Computer Explanation for Noobs

[Alexcalibur]

Something that really makes me laugh is that I get asked countless times by people to build them a computer. However, I hardly find the motivation to try anymore because I always get a text saying "oh sorry man, my parent said that they couldn't trust some random guy with that much money and they are just going to buy me a mac". If you ever have had someone come up to you saying they want you to build them a computer, then odds are you have gotten this response as well. Thus the reason I am making this post! Whenever you get a response like that, send them over to this post, as it will cover everything they need to know and they will understand exactly where their money is going. 

 

To begin, building a computer is not some insane task that only the geekiest of nerds preform. No, it is one that any child (including myself) could do. The difficult part is picking out the correct parts and making sure they a compatible. As I tell people when they say that they could never build a computer: building a computer is just Legos for adults. If it doesn't fit it won't work. (Most of the time). 

 

Choosing parts can be stressful and entertaining at the same time. However, there are two different categories you must consider when building a computer, and how you want to balance them. 

• Aesthetics 
• Performance

The literal definition of aesthetic is "having a sense of the beautiful; characterized by a love of beauty." (Dictionary). So when I consider the aesthetics of my computer I do see it as a work of art. However, when you are on a tight budget, you probably won't be able to be buying an InWin H-TOWER. So that is one thing you must be considering when you are putting together your computer. Will you have it look like garbage and be able to allocate that money that money to the performance side of things, or will you sacrifice a couple FPS for a work of art. 

 

Performance needs little defining here. For computer building and many other things in life, you pay for what you get. If you spend $70 on a R7 240 then you will be getting that performance. Although the you get what you pay for rule is true in most regards, it excludes the bang for buck performance. If you do proper research into the specific part you would like, then you should understand the amount of performance that you will be getting with that specific part. Linus does a fantastic job of explaining in this video.

 

 

So what is the sweet spot? Well it is always changing with the release of new parts, and it is difficult to pinpoint the exact spot. However, as Linus said in the video above, the $500-$600 was a bad price point then, and it still is now. Although the price point is always changing, I will go through what I believe to be the best bang for buck around. Please please note that this is the TODAY and as much as I would like to include all of the leaked graphics cards and whatnot, I simply cannot. My efforts are fruitless however, as their will probably be at least 10 comments saying that I should use the RX 480. Anyway, onto the list.

 

CPUs are something that you currently don't have too many choices on. We are at the time of me writing this article, waiting on AMDs release of CPUS and Intels Kaby Lake CPUs are much too expensive for the average consumer. So that really leaves us with Intels Skylake LGA 1151 series CPUs. Here are the differences between the different types of Intel CPUs. (A note of cation. In the list below I am only using the latest release of processors, and a. that is viable to change, and b. it might not apply to previous generations of processors.)

• Celeron - Currently the lowest type on Intel processor. With this processor, it has two cores, it does not support hyper threading, has a low clock speed and a lower L3 cache than all of the other types of processors. This is mainly produced for things like living room PCs and very low end and very little power consuming computers you will see at the DMV (Example),
• Pentium - The Pentium also has two cores without hyper threading. However, it will have a higher clock speed and it will have more L3 cache. The Pentium series is also more power efficient than the Celeron series of CPUs. This CPU will also preform well in the two example listed above, and maybe even some low end gaming that isn't CPU dependent.
• i3 - The i3 is the first series of processors in the "i" series of CPUs. It has two cores, although separating itself from the other two listed above it does have hyper threading resulting in a total of 4 threads. Some models will also have a higher clock speed. Other than that, it is almost identical to the Pentium series of processors, although it does have better integrated graphics.
• i5 - Second in the "i" series of processors is the i5. The i5 has two more physical cores than the i3, with a total of four, however it does not have hyper threading. It will have more L3 cache than the i3, although it does have a similar clock speed.The i5 will have the same integrated graphics as the i3, although if you are spending your money on the i5 it would be best for you to be buying a graphics card if you plan on gaming. 
• i7 - Whenever you walk into a Best Buy and ask for a gaming computer odds are they will walk you over to the closest thing that says i7 on it. An i7 will have 4 cores, but will differ from the i5 and has hyper threading, resulting in a total of 8 threads. It has a higher clock speed and more L3 cache, although through the "i" series of CPUs the integrated graphics is the same. An i7 will preform very well in gaming and also video editing for the general mass media needs.
• Xeons & Extreme i7s - Odds are if you are reading this article you probably won't be buying an extreme edition i7 or a E5 Xeon. 

 

When it comes to graphics cards, it seems no one can decide what they want. Some say that you should be using older gear that was the best in its time, and some say that you should be using top of the line GPUs. Although I would like to say everyone should be using GTX 1080s and other cards similar, our wallets would violently disagree. I personally believe that the older AMD cards should not be used because of driver issues and other things like so. However, Nvidia is not much better and I wouldn't be recommending their low end cards either. So the big question is red team or green team? As of right now, the green team seems pretty compelling to me. Currently, you can get a GTX 960 for around $150, which is a stellar deal for the performance you will be getting out of it. However, with most modern cards it is very you pay for what you get, so that should be kept in mind when putting together parts. 

