Should I build or buy?

[Hefemeister]

Is that budget just for the desktop or does it include your laptop as well? Will you need everything for your desktop like monitor, operating system, keyboard and mouse?

 

[zmatt]

Yeah, considering exactly what you need will determine a lot. Monitors, cases, keyboards and mice can jack up the cost quite a but, but unlike the rest of the machine they have much longer lives so if you get quality the first time then you have no need to buy those parts again for several years.

 

[melorock]

Is that budget just for the desktop or does it include your laptop as well? Will you need everything for your desktop like monitor, operating system, keyboard and mouse?

Just Desktop, and I have a monitor (TV with PC imports) already.


melorock

 

[Santuzzo]

I just saw this thread, it's very interesting for me as well, since I'm in the same boat:
I want to build or have built for me a PC also for music recording (DAW), but I do want to use it for occasional gaming, too.

I have gotten lots of good advice here and also on music forums, and now I think I know what I want to get.
I will post a list in a new thread to ask for advice/opinions!

I will get an i7 920 for sure!

 

[tastegw]

wow

with $2500, you can make a beast of a desktop.

Newegg.com - Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor - Processors - Desktops

Newegg.com - BIOSTAR TpowerX58 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Intel Motherboards

Newegg.com - G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

Newegg.com - CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Power Supplies

Newegg.com - Antec Twelve Hundred Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Computer Cases

Two of these Newegg.com - EVGA 01G-P3-1281-AR GeForce GTX 285 1GB 512-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards (or a 295?)

add in a few things:

cpu heatsink/fan
hard drive
cd/dvd/blueray drives
few case fans
ect

and your good to go!

 

[melorock]

Thanks again guys.


What I'll do is lurk around and look at other recommendation threads. With the wealth of computer information/advice on this forum, I'll take notes on what I parts I need, then I'll post again with what I got so far.

 

[zmatt]

That's a smart way to do it. learn as much as you can and do your homework, and then come and see us. You will learn a lot more that way. And we wont let you build a crappy machine.

 

[Santuzzo]

Thanks again guys.


What I'll do is lurk around and look at other recommendation threads. With the wealth of computer information/advice on this forum, I'll take notes on what I parts I need, then I'll post again with what I got so far.

Awesome !

that's what I did. Not that I know so much now, I'm still a noob, but I gathered some information on parts and got a list together.
And it's been great fun reading up on these things, looking up online reviews, reading threads

What sequencer software are you going to use?
And what OS?

 

[Druid]

If you're going to spend $2500, why don't you get some 1600 MHz ram instead of that 1333 MHz ram that was recommended.

I just got some of this: Newegg.com - G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

You could get better timings, but it starts getting really expensive when you do that.

 

[zmatt]

The 1333mhz ram was chosen mainly on the timings. The timings made it faster than the 1600mhz ram. And the cost to get decent 1600mhz is too much right now.