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| PGRF GAMING PC BUILDING GUIDE | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jul 18 2013, 05:33 PM (2,319 Views) | |
| RockmanDash12 | Jul 18 2013, 05:33 PM Post #1 |
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PGRF GAMING PC BUILDING GUIDE *Up to date as of May 2014, will be updated every major chip release* PC gaming can be intimidating, especially with the higher entry cost, but this guide is here to help! MYTH BUSTING GAMING PC MYTH #1 - Gaming PC's are too expensive. THIS IS WRONG. WRONG. WRONG. You don't need a $2,000 PC to get a good experience. even a $400 PC will give you great value and performance. A 550 dollar PC will match exceed console levels. GAMING PC MYTH #2 - Gaming PC's are hard to build. Nope. They are like putting Lego's together. Everything has a specific place. GAMING PC MYTH #3 - The CPU is the most important part of a gaming pc, so I'm going to get an i7. GPU's are more important in Gaming PC's. You don't need anything more than an i5 in gaming, anything more will not give you tangible boosts in gaming, while spending more on a GPU will. HARDWARE With the hardware, you can spend quite a bit, but you don't really need to depending on your situation. In this guide, there are 4 price brackets. The price does not include software or accessories, those are later on in the guide. Most of these PC's have Mail in rebates to hit the price points, so be aware of that, and also know that the price does fluctuate. if any build is way higher than it says so, just PM me and i'll try to fix it. BEFORE PICKING A BUILD, CHECK THE RESOLUTION OF YOUR MONITOR, OR THE ONE YOU ARE GOING TO UPGRADE TO. Gaming is all about the GPU. If you have a lower resolution monitor, there is no reason to get an expensive build. The Great part about PC, is the wide variety of choices. If you'd rather spend more on a case, or get a different GPU, Then do so. You can pick and choose and this is just a guide, my personal recommendation for what you should get. The law of diminishing returns will affect you if you buy high end, so it might be better if you just buy mid range stuff. The reccomended upgrades are if you want a better experience in that price bracket.. if you want more performance, step up a bracket. A note for international members, all prices are in USD and prices of specific parts may vary depending on your location. Sorry ![]() 1. Console Challenger - $400 * All Games on Medium 1080p, Most on High 1080p* Link - http://pcpartpicker.com/p/GgVpD3 Who said you can't have a PC experience that's equivalent to next gen consoles for the same price? Now that the prices have gone reasonable, we can get a great gaming PC for the same price as consoles, and it can do so much more. Some specs are better, and some are weaker. Specs: AMD Athlon X4 750k, R7 265, 4gb ram. Recommended upgrades - 8GB of Ram, Aftermarket heatsink, SSD 2. Console + Build - $550 *Games on High 1080p, Most on Ultra* AMD link - http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3swsMp The first build will pretty much satisfy your needs quite well, but if you want the a PC experience that's better than what you can get on the consoles, you'll need to step up a bit. This one pretty much is the best value for your money that you can get in PC today. While the first build will run everything extremely well today, who knows in the future? this one is a bit better for that, and it has better cooling for a more comfortable computing experience. AMD FX 8320, r9 270x, and 8gb ram. If you want to keep it at 500, you could get a 270 and go with the stock heat sink, but this way is better in my opinion. Reccomended Upgrades - SSD 3. Mid-High range PC Gaming Build - $750 *All 1080p games on Ultra, Most games on 1440p* AMD - http://pcpartpicker.com/p/gRDWmG Intel - http://pcpartpicker.com/p/PMzDnQ Let's say you are the type of person who wants a completely smooth gaming experience, 1080p, 60fps. you need everything to be maxed out, everything to be perfect. With AMD's 8 core 8320, a r9 285, and a bit of overclocking, you'll get that experience of maxing everything out on 1080p. Intel Specs: i5 4430, r9 285, 8gb Ram. Also, the AMD one now has an SSD, which'll speed up everyday usage. Reccomended Upgrades - SSD for Intel 4. Editing + Gaming PC - $1,000 *Most games Ultra 1440p* Intel Link - http://pcpartpicker.com/p/H2XcBm AMD Link - http://pcpartpicker.com/p/FyjFCJ A PC can do so much more than a console. That includes editing, CAD work etc. This builds focuses more on that productivity stuff, and is the first to include an SSD, and a nicer motherboard for expansion, etc. I'll add it when it comes out, but this build will have the Phanteks Enthroo Pro, a really nice case, built for PC enthusiasts. You can overclock as much as you want on this one, and you get the fully unlocked chips while the $750 build had chips that weren't completely full. 5. 