Solved Is it hard to build a computer?

Chuck38

Just livin life
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Power User
Messages
463
Hey guys!
I noticed that many of you have custom or self-built computers. I would love to build my a computer, but is really as easy as it looks? Also, if you have any motherboard suggestions or video card suggestions, I would like to hear them. (Or read them, since we're on a forum)

P.S This is my 100th post!!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-built/ Custom
    CPU
    AMD FX-6300
    Motherboard
    MSI 970A-G43
    Memory
    Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus GTX 750 ti
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP w2207h
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    Seagate 1TB 3.5" 7200 Hybrid Internal Hard Drive
    Crucial M500 240GB 2.5-inch Internal SSD
    PSU
    EVGA 500 Watt 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply
    Case
    Fractal Design Define R4
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro Series H55 Quiet Edition Liquid CPU Cooler
    Keyboard
    CM Storm Devastator - Red
    Mouse
    Logitech Wireless Performance Mouse MX
    Internet Speed
    Really fast.
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    AVG
    Other Info
    Logitech G230 Headset
Congrats on your 100th

Putting a computer together was once as simple as hooking a DVD player up to a TV. The good this about building PC's is that specific components fit into specific places, a PCi card will only fin into a PCI slot, ram will only fir in a ram slot, if you have to force it, you may be doing it wrong.

These days, the biggest issue with building a PC is compatibility. In the industry things are moving way too fast, companies release new product literally every day. Video cards in my opinion are the worst, too many too fast.

Computers these days are like cars, once you walk out of the shop with your parts, they are pretty much obsolete and worth 60% less. Some may disagree, its just my opinion.

I would recommend building your own PC to anyone, having said that, research is key, compatibility is imperative, forums are your best friend. PC enthusiast forums like toms hardware and ROG (ASUS) and especially here are extremely important.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    0i812
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 4770K LGA1150
    Motherboard
    Asus Maximus VI Formula
    Memory
    Corsair 32GB (4x8GB) DDR3 CMY32GX3M4A1866C9 1866MH
    Graphics Card(s)
    2 x Crappy GeForce GT 640 2GB DDR3
    Sound Card
    I haz lollies ..
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x LG / 2 x Samsung 21 Inch
    Screen Resolution
    Crispy
    Hard Drives
    2 x Samsung 250GB SSD 840 EVO (OS / Other)
    1 x Kingston 120G HyperX SSD (Swap)
    3 x Seagate SATA III 2TB Barracuda (Data Drives)
    1 x Seagate SATA III 1TB Barracuda (Media to XBox)
    1 x W/Digital SATA II 300G VelociRaptor (Image)
    PSU
    Silverstone 1500w
    Case
    NZXT Phantom 820 White Full Tower
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D14
    Keyboard
    Logitech G19
    Mouse
    Logitech G700 / Logitech T650 Touchpad Thingy
    Internet Speed
    ADSL 2+ (Australian version ... lol)
    Browser
    All of them
    Antivirus
    Nortons IS
    Other Info
    This one time at band camp ...
It's really not hard to put one together, it's simply a matter of getting parts which are compatible with one another. For example, you need to get a motherboard which has the right socket for the CPU. And you have to get RAM that matches the specs that your motherboard supports. It used to be a fact that you could build your own computer and save money over buying a pre-built system. However, I don't really find this to be true anymore. When you build, you get EXACTLY what you want...and you typically pay a little more for that.

Your best bet is to come up with a budget and then tell people what you want to do with your computer and what your budget is and then we can make suggestions on which parts to buy.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-Built in July 2009
    CPU
    Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz OC'd to 3.40Ghz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R rev. 1.1, F12 BIOS
    Memory
    8GB G.Skill PI DDR2-800, 4-4-4-12 timings
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 1280MB Nvidia GeForce GTX570
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC899A 8 channel onboard audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    23" Acer x233H
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Intel X25-M 80GB Gen 2 SSD
    Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black, 32MB cache. WD1001FALS
    PSU
    Corsair 620HX modular
    Case
    Antec P182
    Cooling
    stock
    Keyboard
    ABS M1 Mechanical
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
    Internet Speed
    15/2 cable modem
    Other Info
    Windows and Linux enthusiast. Logitech G35 Headset.
I think the biggest issue for a novice builder is the poor quality control of component manufacturers. I've built 5 systems over the past four years, and had some frustrating times dealing with: 1 bad memory set, 2 failed motherboards, 1 failed power supply, 1 failed fan, 1 faulty case, and a third motherboard with more minor issues requiring an RMA. Maybe I'm just unlucky, but when you fire up a new system and things don't work, it's usually difficult to resolve. The average novice builder doesn't have testing equipment to help troubleshoot (I do have some now!). These were not bargain-bin parts; they were all top of line manufacturers.

