User Panel
Posted: 11/29/2018 2:39:13 PM EDT
Starting from scratch. If I can build rifles I can bolt hardware together to make a PC, but have zero knowledge when it comes to software, troubleshooting, etc.. I want to get into it for FPS games (I have found minimum requirements for a build online) but to also teach myself a little more about computers in general since it's something that has always interested me but I've never dedicated the time to learn the ins and outs.
With that being said, I have watched a few hours worth of YouTube videos but haven't found the step by step info/guidance I'm looking for to do what I would like to. Is there a good place to start to learn what parts to acquire, software setup/compatibility, basic computer must-knows, etc.? |
|
[#1]
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YYsT-i7L5tc
Check that video out. Graphics card is more important than cpu in terms of fps nowadays. Amd 6 or 8 core cpu is a great value, give them a chance. Nvidia has better high end performance but you will pay for it. |
|
[#2]
How to Build a PC! Step-by-step |
|
[#3]
amd is the best bang for the buck
have you set a budget yet? does that include monitor/kb/mouse/ect? what are your expectations for the pc? |
|
[#4]
|
|
[#5]
Gonna throw in Logical Increments here. Check it out, and do your homework. Know what you need to do before you need to do it.
|
|
[#6]
Learn about computer parts here:
https://www.hardocp.com If you are a beginner I would start with an Intel processor and ASUS motherboards. You will almost never get a bad part from ASUS or Intel and eliminate having to troubleshoot a bad component. |
|
[#7]
This thread was a help for my son.
$902 delivered. He changed one thing from the final suggestion. I forget what. |
|
[#8]
Building a PC is rewarding and lets you pick exactly what you want in it. I recommend doing it a couple of times. (I buy now, but I don't play games so performance means less to me.)
One thing I will add, build your PC using the built-in sound first. Test it out and decide if you need an extra sound card or not. It used to be you get crap sound and had to have a card. But, my old card sounds a lot worse than my new built in one (a week or so old) on the Gigabyte motherboard. No sound card needed. When watching Youtube Videos about components, be sure to check the published date. Anything older than about 6 months needs to have an "Is this up to date" reality check. For example M2 socket SSD drives (which look like a stick of RAM) are the new thing and take up much less space. Good luck! |
|
[#9]
Thermodynamics, electronics, design, finance, project management, sales skills are key.
What kind of FPS titles are you fixing to play? Interested in online streaming? Video editing? |
|
[#10]
View Quote |
|
[#11]
Quoted:
amd is the best bang for the buck have you set a budget yet? does that include monitor/kb/mouse/ect? what are your expectations for the pc? View Quote Expectations- FPS machine, ease of use when it comes to software. Maybe minor video editing in the future. Nothing really other than basic functions for gaming/media. ETA: Will also be running a headset and would like compatibility for VR at some point. Based on another thread I started, VR still has quite a ways to go from the sounds of it so this may be something I would upgrade parts for in the future since I won’t be getting into it right away. |
|
[#12]
Quoted:
Thermodynamics, electronics, design, finance, project management, sales skills are key. What kind of FPS titles are you fixing to play? Interested in online streaming? Video editing? View Quote Also want to be able to run 2 monitors with a potential of 3 in the future if needed. |
|
[#13]
Quoted: I would like to be into everything for around 1200-1500, but am willing to slightly exceed that because I want a good monitor/video card. Expectations- FPS machine, ease of use when it comes to software. Maybe minor video editing in the future. Nothing really other than basic functions for gaming/media. ETA: Will also be running a headset and would like compatibility for VR at some point. Based on another thread I started, VR still has quite a ways to go from the sounds of it so this may be something I would upgrade parts for in the future since I won’t be getting into it right away. View Quote 1080? 1440? 4k? 24? 32? 60hz, 144hz, 240hz? mouse and keyboard @100-200 would be good the video card again is what can range 200 would be a nice start, 400 would get a vega 64/1070ti/1080, if you can get a good sale |
|
[#14]
I'd go for 1440p 144hz. 4K is an uphill battle and waste of money. 1080p is crap. GSYNC is a must.
|
|
[#15]
Bitwit is relatively new to the scene and is still in the "engagement" stage of his relationship with PC building. That said, nothing really obviously wrong with his builds/advice.
