Dakotahnok's computer project.

[dakotahnok]

Hello everyone! Im just starting on the project of building a computer. Right now im just reasearching parts. It will probably be a while before i get the parts. Anyway do you guys have any suggestions or advice? I plan on using this thread for all my questions and i will update you with any progress. .

[jblb2424]

I heard its very difficult to build a computer from scatch. I applaud you for your effort xD The only advice i can give to you is don't give up because the end result will be so rewarding!

[tommo]

I heard its very difficult to build a computer from scatch. I applaud you for your effort xD The only advice i can give to you is don't give up because the end result will be so rewarding! Pre-assembled chip boards are not scratch. And it's piss easy. They're basically self-explanatory. What are you planning to use the computer for dakotah? And how much money do you want to spend?

[dakotahnok]

I am not doing it from scratch. XD like tommo said... its pretty easy for someone who knows a little about computers. Hell using the internet anyone could probably do it. I want a good computer! Haha. Im looking for a good computer for photoshop mainly. Im looking to spend up to a grand. But cheaper is better. Gaming isnt important to me.

[tommo]

I could give you the specs for mine when I get back from work. I just built it and it was around $1000, including screen (which isn't the best, you'd probably ideally get a better one). It would probably be less for you in America if you go to one of those Microcenters. Very good computer for games and Photoshop. Ok, I got: Antec 100 - Case (You can spend fuckloads on cases, but IMO it's largely for looks, and most of them don't really look that good anyway IMO, the airflow in this is impeccable) Asrock z77 Pro4-M - Motherboard (Has a few USB3 slots, which will come in handy for gigantic .psd's) 8GB Kingston (1333) - RAM (You'll probably want 16GB if you're doing heavy Photoshop work plus other programs like Illustrator, InDesign, Blender, move editing whatever) Don't bother with better brands or anything, doesn't make a difference. Intel Core i5-3570k - CPU Sapphire HD7850 2GB GDDR5 - GPU And the 21.5" Samsung (numbers) LED screen Oh god why can't they come up with names for them.... Basically this one, but not exactly. http://www.samsung.com/au/consumer/p.../LS22B350HS/XY I highly recommend Samsung screens. It's very hard to find reviews on any kind of monitor, so I'm emphasising how good their monitors are for you. Especially for the price. Look for a Samsung LED one and you will not be disappoint. EDIT: Oh yeah and the HDD, I just got a Seagate Barracuda 500GB. I don't need any more than that. And personally I don't think SSD's are worth the money yet. It's still around 5 times the price for the same space. Be warned, you can go massively overboard, I mean you could get the total best specs, but it isn't worth it most of the time. I think this computer is "just right" for your needs. I chose the not-too-new components, so the prices were already reduced compared to the newest ones. And I didn't use i7 coz nothing using that many fucking cores yet. And by the time it does these buildable computers will probably be obsolete. The only people who need the newest stuff are people doing 3D gaming on the newest games, which I was going to but it costs WAY too much. Good luck Also post pics when you're done

[dakotahnok]

Thanks so much tommo. I will reply more in depth when i get my computer on. Im on my phone and half the screen doesnt work. What do you think of this CPU? It seems as if you like intel. So it would be nice to hear what you have to say. Newegg.com - AMD FX-4100 Zambezi 3.6GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) Socket AM3+ 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor FD4100WMGUSBX And this one. Newegg.com - AMD FX-8120 Zambezi 3.1GHz Socket AM3+ 125W Eight-Core Desktop Processor FD8120FRGUBOX With such a cheap cpu i doubt it makes full use of all 8 cores. Im leaning towards the first one.

[Lahzo]

If you need any help let me know. I've built dozens of computers from scratch. If you want to PM me, I could give you my skype and I could walk you through matching the parts!

