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ShahFluffers
Ice Fire Warriors
Late Night Alliance
951
   |
Posted - 2012.10.06 06:34:00 -
[1] - Quote
For every computer enthusiast there is a time that comes once every 3 to 5 years... one that elicits both dread and joy... pain and passion... frustration and relief...
Building a new computer from scratch.
Now sure... I can be lazy and just buy prefab. I put down the money, get it shipped, hook it up, and load everything I need on there. Easy peasy.
But there is something hollow about those computers. The cables inside haven't been lovingly braided and looped around to give maximum airflow... the hard drives haven't been placed optimally where they can be cooled the best... if something breaks down and you open it up to see what's wrong you feel like you are looking into the innards of a stranger... a nameless tool...
And besides... maybe you want some extras that prefabs can't offer... like A-V cards and remote controls.
People of the EVE-O Fourms... that time has come for me at long last. Despite much loving care and maintenance over the years, my computer has begun its slide into oblivion. The hard drives can no longer stay defragmented (and are WAY past their operational life), the video card occasionally glitches, the wireless card turns itself "off" at least once a day, load times continue to get longer and longer, and Windows "rot" has become glaringly obvious. Most of the parts in my "beloved" are fairly "obsolete" too.
I already have already begun looking around for parts... but before I buy anything I'm curious what all of you would do.
If you were in my position... what would YOU build?
Here are the criteria I am currently following:
- cost around 800 USD (negotiable)
The computer must:
- be able to operate comfortably in a room that can get to 90 to 100 degree Fahrenheit (32 to 37 degrees Celsius).
- have two hard drives (for backup and containment purposes)
- be able to comfortably operate 3 EVE clients on medium-high settings
- have room for future expansion
- have lots of USB ports (an expansion card is acceptable)
- not go "obsolete" in less than 3 years
- be a PC (apologies to all the Mac users out there, but I'm more comfortable with PCs)
Change isn't bad, but it isn't always good. Sometimes, the oldest and most simple of things can be the most elegant and effective. |
ShahFluffers
Ice Fire Warriors
Late Night Alliance
951
|
Posted - 2012.10.06 06:43:00 -
[2] - Quote
Surfin's PlunderBunny wrote:not go "obsolete" in less than 3 years For less than $800? 
Like I said... "negotiable."
Change isn't bad, but it isn't always good. Sometimes, the oldest and most simple of things can be the most elegant and effective. |
ShahFluffers
Ice Fire Warriors
Late Night Alliance
955
|
Posted - 2012.10.07 06:02:00 -
[3] - Quote
Lesson of the day: Never apply a number, even a ballpark one, to a hypothetical situation.
I have been browsing Newegg as it is my go-to tech site for computer parts. There are some deals that do push down the numbers a bit here or there... but yeah... the setups I've been making easily hit the 1k mark. Guess I have no choice...
And when I say "obsolete in 3 years" I mean; "I'll barely be able to play games 3 years from now because my computer can't handle the extra performance requirements."
Change isn't bad, but it isn't always good. Sometimes, the oldest and most simple of things can be the most elegant and effective. |
ShahFluffers
Ice Fire Warriors
Late Night Alliance
956
|
Posted - 2012.10.07 08:37:00 -
[4] - Quote
Omega Sunset wrote:Don't skimp on power supply, some are cheap and go bad more often.
I'm aiming for a 1000w PSU just to be on the safe side. Any recommendations on brand (I'm looking at either Antec or CoolerMaster) or just go based on customer feedback?
Change isn't bad, but it isn't always good. Sometimes, the oldest and most simple of things can be the most elegant and effective. |
ShahFluffers
Ice Fire Warriors
Late Night Alliance
956
|
Posted - 2012.10.09 04:53:00 -
[5] - Quote
Thanks for all the tips and advice guys. Really helps clarify some things and point towards other things.
Surfin's PlunderBunny wrote:I just pay other people to assemble the stupid thing for me, laziness serves me well and I have more important manly matters to attend to... like lifting weights, grunting, and scratching myself 
Sadly I'm not manly enough to lift weights. However, what vestigial machismo I still possess does demands that I compensate by building stuff with my bare hands... that may or may not have used to scratch myself (there is always the stick).
Change isn't bad, but it isn't always good. Sometimes, the oldest and most simple of things can be the most elegant and effective. |
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