Built a new PC. What do you all use?

[nbaresejr]

Title says it all. Built my 1st computer this weekend. I will list it below but was wondering what all of you were also using. Maybe we can get this thread going pretty good to see what others are using and how that may or many not influence others in the future who are deciding on new machines.

My Build:

Case: Corsair 200R
CPU: Intel i7-4770K
Mobo: Gigabyte GA-Z87X-UD4H
RAM: Crucial Balistic Sport 16gb (8gb x 2)
GPU: EVGA GTX 650
Cooling: Stock Cooler
PSU: Corsair 600M
SSD: Samsung 840 Evo 250gb for OS and Programs
HDD: Toshiba 2TB
OS: Windows 8.1 64 bit

Total cost after rebates: $1,125.00

 

[boBQuincy]

Case: Antec P-180
CPU: Intel i5-2500k
Mobo: Asus P8-H67
RAM: Crucial 4gb x 2
GPU: Intel on CPU
Cooling: Stock Cooler
PSU: PC Power & Cooling 470
SSD:Crucial 64 GB for OS, Intel 40 GB for Photoshop scratch
HDD: Lots
OS: Windows 7 64 bit

I built this one 4 years ago but it is still enough power for what I do. G.A.S. will probably convince me to build a new one this year.

 

[DSLRuser]

i have always built my own pc's since the pentium 3 days. Even built a couple windows home server.

Last year, my quad core rig was getting tired, and I was all set to jump into the world of MAC. I priced out a 27inch iMAC and about crapped my pants at the $3,000 price tag.

Went to the local pc parts store and bought the parts for a core i7, new mobo, 16 gigs of ram. Upped to an 800watt power supply.

Got rid of the windows home server and switched to the windows 8 storage pool technology. my homade box has 7 hard drives in it, with a 6th storage pool that is mirrored across drives. so even if 2 of 6 data drives fail, i won't lose data.

OH, and all this was done for under $600 (minus the drives) and it outscores the iMAC on geek bench. after you 1st pc build, the next ones are cheaper since you can reuse many of the parts like drives, and video cards

 

[photo_chick]

Last year, my quad core rig was getting tired, and I was all set to jump into the world of MAC. I priced out a 27inch iMAC and about crapped my pants at the $3,000 price tag.

Yup. I'm using a 27" iMac with all the options. We bought it to do iOS app builds and I use it because they are extremely easy to match to Epson printers. But I hate the thing. It chugs compared to my comparably spec'd PC's.

nbaresejr.... I haven't done a build in about 5 years (coincidentally about a year before I went back to school ). Although I've got a real nice Thermaltake Armor case here that is likely going to be gutted and rebuilt soon. I just have to graduate first so I have time to do something other than live in the darkroom.

 

[nbaresejr]

Yup. I'm using a 27" iMac with all the options. We bought it to do iOS app builds and I use it because they are extremely easy to match to Epson printers. But I hate the thing. It chugs compared to my comparably spec'd PC's.

nbaresejr.... I haven't done a build in about 5 years (coincidentally about a year before I went back to school ). Although I've got a real nice Thermaltake Armor case here that is likely going to be gutted and rebuilt soon. I just have to graduate first so I have time to do something other than live in the darkroom.

I really enjoyed the process. I have done small upgrades before but never taken on something like this. With the amount of money involved in parts I was a little scared at 1st. I didnt want to break anything. It was really straight forward and super easy not having to set jumpers on the motherboards anymore. Photoshop and Lightroom fly for me now. Merging bracketed photos now is done super fast. Cant wait to take some pics to begin editing.

On a side note it looks like I will get back to Disney World in Nov. Exciting times!

 

[nvtsallo]

Sounds similar to my setup. I work in IT consulting and build or reimage machines on nearly a daily basis so the allure of building has died. Having Camera gear has been my replacement. See i think there needs to be a complete picture than just a pc. There is so much more. Like my workstations get hourly file history backed up to the server and nightly imaging. Then the server backs up 2wice daily and weekly they get rotated offsite. Said part is this is mostly for my photography and massive music server.

Main machine
Corsair carbide 300r
Corsair gs750 modular psu
Intel 3770k overclocked to 5ghz
16gb ddr3 1600mhz balistics ram
240gb intel 530 series ssd for o/s and scratch
Seagate 2tb hd
Blue ray burner
Most important memory card reader
9 usb ports across the front.
Windows 8.1 pro ( i get all microsoft s/w free so generlly have the most current.
Calibrated 24" hp zr ips display

Spare machine
Macbook pro 15" newest with nvidia 750m and 512gbssd
Running only windows 8.1 pro
calibrated

Server
Xeon haswell quad core processor
16gb ecc ram
1tb raid 1 o/s sas enterprises drves
3tb raid 1 data sas enterprise drives
3ware raid controller
Server 2012 r2 essentials
Exchange hosted with microsoft

Onsite and offsite 4tb backup disks
Cloud storage.

I left the rest of the families out since they r not part of my workflow.

Yeah we r going wo wdw in early June. Cannot wait.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

I haven't built a computer from scratch in 20 years. To be honest, at this point in my life, I'm just as content to let Dell or HP do the work for me -- even if it does come at a premium. (The OP's $1125 price tag is quite intriguing, though, I must say. Maybe I should get my hands dirty again.)

Funny I should see this thread, today, because I'm online looking at computers. LOL, the tax refund won't even hit the bank before I've spent it.

My laptop is about 5 years old now, and just isn't cutting the mustard any more. As comfortable and convenient as it is to sit in my recliner with it in my lap, I'm going to transition back to a desk top. For one thing, a laptop isn't as upgradable as a desk top. Right now, I have a USB hub and multiple external hard drives glued to the lid of the laptop. It looks like a science project or something. I also want to get a Wacom, and that won't work sitting in the recliner, anyway.

So, I've looked at several computers so far. I'm "over buying" now, because I hope it will last me at least another 4-5 years. Maxing out both memory and hard disk, because Photoshop and associated filters are only going to get more complex as time passes. It's so frustrating to wait for things to process on my current laptop. Not to mention the number of times that PS crashes on me when switching back and forth to Topaz and Nik filters.

These are my three front runners. Any comments/advice would be appreciated.

HP ENVY Phoenix 810-170st ($2,339.38)

• Windows 8.1 64
• 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-4820K processor quad-core (3.7GHz, 10MB Shared Cache)
• 4GB Nvidia GeForce GT640 (DX11,DVI,DP,HDMI & VGA via adapter)
• 32GB DDR3-1600MHz [4 DIMMs]
• HP Envy 27 27-inch IPS LED Backlit Monitor
• 256GB Solid state drive
• 3TB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive
• Blu-ray Reader & SuperMulti DVD burner
• 15-in-1 Multi-slot Media Card Reader, 4 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0
• Integrated Sound, Envy Audio; Beats Audio
• HP USB Keyboard and USB Optical Mouse
• HP Wireless 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac with Bluetooth®(2X2)
• 600W Power supply
• MSI MS-7826 Motherboard
• Liquid Cooled

HP ENVY 700-230qe ($2,531.38)

• Windows 8.1 64
• 4th generation Intel® Core™ i7-4770K processor quad-core (3.5GHz,8MB Shared Cache)
• 4GB Nvidia GeForce GT640[DX11,DVI,DP,HDMI,VGA via adapter]
• 32GB DDR3-1600MHz (4 DIMM)
• HP Envy 27 27-inch IPS LED Backlit Monitor
• 256GB Solid state drive
• 3TB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive
• Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner
• 15-in-1 Multi-slot Media Card Reader, 4 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0
• Integrated Sound, Envy Audio; Beats Audio
• HP USB keyboard and optical mouse with volume control
• Premium Wireless-N LAN card and Bluetooth(R )(2x2)
• 600W Power supply

Dell XPS 8700 Special Edition ($2,151.98)

