What are the best computer hardware components for me?

Q. I'm looking to put together a new computer from scratch and have been researching a lot and just wanted to get a few more opinions. I need a very versatile computer for work, video gaming, and video editing.

Suggestions on video cards, cases, motherboards, processors, cooling systems etc would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

A. Well, the whole point of building a system is saving money, right? You can put together a really decent gaming rig for well under $1000 . As opposed to buying a dell xps for $2000, which won't be any faster in gaming. If you get a dual core processor it will be very versatile for any type of work or entertainment tasks. You should spend $200 on the processor, $150 on the motherboard, $300 or more on the video card(s) and get the most hard drive storage you can get for around $100 and get plextor dvd burner. Get a good brand name of RAM and Power supply. The best value in the processors in the midrange is the Athlon x2.

The most important part is the video card. You could either get 2 ge-force 7900 in sli, or an ati x1900 if you want to keep it simple. SLI is just sexier in my opinion, and it kicks butt.

You decide which is more important for your overall computing: 4GB of RAM or put some of that cash into really great SLI video card solution for better gaming. Make sure you get a good brand power supply that's a true 500 watts or more. All the parts have warranties, so you are not screwing yourself by building it yourself. You are just saving a lot of money, and frankly not getting ripped off.

Original Question

How much should it cost to build a basic computer?

Q. Now I don't do any gaming, video editing, or anything that would require a lot of power. Mainly I would be just converting video files to DVD and burning them, surfing the web, and downloading music. Of course I can just buy a pre-built computer that can do all of this without a problem, but I want to have some kind of computer building experience just for fun. How much do you think I should spend on building a simple rig?

A. I chose some good PC Hardware from Newegg.com for you

ASUS M2N68-AM AM2+/AM2 NVIDIA GeForce 7050PV Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
$55.99

Hanns·G HB-175APB Black 17" 8ms Widescreen LCD Monitor
$129.99 -$40.00 Instant save = $89.99

XION II XON-103 Black SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 450W Power Supply
$69.99

ASUS (Dual Panels) IDE DVD-ROM Drive Model DVD-E818A3 - $19.99

AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Windsor 2.0GHz Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core Processor
$35.99

CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop
$34.99
-----------------------------------------
Total = $306.94 w. flatscreen

Total = $216.95 w/o flatscreen



These are much better quality hardwares than you can get from any low price prebuilt system like Emachines and whatnot.

You can basically just upgrade the processor to something more powerful should your needs grow. Anything else is solid

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How much computer stuff would I need to play Rome Total War 2 for optimum performance and graphics?

Q. Need a new computer. Not really a tech junkie so keep the explanation simple. What kind of computer would be good? How many graphics or Sound cards would I need? How much will it cost me to play this game. Im such a fan I must know

A. Well it's not released yet, so nobody is 100% certain right now. However, it's going to have a new engine and people expect it will have similar requirements to Total War: Shogun 2.

http://diaryofdennis.wordpress.com/2012/07/03/total-war-rome-2-estimated-system-requirements-and-release-date-probably-2013/

So basically, that means a desktop computer around $800-$900. The bottom-line specs you'll want:

1 - Core i5 processor (2nd or 3rd generation)

2 - At least 4GB of RAM (almost all new systems come with 8GB anyway)

3 - A graphics card around $125-$150, at least a Radeon HD 7770 or GeForce GTX 560 SE. Get a $170 card like a GeForce GTX 560 or Radeon HD 6870 and you'll be way in the clear.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5541/amd-radeon-hd-7750-radeon-hd-7770-ghz-edition-review/14

Building from scratch is the best option, as pre-built systems typically don't have good graphics cards. You could always buy a $600 computer from Best Buy and upgrade the graphics card and power supply yourself, or pay a tech to install 'em for you. You could also look into getting a custom-built system from CyberpowerPC or Ibuypower's websites, but that costs more.

Here are some stock computers that would work:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883229335
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883227412
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883227435

But you'd be better off buying this:
http://www.amazon.com/Gateway-DX-Series-DX4860-UR14P-Desktop/dp/B007W11590/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1349292447&sr=1-2&keywords=gateway+desktop+i5

Then adding these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371031
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130661

If you're planning to play on a full HD monitor (1920x1080 resolution) then you should get a 2GB graphics card. But the card model is more important than the memory. Don't think for a second that a $60 card with 2GB would work. You'll need a gaming-level card, like this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814129230

Anyway, upgrading a starting computer might save you $100-$150 compared to looking for a pre-built system with the specs you want.