 

RAM, or random access memory is used when you are keeping tons of google chrome tabs open for "work". It is used for tasks like that. There have only been a few occasions when I have run into problems with 8Gb of RAM while gaming, and that was when I was trying to allocate 5Gb of it to modded minecraft and having a couple of chrome tabs open. If you have the money to spend, go for the 16Gb, but nothing over that because the odds of you using that much are next to none. 

 

This is something that really should be under an IMO, because I have a very different opinion than say someone else reading this article. I prefer my load times quick and snappy, so I almost always will lean towards an SSD for at least a boot drive. As much as I would like to use an SSD for mass storage I do understand that is not very cost effective and that most people don't have the bank to do so. Using something like a WD Blue or WD Black 1Tb hard drive will fit most peoples needs for storage. 

 

The one thing I hate trying to explain on this list is power supplies. People always think they need more than they actually do. Unless you are using 7 R9 Nanos then you probably don't need a 1600W power supply. The only things I would recommend when buying a power supply is that you get something that is modular, because it helps more than you would realize with cable management. If you want to save a couple bucks on the energy bill, then get something like a Gold certified power supply. Don't go for something like platinum, as you probably won't be seeing enough of a difference to make up for the cost of the rating. 

 

Motherboards are something that are not difficult to pick out at all. All you need to know is if you have the correct RAM and the correct CPU for it to work properly together. Other than that, it really comes down to the aesthetics of it and what kind of rear IO is on it. 

 

TLDR: Make sure it fits. 

[The Realist]

I got a response like that before my friend bough his PC i asked him "Can i build it for you it would be better and much cheaper?" he said some excuse and then i got really bored but he got lucky he got a i3 4170 with 8gb of ram,2TB HDD and a 750 Ti for $600 which is not bad since he live sin the EU

[DarkBlade2117]

I helped my friend out a bit.

Ended up with a 6600k and R9 390.

He doesn't quite remember the rest but I think I got it pretty stuck in his head with the EVGA G2 and a 144Hz monitor.

He also got some Sennheiser HD598's ( I think ) and a K70. He got the Razer Naga since he is some hardcore Dota 2 player but tried to get him to get something else.

[MilkJugg24]

beep boop. this is gonna take a while for me to read wow.

 

Edit: Pretty neat little quick info guide. 

 

One of my two friends listened and built a computer that I recommended. He has a 4690K and a R9 390 and plays games almost maxed out easily and paid only $1,700 USD.

 

My other friend decided to be an asswad and get an Alienware with a 4690 and a 970 (which was for $3500, but he got a student discount) so it was ONLY $3000 USD. He now cries in a corner every time he has to turn down his settings.

 

Most parents are just ignorant and no matter how much you inform them, they don't care. They only listen to the salesmen at Best Buy and the Apple Store.

[TyFilms]

I just need one thing. Someone please (I don't care who) give me a complete list of everything you need to buy, and then I'll do a buttload of research. Make it like this

• Case
• Motherboard
• etc..

[Alexcalibur]

1 minute ago, TyFilms said:

I just need one thing. Someone please (I don't care who) give me a list of everything you need to buy, and then I'll do a buttload of research. Make it like this

• Case
• Motherboard
• etc..

REQUIRED

CPU

Motherboard

RAM

GPU

Powersupply

Case

CPU Cooler

 

OPTIONAL

Extra Fans

LED lighting

 

[TyFilms]

1 minute ago, IskanderEXC said:

REQUIRED

CPU

Motherboard

RAM

GPU

Powersupply

Case

CPU Cooler

 

OPTIONAL

Extra Fans

LED lighting

 

YES thank you. I'll be back after I've absorbed the knowledge

[Alexcalibur]

2 minutes ago, TyFilms said:

YES thank you. I'll be back after I've absorbed the knowledge

I have got plenty of insider info on what you should be buying and stuff man, what's your budget? 

[TyFilms]

Just now, IskanderEXC said:

I have got plenty of insider info on what you should be buying and stuff man, what's your budget? 

My budget is a measly $500 to just under $600. Insider info would be great, since the only brands I know are AMD, Intel, and Nvidia.

[Alexcalibur]

Just now, TyFilms said:

My budget is a measly $500 to just under $600. Insider info would be great, since the only brands I know are AMD, Intel, and Nvidia.

Let me put together a parts list for you real quick

[Alexcalibur]

3 minutes ago, TyFilms said:

My budget is a measly $500 to just under $600. Insider info would be great, since the only brands I know are AMD, Intel, and Nvidia.

