New computer suggestions.

[NinePack]

Hello, i used to be involved with computers a lot, built a few of my own 10 - 12 years ago , mainly for gaming. I have now not really purchased computer in years and i havent kept with the "times".

I now want to buy battlefield 4 and i need a new desktop , any suggestions on where to buy or what graphics cards and processors to look for?

thanks for any help

[cDnStealth]

What kind of budget do you have? Memory Express is a great place to get all your parts/have it built.

[PsYcNeT]

Yep if you can build, give us a budget and we can part it out.

Also, I offer freebie builds (because I build as a hobby) if you are looking to do something neat.

As far as generic recommendations go,

Minimum CPU - i5-4570
Minimum GPU - GTX 770/AMD 280X
Always buy an SSD
Never pay less than 100$ for a motherboard

[NinePack]

I was thinking somewhere in between 1000-1500 I pretty confident in building a system . Is it much cheaper these days to build yourself?

I would like something that would last a few years for sure.

just after a little research there seems to be so many product models and prices!

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by NinePack

I was thinking somewhere in between 1000-1500 I pretty confident in building a system . Is it much cheaper these days to build yourself?

I would like something that would last a few years for sure.

just after a little research there seems to be so many product models and prices!

Yes.

I'm leaving work but I'll part out a ~1200 system for you later.

[Nage Waza]

Things you must have: At least a 770 video card, SSD drive with just your operating system on it and a case with room for expansion. The power should be around 750 watts and with these in mind, future expansions are much easier.

[NinePack]

Ya ... upgradable is a big +++ , thanks for the input! i dont want a paperweight in a few years. I think im my budget i should be able to get more of a higher end unit. I dont want minimum components..

thanks

[Caged Great]

What about quality laptops? What are the most important details with that for speed and overall performance?

[NinePack]

Well, my last computer was a "gaming laptop" it did pretty good actually. I have been researching pricing and it seems you get quite a bit more performance for less the price compared to a laptop.. i do have 2 working laptops for internet and watching movies etc..

Any other reasons to consider laptop vs desktop? maybe im wrong?

edit.. what about upgrading laptops? same as desktop?

[NinePack]

pretty much want a fast gaming machine. wont be used for much more. Battlefield 4 to start up my gaming addiction again!

[PsYcNeT]

If you're actually intending on gaming, get a good desktop first, then buy a laptop.

Okay so, my suggested build (I will only pick well stocked items, and ones taht are generally on sale):

CPU/Motherboard Bundle - i5-4670k + Gigabyte Z87X-D3H - $365 (after rebate)

Good, overclockable set, reliable branding and OC tools.

CPU Cooler - Coolermaster Hyper 212 EVO - $35

Using this cooler, you can OC to well over 4.3Ghz without an issue. A very good, very cheap air cooler.

GPU - ASUS 280X DirectCU II TOP - $340

The 280X is reliably the best price/performance card on the market at the moment, and is equivalent to a 770 except $60-$70 cheaper. The DirectCU II cards are the quietest GPUs on the market.

RAM - G.Skill RipjawsX 8GB (2x4GB) 1600 - $84

Great overclocking RAM, unfortunately RAM has jumped by ~20$ in price recently due to some factories blowing up. 8GB is the minimum, but it's not quite worth going to 16GB yet unless you do video/audio editing.

PSU - EVGA SuperNOVA 750W - $60 (after rebate)

Amazing deal on a 750W PSU from EVGA's new line. Really, a fantastic deal.

SSD - Crucial M4 128GB SSD - $120

SSDs are amazing. Crucial M4s are amazing, and reliable. Not the fastest SSD on the market, but proven and reliable. A true workhorse. Unfortunately the factories blowing up have increased SSD prices as well.

HDD - Seagate Barracude 1TB w/ 64MB Cache - $65

Ye olde "stick your extra crap on this" drive. Just more space.

Case - Antec GX700 - $60

A neat, cheap case with decent sound insulation and enough fan mounts. Has the ability to mount a radiator if you decide to closed loop water cool, and has enough space for even the largest GPUs. I recommend the Corsair 400r personally, but it's another $40 and it only has marginally better features.

Optical Drive - LG 24x DVD Writer - $20

It's a DVD drive

Total before tax: $1149

I assume you have a monitor, if not, you can pick up a decent 1080p 24" for ~150 bucks nowadays, just make sure it has a refresh rate of 5ms or smaller if you want to game on it.

EDIT: Also, that motherboard is Crossfire Ready, so if you bought another 280X in the future you'd be flying.

[cDnStealth]

Laptops are always more expensive than desktops when it comes to price/performance. If you want a fast gaming machine that you can upgrade in the future then definitely go with a desktop. What PsYcNeT has priced out looks like a great machine. It would have been nice to get a 770 when it was on sale earlier on in the week.

[ComixZone]

Definitely recommend the 280X. Great card, great value.

[NinePack]

Thanks for taking the time to put that together for me! it looks like more or less what i would want, i imagine it could plays most games at the best settings . Looks like some of those sales end soon, better think fast! i suppose i need to get an OS as well end up with whatever version of windows is out these days.

[NinePack]

Optical Drive - LG 24x DVD Writer - $20 LOL i remember spending 380 bucks on a CDRW drive way back when. if i recall it was only like 2x speed as well

[PsYcNeT]

Oh balls, I was wondering why it came out 100$ cheaper than my mental estimate.

Yeah get a copy of Windows 8 x64 ($95 bucks for another 6 days).

That puts you right where I promised.

[PsYcNeT]

After installing however, don't update it to 8.1 quite yet, it's not ready for primetime when it comes to gaming.

[Nage Waza]

In case you don't know, do all gaming via Steam. Grab just the games you must have, wait till summer to grab the rest. I literally spent $100 bucks last summer and grabbed about ten years worth of games. Only install what you need when you need it on your SSD, the rest you leave with Steam.

[Vulcan]

Use shopbot.ca to find best component prices. Memory express should match + except in MIRs.

http://www.shopbot.ca/

[To Be Quite Honest]

Wait for Black Friday.