Best Place to Customize?

[jackdelamare]

Hi,

When Windows 7 is released, I am going to custom build my own desktop computer to run it. I've never probably customized one myself, only purchased a custom built PC, and messed around inside many others.

Thing is, I'm definately going to buy the best stuff I can, but being a student I don't have that much money. Does anybody have any ideas where the best place to buy kit from would be? I'm hoping to get an i7 core but noticed the 3.2GHz one is around £800, but that's a bit too much for a processor.

Do you think it'll be reduced by the release of Windows 7, or they'll be an ever better one out? Oh yeah I'm also making the switch to 64-bit.

Thanks,
Jack

 

[hethoofd]

It will certainly be reduced. There might even be new types of processors by then.

 

[renthor]

Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, Digital Cameras and more!

And ExtremeTech is one of my favorite places to get reviews on parts, how to's, etc.

 

[jackdelamare]

Ah, thanks for the links. I'll take a look... I'm in the UK, but that wouldn't make a difference, except for the shipping price.

 

[darkassain]

It will certainly be reduced. There might even be new types of processors by then.

oh yes....

by that time they should have computers that can easily hit 7.9....

Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, Digital Cameras and more!

And ExtremeTech is one of my favorite places to get reviews on parts, how to's, etc.

yep you should go with newegg (its international now....)

Ah, thanks for the links. I'll take a look... I'm in the UK, but that wouldn't make a difference, except for the shipping price.

id go with this one as its very easy to overclock...

Newegg.com - Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor - Processors - Desktops

 

[AGlobalThreatsK]

I like www.globalcomputer.com

They have crazy deals at times, their prices go up and down frequently so you just have to keep your eyes on the components you want and then buy them when the prices are ridiculously low.

 

[Romulinx2]

I have used this company many times and recommend it: OutletPC.com - Cheap Computer Parts, Discount Laptops, & Wholesale Desktop Computers
and
TigerDirect.com - Computers, Computer Parts, Computer Components & Electronics

Very good service and great prices!

 

[DTree]

I second the "newegg" motion.
Not always the very cheapest but always close and their service and shipping is the best Ive seen.
There are often good reviews on the site also but not all reviewers are that experienced so some sifting needs to be practiced.
Anandtech is also great for reviews as well as http://www.tomshardware.com

 

[jackdelamare]

Thanks for all the links guys, I will be looking around for a while and hopefully building one insane PC.

Thanks!

 

[anykey]

Hi,

When Windows 7 is released, I am going to custom build my own desktop computer to run it. I've never probably customized one myself, ...Thing is, I'm definately going to buy the best stuff I can, but ...I don't have that much money. Does anybody have any ideas where the best place to buy kit from would be? ... Oh yeah I'm also making the switch to 64-bit.
Thanks, Jack

Jack, thanks for asking this question
It is just what I am toying with, incl the 64bit, ha ha.

I find the difficulty is that many folk are not in the UK and their suppliers are so much different to ours - and so are their prices. Stores they are used to dealing with are unknown names to us. We just have no knowledge of newegg - even if they say they are International now.
I would feel more comfortable dealing with British based companies

In the past I have used novatech or ebuyer

 

[JerzeyLegend]

Now now now, the i7 is nice, but how about you save a few bucks and go with a Phenom II? I am getting one next month. 3.0Ghz, OC'ed to like 3.5 on stock cooling. lols. Ok, I don't want to start a CPU war so I'll just leave you with this link.

 

[jackdelamare]

Jack, thanks for asking this question
It is just what I am toying with, incl the 64bit, ha ha.

I find the difficulty is that many folk are not in the UK and their suppliers are so much different to ours - and so are their prices. Stores they are used to dealing with are unknown names to us. We just have no knowledge of newegg - even if they say they are International now.
I would feel more comfortable dealing with British based companies

In the past I have used novatech or ebuyer

I've actually purchased a few things from eBuyer and probably will use that site. It's very good, they have pretty much everything; and it's cheap.

 

[anykey]

I've actually purchased a few things from eBuyer and probably will use that site.

Do have a look at novatech, too.
And Jack please keep me posted as to your progress. I'd be interested in your thoughts. Having said that I suppose you will be making a Gaming Machine, whereas I am no gamer, so not looking for quite the same (graphics) spec as you

 

[skunksmash]

Do have a look at novatech, too.
And Jack please keep me posted as to your progress. I'd be interested in your thoughts. Having said that I suppose you will be making a Gaming Machine, whereas I am no gamer, so not looking for quite the same (graphics) spec as you

Novatech are good..... ''Scan'' & ''play.com'' are a few more

if your working off a budget, core i7 may not be your best bet.....

you can build a super 775 gaming rig for peanuts now, but if your adamant about i7 give us a budget limit & we'll see what we can come up with...




