Tell me about building a PC

mark · wrote on 18 Aug 2020, 02:11

@jon-nyc Tom's Harware has an update guide.

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/tomshardware-best-pc-builds-june-2020

Doctor Phibes · wrote on 18 Aug 2020, 02:31

If you want to monkey about with build options, you can also take a look at https://www.newegg.com/tools/custom-pc-builder

Newegg used to sell PC kits at various prices that were pretty much guaranteed to be compatible, but they seemed to have stopped doing that.

jon-nyc · 18 Aug 2020, 16:24

@mark said in Tell me about building a PC:

@jon-nyc Check out JayZ.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkWQ0gDrqOCarmUKmppD7GQ

He has some great videos on PC parts selection and building.

You just scared me. The home video is 'what to do when your machine doesn't boot' and he was talking about issues with how you configured BIOS etc.. How much of that stuff am I going to have to do?

I'm now concerned I'll get the parts, attach everything, and nothing will happen when I power it on but I won't even know where to begin.

How big a deal is it to get a home build running? And how much troubleshooting is realistically involved in a first build?

Klaus · wrote on 18 Aug 2020, 16:17

Hey, if anything goes wrong you have an army of overzealous amateurs on this board eager to solve your problems...

xenon · wrote on 18 Aug 2020, 16:24

@jon-nyc It's almost like hooking up a complicated VCR these days. Unless you get faulty parts, the thing will turn on once all the things are plugged in the right slot.

The most complicated part is usually getting the jumpers on the motherboard right, but the diagrams are very clear.

Horace · wrote on 18 Aug 2020, 17:13

I've had to do BIOS stuff in my home builds. I think I had to update the firmware on the motherboard. Overall it's worth it and probably no more trouble on average than dealing with tech support if you buy a prefab from a place that will allegedly solve your problems for you.

mark · wrote on 18 Aug 2020, 17:28

@jon-nyc said in Tell me about building a PC:

@mark said in Tell me about building a PC:

@jon-nyc Check out JayZ.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkWQ0gDrqOCarmUKmppD7GQ

He has some great videos on PC parts selection and building.

You just scared me. The home video is 'what to do when your machine doesn't boot' and he was talking about issues with how you configured BIOS etc.. How much of that stuff am I going to have to do?

I'm now concerned I'll get the parts, attach everything, and nothing will happen when I power it on but I won't even know where to begin.

How big a deal is it to get a home build running? And how much troubleshooting is realistically involved in a first build?

Don't be scared. Look at it as a learning experience for you and your son. Most of the time everything just works. Sometimes you get a bad component and the troubleshooting and figuring it all out will make it a little more challenging but, it also makes you a better tech if something else goes wrong down the road.

Rainman · 18 Aug 2020, 20:47

When you build your own, how do you know it's working at the high end of the expensive components? For example, it boots slow, or is slow in accessing data on one of the super-duper hard drives, or you're working with a graphics or music program, and it stalls or freezes or crashes, or just works at "meh" speed?
I suppose there is software out there that can measure most everything, maybe it's no big deal except to figure out how to override hardware settings or something.

I do know that in instruction manuals, the first suggestion is to check if your computer is plugged in.
I wonder if ever there has been someone that actually realized, "oh shit, I forgot to plug it in!"

mark · wrote on 18 Aug 2020, 20:47

@Rainman There is benchmark software that will run code that is meant to stress the system. Also some monitoring tools.

Rainman · wrote on 18 Aug 2020, 22:27

Thanks, Mark. I figured as much.

My question was more towards once one or several measurements indicate something is wrong, how do you fix something?
On a mechanical device, it's often easy to spot what is causing the problem, and where to spray the WD-40. On a computer, that would seem to be very difficult, wondering if the problem has been resolved or whether a symptom of the problem has been tweaked to offset a higher-level cause.
Don't respond, I'm just being too negative based upon my own types of experiences. Even a computer, I'd whip out the old WD-40 and start spraying.

mark · 2 Sept 2020, 18:40

Took a chance and spent $210 on a Hisense 43" 4k UHD Roku TV to try as a monitor.

https://www.costco.com/hisense-43"-class---r6-series---4k-uhd-led-lcd-tv.product.100676488.html

Very impressive, immersive, and tack sharp. So far it has been very usable/non-fatiguing for hours of coding, browsing and gaming. The number of lines of code I can see at once is awesome. The RC Heli simulators work very well on it. Looking forward to trying the new MS Flight Sim on it after I build the new PC.

George K · 2 Sept 2020, 23:20

@mark said in Tell me about building a PC:

UHD Roku TV to try as a monitor.

Why did you decide to use that rather than a dedicated computer monitor?

What about I/O ?

mark · 2 Sept 2020, 23:24

@George-K said in Tell me about building a PC:

@mark said in Tell me about building a PC:

UHD Roku TV to try as a monitor.

Why did you decide to use that rather than a dedicated computer monitor?

What about I/O ?

Price/Performance was the overriding factor. Still considering the LG 38" Ultra-Wide 3780x1600 for $1,000 computer monitor if this proves to be less than ideal over the long term as far as comfort is concerned. Right now I do not see that as problem as it is sharp as a tack and easy on the eyes.

I/O is not an issue. If it becomes one, I will just buy a hub.

George K · 2 Sept 2020, 23:26

@mark so you're hooking up via HDMI for the video?

mark · wrote on 2 Sept 2020, 23:26

@George-K said in Tell me about building a PC:

@mark so you're hooking up via HDMI for the video?

Yes. Using an HDMI 2.0b cable rated for 4k 4096x2160 @60Hz.

mark · wrote on 12 Oct 2020, 18:46

I ended up having some issues with the 43" 4k TV. It is just too big in the vertical and I was getting a sore neck, always dragging windows into the center for comfortable viewing. Everything is very small including
text at 100% resolution. Because of the smallness of everything, I had to sit closer to read text. Although it was awesome to see that many lines of code at one time, without having to scroll, the viewing angle made the edges actually disappear and wrap around the edge. Overall, I wasn't happy so I got the LG 38" 3740x1600 ultra wide, curved monitor.

I also hooked up my Sony, 12" subwoofer. Combined with the JBL studio monitors, it makes nice A/V experience.