My ASRock Build - X99E-ITX Campaign - NEW PICS

Muffin

Thanks!  

I'm not sure what you like to do with your computer, but if you're like a lot of folks, you do a mix of basic internet and medium-duty gaming.

If that description fits you, consider some of the following items in your build:


1)  www.pcpartspicker.com does a good job of showing you compatible computer parts and competitive pricing.  They have a good website that you can use as a guide through the build process.

Parts compatibility is key.  Most of this is going to become more obvious after some research, but at first it can seem confusing.  Don't be afraid to post your build to message boards (like here, Tom's Hardware, pcpartspicker, etc.) to try to get other peoples' opinions.  They will ALWAYS suggest you spend more money and get fancier stuff than you had in mind, but the main thing you're looking for is someone to catch a mistake or notice something wonky before you spend your money.

2)  Even though the processor is the sexy, popular part of computer for most people, if you are a gamer, the graphics card is at least as important.

So consider a balance.  If you don't know what overclocking is--and don't care to--grab a mid-level Intel i5, or an AMD FX-8350--a popular motherboard that has a lot of reviews on newegg.com, memory, power supply, and a graphics card in the $150-$250 range.  This should suit you well on 1080p resolution displays for most games.

3)  Overclocking is more for fun than necessity.  If you are just getting into building, and you must wring every ounce of performance out of your rig, overclocking is a fun side-hobby you can do to get more oomph for your dollar....that said, you usually end up spending more on the components if it ends up being your focus...so mostly, I think, it is for fun.  IF you want to overlock, grab a better cpu cooler (The Coolermaster Seidon is a good value in all-in-one watercooling), a motherboard that will support your tuning with durability and a wide feature set (so no old OEM or low-spec <$50 aftermarket mobos), and an Intel processor that ends in a "K", like the 4690K, 4790K...another option is AMD's "Black Edition" chips, like the FX8350, etc.  These chips will have "unlocked multipliers" that will let you go a LOT further with your efforts.

4)  Get help!    Go on message boards, talk to people, look up "overclocking guides" if you're into overclocking.  Don't be afraid to ask for help.  Many experts ( I'm no expert) are happy to help you succeed.  Have fun!