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Is it normal for my 2012 macbook air to get really hot?

Q. I recently picked up a 2012 MacBook Air, and downloaded a program called SMCfancontrol. I like to use it to monitor temperatures while I play games such as minecraft on it.

When I play, it gets anywhere between 90-100 degrees Celsius. That's rather hot.
Is it normal for MacBook Air models to heat up?

A. Hey, that is a great question, I hope this information helps.
Ask Apple here for free
1-800-MY-Apple ,and...
Check out the sites for more information.
https://discussions.apple.com/index.jspa
http://www.apple.com/contact/feedback.ht…
http://www.macworld.com/ http://www.apple.com/support/ and
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2468023?start=0&tstart=0
http://www.apple.com/macosx/recovery/
http://appleid.apple.com
http://www.apple.com/support/mac/facetime/
http://www.ifixit.com/iPad-Parts and Mac parts
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573Z…


Source(s):
CompTIA A+ Certified Computer Professional

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What is better for a hardcore gaming rig?

Q. Hi, I am building a gaming rig and I have 2 choices for the Graphics card and processor. Should I get an i7 920 Processor with Double ATI 5750 cards or the less powerful AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition with the Double ATI 5770's.

So I want to know if I should get the powerful processor with 2 less powerful cards or the weaker processor with 2 slightly more powerful cards. Thanks.

A. AMD Phenom II X4 965 BE is not a bad processor at all. I know its performance is less than Core i7 920, but really what matters is the graphics card. Two 5770 are better than two 5750. You will surely get more FPS in the 2nd one than first.
I have seen Core i7 computers, and for gaming and general stuff, I just can't differentiate the performance of a regular Quad from the Core i7. I dont know in which application it will give more performance than AMD Phenom II X4, but if your graphics card is good, then you are sure to get better results.
But again, the FPS difference is within 20FPS. So if 20 FPS difference doesn't matter, then go for the first one.

And as you are going for two 5770 in crossfire, be sure to purchase a bigger monitor. Or else putting those cards in crossfire would be wastage. If you game on a 20" monitor, then a single 5770 would do enough with resolution 1920x1200.

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What do i need to check before buying a computer off Craigslist?

Q. I'm going down today to pick up a new computer its a gaming rig what should i look for to ensure the computer will last for years

A. 1) Make sure it runs....
2) Do a disk scan (quick scan) for bad sectors.
3) Check the license for Windows, if included. Many are pirated versions, and may trip you up later.
4) Check what "warranty", if any, you get with it....
5) Get a receipt. If the computer happens to be "stolen", you have proof that you got it from someone else (and you are not the one who stole it). Craigslist can be a popular spot to sell "hot" goods.
6) Ask questions. How long they had it, any failures, what they ran on it (ie: gaming), etc.
If the seller does not allow or answer those points above, they are likely hiding something...walk away.

For future expansion or upgrades, check what size of power supply it has. Small PSU (300-350W) means any video upgrade will require a PSU upgrade as well.
Check ram configuration. Most systems are dual channel - better performance. Single stick of ram means slower system...
Check what video card, if any, comes with it. Gaming rigs would have at least a good mid-range video card in them. On board video is not for gaming.

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What computer can play Modern Warfare 2 at the max?

Q. I would like it if the computer processor an i7 or quad core. Maybe under $2000. I don't mind if it is also a custom. I just want a computer that can play modern warfare 2 at the max!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

A. CoD:MW2 should have almost the same system requirements like CoD:WaW, but thats what we all predict. It is always better to have excess Graphics power, so that you can also play games released in the future. IMO, the specs should be like-

Core i7- Any, the i7 family is enough for playing any games
X58 or P55 Mobo- Doesn't really matter that much any of them will do
4GB(LGA1156) or 6GB(LGA1366) of DDR3 RAM will do
For the graphics, go for GTX 285 or ATI 5870, although they are too powerful cards, we are just futureproofing because the actual specs aren't predictable.
HDD- Any HDD with 7200RPM and atleast 16MB cache will do.
Power Supply Unit(PSU)- 800W, because of the GTX 285 or 5870 requirement.


An example of a system capable of playing COD6:MW2 is
http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/system/Cobra/

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How to put old PC games on the computer?

Q. I have a Nancy Drew game I want to play, but it's old. It's from 2000. I set the set-up under Windows 2000 and tried to install it, but it won't. Also, the disk of the game only shows set up icons and the information of the game, it doesn't show up as the game. What can I do to play the game? Thanks!

A. http://store.steampowered.com/search/?term=nancy+drew

There you go rookie.

If you like real adventure games try this one.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/6310/

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What is the difference between a mac pc game and a regular pc game?

Q. i know that walmart offers games for macs and games for regular pcs. what's the difference

A. Well, Mac games work only on Macs(I hope you know what Macs are. they are the computers produced by Apple). The PC games work on PC Easy.
There are a lot of PC games as compared to Macs(ratio might be 20:1 if not more).

These games do not work on each other cause both the Macs and PC come with different OSes installed. Macs come with Leopard and PC comes with XP or Vista.
You can install an alternate OS in a Mac. So you can basically install Windows XP or Vista legally on a Mac and then play PC games on it but the same cannot be done on a PC(since Mac is copyrighted if you install it on Pc you are doing an illegal thing).

Usually Macs are for people who do graphical stuff and don't need deep gaming. The PC on the other hand is for people who like gaming.
The Leopard OS on the Mac is much much better compared to Vista (since it's faster and doesn't hang or get viruses!!!). Graphically Macs are a better experience but gaming wise a PC is better.

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Why does my computer lag more everytime i use it?

Q. I have a compaq laptop and am currently playing the computer game Warhammer online: Age of Reckoning.
the problem is that everytime i play there seems to be more lag, is this my computer?

A. All of these answers are stupid and wrong. He said when he plays the game...retards.

If your computer can run Warhammer (i.e the computer is fast enough) you move onto the next thing. Heat, a computer will slow down and lag when its to hot I have this all the time when I play Wow on my HP Laptop. Best thing to do is get a cheap cooling pad from Walmart or somewhere else and try using that. Also try keeping it on a flat surface.

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What are the best gaming computers for a low price?

Q. I have been playing strategy games such as total war and crusader kings on my toshiba Laptop (running i3) and I'm tired of its crapy performance. I have been looking at some gaming computers such as cyber powers and Ibuypower computers but they are quite pricy. All I would like to know is what types of gaming computers offer good performance for a good price.

My price range would be between $600 and $850

A. If you don't know anything about computer hardware, I recommend looking at 'already built' systems. There are many factors in which components might not be compatible. It's best you leave it toprofessionalss so you get the best performance.

HOWEVER, if you do know a thing or two about pc hardware, building your rig could be well worth it. A bit more costly I'd like to add. It seems that you're quite frustrated with your laptop, so perhaps spending the extra money could be worth it, as you'll never have to stress about a slow system again.

Those PC's at cyberpower look bada** but I'm a little concerned with those digital temp monitors at the front of the case. Things like that aren't useful to most people + they add to the cost.

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What is the huge difference that separates the performance between AMD and Intel processors?

Q. I have been looking up different motherboards and processors for a good gaming computer and keep finding mixed reviews towards AMD, while there are a majority of good reviews towards Intel. Since the PC I plan to make has a low-ish price range ($1000 Monitor, Keyboard, Mouse, everything included) I would like to know if buying an AMD to get a lower price would be a bad choice. Thanks

A. The difference is in the size of the transistor gates that they use as well as the layout of the more than one billion transistors on the chip.

AMD can't compete with Intel on the high end- for now at least, Intel wins hands down on the top performing processors. There processors are also more efficient, making them better for laptops. For mid-range desktops, however, AMD provides better performance for you money. There's nothing wrong with getting a Phenom II or an AMD FX processor for a $1000 computer.

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What parts do i need to make a moderate gaming computer for around 500$?

Q. what parts do i need? if im going to make a computer for around 500$

any suggestions will help...

been looking on black fridays for deals but nothing good yet...

i want a gaming computer.... one good enough to play cod 6

thnks

A. If you're going to build your own that would save you money.
Just make sure you have:

1. Dual Core processor at least 2.7 Ghz
2. Motherboard that supports SLI (in case you want to add another videocard)
3. Nvidia Geforce GTS 250 / ATI HD4830 or higher (If you want to play crysis at max, better invest in HD4870 or GTX 260)
4. at least 2GB memory
5. at least 160GB SATA harddrive

All those would cost less than 400$

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Whar good gaming computers are there that can run nearly every game?

