Should I build a computer or just buy one?

[Brooke]

but if you build your own, you will have the option to upgrade to "top of the line" for about what you pay for another.  last upgrade cost me 300 bucks and went from an e8400 to a 2500k after selling my old parts.   I dont think you can get "everything" maxed out with a 600 dollar computer.  for one thing the video card will be very low end if it even has one at all.

however the most important thing is if you are happy with what you have, if you are then it's money well spent  .


semp

All I care about, though, is maintaining 60 fps with everything maxed out and a highly reliable, trouble-free computer.  Any more performance than that for me is unnecessary.  This way, I can maintain that level of performance for a low price and very little effort.

You are right about $600.  I should say $700, not $600.  $125-$150 of that amount is for the graphics card.  That setup is for sure up to the task of 60 fps with things maxed out.  That's what I do currently, and it's not even a new $700 system (was a $700 system a couple of years ago).  The $700 Dell-based system today has an i5-3330 to which you add a GeForce GTX 650 Ti ($530 for the Dell, $130 for the 650 Ti).

I'm not factoring in any reselling in that price range.  If anything sellable of the old system, then the price of this way is $700 - resale.  (Or, in my case, I give my previous system to relatives or use it to replace the computer in the TV room.)

[Pawz]

How does this look?

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=8024820&sku=B69-1618

[Debrody]

The kit itself is good, but 900$ is a bit much considering there is no PSU and VGA.

I would look for those items one by one on the newegg (for example) and see what do they cost there   

[titanic3]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147053  Rosewill THOR V2 Gaming ATX Full Tower Computer Case $130.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157293 ASRock Z77 Extreme4 LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard $134
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116504  Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor  $230
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231485 G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL9S-8GBXL $41
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148912 Seagate SV35 Series ST1000VX000 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive $110
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106276 LITE-ON Black SATA DVD-ROM Drive Model iHDS118-04 - OEM $20
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986 Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit - OEM $100
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139021 CORSAIR Enthusiast Series TX750 V2 750W ATX12V $110
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125418 GIGABYTE GV-R787OC-2GD Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition 2GB 256-bit $250

Total: $1,130

This is my saved wish list on Newegg that I update every once in a while. You could drop it down to $900 if you want a cheaper GPU, Motherboard, Case, and possibly go for a cheaper HDD.

Copy and paste from a thread in the Hardware section by me a few weeks ago. With this set up, you run pretty much every game out there on high/max for the next 2 years. If you do a little digging, you can drop the price down by $100 probably with sales and used parts.

A few months ago. Some people said there's a better case out there. I didn't update my wish list on Newegg yet so if some one wants to recommend him a better case, go ahead.

[Curly]

The kit itself is good, but 900$ is a bit much considering there is no PSU and VGA.

I would look for those items one by one on the newegg (for example) and see what do they cost there  

Thats a very high end motherboard, RAM, and hard drive. Many of the high barebones kits don't come with VGA. Though I agree that kit is kind of bloated, it comes with a blu ray drive, which unless your using PC to watch blu rays is really unnecessary and expensive, a 30 dollar DVD rom is all you need.  I like this kit better.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7917140&SRCCODE=WEBGOOPA&cm_mmc_o=mH4CjC7BBTkwCjCV1-CjCE&gclid=CN_PpvX5m7gCFQSCQgoduD8ADw

 it comes with the same cpu/mobo combo, same case, a PSU and a liquid cooler. Which will come in handy when you want to over clock that i5k. The only reason to pay extra for the K is to have the ability to overclock it. You'll still have to buy your ram and VGA separately. I think 16 gb of ram is a bit of an overkill, you would be fine with 8gb and putting the rest of the money into the VGA card. Cause with that CPU, to get the most out of it your going to want to pair it with a 250$ + VGA card. So unless your budget is a 1000$ + than you may want to look at some AMD chips.

[Masherbrum]

A few months ago. Some people said there's a better case out there. I didn't update my wish list on Newegg yet so if some one wants to recommend him a better case, go ahead.

I can think of 20+ cases that would be a better qualitty product than Rosewill.   Also, how many drives would be going into it?    7 or less?   A Mid-Tower could handle and keep just as cool.

[numb1]

How does this look?

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=8024820&sku=B69-1618

You got a microcenter near you?The 3570k is $189 there..

[Debrody]

Thats a very high end motherboard, RAM, and hard drive. Many of the high barebones kits don't come with VGA. Though I agree that kit is kind of bloated, it comes with a blu ray drive, which unless your using PC to watch blu rays is really unnecessary and expensive, a 30 dollar DVD rom is all you need.  I like this kit better.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7917140&SRCCODE=WEBGOOPA&cm_mmc_o=mH4CjC7BBTkwCjCV1-CjCE&gclid=CN_PpvX5m7gCFQSCQgoduD8ADw

 it comes with the same cpu/mobo combo, same case, a PSU and a liquid cooler. Which will come in handy when you want to over clock that i5k. The only reason to pay extra for the K is to have the ability to overclock it. You'll still have to buy your ram and VGA separately. I think 16 gb of ram is a bit of an overkill, you would be fine with 8gb and putting the rest of the money into the VGA card. Cause with that CPU, to get the most out of it your going to want to pair it with a 250$ + VGA card. So unless your budget is a 1000$ + than you may want to look at some AMD chips.

You have a point.

My question is, what do you wantto do with that computer? Playing AH, some other games too, or do some rendering? Maybe something entirely different?

