PC build thread

[marlowe221]

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit) ($94.98 @ OutletPC)

Have you tried Win 8 at all? I'll try to refrain from repeating my previously started displeasure, but if you haven't... experienced it I'd go try it somewhere a little before you order at least to make sure you aren't allergic to it.

I have used it - it's on a few of our computers at my office.

I don't love it but I don't hate it either. I like Windows 7 better of course...

[noiseredux]

Can't you still get Win7?

[marlowe221]

It turns out you can still get Windows 7. I never even looked....

So what about the rest of that build?

[Jmustang1968]

It turns out you can still get Windows 7. I never even looked....

So what about the rest of that build?

Why are you going with a micro ATX board in a mid tower? I would only really get a micro if you are going for a small form factor.

I am also not a fan of ASRock at all.

I would get another fan or 2 for the case and get a Zalman fan for the CPU. The fans that come with the cpus are trash. Applying some arctic silver and a Zalman always works wonder for temps on my PCs.

I would want to go with a beefier PSU. I think you'd be pushing that one to the limits, if it even has enough as is. I think a 600-650W would suffice and allow for future upgrading.

[marlowe221]

It turns out you can still get Windows 7. I never even looked....

So what about the rest of that build?

Why are you going with a micro ATX board in a mid tower? I would only really get a micro if you are going for a small form factor.

I am also not a fan of ASRock at all.

I would get another fan or 2 for the case and get a Zalman fan for the CPU. The fans that come with the cpus are trash. Applying some arctic silver and a Zalman always works wonder for temps on my PCs.

I would want to go with a beefier PSU. I think you'd be pushing that one to the limits, if it even was enough as is. I think a 600-650W would suffice and allow for future upgrading.

Roger that on the PSU. I figured it was borderline but thought I would ask anyway.

Why am I going with a mATX board in an ATX case? Cost. My number one consideration in this build is cost. I don't care if the PC is the size of a Volkswagen or will fit in my pocket. I am doing everything I can to fit a decent i5, windows, a monitor (because I don't have one), and a GPU that will make things relatively nice and smooth at 1080p and keep the whole package as close to $800 as possible.

Is there some reason a microATX board won't work in an ATX case?

[Jmustang1968]

Oh it will work. They typically have less features and less slots. You could get a decent ATX board and not spend much more at all.

One basically only gets a micro ATX if you are going for a smaller footprint. But do yourself a favor and get a full ATX board in there. They will have 4 RAM slots instead of 2 for future upgrading. Plus, I read a review on it where the larger GPUs cover up the header pins. I also read issues with connecting 24 pin power cables to it.

This board is for those who either want a small case and can still install a video card. Be a decent business type PC, but not much there as a gaming rig. All my opinion of course. But you would do yourself a service paying 20-30 more and getting a more standard ATX board.

[Jmustang1968]

I looked into the monitor a bit and while it does have good reviews, there aren't many.

I did stumble across this:

shows some ghosting. The slightly higher response time may be a cause.

If you can afford it, maybe consider this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6824236175 $159

Or another BenQ that is a bit bigger:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6824014377 $149

Even cheaper;
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6824116656 $139

[isiolia]

Oh it will work. They typically have less features and less slots. You could get a decent ATX board and not spend much more at all.

That one is made worse by being an H81 board, which is the bottom of the barrel, completely stripped down chipset variant made for budget PCs. The lack of SATA ports and such isn't due to being mATX, in that case, but due to the chipset only supporting a relative handful. They also tend to have one slot past the video card one, severely limiting expansion options if the SATA ports or something prove insufficient down the line.

I agree though, paying a little more for an H87 board (at least, if not a Z chipset board), and keeping standard ATX in scope would easily be worth it long-term.

[dsheinem]

It turns out you can still get Windows 7. I never even looked....

So what about the rest of that build?

Why are you going with a micro ATX board in a mid tower? I would only really get a micro if you are going for a small form factor.

I am also not a fan of ASRock at all.

I would get another fan or 2 for the case and get a Zalman fan for the CPU. The fans that come with the cpus are trash. Applying some arctic silver and a Zalman always works wonder for temps on my PCs.

I would want to go with a beefier PSU. I think you'd be pushing that one to the limits, if it even was enough as is. I think a 600-650W would suffice and allow for future upgrading.

Roger that on the PSU. I figured it was borderline but thought I would ask anyway.

Why am I going with a mATX board in an ATX case? Cost. My number one consideration in this build is cost. I don't care if the PC is the size of a Volkswagen or will fit in my pocket. I am doing everything I can to fit a decent i5, windows, a monitor (because I don't have one), and a GPU that will make things relatively nice and smooth at 1080p and keep the whole package as close to $800 as possible.

Is there some reason a microATX board won't work in an ATX case?

I'm not sure why you are spending $800 on a PC instead of getting a PS4/Xbox One (or both, for the cost!) given that your build would be just about the same as what is in those systems (the PS4 has something close to a 7850, which is close to a R7 265) but for a lot more money.

Do you not have a PC currently? If you are looking for something better than a PS4/Xbox One, then you'll probably want to get something much beefier/costlier than what you've laid out here. If you want something closer to on par with those systems, you can do it much cheaper I think. Cards in that range or just a little less powerful can be found around the $100 mark and you can use a PSU for many of them that's closer to what you picked out. You could also probably grab a cheaper CPU (noise is rocking everything out right now on an i3), and get down closer to what a PS4 would cost for everything BUT the monitor, which of course would be extra. So, my advice:

-Just buy a game system

or

-Save a couple of hundred on your proposed build and still get something on par with the systems you aren't buying

or

-Spend a couple hundred more and get something more powerful than the newer consoles

[marlowe221]

I'm not sure why you are spending $800 on a PC instead of getting a PS4/Xbox One (or both, for the cost!) given that your build would be just about the same as what is in those systems (the PS4 has something close to a 7850, which is close to a R7 265) but for a lot more money.

Do you not have a PC currently? If you are looking for something better than a PS4/Xbox One, then you'll probably want to get something much beefier/costlier than what you've laid out here. If you want something closer to on par with those systems, you can do it much cheaper I think. Cards in that range or just a little less powerful can be found around the $100 mark and you can use a PSU for many of them that's closer to what you picked out. You could also probably grab a cheaper CPU (noise is rocking everything out right now on an i3), and get down closer to what a PS4 would cost for everything BUT the monitor, which of course would be extra. So, my advice:

-Just buy a game system

or

-Save a couple of hundred on your proposed build and still get something on par with the systems you aren't buying

or

-Spend a couple hundred more and get something more powerful than the newer consoles

I currently have a crappy laptop which struggles to run the games I like at acceptable settings.

My initial idea, as far as building a PC, was that it would be a PS4 substitute. I loved my PS3 (YLOD) and would be happy with a PS4 except.... I really like a lot of games in the non-console genres too (4X games, Grand Strategy, Minecraft w/lots of mods, etc.). Of course I am also going to want to play some of the multi-platform console-style games as well (Wolfenstein, Witcher 3, etc.).

It seemed kind of crazy to me to buy a new PC AND a PS4 since console exclusives seem to be getting more and more rare as time goes on.

What I struggle with is that I really have no idea what parts are good enough to accomplish that goal.

I don't need all the graphical bells and whistles at this point. This year's games at smooth frame rates at 1080p at acceptable settings (medium???) would be a HUGE upgrade from what I have now.