I have about 1500-2000 bucks to spend on a new computer

My main reason for upgrading is to have around a 24" HD monitor to
play 1080p files. My nephew wants my old computer. This will be the
first time ever that I have no spare parts I want to use.

Take something off the shelf seems like a good way to go.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to spend the cash?

--
O'Neil to General Hammond:
For the record Sir, I wanted to blow it the hell up.

Metspitzer wrote:
My main reason for upgrading is to have around a 24" HD monitor to
play 1080p files. My nephew wants my old computer. This will be the
first time ever that I have no spare parts I want to use.

Take something off the shelf seems like a good way to go.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to spend the cash?

--
O'Neil to General Hammond:
For the record Sir, I wanted to blow it the hell up.

As this is a pc-homebuilt group, we'd probably tell you to build one :-)

For the kind of money you have to spend, you should be able to
get a very nice computer.

A 2600K for $328.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115070

An H67 motherboard for $140. The combination of the GPU inside
the Intel processor, plus the video connectors on the I/O area
of this motherboard, can drive your HD monitor without the
added cost of a video card. The only reason you'd want to add
a high end video card, is for 3D gaming with demanding titles.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128475

DDR3 memory is listed for around $50 for 2x2GB.

So rather than spending $1500-$2000, you can have a pretty impressive
solution for a ~$550 starting price. If you want to build an all
new computer, you can also shop for new computer case, power supply,
keyboard mouse and so on. You'll have a hard time getting to $1500,
unless you buy a high end video solution (in which case, you'd
probably want to rethink the motherboard choice above). The motherboard
I picked out above, is good enough for usage with a single video card
at some future date. But if you want to install "as many video cards
as possible", there are other solutions for that. Expensive solutions.

One reason I like to build my own, is I get to choose the case
it goes into. I like a plain packaging with smooth surfaces,
while a lot of new computers have stupid features like top mounted
fan vents, plastic bulbous nose on the PC and so on. I hate crap
like that, which is why I couldn't buy many of the products. If
you spill your favorite beverage into a top vent, all hell could
break loose.

(I like the basic rectangular shape, and *no* top vent)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129099

When you buy something like an Alienware or other "boutique"
computers, you can be forking out $1000 on top of the component
purchase price, in the name of the "service" they provide you.
If you have so much money, you don't know what to do with it,
then that's always an option.

With an expensive enough video card, you can probably spend
your $1500, but so far, I'm not hearing a requirement for
such a video card. I'd start by testing the 2600K built-in GPU.
If you don't like the results, then you can go back and add
a separate video card to the video slot.

http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=52214

Paul

On 07 Apr 2011, Paul wrote in
alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt:

As this is a pc-homebuilt group, we'd probably tell you to build
one :-)

For the kind of money you have to spend, you should be able to
get a very nice computer.

A 2600K for $328.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115070

An H67 motherboard for $140. The combination of the GPU inside
the Intel processor, plus the video connectors on the I/O area
of this motherboard, can drive your HD monitor without the
added cost of a video card. The only reason you'd want to add
a high end video card, is for 3D gaming with demanding titles.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128475

DDR3 memory is listed for around $50 for 2x2GB.

Thanks from this interested bystander for detailing your thoughts on
this. I know you saw my earlier posts about my old ailing computer -
I've decided to build a replacement for it. Enough time and technology
has gone by since I put together my last one that I don't know any more
what's the state of the market. Your list of components will help me
get a toehold.

Nil wrote:
On 07 Apr 2011, Paul wrote in
alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt:

As this is a pc-homebuilt group, we'd probably tell you to build
one :-)

For the kind of money you have to spend, you should be able to
get a very nice computer.

A 2600K for $328.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115070

An H67 motherboard for $140. The combination of the GPU inside
the Intel processor, plus the video connectors on the I/O area
of this motherboard, can drive your HD monitor without the
added cost of a video card. The only reason you'd want to add
a high end video card, is for 3D gaming with demanding titles.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128475

DDR3 memory is listed for around $50 for 2x2GB.

