Help buying a new computer

[rumandginger]

Hi everyone! I come here seeking help in buying a new PC that will give me no problems with, mainly, Sims 3 and Final Fantasy XIV (staying on topic here, but since that's another game I play, I thought I would ask so that I meet the specs for both of them).

I want to ask someone for an estimate price on building me a PC, but before that I need to ask what is that I am looking for. I've read the stickies, but since I know nothing on building computers, and I want another person to build it for me since I don't know which parts are better than others or which parts I can afford, I'm hoping that you can help me out.

Sorry for being a pain, I know the info in the stickies is there for a reason, but I would like to hear recommendations, so here I go (using a form someone kindly suggested):

- My budget: I've read the lowest I should expect is $450, which looks fine to me, but not if I'll end up with the Sims 3 or FFXIV running poorly on me, so I'm up to €600 (I'm from Spain ^^'')
- primary purpose of usage: Sims 3 and FFXIV.
- monitor size and resolution: I'm going to reuse my monitor (which is 1024 x 768, but I like it that way) and my mouse and speakers.
- what other requirements: I would like Windows 7 with it.
- country of purchase: My country is Spain
- self-building or pre-build (Dell / HP / Acer / Asus / etc) or custom-build (TigerDirect / NCIX / etc)?: I would like the shop I go to to build it for me with the parts I am recommended here.

So yeah, I'm sorry if, being a noob, I messed up or lack information. My current computer, if you need to compare for some reason, has the specs I posted in this thread (http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=475265&goto=newpost&posted=1#post3844856), where I was explaining the problems I'm currently having.

Thank you for your help!

[ajaxsirius]

Does your screen have a VGA connector or a DVI connector?

[rumandginger]

Does your screen have a VGA connector or a DVI connector?
It has an VGA connector, but since my Nvidia Geforce 8800 GT needed a DVI one, I bought an adapter :3

[ajaxsirius]

600 EUR is about 800 USD. However, from my own experience shopping for parts in Europe, they can be around 15% more expensive after taxes compared to the US or CA for the same exact part.
Since you're on a budget, the place you buy from and the price you can actually get is really going to make a difference for you. Once you find out where you can buy from, and the prices you can get, come back and let us know (preferably with a link) and we can help you more.

I'd say start looking for something that looks like this:

Intel i5-2310 Sandy Bridge 2.9GHz - $179.99
ASRock H77 Pro4/MVP LGA 1155 Intel H77 - $94.99
G.SKILL Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR - $47.99
SAPPHIRE 100314-3L Radeon HD 6870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 - $169.99
Samsung by Seagate Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ/ST500DM005 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB - $79.99
CORSAIR Builder Series CX430 V2 (CMPSU-430CXV2) 430W (28A on the +12V) - $44.99
COOLER MASTER RC-692-KKN2 CM690 II Black - $79.99

Total: USD 697.93
Approx price in EUR: EUR 606

It's a pretty solid build in my opinion. It should last 2-3 years without any upgrades, and if you want a better CPU later on in the year you can simply buy one, drop it in.

That build doesn't include a copy of Windows 7. If you need to buy a new license and the total is still out of your budget, you can get a lesser CPU like: Intel i3-2120 Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz - $124.99. If you're a student, don't forget to see if you can get a student discount on Windows 7.

I would also not recommend buying any of the ATI 7000s video cards. Nvidia should be releasing budget GTX 600s soonish and those will likely be very nice based on what we've seen with the GTX 680. If you can wait a month or two, that would be awesome for you.

[rumandginger]

I have to wait until June I think to get the new computer, so while I'll be asking for all this you suggested, I still won't be buying anything for now.

So thank you a lot! I'll look into this and let you know once I ask at the shop (I plan on asking at two different shops at the moment).
Thank you for taking time out of your day to help me out :3

[ajaxsirius]

By the way let me link a recent thread where one of the modthesims.info users tried building his/her first computer:

http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=472276

They did a really good job and as you can see it can be fun and successful even for people who have never built their own computer or know a lot about computers. If you pay someone else to build it for you that's extra money you have to spend.

[rumandginger]

I asked in a shop from my city, and they gave me this estimate with the following specs, which I would like to ask you to review if you have the time and tell me if that would run Sims 3 and FFXIV in good conditions, with good graphic settings and well, all that I asked before xD And also what do you think of the price etc, so here it goes!

