An introductory guide to the world of PC gaming, including DIY and maintenance (with usergroup!)

[Soopy]

Seeing as it's surprisingly cheap considering some other rigs I've checked out, would you recommend your own rig as something one could do as a first-time build?

If you can put lego together, you can build a PC. Parts combination is the tricky bit, just research it. Physically building them is VERY easy. Just plugging stuff in.

 

[VoidWanderer]

I would like to point out that PCs need to be upgraded on a semi-regular basis so it can keep playing the most recent games. The console only requires to be bought once.

I was originaly a PC gamer, but given that my graphics card had trouble with WoW, I decided to go to console and see hope the PS3 works. I will only go back to PC, if I could afford the necesary upgrades to get and by going on YouTube...

 

[Soopy]

I would like to point out that PCs need to be upgraded on a semi-regular basis so it can keep playing the most recent games. The console only requires to be bought once.

I was originaly a PC gamer, but given that my graphics card had trouble with WoW, I decided to go to console and see hope the PS3 works. I will only go back to PC, if I could afford the necesary upgrades to get and by going on YouTube...

The pay off is far superior performance. You don't HAVE to upgrade all the time, once every few years is plenty provided you're not bothered about maxing out games. Which you can't do on a console anyway.

 

[Arawn]

I've been tinkering with the idea of building my own computer. I lack the confidence to be sure I've broken more things than I've created successfully. In the end I might just pick up a system and then upgrade as needed. What little I do know about working on computers I've learned from friends, the internet, and of course magazines. A DIY seems like fun, but I'll keep looking around and see if it will work out.Much praise to the OP. A rather nifty guide to say the least. Easy to follow.

 

[jurnag12]

Seeing as it's surprisingly cheap considering some other rigs I've checked out, would you recommend your own rig as something one could do as a first-time build?

If you can put lego together, you can build a PC. Parts combination is the tricky bit, just research it. Physically building them is VERY easy. Just plugging stuff in.

You underestimate my incompetence with building things. The guitar I tried to build exploded.

 

[Soopy]

A guitar is a great deal more complicated than a PC.

If you can do a car seat belt up, you can do a PC build. It's literally the same skill.

 

[Syntax Error]

Don't forget the maintenance after building it! Ultimately, PC's might be more cumbersome than consoles, but they're far more rewarding. Remember how in Portal 2, they revealed that seeing a problem solved causes a euphoric high on the AI's? It's the same as that, with the addition of gaining some more knowledge. Also, I've recently reformatted from XP to Win 7 64-bit (about damn time!), and getting some more use out of 4GB of memory and my old 9800GT Sonic Edition is OSSUM (that card would probably be 5/6 years old now, since I got it used)!!!

 

[SonOfVoorhees]

Great thread. I dont really use my laptop for gaming, mainly use steam for Xcom and other old games. I keep consoles for more up to date titles. If i decide to not get a xbone/PS4 then i just wont game. Just continue with my 360 until it dies and thats it.

 

[IronMit]

I'm not sure if I can trust PC gamers that keep telling me their set up is already more powerful then the PS4.
Sure spec for spec it is...but after optimisation of a dedicated gaming platform your PC would need to be significantly more powerful.

Its amazing what this gen of £120 consoles can do on 512mb ram.
For £120 for a pc you would get a case, power unit, fan and a copy of windows.

I will wait until the console is released and then pop over to a friends house and see if a £1000 rig is worth it

 

[jurnag12]

So, after some searching for bargains (Yes, I'm cheap), I've come up with the following build that I could probably throw together for about 300 euros (Which according to some course-calculations website is about 387$)

CPU: AMD A8-3870K Black Edition 3,0GHz
Mobo: ASUS FM1 F1A75-V PRO
GPU: AMD Radeon HD6530D 1GB
RAM: 8GB DDR3 Kingston
PSU: Cooler Master 550 watt
HDD: 500 GB SataIII, 120 GB Maxtor
Optical: Samsung Optical Disc Drive
And some cooling.