Q. i currentley have an acer aspire which isnt the best laptop but i want a gaming desktop computer that is around £500 and can run atleast skyrim. Also it would need atleast 8GB RAM.

A. Here you go:


Intel Core i3- 2100 3.1 GHz Processor - £64

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=core+i3-2100&hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=1281259687824945517&sa=X&ei=4GsIT-6GOYPgmAX_lLmGAg&ved=0CGMQ8wIwAA

Gigabyte GA-H61M-S2P-B3 (rev. 1.0) - motherboard - micro ATX - LGA1155 Socket - H61 - LGA1155 Socket - £40

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?pq=core+i3-2100&hl=en&ds=pr&cp=24&gs_id=54&xhr=t&q=lga+h61+lga1155+gigabyte&biw=1004&bih=451&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=383927092805722641&sa=X&ei=cWwIT9D2N4f-mAW6yKTjBA&sqi=2&ved=0CFIQ8wIwAA

G.Skill Ripjaws 8 GB : 2 x 4 GB Memory - DIMM 240-pin - 1333 MHz ( PC3-10666 ) - £32

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?pq=core+i3-2100&hl=en&ds=pr&cp=8&gs_id=92&xhr=t&q=g.skills&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1004&bih=451&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=17867047452513497114&sa=X&ei=42wIT_eoHNDOmAXWjO2AAg&sqi=2&ved=0CGgQ8wIwAQ

Seagate Barracuda 500 GB - 600 MBps - £42

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=seagate+500gb&hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=14405957345567931212&sa=X&ei=QW0IT6mDGsTDmQWsuvW1Ag&ved=0CI4BEPMCMAc

Sapphire RADEON HD 6850 Graphics card - 1 GB - GDDR5 SDRAM - £87

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=sapphire+radeon+hd+6850&hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=13305041030578228721&sa=X&ei=8W0IT-2BM-7ymAX5w6iKAg&ved=0CFgQ8wIwAA

OCZ ModXStream Pro Power supply - 600 Watt - £50

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?pq=seagate+500gb&hl=en&ds=pr&cp=3&gs_id=88&xhr=t&q=ocz+600w&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1004&bih=451&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=14255648925366771565&sa=X&ei=um4IT6rJGaiDmQW6mZznAw&sqi=2&ved=0CFgQ8wIwAA

CoolerMaster HAF 912 High-Air-Flow Gaming Case - £44.00

http://www.internetct.co.uk/coolermasterhaf912highairflowgamingcase-p-1082.html

LiteOn iHAS224 - DVD±RW (±R DL) / DVD-RAM drive - Serial ATA - 48x - £11

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?hl=en&q=lite+on+24x+dvd&gs_upl=102992l110766l8l121395l35l21l5l7l0l0l648l3552l3-1.3.3l8l0&psj=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1004&bih=451&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=11637602571771696661&sa=X&ei=328IT4C_G4n3mAWzxcWoAQ&ved=0CGAQ8wIwAg

Logitech Wireless Combo MK260 Wireless Keyboard - English - United Kingdom - £14

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?hl=en&q=logitech+wireless+keyboard+and+mouse&gs_upl=38394l46404l9l50162l31l25l7l10l4l3l1138l5707l4-2.1.4.1l8l0&psj=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1004&bih=451&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=17173604124967863934&sa=X&ei=EnAIT4SVHM7nmAXflY2iBQ&ved=0CGUQ8wIwAQ

Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium - 1 PC - £52

Acer S220HQLBrbd 21.5 inch Widescreen Full HD LED - £89.99

http://www.cclonline.com/product/71177/ET-WS0HE-B01/Monitors/Acer-S220HQLBrbd-21-5-inch-Widescreen-Full-HD-LED-Backlight-LCD-Monitor/MON0618/

TOTAL : 526 pounds, this is basically the best build I could come up with that budget, this PC can let you play all games on high settings and some on max settings (depending on resolution), the monitor is 1080p .

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Where can I download full computer games?

Q. Not arcade games, actual games like sims and other full computer games. If you send the URL please let it be a website where you don't have to be a member or pay for anything.