Intel Core I5-3450 3.1Ghz Box Socket 1155 172€
Asrock Z77 Pro4 113 €
G.Skill Ripjaws X DDR3 1600 PC3-12800 8GB 2x4GB CL9 47.95€
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 500GB SATA3 67.95 €
Thermaltake V4 Black Edition 34.95 €
AeroCool STRIKEX500 500W 45€
Sapphire Radeon HD 6950 1GB GDDR5 Refurbished 149€
629'85€ TOTAL.

[ajaxsirius]

I'm kinda on the fence. Yes it's kind of expensive, but that's to be expected since you're not building it yourself. And I've never bought refurbished... so I don't know. What's the name of the store that gave you the quote? Also what kind of warranty are they willing to provide? I'd say keep shopping so that you have something else to compare to.

[rumandginger]

I'm kinda on the fence. Yes it's kind of expensive, but that's to be expected since you're not building it yourself. And I've never bought refurbished... so I don't know. What's the name of the store that gave you the quote? Also what kind of warranty are they willing to provide? I'd say keep shopping so that you have something else to compare to.

It's this spanish shop: http://www.appinformatica.com/
I don't know about the warranty oops! Should ask asap, too. What is the refurbished thing exactly? I don't know if I am right on thinking what I think it is xD

Argh I still have to ask 2 other people so I won't be sticking to just this. Will let you know more once I get more info from them, and thank you for the help!

[ajaxsirius]

Refurbished usually means it was resold or returned to the shop and then they cleaned it up to resell it. It may or may not have been used and it may or may not been damaged and then repaired. They won't tell you.

[rumandginger]

Hi guys, sorry to keep bothering you xD

But I wanted to ask for your opinion on this build:
-Intel Core i3-2100 3.1GHz 3MB LGA1155 Box
- Gigabyte PH67A-D3-B3 LGA1155 DDR3 USB3 SATA3 ATX
- Kingston KVR1333D3N9/4G 4GB DDR3 1333HHz
- Gigabyte nVidia Geforce GT430 1GB DDR3 PCIe 2.0

[ellacharmed]

IMO, the configuration ajaxsirius suggested is better all around, more balanced, than the one the shop did.

Stick with an i5. I wouldn't go with an i3, though; the lower end series of that CPU shows up a lot on here and at the official forums!
And since you won't be overclocking, the H77 motherboards should be fine (and cheaper than the Z series).
For Power Supply, go with well known brands (mentioned in our sticky) with proven track record than cheap. You don't want your machine to blow up just because it is too overpowered or cannot turn on due to lack of juice. Plus, the PSU and casing/chassis are the 2 major components that would most likely stay with you longer than any other components in the PC. So you want these to be of good quality and last a long time, with good warranty support terms (5 years is the best).
I would highly recommend an SSD as the OS drive and the Spinpoint F3 as the data drive. I haven't done a build yet with this budget, so I don't rightly know if you can fit an SSD in, so again research, research, research! If I find some free time, I'll play on putting together a newegg wishlist to compare against.
That GT 430 is a NO. The i3 may be OK, but I can't guarantee; need more research. i3 is half the performance of that i5 shown there (http://cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i3-2100+%40+3.10GHz), what is the price difference, of these 2? Is the savings worth it? Which has an upgrade path and better future prospects? (This is the kind of research you need to do)


If you're only buying in June, I'd say take the time now to do research as thoroughly as you can. And don't lock the items in your shopping list as yet, as a lot can change in 3 weeks-a month time. Combo deals change hourly, stock diminish daily and new releases get announced regularly, which means the item you targeted may be out-of-stock or what may have been out of reach could be within budget when a new generation is released. :)

I would also advice to really know the SysReq backwards and forwards, especially which graphic card models are in Reds, Yellows or Greens. If the model is too new, you can guesstimate by comparing its specs to the last generations' specs and its relative performance in the Wiki. For example, if you don't want the hassle to turn off one chip of the dual-chip GPUs (like the HD 69xx series you asked about above), I'd avoid those models. This is why the most extreme models in each section (AMD & Nvidia) are in Yellows. Their performance is very dependant on drivers and so far Sims franchise are not yet programmed to take advantage of dual-GPU cards.

Another thing is to have lists:

a list of nice to have if the price goes below a certain threshold

because otherwise it would blow the budget out of the water
as new products get announced, sometimes these products get a hefty discount, especially if they have overmanufactured and has excess stock.

a list for the items of the "potentials" you have researched and read about, and known to work with Sims. Put in the current market price, as well, on this list (don't get if it's overpriced, so make sure to have alternatives on-hand).