Thanks from this interested bystander for detailing your thoughts on
this. I know you saw my earlier posts about my old ailing computer -
I've decided to build a replacement for it. Enough time and technology
has gone by since I put together my last one that I don't know any more
what's the state of the market. Your list of components will help me
get a toehold.

Every tech has pluses and minuses. The combo I selected above, is intended
for a person who might want to do video editing, and take advantage
of Intel QuickSync (meaningless title) video encoding, which is done
with the GPU inside the processor. With the right video editor, that
makes a nice boost.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4083/t...-2100-tested/9

http://www.anandtech.com/show/3922/i...ture-exposed/6

The minus side, is I understand Intel added some additional DRM support,
on behalf of the media industry. The minus, is the wasted time researching
the implications, and why you might need to keep an older computer around
"for emergencies".

http://www.computerworld.com/s/artic...der_is_not_DRM

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/...-hollywood-drm

There are still some things, that the slightly older processor does faster...

http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/d...hess,2419.html

but they cost a thousand bucks.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115223

Paul

On 4/6/2011 7:44 PM, Metspitzer wrote:
My main reason for upgrading is to have around a 24" HD monitor to
play 1080p files. My nephew wants my old computer. This will be the
first time ever that I have no spare parts I want to use.

Take something off the shelf seems like a good way to go.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to spend the cash?

--
O'Neil to General Hammond:
For the record Sir, I wanted to blow it the hell up.
When I build a new computer I generally f=go to Falcon NorthWest and
look at their top of the line system. Comes aout to right around 2,000
if you do it yourself and shop around for the best prices.

--

Remember the USS Liberty
http://www.ussliberty.org/

Metspitzer wrote:
On Thu, 07 Apr 2011 02:53:55 -0400, Paul wrote:

Metspitzer wrote:
My main reason for upgrading is to have around a 24" HD monitor to
play 1080p files. My nephew wants my old computer. This will be the
first time ever that I have no spare parts I want to use.

Take something off the shelf seems like a good way to go.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to spend the cash?

--
O'Neil to General Hammond:
For the record Sir, I wanted to blow it the hell up.
As this is a pc-homebuilt group, we'd probably tell you to build one :-)

For the kind of money you have to spend, you should be able to
get a very nice computer.

A 2600K for $328.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115070

An H67 motherboard for $140. The combination of the GPU inside
the Intel processor, plus the video connectors on the I/O area
of this motherboard, can drive your HD monitor without the
added cost of a video card. The only reason you'd want to add
a high end video card, is for 3D gaming with demanding titles.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128475

DDR3 memory is listed for around $50 for 2x2GB.

So rather than spending $1500-$2000, you can have a pretty impressive
solution for a ~$550 starting price. If you want to build an all
new computer, you can also shop for new computer case, power supply,
keyboard mouse and so on. You'll have a hard time getting to $1500,
unless you buy a high end video solution (in which case, you'd
probably want to rethink the motherboard choice above). The motherboard
I picked out above, is good enough for usage with a single video card
at some future date. But if you want to install "as many video cards
as possible", there are other solutions for that. Expensive solutions.

One reason I like to build my own, is I get to choose the case
it goes into. I like a plain packaging with smooth surfaces,
while a lot of new computers have stupid features like top mounted
fan vents, plastic bulbous nose on the PC and so on. I hate crap
like that, which is why I couldn't buy many of the products. If
you spill your favorite beverage into a top vent, all hell could
break loose.

(I like the basic rectangular shape, and *no* top vent)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129099

When you buy something like an Alienware or other "boutique"
computers, you can be forking out $1000 on top of the component
purchase price, in the name of the "service" they provide you.
If you have so much money, you don't know what to do with it,
then that's always an option.

With an expensive enough video card, you can probably spend
your $1500, but so far, I'm not hearing a requirement for
such a video card. I'd start by testing the 2600K built-in GPU.
If you don't like the results, then you can go back and add
a separate video card to the video slot.

http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=52214

Paul

I forgot to mention I would be connecting my HDTV. Having a video
card would be nice. One will be plenty, though.