I'd be interested in hearing from others that build a far greater number of systems to hear what failure rates they've experienced. If you look at the reviews of--for example--power supplies and motherboards on Newegg.com, the DOA rate is just scary. I know you can't compute failure rates based on those reviews since many satisfied customers don't write in, but the numbers are still awesome (in a bad way).
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Build
    CPU
    i7-4770K
    Motherboard
    ASUS Gryphon Z87
    Memory
    G.Skill Ripjaws 2x8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GTX 750 Ti 2GB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24" Dells (2)
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1200
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 840 EVO, 240 GB SSD; WD Black 1TB
    PSU
    Seasonic 750W Gold
    Case
    Bitfenix Prodigy M - White
    Cooling
    NZXT Kracken 40
    Keyboard
    Logitech K800
    Mouse
    Logitech M310
    Internet Speed
    11Mbps
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    MS Defender
Is newegg a good site to use when looking for components? I'm looking at a Gigabyte GA-Z77M-D3H LGA 1155 Intel Z77 and for CPU, I was going to get a Intel i5. I probably want to stay under $1,000.
[h=1][/h]
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-built/ Custom
    CPU
    AMD FX-6300
    Motherboard
    MSI 970A-G43
    Memory
    Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus GTX 750 ti
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP w2207h
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    Seagate 1TB 3.5" 7200 Hybrid Internal Hard Drive
    Crucial M500 240GB 2.5-inch Internal SSD
    PSU
    EVGA 500 Watt 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply
    Case
    Fractal Design Define R4
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro Series H55 Quiet Edition Liquid CPU Cooler
    Keyboard
    CM Storm Devastator - Red
    Mouse
    Logitech Wireless Performance Mouse MX
    Internet Speed
    Really fast.
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    AVG
    Other Info
    Logitech G230 Headset
I would sign up at overclockers find the forum section where youre allowed to ask for advice on buying a PC. Start a thread, tell them your budget, Profit $$$

that's what I did. Now Im sitting in front of a super computer
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    0i812
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 4770K LGA1150
    Motherboard
    Asus Maximus VI Formula
    Memory
    Corsair 32GB (4x8GB) DDR3 CMY32GX3M4A1866C9 1866MH
    Graphics Card(s)
    2 x Crappy GeForce GT 640 2GB DDR3
    Sound Card
    I haz lollies ..
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x LG / 2 x Samsung 21 Inch
    Screen Resolution
    Crispy
    Hard Drives
    2 x Samsung 250GB SSD 840 EVO (OS / Other)
    1 x Kingston 120G HyperX SSD (Swap)
    3 x Seagate SATA III 2TB Barracuda (Data Drives)
    1 x Seagate SATA III 1TB Barracuda (Media to XBox)
    1 x W/Digital SATA II 300G VelociRaptor (Image)
    PSU
    Silverstone 1500w
    Case
    NZXT Phantom 820 White Full Tower
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D14
    Keyboard
    Logitech G19
    Mouse
    Logitech G700 / Logitech T650 Touchpad Thingy
    Internet Speed
    ADSL 2+ (Australian version ... lol)
    Browser
    All of them
    Antivirus
    Nortons IS
    Other Info
    This one time at band camp ...
Is newegg a good site to use when looking for components? I'm looking at a Gigabyte GA-Z77M-D3H LGA 1155 Intel Z77 and for CPU, I was going to get a Intel i5. I probably want to stay under $1,000.

Newegg is a great site; also compare prices at Amazon, Tiger Direct. You might want to compare prices for a 1150 Intel Z87 system--not too much more for the newer Haswell system components than for Ivy Bridge. Also, if you're not going to overclock, you'll save significantly going with the non-"K" model CPUs.

