General
I built a computer over a year ago because my little laptop from college wasn't good enough to do the things I wanted to do, which, at the time, was World of Warcraft. I also used Photoshop, etc... but, in any case, I knew I needed something more powerful.
Despite how long I've been around computers, I'd never spent much time with the hardware, so I had the help of a friend to build it. This awesome machine though was a hodepodge of parts that gave power for cheap and it's done most of what I needed it to.
I still play World of Warcraft to some extent. I picked up Starcraft 2 as well, but I don't play either as extensively as I used to. I still use Photoshop, and I've picked up video editing a bit with Premiere Elements.
That editing of video is one of the things that has led me to want a new computer. I realized that while my computer has done well, that I really want to build something that's a bit more secure and stable, capable of giving me the power I need while standing the test of time. My computer has given me some issues, and I know many of them may be software, but I'm thinking part of it is hardware too.
The process of building a new computer will probably take a little bit though since I'm only able to put a little bit of cash in that direction at a time. But I'm going to try and use this thread as a way to look for the parts with the best synergy so that I can build and awesome machine that I'm confident won't have any conflicts between pieces of hardware and will run with the power I'm looking for.
What I'll Be Doing
Gaming (Light)
Video Processing
Sound Support
Multi-Monitor Support
Satellite Computer
Budget
Obviously I don't want to spend a lot of money, but, at the same time, I'm not trying to fit under the same budget restrictions as before. The cheaper it is, the faster I can get it done though, which is important to keep in mind. I'd like to maximize the synergy and use reliable, powerful parts. So, there's an odd balance to keep there, but, mostly, if I feel an individual part that's recommended is too expensive, I'll cry foul. However, try to keep in mind that I'm not a rich person when making your suggestions. I have received a new job which enhanced my income quite a bit, but I do have bills to pay and moves in my life to make. I'm not the sort of person that likes a lot of toys though. I'm not getting a huge entertainment system, or a big screen TV, or any of those things, so I feel like I can still manage to splurge on a nice computer setup and still have money to save, to pay down debt and wok on getting this computer thing going.
Parts
Here is where I'll list on parts decided on. I honestly don't know where to start though. I've built a computer before, but only once, and with the help of a friend. So I'm not going to pretend I'm an expert on this, but the final say is definitely mind. But, with that said, I'm trying to be open and to doing what is suggested here. If I'm missing something from my list, let me know:
Tower:
Mobo:
Processor: Intel Core i7-2600 Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2000 ?
Sound Card:
Graphics Card:
Memory:
HDD Setup:
Power Supply:
Bluray Drive:
Misc:
I built a computer over a year ago because my little laptop from college wasn't good enough to do the things I wanted to do, which, at the time, was World of Warcraft. I also used Photoshop, etc... but, in any case, I knew I needed something more powerful.
Despite how long I've been around computers, I'd never spent much time with the hardware, so I had the help of a friend to build it. This awesome machine though was a hodepodge of parts that gave power for cheap and it's done most of what I needed it to.
I still play World of Warcraft to some extent. I picked up Starcraft 2 as well, but I don't play either as extensively as I used to. I still use Photoshop, and I've picked up video editing a bit with Premiere Elements.
That editing of video is one of the things that has led me to want a new computer. I realized that while my computer has done well, that I really want to build something that's a bit more secure and stable, capable of giving me the power I need while standing the test of time. My computer has given me some issues, and I know many of them may be software, but I'm thinking part of it is hardware too.
The process of building a new computer will probably take a little bit though since I'm only able to put a little bit of cash in that direction at a time. But I'm going to try and use this thread as a way to look for the parts with the best synergy so that I can build and awesome machine that I'm confident won't have any conflicts between pieces of hardware and will run with the power I'm looking for.
What I'll Be Doing
Gaming (Light)
I still play World of Warcraft and Starcraft 2 casually and would like to be able to experience them at full settings. But I'm not a big gamer and I don't need a big gamer rig. While I'd like to think that I have a computer capable of playing intense games, it's not a necessity and I can sacrifice some of that power for other, more important directions.
Video Processing
One of the biggest reasons for this upgrade is so that I can go through my explorations in Video more. I have Adobe Premiere Elements and I might pick up Premiere Pro as well as After Effects. I'd like a computer that doesn't take 2.5-3 hours to render a 10 minute video. So I need power in the right places to speed up my rendering times as much as possible.
Sound Support
I've gone through 2 E-MU 0404 USB interfaces and both of them have seem to broken with the same problem. Only, this second time, it's not covered under warranty. I'm upset because the product was otherwise decent, and somewhat expensive to go with the expensive condenser microphone I purchased. I haven't used it much because I don't have the proper soundproofing equipment, but I'd like to have an internal soundcard which supports my ability to record from the microphone and also my guitar, etc... so I'm willing to invest in a card which offers me the potential for some great recording options.
Multi-Monitor Support
Right now I only have one monitor, but I'd like to have a computer which can support at least two monitors. Possibly more than two.
Satellite Computer
If you've been following my posts, you'll notice my post in networking about trying to set-up my laptop to be a sort of "satellite" for my computer, having access to its files and functions even when I'm not near it. I figure having them on the same operating system will help immensely, but, if there's any hardware which might also help, I'm all ears. It should be noted that after this new computer is built that I plan on getting a newer, more powerful laptop as well. So if there's a part that needs to be in both of them, it'll be worth mentioning and I'll try to get a laptop that has that part (building a laptop is a bit much, I'll probably order a custom one though).
Budget
Obviously I don't want to spend a lot of money, but, at the same time, I'm not trying to fit under the same budget restrictions as before. The cheaper it is, the faster I can get it done though, which is important to keep in mind. I'd like to maximize the synergy and use reliable, powerful parts. So, there's an odd balance to keep there, but, mostly, if I feel an individual part that's recommended is too expensive, I'll cry foul. However, try to keep in mind that I'm not a rich person when making your suggestions. I have received a new job which enhanced my income quite a bit, but I do have bills to pay and moves in my life to make. I'm not the sort of person that likes a lot of toys though. I'm not getting a huge entertainment system, or a big screen TV, or any of those things, so I feel like I can still manage to splurge on a nice computer setup and still have money to save, to pay down debt and wok on getting this computer thing going.
Parts
Here is where I'll list on parts decided on. I honestly don't know where to start though. I've built a computer before, but only once, and with the help of a friend. So I'm not going to pretend I'm an expert on this, but the final say is definitely mind. But, with that said, I'm trying to be open and to doing what is suggested here. If I'm missing something from my list, let me know:
Tower:
Mobo:
Processor: Intel Core i7-2600 Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2000 ?
Sound Card:
Graphics Card:
Memory:
HDD Setup:
Power Supply:
Bluray Drive:
Misc: