Building my own PC, it's no cheaper.

[Wilkeh]

So, I'm currently pricing up a new machine. Looking at the very least -

i5 3750k
16GB 1600mhz RAM
Nvidia 660Ti 2GB
120 GB SSD
2TB SATA II
750W PSU

There's a company online that will build it for £1045 which includes Windows 7, 5.1 XiFi soundcard and a wifi card. I've looked at pricing the components separately and building it myself however it's not that much cheaper to be honest (about £35 cheaper, that's all!). I understand it's more "fun" to build it yourself but it's also easier to f**k things up. Is there any other websites I should check out other than overclockers and ebuyer?

 

[Lal B3N]

Not really that easy to f**k up to be honest.

Aria, Scan, Overclockers, Ebuyer, CCL Online, Ebay.

 

[zeta]

Christ I'd do it for £900. Thoughts?

 

[Al_G]

So, I'm currently pricing up a new machine. Looking at the very least -

i5 3750k
16GB 1600mhz RAM
Nvidia 660Ti 2GB
120 GB SSD
2TB SATA II
750W PSU

There's a company online that will build it for £1045 which includes Windows 7, 5.1 XiFi soundcard and a wifi card. I've looked at pricing the components separately and building it myself however it's not that much cheaper to be honest (about £35 cheaper, that's all!). I understand it's more "fun" to build it yourself but it's also easier to f**k things up. Is there any other websites I should check out other than overclockers and ebuyer?

Check out my thread.

I think you'll save yourself much more than £35 by building it yourself!

 

[Rubicon_]

16 GB RAM, is that what people are buying these days?

 

[Lal B3N]

16 GB RAM, is that what people are buying these days?

Well its pennies for DDR3. You can get 8GB for less than £40.

 

[Addicted]

You can build that for EASILY less than £1000 rofl.

 

[Wilkeh]

Added up all the required components on scan.co.uk. Total basket value £1025.

Pre-built, with ALL components required, 2TB SATA III HD instead of II, and 3 years warrenty £1085.

You can build that for EASILY less than £1000 rofl.

Go add everything up, bare in mind I need absolutely everything from scratch, see for yourself.

 

[MikeoftheQuays]

You can build that for EASILY less than £1000 rofl.

You think? I'm not sure that you can.

Throw in the soundcard and wireless card and about a grand would be right by my reckoning.

EDIT: Beaten to it by Wilky

 

[Addicted]

You think? I'm not sure that you can.

Throw in the soundcard and wireless card and about a grand would be right by my reckoning.

EDIT: Beaten to it by Wilky

Why do you need a soundcard over the onboard audio? And there's no mention of a wireless card? I'll spec it up now

 

[Wilkeh]

Why do you need a soundcard over the onboard audio? And there's no mention of a wireless card? I'll spec it up now

I mention it in the original post buddy.

Soundcards make a massive difference for gaming, and I also have some pretty nice 5.1 speakers.

Oh and here's the website pre-building it http://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/view/Vortex-1000-gaming-pc/

Just add all the extras and it comes to £1085

 

[Addicted]

Updated:

That's everything? Changed the 3750 to a 3770 as there was no stock, but even so thats over £200 less? I'd change some components personally but am at work and that's a quick go.

If you want sound advice, go to General Discussion on OcUK forums and post a "Spec me a pc for £1000" thread and you'll get what you want!

edit: added windows & soundcard & wireless.

Not as big of a saving as I didnt see windows/sound card/wifi but still less than 1k ;D

(Wireless + gaming = nono).

 

[MikeoftheQuays]

Hmm so it's doable.

However that graphics card isn't a Ti which seem to be about £60 dearer. Also, I'd looking to be spending a bit more than that on the RAM. I'm no expert but that stuff seems suspiciously cheap!

Depends what components the system builder were throwing in there I suppose. At least when you're building it yourself you know exactly what is involved.

 

[DrR]

case?

 

[Wilkeh]

Looks alright Addicted but as Mike said I'm looking for the 660Ti instead of the 660 and it's also missing a PC case, cooling accessories and also a DVD RW. Would want the wireless to be an internal card as well.

 

[Toypop]

To be honest OP, what it comes down to is are you into tinkering around with PC's or do you just like using them?

If you enjoy the tinkering as a hobby then build it yourself.

If you just want to use it then buy it pre-built. It costs a bit more but there are some advantages. I mean for example there was a problem a couple of years back with Intel systems detecting all the RAM. Many of us were trying everything to solve it - constantly trying new BIOS versions, replacing the Mobo, CPU, RAM and PSU. That isn't much fun because you are wasting time when you could be using the damn thing and also good luck when you return your CPU to company X who say "actually mate we tested it and it works fine" etc....

