Whats your pc?

[Pumaxcs]

For an entry with upgrades I'd spot anything extra to the motherboard, maybe get a really solid board that has the power to OC an i5 safely like the GD65 from MSI but as an entry I think this looks really good.

[SMR 510RR]

That would be my suggestion as well. If the idea is to upgrade to a i5/i7 later then get a board that you will be happy with for that purpose. Although this board is cheap enough that it wouldn't hurt that bad to upgrade it as well when the time comes. Just depends what direction you want to go and what timeframe you are thinking for the upgrade. The other choice would be to keep this computer as a 2nd PC or HTPC when you upgrade and just swap components back and forth as you build up the 2nd one. Again, just depends what your plans are really.

[DBRider251]

Alright, thanks guys. I'll put some more into the Mobo. I just thought about it and since Black Friday/Cyber Monday is coming up, I'll probably be able to get some parts for cheaper, so I can get higher level stuff and not have to upgrade as quickly.

[Yamahaman95]

Alright, thanks guys. I'll put some more into the Mobo. I just thought about it and since Black Friday/Cyber Monday is coming up, I'll probably be able to get some parts for cheaper, so I can get higher level stuff and not have to upgrade as quickly.

always try and leave room for upgrades, for my last build i bought on the "buy once cry once" mentality. its easier to have what you feel is the best from the start, instead of spending 120$ and then upgrade to a 220$ whatever it is. its more in the end. but i built a good budget build before my current one as well.

[SMR 510RR]

I saved a few hundred by building around the holidays last year. You will also get more games with your video card, I think I got 3 IIRC.

[DBRider251]

That's one of the reasons I've waited so long to build, that and constant bike problems IRL.

[John23]

What is the best GPU to get for less than $200?

[SMR 510RR]

R9 270x according to Tomshardware. Seems about right.

[John23]

Is this a good build to do?

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2cPgqs

[SMR 510RR]

To sum it up, no not really. There is no need to go with a mATX Mobo with a Mid Tower case, you pay more for the small form factor and generally get less. 32GB SSD is worthless, 128 is really the bare minimum to get any programs on it. I have a 128 in my work computer and it is getting full with only windows and my work applications (Revit, 3ds max, photoshop, microsoft office suite). 250gb storage drive is going to fill up quick get at least 500GB if not 1TB. I would go with I3-4130, its actually cheaper and faster and is a 1150 socket that is more common than the 1155.

I know Puma had a build that he has recommended a number of times in the ~$600 range that is much better than this one. At this price point it makes a lot of sense to go AMD for the CPU as well as GPU just because they are cheaper for the performance.

[John23]

Thank you all for the responses.

I want to build my OWN PC. I do not want to buy a PC from someone else's list (even though it may be good.)

I do not know what to look for when picking parts, so I want to know how to pick the MAIN components (CPU,GPU,Mobo.) Would you be able to teach me how to pick these parts? Such as:

1. CPU - What do the # of cores do/mean? What is the "family?" What is the 'Socket type?" What should I look for in a CPU?
2. Mobo(Motherboard) - What do I look for in a motherboard? What should a motherboard have that I should stay away from?
3. GPU (Graphics/Video Card) - What should I look for in a GPU? What is an example of what GPU NOT to get?

I just want detailed answers on how to pick the right parts for a PC. Feel free to ask questions, or PM me.

[Pumaxcs]

That doesn't make alot of sense. Knowing what to pick comes from knowledge that isn't a right or wrong answer because all PC's can do the same thing; it just comes down to price and speed. So, we can give advice on items based on a goal for what you want the PC to do but there really isn't anything to teach unless we go over a pro/cons list for every PC component available.

CPU




CPU/Mobo


GPU






This should answer some of your questions.

[SMR 510RR]

If you really want to know all this information you will need to do research on your own.

like this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I02olFXXwmI

[John23]

How's this build?

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/Jlillywhite23/saved/rPRnTW

[Pumaxcs]

Don't get an APU for a CPU. The gPU negates the benifits of having an APU and the CPU in the APU is less powerful than a CPU. You're cutting corners by getting a 5400rpm drive instead of a 7200rpm. Have you looked into Seagates SSHD? Look at my list and compare things, these really are two of the cheapest things you can build while not having to upgrade immediately afterward.

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/pumaxcs/saved/nJ62FT - AMD
http://pcpartpicker.com/user/pumaxcs/saved/MLrqqs - Intel