Help with computer parts please?

[Dexty]

Hello, I am hoping that somebody here can help me! Though I am not sure if this is the right forum/section to ask but I can't really find anywhere else and am really stuck!

Basically me and my bf are looking to buy all of the parts for a gaming PC, we will get 1 PC each and want them to be the same just to make things easier, we want to buy one this month and then the same again next month.

I know very little about computers other than how to work them when I am logged in! I asked 2 online friends about which parts to get, so they could just link me a list of parts which would all fit together and make a decent gaming PC (I would pay somebody from a computer store to put it all together).

Our budget is around £750 max per computer, but ideally that should include shipping too (we live in the UK) We would use the computer for gaming, ideally to play new/demanding games with high settings - though not sure if this is affordable to our price range? Atm we play between us, WoW, Guild Wars 2, Assassin's Creed, Final Fantasy, Rift, CoD, Skyrim, stuff like that so nothing TOO demanding but all the games mentioned we currently play on low settings and have some annoying fps lag since our current PCs are so poo.

The list that a friend linked was this http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/1tnZ4 and he said it should be able to play all those games and more at high settings. Upon speaking to another 'friend' he said he had made a list which would be 10 times better than the one I linked above, and for the same price, but he refuses to link that list to me for some unknown reason - is he trying to show off or is there actually some stuff that is 10 times better for a similar price that I can buy online? 2nd friend knows more about computers than the first friend so I now want to properly check and see what I can get before spending so much money.

Also was told that I can use my current harddrive with windows on to save buying a new copy of windows? But then would want another harddrive aswell as that if the windows thing does work, otherwise would need to buy 2 new ones. As I said I know NOTHING about computers and unsure if this is the place to ask, but would really really reaaaaally appreciate if someone could help me and link a similar list of all of the parts that are needed to build a PC (and all the parts will actually work together) that I can buy online and then take into a shop to be assembled? I did find some websites that kinda linked parts together but I still don't know if I'm getting my money's worth or if it'll work. Would feel much safer if I can get opinions and help from people who actually know what they're talking about!

Forever grateful to anyone that can help me!!!

PS. I read the "Guide to helping you choose your components" thread but it seems old and is like reading a different language to me as I have no idea what anything means, the only thing I know is how to go to the checkout on a website when I have parts in the shopping basket lol

 

[ATMINSIDE]

http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/1tukF

This will do better than the linked one quite a bit for gaming. The 760 is way more powerful than the 660, and the hyperthreading of the i7 just isn't necessary, hence the i5.

You could even get by with a cheaper motherboard than the one I used on there, FYI.

 

[Conumdrum]

You will have to reistall Windows on a new PC due to drivers etc. Nothing you can do about that. You can save all your save game files, faviorites, word processing pics etc. Then you format the HD and do a full new Windows install, and once all your games and everything is back, you move your save game files etc back to the HD, to the same place they were before. Lots of work. But needed work.

If your not going to build the PC then best is get the right info and tell the shop you want exactly xx parts and ask what is the cost to build it. Then you compare to you buying and decide. Some shops won't do it. If your not capable of building yourself, then your going to pay maybe 20% more for the system due to the fact that the builder needs to warrenty his work and has to make money.

We can help you decide on what to buy for your needs. We can't help you build it. It's not that hard though, and you probably know a few folks that for a nice dinner or 100 pounds will do it for you.

We need to know what monitor resolution you want to play at (1080p?) and how much eye candy in games you need/want. A good one (not the almost best) with just the case, CPU, GPU, PSU, HD, RAM etc will be about $1000. You supply Windows, keyboard, monitor and mouse. If you have a store build it, expect $1200-1300.

I'd say the build ATMINSIDE is a very nice one, but the GPU if you want better eye candy get a 770 instead, thus the $1000 with tax etc.

His suggested build is pretty nice though and should be considered greatly. You'd probably be happy as a clam in a tide full of food.

I mean Pounds with my $ sign BTW.

 

[Dexty]

Thanks for the replies guys, I think I will go with the list that ATMINSIDE linked, specially since you backed up that is it good Conumdrum, and is close to the price that I wanted and I am just looking to get the parts asap ready to be built for next weekend. Regarding windows I will attempt to reinstall it, though have a friend who can probably help me with that as well as building it rather than taking it to a shop, I'm just scared to spend all this money and mess something up though do feel more confident now I have a better list to buy from Thank you!!

 

[wingman99]

+1 on the GTX 670 or GTX 760 is better cards.

 

[Conumdrum]

If you have a copy of W, your fine. When it want's to install, it wants to wipe the OLD HD. Do it. Save all your data and what directories exactly you saved it to. Notes, paper, write it down.

Or just use the new HD, and keep the old as a backup for stuff. Nice to have a second HD to store stuff in case one dies.

 

[Conumdrum]

+1 on the GTX 670 it is a better card.

770......... Not 670

 

[Kaspa]

I like the build ATMINSIDE linked, except for this,

ASRock Z87 Extreme4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard has onboard USB 3.0 headers, but the Cooler Master HAF 912 Plus ATX Mid Tower Case does not have front panel USB 3.0 ports.

The link dexty posted had a case that was cheaper and had a USB3.0 front panel.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

I like the build ATMINSIDE linked, except for this,
The link dexty posted had a case that was cheaper and had a USB3.0 front panel.

The one I used has better airflow and is just a better quality build.

 

[Conumdrum]

It has 3.0 on the back, who uses 3.0 on the front with the cables hanging everywhere anyway? The case ATM picked is perfectly fine............

 

[Kaspa]

I'm not saying it isn't fine, I'm just being observant.

 

[Theocnoob]

It has 3.0 on the back, who uses 3.0 on the front with the cables hanging everywhere anyway? The case ATM picked is perfectly fine............

If the motherboard has a USB 3.0 header, then the cables are hardly hanging everywhere. Lots of people use front panel USB3.

 

[Dexty]

I've ordered all the parts from the list that ATMINSIDE linked, so thank you! Now just need to find a PC shop that can build it or ask my friend to do it, whichever works out cheaper haha, now just need to reinstall windows on the old harddrive which I'm sure I have done before so it can't be that hard. Time to sort through and move files that I want to keep now.. this will be the worst part!

Thanks a lot for all the comments guys

 

[EarthDog]

It has 3.0 on the back, who uses 3.0 on the front with the cables hanging everywhere anyway?

I do. I cannot reach the back USB3 ports without crawling down and underneath my desk. That said most motherboards today have a header for front USB3 anyway.

I mean for front USB2 you have to plug in a header so what is the difference if its USB3?

 

[Conumdrum]

Yea, I hate moving files. Over the many years of this I usually have it organized pretty well. Heck I have old work folders from 17 years ago I still xfer to each build.