That motherboard has video. As long as you use a processor with the
GPU inside, that "enables" the connectors on the motherboard. The
motherboard connectors would not work, if a processor without internal
GPU was used.

http://images17.newegg.com/is/image/newegg/13-128-475-Z02?$S640W$

The motherboard has VGA, DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, and the manual says
will drive two monitors at the same time (two of four ports active).
That is a total of three digital-format connectors and one analog (VGA).
HDMI is 1920x1200. DisplayPort is up to 2560x1600.

(Manual here. I use this server, because sometimes it's faster.)

ftp://download.gigabyte.ru/manual/mb...-b3_v1.1_e.pdf

You can build up a system, without a plugin video card in place for
the initial build. If you're dissatisfied with the video performance,
you can then purchase a video card as a followup install. In terms
of buying a power supply, you'd buy a supply with enough power capacity,
to power a video card (expansion capability). If you were building
an HTPC (home theater PC), and weren't going to use a separate video
card at all, then a 350W supply would easily power it. A big video card
could add to that considerably, depending on what you bought.

To get movie encoding acceleration to be enabled, one of the requirements
is to have one monitor connected to the motherboard video. That's because
the Intel QuickSync feature, is implemented with logic blocks inside the
internal GPU. If you don't do movie encoding (like in a video editor
during the output step), then you wouldn't worry about this detail
I think this is a stupid requirement, but "I only work here" :-)
Surely there would have been a way of doing stuff like this,
without having to actually enable a video connector. This is part
of the reason for buying an H67 motherboard, to go with the 2600K.
So that feature will work.

The GPU has enough power, to decode five HD video streams simultaneously.
That's a lot of "picture in picture" :-) Now, whether there is any
good software for all this, is quite another matter. The history of
movie acceleration is pretty spotty, with long delays after the
hardware ships, before you can really use it well.

Paul

On Thu, 07 Apr 2011 02:53:55 -0400, Paul wrote:

Metspitzer wrote:
My main reason for upgrading is to have around a 24" HD monitor to
play 1080p files. My nephew wants my old computer. This will be the
first time ever that I have no spare parts I want to use.

Take something off the shelf seems like a good way to go.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to spend the cash?

--
O'Neil to General Hammond:
For the record Sir, I wanted to blow it the hell up.

As this is a pc-homebuilt group, we'd probably tell you to build one :-)

For the kind of money you have to spend, you should be able to
get a very nice computer.

A 2600K for $328.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115070

An H67 motherboard for $140. The combination of the GPU inside
the Intel processor, plus the video connectors on the I/O area
of this motherboard, can drive your HD monitor without the
added cost of a video card. The only reason you'd want to add
a high end video card, is for 3D gaming with demanding titles.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128475

DDR3 memory is listed for around $50 for 2x2GB.

So rather than spending $1500-$2000, you can have a pretty impressive
solution for a ~$550 starting price. If you want to build an all
new computer, you can also shop for new computer case, power supply,
keyboard mouse and so on. You'll have a hard time getting to $1500,
unless you buy a high end video solution (in which case, you'd
probably want to rethink the motherboard choice above). The motherboard
I picked out above, is good enough for usage with a single video card
at some future date. But if you want to install "as many video cards
as possible", there are other solutions for that. Expensive solutions.

One reason I like to build my own, is I get to choose the case
it goes into. I like a plain packaging with smooth surfaces,
while a lot of new computers have stupid features like top mounted
fan vents, plastic bulbous nose on the PC and so on. I hate crap
like that, which is why I couldn't buy many of the products. If
you spill your favorite beverage into a top vent, all hell could
break loose.

(I like the basic rectangular shape, and *no* top vent)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129099

When you buy something like an Alienware or other "boutique"
computers, you can be forking out $1000 on top of the component
purchase price, in the name of the "service" they provide you.
If you have so much money, you don't know what to do with it,
then that's always an option.

With an expensive enough video card, you can probably spend
your $1500, but so far, I'm not hearing a requirement for
such a video card. I'd start by testing the 2600K built-in GPU.
If you don't like the results, then you can go back and add
a separate video card to the video slot.

http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=52214

Paul

I forgot to mention I would be connecting my HDTV. Having a video
card would be nice. One will be plenty, though.

