Need Help Choosing a New PC
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Hey fellow game makers--
My MacBook Pro from my schooling days is totally giving up on me, and I've decided to transition to a desktop PC. Problem is, I know pretty much nothing about computer hardware and am at a loss for what to get.
I mainly run Maya, Photoshop, ZBrush, and UDK. I've been browsing the custom PC kits on newegg. com, and I don't know what would suit my needs. I've got $1300 or so to spend, and that includes the monitors and keyboard and whatnot.
If anyone could recommend specs for a PC that would serve me for several years, that would rock. Many thanks.
Santi
My MacBook Pro from my schooling days is totally giving up on me, and I've decided to transition to a desktop PC. Problem is, I know pretty much nothing about computer hardware and am at a loss for what to get.
I mainly run Maya, Photoshop, ZBrush, and UDK. I've been browsing the custom PC kits on newegg. com, and I don't know what would suit my needs. I've got $1300 or so to spend, and that includes the monitors and keyboard and whatnot.
If anyone could recommend specs for a PC that would serve me for several years, that would rock. Many thanks.
Santi
Replies
$30 CPU cooler: [ame="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005O65JXI/?tag=pcpapi-20"]Amazon.com: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO - CPU Cooler with 120mm PWM Fan (RR-212E-20PK-R2): Electronics[/ame]
$120 Motherboard:
$240 GPU: GTX 760 http://www.ncixus.com/products/?usaffiliateid=1000031504&sku=85650&vpn=02G-P4-2763-KR&manufacture=eVGA&promoid=1018
$150 Ram: 16 gigs of DDR3-1600 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231315&clickid=wFzTUM27zy-XV4cVszwsjQP6UkTV06wpywXe2s0&iradid=97618&ircid=2106&irpid=79301&nm_mc=AFC-IR&cm_mmc=AFC-IR-_-na-_-na-_-na
$80 SSD: 120gigs Kingston Digital 120GB SSDNow V300
$65 HDD: 1TB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148840&clickid=wFzTUM27zy-XV4cVszwsjQP6UkTVx01BywXe2s0&iradid=97618&ircid=2106&irpid=79301&nm_mc=AFC-IR&cm_mmc=AFC-IR-_-na-_-na-_-na
$60 PSU: 500W http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817438012&clickid=wFzTUM27zy-XV4cVszwsjQP6UkTVx0RVywXe2s0&iradid=97618&ircid=2106&irpid=79301&nm_mc=AFC-IR&cm_mmc=AFC-IR-_-na-_-na-_-na
$80 Case:
$400 Monitor: 1- 2560x1440 display or Or 2x Dell UltraSharp U2312HM 23" 1080p IPS https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCsQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FQNIX-QX2710-Evolution-2560x1440-Perfect%2Fdp%2FB00CAKD6LI&ei=ejBKU5fHGefq2QXw_oHQDA&usg=AFQjCNGxq_QCQm2zZ3CESXjTDUaAkpDYKA&sig2=0R-ULqRR9JJeBmgXSIq7OQ&bvm=bv.64542518,d.b2I
$20 Keyboard/Mouse: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126097
$100 for OS
That's about $1,300-$1,400, and close to the best bang for your buck. I'm going to be lazy and not suggest an exact build just in case you want to make changes or someone comes up with better options.
something like Zac's build should last you a while if you can afford $1525+. If you don't go for the 1440p monitor, or buy one of the two Dell monitors at a later time it's only ~$1325.
Or maybe something like this: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3qW4n (it's basically the build Zac suggested, but with concrete picks for the components - ~$1430 + keyboard and mouse).
Ways to change the build and save money:
CPU: changing the CPU to a i5 4570 would save you ~$50 but you loose hyperthreading and 100mhz (the mhz drop is neglectable)
CPU Cooler: use the stock cooler, maybe you don't mind the noise, and save ~$30
SSD: instead of 240 GByte switch to the 120 GByte version. Saves you ~$45
Video Card: change to a louder 760 (the MSI is the most silent one) and save ~$20
-> here's a video with fan noise from ten 760s (loudest to most silent): http://video.computerbase.de/video/2151/zehn-geforce-gtx-760-im-lautstaerkevergleich.sd.mp4
OS: use Home Premium instead of Professional which saves you ~$50 (I wouldn't reccomend this, since Home Premium allows you to use only 16 Gbyte. If you decide at a later point to upgrade your RAM to 32 Gbyte or more (with a new PC) you have to buy the Professional version anyway)
savings added together would be: ~$195 (which could allow you to buy a second Dell monitor)
Another option would be to get 1 1440P monitor and then 1 17"-19" 4:3 display on the side.
Anyways, I'd give this a read before buying the Kingston V300.
http://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc/comments/20mxdk/theres_been_a_lot_of_concern_regarding_kingstons/
About the processor/memory: Not too long time ago I met with workstation computers, and I noticed that their motherboard can eat 2 processors and a few of them have 8 memory slots. I can just imagine what two i7 and 32 (or even 64) gb memory could do. Anyone have experience about this? Would this worth to buy? Yeah 32 gb or more memory is unnecessary at the moment, but later?
I went for the cheapest RAM and SSD with 4+ star reviews on pc part picker, always make sure you research each part before deciding.
Depends on the use case (virtualization and huge ram-disks for example), but most of the time probably not. Dual slot mainboards (dual socket 2011) start at around $350, the cheapest quad core with usable clock rates (Xeon E5 1620, 3700 mhz) costs the same. That's $1050 only for two CPUs and one MoBo.
But if you have more than enough money and you don't have to worry about it, socket 2011 and dual socket 2011 are your friends. Just get one (or two) Intel Xeon E5-2667 v2 (8 Cores, each core at 3300 mhz) for ~$2300 each. Plus 24x8 GByte sticks for a total of 192 Gbyte (you could go even higher), hehe 8) (if I think about such a system my inner nerd screams in excitement. 32 Gbyte are just too easily reached if one uses virtualization :poly136: ).