Poll: Decided to build a PC, what do you think?

[TOO S0BER]

OK, I made a thread earlier called "Dilemma, to build or to buy?" and got an overwhelming response: Everyone said to build. So, i've done research, took a basic computer class, asked people at stores, on electronics sites, even subscribed to a couple magazines. Now, I have a build and I want to know what people think.

Processor: Overclocked Intel Core i7 2.8 GHz (3.46 GHz) 8mb Lvl 2 (LGA1366)
Motherboard: Asus-ATX 2000/1600/1333/1066 MHz Up to 24 GB RAM DDR3
Graphics: nVidia GeForce GTX 460 1GB GDDR5 (x2)
RAM: Corsair 1600 MHz (3 Sticks at 2GB Each)
Power Supply: Thermaltake 1000w TR2 ATX
Case: Antec 902
Heat Sink: Thermaltake Spin Q Universal
Hard Drive: Caviar Black 1TB SATA 7200 RPM
Disk Drive: DVD Combo

This build ranges from $1,622 to $1,922 depending on whether I want a second graphics card. Also please note that this doesn't include any peripherals. Basically, this is the barebones build (the Tower only). I plan on recycling my old laser mouse that I'm using on this laptop, and using an old keyboard. Also not incorporating any software as of yet.

 

[strum4h]

Looks pretty solid. Just make sure to read all the reviews and make sure everything should be compatible. I have stuck by those two rules and it has helped my pc's last 10+ years. Just make sure to OC carefully. Or actually dont OC at all at first to see how it runs. If you OC it could shorten the life of your processor.

 

[SimuLord]

I'd try it without overclocking first---that is a beefy system (as well it should be for that kind of money!) You could get four or five years of good gaming out of a PC like that. (I say this as a guy who spent $1500 on a computer four years ago and it's just barely starting to show its age.)

 

[TOO S0BER]

@strum4h Yeah, when I was talking to the Best Buy guy (heh try saying that three times fast) he said it comes pre-overclocked for me. I don't have the experience (and therefore the confidence) to overclock it myself.

@SimuLord I'm shooting for 5-6 years with this thing. Unlike my parents, i'm willing to shell out for a good computer. They simply don't understand because they grew up in the days when computers did not really exist for common families (to which I understand).

 

[strum4h]

@strum4h Yeah, when I was talking to the Best Buy guy (heh try saying that three times fast) he said it comes pre-overclocked for me. I don't have the experience (and therefore the confidence) to overclock it myself.

@SimuLord I'm shooting for 5-6 years with this thing. Unlike my parents, i'm willing to shell out for a good computer. They simply don't understand because they grew up in the days when computers did not really exist for common families (to which I understand).

I actually used to work at best buy as a geek squad agent.

 

[TOO S0BER]

*snip* quote]
I actually used to work at best buy as a geek squad agent.

Oh really? How what it? Seems like it'd be kind of fun.

 

[strum4h]

*snip* quote]
I actually used to work at best buy as a geek squad agent.

Oh really? How what it? Seems like it'd be kind of fun.

It was for a year. After that you get really mad at people that click on every pop-up and you have to clean all the viruses off of there computers. Also I have heard the phrase "I deleted internet explorer now it is gone" WAY too much.

 

[TOO S0BER]

@burntheartist lol I wouldn't really know. At the time I went with what the Best Buy guy said for the PSU. I've heard that on maximumpc.com has a wattage calculator or something. Haven't taken that for a spin. If you go to maximumpc.com read their Dream Machine 2010 article. That thing is a beast...and will set you back a pretty penny.

 

[TOO S0BER]

*snip* quote]
I actually used to work at best buy as a geek squad agent.

Oh really? How what it? Seems like it'd be kind of fun.

It was for a year. After that you get really mad at people that click on every pop-up and you have to clean all the viruses off of there computers. Also I have heard the phrase "I deleted internet explorer now it is gone" WAY too much.

lol. I know I'm guilty of some of that (thankfully nothing as stupid as deleting Explorer). That does sound frustrating, having to clean up. I've hunted down a few viruses on this laptop before. It's not fun lol.

OT: Maybe I should have included the OS and the Norton (or McAfee) security suite I plan to buy...I'm gonna surf the net (limited to Youtube and maybe another couple sites I trust, and do the rest on my already infested laptop).

 

[SomeLameStuff]

Looks pretty good.

Quick question, what currency are you using? The computer I built with those specs came up to about 3k.

