BleepingComputer.com: Price Check

Im planning to build a PC once I get back to America. I dont have the time at the moment to research too in depthly the prices, so I was wondering, what would I expect to pay for a machine capable of gaming (playing pretty graphic intensive games). For the price estimate, you dont need to factor in the OS. Just a generic estimate please.

Im building a triple-core (AMD) gaming rig. Im shelling out around 650 for mine. 2GB RAM, however the RAM has a low latency of 6. I will upgrade to 4GB when I have the cash to burn.

I have found cheap quality items on newegg, you will have to do alot of digging though.

All in all my system should be able to handle crysis, which you probably already know is a very graphic demanding game.

Also, I would recommend an AMD/ATI system build. Cheaper and a little hotter but nothing a couple of 120mm fans cant handle.

I would recommend crucial, G.Skill, or patriot memory for your build.

Foxconn and ASUS make good motherboards.

Saphire, XFX, and BFG make good video cards.

I have a XION case, however I wouldnt recommend this manufacturer. My case is fine, but a few friends got other cases from them and had problems. I would go with Antec or CollerMaster, and be sure to get a Full Tower.

"I would recommend an AMD/ATI system build. Cheaper and a little hotter but nothing a couple of 120mm fans cant handle. "

As always , You get what you pay for.
I suggest Intel

^^^

The Phenom II's run cooler than the original Phenom's and are on par with the Core 2's. Combine that with a lower price and the Phenom II's have a higher performance to cost ratio than the Core 2's. You will often pay more for an Intel CPU that has roughly equal performance. However, Intel's i7's have higher performance, but they cost far more than the highest end AMD CPU's. As for video cards, ATI's cards have always ran a bit hotter over Nvidia's. Unless you plan on doing some extreme overclocking, most cases have adequate cooling, especially the large full ATX cases. As for cost, depending on the video card you want, it can be anywhere from $750 to $1000 if you want a higher end model. If you don't have the cash for that kind of a PC, purchasing a lower end computer with high upgrade potential will run $600 to $750.

Alright, thanks Im a newbie at building computers but my uncle and cousin have been building for a while now. I may just build it piece by piece and gather the parts over like 6 months time to help with costs.

Would it be better for me to upgrade my current, low end Dell computer? I would like a new internal or external hard drive, faster processor and maybe a few more luxeries.

xblindx, on Jul 12 2009, 01:48 PM, said:

In a word, No. The reason is because of the proprietary hardware architecture. very little is 'off the shelf' most of what you would want to do would need to be purchased from Dell at significant markup.

For all practical purposes, a Dell in not "upgradable." You can change or add a video card or audio card and MAYBE add some RAM. I say maybe because if they already have installed all that your Mobo can handle then you can't. With a drill, tin snips and patience, you should be able to put in a different PSU. You can add a or change a DVD player or HDD, but that's about it.

As to your first question? Check this out. It's current.

Computers from OEM's like Dell and HP are not very upgradable. Often the motherboards are specialized and the computer has a limited number of upgrades available because of this. For instance, to upgrade a CPU on a Dell motherboard would very likely mean you would have to purchase a new motherboard and RAM. Most computer enthusiasts and gamers typically don't purchase Dell's and HP's because of issues like this. They typically go for boutique builders that use standard parts or build the PC's themselves.

Thanks for the answers, looks like Ill start saving up to build one from scratch DeathStalker, that article looks very informative and interesting, Ill read it once I get back to the states and have more time on my hands.

I know you decided to build one, but here is a site that custom builds gaming rigs...

www.ibuypower.com

Very good site. Their computers are top notch. Im not sure about warranties or return policies but a co-worker of mine bought a laptop from them and can play Fallout 3 and Crysis on it. But that was $1500, you will be getting a desktop, so it shouldnt cost that much unless you go with all the higher end stuff.

If you are not confordable with building a PC, I would advice that you get your uncle or cousin to help walk you through it. My first time trying it and I fried the CPU, and bought incompatible parts. Read up on it first. Either that or buy one from ibuypower.

Good luck.

One quick question, what is the most expensive component that I will be buying? And thanks for the advice Neil B. I was planning to get them to help me

You will be paying more for a PC from boutique builder and iBuyPower is not that good of one. Many computers can play Fallout 3 and Crysis, but not all, especially laptops, can they play them well at high graphics settings. The most expensive component varies based on what you're wanting. If you want a gaming PC with the highest end video card available, then the GPU may be the most expensive single component. If you want a very high-end i7 computer, then the CPU could be.

Could someone recommend a good build, like all components, or the major ones, for a decent gaming computer, on a scale of 1 to 10, it being around a 7. I would just like to know what I should be looking for.

Thank you for the info DJBPace07

Not knowing your price point could make that difficult. A $500 to $750 computer is decent for occasional gaming but a $750 and above PC is more of a gaming PC. Computers beyond $1500 are more for enthusiasts.

Case: LIAN LI PC-7B plus II Black Aluminum ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Lian Li makes some of the best aluminum cases around. This case is good for a simple setup, but if you are planning on using more than one graphics card or are going to have more than one hard drive with a large graphics card, a full ATX case is preferred. A full ATX case is large and heavy, but has the necessary depth to contain all the components. I suggest, in this case, for the same price, the ENERMAX Uber Chakra ECA5001B. $89

Motherboard: ASRock M3A780GXH/128M AM3 AMD 780G HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard - A solid motherboard that allows for the newest AM3 processors, DDR3, and Crossfire. I do suggest downloading the manual from ASRock's website prior to purchase since the one in the box is not good. $89

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Deneb 3.2GHz - This is AMD's top-of-the-line flagship processor and a direct competitor to Intel's Core 2 line. This CPU is based on the newer and more efficient Phenom II design that is more efficient than the old Phenom design. Intels i7 950 and above will outperform this processor, but cost two to four times as much. $210

Power Supply: OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ700MXSP 700W - This is more than enough for your needs, it is also capable of running your graphics cards in a dual Crossfire setup, if you choose. $89 (Before $30 mail-in rebate)

Graphics Card: SAPPHIRE 100269SR Radeon HD 4890 1GB - This is ATI's best single GPU card. With your power supply, you can purchase two of these and have a Crossfire setup. $199 (Before $10 mail-in rebate)

RAM: G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 - Your motherboard requires DDR3 RAM and this will do, it is also on ASRocks memory QVL. The motherboard supports over 8GB of RAM so, if you choose to upgrade at a later date, you can. Remember, you need a 64-bit OS to use 4GB or more of RAM. $63

Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar Green WD5000AADS 500GB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive - Plenty of space. $57

Optical Drive: Sony Optiarc 24X DVD/CD Rewritable Drive Black SATA Model AD-7240S-0B - OEM - This will read and burn most optical media. $31

OS: In an earlier post, you said you didn't need one.

Grand Total: $833 (Before rebates)