So I'm looking into getting a new desktop computer...

[Sejon]

I'd rather have a custom-built PC, as my previous one was a Dell and I was less than impressed.

I've been looking at www.ibuypower.com and emailed them for any suggestions, mentioning that I'm only a casual gamer, and that working with big files in design software such as Photoshop, Painter, and Illustrator was vastly more important.

In response, they sent me this set-up:

http://www.ibuypower.com/Store/Confi...s.aspx?mid=349

How does that look? It seems like it might be a bit over-the-top, but my budget's around $1000 and it only just crests that, at least.

Any recommendations/advice on this would be much appreciated! I do a lot of my artwork on my laptop and it's really straining the poor little guy. I need something a lot faster and more heavy-duty, and with more upgradeability.

[John Mora]

Re: So I'm looking into getting a new desktop computer...

It could be okay, but I feel like you could get something cheaper and less tacky-looking. What you really need to focus on is a good graphics card and lots of RAM (6GB, at least) if you're gonna be doing a lot of editing and multi-tasking. Which means a 64-bit OS is a must.

[Sejon]

Re: So I'm looking into getting a new desktop computer...

Yea, I figured there'd be more economical options than that. I just don't know where to find them!

When they sent me that link, I laughed considering the first thing it read was "Gamer Paladin", when I had stressed that gaming wasn't important to me.

[DK]

Re: So I'm looking into getting a new desktop computer...

Well you went to a site who advertises "High Performance Custom Gaming Computers"~

Though actually all those things that isn't a terrible price, no monitor though? Or am I missing something.

[hitogoroshi]

Re: So I'm looking into getting a new desktop computer...

Poked around on newegg a bit, is something like this what you had in mind? It leaves you plenty of money to get a good monitor and still stay in budget.

[Sejon]

Re: So I'm looking into getting a new desktop computer...

Well you went to a site who advertises "High Performance Custom Gaming Computers"~

Though actually all those things that isn't a terrible price, no monitor though? Or am I missing something.

Yea, but it was the one site my friend referred me to. But I guess my needs aren't terribly different from a gamer's needs, tech-wise.

And no monitor is included, although that isn't a big deal as I already have one. But it's one of the reasons I'm gunning for something cheaper.

Also, I noticed there's a sizable price difference between Intel and AMD processors, with Intel being more costly. Is there really much point to choosing Intel over AMD?

[John Mora]

Re: So I'm looking into getting a new desktop computer...

Intel Graphics Accelerator? {:s

If Sejon got that, I'd advise getting a third-party graphics card, to boot.

[hitogoroshi]

Re: So I'm looking into getting a new desktop computer...

Eeep, that's what I get for quick browsing. Yeah, get one with a real card.

[Sampson]

Re: So I'm looking into getting a new desktop computer...

Try this build:

Case $70:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129021

MBoard $100:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813130235

Processor $100:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103680

Ram $213:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145268

Video Card $165:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150462

Hard Drive $90:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822152185

Optical Drive $90:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827136162

Sound Card:
Onboard

Total: $828
Stats: 3.1 Quad Core, 4 GB DDR3 1600 (very fast), 1GB Video Card, 1TB HDD, Blu-Ray player

EDIT:

If you want more upgradability, you can drop another $100 on the MBoard and buy one with 2 PCIx16 slots and still be under $100. You could also throw in a sound card.

[Perversion]

Re: So I'm looking into getting a new desktop computer...

Actually, when I get mine built, I'm probably looking for about what Sejon is. Gonna go through Tiger Direct (now Comp USA), though, as there's a storefront with attached warehouse 5 minutes from work. Only thing I'm gonna get, though, is a video card with HDMI out (and preferably an HDMI in, but I don't even know if that exists...if not, maybe component or DVI, as I have a DVI to HDMI converter cable...actually, do graphics cards EVER even have inputs for video?) and an audio card with 5.1 dedicated analog outs, and toslink (fiber optic) in and out. If I'm gonna do this, I wanna do it up right the first time.

Only thing I would caution about the terabyte HDD is that it's been my buddy's experience (the one who is certified to build PCs, and who's gonna build this for me) that the bigger the HDD, the more chance you have of the hard drive crashing or becoming corrupted.

Basing this on his recommendation, I'd get as big of a solid state drive as you can afford (he's got a 32 gig in his) to store irreplacable data (your OS, any of your artwork, etc), and then store non-essential stuff on a more reasonably sized internal HDD (maybe 250-500 GB) and make backups on a bigger external HDD. This guy has permanently lost a bunch of songs he created and video stuff he's worked on because his entire HDD was corrupted.

[Sampson]

Re: So I'm looking into getting a new desktop computer...

Only thing I would caution about the terabyte HDD is that it's been my buddy's experience (the one who is certified to build PCs, and who's gonna build this for me) that the bigger the HDD, the more chance you have of the hard drive crashing or becoming corrupted.

Basing this on his recommendation, I'd get as big of a solid state drive as you can afford (he's got a 32 gig in his) to store irreplacable data (your OS, any of your artwork, etc), and then store non-essential stuff on a more reasonably sized internal HDD (maybe 250-500 GB) and make backups on a bigger external HDD. This guy has permanently lost a bunch of songs he created and video stuff he's worked on because his entire HDD was corrupted.

I think your buddy had a bad experience, random HDD corruptions are not generally the norm if you get a HDD from a reputable brand.

I know I've had my 500 GB drive for almost three years and never had an issue.

And actually, if you're worried about files I'd stay away from SSD for the time being. The technology is pretty new, and there's complaints on sites like newegg of peoples drives' completely dying after six months.

If you want to be safe you could just find a server for important files, or get three 3 500 GB HDDs and run them in RAID 3.

[Sejon]

Re: So I'm looking into getting a new desktop computer...

I was thinking of having a primary HD that's 1 TB, and a secondary that's 2 500 GB with a RAID 1 data security set-up, and that's where I'd store my artwork. I think that would suffice.

Thanks so much for the help, everyone, especially Sampson!

[Sampson]

Re: So I'm looking into getting a new desktop computer...

One thing that I forgot to add the build: power supply.

You probably want to go with something that's between 700 and 800 watts, and get a decent brand like Corsair or Antec. Power supplies slowly lose max wattage over time, especially if you get a crappy brand, and if you get something cheap and go to upgrade a year or two down the line, you may find that the PS no longer kicks out enough to handle the upgrade. It happened to me when I bought a rocketfish.

Something like this should suffice ($95):

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139006

[DK]

Re: So I'm looking into getting a new desktop computer...

I dunno, if it's going to be nearly a grand anyway I think I'd rather just spring for that pre-built with the i7 processor.

[Sampson]

Re: So I'm looking into getting a new desktop computer...

I dunno, if it's going to be nearly a grand anyway I think I'd rather just spring for that pre-built with the i7 processor.

Let me change my previous build slightly to this:

Power Supply $95:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139006

Case $70:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129021

MBoard $120:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813136067

Processor $166:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103674

Ram $213:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145268

Video Card $165:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150462

Hard Drive $90:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822152185

Optical Drive $100:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-162-_-Product

Sound Card:
Onboard

Total: $1019

The one that Sejon linked is more expensive. Let's compare them.

My build has (that the pre-built doesn't):
A blu-ray player
A better motherboard
Faster, significantly better quality ram
Twice as much HDD space (probably better quality HDD too)
Much better quality Power Supply
Arguably better quality case
Slightly better video card

The pre-built has:
the i7
the fact that you don't have to spend two hours building it

Now, the i7 is great, but is it world's better than Phenom II? Not really.