New PC purchase: Barebones or Self-Build?

Go to http://acmectf.com for more info and file downloads!

[nameless]

I'm finally getting around to thinking about swapping my long-suffering 8 year old Dell laptop out for a decent rig. I just know I don't want ANYTHING preloaded, as I already have a pure copy of XP Pro (gotten after the hell of Dell shitware), and am going back to a university where I can wrangle Windows 7 - and other software - cheap to dual boot. So, naturally, I'm thinking about a self build.

Thing is, it looks like I can get a pre-assembled tower like THIS for a price pretty much equal to buying the components piecemeal. I'm not looking to spend more than $600 or so on the tower, so it seems to me the savings of self assembly would be negligible...

So, my question is to all you hardware guys, should I buy something like what's in the link above or on this page: CompUSA Intel Barebones Stuff, or should I fan over to Newegg or what have you and assemble by myself?

P.S. Only reward for helping me, I suppose, is seeing me on the servers a lot more often than now (which wouldn't take much, playing on the laptop is pretty much out of the question). Or I could stay off, if that's a greater reward 

[WORM]

You need a good graphics card. Whatever you do, don't buy BFG Tech card tho.... http://tech.slashdot.org/story/10/08/16/0320216/BFG-Tech-Sending-Out-RMA-Denial-Letters-Winding-Down-Business

Haven't kept up with latest so best I not give too much advice, maybe alka will pop in. Personally, I would pick parts and get 'em from Newegg.

*edited to correct a typo only

[alka]

... maybe alka will pop in.

* alka pops in

SUP

* alka pops out

[nameless]

... maybe alka will pop in.

* alka pops in

SUP

* alka pops out

After all the work I put in showing you how your strange Cup bracket was inherently unfair alka, it's only fair you spent 2 seconds writing that up...  But seriously, you don't have an input on this?

And WORM, thanks for the warning regarding BFG - it's always better not buying equipment made by a bankrupt company. Most likely going nvidia for video, since the stone age gforce in my Dell's lasted this long and is still kicking. Well, more like twitching compared to the current cards...

[alka]

You didn't say what you use your pc for. Break it down.
ie:
gaming - 75% or 90%?
audio editing - 5% or 25%?
video editing - 5% or 50%?
general use - 15% or 90%?

storage needs? u a pirate focker?

lot's of variables but one thing is for sure.. that kit from compusa is a piece.

btw, let's not bring up time invested in the Cup. 

[nameless]

Heh, thought that'd get a rise outta you alka

Anyways, I think the "biggest" app I'd be using is CATIA (3d modeling, simulation, and mechanical, thermal, aero analysis). CATIA runs, albeit SLOWLY, on my POS laptop though, but can't handle big assemblies, which makes me believe that even that "piece" from compusa could run it fine. Big difference going from 512 MB to 4 GB of RAM.

Other programs that might be more system hogging are Matlab and Finale, but again, those run on the Dell. I occasionally fan around in Photoshop, but I'm not going to be doing any video editing.

I kind of want to have the capabilities for running newer games, but right now I don't have the scratch to buy any, and will have even less scratch after moving to Cinci.

As to storage needs, 1 TB is more than enough. If that turns out to be false down the road, whatever - right now I've backed up everything I've done on a computer since I learned what a byte is on a 120 GB external drive.

Basically, I just want something that'll dual boot like a champ, run Doom3 (the latest game I have, which runs okay on the laptop), have enough RAM to deal with large assemblies in CATIA, and have the ability for easy upgrade when I win the lottery... I mean get my degree.

For your breakdown pleasure:
Gaming - 40% (does q2 even count as a game anymore? i think my ipad touch can probably run it well)
3D Modeling/Analysis & Programming - 35%
Composing - 15%
Audio/Graphics Editing - 5%
Internet/General Use - 5%

Guess most of my questions would be regarding Mobo/chip/case/power supply/cooling system combinations and how one could get fisted there, which is why I looked into the barebones towers in the first place.

P.S. The laptop still runs, so I'll be using that for pretty much everything school-related that's not programming or analysis.