• Windows 8.1 64
• 4th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-4770 Processor (8M Cache, 3.4 GHz)
• AMD Radeon™ HD R9 270 2GB GDDR5
• 32GB Dual Channel DDR3 1600MHz (4 DIMMs)
• Dell UltraSharp 24 Monitor – U2412M (Dell also has a 27" monitor for the same price-point, and it is probably comparable to the HP model in the other two configurations. For this configuration, though, I decided to go with the ultra sharp and sacrafice the extra 3" for the added resolution.)
• 256GB Solid state drive 6.0 Gb/s
• 3TB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive
• Blu-ray Reader & DVD burner
• 19-in-1 Media Card Reader, 4 USB 3.0, 2 USB 2.0
• Integrated 7.1 with WAVE MAXXAudio 4
• Dell KB213 Wired Multimedia Keyboard, US-English, Dell Laser Mouse
• Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6235 + Bluetooth 4.0
• Dell Wireless-DW 1703 + Bluetooth 4.0
• 460W Power supply

I'm leaning toward the bell because of the price.

 

[nbaresejr]

I haven't built a computer from scratch in 20 years. To be honest, at this point in my life, I'm just as content to let Dell or HP do the work for me -- even if it does come at a premium. (The OP's $1125 price tag is quite intriguing, though, I must say. Maybe I should get my hands dirty again.)

Funny I should see this thread, today, because I'm online looking at computers. LOL, the tax refund won't even hit the bank before I've spent it.

My laptop is about 5 years old now, and just isn't cutting the mustard any more. As comfortable and convenient as it is to sit in my recliner with it in my lap, I'm going to transition back to a desk top. For one thing, a laptop isn't as upgradable as a desk top. Right now, I have a USB hub and multiple external hard drives glued to the lid of the laptop. It looks like a science project or something. I also want to get a Wacom, and that won't work sitting in the recliner, anyway.

So, I've looked at several computers so far. I'm "over buying" now, because I hope it will last me at least another 4-5 years. Maxing out both memory and hard disk, because Photoshop and associated filters are only going to get more complex as time passes. It's so frustrating to wait for things to process on my current laptop. Not to mention the number of times that PS crashes on me when switching back and forth to Topaz and Nik filters.

These are my three front runners. Any comments/advice would be appreciated.

HP ENVY Phoenix 810-170st ($2,339.38)

• Windows 8.1 64
• 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-4820K processor quad-core (3.7GHz, 10MB Shared Cache)
• 4GB Nvidia GeForce GT640 (DX11,DVI,DP,HDMI & VGA via adapter)
• 32GB DDR3-1600MHz [4 DIMMs]
• HP Envy 27 27-inch IPS LED Backlit Monitor
• 256GB Solid state drive
• 3TB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive
• Blu-ray Reader & SuperMulti DVD burner
• 15-in-1 Multi-slot Media Card Reader, 4 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0
• Integrated Sound, Envy Audio; Beats Audio
• HP USB Keyboard and USB Optical Mouse
• HP Wireless 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac with Bluetooth®(2X2)
• 600W Power supply
• MSI MS-7826 Motherboard
• Liquid Cooled

HP ENVY 700-230qe ($2,531.38)

• Windows 8.1 64
• 4th generation Intel® Core™ i7-4770K processor quad-core (3.5GHz,8MB Shared Cache)
• 4GB Nvidia GeForce GT640[DX11,DVI,DP,HDMI,VGA via adapter]
• 32GB DDR3-1600MHz (4 DIMM)
• HP Envy 27 27-inch IPS LED Backlit Monitor
• 256GB Solid state drive
• 3TB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive
• Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner
• 15-in-1 Multi-slot Media Card Reader, 4 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0
• Integrated Sound, Envy Audio; Beats Audio
• HP USB keyboard and optical mouse with volume control
• Premium Wireless-N LAN card and Bluetooth(R )(2x2)
• 600W Power supply

Dell XPS 8700 Special Edition ($2,151.98)

