Building a PC on a budget

[Zeren]

Hello Escapists!

I have never built a PC from scratch before. I have only installed a new graphics card before.

My girlfriend is in desperate need of a new computer and I'm rather short on cash. Is there a way that I could put together a decent PC for about $800 to $1000 that could be upgraded more later? I have an old Nvidia GeForce GTX 280 that I could put in it to save a little money.

I also need a new processor on my current PC. It currently has a Intel Core i7 950 @ 3.07 GHz. I think it would require a new motherboard as well. What could I do to upgrade that? I will be doing that after I build her computer, so it's not as important.

Thanks for the help in advance!

 

[Friendly Lich]

yeah you could make a decent one with that much.

 

[Vausch]

I could build a pretty strong one for that price range. Go to Newegg, find some deals, put together a nice setup in the shopping cart and see if any items can be combined or given promo discount.

As for the new processor, unfortunately the lga 1366 socket has been surpassed by 2 generations of core i7s. This is the only one on Newegg now. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115224

You would need a new motherboard. What you do there is backup everything you want to save then just get a new mobo and processor. Odds are they won't have compatibility issues with your hard drive or PSU, but the RAM might need to be changed too since I think LGA 1155 uses a different standard. Keep your data backed up in case you have to reinstall your OS. I've heard you can get away with not having to do that after a MOBO installation but it's never a guarantee.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

but the RAM might need to be changed too since I think LGA 1155 uses a different standard.

Not exactly... As far as I know, both use DDR3 it's just how it's used that's different. The 1st gen i7s used triple channel RAM, meaning that you had to install RAM sticks in matching sets of 3 or the computer would get the sulks... Socket 1155 CPUs use dual channel RAM, meaning the sticks have to be done in pairs and Socket 2011 uses Quad channel, meaning a set of 4 RAM sticks.

So, for example, say you've got 3x2Gb DDR3 sticks in an old 1366 mobo, you can pop 2 of them out and put them in a new socket 1155 mobo.

Keep your data backed up in case you have to reinstall your OS. I've heard you can get away with not having to do that after a MOBO installation but it's never a guarantee.

With Win7, most I've heard someone having to do is reauthenticate their OS.

 

[Zeren]

Hello Escapists!

I have never built a PC from scratch before. I have only installed a new graphics card before.

My girlfriend is in desperate need of a new computer and I'm rather short on cash. Is there a way that I could put together a decent PC for about $800 to $1000 that could be upgraded more later? I have an old Nvidia GeForce GTX 280 that I could put in it to save a little money.

I also need a new processor on my current PC. It currently has a Intel Core i7 950 @ 3.07 GHz. I think it would require a new motherboard as well. What could I do to upgrade that? I will be doing that after I build her computer, so it's not as important.

Thanks for the help in advance!

Yes. And easily.

$800 tops if you're reusing that 280 will build a complete PC minus OS and peripherals and monitor.

What I would do:
Get a 128GB SSD for the OS ~$100 (I prefer the Samsung 830's or the Crucial m4's brands)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147163
Get a 1TB WD Caviar black for HDD ~$100
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136533
Get a DVD drive (any) <$20
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106276
Get a case ~$50 (If you're willing to spend a little more here my favourite at the moment is the Fractal Design R4 black) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811352020
Powersupply (get a ~550W-600W modular PSU from Corsair) ~$100-140
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139012
Asus Z77 mobo ~$150-180 (look into the details... but really you're not overclocking or doing anything fancy so the cheap one's are good enough, you just want that nice UEFI bios)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131837
16 GB DDR3 ~$90 (can get 8GB, but at these PRICES! Go for 16GB)http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233246
Intel Core i5 3570k ~$230 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116504

Total Price ~$850

Throw in your 280 and that will max out skyrim without trying.

If you spent more money, the first thing I would do is go for a 240-256GB SSD instead. Everything else is fine and you could then wait for the next round of GPUs or throw in a cheap 7870 or 670 when the prices come down in the future.

Thanks for all the info! I will be looking into that as soon as my funds will allow.