Lets start with a list of components that I need to build the PC:

Core PC Components

• Motherboard – Determined mostly by the selected cpu and required connections.
• CPU – Intel or AMD are options.
• CPU Cooler
• Power Supply
• RAM – Maximum RAM may be limited by operating system and motherboard.
• Video Card – AMD or NVIDIA. Onboard is not an option for the PC that I want to build.
• Storage – SSD or conventional hard drives, or both.
• PC Case – Basic or with extras.
• Optical drives – DVD writer is a must, Blu-Ray not really needed.

Other components

• Mouse and keyboard
• Computer monitor
• Audio Card / Onboard
• Headset with Microphone

When I build a PC I usually start with the selection of the processor and go from there. When I have the processor I know which motherboard I need. From there I get the RAM, video card and the other components.

CPU

I never go for the fastest cpu available. The price difference to less powerful processors is just to steep and does not justify the price, at least not for a desktop computer. You can save lots of money if you buy a slightly less powerful cpu. That still leaves the question if it should be an Intel or AMD cpu. I do not really have a preference in this regard but have used Intel in the past which is why I stick with Intel on this one.

I definitely want to pick cpus with Intel’s new Sandy Bridge architecture. You may notice that Sandy Bridge processors are offered with and without k after the number. K indicates cpus with an unlocked multiplier, which is great if you are into overclocking.

The following two cpus are my favorites currently.

• Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz – $230
• Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz – $320

The Core i7 is faster than its Core i5 counterpart but not as much as you might expect. Hardcoreware have compared the performance of both cpus. The differences range from negligible when it comes to PC gaming to somewhat noticeable for tasks like rendering or archiving. Does that justify the $90 extra that you have to pay for the i7-2600k? Not necessarily.

Motherboard

Now that I have the cpu, I can start evaluating motherboards for that cpu. Both processors require LGA 1155 socket type motherboards. Motherboards come in all sizes and shapes, and it is important to have a solid understanding of what you want before you start picking the first one you see. For instance, do you need USB 3.0, Firewire or Bluetooth support? Want two or four memory slots? Should it have a 1000 Gigabit Ethernet port? How many PCI Express slots should it have, and should it have PCI slots as well? What about SATA 6 GB/s?

My requirements are the following: I want a motherboard with an UEFI-BIOS which offers many advantages. I’d also like SATA 6 GB/s support and USB 3.0 support. I want it to have onboard sound, and I do not need PCI slots, only PCI Express. It should have at least one Gigabit Ethernet port.

The following two motherboards are my favorites:

• ASRock P67 EXTREME4 – $160
• MSI P67A-GD55 (B3) – $165

Both support all the features that I need and affordable enough.

CPU Cooler

I usually do not use boxed cpu coolers as they are often to loud and do not cool the cpu down as good as third party coolers. Still, I often try them out first before I purchase a new cooler. For now, it is the boxed cooler that I’ll use. Selecting the right cooler is a science for itself.

One cooler that I’m currently looking at is the Noctua NH-U9B SE2 92mm.

Power Supply

The power supply has to be efficient and silent at the same time. It is at least 80 Plus power supplies that I’m after, preferably Gold standard.

My old PC has an Enermax Modu 87+ 700W and I want to buy the same power unit for the new PC as well. It is almost silent and very effective thanks to its Gold rating.

• ENERMAX MODU87+ EMG700AWT 700W – $180

Ram

My old Pc has 8 Gigabytes of Ram, and my intention is to double the amount of RAM on the new one. This may be overkill and I know that. Still, the price seems to be right.

• G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 – $210
• CORSAIR Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 – $210

Video Card

I just bought a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 470 which is sufficient for all the gaming that I do. I will keep the card for now in the system, and get a new card in a year’s time when new cards are released by AMD and NVIDIA.

The card is a Zotac GeForce GTX 470

Storage

The combination of a fast Solid State Drive for the system partition, and a large conventional hard drive for storage is in my opinion excellent. My intention is to buy a new generation SSD that promises even faster speeds as this generation.

My current favorite is the OCZ Vertex 3 VTX3-25SAT3-120G. It is a bit pricey right now at $300.

The conventional hard drive should have storage capacities of at least 2 TB, better three. I only want one additional drive because of heat and noise.

One options is to wait until the new versions of the Seagate Barracuda XT are available which manage to pack 1 TB of data on one platter, making the 3 TB drive a three platter drive.

The drive currently retails for $200. Prices will drop when availability increases. I may alternatively look at a slower 5400 rpm drive.

PC Case

My old PC case is a Lian Li PC-8NB with additional noise protection build in. I’d like to buy the exact same tower for my new PC. It retails for roughly $150.

Optical Drives

DVD writers are very cheap nowadays and they are all that I need. You can get them for about $20. I have had good experience with Samsung drives in the past and will purchase one for the new PC as well.

Overview

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz – $230
Motherboard: ASRock P67 EXTREME4 – $160
PSU: ENERMAX MODU87+ EMG700AWT 700W – $170
Ram: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 16GB – $210
Video Card: None
SSD: OCZ Vertex 3 VTX3-25SAT3-120G – $300
Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda XT – $200
PC Case: Lian Li PC-8NB – $150
DVD Writer: Samsung HD203WI – $20

The complete PC in this form sets me back $1440. If you add a $200 video card and peripherals like mouse and keyboard you end up at about $1800 for the whole system without monitor. That’s a lot of money for a computer system. I could probably reduce that by half if I’d change the components.

Have you built a PC lately? What where your components?

I always start with an assessment of my needs. What do I need the new PC for? What would I like it to be? Which features should it have? Do I have hardware that I need to connect to the computer? Are there additional important characteristics that I should pay attention to?

The Assessment

I first and foremost need the PC for work which leads to the first batch of requirements:

• Responsive: I do not like waiting, not for the PC to boot, not for programs to open or for other operations during work.
• Silent: Noise can easily distract me from work, especially those high-fieping sounds that some PC components can make. The PC should be a silent PC, barely noticeable if at all.
• High Resolution: I like working on high resolution monitors. I currently use a 1920×1080 Samsung 24″ HD monitor and I like my new system to at least stay at that resolution.
• Wireless: I favored cables in the past, but wireless technologies have evolved and I like to get rid of cable restrictions which limit my work radius and comfort.
• Windows: I’m a Windows users and it will stay this way. I may consider running a dual boot system though.
• Power Saving: The more power I can save the better. Less power means less heat and less heat usually means less noise. That’s good, plus you save money as well.

But work is not the only activity on that computer. I’d furthermore like to use it for entertainment and gaming as well:

• Fast: The components should be as fast as possible without putting a serious dent into the budget or the work requirements. For instance, while it is very nice to run two high end graphic cards in SLI or Crossfire mode, it usually impacts the noise level of the PC negatively.
• HD: The hardware needs to be Full HD compatible.
• Future Proof: The PC should be capable of playing all games of the coming 24 months without difficulties (while I have no intention to play everything, it is reassuring that I could). I do not mind turning a setting down to play the game though (not the resolution though).
• Storage: I need enough storage for my extensive entertainment collection. I currently have 2 TB, would like to increase the size as much as possible without having to install two hard drives. At least one fast SSD for the operating system, core apps and games. Should have at least 128 Gigabytes of space. One external backup drive to backup the SSD, and important data that is stored on the storage drive.

And then there are things that I do not need at all:

• 3D: 3D technologies are hyped like hell but I personally do not find it interesting at all, especially with those stupid glasses that you need to wear. When they are at holographic displays I’m listening, right now I’m not.
• Blu-Ray: I do not watch movies on my PC, and I do not need extra storage volume on recordable discs. Blu-Ray is to expensive and of no use to me.
• Gimmicks: I do not a webcam, card reader and other peripherals like that. This includes premium motherboards who come with lots of gimmicks that I do not need.

Now that I have written down what I want, need and what I do not want or need, it is time to find the right PC hardware for that. The next part will be about that, stay tuned.

I’m usually favoring the “second-best” part or device over the best, e.g. not the latest and greatest video card for $600+ but one for $300 that is not super fast but still fast enough for everything.

Usage:

I need the PC for blogging and research on the Internet mainly. I want to view movies and listen to music. I also want to work with Visual Studio and play some games with friends every now and then.

Components:

CPU: Intel I7 9xx or 8xx. If you have other suggestions or favor a specific processor let me know
Computer Memory: 8GB or more
Motherboard: No favorite yet. Do not need a lot of extras like firewire, bluetooth, infrared connections on the board. Should have a fast network connection build in.
Video Card: No idea. Do not want to pay more than $300 for the video card. I currently have a ATI 4870. Are there any DirectX 11 cards out there yet? Video card should not make a lot of noise.
Hard Drives: I need at least 2 Terabyte. No more than two hard drives. Currently thinking about getting two 1.5 Terabyte drives. Hard drives should not make lots of noise. More important than speed to me. I do not need Raid but I though about having a faster boot hard drive and two slower data drives. Would you favor a fast hard drive (or two in Raid) or SSD drive for that task?
SSD Drives: I’m not sure if I want an SSD drive. Are there any next gen SSD drives out there that do not get slower over time?
Sound Card: Not necessarily needed but if there is a good one for little money I take it. Otherwise it should be onboard sound.
Case: Mid-tower is fine. I do not care about color but it should have a few connectors on the front (e.g. USB)
Power Unit: It has to be quiet. Should supply enough power though for the computer system.
Computer Monitor: Do not need one

Did I leave anything out? I’m keen to read your suggestions. I also do not have a problem waiting another few months before I build the system in case some ubercool hardware comes out in that time that is worth waiting for.