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2010 PC estimate (mine/newegg.com) (recommendations?) Submitted by NathanJ79 on October 26, 2009 - 1:48am
So, I was telling my wife how great it would be to build a second PC, five years after building the last one, to run Windows 7. I thought she'd tell me that XP is fine and that we don't need to throw money at a new PC, but she told me to draw up an estimate. I did, and here it is: Tower alone: $566.92 These aren't offers for anyone; I'm certainly not spamming. These are raw parts cost. No labor charge because I'd be doing the work. I built my current system, I can build another one. Ironically, this will cost about $400 less than my last one. What the Tower includes: Case and Power Supply: $89.99 Motherboard: $79.99 CPU: $142.99 RAM: $109.99 GPU: $69.99 HDD: $34.99 DVD Burner: $28.99 Memory card reader: $9.99 Thoughts? Suggestions? Recommendations? Most likely I'll be buying Win7 Home Premium OEM to go on it. (I haven't given up on Linux; in fact I want to turn my current computer into a dedicated Linux box.) And again, this ain't spam, there aren't any referral links, and Newegg isn't giving me anything for posting them. It's just who I choose to shop with, myself. I'm not encouraging anybody to click those links (they're just for reference, I think the titles I used tell people enough about 'em) but rather fishing for recommendations. ( categories: )
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just one DVD burner? No
just one DVD burner? No lightscribe?
Also i have never heard of that PSU before. you might get better long term savings using one of the GREEN PSU's. The one i had which was rated at 550watts actualy put out about 500 when it needed to. also because the cable system was and is modular only the cables plugged in use up power. i am saving a shiton of money on power now.
Good luck btw.
Reply
I only need one DVD burner. I always wanted to add a second one, but it's been almost five years, and I haven't burned the same thing twice enough to justify adding hardware, which is a power draw, airflow restricter, and space on the front of the tower.
And if I change my mind, it's only another $30 and a quick installation.
As for Lightscribe, it's a cool idea, but my brother has it. He says it doesn't look good unless you use the high quality writing, which takes about 45 minutes per disc. Then you have to get the Lightscribe media. Nah, I'll stick with a Sharpie.
I haven't heard of the PSU either. When a tower comes with a PSU, it's not gonna be one you've heard of. I may just get a cheaper case and spend the extra money on a well-reviewed PSU.
Might also need better cooling. Summer 2008 was almost unbearably hot. This summer, though, North Carolina got maybe 2 weeks of summer weather? June and July were all winter-spring weather, as was a lot of August. As opposed to a killer heatwave in June 2008. But I think if I can just open the side door and point a fan at it, it shouldn't get bad enough to really worry. It's not like Phoenix, AZ or something (I hear they get some horribly hot summers, but I've only been to their airport).
>:| 4 8 15 16 23 42EXECUTE
Not sure if it makes a
Not sure if it makes a difference price-wise, but the only difference between Windows 7 Pro/Ultimate is BitLocker. Unless you're paranoid, I'd go Pro over Ultimate. I was going to suggest a HD upgrade until I re-read the part about the 750... nice looking case
...I want a Phenom IIx4
Quamquam omniam nescio, nec nihil scio.
That's it?
That's it? I thought Ultimate had all kinds of cool extras or something. Didn't Vista? I don't know...
What's Pro have that Home Premium doesn't? I think I'd go for Home Premium if not Ultimate. Does Pro have the Media Center? Because apparently I can make that talk to my Xbox 360.
>:| 4 8 15 16 23 42EXECUTE
Pro does have Media Center.
Pro does have Media Center. Unlike Vista, in 7, the more expensive versions have ALL of the features of the less expensive versions (e.g. Vista Business DIDN'T have MC). And I'm fairly sure almost all of those cool extras are in Pro as well, just not BitLocker. Oh, and the 35 different language packs...
Pro vs. Home Premium, looks like the main differences are Windows XP Mode (worth the upgrade right there), Domain joining, and network backup.
http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/windows-7/compare/default.aspx
Quamquam omniam nescio, nec nihil scio.
From the looks of it,
From the looks of it, "Windows XP mode" isn't much different from running XP in a virtual machine.
(Boring.)
You're right. It actually
You're right. It actually runs in VPC 2007, the only differences are seamless mode and the fact that it comes with a free XP license.
Quamquam omniam nescio, nec nihil scio.
