Buying a new PC build

After saving up for a few months, I’m planning to pick up a new rig primarily for the purpose: gaming.

Since I don't live near any major cities, I don't have easy access to big-box retailers with a massive selection of parts or pre-built systems. The most affordable option I've stumbled upon so far is a Microsoft Windows configuration: http://www.msgw.info/778.aspx (roughly $2500 without Windows 10)

It bugs me that the description doesn't list exact component brands, just general specs, which feels sketchy. I also know building it myself is cheaper than buying pre-built, so I need advice from people who actually know what they're doing. (Though that 4-year warranty they advertise does look tempting)

Price:
up to $2833, maybe a bit more if needed. Ideally, find me something cheaper too.

Purpose:
Gaming (World of Tanks, War Thunder, Star Trek Online, Minecraft, Modded Skyrim / Oblivion, etc.). High resolution and maxed settings aren't dealbreakers, but would be nice. I'm using a single old 22" LCD monitor)

Requirements:
DVD RW DL, mandatory
HDD, mandatory, at least 1TB
SSD, would be good for the OS
Peripherals: don't need anything extra
OS: Only if it's Windows 7 64-bit, but not strictly necessary.

Other:

I have zero intention to overclock anything. I want this build to last—ideally five years of playing new titles on medium/low settings without issues.

I'd prefer not to build it myself. I heard there are shops in the US that do assembly and shipping (maybe around the Slough area?) or I can just order through a local shop in a pinch.

My current setup:
Intel Core 2 Duo 5200+ 2.70 GHz
2 GB DDR2 Mem
NVIDIA GeForce GT 430

I even run Crysis and Modded Skyrim on this (with decent enough FPS 😁), but the hardware is over 5 years old now, so I'm not upgrading any of those parts.

You can just pay with PayPal; most of them offer free shipping nationwide anyway, so honestly, it doesn't matter which shop you pick.

If I were you, I’d probably wait a couple of months. Keep saving up, because a lot of new stuff is hitting the market this winter. I might grab some used 2GB DDR2 sticks for <$33 since you'll get a decent speed boost for pretty little change.

For example,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ram-memory/...listing-18330367

If you manage to save up $3333 by then, you could also snag a really solid new monitor—maybe a 27" IPS with 2560x1440 resolution.

Location doesn't really matter here; they offer free assembly (and in many cases, free shipping, which usually runs about $5 per package anyway). You can also pay via Cash on Delivery

You hit the nail on the head regarding Custom Builds vs. Pre-built PCs

Meanwhile, I have a few other questions for you.

- Does your old monitor have a DVI or an HDMI port?
- Are you looking to blow your entire budget? What you listed there is roughly the cost of four large pizzas plus a decent mid-range setup (say, an i3 paired with a 1050Ti), though apparently Modded Skyrim is quite demanding. If you bump that budget up by about $50, you could get something significantly more serious (like an i5 and a GTX 480 with 8GB of RAM).

crimsonstag84 said:You can just pay with PayPal; most of them offer free shipping nationwide anyway, so honestly, it doesn't matter which shop you pick.

If I were you, I’d probably wait a couple of months. Keep saving up, because a lot of new stuff is hitting the market this winter. I might grab some used 2GB DDR2 sticks for <$33 since you'll get a decent speed boost for pretty little change.

For example,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ram-memory/...listing-18330367

If you manage to save up $3333 by then, you could also snag a really solid new monitor—maybe a 27" IPS with 2560x1440 resolution.

Which shops actually have good stock? So far, all I know is government.gov
Will waiting two months really make a difference if I'm not planning on buying any top-tier high-end components?

Kimberly Gomez34 said:Location doesn't really matter here; they offer free assembly (and in many cases, free shipping, which usually runs about $5 per package anyway). You can also pay via Cash on Delivery

You hit the nail on the head regarding Custom Builds vs. Pre-built PCs

Meanwhile, I have a few other questions for you.

- Does your old monitor have a DVI or an HDMI port?
- Are you looking to blow your entire budget? What you listed there is roughly the cost of four large pizzas plus a decent mid-range setup (say, an i3 paired with a 1050Ti), though apparently Modded Skyrim is quite demanding. If you bump that budget up by about $50, you could get something significantly more serious (like an i5 and a GTX 480 with 8GB of RAM).

Old monitor doesn't have HDMI.
I wasn't expecting massive savings. Regardless, I'd rather buy something slightly more expensive and add a monitor like crimsonstag84 suggested, maybe 24" or larger. The longer the config lasts without needing an upgrade, the better.

Alex Ramos2 said:Which shops actually have good stock? So far, all I know is government.gov
Will waiting two months really make a difference if I'm not planning on buying any top-tier high-end components?

Old monitor doesn't have HDMI.
I wasn't expecting massive savings. Regardless, I'd rather buy something slightly more expensive and add a monitor like crimsonstag84 suggested, maybe 24" or larger. The longer the config lasts without needing an upgrade, the better.

Maybe not a massive shift, but you'll probably notice it. I guess 90% of people are expecting it, including most of us here.😬

As for stores: Center, Accenture, Verizon, or Amazon (though Amazon's a bit thin right now).

crimsonstag84 said:Maybe not a massive shift, but you'll probably notice it. I guess 90% of people are expecting it, including most of us here.😬

As for stores: Center, Accenture, Verizon, or Amazon (though Amazon's a bit thin right now).

In that case, I'll be back here in two months asking for advice on a new build—unless I've already found it in some other thread by then.😁

btw, maybe there's something like this on a site like Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc/co...00_increments/?

Because I think something like that would be incredibly useful, even if it just serves as a starting point for Googling info.

We had something similar back in the day, but prices were always shifting too fast, and everyone was just too lazy to bother putting together anything new 😬

You might want to take a look at this.
Check out post #600 and everything following it.

Alex Ramos2 said:Which shops actually have good stock? So far, all I know is government.gov
Will waiting two months really make a difference if I'm not planning on buying any top-tier high-end components?

Old monitor doesn't have HDMI.
I wasn't expecting massive savings. Regardless, I'd rather buy something slightly more expensive and add a monitor like crimsonstag84 suggested, maybe 24" or larger. The longer the config lasts without needing an upgrade, the better.

It doesn't matter. As long as you have DVI, HDMI, or even DisplayPort—just make sure you aren't stuck relying solely on VGA.