Linus and/or GamersNexus would be a better source IMO as they have a longer history in the PC/gaming industry and have much more technical knowledge. Quoted:
This thread was a help for my son. $902 delivered. He changed one thing from the final suggestion. I forget what. Quoted:
I'd go for 1440p 144hz. 4K is an uphill battle and waste of money. 1080p is crap. GSYNC is a must. 1440p, 120-144hz, 27" is definitely the sweetspot right now for a monitor. You can find solid choices between $300-$500 and a GPU to run it well is going to be in that same range, $300-$500, such as the GTX1070 or the Vega56. Recent monitor deals post I made in the War Gaming forum- Quoted:
I've been eyeing the Nixeus EDG27(FreeSync) which was on sale for $350 a few weeks ago. Acer Predator XB271HU(G-Sync) was on sale for $500 recently. Dell S2716DG(G-Sync) was $350 yesterday, for those that don't mind a TN panel. I'd watch the Tech Report's deal articles on Tuesday/Thursday- https://techreport.com/news.x |
|
[#16]
Quoted: the monitor can range from 200 to 1500 alone, thats why i was askinging about expections 1080? 1440? 4k? 24? 32? 60hz, 144hz, 240hz? mouse and keyboard @100-200 would be good the video card again is what can range 200 would be a nice start, 400 would get a vega 64/1070ti/1080, if you can get a good sale View Quote ETA- As far as specs, whatever I can get with the best refresh rate, resolution, etc. in a price range I’m comfortable with. Call it 500ish |
|
[#17]
it's pretty darn easy OP.
Worst part is parts research. Don't agonize over stuff, you'll go crazy. There's brand fanboys out so hard for brands that you'll read horror stories and great successes. That being said, don't cheap out on a power supply. Get a nice brand name unit, gold rated, and fully modular. I just had to swap mine out, because I cheaped out the first time and it sucked. Breadboard your unit before fitting it into the case - this means hooking mostly everything up outside of the case to make sure you don't have a DOA unit, and have to disassemble everything. Like a motherboard. That sucks. |
|
[#18]
Quoted:
it's pretty darn easy OP. Worst part is parts research. Don't agonize over stuff, you'll go crazy. There's brand fanboys out so hard for brands that you'll read horror stories and great successes. That being said, don't cheap out on a power supply. Get a nice brand name unit, gold rated, and fully modular. I just had to swap mine out, because I cheaped out the first time and it sucked. [color=#ff0000]Breadboard your unit before fitting it into the case - this means hooking mostly everything up outside of the case to make sure you don't have a DOA unit, and have to disassemble everything. Like a motherboard. That sucks. View Quote That's something that everyone has done in every video I've watched and it's solid advice. I just recalled I have a PC that a buddy built for me (nothing fancy with cheap parts) about 6 years ago that I havent used in about 5 years. Im going to dig it out and take it apart to acclimate myself to the layout of everything and how they work with each other. I figure it will be a good way to understand what Im going to need to do once I get a parts list together. Im going to go the build route, instead of buy. Much like buying a rifle and then changing parts to what you want, I just assume do what I want the first time. Yes, I will likely find things that I dont like or want to change, upgrade, etc. but I'm more of a hands on kind of person so building is more intriguing to me. |
|
[#19]
Quoted:
[/color] That's something that everyone has done in every video I've watched and it's solid advice. I just recalled I have a PC that a buddy built for me (nothing fancy with cheap parts) about 6 years ago that I havent used in about 5 years. Im going to dig it out and take it apart to acclimate myself to the layout of everything and how they work with each other. I figure it will be a good way to understand what Im going to need to do once I get a parts list together. Im going to go the build route, instead of buy. Much like buying a rifle and then changing parts to what you want, I just assume do what I want the first time. Yes, I will likely find things that I dont like or want to change, upgrade, etc. but I'm more of a hands on kind of person so building is more intriguing to me. View Quote It takes the mystery out of things. When things screw up, you know you can fix them. I initially wasn't going to breadboard mine, as I was afraid of screwing things up but once I realized that if the motherboard was DOA, it'd be a lot worse, it made more sense. Plus, the first time you hear that POST-beep, it's a magical thing. have you used pcpartpicker at all? I found it helpful just to make sure all my parts would, or might work together. |
|
[#20]
What CPU to Buy - Late 2018 OP, you are a few days late. Black Friday is the best day to order parts for that gaming rig. |
|
[#21]
Buy THIS Instead - RTX 2070 Review |
|
[#23]
Quoted:
For the love of god don't buy AMD crap....Intel ALL the way! View Quote Edit- Plus upgrade-wise AM4 will be compatible with AMD CPUs until at least 2020. |
|
[#24]
Quoted:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vi1dIuSsa4 OP, you are a few days late. Black Friday is the best day to order parts for that gaming rig. View Quote |
|
[#25]
I am too tired and buzzed to contribute much except to say that you can do it.
