My dad is willing to help me put together the PC, I'm just not sure. So I would like anyones input wether I should build a PC or should I buy one. And Im going to use this PC for a lot of gaming.
Definitely build one. What's your budget?
def build. buying one you over pay for terrible parts. i've had horrible luck with stock psu's
http://www.logicalincrements.com/ is a great place to find a build at your budget
build
please build
Build it! I'd never (almost never) buy a pre-built system. If you can give us a budget, we all can give you gaming builds that you can peruse and decide which setup works best for you. We all have very good ideas and are willing to help you make an informed decision.
Here is an example of a decent gaming system for not too much $. Obviously there are plenty of options out there (depending on budget):
[url=http://pcpartpicker.com/p/TLhU]PCPartPicker part list[/url] / [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/p/TLhU/by_merchant/]Price breakdown by merchant[/url] / [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/p/TLhU/benchmarks/]Benchmarks[/url]
[b]CPU:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/amd-cpu-hdz965fbgmbox]AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor[/url] ($94.84 @ Amazon)
[b]Motherboard:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asus-motherboard-m5a97r20]Asus M5A97 R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard[/url] ($84.99 @ Amazon)
[b]Memory:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gskill-memory-f314900cl9d8gbxl]G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory[/url] ($56.95 @ Newegg)
[b]Storage:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/western-digital-internal-hard-drive-wd10ezex]Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive[/url] ($66.64 @ Amazon)
[b]Video Card:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/sapphire-video-card-1003551gocl]Sapphire Radeon HD 7850 1GB Video Card[/url] ($149.99 @ Newegg)
[b]Case:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/rosewill-case-redboneu3]Rosewill REDBONE U3 ATX Mid Tower Case[/url] ($29.99 @ Newegg)
[b]Power Supply:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-power-supply-cx430m]Corsair CX 430W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply[/url] ($39.99 @ Newegg)
[b]Optical Drive:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/lite-on-optical-drive-ihas124-04]Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer[/url] ($17.99 @ Newegg)
[b]Total:[/b] $541.38
[i](Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)[/i]
[i](Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-29 02:28 EDT-0400)[/i]
Intel build:
[url=http://pcpartpicker.com/p/TLiY]PCPartPicker part list[/url] / [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/p/TLiY/by_merchant/]Price breakdown by merchant[/url] / [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/p/TLiY/benchmarks/]Benchmarks[/url]
[b]CPU:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80637i33220]Intel Core i3-3220 3.3GHz Dual-Core Processor[/url] ($113.99 @ NCIX US)
[b]Motherboard:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asrock-motherboard-z77pro3]ASRock Z77 Pro3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard[/url] ($79.99 @ Newegg)
[b]Memory:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gskill-memory-f314900cl9d8gbxl]G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory[/url] ($56.95 @ Newegg)
[b]Storage:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/western-digital-internal-hard-drive-wd10ezex]Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive[/url] ($66.64 @ Amazon)
[b]Video Card:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/sapphire-video-card-1003551gocl]Sapphire Radeon HD 7850 1GB Video Card[/url] ($149.99 @ Newegg)
[b]Case:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/rosewill-case-redboneu3]Rosewill REDBONE U3 ATX Mid Tower Case[/url] ($29.99 @ Newegg)
[b]Power Supply:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-power-supply-cx430m]Corsair CX 430W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply[/url] ($39.99 @ Newegg)
[b]Optical Drive:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/lite-on-optical-drive-ihas124-04]Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer[/url] ($17.99 @ Newegg)
[b]Total:[/b] $555.53
[i](Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)[/i]
[i](Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-29 02:30 EDT-0400)[/i]
Both builds are quite good for gaming on a budget. They both also support front USB 3.0 ports for the case listed.
Thank you guys so much! Prob gonna build one now!
Did you have a budget?
Ummm around about 1400 tops
There are few places than can get you a Pre-built computer with decent componets and not destroying your wallet (e.g. NCIX).
However, it's much better if you build your own, It will save you money, make you pick what components you most need, and also be a great experience.
We can recommend you on what hardware to buy, and how to make it work, that's why we are here.
For $1400, does that include monitor, mouse, keyboard, mousepad, etc.?
Intel Based option http://pcpartpicker.com/p/TNYA
AMD based option http://pcpartpicker.com/p/TNOn
You can swap out the graphics card options for the other one if you so choose.
The single 7970 is a bit less powerful but also consumes a bit more power. The 7970 option is a bit more upgradable as adding another 7970 will be a lot more beneficial than adding another 7870 to the xfire 7870.
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/TOb5
I would go 7950/7970 over 7870 CF; always get a more powerful card over several weaker cards.