4k Gaming & Productivity - $2500 *Ultra 1440p, 4k at high* Intel Link - http://pcpartpicker.com/p/VX4byc With the new generation of gaming and the new era of High Res displays, I added another tier for the people who do not understand the idea of bang for your buck, or really want 4k. This is not practical at all, and anybody who has this money is really tech savvy and probably should not be looking up obscure guides on obscure forums... This build comes with an i7 5930k, Intel's 6 core processor that'll laugh at other processors when it comes to productivity and gaming in the future. This build has 2 GTX 970's to give good performance on high resolution displays. SOFTWARE For gaming, There aren't too many options. Windows is your best bet, but in my opinion windows 7 works better for gaming, but i'll provide links to both. When installing, download the drivers from the website. You might need a DVD drive to install this, and drives are all in the accessories. Windows 7 - http://www.amazon.com/Windows-Premium-64bit-System-Builder/dp/B004Q0PT3I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374183177&sr=8-1 Windows 8 - http://www.amazon.com/Windows-System-Builder-OEM-64-Bit/dp/B0094NY3R0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1374183179&sr=8-2 Valve has been pushing to Linux, with their new Steam OS, and Ubuntu. Steam OS isn't out yet, but it'll be a great free OS for games. (I hope) Ubuntu - http://www.ubuntu.com/ Steam OS - http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamOS/ ACCESSORIES In the Hardware section, I only put what you need, but you might want more stuff, like keyboards, mouses, wireless cards, etc. I'll put my recommendations here. Keyboard: If your gaming, a mechanical keyboard is king. If you don't have the money for one though, try the Knucker, which feels like cherry switches, but it's not and it's alot cheaper. Thermaltake Knucker: http://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-eSports-KNUCKER-Keyboard-KB-KNK008US/dp/B009A803AK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381208331&sr=8-1&keywords=thermaltake+knucker IBM Model M: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=model+m&_osacat=0&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.XIBM+Model+M&_nkw=IBM+Model+M&_sacat=0&_from=R40 Rosewill Mechanical Keyboard: http://www.amazon.com/Rosewill-Mechanical-Keyboard-Cherry-RK-9000I/dp/B008SVJH16/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1374185175&sr=1-1& Mouse Corsair Gaming Mouse: http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Vengeance-Performance-Gunmetal-CH-9000022-NA/dp/B00ARD5410/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1374185353&sr=1-1& Razer Taipan Ambidextrous Mouse: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008BGXYBM Cheap Amazon Mouse: http://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Wireless-Mouse-Receiver-Black/dp/B005EJH6Z4/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1374185494&sr=1-2&keywords=amazon+mouse Monitor I recommend at least 1080p. The 23 inch is an ASUS which I have, it's a great IPS monitor, but the others are 1440p monitors which are essentially apple cinema displays. Pretty good panels, pick between seller. I added a 4k monitor because they are finally getting reasonable in price, but the lack of IPS might be an annoying thing. Asus 23 inch 1080p Monitor: http://www.amazon.com/ASUS-VS239H-P-23-Inch-Full-HD-Monitor/dp/B008DWITHI/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1374185528&sr=1-3 X-Star 27 inch 1440p Monitor: http://www.ebay.com/sch/merchant/dream-seller?_nkw=x-star+dp2710&_sacat=&_ex_kw=&_mPrRngCbx=1&_udlo=&_udhi=&_sop=12 Monoprice 27 inch 1440p Monitor: http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=114&cp_id=11401&cs_id=1130704&p_id=10509&seq=1&format=2 Samsung 4k monitor: http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-28-Inch-Definition-Monitor-U28D590D/dp/B00IEZGWI2/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1399516018&sr=8-4 Internet: With gaming, wired is better. If your at the other side of the house, try the Powerline adapters. Powerline adapters send an Ethernet signal through your Powerline, and they work great. Wireless USB: http://www.amazon.com/Asus-Wireless-N-Graphical-Interface-USB-N53/dp/B005SAKW9G/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1374184844&sr=8-9 Wireless PCIE: http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WDN4800-Wireless-Express-Adapter/dp/B007GMPZ0A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374185066&sr=8-1& Powerline Adapter: http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA4010KIT-Powerline-Adapter-Starter/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381208624&sr=8-1&keywords=powerline+adapter Wired Ethernet Cable: http://www.amazon.com/Cables-Go-27153-Snagless-Meters/dp/B0002JFN4M/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1381208693&sr=8-4&keywords=Cat6+cable Sound Card - http://www.amazon.com/ASUS-XONAR-Headphone-Audio-Card/dp/B0045JHJSS/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1374186438&sr=1-1&keywords=asus+xonar DVD Drive Internal: http://www.amazon.com/Asus-24xDVD-RW-Serial-Internal-DRW-24B1ST/dp/B0033Z2BAQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1374186183& External: http://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Writer-External-Optical-Drive/dp/B003M0NT1M/ref=sr_1_6?