Any opinions on if this could be a decent gaming PC? (I'm not exactly after high-end graphics, so as long as it can run stuff at medium at a good FPS I'm as happy as can be).

EDIT: Alternatively: a GeForce GTX 465 as GPU, which oughta crank the graphics power up a bit, for about 50 euros more.

 

[Joccaren]

Seeing as it's surprisingly cheap considering some other rigs I've checked out, would you recommend your own rig as something one could do as a first-time build?

And on a somewhat different topic, how does it run, say, Far Cry 3?

First question:
Yes and no.
As has been said, the technical skills in building a PC are rather easy. Not as easy as they're exaggerated to be, but if you can build a skeletal cube with mechano, and plug your console into your TV, you can build a PC. Is this the right thing for you to do... IDK.
Firstly, what skills does building a PC require?
1. The ability to look, and think before you act. Note your CPU has one corner where there are no pins [Or whatever that corner is that is different, been a while since I plugged one in]. Note how the socket has one corner with no pins [or W/E]. Realise that both corners with no pins should match up.
Note that your graphics card had a long plug-in-able chip bit on the bottom. Note your motherboard has a long plug thing that is identical in shape, asking for something to be plugged into it. Realise that this is where you should plug your graphics card. ect. Examine all parts closely to make sure things match up perfectly.
2. The ability to plug things together. Plug a cable into a TV, plug RAM into the Mobo - basically the same thing, only it can feel as though you're going to break the parts when putting a PC together. 99% of the time, you're not going to, and the reason they're not plugging in is because you're not pushing hard enough - they can take a lot of force compared to what they look like they can. Just make sure you've got it around the right way as per step 1 before trying.
3. The ability to use a screwdriver and screws. The case will need screwing together. Sometimes the HDDs will need to be screwed into their holders. The GPU needs to be screwed to the case, as does the Mobo and liquid cooling if you get it, as do all fans. There is a lot of screwing.

Outside of that you just need to be able to read instructions, and follow skill 1. The part that I'm concerned about is safety.
Rule #1: DO NOT PUT BARE CHIPS ON CARPET. Leave them in the static-proof wrap they come in until you plug/screw them in. Additionally I highly recommend NOT touching the face of any chips, and before touching a chip ensuring you are constantly grounded to the case. Failure to follow this guideline may result in a static discharge affecting your chip, and utterly destroying its usefulness then and there.
Rule #2: NEVER leave the PC plugged in and turned out whilst your dicking around inside it. Just... No. This should be self explanatory as to why.
Rule #3: Be careful with screwdrivers. Do not scrape the chips with one. If yours is magnetic, do not touch the chips with it. Ensure no metal scrapings from accidentally screwing in something too tight are on your chips. Do not leave loose screws lying around.

Additionally, good cable management is recommended for good airflow, but probably not necessary.

Really, look up guides online; on places like Youtube and Overclock.net; and follow the instructions seen on them for a good guide.

Farcry 3 question: How does what run Farcry 3? My PC? Brilliantly. PCs are all different though, so we've got little idea unless you specify the specs of the PC, or say its a console, that your looking at running Farcry 3.

I would like to point out that PCs need to be upgraded on a semi-regular basis so it can keep playing the most recent games. The console only requires to be bought once.

I was originaly a PC gamer, but given that my graphics card had trouble with WoW, I decided to go to console and see hope the PS3 works. I will only go back to PC, if I could afford the necesary upgrades to get and by going on YouTube...

False.
I could have kept my 9800GTX and still been playing the newest games out now. Granted it'd be at 720p, and on lowest settings, but that's the same as any console. You don't need to upgrade your PC unless you want to max things out, and even then there's only a few games that you'll need to upgrade to achieve that for so... Yeah.
This is, of course, assuming you didn't buy the cheapest GPU on the market at the time of your PC purchase. That's just asking for problems like that.

I think Skyrim is far more intensive that it has any right to be . But that's just typical of bethesda.