• Windows 8.1 64
• 4th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-4770 Processor (8M Cache, 3.4 GHz)
• AMD Radeon™ HD R9 270 2GB GDDR5
• 32GB Dual Channel DDR3 1600MHz (4 DIMMs)
• Dell UltraSharp 24 Monitor – U2412M (Dell also has a 27" monitor for the same price-point, and it is probably comparable to the HP model in the other two configurations. For this configuration, though, I decided to go with the ultra sharp and sacrafice the extra 3" for the added resolution.)
• 256GB Solid state drive 6.0 Gb/s
• 3TB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive
• Blu-ray Reader & DVD burner
• 19-in-1 Media Card Reader, 4 USB 3.0, 2 USB 2.0
• Integrated 7.1 with WAVE MAXXAudio 4
• Dell KB213 Wired Multimedia Keyboard, US-English, Dell Laser Mouse
• Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6235 + Bluetooth 4.0
• Dell Wireless-DW 1703 + Bluetooth 4.0
• 460W Power supply

I'm leaning toward the bell because of the price.

Dave,

I am going to try and talk you into building your own rig and doing it for less then $1400. 1st I will tell you why i decided to build. I couldnt get exactly what I wanted for a decent price. I looked at similar computers as you (specs not as high). The Dell has a weak power supply, 460w is not even rated high enough for that video card. My GTX 650 1gb said it required 500w. The HP looked interesting but I couldnt find alot of reviews about the new generation of phoenix 810. The fact that it had so few USB 3.0 ports turned me off to it.

Processor: In my research i found the 4770k to be faster at everyday tasks vs the 4820.

If you look at my build the main differences are: 16gb more memory, Blue ray drive, Hard drive is bigger, network card and card reader. All of those things can get had for $275 more then I paid. 16gb crucial ballistic sport was 139.99, LG BluRay drive was 59.99, Network card was $40 and reader was $30.

You would then have plenty of money remaining for the monitor and maybe a Lens

That and you know the quality of the parts. Dell and HP are skimping out to make more money (most of the motherboards have mostly USB 2.0....cheap).

Best of luck with your decision!!

 

[nvtsallo]