pcpartpicker.com might also be quite helpful to a new builder.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Build
    CPU
    i7-4770K
    Motherboard
    ASUS Gryphon Z87
    Memory
    G.Skill Ripjaws 2x8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GTX 750 Ti 2GB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24" Dells (2)
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1200
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 840 EVO, 240 GB SSD; WD Black 1TB
    PSU
    Seasonic 750W Gold
    Case
    Bitfenix Prodigy M - White
    Cooling
    NZXT Kracken 40
    Keyboard
    Logitech K800
    Mouse
    Logitech M310
    Internet Speed
    11Mbps
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    MS Defender
Well, considering I don't even know how to overclock, I won't be doing that. So should I go with AMD then? Another question, is Intel and AMD the only CPU's out there?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-built/ Custom
    CPU
    AMD FX-6300
    Motherboard
    MSI 970A-G43
    Memory
    Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus GTX 750 ti
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP w2207h
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    Seagate 1TB 3.5" 7200 Hybrid Internal Hard Drive
    Crucial M500 240GB 2.5-inch Internal SSD
    PSU
    EVGA 500 Watt 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply
    Case
    Fractal Design Define R4
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro Series H55 Quiet Edition Liquid CPU Cooler
    Keyboard
    CM Storm Devastator - Red
    Mouse
    Logitech Wireless Performance Mouse MX
    Internet Speed
    Really fast.
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    AVG
    Other Info
    Logitech G230 Headset
32-bit or 64-bit?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-built/ Custom
    CPU
    AMD FX-6300
    Motherboard
    MSI 970A-G43
    Memory
    Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus GTX 750 ti
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP w2207h
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    Seagate 1TB 3.5" 7200 Hybrid Internal Hard Drive
    Crucial M500 240GB 2.5-inch Internal SSD
    PSU
    EVGA 500 Watt 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply
    Case
    Fractal Design Define R4
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro Series H55 Quiet Edition Liquid CPU Cooler
    Keyboard
    CM Storm Devastator - Red
    Mouse
    Logitech Wireless Performance Mouse MX
    Internet Speed
    Really fast.
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    AVG
    Other Info
    Logitech G230 Headset
AMD or Intel can both be overclocked or not; it's a function of the model. You can save money going with AMD, but currently the Intel chips win on performance (in general).

Go with 64-bit.

Since you're not overclocking, you might save going with an H87 motherboard. However, the new motherboards make overclocking very easy if it's something you'd like to learn and experiment with. That's part of the fun of doing your own builds.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Build
    CPU
    i7-4770K
    Motherboard
    ASUS Gryphon Z87
    Memory
    G.Skill Ripjaws 2x8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GTX 750 Ti 2GB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24" Dells (2)
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1200
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 840 EVO, 240 GB SSD; WD Black 1TB
    PSU
    Seasonic 750W Gold
    Case
    Bitfenix Prodigy M - White
    Cooling
    NZXT Kracken 40
    Keyboard
    Logitech K800
    Mouse
    Logitech M310
    Internet Speed
    11Mbps
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    MS Defender
And another question, 230GB SSD or 2TB Internal Hard Drive?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-built/ Custom
    CPU
    AMD FX-6300
    Motherboard
    MSI 970A-G43
    Memory
    Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus GTX 750 ti
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP w2207h
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    Seagate 1TB 3.5" 7200 Hybrid Internal Hard Drive
    Crucial M500 240GB 2.5-inch Internal SSD
    PSU
    EVGA 500 Watt 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply
    Case
    Fractal Design Define R4
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro Series H55 Quiet Edition Liquid CPU Cooler
    Keyboard
    CM Storm Devastator - Red
    Mouse
    Logitech Wireless Performance Mouse MX
    Internet Speed
    Really fast.
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    AVG
    Other Info
    Logitech G230 Headset
If you can allow it in your budget, a 120GB SSD for the operating sysytem. A 1TB hard drive for your alt date.
A 230GB SSD would be expensive (in australia) So downgrading to a 120GB SSD should allow you to afford a 1TB 6gb/s HDD
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    0i812
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 4770K LGA1150
    Motherboard
    Asus Maximus VI Formula
    Memory
    Corsair 32GB (4x8GB) DDR3 CMY32GX3M4A1866C9 1866MH
    Graphics Card(s)
    2 x Crappy GeForce GT 640 2GB DDR3
    Sound Card
    I haz lollies ..
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x LG / 2 x Samsung 21 Inch
    Screen Resolution
    Crispy
    Hard Drives
    2 x Samsung 250GB SSD 840 EVO (OS / Other)
    1 x Kingston 120G HyperX SSD (Swap)
    3 x Seagate SATA III 2TB Barracuda (Data Drives)
    1 x Seagate SATA III 1TB Barracuda (Media to XBox)
    1 x W/Digital SATA II 300G VelociRaptor (Image)
    PSU
    Silverstone 1500w
    Case
    NZXT Phantom 820 White Full Tower
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D14
    Keyboard
    Logitech G19
    Mouse
    Logitech G700 / Logitech T650 Touchpad Thingy
    Internet Speed
    ADSL 2+ (Australian version ... lol)
    Browser
    All of them
    Antivirus
    Nortons IS
    Other Info
    This one time at band camp ...
I'd be interested in hearing from others that build a far greater number of systems to hear what failure rates they've experienced. If you look at the reviews of--for example--power supplies and motherboards on Newegg.com, the DOA rate is just scary. I know you can't compute failure rates based on those reviews since many satisfied customers don't write in, but the numbers are still awesome (in a bad way).