[LieutenantCloud]

Custom building PCs is actually hilariously easy nowadays. - PC Parts Picker - PC Parts Picker, UK Site ^, that site's pretty awesome if you want to get a feel for the prices of the various components, as well as compare from various online stores. It also makes sure, to some extent, that the parts you choose are compatible. (But I'd double check if I were you. ) edit: fixed link

[tommo]

Thanks so much tommo. I will reply more in depth when i get my computer on. Im on my phone and half the screen doesnt work. What do you think of this CPU? It seems as if you like intel. So it would be nice to hear what you have to say. Newegg.com - AMD FX-4100 Zambezi 3.6GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) Socket AM3+ 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor FD4100WMGUSBX And this one. Newegg.com - AMD FX-8120 Zambezi 3.1GHz Socket AM3+ 125W Eight-Core Desktop Processor FD8120FRGUBOX With such a cheap cpu i doubt it makes full use of all 8 cores. Im leaning towards the first one. Yeah I wouldn't get the second one. But also the first one will only be 3.8 with overclocking.

[LieutenantCloud]

Yeah I wouldn't get the second one. But also the first one will only be 3.8 with overclocking. You shouldn't compare solely by clock speeds. I'd choose the second, it has twice as many cores and it's maximum clock speed is 4Ghz, if overclocked. Plus it does significantly better in benchmarks; FX-4100 vs the FX-8120 Tbh, I'd get an Intel CPU if I were you. An Intel 2500K, or 3570k (if you want Ivy Bridge) sounds good for what you need, it's a pretty strong processor without the heavy price tag you get from i7s. Plus it's overclockable like crazy.

[tommo]

And the Intel Ivy Bridges are efficient too. Anyway, I wouldn't choose the second one coz 8 cores will rarely be useful. You don't need 4.0Ghz and 8 cores for Photoshop. Or any graphics things really. 3D stuff maybe, but graphics cards are more important. And the one I have does fine. I was just using the CryEngine Sandbox when I first got this computer and it runs seamlessly.

[LieutenantCloud]

You don't need 4.0Ghz and 8 cores for Photoshop. Or any graphics things really. 3D stuff maybe, but graphics cards are more important. And the one I have does fine. I was just using the CryEngine Sandbox when I first got this computer and it runs seamlessly. But multiple cores, WILL be utilized by Photoshop. So it will definitely run faster. For $50 it's worth it for double the number of cores, and future-proofability. But yeah, I still agree that you should get an Intel CPU.

[Spartiate]

Get the intel chip. AMD chips have a bazillion cores because their technology is severely outclassed by newer intel chips and it's the only way for them to stay competitive. I'd recommend 16 GB of RAM for photoshop, RAM is cheap. SSDs are getting to 1$/GB and make a HUGE performance increase for accessing and writing files (boot up, copying files, saving/opening, etc.) They also have no moving parts and are thus much more reliable. If you get one of those ancient spinning platter hard drives, make sure you back up your photos somewhere else. For photography I'd recommend an IPS monitor. It'll put you over budget (they go for about 500$ and up) but they are the standard due to their excellent colour accuracy (especially when viewed from an angle).

[tommo]

But multiple cores, WILL be utilized by Photoshop. So it will definitely run faster. For $50 it's worth it for double the number of cores, and future-proofability. But yeah, I still agree that you should get an Intel CPU. I don't see any reason why it would use 8 cores. It wouldn't need it. There's no advantage. If you were running other programs at the same time, they would use the rest of the available cores so Photoshop wouldn't slow down. Anyway, we all agree to go Intel. So it doesn't matter much. Where do you get your $1/GB SSD's Spart? Cheapest I've seen is just over $2/GB. And yeah, if you can get that, it'll make a massive difference for huge files. I remember having to wait up to 20 minutes for some psd's to just load or save.

[LieutenantCloud]

I don't see any reason why it would use 8 cores. It wouldn't need it. There's no advantage. This is incorrect. Photoshop has taken advantage of multiple cores and proper multithreading since Photoshop 3.0. Each major update shows increases support for multiple cores. The advantage is optimisations and increase in speed, hence, the future-proof ability. But I guess we'll agree to disagree. Besides, at leasts we agree that Intel is preferable.

[dakotahnok]

At lieutenantCloud I think that he knows that multiple cores will help photoshop, but he is saying that EIGHT is unnecessary. It wouldn't benefit from that many cores as opposed to four. I have decided on 16 gb ram, postponing the SSD until I get more money in the future, and getting an Intel CPU. I have not decided on which intel yet. Some questions. Should I get a case that has a built in power supply? Or should I buy them separate. It appears like I can save some money with it built in. But I also know how important the power supply is. The built in one is 550w. Can photoshop run on Linux? I looked this up and found inconclusive results. After installing Linux how do you get rid of windows without also getting rid of Linux. They are both on the same hard drive.