 

[Lacsapix]

the specs are awsome, but dont overclock it... its an i7 its awsome on its own that it does not need to be overclocked.
makes me think of my dream computer.:

Spoiler

PU -- Intel Core i7 980x 3.33 Ghz (Six Core)
Video -- GeForce GTX 480
Audio -- Logitech 5.1 550 Speakers
Storage -- 4.5 TB total
RAM -- 8 GB
Drives -- 1 DVD Burner, 1 CD Burner
Motherboard -- Asus P6T
Keyboard -- Logitech G19
Mouse -- Logitech G500
OS -- Windows 7 Ultimate
I am getting the money together slowly and some of the parts I alrady have.

 

[Bon_Clay]

OT: Maybe I should have included the OS and the Norton (or McAfee) security suite I plan to buy...I'm gonna surf the net (limited to Youtube and maybe another couple sites I trust, and do the rest on my already infested laptop).

If you're thinking of getting Norton of McAfee save yourself the time and just go ahead and punch yourself in the groin a few times and you'll get the same experience.

Seriously though I haven't used Norton in almost 10 year now, but McAfee I can say for certain is currently a pile of horse shit without the potential value as manure. When I stupidly clicked a very sketchy link while being too impatient for a more trustworthy one to appear for streaming something, I got raped by trogans. McAfee did more harm than good, I couldn't even boot into safe mode for a while.

But using Avast and Malwarebytes I was able to bring it back to life. So I would suggest those, or AVG or Microsoft Security Essentials, etc. There are plenty of better options all of which are free.

 

[TOO S0BER]

@Lacsapix Well, if yours is $3k, it's because you're including peripherals (the speakers, mouse, keyboard). Mine is the "barebones". Meaning the pricetag isn't including the peripherals. When I do add them mine will likely go beyond $1922. Especially for the monitor.

@Marq Yeah it sounded like 1000 W would be enough. I pretty much asked the BB guy straightforward, and he seemed to know off the bat. But if it's my money going towards this (and it is) I want to be sure. Thanks for the tip on the dual graphics cards. That'll save me $300 for the monitor. I'll go ahead and check out some ATX.

 

[Hairetos]

the specs are awsome, but dont overclock it... its an i7 its awsome on its own that it does not need to be overclocked.
makes me think of my dream computer.:

Spoiler

PU -- Intel Core i7 980x 3.33 Ghz (Six Core)
Video -- GeForce GTX 480
Audio -- Logitech 5.1 550 Speakers
Storage -- 4.5 TB total
RAM -- 8 GB
Drives -- 1 DVD Burner, 1 CD Burner
Motherboard -- Asus P6T
Keyboard -- Logitech G19
Mouse -- Logitech G500
OS -- Windows 7 Ultimate
I am getting the money together slowly and some of the parts I alrady have.

Dude...you don't need half of that. You're NEVER IN YOUR LIFETIME going to use 4.5 terabytes of information and probably won't ever come close to using 8 gigs of ram. And you won't need 6 cores for at least a couple of years.

Big numbers are fun everywhere but the price line, which is where you're going to get kicked in the balls.

 

[TOO S0BER]

@Bon_Clay Yeah. When i was typing that message I couldn't remember the other brands(?) out there atm. Thanks for the tip; i'll save my groin some trouble.

 

[TOO S0BER]

the specs are awsome, but dont overclock it... its an i7 its awsome on its own that it does not need to be overclocked.
makes me think of my dream computer.:

Spoiler

PU -- Intel Core i7 980x 3.33 Ghz (Six Core)
Video -- GeForce GTX 480
Audio -- Logitech 5.1 550 Speakers
Storage -- 4.5 TB total
RAM -- 8 GB
Drives -- 1 DVD Burner, 1 CD Burner
Motherboard -- Asus P6T
Keyboard -- Logitech G19
Mouse -- Logitech G500
OS -- Windows 7 Ultimate
I am getting the money together slowly and some of the parts I alrady have.

Dude...you don't need half of that. You're NEVER IN YOUR LIFETIME going to use 4.5 terabytes of information and probably won't ever come close to using 8 gigs of ram.

Big numbers are fun everywhere but the price line, which is where you're going to get kicked in the balls.

Yeah I have to agree with Hairetos. What are you gonna use 4.5 TBs for? Do you doa shit ton of movie editing? My teacher in the computer course I took, said he has a friend that has (literally) 5.5 terrabytes of music.

For my own machine, I doubt i'll use a quarter of that 1 terrabyte. But, at the time, I thought "Why not?". But IMHO, 4.5 terrabytes seems a waste of money. How much would that hard drive cost anyway?