You buy one prebuilt and someone else deals with all that s**t for you. As you say with your Scan example you also get a 3 year warranty. A year of that is onsite so any issues and you just call them up and they will go to your house and fix it. You don't have to work out where the problem is and start arguing with component suppliers about refunds on items that they claim are not faulty etc.

Same thing with stuff like car servicing. You could do it yourself and save a few quid but you can't be arsed to waste your evening/weekend doing it so you prefer to just drop it off at the dealer and take a courtesy car for the day.

Most computing forums are very snobbish about buying pre-built even when from a specialist builder but I wouldn't take much notice of it if I were you. They are just typical "hobby" types...

If you are going to companies like Scan then that is a world away from the bad old days of people like TIME and Tiny who really did sell a complete load of crap with a tonne of sh*tty "free software" preinstalled etc that I wouldn't touch with a barge pole.

 

[Cliotoby]

If you played with lego as a child, you can build a computer.

 

[Wilkeh]

My finger is hovering over the order button. I just feel that for £1000 I can get better. Should I wait 6 months?

 

[Toypop]

My finger is hovering over the order button. I just feel that for £1000 I can get better. Should I wait 6 months?

You will get a better machine for the same money if you wait but you know that is a dangerous game because the same will apply six months from now....

I think it depends on how much of an upgrade this new one is over your old machine.

Do you need it or want it badly enough? Is there a specific game out now or out soon that you want it for etc.

 

[Wilkeh]

My PC now mate is VERY dated. It runs all the modern games but at low/mid settings. It's started to struggle with Arkham City but has no problems with Borderlands 2 (mid settings mind.)

Here's the spec so you can see for yourself -

AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition (Overclocked to 3.4ghz and watercooled)
4GB DDR2 (I think it's 800mhz)
ATI Radeon HD5750 1GB
750GB SATA II

Should be able to get £150-£200 for it I reckon?

It's a massive improvement isn't it.

 

[Cliotoby]

Addicted:

Why i7?

Why not i5?

I havent checked for ages so cant remember, but for me the jump from an i5 750 (which Ive got) to an i7 920 was about £10. But the motherboard and ram was so much more expensive, and for f**k all extra performance.

Also drop the sound card, on board sound is great these days, really wouldn't consider a sound card unless I was an audiophile in which case id be going Asus Xonar STX.

 

[MikeoftheQuays]

My PC now mate is VERY dated. It runs all the modern games but at low/mid settings. It's started to struggle with Arkham City but has no problems with Borderlands 2 (mid settings mind.)

Here's the spec so you can see for yourself -

AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition (Overclocked to 3.4ghz and watercooled)
4GB DDR2 (I think it's 800mhz)
ATI Radeon HD5750 1GB
750GB SATA II

Low to mid settings with that? I have a similar spec albeit with a considerably quicker graphics card and my default on every game I play is whacking everything up to the absolute maximum. BF3 on ultra settings without breaking a sweat for example. The only thing I can't max out is ArmaII but then few people can.

 

[Wilkeh]

My 5750hd is a pretty piss poor GPU to be fair mate, and my processor is seriously dated. What GPU have you got?

 

[MikeoftheQuays]

I have a Phenom II 940 (also overclocked to 3.4 as it happens). No idea how quick that is compared to yours. It still seems to cope though.

I have an overclocked 7870 graphics card. Only got it a couple of weeks ago. Seems to have breathed life into my ageing system - Like I say, it runs the likes of BF3 and Metro2033 maxed out without breaking sweat. ArmaII brings it to it's knees though but from that I hear that game is notoriously CPU-bound.

 

[Addicted]

Addicted:

Why i7?

Why not i5?

I havent checked for ages so cant remember, but for me the jump from an i5 750 (which Ive got) to an i7 920 was about £10. But the motherboard and ram was so much more expensive, and for f**k all extra performance.

Also drop the sound card, on board sound is great these days, really wouldn't consider a sound card unless I was an audiophile in which case id be going Asus Xonar STX.

I couldn't find the i5 quickly as I was at work so was limited on time

As I said it's not the best spec, but gives you an idea and it CAN be done cheaper ^^

 

[Wilkeh]

2GB GTX 660Ti or 3GB HD7950? Both similar price...

 

[MikeoftheQuays]

7950.

As far as I can see the ATI cards are faster than the equivalent nvidia cards across the board. Though I believe the nvidia cards are better if you want to go 3D.