On Thu, 07 Apr 2011 12:34:58 -0400, Paul wrote:

Metspitzer wrote:
On Thu, 07 Apr 2011 02:53:55 -0400, Paul wrote:

Metspitzer wrote:
My main reason for upgrading is to have around a 24" HD monitor to
play 1080p files. My nephew wants my old computer. This will be the
first time ever that I have no spare parts I want to use.

Take something off the shelf seems like a good way to go.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to spend the cash?

--
O'Neil to General Hammond:
For the record Sir, I wanted to blow it the hell up.
As this is a pc-homebuilt group, we'd probably tell you to build one :-)

For the kind of money you have to spend, you should be able to
get a very nice computer.

A 2600K for $328.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115070

An H67 motherboard for $140. The combination of the GPU inside
the Intel processor, plus the video connectors on the I/O area
of this motherboard, can drive your HD monitor without the
added cost of a video card. The only reason you'd want to add
a high end video card, is for 3D gaming with demanding titles.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128475

DDR3 memory is listed for around $50 for 2x2GB.

So rather than spending $1500-$2000, you can have a pretty impressive
solution for a ~$550 starting price. If you want to build an all
new computer, you can also shop for new computer case, power supply,
keyboard mouse and so on. You'll have a hard time getting to $1500,
unless you buy a high end video solution (in which case, you'd
probably want to rethink the motherboard choice above). The motherboard
I picked out above, is good enough for usage with a single video card
at some future date. But if you want to install "as many video cards
as possible", there are other solutions for that. Expensive solutions.

One reason I like to build my own, is I get to choose the case
it goes into. I like a plain packaging with smooth surfaces,
while a lot of new computers have stupid features like top mounted
fan vents, plastic bulbous nose on the PC and so on. I hate crap
like that, which is why I couldn't buy many of the products. If
you spill your favorite beverage into a top vent, all hell could
break loose.

(I like the basic rectangular shape, and *no* top vent)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129099

When you buy something like an Alienware or other "boutique"
computers, you can be forking out $1000 on top of the component
purchase price, in the name of the "service" they provide you.
If you have so much money, you don't know what to do with it,
then that's always an option.

With an expensive enough video card, you can probably spend
your $1500, but so far, I'm not hearing a requirement for
such a video card. I'd start by testing the 2600K built-in GPU.
If you don't like the results, then you can go back and add
a separate video card to the video slot.

http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=52214

Paul

I forgot to mention I would be connecting my HDTV. Having a video
card would be nice. One will be plenty, though.

That motherboard has video. As long as you use a processor with the
GPU inside, that "enables" the connectors on the motherboard. The
motherboard connectors would not work, if a processor without internal
GPU was used.

http://images17.newegg.com/is/image/newegg/13-128-475-Z02?$S640W$

The motherboard has VGA, DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, and the manual says
will drive two monitors at the same time (two of four ports active).
That is a total of three digital-format connectors and one analog (VGA).
HDMI is 1920x1200. DisplayPort is up to 2560x1600.

(Manual here. I use this server, because sometimes it's faster.)

ftp://download.gigabyte.ru/manual/mb...-b3_v1.1_e.pdf

You can build up a system, without a plugin video card in place for
the initial build. If you're dissatisfied with the video performance,
you can then purchase a video card as a followup install. In terms
of buying a power supply, you'd buy a supply with enough power capacity,
to power a video card (expansion capability). If you were building
an HTPC (home theater PC), and weren't going to use a separate video
card at all, then a 350W supply would easily power it. A big video card
could add to that considerably, depending on what you bought.

To get movie encoding acceleration to be enabled, one of the requirements
is to have one monitor connected to the motherboard video. That's because
the Intel QuickSync feature, is implemented with logic blocks inside the
internal GPU. If you don't do movie encoding (like in a video editor
during the output step), then you wouldn't worry about this detail
I think this is a stupid requirement, but "I only work here" :-)
Surely there would have been a way of doing stuff like this,
without having to actually enable a video connector. This is part
of the reason for buying an H67 motherboard, to go with the 2600K.
So that feature will work.