Try this... it is worth it
Don't skimp, or you are buying yesterday's computer, a regrettable decision I made recently. I'm saving for this type of thing:
HD - Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST31500341AS 1.5TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive ... Free Shipping - Your Price:$119.99
MB - XCLIO Windtunnel Fully Black Finish 1.0 mm SECC Chassis ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail (this one has 2 fans mounted external to the side panel for more interior room - definitely cool) Original Price: $139.99 - You Save: $50.00 - Your Price:$89.99
PS - Thermaltake Black Widow W0319RU 850W ATX 12V 2.2 SLI Ready CrossFire Certified 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Power ... - Retail - Original Price: $119.99; You Save: $10.00; Free Shipping; Your Price:$109.99; Mail-In Rebate Card :N82E16817153106 $20.00 ; Price after Rebate CardN82E16817153106(s):$89.99 (PS could be economy version, if you want to upgrade later)
RAM - A-DATA 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model AX3U1600GB2G9-AG - Retail - Free Shipping - Your Price:$79.99 (adjustable voltage, reasonable speed, ~75% of 2133)
more later
;> jamvaru
When I bought my new
When I bought my new computer, yesterday's computer was exactly what I was looking for. I figured I was likely to update some of the pieces eventually (GFX card, HD, maybe RAM, possibly even the processor if AM2's are still around in a few years), and I thought of it this way.
Using the graphics card as an example, if I were to buy the latest nVidia card, it would run me around $500. If I were to upgrade it 2 more times in the lifetime of this computer (or buy a second card for SLI, etc.), by then prices on the card I had would be down around $100 or so, and the new cards would be up at that $500 range. So I'd spend $1500 over the life of the computer. Now if instead I go with the GeForce 9800, a solid card that's been out for awhile, but has already dropped near the $100 mark, then in the future, upgrade twice more to newer "last-year's models" I'd be spendind $300 instead of $1500, and still be happy with what I had. I seriously can't complain about 2 GeForce 9800GT's running SLI, so I don't really need the $500 bleeding edge.
Quamquam omniam nescio, nec nihil scio.
no complaints
sure, who wants eye candy, anyway?
You can play WoW, or whatever, on relatively old equipment.
My point is, and what I am planning on, myself, is to be able to upgrade into the future as much as possible.
The motherboard is the key, and a nice case. I found a link for a case that is very quiet and uses a different sort of design to cool. Check this out: oops, i can't find the link... anyways, it had two fans top rear ABOVE the power supply, a closed case system, with special intake ports in back only to minimize sound and maximize cooling. (here it is: arctic cooling
point is: shop around and look for something that is going to catch your eye "tomorrow", not just today, or yesterday.
get a mobo that can handle multiple GCs but don't buy ANY now... buy em later, so it keeps on giving back.
anyway...
good luck
probably just should buy a quad core win 7 comp from best buy
-----
there is a price/quality curve that turns up rather steeply after a certain point, $1000 intel cpu's for example. Taking memory we can see that the ddr3 @ 1600 is as good or better a deal than the weaker memory. The ~2100 memory is too much, but anything cheaper is a RIP-OFF. If you buy the cheaper stuff, meaning the weaker stuff, you are getting a worse deal, less bang for your buck, whereas if you buy the latest thing, ddr3-2100 you are getting more quality, but at a greater price per quality point. You are getting less bang for your buck, again.
So, where is the sweet spot? It is at the ddr3 1600 point, for now.
You buy a MOBO that can utilize 1600, has 2 or more pci-e 2.0 slots, raid 0/1/0+1, and you are good for a year or more, maybe 2.
Buy that cheapo low-end processor, and you can upgrade on your birthday or something.
The thing about AMD/INTEL, the 1376 chipset is supposed to be compatible with their soon to be released 6-core (6 CORE) processors. Of course you wont buy one, right away, but in a year or so the price will come down and your mobo will be able to upgrade again.
ANyway... go ahead and buy that cheapo 2nd rate computer. You can always buy another one next year.
1. A good case.
2. A good MOBO (with lots of upgrade potential - AMD is sucking right now, but they say they are sticking with the AM3 chipset, so... it is doable) DDR3 @ 1600 is IT.
3. The rest can suck for now. You can buy more later. Don't waste your time on anything less than a 1.5T 7200 HDD.
later
;> jamvaru
...
Last year's computer is kind of what I'm going for. In 2005 I made a solid computer which is still usable -- even decent, but not really great, today.
You can build a low-spec computer pretty cheap, or you can spend thousands of dollars on the best of the best. If you've got $13,664.75, you can build Ars Technica's "God Box". Read it and weep -- I did! Ironically, my build is closer to their "Budget Box", but I feel like I made a couple better choices. (What do you think?) The point is, it's best to find that happy medium between the latest and most expensive, and outdated but cheaper. There's always a sweet spot price-wise, and if you can find the sweet spot (best value for your money) AND make a future-proof purchase, you're doing something right.
What's future-proof? In 2005, Socket 939 wasn't future-proof, but I had no way of knowing that. And there's really no way of knowing now what technologies today will allow for cheap upgrades tomorrow.
Just wanted to fix your link. Pretty sure I got the right one. Go ahead and fix yours if you can, not sure about the timing allowed for editing posts. But damn, I do like that case. I like the USB and audio stuff on the side, and I like external 250mm fans times two.