Yeah, but in terms of what it requires from the graphics card without mods, it isn't really all that much. More CPU, and general stability issues than anything. Up the draw distance on actors and items and such and it starts to stress a bit, but my 9800 managed max normal settings, and mid of the draw distances just fine back before I upgraded.

 

[Soopy]

That GPU might struggle with new and up coming titles even on medium. Aside from that, looks alright.

 

[Ren_Li]

Wow, this is really wall-of-text-y, which is not a complaint- but I don't think I'll be getting through this now! I will definitely come back to this when I'll be upgrading from my laptop to a decent desktop machine for gaming.

I do have one query, which is the potential difficulty of having a machine able to run both older games (in my case, the first NWN and KotOR I and II) and newer games. I know I can't run new games on my rather dated laptop but I was surprised to find that, while I can run NWN, when I purchased copies of both KotOR games, I also couldn't run them. For a relative newbie to, well... technology in general if I'm honest, any advice?

But yeah, even if you have zero advice on that score, I will definitely be keeping track of this thread for when I'm in a position to be thinking of buying my desktop, so thank you.

 

[RicoADF]

I am still holding out hope that Sony still wants me as a customer but if they drop the ball, I will have this bookmarked and ready to give me my gaming fix. Now I'm sure this doesn't cover everything but this seems to be a GREAT starting guide for a PC newb like myself.

Sofar their doing well, but it's a long road ahead.....

OT: I seriously couldn't be bothered to read all of that to fact check, quick skim read looks good so good work mate. I would however suggest some images if you can, break up the wall of text.

CPU: AMD A8-3870K Black Edition 3,0GHz
Mobo: ASUS FM1 F1A75-V PRO
GPU: AMD Radeon HD6530D 1GB
RAM: 8GB DDR3 Kingston
PSU: Cooler Master 550 watt
HDD: 500 GB SataIII, 120 GB Maxtor
Optical: Samsung Optical Disc Drive
And some cooling.

I'd suggest a higher end graphics card if you can, you may not be worried about high end graphics but a low end card will quickly end up unable to play games, unless you plan to upgrade it later. It's hard to recommend as I live in Australia, so it's hard to gauge value for money etc.

 

[Zeckt]

As much as I love my gaming pc I doubt I could resist the siren call of the ps4 when it gets enough exclusives for it. It actually looks fairly decent to the point where microsoft is not even a consideration for me anymore.

 

[Strazdas]

Well it was a budget build, but i woudl suggest going for at least i-5 if you build for gaming becasue you need to build to account for the requirements jump during the console launch. Also the 500 series GPUs not that expensive anymore.

I have a question! Why is that to avoid the DRM, no used games, and always online policies would someone get a PC. PC has had all of that for years.

If people want to get into PC for a different reason OP's post is helpful, though I do have one thing to add: Google is your friend. If you have a problem or a question, google it and chances are you will find an answer.

Some PC games got DRM. though that did increase a lot lately.
PC games got plenty of used games.
Very few PC games got always online policies. Save for MMOs that you have to play online anyway, i can count 3 major games that do that - AC2, Diablo 3 and SimCity. So, 3 games in 3 years isnt much.
Yep google is great, another feature that is native to PC.

I could have kept my 9800GTX and still been playing the newest games out now. Granted it'd be at 720p, and on lowest settings, but that's the samebetter as any console.

fixed this. Many console games dont reach 720p and those that do are upscaled (so not real 720p). Also quite a few games even on lowest settings have better graphics than Console games now due to sheer fact of not needing to downsample textures because PCs have enough power to run as they are.
And while i was having trouble and plan to buy new PC this year, my 8600 still run games. Not all of them anymore though.

 

[Joccaren]

I'm not sure if I can trust PC gamers that keep telling me their set up is already more powerful then the PS4.
Sure spec for spec it is...but after optimisation of a dedicated gaming platform your PC would need to be significantly more powerful.

Its amazing what this gen of £120 consoles can do on 512mb ram.
For £120 for a pc you would get a case, power unit, fan and a copy of windows.

