Getting a new computer. Need advice.

[MrRubix]

This topic also makes me feel really stupid at the same time, haha. I am very much a software person and have never tinkered around with hardware.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16883229111

Is this effectively a top of the line PC? Is there anything in this that could be a lot better?

[MrRubix]

How long can I expect a computer like that to last me before I need to upgrade?

[danny53x]

Oh god, that CyberPower computer looks crazy. If I had money I would just buy that... besides building my own computer feels like cooking my own food. Although I can customize it, I can't always rely on it. I'd be scared of ventilation issues and compatibility conflicts.

[MrRubix]

That is what I worry about too -- buying the wrong parts together and having some kind of heating issues.

I am going to try for this Cyberpower computer -- but if anyone can bring up anything that could be better about it, or if this computer has any huge issues, please let me know. I need to see if this is too expensive with my mother, haha. She said "a few grand at most" and I figure this is less than a few grand :P Tis a couple!

[Kagami_Hiiragi]

Get one with a light up keyboard.

[MrGiggles]

Originally Posted by MrRubix

How long can I expect a computer like that to last me before I need to upgrade?

I'd guess you have about 7 years before that would be considered a low-range computer. At that point you'll have to run games on lower quality settings.

[MrRubix]

Damn it D:

But I mean it's technically the best I can get right now, yes? Is there any crucial piece of hardware that completely blows this one out of the water? (graphics, processor, mobo, etc)

[ninjaKIWI]

Originally Posted by MrRubix

Damn it D:

But I mean it's technically the best I can get right now, yes? Is there any crucial piece of hardware that completely blows this one out of the water? (graphics, processor, mobo, etc)

Yeah that's a really nice comptar you have there, it'll last you quite a while.

EDIT: It's pretty much what I'm going to be getting, except with an i7 940 instead of 950 probably, and with a soundcard.
EDIT2: If I were you I'd go one step further and get another NVIDIA GeForce GTX 295 and SLI it It prolly has the power.

[MrRubix]

Originally Posted by ninjaKIWI

Yeah that's a really nice comptar you have there, it'll last you quite a while.

EDIT: It's pretty much what I'm going to be getting, except with an i7 940 instead of 950 probably, and with a soundcard.
EDIT2: If I were you I'd go one step further and get another NVIDIA GeForce GTX 295 and SLI it It prolly has the power.

Would that just be majorly overkill, though?

[ninjaKIWI]

It'd ensure that you'd last longer gaming wise, and in case something happens with cooling it would help because it would half the stress on each video card, but that's just some of my paranoia I get when dealing with hardware though. It's really not necessary.

EDIT: I would also recommend the Razer Lachesis mouse and the OLD Logitiech G15 keyboard, depending on the gaming you will be doing. The ability to create macros on the keyboard is more useful than you would assume.

[MrGiggles]

Originally Posted by MrRubix

Damn it D:

But I mean it's technically the best I can get right now, yes? Is there any crucial piece of hardware that completely blows this one out of the water? (graphics, processor, mobo, etc)

None that are suitable for gaming, as far as I know.

But still, I strongly suggest you purchase a weaker computer and upgrade a few parts every other year or so. In the long run, you'll save a lot of money. Even if it isn't your money, it would put less strain on your mom's wallet.

That is what I worry about too -- buying the wrong parts together and having some kind of heating issues.

This is hard to **** up. Most components only require the slightest amount of compatibility checking . Mobos and cases are easy to match together since most consumer cases and mobos have the ATX form factor, and mobos and processors aren't much harder, since they generally advertise what processors they're compatible with very clearly. Video cards and mobos is also easy, since some cards (not a lot I think) use AGP, but almost all cards use PCI-e now. You just have to make sure your mobo has enough PCI-e slots for the amount of cards you want.

Hard drives are compatible with everything really, so are sticks of RAM and disc drives.

That leaves the PSU, which is actually a bit tedious. You have to make sure there are enough connectors of each type required to run the mobo, graphics card, hard drives, fans, and disc drives. Modular PSU's let you remove and add cables as you need them, while normal PSU's require you to store extras in the case somewhere and you have to make sure you have more than enough.

Heating issues, on the other hand....