Reddit buildapc and pcpartpicker are your best resources in this. Dont fall for Intel Hype. Don't pay full retail for Windows 10, shop reddit. Once you get it built, download Steam and live it up. Don't buy a Razer keyboard, they are fragile! Hyper X mechanical, amazing bang for buck. Fear not, bargains are still to be had. |
|
[#26]
Quoted:
I am too tired and buzzed to contribute much except to say that you can do it. Reddit buildapc and pcpartpicker are your best resources in this. Dont fall for Intel Hype. Don't pay full retail for Windows 10, shop reddit. Once you get it built, download Steam and live it up. Don't buy a Razer keyboard, they are fragile! Hyper X mechanical, amazing bang for buck. Fear not, bargains are still to be had. View Quote Can you elaborate on the comment you made about "Intel Hype" so a noob can understand what you mean? Just like the firearm market PC is no different. Everyone has "their" brand and depending on what you read/watch there are a lot of varying opinions. As a side note, I've watched a couple build videos where guys will "de-hood" their card for better heat dissipation. Is that something worth considering or does it depend on what the setup is and the expected temps from said setup? |
|
[#27]
Quoted: Appreciate the input. I did save a tutorial to watch later in regards to getting Windows 10 the cheap way, but Im a little ways off from needing to do that. Can you elaborate on the comment you made about "Intel Hype" so a noob can understand what you mean? Just like the firearm market PC is no different. Everyone has "their" brand and depending on what you read/watch there are a lot of varying opinions. As a side note, I've watched a couple build videos where guys will "de-hood" their card for better heat dissipation. Is that something worth considering or does it depend on what the setup is and the expected temps from said setup? View Quote Intel has been cheaping out on the assembly of their chips and have been using cheap thermal paste with pretty poor applications rather than solder. Some of their newer chips they have switched back to a soldered IHS, so they may have learned their lesson. |
|
[#28]
Quoted:
Appreciate the input. I did save a tutorial to watch later in regards to getting Windows 10 the cheap way, but Im a little ways off from needing to do that. Can you elaborate on the comment you made about "Intel Hype" so a noob can understand what you mean? Just like the firearm market PC is no different. Everyone has "their" brand and depending on what you read/watch there are a lot of varying opinions. As a side note, I've watched a couple build videos where guys will "de-hood" their card for better heat dissipation. Is that something worth considering or does it depend on what the setup is and the expected temps from said setup? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
I am too tired and buzzed to contribute much except to say that you can do it. Reddit buildapc and pcpartpicker are your best resources in this. Dont fall for Intel Hype. Don't pay full retail for Windows 10, shop reddit. Once you get it built, download Steam and live it up. Don't buy a Razer keyboard, they are fragile! Hyper X mechanical, amazing bang for buck. Fear not, bargains are still to be had. Can you elaborate on the comment you made about "Intel Hype" so a noob can understand what you mean? Just like the firearm market PC is no different. Everyone has "their" brand and depending on what you read/watch there are a lot of varying opinions. As a side note, I've watched a couple build videos where guys will "de-hood" their card for better heat dissipation. Is that something worth considering or does it depend on what the setup is and the expected temps from said setup? AMD actually encourages user overclocking in most instances and with a mild overclock, you can achieve greater than stock clock speeds without water cooling or working hard for it. Read up and form your own opinions. Much like guns, with a little self education, you will have your own tastes and likes but many things are 6 of one, half a dozen of the other with little actual noticeable differences to any but the most hardcore user/benchmark numbers addict if you choose properly. Of great importance is choice of case, power supply, and motherboard. You need enough fan headers, USB ports of the desired type, and so on. Cable management will not only make your build nice to look at, but ensure proper cooling and airflow. Taking the cover off from your video card is un needed unless you feel you have a real reason, such as modifying with another cooler due to extreme overclocking. |
|
[#29]
|
|
[#30]
Quoted: My budget is flexible. I’ll call it 1000-1500 for the case and everything in it. I appreciate the monitor info since I haven’t started digging into that yet. ETA- As far as specs, whatever I can get with the best refresh rate, resolution, etc. in a price range I’m comfortable with. Call it 500ish View Quote its about what i just built (caught some sales wo it lowered the price) https://pcpartpicker.com/list/NVBbD2 |
|
[#31]
|
|
[#32]
A gaming computer should not be the first computer you build because if you have problems they're going to probably require you to seek help from a veteran.