I haven't built a computer from scratch in 20 years. To be honest, at this point in my life, I'm just as content to let Dell or HP do the work for me -- even if it does come at a premium. (The OP's $1125 price tag is quite intriguing, though, I must say. Maybe I should get my hands dirty again.) Funny I should see this thread, today, because I'm online looking at computers. LOL, the tax refund won't even hit the bank before I've spent it. My laptop is about 5 years old now, and just isn't cutting the mustard any more. As comfortable and convenient as it is to sit in my recliner with it in my lap, I'm going to transition back to a desk top. For one thing, a laptop isn't as upgradable as a desk top. Right now, I have a USB hub and multiple external hard drives glued to the lid of the laptop. It looks like a science project or something. I also want to get a Wacom, and that won't work sitting in the recliner, anyway. So, I've looked at several computers so far. I'm "over buying" now, because I hope it will last me at least another 4-5 years. Maxing out both memory and hard disk, because Photoshop and associated filters are only going to get more complex as time passes. It's so frustrating to wait for things to process on my current laptop. Not to mention the number of times that PS crashes on me when switching back and forth to Topaz and Nik filters. These are my three front runners. Any comments/advice would be appreciated. HP ENVY Phoenix 810-170st ($2,339.38) [*] Windows 8.1 64 [*] 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-4820K processor quad-core (3.7GHz, 10MB Shared Cache) [*] 4GB Nvidia GeForce GT640 (DX11,DVI,DP,HDMI & VGA via adapter) [*] 32GB DDR3-1600MHz [4 DIMMs] [*] HP Envy 27 27-inch IPS LED Backlit Monitor [*] 256GB Solid state drive [*] 3TB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive [*] Blu-ray Reader & SuperMulti DVD burner [*] 15-in-1 Multi-slot Media Card Reader, 4 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 [*] Integrated Sound, Envy Audio; Beats Audio [*] HP USB Keyboard and USB Optical Mouse [*] HP Wireless 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac with Bluetooth®(2X2) [*] 600W Power supply [*] MSI MS-7826 Motherboard [*] Liquid Cooled HP ENVY 700-230qe ($2,531.38) [*] Windows 8.1 64 [*] 4th generation Intel® Core™ i7-4770K processor quad-core (3.5GHz,8MB Shared Cache) [*] 4GB Nvidia GeForce GT640[DX11,DVI,DP,HDMI,VGA via adapter] [*] 32GB DDR3-1600MHz (4 DIMM) [*] HP Envy 27 27-inch IPS LED Backlit Monitor [*] 256GB Solid state drive [*] 3TB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive [*] Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner [*] 15-in-1 Multi-slot Media Card Reader, 4 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 [*] Integrated Sound, Envy Audio; Beats Audio [*] HP USB keyboard and optical mouse with volume control [*] Premium Wireless-N LAN card and Bluetooth(R )(2x2) [*] 600W Power supply Dell XPS 8700 Special Edition ($2,151.98) [*] Windows 8.1 64 [*] 4th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-4770 Processor (8M Cache, 3.4 GHz) [*] AMD Radeon™ HD R9 270 2GB GDDR5 [*] 32GB Dual Channel DDR3 1600MHz (4 DIMMs) [*] Dell UltraSharp 24 Monitor – U2412M (Dell also has a 27" monitor for the same price-point, and it is probably comparable to the HP model in the other two configurations. For this configuration, though, I decided to go with the ultra sharp and sacrafice the extra 3" for the added resolution.) [*] 256GB Solid state drive 6.0 Gb/s [*] 3TB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive [*] Blu-ray Reader & DVD burner [*] 19-in-1 Media Card Reader, 4 USB 3.0, 2 USB 2.0 [*] Integrated 7.1 with WAVE MAXXAudio 4 [*] Dell KB213 Wired Multimedia Keyboard, US-English, Dell Laser Mouse [*] Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6235 + Bluetooth 4.0 [*] Dell Wireless-DW 1703 + Bluetooth 4.0 [*] 460W Power supply I'm leaning toward the bell because of the price.

I would look into lenovo enterprise workstations for that kind of money or build what you want at cybertronpc.com. They can build you a great system with hp/dell software on top. Plus you can get a better workstation class graphics card like nvidia quadro series. Lenovo is the number 1 pc manufacturer for windows for a reason. Just my op.

 

[wiigirl]

I would look into lenovo enterprise workstations for that kind of money or build what you want at cybertronpc.com. They can build you a great system with hp/dell software on top. Plus you can get a better workstation class graphics card like nvidia quadro series. Lenovo is the number 1 pc manufacturer for windows for a reason. Just my op.

 

[nbaresejr]

I haven't built a computer from scratch in 20 years. To be honest, at this point in my life, I'm just as content to let Dell or HP do the work for me -- even if it does come at a premium. (The OP's $1125 price tag is quite intriguing, though, I must say. Maybe I should get my hands dirty again.)

Funny I should see this thread, today, because I'm online looking at computers. LOL, the tax refund won't even hit the bank before I've spent it.

My laptop is about 5 years old now, and just isn't cutting the mustard any more. As comfortable and convenient as it is to sit in my recliner with it in my lap, I'm going to transition back to a desk top. For one thing, a laptop isn't as upgradable as a desk top. Right now, I have a USB hub and multiple external hard drives glued to the lid of the laptop. It looks like a science project or something. I also want to get a Wacom, and that won't work sitting in the recliner, anyway.

So, I've looked at several computers so far. I'm "over buying" now, because I hope it will last me at least another 4-5 years. Maxing out both memory and hard disk, because Photoshop and associated filters are only going to get more complex as time passes. It's so frustrating to wait for things to process on my current laptop. Not to mention the number of times that PS crashes on me when switching back and forth to Topaz and Nik filters.

These are my three front runners. Any comments/advice would be appreciated.