I've built somewhere in the ballpark of 20-30 computers over the past 15 years. Honestly, I've had almost no failure of any component during the build outs. I once had a video card that was bad, and a case fan, but that's about all that I can remember. Never once had a bad motherboard, bad stick of RAM, bad power supply or a bad hard drive. EVER.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-Built in July 2009
    CPU
    Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz OC'd to 3.40Ghz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R rev. 1.1, F12 BIOS
    Memory
    8GB G.Skill PI DDR2-800, 4-4-4-12 timings
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 1280MB Nvidia GeForce GTX570
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC899A 8 channel onboard audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    23" Acer x233H
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Intel X25-M 80GB Gen 2 SSD
    Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black, 32MB cache. WD1001FALS
    PSU
    Corsair 620HX modular
    Case
    Antec P182
    Cooling
    stock
    Keyboard
    ABS M1 Mechanical
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
    Internet Speed
    15/2 cable modem
    Other Info
    Windows and Linux enthusiast. Logitech G35 Headset.
If you can allow it in your budget, a 120GB SSD for the operating sysytem. A 1TB hard drive for your alt date.
A 230GB SSD would be expensive (in australia) So downgrading to a 120GB SSD should allow you to afford a 1TB 6gb/s HDD

Oh, Wow! They are expensive!! But what is the advantage of having two separate drives?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-built/ Custom
    CPU
    AMD FX-6300
    Motherboard
    MSI 970A-G43
    Memory
    Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus GTX 750 ti
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP w2207h
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    Seagate 1TB 3.5" 7200 Hybrid Internal Hard Drive
    Crucial M500 240GB 2.5-inch Internal SSD
    PSU
    EVGA 500 Watt 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply
    Case
    Fractal Design Define R4
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro Series H55 Quiet Edition Liquid CPU Cooler
    Keyboard
    CM Storm Devastator - Red
    Mouse
    Logitech Wireless Performance Mouse MX
    Internet Speed
    Really fast.
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    AVG
    Other Info
    Logitech G230 Headset
SSD drives are super fast. Some argue that continuous writes onto the disk is detrimental. There is a strong argument that it isnt. (Search in here) Having an SSD as a main drive will overall speed up every day activities (noticeably to some people) Having a HDD to store your stuff just takes a little pressure off your SSD

Personally I believe that if you arent a power user, get two HDD 6GB/s drives, a 500GB and a 2 or 3 terabyte. Youll be able to afford that just from not getting an SSD

Main reason to have 2 drives, if your OS drive dies for whatever reason, your stuff is safe. You can tell Win 8.1 to move the location of personal folders etc to the 2nd drive, you'll learn that later ;)

Backup configs can me made in many ways, you may just be happy with a external in which case a terabyte OS with a partition may suite you.
I personally dont have partitions, I just keep buying drives. Currently I have 10 drives in my PC case and a few externals. But I'm apparently insane.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    0i812
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 4770K LGA1150
    Motherboard
    Asus Maximus VI Formula
    Memory
    Corsair 32GB (4x8GB) DDR3 CMY32GX3M4A1866C9 1866MH
    Graphics Card(s)
    2 x Crappy GeForce GT 640 2GB DDR3
    Sound Card
    I haz lollies ..
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x LG / 2 x Samsung 21 Inch
    Screen Resolution
    Crispy
    Hard Drives
    2 x Samsung 250GB SSD 840 EVO (OS / Other)
    1 x Kingston 120G HyperX SSD (Swap)
    3 x Seagate SATA III 2TB Barracuda (Data Drives)
    1 x Seagate SATA III 1TB Barracuda (Media to XBox)
    1 x W/Digital SATA II 300G VelociRaptor (Image)
    PSU
    Silverstone 1500w
    Case
    NZXT Phantom 820 White Full Tower
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D14
    Keyboard
    Logitech G19
    Mouse
    Logitech G700 / Logitech T650 Touchpad Thingy
    Internet Speed
    ADSL 2+ (Australian version ... lol)
    Browser
    All of them
    Antivirus
    Nortons IS
    Other Info
    This one time at band camp ...
Sites like Newegg and TigerDirect will have bare bones systems listed. The parts in that system have been tested to work together. You assemble it yourself. I'm not saying you should buy one of these but they can help you sort out what works with what motherboard. The low end systems are pretty basic and not what I would call high performance but for some first time builders it can take the headache out of making sure all the parts you buy will work when you power it up. They have more expensive higher performance systems too depending on what your budget is. I bought one years ago and slowly upgraded all the parts. Now all the original parts are back together as my spare PC. Motherboards will have a Qualified Vender List for download that will list all the RAM that has been tested and certified to work on that motherboard. They will also have similar list for what CPU's are compatible. You can download and look at these before you even buy the motherboard.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
Here's a screen shot of what I picked out on pcpartpicker.com: Screenshot (6).png
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-built/ Custom
    CPU
    AMD FX-6300
    Motherboard
    MSI 970A-G43
    Memory
    Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus GTX 750 ti
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP w2207h
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    Seagate 1TB 3.5" 7200 Hybrid Internal Hard Drive
    Crucial M500 240GB 2.5-inch Internal SSD
    PSU
    EVGA 500 Watt 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply
    Case
    Fractal Design Define R4
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro Series H55 Quiet Edition Liquid CPU Cooler
    Keyboard
    CM Storm Devastator - Red
    Mouse
    Logitech Wireless Performance Mouse MX
    Internet Speed
    Really fast.
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    AVG
    Other Info
    Logitech G230 Headset
SSD drives are super fast. Some argue that continuous writes onto the disk is detrimental. There is a strong argument that it isnt. (Search in here) Having an SSD as a main drive will overall speed up every day activities (noticeably to some people) Having a HDD to store your stuff just takes a little pressure off your SSD
SSD's have a limited # of writes..there is no argument there...it is FACT. However, with that said, if you write hundreds of GB's of day, every day, it will take well over 5 years for that SSD to run out of writes. So, it's not much to really worry about.