If you should make a rookie mistake and end up destroying something, it's going to be an expensive mistake. Start out simple. If you don't need a simpler computer, I recommend you BUY a gaming machine. I'd build my own and in fact I'm planning to. But I have built quite a few PCs over the last three decades. I'm no noob. I still encounter problems that need ironing out, and it's only due to my experience level that I've never had to reach out to a more experienced PC tech for help. No, don't build a gaming rig as your first build. Bad idea. Too much to go wrong. |
|
[#33]
im not saying its the best, it just what i wanted :)
the 3 harddrives are for 1 - boot drive 512gb 970 evo (m.2 nvme) 2 - steam drive 1TB 860 evo (m.2 sata) 3 - other stuff drive (3TB baracuda) you dont need 3 drives, but hey why not |
|
[#34]
Quoted:
A gaming computer should not be the first computer you build because if you have problems they're going to probably require you to seek help from a veteran. If you should make a rookie mistake and end up destroying something, it's going to be an expensive mistake. Start out simple. If you don't need a simpler computer, I recommend you BUY a gaming machine. I'd build my own and in fact I'm planning to. But I have built quite a few PCs over the last three decades. I'm no noob. I still encounter problems that need ironing out, and it's only due to my experience level that I've never had to reach out to a more experienced PC tech for help. No, don't build a gaming rig as your first build. Bad idea. Too much to go wrong. View Quote |
|
[#35]
I just built a new system for my office and a little bit of gaming. Made the switch from Intel I5 to Ryzen 7 and I'm liking it so far.
My first suggestion is to start by building a simple system. If you're a newbie select a decent motherboard with built in audio and video. Once you've stood your system up (OS installed everything) then you can shop for a good video card. I highly recommend going with a midsize or full size ATX case. These cases are much easier to work on and to keep cool. I just did a mini-ITX build and it was a pain to get all the wiring done. Also, pick up a modular power supply. It's nice not to have all the unused wires inside the case. |
|
[#36]
Quoted:
I just built a new system for my office and a little bit of gaming. Made the switch from Intel I5 to Ryzen 7 and I'm liking it so far. My first suggestion is to start by building a simple system. If you're a newbie select a decent motherboard with built in audio and video. Once you've stood your system up (OS installed everything) then you can shop for a good video card. I highly recommend going with a midsize or full size ATX case. These cases are much easier to work on and to keep cool. I just did a mini-ITX build and it was a pain to get all the wiring done. Also, pick up a modular power supply. It's nice not to have all the unused wires inside the case. View Quote |
|
[#37]
Still doing a little final research, but I think I have my parts list just about done. Feel free to give input/suggestions if you have the time.
CPU- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X MOBO_ Asus- ROG Crosshair VII Hero w/ wi-fi (Im open to suggestions on this one) Memory- Corsair Vengeance LPX 8GB 2400 x2 (also not stuck on this, may find something on sale) Storage- Barracuda 2 TB 3.5", ADATA SU800 1TB SSD (picked one up on black friday) and also adding an M.2 of some type. GPU- EVGA GeForce GTX 1070Ti 8GB Power- EVGA SuperNOVA G3 750w Case- Still dont have one I've chosen yet. I have an idea on the keyboard and mouse I'm going to get, but the only other thing I haven't researched yet it a good 1440 monitor. |
|
[#38]
Quoted:
Still doing a little final research, but I think I have my parts list just about done. Feel free to give input/suggestions if you have the time. CPU- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X MOBO_ Asus- ROG Crosshair VII Hero w/ wi-fi (Im open to suggestions on this one) Memory- Corsair Vengeance LPX 8GB 2400 x2 (also not stuck on this, may find something on sale) Storage- Barracuda 2 TB 3.5", ADATA SU800 1TB SSD (picked one up on black friday) and also adding an M.2 of some type. GPU- EVGA GeForce GTX 1070Ti 8GB Power- EVGA SuperNOVA G3 750w Case- Still dont have one I've chosen yet. I have an idea on the keyboard and mouse I'm going to get, but the only other thing I haven't researched yet it a good 1440 monitor. View Quote get an nvme m.2 drive (512mb will be great for boot drive) i used this mobo ASUS ROG Strix X470-F, but the one you listed gets good reviews also do you have a freesync/gsync monitor? |