HP ENVY Phoenix 810-170st ($2,339.38)

• Windows 8.1 64
• 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-4820K processor quad-core (3.7GHz, 10MB Shared Cache)
• 4GB Nvidia GeForce GT640 (DX11,DVI,DP,HDMI & VGA via adapter)
• 32GB DDR3-1600MHz [4 DIMMs]
• HP Envy 27 27-inch IPS LED Backlit Monitor
• 256GB Solid state drive
• 3TB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive
• Blu-ray Reader & SuperMulti DVD burner
• 15-in-1 Multi-slot Media Card Reader, 4 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0
• Integrated Sound, Envy Audio; Beats Audio
• HP USB Keyboard and USB Optical Mouse
• HP Wireless 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac with Bluetooth®(2X2)
• 600W Power supply
• MSI MS-7826 Motherboard
• Liquid Cooled

HP ENVY 700-230qe ($2,531.38)

• Windows 8.1 64
• 4th generation Intel® Core™ i7-4770K processor quad-core (3.5GHz,8MB Shared Cache)
• 4GB Nvidia GeForce GT640[DX11,DVI,DP,HDMI,VGA via adapter]
• 32GB DDR3-1600MHz (4 DIMM)
• HP Envy 27 27-inch IPS LED Backlit Monitor
• 256GB Solid state drive
• 3TB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive
• Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner
• 15-in-1 Multi-slot Media Card Reader, 4 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0
• Integrated Sound, Envy Audio; Beats Audio
• HP USB keyboard and optical mouse with volume control
• Premium Wireless-N LAN card and Bluetooth(R )(2x2)
• 600W Power supply

Dell XPS 8700 Special Edition ($2,151.98)

• Windows 8.1 64
• 4th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-4770 Processor (8M Cache, 3.4 GHz)
• AMD Radeon™ HD R9 270 2GB GDDR5
• 32GB Dual Channel DDR3 1600MHz (4 DIMMs)
• Dell UltraSharp 24 Monitor – U2412M (Dell also has a 27" monitor for the same price-point, and it is probably comparable to the HP model in the other two configurations. For this configuration, though, I decided to go with the ultra sharp and sacrafice the extra 3" for the added resolution.)
• 256GB Solid state drive 6.0 Gb/s
• 3TB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive
• Blu-ray Reader & DVD burner
• 19-in-1 Media Card Reader, 4 USB 3.0, 2 USB 2.0
• Integrated 7.1 with WAVE MAXXAudio 4
• Dell KB213 Wired Multimedia Keyboard, US-English, Dell Laser Mouse
• Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6235 + Bluetooth 4.0
• Dell Wireless-DW 1703 + Bluetooth 4.0
• 460W Power supply

I'm leaning toward the bell because of the price.

Dave,

I just did a system with the specs you had in the other systems @ $1425.27 that included tax at Micro Center . com. All it was missing was a keyboard and mouse. Good parts also, crucial, corsair, Asus ect. If you want the details PM me.

 

[nvtsallo]

Dave, I just did a system with the specs you had in the other systems @ $1321.78 that included tax at Micro Center . com. All it was missing was a keyboard and mouse. Good parts also, crucial, corsair, Asus ect. If you want the details PM me.

That is good but if your prepared for the pitfalls of building your own system then thats an option. But over the years I have had bad mother boards. Bad ram sticks. Psu cables not reaching the cpu power header. Intel cpu plastic fan pins break. If your prepared to get involved then yeh but consider your time invested and no warranty except manufacturers. Like telling someone who said the never used a camera and was looking at buying a p&s and you advise to get a canon1dx because photography is easy. Just want to warn BOP of pitfalls so avoiding them like having it built at a white box company like cybertron or lenovo has great systems.

 

[photo_chick]

BirdsOfPreyDave... I got my son the HP Phoenix 870-130. We upped the RAM, video card and processor in the build. It has the noisiest fans I've ever heard in an off the shelf machine. I don't know if the entire line is that way or if it's just this particular build, but it has me hesitant to go with one in the future just for that reason. Other than that it's been great for the short time he's had it.

