Full Games List
Featured Games
New Games
Reviews
Media
Images
Blogs
Game Updates
Images Feedback Summary
Game Design Highlights
Tutorials
Articles
Scripts
Utilities / Plugins
Resources
Engines
Engine Bulletins
What is Makerscore?
Past Events
Achievements
Misaos
Forums
Post History
Chat
New to RMN?
Full Store List
RMN Music Pack (free)
HELP ME BUILD A PC FOR MY WIFE
Posts
pianotm
View playlists
CloseMostly looks good. The motherboard is fairly good. It looks like it runs for about 90 to a hundred dollars. It's awfully small with only 2 PCI slots and 2 PCI express slots. Memory looks good. Those four slots support 32 gigs. It looks fairly good. 6 SATA slots. I think at that price, you could probably find another motherboard with a few more PCI slots, but all together it's not bad.
Good deal on that hard drive.
Good deal on that hard drive.
PCI slots are redundant and largely useless. If you aren't planning on using them they will never come up. Also the mobo selected is the one I linked which is currently on sale for $80 CAD.
I can't find the case Kentona's looking at, only the Cougar MG100. (I used the Corsair 200R for work and it's a nice case but also $80. All the cases I pick are pricey/honking huge and I don't have any good recommendations for a budget case)
Before I forget, what's the specs and age on the PSU?
e: For my current computer I foolishly got a full size ATX case.
don't get a full size atx case
I can't find the case Kentona's looking at, only the Cougar MG100. (I used the Corsair 200R for work and it's a nice case but also $80. All the cases I pick are pricey/honking huge and I don't have any good recommendations for a budget case)
Before I forget, what's the specs and age on the PSU?
e: For my current computer I foolishly got a full size ATX case.
don't get a full size atx case
the PSU is one I have on hand, it is from 2012, LSV 450W ATX, and lacks the connector for high end videocards (6 pin? I don't even remember)
E:
goddammit, NewEgg just put the i3 I just bought on sale for $144.99
E:
goddammit, NewEgg just put the i3 I just bought on sale for $144.99
Yeah, it's a 6/8 12V plugin. You don't need one that uses that though, a GTX 750 Ti draws 60W, the CPU is 54W, so 9.5 A on the 12V rail (plus give on the rest of the system, PSU age and brand. Should be fine). It's my recommended bang-for-buck GPU right now but it's also $180 CAD which is definitely pushing the budget. I'll dig around some more but bang-for-buck nosedives at certain low price points, it might be worth sticking with the 5450 for now and upgrading later as the budget permits.
(There is a $150 750 Ti for $150 on newegg.ca, but it's DVI, HDMI, and DisplayPort output, make sure you have the inputs/cables for your wife's monitors before ordering any GPU)
(There is a $150 750 Ti for $150 on newegg.ca, but it's DVI, HDMI, and DisplayPort output, make sure you have the inputs/cables for your wife's monitors before ordering any GPU)
She uses DVI and HDMI for her monitors now, iirc.
I found a sweet case on Newegg.ca for $38.99 - comes with 3 fans (one has LED!) I think I am going to stick with the 5450 for now. Maybe she can get a new videocard for her birthday...
I found a sweet case on Newegg.ca for $38.99 - comes with 3 fans (one has LED!) I think I am going to stick with the 5450 for now. Maybe she can get a new videocard for her birthday...
That sounds like everything then. CPU, mobo, ram, OS drive, case, power, and a GPU. All that might be missing is an optical drive that costs $20 for an internal one or about double that if you get an external (externals are nice for portability and you only ever really need one unless you expect to use it a lot. My work has one external optical drive among most computers and the once-per-month we need it we have to go find it and use it and then hide it again to repeat the fun next month)
Got a keyboard/mouse?
Got a keyboard/mouse?
I also bought a $20 ASUS internal DVDRW drive that was on sale at newegg.ca
I bought her a new ergonomic MS keyboard for our anniversary last month (I am such a romantic!)
I haven't yet purchased a SSD, and the used 1.5tb drive for $40 was already claimed dammit! So I need to keep an eye out for a HD/SSD.
E:
so the 750 Ti doesn't need a 6/8 12V plugin?
E2:
it seems to depend on the brand, and whether it is factory overclocked or not. I will have to pay close attention.
I bought her a new ergonomic MS keyboard for our anniversary last month (I am such a romantic!)
I haven't yet purchased a SSD, and the used 1.5tb drive for $40 was already claimed dammit! So I need to keep an eye out for a HD/SSD.
E:
so the 750 Ti doesn't need a 6/8 12V plugin?
E2:
it seems to depend on the brand, and whether it is factory overclocked or not. I will have to pay close attention.
There's still the $90 128GB SSD I posted last page. It should be enough to hold all your applications and non-media without much issue. With the give there you could get a new HDD. Toshiba 2TB HDD for $90, or Western Digital 1TB HDD for $76.