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1374186357&sr=1-6&keywords=external+dvd+drive Blu Ray Drive * If you get a Blu Ray drive, there's no point in getting a DVD drive* Internal Reader - http://www.amazon.com/Asus-DVD-ROM-Internal-Blu-Ray-BC-12B1ST/dp/B004SUO068/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1374186463&sr=1-1&keywords=blu+ray+drive Internal Writer - http://www.amazon.com/BW-12B1ST-BLK-Blu-ray-Internal-Encryption/dp/B004ZMG55I/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1374186548&sr=1-2& External Reader - http://www.amazon.com/Blu-Ray-Player-External-Laptop-Burner/dp/B001TVAU0E/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1374186634&sr=1-2&keywords=blu+ray+drive+external External Writer - http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-SE-506BB-TSBD-External-Blu-ray/dp/B00AO1XFM0/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1374186634&sr=1-1&keywords=blu+ray+drive+external Controller The best controller for windows is the xbox 360 controller. Wired - http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Xbox-360-Controller-Windows/dp/B004QRKWLA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374600898&sr=8-1 Wireless Adapter - http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Wireless-Gaming-Receiver-Black/dp/B0032A0RBC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1381208287&sr=8-3&keywords=windows+wireless+adapter+360+controller PUTTING IT TOGETHER Putting a PC together is very simple, and there are many guides out there to do so. Putting a PC is like putting legos together, and there are a ton of guides out there. Here is my favorite guide for building a PC, made by newegg. There are others out there, and it's really just a quick search away. Newegg's PC Assembly Guide - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_56kyib-Ls Asus has a nice Guide also - http://rog.asus.com/pc-build-guide/ Q&A INTEL VS AMD? Both are good, it's personal preference. I personally think AMD offers better value, as the motherboards and the CPU's are cheaper for similar performance, but intel performs better in single threaded tasks. On the less expensive builds, i'm going to recommend the AMD build, but for the higher end stuff, it's up to you. Prebuilds vs DIY? DIY is obviously cheaper, but if your such a technophobe, a prebuild is a good option. Just avoid alienware, ibuypower and other companies that charge too much for the PC's. I'd reccomend NCIX if you are going prebuild, but i'd recommend DIY over any prebuild. What's Overclocking, and how do I do it? Overclocking is changing the speed of your parts so that they run faster, to get more performance out of your money. Certain parts are built with overclocking in mind. Overclocking is faster but they also run hotter, so you might want a better cooler. If you have an intel build, you need a specific motherboard, and a processor with a K at the end. What are some Upgrades you would recommend if you don't want to do a completely new build? for general purpose use, I'd reccomend an SSD. Blazing fast, and they are getting cheaper by the day! If you don't have a gpu, but have a computer built in the past few years, and you don't want to build a new rig I'd get an Nvidia GTX 750 Ti, because they game pretty well and are pretty cheap. An aftermarket heatsink is always reccomended, so you can get extra performance out of your cpu and gpu, and it'll run cooler/more efficiently. Edited by RockmanDash12, Sep 25 2014, 07:51 PM.
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Video Game, Anime and Tech Fan
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| hooflung128 | Mar 5 2014, 11:43 PM Post #51 |
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Level 7
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I have some classic PC CPU's if anyone is interested and has a board for them. I have cpu's ranging from 486DX33's, Cyrix PR200+, Pentium MMX, Athlon 1, Pentium IIs, etc etc. I used to collect and I have them in a box. I'll take a pic this weekend if anyone is interested. I don't guarantee any to work but I'll give them free to a good home if you pay shipping. Some still have the original OEM heat sinks on them. I actually think I have some Pentium Overdrive's for 486mobo's as well. I have at least 30 CPU's. Also have some later model chips like Duron etc and I have an original AGP Radeon 32mb SDR and Volari V8 AGP that should still work. Edited by hooflung128, Mar 5 2014, 11:47 PM.
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Youtube page | My HeatWare rating.![]() ![]() | |
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| RockmanDash12 | May 7 2014, 09:31 PM Post #52 |
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Anime Fan, Handheld Lover, VN Nut
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Updated build to match prices, will update the 1000 build to add case later. |
Video Game, Anime and Tech Fan
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| RockmanDash12 | Sep 25 2014, 07:45 PM Post #53 |
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Anime Fan, Handheld Lover, VN Nut
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Update time! It's been a while so there's quite a bit of changes, and they are much more competitive to consoles ![]() Every tier is getting an update in some form. Tier 1: New case (bitfenix Merc) Tier 2: 6300 for 8320 due to price change, new case (bitfenix merc) Tier 3: AMD gets an SSD, swapped for Strix 285 also on both. Tier 4: New Case, Strix 970's Tier 5: Haswell E, DDR4, SLI 970's Edited by RockmanDash12, Sep 25 2014, 07:52 PM.
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Video Game, Anime and Tech Fan
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11:43 AM Jul 13