Put in the model numbers in a search bar with terms like "issues" or "problems", "Sims" and so on.
Go to newegg.com (even if you cannot buy from here, just to read the Consumer reviews, because they have one of the most active sites on components around), and read what people wrote about these components.
Watch product reviews on Youtube for that model, to see what the sites have to say.
And also, if you want to compare if performance, I like to use these sites for hierarchy charts and benchmark charts

GPU: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107.html (hierarchy chart on the last page)
CPU: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-cpu-review-overclock,3106.html (hierarchy chart on the last page)
GPU: http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html
CPU: http://www.cpubenchmark.net/mid_range_cpus.html

a list for items on the "No way, José! Not even if you give me money" list because they are known to not work with Sims 3. As you do your research and read threads on Sims forums of people having crashings and all sorts of issues, take down that model number and put a mark on how often that model gets reported in DxDiag reports. These are the models to avoid. :)


Why do all that?
Well, because we won't be in the shop with you. ;)

Do you plan to go in with a friend/relative/somebody who knows the components, model numbers and market value? If not, it pays to be prepared so you won't get conned by sales talk of
- "I give you good bargain" : actual meaning "it's second-hand stock" or "refurbished" or "I want to clear my shelves for new stuff"
- "yes, onboard graphics would play Sims well" : actual meaning "I have no idea as I don't play Sims, but if you're willing to take my word and just walk out my door and we'll worry about it with after-sales tech-support"
- "new generation, a steal at this price!" : and they sell you a model from 2 years ago

Not saying the shop you're purchasing from is unscrupulous - I have no idea! If you have built a rapport and relationship with them over the years, the chances are good they won't swindle you out of your savings with a subpar machine.

Last but not least, the models in our sticky are a tad outdated, you can based your build by following specs from
- http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/332962-31-recommended-builds-price
- http://www.techsupportforum.com/forums/f255/want-to-build-a-new-intel-or-amd-system-revised-2012-and-updated-regularly-448272.html

If there's an active local forum for hardware geeks, take a look at their suggestions, too.

Then, once you compile the shopping list (or if you have questions, doubts), post a suggested build here and someone can comment on its suitability so it matches your needs, budget and usage. With an outlook for future upgrade-ability, aka "future-proofing".
Good luck, and happy hunting!

[rumandginger]

First, thanks for your help everyone :3

Could you explain why Gigabyte nVidia Geforce GT430 1GB DDR3 PCIe 2.0 is a no? I've seen it in the simswiki systen requirements page as a YES for the base game and some eps and MAYBE for all other eps :o So I'm curious.

Also, my boyfriend, who has that build I posted above, with the GT430 and all, can run well FFXIV with medium to high settings (maybe high would be a bit laggy, but that game is really demanding so). So I was wondering why it's not recommended. Haha thank you for helping a noob here!

[ellacharmed]

You want to gamble a new PC on a "Maybe" card?
Once the Maybe shows up, and that Maybe shows up for the 430 as early as with Ambitions, which means it coincides with patch 1.12; all future addons after that is a toss up. You're basically playing Russian Roulette on this component, if it is going to crash and when it is going to crash. Which means you may need to upgrade it again. Isn't it better to get a good one from the start, and not have headaches of dealing with crashing games, in the meantime?
It is different if you're getting a pre-built with no options of swapping it out, but if you're purchasing new with a self-build, why go for a "Maybe"? Do you have time to do this research for its replacement and the money for 2 components instead of one, about 3-6 months down the line? Or when the next EP needs even higher requirements with maybe more demanding weather changes or whatever the next one is, and the PC is only 3 months old and cannot even cope with it, how would you feel?

If the budget cannot support better GPUs than this model for the moment, take the time to save for more. :) I did, too. I waited 3 months longer than I intended because the GTX 560 was about to be release, and I waited for the day when they discounted the earlier generation - the GTX 460.

Oh! And with that extra time and more savings accumulated, I was also able to afford the SSD... ;)

[ajaxsirius]

That configuration your boyfriend suggested is worse than the one I suggested in every single way. What's the price tag on it? If 600 EUR is still out of your reach let us know and I'll revise my suggestion, but if you can afford 600 EUR there's really no point in getting something lesser. From my own experience playing mmo's I think having a lag free experience matters more than in single player games like The Sims 3.

If you're only going to be buying in June, that's great. Keep saving and I guarantee you you'll get a better deal because of it.