For the 750 Ti, as far as I can tell the base models get all their power from the motherboard, no external power needed. Sounds like the expanded versions like the Overlcocked or w/e Editions need them, maybe if it has two fans. Check the item you're looking to purchase to make sure. The Zotac I posted above shouldn't need one.
e: Forgot to check ncix
Segate 1TB HDD, $63
Toshiba 1TB HDD, $60
For the 750 Ti, as far as I can tell the base models get all their power from the motherboard, no external power needed. Sounds like the expanded versions like the Overlcocked or w/e Editions need them, maybe if it has two fans. Check the item you're looking to purchase to make sure. The Zotac I posted above shouldn't need one.
e: Forgot to check ncix
Segate 1TB HDD, $63
Toshiba 1TB HDD, $60
All of the components I've ordered have now arrived. I found a refurbished 2TB HDD for $54. I still haven't snagged a SSD. I have spent just over $450 (so no more budget for that Zotac 750 ti videocard unfortunately)
I think I might just roll with a 120gb SSD, since they seem to be in the $60 range, and stay within my budget.
I think I might just roll with a 120gb SSD, since they seem to be in the $60 range, and stay within my budget.
So I found a GeForce GTX 660 used for $80, but I am concerned that my PSU can't handle it.
http://www.usedregina.com/classified-ad/Gigabyte-Geforce-GTX-660-OC-Version-2GB-Graphics-Card_26258651
http://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gtx-660/specifications
If this is the same model from the ad, then it looks like the minimum PSU is 450W but requires a 6 pin connector for supplementary power, which iirc my PSU does not have (I am at work atm).
Thoughts on this?
http://www.usedregina.com/classified-ad/Gigabyte-Geforce-GTX-660-OC-Version-2GB-Graphics-Card_26258651
http://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gtx-660/specifications
If this is the same model from the ad, then it looks like the minimum PSU is 450W but requires a 6 pin connector for supplementary power, which iirc my PSU does not have (I am at work atm).
Thoughts on this?
A GTX 660 is beefier than a 750 Ti so the price isn't bad assuming it hasn't been burnt out mining buttcoins. You can get molex converters to the 6 pin plugin that such a GPU needs. The GPU max draw is 140W / 11.7A @ 12V, CPU is 60W / 4.5A @ 12V, so 16.2A on the 12V rail vs a LSV's 33A 12V rail (max draw of 396W, 434W shared with the 3.3V and 5V lines before efficiency). Your PSU should theoretically be able to handle it, it's just IMO getting out of the safe zone for a no name brand and few years old PSU that doesn't have the GPU plugin. I've always been pretty conservative with PSU and power demands though (I had a PSU die and take out my GPU ages ago, it cooked the plastic for an older external power plugin to where it was charred and had bubbles forming). The i3 is (relatively) low power which does give more power to feed a GPU so it might work out.
My general suggestion is just to go with the SSD, you'll get more benefit out of the general snappiness of everything with that than a GPU for playing Diablo 3 on higher settings.
e: I'm also an idiot, the i3 draws 54W, not 60W. That's another 0.5A of give to give a GPU. It'll probably be fine.
My general suggestion is just to go with the SSD, you'll get more benefit out of the general snappiness of everything with that than a GPU for playing Diablo 3 on higher settings.
e: I'm also an idiot, the i3 draws 54W, not 60W. That's another 0.5A of give to give a GPU. It'll probably be fine.
ricifidi
30
if you are going to aim for vga that needs power connectors, never ever use cheap no brand psu. they lack any kind of protection and most of the time the real power output is fake, so don't trust them.
if you plan to upgrade vga in the future, get a good psu now with at least 2 8pin connectors so you can decide later if you are going for amd or nvidia. Again, you can't go wrong with second hand here, i have a seasonic model rebranded by corsair.
another concern you may have are the lenght of the card itself, beefier cards need a lot of room to fit inside.
if you plan to upgrade vga in the future, get a good psu now with at least 2 8pin connectors so you can decide later if you are going for amd or nvidia. Again, you can't go wrong with second hand here, i have a seasonic model rebranded by corsair.
another concern you may have are the lenght of the card itself, beefier cards need a lot of room to fit inside.
Thanks for the input. The guy with the 660 never got back to me anyway, but after taking into account your guys' advice, I wouldn't have bought it in the end (or might have bought it but refrained from installing it until I got a good PSU).
I purchased a 120gb SSD for $56 just now. This is the final component. Once it arrives, I can put this PC together.
Thanks for all of your help!
I purchased a 120gb SSD for $56 just now. This is the final component. Once it arrives, I can put this PC together.
Thanks for all of your help!
author=ricifidi
i have a seasonic model rebranded by corsair.
If going Corsair, I'd have to check for this first. I haven't had much of a good experience with their stuff, though
Beyond that, I'd go for a EVGA B2,GS,G2/SeaSonic/XFX PSU and I've heard some good stuff about Antec but don't know which models
ricifidi
30
Let me explain this better. brands like corsair, thermaltake, evga and others, ask seasonic to "make a psu highest quality for them" so, you can find rebranded psu originally made by seasonic with small variations (the one model that i know because i use it, is the corsair tx 650). This also apply for cheap as fuck entry psu who usually are chinese crap with lowest quality, rebranded by smaller and cheap brands.
stay away from entry or budget psu if you are aiming for anything that require extra power connectors.
stay away from entry or budget psu if you are aiming for anything that require extra power connectors.