 

[nbaresejr]

That is good but if your prepared for the pitfalls of building your own system then thats an option. But over the years I have had bad mother boards. Bad ram sticks. Psu cables not reaching the cpu power header. Intel cpu plastic fan pins break. If your prepared to get involved then yeh but consider your time invested and no warranty except manufacturers. Like telling someone who said the never used a camera and was looking at buying a p&s and you advise to get a canon1dx because photography is easy. Just want to warn BOP of pitfalls so avoiding them like having it built at a white box company like cybertron or lenovo has great systems.

I agree with just about everything you said. It was a major gamble on my part and alot of money invested to gamble. I watched some you tube videos and consulted my IT guy and took a chance. Luckily everything has worked out find so far (fingers crossed). The nice thing I had just incase was my IT guy said he would finish the build if i had any problems.

Its not for everyone thats for sure.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Thank you all for the great advice. I'll check out the web sites everyone suggested. Sounds like I can get something that's still ready-to-go-out-of-the-box for a better price. I really don't think I'm up to receiving a box of parts to be assembled. (I'd just have to pay to have all that dry-wall repaired and my hand X-ray'd, so any savings would be a wash.)

 

[zackiedawg]

I'm not knowledgeable enough about computer parts to build my own and know I'm getting the best components, and too lazy and unskilled to build my own anyway...so I tend to just buy them pre-built.

My current desktop arrangement is a Dell XPS8300, Core i7 2600, 12GB RAM, twin 1TB drives, backed up to twin external 1TB drives, running Windows 7.

I also use a tablet/laptop hybrid, which is an Asus Vivo Tab running Windows 8. It's a tablet with keyboard dock that has its own secondary battery, which is nice because the battery life is 20+ hours. 11.6" screen, Intel Atom 1.8 GHz, 64gb harddrive (I also keep a 64gb microSD card in there for more storage), and 2GB RAM. It's mostly for photo backup and storage when traveling, and basic internet/e-mail access when traveling...and for video playback of my home DirecTV recordings when traveling or away from home.

My very first computer ever was custom built, but by a friend who knew more about computers than I do - worked well enough, back in the days when 64MB RAM was huge...but I've pretty much gone with the Dell/Compaq/HP built machines since then as it's just easier when you don't know what you're doing, and the warranty is simple and handles anything and everything.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

My very first computer ever was custom built, but by a friend who knew more about computers than I do - worked well enough, back in the days when 64MB RAM was huge...

I suddenly feel very old. My very first computer had 2K RAM. It was a giant step up when I got my second computer, which had 64K.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

With the exception of laptops, tablets, and raspberries pi, all of the computers at our house are home built. The kids built theirs. My wife built one. Even one of the neighbor kids built one. My favorite was our old pizza box computer, which was a computer with components strapped to a pizza box lid that was nailed to the wall.

My current computer:
Asus P9X79 WS motherboard
Intel i7 3930K CPU
EVGA GTX670 GPU
G.Skill Ripjaws Z series DDr3 1033 64GB (8x8GB) RAM
Samsung EVO 840 1TB SSD boot drive
LSI 9265-8i RAID controller
Eight 3TB 7200rpm drives in a RAID 6 configuration for main storage
Corsair 1200ATX power supply
Lian Li PC-201 Full Tower case
NEC PA272 27" monitor
Northgate OmniKey keyboard (because I'm one of those people)
Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate OS

 

[Stumpy]

CPU: AMD FX8350 @4.5Ghz
CPU Cooler: Seidon 120M cooler
Mobo: Asus M5A99X EVO R2.0
RAM: 8 GB G-Skill Ares RAM DDR3 1866MHz
GPU: Sapphire GHz OC 2GB 7870
Case: NZXT Source 210 window case
Hard Drives: Crucial 128GB M4 SSD2, Western Digital Caviar Blue 1 TB 7200 RPM
PSU: XFX 650W 80 PLUS Bronze PSU
Monitor: Asus VE278Q

My first PC build and after having done so I have to admit that I'll never go back to buying pre-built. Runs like a charm. Of course, the wife hates it but that's because I have the security on it locked down like Ft. Knox.