New PC Build is Stressful

[jfls45]

Why does it cause me so much anxiety? I can't make up my mind what I want.
Do I get the i5, or hold out for a i7 or just save a bunch and get an AMD?

My current PC works ok, but I have had this build a new pc bug for past several weeks. One of the guys at work just built one with his son so I probably caught the bug from listening to him.

I want the absolute best bang for my buck but seems like everytime I start going through the deals on NewEgg and other sites I start to worry there is going to be a better deal out there.

I don't really have a limit on my budget, my wife hasn't put a dollar amount on it yet. I just know some point down the road I am going to be reminded "you just spent $xxx (she always rounds up) on a new computer you didn't need.

So as you can see, I am under some stress here.

Jeff

 

[Sleepingforest]

Okay, establish what you need or want it for and how much you (and your wife) are willing to spend. It helps to answer the questions in the sticky.

 

[jfls45]

Occasional gaming or lite gaming use, I play Silent Hunter 4 networked with my sons computer,
some AutoCAD, just 2D,
web browsing,
basic computer use.

Don't need a water-cooled screaming machine, although it sounds and looks cool. I would like a quad_core for upgrade path 5 years from now.

Whats your thoughts?

 

[DSF]

There's not really such a thing as a 5-year upgrade path in the computer world. By that time Haswell's (which isn't even released quite yet) successor would be on the market, so you're talking 1.5-2 architecture changes from now, in terms of Intel's product line.

I'm actually struggling to understand why you need an upgrade if your current computer works fine. Seems like you could keep the wifey happy for now and agree on an amount to save over time, and then when you've hit your goal and/or your current machine really doesn't cut it, get yourself a nice machine without the guilt trip. If your wife is open to that of course.

 

[jfls45]

because I caught the "I want to build a new computer bug". I haven't done it in 6 years. It's about time don't you think. I can give my current pc to one of my kids. I would like the speed increase because I do see some lag when opening applications and when I have too many open.

The computer I build 6 years ago is an Intel E6550 Dual Core. I want at least an i5 quad-core or maybe an AMD 6 core, but I am seeing in benchmark testing that the AMD 6 cores aren't as fast as the Intel Quad Cores?

Jeff

There's not really such a thing as a 5-year upgrade path in the computer world. By that time Haswell's (which isn't even released quite yet) successor would be on the market, so you're talking 1.5-2 architecture changes from now, in terms of Intel's product line.

I'm actually struggling to understand why you need an upgrade if your current computer works fine. Seems like you could keep the wifey happy for now and agree on an amount to save over time, and then when you've hit your goal and/or your current machine really doesn't cut it, get yourself a nice machine without the guilt trip. If your wife is open to that of course.

 

[Sleepingforest]

These days, cores don't mean much--AMD's 6-8 core machines use "integer cores" which aren't as good as the Intel's cores at single threaded or two-threaded work (the vast majority of stuff these days). More cores != more power.

Try to answer the sticky's questions fully and in numbered order (preferably, your response will also be in numbered order). Even if you don't have a definite "wife approved" budget, try to think of how much you'd be willing to. Details like resolution and needed parts/software are also important (do you want a new monitor? Need an operating system?) It'll help us recommend a course of action.

 

[Torn Mind]

What are the full specs of your current rig? We know the CPU.

 

[jfls45]

Ok, I discovered this amazing website...pcpartpicker.com

here is what I have been doing last 4 hours...

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/F7aM

 

[Sleepingforest]

Well, frankly, that's not great for $700. The PSU, in particular, would be utter crap. At your price point, you'd have to forgo overclocking and watercooling for the sake of some GPU performance. Modern games also take a little more space, so a 500GB HDD is a good idea:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3470 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($188.79 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Biostar H77MU3 Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($59.99 @ Microcenter)
Memory: Corsair 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($39.00 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($39.99 @ Microcenter)
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($101.85 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon HD 7770 1GB Video Card ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 430W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($79.20 @ Newegg)
Total: $703.79
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-02-22 00:16 EST-0500)