Having a secondary standard HDD is not about relieving pressure on the SSD, it's for storage. SSD's are small in comparison. If you are going to store 80GB worth of videos on your computer and another 40GB of music, you don't want to chew up your entire SSD with those files. They usually don't benefit from faster storage anyway. So, you put those on the HDD and keep your OS, your apps and your working files on your SSD.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-Built in July 2009
    CPU
    Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz OC'd to 3.40Ghz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R rev. 1.1, F12 BIOS
    Memory
    8GB G.Skill PI DDR2-800, 4-4-4-12 timings
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 1280MB Nvidia GeForce GTX570
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC899A 8 channel onboard audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    23" Acer x233H
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Intel X25-M 80GB Gen 2 SSD
    Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black, 32MB cache. WD1001FALS
    PSU
    Corsair 620HX modular
    Case
    Antec P182
    Cooling
    stock
    Keyboard
    ABS M1 Mechanical
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
    Internet Speed
    15/2 cable modem
    Other Info
    Windows and Linux enthusiast. Logitech G35 Headset.
Having a secondary standard HDD is not about relieving pressure on the SSD, it's for storage.


yeah thanks for clearing that up.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    0i812
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 4770K LGA1150
    Motherboard
    Asus Maximus VI Formula
    Memory
    Corsair 32GB (4x8GB) DDR3 CMY32GX3M4A1866C9 1866MH
    Graphics Card(s)
    2 x Crappy GeForce GT 640 2GB DDR3
    Sound Card
    I haz lollies ..
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x LG / 2 x Samsung 21 Inch
    Screen Resolution
    Crispy
    Hard Drives
    2 x Samsung 250GB SSD 840 EVO (OS / Other)
    1 x Kingston 120G HyperX SSD (Swap)
    3 x Seagate SATA III 2TB Barracuda (Data Drives)
    1 x Seagate SATA III 1TB Barracuda (Media to XBox)
    1 x W/Digital SATA II 300G VelociRaptor (Image)
    PSU
    Silverstone 1500w
    Case
    NZXT Phantom 820 White Full Tower
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D14
    Keyboard
    Logitech G19
    Mouse
    Logitech G700 / Logitech T650 Touchpad Thingy
    Internet Speed
    ADSL 2+ (Australian version ... lol)
    Browser
    All of them
    Antivirus
    Nortons IS
    Other Info
    This one time at band camp ...

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-built/ Custom
    CPU
    AMD FX-6300
    Motherboard
    MSI 970A-G43
    Memory
    Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus GTX 750 ti
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP w2207h
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    Seagate 1TB 3.5" 7200 Hybrid Internal Hard Drive
    Crucial M500 240GB 2.5-inch Internal SSD
    PSU
    EVGA 500 Watt 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply
    Case
    Fractal Design Define R4
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro Series H55 Quiet Edition Liquid CPU Cooler
    Keyboard
    CM Storm Devastator - Red
    Mouse
    Logitech Wireless Performance Mouse MX
    Internet Speed
    Really fast.
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    AVG
    Other Info
    Logitech G230 Headset
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