System Builder Marathon, Q4 2013: $800 Gaming PC

[jwmcvety]

Does adding a GTX770 to this build alter the power supply requirements?

 

[Isaiah4110]

Does adding a GTX770 to this build alter the power supply requirements?

It shouldn't.

 

[Onus]

No, it won't. That's another good choice. A little weaker, but still solid for 1920x1080, and cheaper, would be a GTX760.

 

[3045257]

I fail to understand why in all of these "builds" I see everywhere do people not inclued a $100 Windows OS cost. You're basically lying, if you really were building a gaming PC you would have to get Windows. Most people, even those who are building their own PCs, wouldn't have a clue on how to install Linux anyways.

 

[Isaiah4110]

I fail to understand why in all of these "builds" I see everywhere do people not inclued a $100 Windows OS cost. You're basically lying, if you really were building a gaming PC you would have to get Windows. Most people, even those who are building their own PCs, wouldn't have a clue on how to install Linux anyways.

Not entirely true. PCs games seem to increasingly end up on Steam, so you could actually run these build with SteamOS and still have access to the majority of your PC Games...

 

[James Mason]

I fail to understand why in all of these "builds" I see everywhere do people not inclued a $100 Windows OS cost. You're basically lying, if you really were building a gaming PC you would have to get Windows. Most people, even those who are building their own PCs, wouldn't have a clue on how to install Linux anyways.

I was just about to post this same thing. I find it odd that Tom's doesn't include OS price in their builds. Although, I imagine a great a number of DIY PC Builders probably don't have many qualms about pirating a copy of Windows anyways. But it's odd that Tom's doesn't try to discourage this by including the OS as a factor in their builds. And I doubt they would even use the cheap Home Premium ones, everyone knows Professional and Ultimate are the only ways to go.

Not entirely true. PCs games seem to increasingly end up on Steam, so you could actually run these build with SteamOS and still have access to the majority of your PC Games...

That's assuming they would even want to have to deal with Linux, or only use Steam games, even if Steam does provide a wide variety of games, there will always be something they are lacking. Or those of us who still like to play the occasional game that was made Pre-millennium, because those games were and still are some of the best and well thought out games.

 

[Onus]

The additional cost of the OS is fixed; if it's needed, then it would be added by the individual builder. Someone rebuilding, or upgrading to be in line with a SBM machine may already have a Windows license that can be used.
Really, because this is in many ways a hardware [value] "competition" among the three writers (Don and Thomas must be masochists, although I think Don did beat Paul once on value, and Thomas' aesthetics are often sweet), they could just switch to some variety of Linux to run all their benchmarks, but then the results might not translate into what most people will be using.

 

[ceh4702]

If you are not including an OS in the price, this whole thing is not valid.

 

[RedJaron]

If you are not including an OS in the price, this whole thing is not valid.

Why not? Pray, tell, do elaborate.

 

[Morituri]

I can't believe that we're still including optical drives on budget builds on the edge of 2014. The optical drive is the only component included in the builds that isnt' even required. For the same reason you can imagine reasons you *must* have a card reader, monitor, OS, keyboard, mouse, web camera, speakers, thumb drive and usb powered coffee warmer, the optical drive should be left out as an optional component. Most of us either have no need for one or already have a small usb drive shared between all our computers, there is no need to include a completely optional component in the build.

For the $18 you spent on a useless component you could have gotten a 2TB drive, faster processor, better case, better MB or a pizza to eat while you built system. Even the pizza is a better deal.