I will wait until the console is released and then pop over to a friends house and see if a £1000 rig is worth it

It was more than 120 pound at launch, I'll tell you that.
Hell, down here in Aus the PS3 launched for $1000.
I could get a damn nice PC for that, and I did.

As for power, lolno, PCs are more powerful. Even accounting for so called optimization.
As an example, the PS4 and Xbone use x86 architecture. Same architecture as PCs. Not a lot of optimization there that you can do that you can't do on the PCs.
The optimisation that will make a difference is the optimisation that actually affects the quality. Making larger gun models to hide more of the screen, cutting down the FoV so not as much is rendered, dropping the draw distance and adding fog so the GPU doesn't light on fire.
The main advantage consoles have is the streamlined OS, which isn't that much of an advantage. For one that OS seems to be becoming less and less streamlined, more and more like a PC. Secondly, lets say we're using Vista. Yay, that's 1Gb RAM we've got to worry about.
Now lets compare specs:
PS4 [The one with the better specs]:
CPU: 8 core AMD Jaguar, clock speed not specified.
RAM: 8Gb GDDR5 [Graphics memory, but being used as system memory too]
GPU: Suspected equivalent of a 7790, maybe a bit better.
HDD: 500Gb

My PC from 2 years ago:
CPU: 4 core [8 Through hyperthreading] Intel i7 OC @ 4.5Ghz
RAM: 12Gb DDR3 system RAM, 2*2Gb GDDR5 Graphics RAM [Technically only counts as 2Gb as its in SLI, though I could swap it to 4Gb at any time if I so wished by cancelling the SLI]
GPU: 2*560Ti 2Gb in SLI [Going from online sources, 1 single 560Ti defeats a HD 7790, both in hardware specifications and in the few benchmarks I quickly looked up, and I've had 2 of them for 2 years]
HDD: 3 * 500Gb drives, 1 * 2Tb drive, 1 * 256Gb SSD

Add all the optimisation you want, the PS4 is weaker than my PC, and my PC isn't that great [Some of its specs ARE overkill, but then there's the 12Gb DDR3 RAM which isn't using the dual channel capabilities until I add another 4Gb, and I really could have 32Gb RAM on my Mobo if I wanted, and the two SLI 560Tis aren't as good as the 780 that was recently released, and my 500Gb drives are normal drives, and kinda slow when I could be using SSDs, and could had a dedicated 50-100Gb SSD just for Windows, but hey, its two years old. I think I deserve some slack so far as top of the line goes].

The only reason you'll see better performance on a PS4 than on a PC like mine with equivalent settings is because of poor porting thanks to the devs, not because the PS4 is more powerful, or can be optimised that much.
As for the whole 512Mb RAM thing, I'll tell you where that got us; Corridor shooters, and terribly low-res textures. The main things the RAM is used for, and consoles failed horribly at them.

 

[Joccaren]

For a relative newbie to, well... technology in general if I'm honest, any advice?

Google it.

No, really, that is the best advice I can give at this point. I don't remember what KotOR 1 ran on, though knowing my luck it'll need DOSbox or something to emulate that and some settings to run it. Just Google "Running KotOR 1 on Windows 7" or W/E, and follow the instructions you find. 90% chance that's what anyone else here would do.

On the fipside though, you only need that for the extremely old games, and some rare mid-old games. Most newer old games, ME/XP era and such, will run fine with just compatibility mode turned on for them [Right click shortcut, properties, compatibility, "Run in compatibility mode" then select the OS you first used to run it].

 

[blackrave]

I REALLY hate term mobo
I personally consider everyone who is seriously using it to be at the same level as those SOBs who keep saying yolo constantly
I prefer to call it Mother

 

[jurnag12]

I'd suggest a higher end graphics card if you can, you may not be worried about high end graphics but a low end card will quickly end up unable to play games, unless you plan to upgrade it later. It's hard to recommend as I live in Australia, so it's hard to gauge value for money etc.

As mentioned in my edit above: would a GeForce GTX 465 suffice?