|
[#39]
Quoted:
Still doing a little final research, but I think I have my parts list just about done. Feel free to give input/suggestions if you have the time. CPU- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X MOBO_ Asus- ROG Crosshair VII Hero w/ wi-fi (Im open to suggestions on this one) Memory- Corsair Vengeance LPX 8GB 2400 x2 (also not stuck on this, may find something on sale) Storage- Barracuda 2 TB 3.5", ADATA SU800 1TB SSD (picked one up on black friday) and also adding an M.2 of some type. GPU- EVGA GeForce GTX 1070Ti 8GB Power- EVGA SuperNOVA G3 750w Case- Still dont have one I've chosen yet. I have an idea on the keyboard and mouse I'm going to get, but the only other thing I haven't researched yet it a good 1440 monitor. View Quote - Save some money and go with a Ryzen 2600 instead of the X model since you can overclock the 2600 to X specs. I haven't pulled the trigger on a CPU yet, since I'm waiting to see what the 3000 Ryzen's will bring at CES, which is in a couple of days. - Ryzen likes high(er) memory speed, with 3200 MHz being the "sweet spot". I picked up some XPG 3000mhz 8GB x 4 (32GB's) sticks for $175 about two weeks ago. - I also picked up a SU800 1TB SSD and will use it as a gaming/storage drive and get a MX500 or 860 EVO for a boot drive. I'll probably get the MX500 in M.2. This helped me decided: https://ssd.borecraft.com/documents/SSD_Buying_Guide.pdf - I've looked into PSU's and it seems like anything over 600w's is overkill for a single GPU system. - I'm also waiting to see what AMD has planned at CES for graphics cards, the new RX3080 is rumored to be equivalent to a RTX2070/GTX1080 for $250. Also watch https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapcsales/ for some great deals! |
|
[#40]
Quoted:
I'm also building a new gaming pc now and this is what I'm thinking... - Save some money and go with a Ryzen 2600 instead of the X model since you can overclock the 2600 to X specs. I haven't pulled the trigger on a CPU yet, since I'm waiting to see what the 3000 Ryzen's will bring at CES, which is in a couple of days. - Ryzen likes high(er) memory speed, with 3200 MHz being the "sweet spot". I picked up some XPG 3000mhz 8GB x 4 (32GB's) sticks for $175 about two weeks ago. - I also picked up a SU800 1TB SSD and will use it as a gaming/storage drive and get a MX500 or 860 EVO for a boot drive. I'll probably get the MX500 in M.2. This helped me decided: https://ssd.borecraft.com/documents/SSD_Buying_Guide.pdf - I've looked into PSU's and it seems like anything over 600w's is overkill for a single GPU system. - I'm also waiting to see what AMD has planned at CES for graphics cards, the new RX3080 is rumored to be equivalent to a RTX2070/GTX1080 for $250. Also watch https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapcsales/ for some great deals! View Quote a 750 is suggested minimum, so i went 850. it doesnt hurt to oversize the psu |
|
[#41]
Quoted: get at least 3000 ram, 3200 is the sweet spot from what i read get an nvme m.2 drive (512mb will be great for boot drive) i used this mobo ASUS ROG Strix X470-F, but the one you listed gets good reviews also do you have a freesync/gsync monitor? View Quote As far as the freesync/gsync question, I don’t have a monitor yet nor have I done enough research to know which one I would go with. |
|
[#42]
Quoted: Thanks for pointing that out about the ram. I’ve been told the same thing by a few people so I’ll be changing that. As far as the freesync/gsync question, I don’t have a monitor yet nor have I done enough research to know which one I would go with. View Quote freesync monitors are cheaper and require and amd card (iirc its open source tech) each will work with other cards, you just wont get the adaptive refresh rates i went freesynch and amd |
|
[#43]
Just ordered parts. $1500ish lighter in the wallet but I think I’m going to be happy with the route I went. Too many to list as of now, but 1070TI GPU, went Intel for the CPU/MOBO for gysync capability, ample amount of ram and storage, etc..
I’ll post pics and specs once I get it together but I appreciate all the input over the last couple months. |
|
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.