[ninjaKIWI]

I would also probably suggest buying something weaker and gradually upgrading it, you could probably save nearly $1000, at nearly no cost performance-wise, since nothing really requires something as powerful as the GeForce GTX 295. Maybe instead get two BFG GeForce 9800 GT's, and an i7 920 Processor, like I said earlier mobo's I don't have much of an opinion on.

But like above, you have to pay special attention to a PSU, since you have to make sure it provides enough power to support everything AND that it has the right connectors, there's no such thing as too many of each connector.

I remember when I had some big troubles with heating, I had to 'carefully cut' my case and put another fan in. Hasn't ever been cooler

EDIT: Oh, I forgot to mention. The GPU you require depends heavily on your monitor, because the higher the resolution, the more stress it'll put on the card.
Hmm, maybe a nicer processor than the 920 would be good... I second-guess myself a lot.

[MrGiggles]

Originally Posted by MrRubix

Would that just be majorly overkill, though?

Just one 295 is overkill rofl.

I've got a single 260 and I have absolutely no problems running Fallout 3 on Ultra High settings. I don't have Crysis so I can't speak for that game.

I remember when I had some big troubles with heating, I had to 'carefully cut' my case and put another fan in. Hasn't ever been cooler

Purchasing cases is a huge pain for first time builders especially because you have no idea what to look for. I purchased a CoolerMaster Centurion 5 or something like that and ended up out $50 because it was too small to fit my processor heatsink. I ended up buying an antec P182 after having like 30 people recommend it to me in /g/ and it just BARELY fit everything inside. It's also a very quiet case and reasonably cool.

The GPU you require depends heavily on your monitor, because the higher the resolution, the more stress it'll put on the card.

oh **** good point I totally forgot about this.

In general, high end cards are useless if your monitor is smaller than about 22-23 inches. Smaller monitors have a lower maximum resolution, and a 295 will likely never reach full load on anything less than 28.

[ninjaKIWI]

I was going to buy a Centurion 5, but then my friend recommended the Cooler Master HAF 932 to me and I bought that instead, to this day I have no idea how everything fits in that case.

[MrRubix]

Well my mom gave the Cyberpower PC the thumbs up, and she's going to order it sometime very soon, so I am hoping I made a decent decision.

She said not to worry about the money issues -- she was assuming it was going to cost a lot more than that haha.

Thing is I am not yet hardware-savvy enough yet to start buying more pieces here and then over the years, and I will probably have to change this sometime soon, but I just want something that's going to last me a long time.

[ninjaKIWI]

That Cyberpower PC will probably be one of the best pre-made computers you could buy at the time, it'll last you quite a while. It also comes with a free upg to W7 so *Thumbs up

Hope it works out well for you.

[MrRubix]

Thanks for all the advice, guys

"Maybe instead get two BFG GeForce 9800 GT's, and an i7 920 Processor, like I said earlier mobo's I don't have much of an opinion on."

Is this purely for cost effiency? Like this will run stuff just fine for now, and I can upgrade to something better later which will last me until time T for cumulative cost C, versus the notion that I could buy one card now that'll last me until T for some cost>C?

[MrGiggles]

Originally Posted by MrRubix

Thanks for all the advice, guys

"Maybe instead get two BFG GeForce 9800 GT's, and an i7 920 Processor, like I said earlier mobo's I don't have much of an opinion on."

Is this purely for cost effiency? Like this will run stuff just fine for now, and I can upgrade to something better later which will last me until time T for cumulative cost C, versus the notion that I could buy one card now that'll last me until T for some cost>C?

It's probably about the same, to be honest.

[PsYcHoZeRoSk8eR]

Originally Posted by MrRubix

Well my mom gave the Cyberpower PC the thumbs up, and she's going to order it sometime very soon, so I am hoping I made a decent decision.

That's pretty cool. Way back when, I got my PC from Cyberpower and I couldn't be happier with it. Now, I'm pretty sure that you're not getting it directly from them, as I have only briefly checked the links and thread, but you're still getting their setup.

[MrRubix]

Yeah, I am getting it from Newegg, but I presume it's more or less the same sort of build/setup.

I'm really excited :X