[tommo]

AW shit.... just lost this post trying to check which PSU I have lol Damn power cord came out when I moved my computer. Ok.... basically, get a case with a PSU if you KNOW it has the PSU you want. Most of the time they just say 550W PSU built-in but don't tell you which brand or anything. Bad PSU's can fuck the rest of your components up. So you want a good quality one. I can only vouch for Corsair being outstanding. I have a Corsair CX500 V2. Just check the wattage of all the components you're going to get (on the manufacturer website), and that will tell you what size PSU you have. You shouldn't need over 500W unless you are going to crossfire two or more GPU's. I've never used linux.

[LieutenantCloud]

At lieutenantCloud I think that he knows that multiple cores will help photoshop, but he is saying that EIGHT is unnecessary. It wouldn't benefit from that many cores as opposed to four. I guess I must've misunderstood then, sorry. As for your power supply, I suggest you don't go with case included PSUs, they can be generic brands and terrible quality. Plus PSUs don't come that expensive, so I'd definitely go with one bought separately. I'm not an expert on Linux, but I believe there's something called WINE, which you install on Linux that allows you to run Windows applications. I don't think there has been an officially compatible version of Photoshop released for Linux though. Is there any reason you want to run Linux anyway? Windows would be less troublesome.

[khh]

I can only vouch for Corsair being outstanding. I have a Corsair CX500 V2. Yeah, Corsair has a good reputation. Personally I've got MIST, and that's been excellent as well. postponing the SSD until I get more money in the future Just don't forget it. Best upgrade I gave my computer. Can photoshop run on Linux? I looked this up and found inconclusive results. No. To run a recent version of Photoshop on Linux, you'll need to run it in a VM with Windows. After installing Linux how do you get rid of windows without also getting rid of Linux. They are both on the same hard drive. You get rid of Windows when installing Linux. But it is possible to fix it afterwards too. Boot up a live CD, open gparted, delete the windows partition(s), expand the Linux partition(s) to fill the entire harddrive, reinstall GRUB.

[ccrinbama]

reddit.com/r/buildapc is also useful. But yea, like everyone has said, building a custom pc is very, very easy these day. The components of my current pc mostly came from newegg.com, which has some pretty good sales if you keep an eye on the site daily. If you can hold out until cyber monday and black friday, you'll get those super discounts.

[dakotahnok]

You get rid of Windows when installing Linux. But it is possible to fix it afterwards too. Boot up a live CD, open gparted, delete the windows partition(s), expand the Linux partition(s) to fill the entire harddrive, reinstall GRUB. Its still on there though. When i boot my computer it ask if i want to run windows or ubuntu. I just want to get rid of windows completely.

[Supernova]

No. To run a recent version of Photoshop on Linux, you'll need to run it in a VM with Windows. WineHQ - Run Windows applications on Linux, BSD, Solaris and Mac OS X Also let me just say, anyone who can operate windows can easily learn to operate ubuntu. You'll probably have to do some googling from time to time, but with the amount of documentation and discussion available online most questions are easy to answer. Also, I'll leave you all with a thought: PassMark - AMD FX-8120 Eight-Core - Price performance comparison PassMark - Intel Core i7-3820 @ 3.60GHz - Price performance comparison why does the i7 cost twice as much?

[ccrinbama]

Its still on there though. When i boot my computer it ask if i want to run windows or ubuntu. I just want to get rid of windows completely. Format the partition with windows on it.

[khh]

WineHQ - Run Windows applications on Linux, BSD, Solaris and Mac OS X Apparently Wine has been working on their photoshop support. When I checked last year, all after 7.0 were red. Its still on there though. When i boot my computer it ask if i want to run windows or ubuntu. I just want to get rid of windows completely. But it is possible to fix it afterwards too. Boot up a live CD, open gparted, delete the windows partition(s), expand the Linux partition(s) to fill the entire harddrive, reinstall GRUB. This.

[tommo]

Also, I'll leave you all with a thought: PassMark - AMD FX-8120 Eight-Core - Price performance comparison PassMark - Intel Core i7-3820 @ 3.60GHz - Price performance comparison why does the i7 cost twice as much? Coz it's far superior?