Good mobos that support multiple graphics cards usually don't have on-board video, so you've got to buy at least one. Though you could get a basic one for around $50 and upgrade it to something respectable later.
Nope. Uh-uh. Isn't going to happen. Store-bought computers are a mess. They can keep 'em. Good processor but everything else is crap, no graphics card support, and you void the warranty opening it up? No thank you. (Best Buy is a great place to buy electronics though, we wouldn't have bought our Xbox 360 anywhere else. We got the RROD in May and they replaced it, not for nothing, but we got a $50 gift card because the price dropped. That went toward a new warranty for the new one, and $20 in Microsoft points that was used to buy 10 more songs for Rock Band.
Is 1376 chipset (you mean socket type, like AM3 and Socket 939, e.g.?) Intel? Doesn't sound like AMD. Anyway, I would not upgrade to a hexa-core proc from a quad-core proc, that wouldn't be very efficient. Dual-core to hexa-core would be a heck of an upgrade, but the upgrade path from a quad-core that makes the most sense is the octa-core proc, and those can't be too far off. (Hexa's 6 and Octa's 8 in case anyone's wondering.)
Or wait five years until it's really necessary. Again, I'm not trying to ride the cutting edge every year.
I've never heard of a good reason to run more than an 80GB hard drive for the OS. Everything else can go on secondary internal drives. At one point I may take out my 300GB internal and replace it with a 1.5-2TB internal to complement the 750B I have in there, but again, I really don't need more space.
Thanks again for the replies, everyone.
>:| 4 8 15 16 23 42EXECUTE
ok... keep it simple
1. MB - amd and intel have specified what socket they are going with in the future, AM3 and 1366, so... get one that at least does those or a combo, like am2/2+/3
2. Case - I like the one with the fans, but the quiet one interests me as well. A link to both, for the fun of it: fanboyfans and ssshhhhhh... -important as the mobo for future stability
3. PS - also important, but replaceable... let's do a price curve newegg search... interesting, there is a middle and a low price bubble... as this is the budget build: a good budget alternative - upgradeable - i wish i knew more about how much power we really need, but for now this is good enough. Or, spend another 40 bucks, if you want:) search: crossfire certified
4. Memory - having a MB with multiple memory capacities is nice, but few also support ddr3@1600. Anything less is just too much less. 1600 is the minimum, and also the maximum, as the price for 2100 is too much, also in the MB. So, perhaps < a href= oh, i don't know... i'll have to check my wallet
later
(interesting that the post was truncated after the < a href= till i put the space between the < and the a)
;> jamvaru
First thoughts
I'd pick another PSU. The case is unique and may work for you, but you probably will end up replacing that PSU in 2 years. If you want it to last 5+ get a name brand.
I have been building with PC Power & Cooling and Antec.
PC Power will be out of that price range but an Antec case will be close.
Look at Sonata and others.
Other name brands are Thermaltake, Cooler Master.
Motherboard has $10 rebate. Looks good.
Processor deactivated? I'm sure there is a similar one.
Good RAM
HD: I agree with you 80GB is enough for the operating system.
GPU: I LOVE Tom's Hardware list: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card,2464.html
Your pick looks OK. Another rebate available.
DVD is OK. That does a lot for <$30 !
Your performance should come close to mine and I spent ~$800 a few months back.
For Windows 7, just go with
For Windows 7, just go with Home Premium. Home Premium does have Windows Media Center included.
To get the major features of Ultimate, there are some free and OSS programs.
XP Mode:
provided you have a valid licensed copy of Windows XP, just download VirtualBox, set up a vm in that, and install their GuestAdditions tool (comes with the main VirtualBox download). Now you have seamless XP integration.
BitLocker:
TrueCrypt
Backup and Restore:
Home Premium already has enough features for most users.
Windows 7 Version Comparison
The developer formerly known as ZGitRDun8705
wine?
how's the wine for XP based software? Can it do dx9? Just curious, as that alternative seems to be preferrable to a virtual box with a real copy of XP installed in it.
a couple of links that require human intervention, no automatic choices, but a couple of interesting ones:
Mobo: intel, amd
better intel, better amd
Memory: ddr3 1600
of course, newegg is not the only place to shop, but it does have nice features
perhaps the winner (full crossfire 2x16 is not necessary except at the very tweakiest of game settings at full max res) asrock!
;> jamvaru
umm Wine is for non-Windows
umm Wine is for non-Windows operating systems. if he's using Windows 7 as a base, and wants XP mode w/o shelling out the extra $ for Pro, Virtual Box is the way to go
The developer formerly known as ZGitRDun8705
free XP?
so "Virtual Box" comes with a free version of winXP?
and i meant to:
generate an additional partition or 2 or 3... whether by shrinking windows partition or installing new HDD.
install linux and dual boot
>chuckles<
oh, then use WINe
question still open: does wine do winxp with dx9c?
;> jamvaru