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/list/F39W4C
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/list/F39W4C/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i3-6100 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($110.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H110M-A Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($53.88 @ OutletPC) 
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory  ($38.88 @ OutletPC) 
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($47.49 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon RX 460 2GB Red Dragon Video Card  ($111.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Case: NZXT S340 (White) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($64.69 @ SuperBiiz) 
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($29.98 @ Newegg) 
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit  ($88.88 @ OutletPC) 
Total: $546.78
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-08-25 00:48 EDT-0400

[Alexcalibur]

3 minutes ago, TyFilms said:

My budget is a measly $500 to just under $600. Insider info would be great, since the only brands I know are AMD, Intel, and Nvidia.

Here is a very bare bones parts list. These will get you far  

[TyFilms]

1 minute ago, IskanderEXC said:

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/list/F39W4C
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/list/F39W4C/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i3-6100 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($110.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H110M-A Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($53.88 @ OutletPC) 
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory  ($38.88 @ OutletPC) 
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($47.49 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon RX 460 2GB Red Dragon Video Card  ($111.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Case: NZXT S340 (White) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($64.69 @ SuperBiiz) 
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($29.98 @ Newegg) 
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit  ($88.88 @ OutletPC) 
Total: $546.78
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-08-25 00:48 EDT-0400

I'm sorry if I sound like a complete idiot, but how well does it run? Like if I said how well could it run Far Cry Primal while also watching a YouTube video or something like that (idk lol) would it still be smooth and fast? (100% okay if it won't be fast)

[Alexcalibur]

Just now, TyFilms said:

I'm sorry if I sound like a complete idiot, but how well does it run? Like if I said how well could it run Far Cry Primal while also watching a YouTube video or something like that (idk lol) would it still be smooth and fast? (100% okay if it won't be fast)

I personally don't play Far Cry Primal, but I would assume that it would run fairly well. If you have doubts copy this and paste it into the new builds section of the LTT forums, and see if anyone else there knows something I don't  

[TyFilms]

1 minute ago, IskanderEXC said:

I personally don't play Far Cry Primal, but I would assume that it would run fairly well. If you have doubts copy this and paste it into the new builds section of the LTT forums, and see if anyone else there knows something I don't  

Okay, I'll do that. Also, sorry if I'm wrong, but is that an SAO profile pic? It looks really sick. And also, that's a really nice case. Thanks.

[Alexcalibur]

Just now, TyFilms said:

Okay, I'll do that. Also, sorry if I'm wrong, but is that an SAO profile pic? It looks really sick. And also, that's a really nice case. Thanks.

Not quite SAO lol, its Senjougahara from Monogatari. No idea if I spelled either of those words right lol. 

[TyFilms]

Just now, IskanderEXC said:

Not quite SAO lol, its Senjougahara from Monogatari. No idea if I spelled either of those words right lol

No clue what that is lol. I don't watch much anime, I'm more into raunchy cartoon like American Dad and Family Guy. And I just realized I completely flew off from the topic.

[Alexcalibur]

Just now, TyFilms said:

No clue what that is lol. I don't watch much anime, I'm more into raunchy cartoon like American Dad and Family Guy. And I just realized I completely flew off from the topic.

Its all good man, made me kinda happy when someone revived my old topic lol

[TyFilms]

3 minutes ago, IskanderEXC said:

Its all good man, made me kinda happy when someone revived my old topic lol

Ha, that's pretty cool. You seem like a cool person. My mom is asleep so I'm gonna go steal some icecream (i promise i exercise on a regular basis lol) And then I'm going to learn as much as I can. I'll never be a Linus, but It's worth a try

[Alexcalibur]

9 hours ago, TyFilms said:

Ha, that's pretty cool. You seem like a cool person. My mom is asleep so I'm gonna go steal some icecream (i promise i exercise on a regular basis lol) And then I'm going to learn as much as I can. I'll never be a Linus, but It's worth a try

Good luck man  If you need anything just comment on here and I will do my best to help BB

[TyFilms]

I posted this on another thread, but I'm also going to ask here.

Hey, can someone give me a list brands? But like in order of items? I'll give an example.

1) CPU- AMD, Intel

2) CPU- Rosianlkcsnknfalw idk any brands lol help

[Alexcalibur]

5 hours ago, TyFilms said:

I posted this on another thread, but I'm also going to ask here.

Hey, can someone give me a list brands? But like in order of items? I'll give an example.

1) CPU- AMD, Intel

2) CPU- Rosianlkcsnknfalw idk any brands lol help

For CPUs, all you want to buy from is Intel or AMD.

GPUs I would recommend EVGA, MSI, ZOTAC, Asus, Gigabyte, and PNY

what other things do you need?

 

[TyFilms]

16 hours ago, IskanderEXC said:

For CPUs, all you want to buy from is Intel or AMD.

GPUs I would recommend EVGA, MSI, ZOTAC, Asus, Gigabyte, and PNY

what other things do you need?

 

Pretty much everything lol

I know nothing about any of these parts.