Trying to buy a new computer..

[Lupus_Lux]

If you end up going with Cyberpower, they have power supply unit problems sometimes due to cheaper units being used. Just keep it in mind if the PC stops working one day you'll prob just have to grab a new PSU. Out of curiosity, how old is your comp? Is getting a new graphics card out of the question?

[Tokochan]

If you end up going with Cyberpower, they have power supply unit problems sometimes due to cheaper units being used. Just keep it in mind if the PC stops working one day you'll prob just have to grab a new PSU. Out of curiosity, how old is your comp? Is getting a new graphics card out of the question?

Hmmm.. I think my computers around 7 years old now.. And I looked into replacing parts but I'd have to buy windows 7 or 8 (its vista now..), ram, new fans, graphics card @_@

[Lupus_Lux]

7 years! Definitely time for a replacement! I recently built a new computer and a site I found to be really helpful was techbargains dot com. I ended up getting my SSD from there on sale. They also have good discounts on full systems, parts, peripherals and even non-pc stuff. Either way good luck on your PC hunt!

[Tokochan]

7 years! Definitely time for a replacement! I recently built a new computer and a site I found to be really helpful was techbargains dot com. I ended up getting my SSD from there on sale. They also have good discounts on full systems, parts, peripherals and even non-pc stuff. Either way good luck on your PC hunt!

Yes XD it really is time.. I really wanted to build my own at first.. but I also don't have anyone I know that is comfortable building it for me (within a close enough distance)
But I think I'll be content with a pre-built one ^_^

[thinkmad]

....

to be honest, building a PC is color coded now a days. if you know how to build lego cars, you know how to build PCs. don't force any pieces together and you'll be fine.

if saving money is what you're after, definitely building your own rig is the best route to take. microcenter, visit their store, will help you buy the parts you need and they have discounts if you buy bundles/packages.


out of the two you posted, i would go for the 2nd one as it's 6core vs 8core. and the 2TB HDD. Memory is a bit lacking (1333 DDR3 vs 1600 DDR3, also 8gb vs 16gb), but for Final Fantasy the 8gb 1333 DDR3 is fine. My advice is to buy a higher wattage PSU when you buy that rig. Something along the 700+watts. It comes witha 350watt PSU, but I don't feel safe with that specially if you're running 8 cores. Also, the you'll need a stronger PSU when you start upgrading your GPU, might as well get a jump start on it now.


edit..
http://www.microcenter.com/product/4...sktop_Computer

A little out of your price range, but it's using Intel I5 new gen, and NVidia GTX 650, also 8g 1600 DDR3. It doesn't say what the PSU wattage is, but I don't imagine it to be less than 500. Better ask first tho, coz you might need to swap out the PSU again.

[Tokochan]

....

There is microcenter fairly close to me.. I'll have to check that out before I make a decision I suppose :O
I'm not really sure about the watts and such..but I did see in the reviews for that computer that people had problems with it

Edit: Oh that one would probably be nice :O I heard that intel is better but amd is cheaper (something like that) and if thats true I wouldn't mind going over by a little for it

[thinkmad]

There is microcenter fairly close to me.. I'll have to check that out before I make a decision I suppose :O
I'm not really sure about the watts and such..but I did see in the reviews for that computer that people had problems with it

Edit: Oh that one would probably be nice :O I heard that intel is better but amd is cheaper (something like that) and if thats true I wouldn't mind going over by a little for it

are you in the NYC area? I'd be willing to help you pick out parts at microcenter and help you build your PC. lol. just an offer, no stalking intended.

[Zheri]

There is microcenter fairly close to me.. I'll have to check that out before I make a decision I suppose :O
I'm not really sure about the watts and such..but I did see in the reviews for that computer that people had problems with it

Edit: Oh that one would probably be nice :O I heard that intel is better but amd is cheaper (something like that) and if thats true I wouldn't mind going over by a little for it

While Microcenter typically has excellent deals on CPU/Motherboard combos, their prices on everything else are the same as competitors or higher and you're going to be paying 6% in sales tax. Since you said you live in the Philly area, I'm assuming the Microcenter you're talking about is the one in St. Davids. That means the Tiger Direct store in Christiana, DE is also within driving distance if you have a free afternoon and there's no tax there. I'd definitely check them out too if you're adamant about going to a brick and mortar store. If you're OK with mail order, look at Newegg. They often have the best deals anywhere and are highly reputable. The downside is waiting for your parts to arrive.

Intel vs. AMD: In an general sense, yes, Intel is better while AMD is cheaper and there are some people who will never buy AMD. However, AMD does have its advantages in your price range. An FX-6300 is 6 cores and easily overclockable while a Core i3 is effectively 4 cores and does not support overclocking. (An Intel chip with a "K" after the number indicates an unlocked multiplier which makes overclocking easy; none of the i3's are "K" models.) That's not really a big deal right now as most games use only 2 cores, but looking to the future there are more and more programs that utilize multiple cores and overclocking can extend the usable life of an obsolete chip.

PSU Wattage: There's some significant disadvantages to skimping on your PSU, and for the little extra money 600W is worth it over 500W. Most of them operate at peak efficiency and idle fan speeds under about 50% load. Anything over that will dump more waste heat into your system and the fan will run faster and noisier. A typical budget gaming computer draws about 300-350W depending on what CPU you go with, so you're looking at a 600-700W PSU for cool and quiet operation. It'll also pay for itself in reduced energy costs, and PECO is expensive

[Will01]

My advice is to buy a higher wattage PSU when you buy that rig. Something along the 700+watts. It comes witha 350watt PSU, but I don't feel safe with that specially if you're running 8 cores. Also, the you'll need a stronger PSU when you start upgrading your GPU, might as well get a jump start on it now.


edit..
http://www.microcenter.com/product/4...sktop_Computer

A little out of your price range, but it's using Intel I5 new gen, and NVidia GTX 650, also 8g 1600 DDR3. It doesn't say what the PSU wattage is, but I don't imagine it to be less than 500. Better ask first tho, coz you might need to swap out the PSU again.

Is this day and age, we dont need as many watt's, modern PC's are a lot more energy efficient, but 350 is still a tad low. 500 would be better.

[thinkmad]

Is this day and age, we dont need as many watt's, modern PC's are a lot more energy efficient, but 350 is still a tad low. 500 would be better.

depends on what you have on your system really. I have 4 HDDs, 2 Optical Drives, 1 SSD, and a few USB ports.. all pull power (not including the mobo, and the cpu, and the gpu also pulling power). I'm at 700watts atm, I'm looking to upgrade to 1k for safety.