[Pawz]

You have a point.

My question is, what do you wantto do with that computer? Playing AH, some other games too, or do some rendering? Maybe something entirely different?

Just AH

[Debrody]

Just AH

Then here is my opinion (experts, correct me if im wrong, please):

Build it yourself and save a load of money.
That I5 3570K is a great CPU, enough for anything. But do you really need that TUF Sabertooth board? Thats a very good one, but select what do you need and what you dont.
I would buy a mATX board with only one PCI-E slot as one top end VGA can handle this game easily with all the eye candy, in full-HD. 8GB RAM is enough for anything but serious rendering, i dont see the point in buying more for AH. For one VGA, a 550-600W quality PSU is enough, even if you decide to OC it - but you wont have to. Also, i wouldnt recommend the water cooling; its some cool stuff, but a decent, 50$ cooler can handle any CPU, under any circumstances. I have a 40$ Cooler Master Hyper212 for my old 95W PhenomII, it never goes above 65 celsius, not even when OC-ed like crazy in the summer, and does its job in complete silence.

As for the VGA, a GTX660ti/760 or a HD-7870 can run this game just fine, and will be able to do this for a good couple years.

[Gman]

For example, I am currently running a Dell system that is a couple of years older than the one above, but with game settings maxed out, it still gives me 60 fps everywhere, including in thick clouds

When you say everything maxed, do you mean exactly that, as in 2048 textures, AA cranked, every option turned on, and most importantly shadows at max settings, and environmental reflection slider at the maximum?  If so, you sir have the super computer of all 2 year old Dells, as I couldn't maintain 60 fps with lots of cons in smoke and clouds with a o/c 3930k and 2 4 meg 680's overclocked in SLI.  Even with a single o/c 780 at Titan levels of performance I still can't if the environmental slider is at max.  If I back the slider down 2 notches, 144 fps on my 144hz monitor stays pegged no matter what, but as soon as that slider is moved to max, AH2 still owns the fastest systems out there for the most part in terms of keeping maximum FPS going all the time.

I don't doubt you have everything else cranked up BUT the environmental, as I did as you do for about 3 cycles of new PC's, buying a mid level factory HP or Dell and adding a decent vid card, and that served me well enough, until I had the $$ to start building whatever whenever, which I what I'm doing now.  I will say you're probably correct IMO as well, that your and my old way of doing it is probably the most cost effective and simplest way of keeping up, and having a system that fights above its weight.  You also get the benefit of having new home theater PC's kicking around when you upgrade, as I have 2 i7 boxes doing exactly that from being cast aways after getting new systems.

[guncrasher]

Then here is my opinion (experts, correct me if im wrong, please):

Build it yourself and save a load of money.
That I5 3570K is a great CPU, enough for anything. But do you really need that TUF Sabertooth board? Thats a very good one, but select what do you need and what you dont.
I would buy a mATX board with only one PCI-E slot as one top end VGA can handle this game easily with all the eye candy, in full-HD. 8GB RAM is enough for anything but serious rendering, i dont see the point in buying more for AH. For one VGA, a 550-600W quality PSU is enough, even if you decide to OC it - but you wont have to. Also, i wouldnt recommend the water cooling; its some cool stuff, but a decent, 50$ cooler can handle any CPU, under any circumstances. I have a 40$ Cooler Master Hyper212 for my old 95W PhenomII, it never goes above 65 celsius, not even when OC-ed like crazy in the summer, and does its job in complete silence.

As for the VGA, a GTX660ti/760 or a HD-7870 can run this game just fine, and will be able to do this for a good couple years.

I wouldnt get a micro mobo.  you never know if in the future you plan to add another vc and the 20 or 30 bucks difference is not worth it.  also some micro mobo's may have problems with as many usb devices as we use in aces high.  even if you use a self powered usb  you may not have enough.

also I wouldnt get any less than 600 watts ps.    a 550 or 600w ps doesnt mean you will get the max of 550 or 600.  water cooling just looks cool but not really needed, then again if it was me, i would just get it for the same reason that I would get case with a window.  just to show off .

semp

[Brooke]

When you say everything maxed, do you mean exactly that, as in 2048 textures, AA cranked, every option turned on, and most importantly shadows at max settings, and environmental reflection slider at the maximum?

I don't doubt you have everything else cranked up BUT the environmental

You are completely correct.  I haven't been flying with environment mapping slider turned on.  If I do all of what you say, I get 35-40 fps.  If I turn the "Environment map" slider down from "Full Updates" to within 1-2 notches of "None", I am back to 60.

This is with me forcing maximum AA for my card (which is 32x CSAA).  I find that AA is one of the important settings to make things look more realistic.

I will say you're probably correct IMO as well, that your and my old way of doing it is probably the most cost effective and simplest way of keeping up, and having a system that fights above its weight.  You also get the benefit of having new home theater PC's kicking around when you upgrade, as I have 2 i7 boxes doing exactly that from being cast aways after getting new systems.

I think it's typically the best way to go for people saying things like "I don't know a lot about computers -- what should I get?"

[Flench]

Well old rig is down for the count and I'm looking to buy one that will last and has all the bells and whistles.

Build one unless you got a pocket full of money . You would get all the help you need here and maybe some part's too . What I did thanks to Changeup ..

[Pawz]

Ok sorry if I'm bothering you gents. I'm going to go one item at a time first my case after searching on newegg.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021
Any thought if this is ok then I will move on to next item. Bare with me I'm not tech savvy by no means.