i decided to take the plunge into building my new machine
i set up price alerts for the components i selected using the awesome PCPartsPicker website *thumbs way up*
for each component you can view its pricing history and set alerts if it reaches a certain price
in the last week, i have ordered three parts for it:
- CPU cooler – was at $24.99 and it dropped to $19.99
- SSD hard drive – was listed at $149 but a price drop and mail-in rebate brought it to $89
- motherboard – was listed at $175 but a mail-in rebate dropped it to $145
in deciding to try my hand at building my this PC, i do have a backup plan in case i can’t figure it out – cash and a great local computer shop (not a chain and i’ve used them before). but i’m pretty confident i can do this =)
the reasons for doing this include expanding my hardware knowledge and saving decent money. i’m saving money in a few ways, first by trying to get the components at their lowest prices and by using some existing components – power supply, case fans, 500 gig 7200 rpm data drive, optical drive, existing keyboard and mouse, Windows 7 Ultimate and Office 2010, and my existing monitors
with the parts i am ordering (listed below) it should cost me around $700 to build it and i will end up with a system that would have cost me $1,418 through CyberPowerPC!
i’d never spend that much on a PC. by building it myself, and over a month or two, i’ll end up with a pretty decent box that
- should last me 5 years,
- give me a sense of pride,
- allow me some bragging rights, and
- an imaginary $700 savings in my pocket! =)
components listed below
CPU: Intel Core i5-2400 3.1GHz Quad-Core
CPU Cooler: Xigmatek LOKI SD963 52.0 CFM
Motherboard: Asus Maximus IV Gene-Z/GEN3 Micro ATX LGA1155
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 4GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3-1600
Hard Drive: Corsair Force Series GT 120GB 2.5″ Solid State
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 550 Ti 2GB
Case: Corsair 400R ATX Mid Tower
_,.-’~'-.,__,.-’~'-.,__,.-’~'-.,__,.-’~'-.,__,.-’~'-.,__,.-’~'-.,__,.-’~'-.,__,.-’~'-.,__,.-’~'-.,_
article series – Ener builds a PC:
- taking the PC building plunge (using PCPartPicker to spec it out)
- Ener’s VW computer project update (preliminary components selected)
- PC rebates for do-it-yourselfers (saving money!)
- PC build project – nite 01 (all the parts are in!)
- PC build project – day 02 (learn to love the mobo manual)
- PC build project – moment of truth (will it roar to life or spark and die)
- PC build project – odds and ends (sound foam and wifi card)
- PC build project – retrospect (stacking the odds for success)
- Ener Hax’s 2012 OpenSim Computer (final part list, prices, rebates)
Piece of cake Ener. I built mine a couple of years ago with severe warnings from my CompUSA salesman, saying I would fail. Bought everything on a Friday and had it running perfectly by Saturday afternoon. It does give you a real sense of accomplishment.
David Cranmer
23 Jul 12 at 11:04 am
thanks David! that inspires me greatly! and your time frame is impressive!
the most i have ever done was replace a hard drive and install the OS and that took me about two hours, i’m hoping all the cables and parts i need are there and i have even found an online guide on how to do clever cable management with the exact case i am getting
i don’t anticipate doing this as fast as you but hope i can do it in a week (that’s the secret for me – set a longer than needed schedule or else i will get all nervous and frustrated!)
thanks again David! =)
Ener Hax
23 Jul 12 at 11:21 am
There’s nothing to it, Ener, you won’t have any trouble, and you’ll wonder what you were so worried about. The hardest part about doin up a new machine is transferring to a new hard drive, and they’ve made that pretty simple now too. What takes the longest amount of time is the software. Think of it as playing with legos or prims and have fun with it :o)
ELQ
23 Jul 12 at 11:48 am
I can picture you with wires and alligator clips off your ear and maybe an anklet connected to your cold water pipes in your house as you build your computer to remove the possibility of static!
Good luck!
Azzura
23 Jul 12 at 12:48 pm
thanks ELQ – i manually back up to an external USB drive so like you said, that’s the slowest part. tonite i ordered a four pack of 1200 mm fans (only $13.99 for 4 that are well rated)
the case comes with three fans and there are spots for another 5 for a total of 8! kind of nuts, my current PC only has 2!
close Azzura! i have cleared the dining room table at subQ’s house (he is around the corner and only 6 houses away) and bringing parts over as they come in (tonite i got the cpu cooler, it’s fancier than the radiator in my car!)
that’s a good idea on the pipes, he has cast iron radiators and i bet i can reach it with my foot while building the machine! as to picturing the g33klette in full glory, i went out to grab some pizza tonite at a little pub and brought the manual/leaflet for the cpu cooler to read it! i am one of those that religiously reads directions! (i mean like i will look at those again tonite in bed! derrr!) =D
Ener Hax
23 Jul 12 at 10:50 pm
Should last at least 5 years?
Well i have my oldest one already with that time, still working 24h /365 days a year, hosting OSg region now.
