Thinking of building my first set... and am a little eager to build a machine that performs well...
Question 1: Should I start with builing one of those cheap kits - in order to get some experience? Is it worth spending 200 US$ on a trial-and-error-machine - or shoudl I go straight ahead to a more potent machine?
Question 2: i7 or Intel Core2 Quad? The i7 is a bit more expensive, but is the cost worth it?
Questrion 3: I am thinking of useing two drives - one for OS and and primary pgms (office and such) and a second for data storage. Should I go for a SSD or a small 10K RPM-drive for the primary drive?
What do you want it to do and how much do you want to spend? The Core2 Quad is a very fast processor that will do everything most people want. The i7 is a much faster processor, but requires a more expensive motherboard. A typical i7 system will run a couple of hundred dollars more than a core2 Quad system, but you may never notice the speed in everyday actions - even games.
Very few programs can use the quad processors now, so unless you have some of those programs, a Core2Duo will work nicely for less money.
Mark H
Good idea - I will look around for a used system to start poking around into...
Basicly I want a computer that can run in circles around my current one - P4 3,4Ghz with 3GB of RAM and a 256 MB 3D-card. The games I play doesn't demand any fancy stuff - mostly Civ3, Silent Hunter 2 and 3, Dawn of War etc...
The fastest Duo in my local store costs 30% less than the cheapest i7. Perhaps that is enough after all... :-)
One way of approaching this is to find a currently marketed computer that suits your needs, and then build it yourself.
However, don't build it part-for-part. Instead, carefully select an equivalent motherboard, RAM, video card, CPU, etc, so that you end up with a quality, well-built system.
Unless you are looking for ultra-performance, or the latest-and-greatest, avoid 10k RPM drives and SSD drives. You will get excellent performance from ordinary drives without the extra expense. Same advice for the CPU
For a high-performance system, with great value for your $$$, concentrate on the following:
1. A decent case, with good cooling
2. A quality motherboard (Gigabyte, ASUS, MSI, etc.)
3. A high-quality PSU (shop carefully and DON'T skimp here)
4. Sufficient RAM for the appropriate OS
5. At least a 9600GT video card, with at least 512MB RAM
6. All your drives, including optical, should be SATA
7. Get the best CPU that fits within your budget
8. Don't waste money on fancy cables, LEDs, etc.
Make sure that you clearly understand how to properly assemble the heat sink/fan (HSF) to the CPU, with the proper amount of thermal paste. This is a critical step. It isn't something to be scared of, but it will bite you if not done properly.
Shop carefully and take your time. In the end, you'll be glad that you did. There's a great sense of pride that goes with building your own system, and you'll probably never buy pre-built again.
Scuzzy is too modest to suggest this but look in this forum for the system upgrade Scuzzy did a couple of months ago. A good system and not too expensive. I would add to his comment about a "good case"
-my preference is 2 120mm fans for cooling and you can avoid extra expense by passing on the fancy side windows and external decorations. Antec, and Chieftan are worth looking at.
Bill
Quote from: Llhweiir on May 24, 2009, 12:42 hrs
Basicly I want a computer that can run in circles around my current one - P4 3,4Ghz with 3GB of RAM and a 256 MB 3D-card. The games I play doesn't demand any fancy stuff - mostly Civ3, Silent Hunter 2 and 3, Dawn of War etc...
Any of the core2duo CPUs will blow your P4 away in speed.
Mark H
Quote from: Mark H on May 24, 2009, 15:24 hrs
Any of the core2duo CPUs will blow your P4 away in speed.
Mark H
You have convinced me - a Duo is probably the best choice at present.