[alka]

$600 is a tough price to hit. I just threw something together and I hit $800, and that's not even top of the line i7 either.
I'm assuming you would still need a vid card if you went with the Compusa piece, so It'd be hard to hit $600 even with that.
I could probably assemble something in the $600 and below range, but I would consider it a true budget build. If you are one of those people that go 8 years before upgrading, I'd say spend $$ on a new build now than $$$ on upgrades later.

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=20231048

Could probably save $100+ by lowering the cpu and vid card.
But $600 is still tough to hit.

[Vidmaster]

If you're going to spend $200 on a graphics card it might as well be the EVGA GeForce 460. Awesome performance for the price.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130562&cm_re=evga_460-_-14-130-562-_-Product

Granted you lose the $20 MIR but there's currently free shipping on the 460 so it's only a $12 hit for DX11, DDR5, and higher performance.

[nameless]

Thanks, guys - I'll certainly look into spending a bit more. Might need to get back into hustling 8-ball again... I guess I only have a couple more questions :

Alka, on the build you made, did you have a reason for going for AMD rather than intel? That's been a major dilemma of mine for a while now...

Also, the mobo memory standard is "DDR3 1866(OC)*/1333/1066" and the RAM is "DDR3 1600"... Again, this is one of those things that I haven't a clue if it'd cause a problem or not.

And finally, any words of wisdom while assembling, other than to make sure not to fry anything with a static charge? Thermal paste preferences maybe?

Thanks a lot guys... with all the hoops I've had to jump through lately, having some help with this is a load off my mind.

[WORM]

Intel ftw...maybe not for the price tho.

Has AMD caught back up with Intel in performance again? Thought Intel put the bucks into R&D to take over in that department. Again, I know nothing and anyone saying otherwise is a cad and a fop!

[alka]

Alka, on the build you made, did you have a reason for going for AMD rather than intel? That's been a major dilemma of mine for a while now...

Basically, when I saw the intended budget of $600 I immediately thought AMD.
AMD for the longest time has been the best bang for the buck.
But I'm not an AMD fan boy, I will tell you straight up that Intel has the upper hand in pretty much every area of computing.
I personally built my latest PC around an AMD processor.
Why? well..
1. Very tight budget.
2. Didn't think it made sense to spend ~$200 more for a comparable Intel system just so I could get 8fps more in games, convert a video in 3mins as opposed to 3mins20secs, or extract a Winrar archive in 40secs as opposed to 51secs. Just not worth it to me.

Also, the mobo memory standard is "DDR3 1866(OC)*/1333/1066" and the RAM is "DDR3 1600"... Again, this is one of those things that I haven't a clue if it'd cause a problem or not.

1. 1600 would work fine and it's on the qualified vendor list for that motherboard.
2. The difference in "speed" is more or less non-existent compared to 1866.
3. 1600 is far more popular and compatible than 1866 making it more in demand, so more choices, so far lower prices. You would have to add $75+ for the same 4gb in 1866 flavor. Again, not worth it.

And finally, any words of wisdom while assembling, other than to make sure not to fry anything with a static charge? Thermal paste preferences maybe?

Well, the cpu coolers nowadays come with better paste already applied, unlike the they use to. If you don't plan to overclock, then the stock cooler with factory paste is great.
If you do overclock one day, wellllllll that's a different story.
Add a $75 cooler and overclock to compete with a $300 i7 from Intel? WHAT!? oh, n/m

[The Cleaner]

$600 is a tough price point to hit unless you're using older tech.  Core2Duo or AM2 is probably reasonable, but quickly becoming obsolete--  technically they are obsolete.

Check out some of Newegg's prebuilt systems if you really don't want to mess with anything.

http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=10&name=Desktop-PCs

[nameless]

Thanks again, guys - I'll post pics if/when this crate gets built.

[h0ps]

Thanks again, guys - I'll post pics if/when this crate gets built.

I prefer using what we call the "ownage tower" just come over and ill show you my computer

[The Cleaner]

Thanks again, guys - I'll post pics if/when this crate gets built.

I prefer using what we call the "ownage tower" just come over and ill show you my computer

Be careful, by "computer" he actually means penis.