A hint: Clean it at least 2 times a year.
And make sure you can upgrade some of its components at any time (That oolder one, ahd already a Amd cpu, a amd dual core and now a Intel Cpu, 2 giga ddr2 and now 4 dd3).
My biggest advise: A big box, a even bigger power source (never less then 1200 watts, no water cooling but only good reliable fans!)
And of course, a tech that knows the job, cause the only thing i can do is open my wallet:)
ZZ Bottom
24 Jul 12 at 8:33 am
thanks ZZ! i actually hope for more than 5 years – my current XP box is a champ and almost 6 years old (it gets 50-60 fps in OpenSim so i can’t complain) – so i’ll stretch my rationale and say that this build is upgrading parts since a few are being used (lol, a few! only like three parts!) =)
the box is pretty decent – the Corsair 400R and i have watched a few videos talking about wire management. also, because i am using so many fans, i ordered a little power supply hub just for fans to reduce the wires running to the psu (plus the hub has an uber brite led so i can be al cool at LAN parties! =p
thanks for the tips and no water coolers for Ener! =D
Ener Hax
24 Jul 12 at 10:24 am
*prefers a beer cooler*
Sarge Misfit
24 Jul 12 at 12:39 pm
1200 watts sounds high – It will be using all that wattage even if the components aren’t using it 1200 total, won’t it? That’s like leaving your hair dryer on 24/7. If you go that high, you might want to turn it off when not in use! 750 watts should be ok I would think – getting a new power supply isn’t that expensive if you happen to need more power WHEN you upgrade…and the money you save on electric. Will pay for it in 3-4 years.
I feel Ener is a GREEN type gal…she probably has a wind turbine outside and solar panels. Takes showers with rain water stored on the roof….
Azzura
24 Jul 12 at 1:54 pm
1200 does sound a lot, but it wouldn’t use that all the time.
The PC uses what it needs, dependant on workload, and 1200 is the max load it can take before things start to go wrong.
Actually Ener might be OK with 450, but no harm in allowing for future upgrades. Putting in 750 might be worthwhile.
When I was shopping, it appeared that the i5 processor used less power than other options, one reason I chose it, so maybe Ener can claim a green label for the new PC :)
keith selmes
25 Jul 12 at 4:53 am
3 computers working 24h, on a single room, forced air is mandatory!
So i haved to put it 16Cº beofore i leave to work and put a jacket and turn it off when i arrive!
Good thing is that the glass of water i left outside the fridge is as cold as if it was inside it:)
ZZ Bottom
25 Jul 12 at 7:32 am
Azzura has me nailed – green machine it is. at peak load it should only draw 380 watts or so. although now i just added 4 more fans to it, so that will go up a tad. at idling and semi-normal OpenSim use, i’d anticipate under 300 watts of consumption
i’m installing pedals under my desk to power this pc! =p (that would be kind of cool eh? why not? even if it only added a little power, it would be a little exercise too!
i am surprised at how much more efficient components have become in the last 5 years, i figured they’d be about the same but the new machine should use half what my old one did yet it’s 4 core versyus 2 and the GPU is 2 gig. my old GPU is overclocked, so that by itself draws more juice. i doubt i’ll OC the new one although the mobo’s bios is supposedly super easy to do OC with and has built-in OC presets!
dang, that’s a cold room ZZ! reminds me of my home office in winter when i pull on sweatpants on top of whatever i’m wearing (lol, even if it’s a skirt, sweatpants are a must with my down booties) and a fleece jacket – it’s nasty cold up here (and balmy hot in the summer!)
Ener Hax
25 Jul 12 at 10:14 am
[...] taking the PC building plunge (using PCPartPicker to spec it out) [...]
PC build project – day 02 at i live in science land
14 Aug 12 at 3:21 pm
[...] taking the PC building plunge (using PCPartPicker to spec it out) [...]
PC build project – moment of truth at i live in science land
15 Aug 12 at 8:52 am
[...] taking the PC building plunge (using PCPartPicker to spec it out) [...]
PC build project – nite 01 at i live in science land
15 Aug 12 at 8:58 am
[...] taking the PC building plunge (using PCPartPicker to spec it out) [...]
Ener’s VW computer project update at i live in science land
17 Aug 12 at 8:24 am
[...] taking the PC building plunge (using PCPartPicker to spec it out) [...]
PC build project – odds and ends at i live in science land
17 Aug 12 at 8:50 am
[...] taking the PC building plunge (using PCPartPicker to spec it out) [...]
PC build project – retrospect at i live in science land
23 Aug 12 at 7:33 am
[...] taking the PC building plunge (using PCPartPicker to spec it out) [...]
Ener Hax’s 2012 OpenSim Computer at i live in science land
29 Aug 12 at 9:49 pm
[...] taking the PC building plunge (using PCPartPicker to spec it out) [...]
Ener’s 2012 OpenSim PC build series at i live in science land
30 Sep 12 at 4:29 am