SK

 

[jackdelamare]

Do have a look at novatech, too.
And Jack please keep me posted as to your progress. I'd be interested in your thoughts. Having said that I suppose you will be making a Gaming Machine, whereas I am no gamer, so not looking for quite the same (graphics) spec as you

No, I'm not really a PC gamer but I do a lot of video editing and will one day be moving onto HD editing. Plus I like having the best spec...

Novatech are good..... ''Scan'' & ''play.com'' are a few more

if your working off a budget, core i7 may not be your best bet.....

you can build a super 775 gaming rig for peanuts now, but if your adamant about i7 give us a budget limit & we'll see what we can come up with...




SK

That'll be good . Well I'll be saving up for the release of Windows 7, to build this PC, and I'll hopefully have a grand by then. Maybe not, but maybe so. I know RAM and graphics cards are extrememly cheap, and cases and PSUs, it's just the CPU and a motherboard that can hold the CPU that is expensive. Like an i7 motherboard is around £300-£500, cheapest I found. I've got Core 2 Duo at the moment so I want to be taking a huge step up. Do you think they will bring a new processor by the release of Windows 7? Maybe more than 4 cores?

 

[anykey]

Hello Jack, okay right well, we might be looking at a similar spec if you are not building a gamers machine
I have a bit of learning to do - What is core i7, please.
At the moment I am on 2.60 AMD Athlon 64 x2 Dual Core.
(to be honest I am not sure what that means. )
So listening to your findings will be most helpful
Oh yes, and I require a Quiet Machine. I play music a lot and don't want to hear the PC with fans and hard drives thrashing away.

Sorry off topic, but:
...what (freebie) apps can I use to edit video files such as .avi or whatever.
By that I mean take small bits of film scenes from various files and merge into one "video" file :shock:
Thanks for your help,

 

[delphi]

No, I'm not really a PC gamer but I do a lot of video editing and will one day be moving onto HD editing. Plus I like having the best spec...


That'll be good . Well I'll be saving up for the release of Windows 7, to build this PC, and I'll hopefully have a grand by then. Maybe not, but maybe so. I know RAM and graphics cards are extrememly cheap, and cases and PSUs, it's just the CPU and a motherboard that can hold the CPU that is expensive. Like an i7 motherboard is around £300-£500, cheapest I found. I've got Core 2 Duo at the moment so I want to be taking a huge step up. Do you think they will bring a new processor by the release of Windows 7? Maybe more than 4 cores?

Hi All,

Having been a lurker on these forums for quite some time now, I decided to sign up.

Jack - I am yet to see a i7 board (LGA1366) which costs more than £300, I think its good to bear in mind at the moment that it is new tech, and that the price will come down. However you were wrong in stating that the RAM was one of the cheapest components for a new i7 PC, as it requires DDR3 RAM which is yet to get the huge discounts we have seen on DDR2 currently. Also if you want the most performance out of your system you should be looking at triple chanel RAM (three sticks which are matched).

As for any new Intel processors, I think we can safely assume that there will be new quad cores coming out before W7 is released, however I very much doubt we will see octocores being released into the public market in that timeframe. Also when buying a new PC don't save money by buying a substandard PSU as it will only come back to bite you at a later date!

Hello Jack, okay right well, we might be looking at a similar spec if you are not building a gamers machine
I have a bit of learning to do - What is core i7, please.
At the moment I am on 2.60 AMD Athlon 64 x2 Dual Core.
(to be honest I am not sure what that means. )
So listening to your findings will be most helpful
Oh yes, and I require a Quiet Machine. I play music a lot and don't want to hear the PC with fans and hard drives thrashing away.

Sorry off topic, but:
...what (freebie) apps can I use to edit video files such as .avi or whatever.
By that I mean take small bits of film scenes from various files and merge into one "video" file :shock:
Thanks for your help,

Anykey - your PC specification means you have two physics cores (or processors) which run at 2.6GHz. As for a quiet machine, I wouldn't be looking at the top of the range equipment if you want it to run quiet, basically its better to go for the new revisions of the old equipment as they will run cooler, and require less cooling thus being quieter.

For your freebie app - try windows movie editor, it should do all that and more

/Delphi

P.S. Love the forums!

 

[anykey]

delphi, welcome to W7F, and what a joy to read your post. So informative and well written. Thank you

 

[jackdelamare]

Well, I've found an i7 motherboard under £300:
Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD4 iX58 Socket 1366 7.1 Channel Audio ATX Motherboard - Ebuyer
It's quite a good one too.

And this is some ok RAM:
OCZ 4GB Kit (2x2GB) DDR3 1333MHz/PC3-10666 Gold Dual Channel CL 9-9-9-26 - Ebuyer

I guess I'll just have to wait a while, but they'll probably bring out an even newer one by then, don't you think?