The Asrock Extreme9 990fx board is fantastic for overclocking, and looks pretty good, on its own. Great value for what you're getting; if you need/want a cheaper option to fit something else in the rig, then a Gigabyte UD3 990fx is also a great board.
The PH-TC14PE is a great cooler - I love mine - but if you want something smaller, the PH-TC12DX performs roughly the same for lower OCs, and when paired with two good fans, like the Cougar Vortex 140mm fans in this build, you could hit 4.6gHz like it's nothing, and 4.8 if you have a good chip.
I would never get 4GB sticks of memory; if you can fit a 16GB kit of memory (2x8GB sticks), then why not? It gives you the option to max out your memoryto a total of 32GB, which you could use in other builds, later on.
Plextor SSDs are surprisngly good - 120GB is plenty for an OS and some larger games/programs, like Photoshop. Don't get anything smaller than a 120/128GB - you will regret it!
2TB of Seagate (non-Barracuda) storage. I'm running that HDD in my main rig, and it has worked flawlessly.
7950, 880mHz, looks great, nice cooler. If you wanted, there is room in the budget for a 7970, but I would rather save the $100 for the 7% increase in performance you are looking at :|
All of this could run on 550W easily, but I threw in a 650W modular Seasonic 80+ Platinum PSU for glorious build quality and insane efficiency :)
Arc Midi R2 is just well-built and sexy ;)
You just tore my build apart XD
Now I agree getting one powerful card is better than getting two weaker cards but it does give you a bit better preformance, mind you I explained why it can be bad too so...
I've had a bad experiance with asrock so maybe a don't give them a fair chance :P
Atleast we can agree on the cooler XD
Your right with going 8gb stick rather than 4gb stick, even I regret going 4x4gb as now a can't easily upgrade to 32gb in the future (I'm kind of think of selling my 4x4gb kit for a 2x8gb for that reason Lol)
My vertex 4 has treated me very well, always been insanely fast and its always worked. The reason I went with a 60gb is so it would be for the OS and maybe photoshop and a couple things like that.
I'll admit the seagate baracuda is not the best drive (I have a 1tb caviar black) but its cheap and it works, I know two people that have been using there baracuda for over 4 years now so it can't be that bad.
I would usually opt for a 7950 because the differance between the 7970 and it are very small as you stated, but when you start pushing the 7970 it SHINES. My 7970 has a 15% Clock increase and give it about a 12% preformance increase (In heaven 4 atleast. this Varies from game to game)
I've always been a fan of XFX power supplies as they use seasonic components for the most part, I usually go overboard for wattage and look to the future. For example I have a i7 3770k @ 4.2ghz and a 7970 Now for just those parts 850w is massive overkill, but now i can also add another 7970 If a wanted to without upgrading the power supply.
I have a nzxt phantom myself and LOVE the thing its just so sleek and beautiful. Also has great cable managment and intergrated fan controler and such :P
Your build is also very good - the 7870 CFwould be better than a 7970, but the issues with CF, and the lack of too much expansion, the 7950/7970 is a better option.
Sure, 60/64GB is plenty, but I am already regretting not getting a 256GB SSD over my 120GB Corsair Force 3; it fills up os fast, even with a 2TB HDD in my build. I want to put everything on it, and, well, games are large.
XFX PSUs are good, and really nice internally, but I wanted the 80+ Platinum :| There is no reason not to get an XFX modular PSU.
Asrock has some terrible low-end models, but the Extreme9 is one of the best ones they make. If OP doesn't feel comfortable with it, a Gigabyte UD5 990fx is also a great board, with fantastic OC potential. Asus has some fantastic offerings, as well, especially their ROG boards.
Promilatech PK-1 is the best performing thermal interface material out there, right now. It's great, cheap, and non-conductive, so you could replace the TIM on your GPU, as well, without risk.
I love my Phanteks PH-TC14PE, but the fans it comes with are terrible. They movea lot of air, but they sound like jet engines. I replaced mine with Noctua fans, then sold those because brown does not go well with an entiely black and red system. Currently running Cougar Vortex fans, and they're great :)
http://pcpartpicker.com/user/toast/saved/1x1h
For the price, you're gonna have a hard time beating the performance of this build.
You also have about 90 dollars to play with, which is nice. Fans, thermal paste, etc. If I had 1400 for a computer, I'd be making that build.
Also went with the XFX because of the warranty, high clock speed, and also a black PCB. The blue PCB's always look terrible.
Thank you guys sooooooo much, but I have a question I have been doing some research and looking around the forum and if I could include a GeForce 680, like the 500$ one how would I do that like what processor And motherboard and power supply would I need for it? And could I do this under 1400?
Heres a 680, I hope you like red XD http://pcpartpicker.com/p/TQLo