Approximate Purchase Date: Whenever it's done (so busy that I am in no rush, I just want to start it, so it will be done eventually)
Budget Range: $600-$1000 After rebates and shipping
System Usage from Most to Least Important: Games such as SC2, D3, Civ5, related RTS and such. If it can do these, all other normal functions will already be met.
Are you buying a monitor: No
Parts to Upgrade: I have a case, not sure how to find out type of case. Appears to be large, maybe 6in wide by 18in high. It's nearly 10 years old, but it would be nice to reuse (it was a nice case at the time). Everything else will need to be new.
Do you need to buy OS: Yes - Windows 8. If OEM is cheaper then OEM, not sure how that works at this point.
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg.com and TigerDirect.com are the two I am aware of and use.
Location: City, State/Region, Country - Virginia.
Parts Preferences: I like ASUS as my current mobo is that and it works well, but I don't know about brand quality honestly. AMD I've always liked, though again I'll take what's best for the price. nVidia I prefer, but again no real reason other than personal like for them.
Overclocking: Maybe (don't understand this, as in what is the pros and cons, faster speed is obvious but what is the drawback?)
SLI or Crossfire: Probably not. I've had an SLI capable computer for years and never had a reason to get a 2nd GPU. I suppose it's nice to have as an option, but it seems just getting a decent GPU negates the reason for it, at least from my experience.
Your Monitor Resolution: No clue. Currently using 1280x1024, but never really messed with it other than to make sure it wasn't a lot resolution with huge icons on the desktop.
Additional Comments: Quiet would be nice for a change, all my current systems are not quiet. Not a big deal, but if it can be fit in, I'd like it.
And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: See comments below:
$1000 is the most I am willing to spend currently, but I would be much happier spending less. My wife's computer is dieing (my old gaming rig). I currently have one that runs most games on med-high settings (SC2, Diablo3, Civ5, all high settings, though a few settings are now being set to medium in the auto configurations). The system is 4 years old, but as lasted well. I would either like to replace my wife's system (which she plays games with me) or replace mine (and give her my current one). Depends on what I can get for the price. I demand higher quality than my wife, she puts up with slower and lower quality graphics. So what I can get for the price will determine the system's use.
I've never built myself before, though I have selected the general components for a builder to use (CPU, GPU, etc). I've never gone as deep as motherboards and such though. And it's the motherboard that has me stuck right now. I'm not even sure where to begin (been reading the articles here).
What I want is a system that can run all modern games and slightly future games on either high settings, or high enough that you can't really tell the difference. I don't do FPSs, but rather RTS, Diablo type, Civ, etc. I don't mind having to upgrade components during it's lifetime, which is why I want a decent motherboard. I don't need the highest end though, as I don't have large funds for this. As it is my current system started at 2 GB ram as it was enough at the time, then upgraded when needed. I've been using a nVidia 9800gtx (or whatever the overclock is I suppose) it's entire life, and that card has been amazing. I don't even have a need for a new GPU yet since graphic settings are still mostly at the highest setting for my games. Problem is I've used it for so long I don't know the current generation GPUs at all.
_________________________
So, first issue is motherboard. I don't want a huge amount of RAM now, but I would like it in the future. Current system that may go to my wife has 4GB, can expand to 8GB. I may only put in 4GB in the new machine, but would like to be able to expand beyond 8GB.
Next, is there a good chance the motherboard would fit in my case? I don't know if these are normal or large towers I have, but both my current and my dieing system are 6in wide by 18in tall (and roughly 18in deep).
Will need 1 SSD (64GB or 128GB), which current case doesn't have a holder for as they didn't exist then. Do they make an adapter? Will probably reuse current HDD too (from dieing computer, it's only like 200-300GBs, but I've never used that much space). Plan is OS and programs go on SSD, all files and pictures go on HDD.
GPU, I love the nVidia 9800gtx, though obsolete. Since this card is still amazing for the games I play, what would be a comparable card? I want a good card, but these get expensive quickly. I'd even settle for another 9800gtx used if it worked in the new system, as it would give me another year or two before my games became just medium settings all around.
PSU, whatever is needed to allow a decent GPU, with somewhere between 8GBs-16GBs RAM someday?
Not sure what else would be needed. At this point I'm still researching, but was hoping for some help as the motherboard is stopping me right now. Would certainly appreciate information on the other parts as well, but even just mobo will at least let me get to step 2, as everything seems to build from the mobo.
Oh, processor. I no longer understand them. The difference between Dual and Duo eludes me. Current system runs Intel Core2 Quad Q6700 2.66GHz. Current system is great for me, though showing aging as mentioned above with some medium graphic settings. Other than this thing has 4 processors, I don't understand Core2, i3, i5, i7, etc. AMD and Intel, either is fine.