The GPU has enough power, to decode five HD video streams simultaneously.
That's a lot of "picture in picture" :-) Now, whether there is any
good software for all this, is quite another matter. The history of
movie acceleration is pretty spotty, with long delays after the
hardware ships, before you can really use it well.

Paul

Thanks

On Apr 6, 8:44 pm, Metspitzer wrote:
My main reason for upgrading is to have around a 24" HD monitor to
play 1080p files. My nephew wants my old computer. This will be the
first time ever that I have no spare parts I want to use.

Take something off the shelf seems like a good way to go.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to spend the cash?

I found a "pro-grade" 37" NEC marked down from $2000 to $500 years
ago. The dedicated computer I "had" to build for that plays video
fine for $3-400. Single core Intel, nothing fancy. Did spend another
$500 on some select pro-audio stereo with optional bridged mono
selectivity. Worrisome and could need to cut some bedrails for
touching up with a Lincoln to bolster a couple shelves holding two
amps, a mixer, 2 sound processors, computer, and two nearfield
monitors for the remote control, on the coffee table in front, that
brings half the audio gear up on that computer up with one key press.
Slick and tricky like. Or, I'll could just offer $800 to the first
somebody that puts some bedrails out on the curbside. Figure that
would stop what's really buggin' me now, industry grade Shure mics
that only top out at $125.

On Thu, 07 Apr 2011 02:53:55 -0400, Paul wrote:

Ok I am going for it.
I will get this chip
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115070
This board
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128475

I would like to get 8GB memory, but I am not sure what would be
compatible with this board.

I was counting on getting a very nice HD monitor, but I am open to
suggestions on what would be a good buy. I was planning to spend
around 500 bucks for a 26".

Although I don't plan on doing any games at the moment, I do hope I
get to play Diablo 3 and the next Oblivion, so it would be nice to
have a graphics card. Again, I am waiting for someone to put their
finger on one. I have no clue which one is good. Guess I have to
pick a card before I ask for the size power supply.


Metspitzer wrote:
My main reason for upgrading is to have around a 24" HD monitor to
play 1080p files. My nephew wants my old computer. This will be the
first time ever that I have no spare parts I want to use.

Take something off the shelf seems like a good way to go.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to spend the cash?

--
O'Neil to General Hammond:
For the record Sir, I wanted to blow it the hell up.

As this is a pc-homebuilt group, we'd probably tell you to build one :-)

For the kind of money you have to spend, you should be able to
get a very nice computer.

A 2600K for $328.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115070

An H67 motherboard for $140. The combination of the GPU inside
the Intel processor, plus the video connectors on the I/O area
of this motherboard, can drive your HD monitor without the
added cost of a video card. The only reason you'd want to add
a high end video card, is for 3D gaming with demanding titles.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128475

DDR3 memory is listed for around $50 for 2x2GB.

So rather than spending $1500-$2000, you can have a pretty impressive
solution for a ~$550 starting price. If you want to build an all
new computer, you can also shop for new computer case, power supply,
keyboard mouse and so on. You'll have a hard time getting to $1500,
unless you buy a high end video solution (in which case, you'd
probably want to rethink the motherboard choice above). The motherboard
I picked out above, is good enough for usage with a single video card
at some future date. But if you want to install "as many video cards
as possible", there are other solutions for that. Expensive solutions.

One reason I like to build my own, is I get to choose the case
it goes into. I like a plain packaging with smooth surfaces,
while a lot of new computers have stupid features like top mounted
fan vents, plastic bulbous nose on the PC and so on. I hate crap
like that, which is why I couldn't buy many of the products. If
you spill your favorite beverage into a top vent, all hell could
break loose.

(I like the basic rectangular shape, and *no* top vent)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129099

When you buy something like an Alienware or other "boutique"
computers, you can be forking out $1000 on top of the component
purchase price, in the name of the "service" they provide you.
If you have so much money, you don't know what to do with it,
then that's always an option.

With an expensive enough video card, you can probably spend
your $1500, but so far, I'm not hearing a requirement for
such a video card. I'd start by testing the 2600K built-in GPU.
If you don't like the results, then you can go back and add
a separate video card to the video slot.

http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=52214

Paul