.

#51

I already own a 750w and as long as it has the right cables, it didn’t fail me once in the 2 years I’ve been using it. And I never really turned the computer off, just kept it in hibernation mode and used it on a daily basis for hours.

Ok, and you think an upgrade on the mobo would be a good idea?

For the 4GB DDR 3 is that 1 or 2? I’m considering upgrading to a 64-bit OS so wouldn’t I want some more memory to take advantage of that?

About Networking: So a nice Mobo will have a good enough built-in Network card that I wouldn’t need my own? Whenever I search for a motherboard I seem to always get results with a set-up that won’t allow me to have 2 graphics cards and the network card.
Edit: So for a Mobo something like this?: https://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5210440&SRCCODE=GOOGLEBASE&cm_mmc_o=VRqCjC7BBTkwCjCECjCE
Looks like it has that weird set-up but with an extra slot at the bottom.

I wonder if I should look at some NVIDIA cards.

#52

From what I’ve heard (I actually have one myself, but have yet to try it), the i5 is a VERY good overclocker with a stock cooler. I remember someone on here saying they OC’d it to ~3.00 Ghz or more on stock.

#53

I’m not really looking to Overlock unless I really have to. I don’t trust myself to do it.

#54

If you get a slightly better cooler, you can even get to 4 pretty easily. But it’s a good enough processor that you don’t really need to.

4GB total, it’s more than enough.
I wouldn’t look at nvidia until they come out with their DirectX11 stuff, if this is going to be your machine for a while, you’ll appreciate the dx11. Plus ATI is a better value, runs cooler, and uses less power right now.

You’re going to need a new mobo anyway if you’re going with an i5.

edit: if you’re going with 2 gpus, this one will do nicely.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128409

#55

The cooling system is the one thing I know I wouldn’t be able to figure out, since it would be a little more than “Plug cable A into slot A”.

Edit: Wait, I just realized that Intel Mobo I found only has 1 PCI-Express x16 slot but if I were to get 2 Graphics Cards I would need 2. Dang-it, everything else looked great on it.

#56

This is just a general question. Does everyone here only use Intel CPU’s? I’ve only built AMD based computers because Intels don’t seem they are worth it for the prices they are. AMD seems to always be a step or two behind Intel but the value for their cpu’s are awesome. Hell my cpu now (last a checked a couple of months ago) was only around 45 bucks. And still when I built my computer it was only 150.

#57

Also, make sure your mobo splits the two PCIx16 slots into two x8 slots, not x4 slots. that’s bad.

@guzzi:
Amd has better bang for the buck (generally) below $150. Below $150 I would never buy anything other than an AMD cpu. Although I haven’t seen benchmarks on the new i3s, they may change my mind. But above $150, intel all the way. Although there’s no real reason that I see to go above $200 for the i5. i5 performs practically the same as i7 for much less money.

#58

Actually, the stock cooling setups for Intel almost more complicated than some aftermarket ones. The push-pin heatsink locking mechanism is such a ridiculous design that I’m surprised they’re still using it.

I exclusively used AMD processors when they used socket 754 and 939, back when Athlon 64s and X2s were dominating Intel’s lineup. But they really made amazing strides when the Core2 models came out.

[Edit]

The one you posted from Tigerdirect? That’s a typo on their part, but the second slot only runs at 4x.

#59

Ah! Here is the problem :stuck_out_tongue:

Anyway, if you think you ran into performance and blue screen problems, this might be the reason, Vista is known to have problems with many drivers.

Other than that, the specs of your computer look good. It is better than mine on many things :frowning:

EDIT: I intend to make no upgrades for at least more 6 months, probably more.
You don’t need a quadcore to play latest games, the bottleneck 90% of times is the video card. Many games still use only one core anyway.

Another suggestion I’ve been given is to consider to buy a better motherboard, possibly buying a less powerfull processor. The motherboard’s quality is what will make your system stable or not, and a bad motherboard might as well slow down your computer. This could be the problem with your computer. About the processor, well, unless you intend to run Crisys on max on high res, you don’t need it to be too much expensive.

My recommendation for you is to get a good motherboard and a video card, and perhaps some extra memory, but 2Gb will do for a good time. For instance, if I had the money, I would buy a good motherboard from Asus, in my case either a M4A78T-E or a M4A79T, but that won’t work for you because your processor is Intel.

EDIT2:

Not necessarily. It is only if the applications you are running use the four cores, or if you are running many application at a time. In more than half of the situations, 2x3.16 is actually much better than 4x2.66.

EDIT3:

No, not now at least. I have 2gb and Win7 64-bit runs very smoothly. Most times it uses less then 800 Mb. And games are all 32 bit so they won’t use more memory.

#60

For the $20 more it would cost for the Intel, I’m not really sure it’s worth it for “one or two steps behind”. Now if it was like $80+ than I would understand, but it’s barely a price difference for a better processor. Especially when I’m not being heavily restricted by price. (I might have those prices wrong, but that’s about the difference I’m seeing)

Ok, so when looking for a Mobo I want the x16 to split into x8 slots. How do you know that? I’m not seeing anything about that on the page.

Vista could have been the problem, but considering how poor customer service was and the fact that the graphics card wasn’t the only thing that had trouble in that rig, I’m inclined to think there was a bit more to it than a bad OS.

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