A. I really liked the sites listed above until I discovered this site!!!THE BEST SITE FOR NEW GAMES!!!http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geu.Op_0hJUCYB2iVXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEzMW9obDRoBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMgRjb2xvA2FjMgR2dGlkA0gyMTZfMTMx/SIG=11ll3mrp0/EXP=1229607209/**http%3a//www.gamestorrents.com/eng/

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Could a system like Yahoo Answers be used to help fight global poverty?

Q. I would like to hear some thoughtful responses to this idea: I suggest an internet match-maker system, with a few tips borrowed from Yahoo Answers. Yahoo Answers (along with other similar systems) has proven that there are vast numbers of people in the world who would like to help other people. There are even more vast numbers who would enjoy helping others (or at least would not mind making some small effort to help) in exchange for some sense of accomplishment and possible public recognition in a points-scoring/game type of setting. (Computer games in general demonstrate that people enjoy advancing through levels of achievement, even if the "reward" of all of this effort is just points scored in a game.)

Since I have almost used up my 1000 word limit, I will continue outlining my idea in the additional details below.
So my basic idea is this: Make the elimination of poverty into a sort of internet computer game. Here is one possible way to do it: Some organization (with an internet presence, or at least ties to an internet company) would take upon themselves (perhaps with the help of income from ad revenues – more or less like free Yahoo services) to identify poor and/or suffering people all over the world who need help. They would gather some basic info about the person and verify that the person's suffer in is real. (This could involve simply sending a team of people to some impoverished area with cameras, etc. and randomly picking people who can be helped.) This information (with the permission of the person, of course) would be uploaded to a website that would work like a combination of a match-makers service and Yahoo Answers (which I will refer to as "YA").
The story of each suffering person would play roughly the role of a question on YA. The responses of people would play the role of the "answers" in YA. Only in this case the "answers" would be tangible forms of help. In most cases this would be a small donation of money (sent to the administering organization, which would then make sure that it is delivered to the suffering person), but in some cases it could involve some other means of help, such as offering the person a place to live, or thinking up other creative ways to help.

Once the suffering person receives the help (and engages in some sort of dialogue with the answerer through the help of the administering organization), some points are awarded to the "answerer", who then advances to higher levels in the system.
Ideally, people who might otherwise spend most of their time playing games that generally have no meaning beyond the immediate enjoyment of playing might become addicted to the joy of helping others.

In his featured question, Muhammad Yunu asked "How can you help to create a poverty-free world?" Since my answer was number 3952, I don't expect that anyone will ever read it. So I basically turned my answer into this question. I would like to hear some thoughtful responses.
Reading the responses has led me to a new idea: Perhaps an on-line payment company (like PayPal) could team up with the administering organization so that monetary donations could be easily recorded. I would not expect the on-line payment system to be completely free, but the charges could be radically reduced (say, to 1/3 of the usual fee), then the difference could count as a corporate donation/tax write-off. So, for example, if the usual transaction fee is 3%, then normally a $100 contribution would make $3 profit for the bank, but in this case it would only make $1 profit, with $2 counting as a corporate donation for tax purposes. Thus the receiver would end up with $99. This is a far better percentage than most charitable organizations can achieve, and would probably be good business for the on-line payment company. I'm not sure how other creative forms of contribution would be recorded, but at least the monetary contributions could be handled by a very efficient system.
To "I'm gonna tell you": I agree to some extent. Ideally we want everyone to have a meaningful job (or at least a job of some sort) and we want everyone to be more charitable at heart (because there will always be circumstances that lead to human suffering, and people will need help). But the whole point of my suggestion is to find some way that people can indulge in some personal pleasure (like the sort of pleasure people get from Yahoo Answers or playing games) AND still end up helping people in some small way. The time and money that some people would normally spend on fun and games anyway could be channeled in some way that gives it a more socially productive twist. Perhaps my specific suggestions would not work, but maybe someone will come up with some variation on these ideas that might actually work! At least this is my hope.

A. I love your idea and let's make Yahoo a Charity place for everyone. Yahoo can do a matching fund such as I donate1 dollar then Yahoo match $2 . Yahoo can create a Charity Non -Profit and Use the money for our Poverty friends around the world. I am very very sure We can do. Yahoo will have her statement for the amount she receives and spends for poverty areas. If people see then they believe Yahoo Answer Poverty. As a result, your genius idea is working my friend, I really want to see how you look like. You are touching my heart and soul about giving to others. Thank you for making my day.

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