Thanks for any and all help.
Budget Range: $600-$1000 After rebates and shipping
System Usage from Most to Least Important: Games such as SC2, D3, Civ5, related RTS and such. If it can do these, all other normal functions will already be met.
Are you buying a monitor: No
Parts to Upgrade: I have a case, not sure how to find out type of case. Appears to be large, maybe 6in wide by 18in high. It's nearly 10 years old, but it would be nice to reuse (it was a nice case at the time). Everything else will need to be new.
Do you need to buy OS: Yes - Windows 8. If OEM is cheaper then OEM, not sure how that works at this point.
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg.com and TigerDirect.com are the two I am aware of and use.
Location: City, State/Region, Country - Virginia.
Parts Preferences: I like ASUS as my current mobo is that and it works well, but I don't know about brand quality honestly. AMD I've always liked, though again I'll take what's best for the price. nVidia I prefer, but again no real reason other than personal like for them.
Overclocking: Maybe (don't understand this, as in what is the pros and cons, faster speed is obvious but what is the drawback?)
SLI or Crossfire: Probably not. I've had an SLI capable computer for years and never had a reason to get a 2nd GPU. I suppose it's nice to have as an option, but it seems just getting a decent GPU negates the reason for it, at least from my experience.
Your Monitor Resolution: No clue. Currently using 1280x1024, but never really messed with it other than to make sure it wasn't a lot resolution with huge icons on the desktop.
Additional Comments: Quiet would be nice for a change, all my current systems are not quiet. Not a big deal, but if it can be fit in, I'd like it.
And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: See comments below:
$1000 is the most I am willing to spend currently, but I would be much happier spending less. My wife's computer is dieing (my old gaming rig). I currently have one that runs most games on med-high settings (SC2, Diablo3, Civ5, all high settings, though a few settings are now being set to medium in the auto configurations). The system is 4 years old, but as lasted well. I would either like to replace my wife's system (which she plays games with me) or replace mine (and give her my current one). Depends on what I can get for the price. I demand higher quality than my wife, she puts up with slower and lower quality graphics. So what I can get for the price will determine the system's use.
I've never built myself before, though I have selected the general components for a builder to use (CPU, GPU, etc). I've never gone as deep as motherboards and such though. And it's the motherboard that has me stuck right now. I'm not even sure where to begin (been reading the articles here).
What I want is a system that can run all modern games and slightly future games on either high settings, or high enough that you can't really tell the difference. I don't do FPSs, but rather RTS, Diablo type, Civ, etc. I don't mind having to upgrade components during it's lifetime, which is why I want a decent motherboard. I don't need the highest end though, as I don't have large funds for this. As it is my current system started at 2 GB ram as it was enough at the time, then upgraded when needed. I've been using a nVidia 9800gtx (or whatever the overclock is I suppose) it's entire life, and that card has been amazing. I don't even have a need for a new GPU yet since graphic settings are still mostly at the highest setting for my games. Problem is I've used it for so long I don't know the current generation GPUs at all.
_________________________
So, first issue is motherboard. I don't want a huge amount of RAM now, but I would like it in the future. Current system that may go to my wife has 4GB, can expand to 8GB. I may only put in 4GB in the new machine, but would like to be able to expand beyond 8GB.
Next, is there a good chance the motherboard would fit in my case? I don't know if these are normal or large towers I have, but both my current and my dieing system are 6in wide by 18in tall (and roughly 18in deep).
Will need 1 SSD (64GB or 128GB), which current case doesn't have a holder for as they didn't exist then. Do they make an adapter? Will probably reuse current HDD too (from dieing computer, it's only like 200-300GBs, but I've never used that much space). Plan is OS and programs go on SSD, all files and pictures go on HDD.
GPU, I love the nVidia 9800gtx, though obsolete. Since this card is still amazing for the games I play, what would be a comparable card? I want a good card, but these get expensive quickly. I'd even settle for another 9800gtx used if it worked in the new system, as it would give me another year or two before my games became just medium settings all around.
PSU, whatever is needed to allow a decent GPU, with somewhere between 8GBs-16GBs RAM someday?
Not sure what else would be needed. At this point I'm still researching, but was hoping for some help as the motherboard is stopping me right now. Would certainly appreciate information on the other parts as well, but even just mobo will at least let me get to step 2, as everything seems to build from the mobo.
Oh, processor. I no longer understand them. The difference between Dual and Duo eludes me. Current system runs Intel Core2 Quad Q6700 2.66GHz. Current system is great for me, though showing aging as mentioned above with some medium graphic settings. Other than this thing has 4 processors, I don't understand Core2, i3, i5, i7, etc. AMD and Intel, either is fine.
Thanks for any and all help.