Build Advice A Newbie's Hardware Guide (Updated 6/4/2014)

Hello bit-techies!

I'm pleased to announce that after months of writing, editing, grumbling, researching, crying in the corner, etc. I have written and put out my own hardware buyer's guide entitled Hidden-Street Hardware Buyer's Guide. This guide is NOT meant to compete on the level of bit-tech's monthly guide (however some motivation was pulled from it). Rather, my guide is directed toward people who are new to computer building and looking for something to help direct their path. Bit-Tech's monthly hardware buyer's guide is a showroom for the hardware evaluated and approved hands-on by Bit-Tech staff. My recommendations are largely based on third party information, and thus are inferior to Bit-Tech's in-depth coverage of each component in their guide.

My guide aims to educate more so than review new hardware. The guide covers every major system component and explains some key details that buyers should be looking for when appraising components. In every component section there are recommendations that my good friend and I have evaluated and hand picked ourselves by reading reviews and articles posted online (obviously I did not get hands on experience with every component). In that sense, my guide might be called a new builder's tutorial.

Anyway, since this guide was largely helped along and inspired by people and articles written here I thought it only polite to share my work on this network. I hope you find it useful. If you have any questions or comments (I'm sure you will have some :3) please feel free to use this thread. Constructive criticism, additional recommendations, and more information is always welcome.

-Dae314

Guide Updates (6/4/2014):
1. Links updated
2. End of life products removed or replaced
3. Intel 570 SSDs added to Section 8 recommendations
4. NVIDIA GTX Titan Black added to Section 5 recommendations
5. Antec High Current Platinum series PSUs added to Section 6 recommendations

Sorry for dropping off the map there for a month. Lots of news of future changes happened while I was gone, but it appears that the hardware landscape stayed fairly stable. Keep that in mind if you're planning to build a new box.

Unfortunately I didn't get to address the brand bias in the recommendations though .

Enjoy!

An update history can be found in the thread.

 

Link doesn't work for me

 

Is there some block that stops UK users from accessing some US sites =/? I tend to get that (that being "link's broken") a lot from here...

If all else fails, go to hidden-street.net, click on forums, scroll down to tech centeral, open that subforum up, and look in the stickies for the guide.

 

Can't view the forum without logging in.

 

Dunno but it's working now, but as Dragnov said it needs you to register. Should make it available for all to read :/ I don't like upping a forums member base just to read something.

 

Post the guide here or on an open web page otherwise forget it. You are not being helpful!

 

signing up to a forum to just read a page no thanks

post it here instead

 

I was under the impression that the registration thing had been changed there sorry. I'll have a word with the forum admin and see what can be done. If all else fails I'll move it here.

edit: Actually, the guide might find a better home on like a blog or some other text media container. Does anyone have any suggestions where I can put it's easily accessable and updatable? I feel a bit bad about posting it here since I plan to maintain it and it might be seen as unwanted competition with the already existing guide.

 

Just post it here and keep it updated in sync. Its an open and free forum, go for it. As for conflicting with BT buyers guide...... Bit of competition never hurt anyone.

 

I am currently porting the guide to a format readable in Google Docs. I decided this would be a good compromise. The porting procedure involves me going through and removing every BB code formatting tag by hand and replacing it with it's equivalent formatting that will show up in a Google Doc. Please be patient as this process may take me several hours to complete (that's several hours of actual work time which will be spread out over a few days). When this is done and the document is active I will post here with the link and edit the OP.

- Dae314

 

Link takes to new forum... .. no plans to reg on new one

 

Look forward to reading it

 

Sorry for the wait.

After spending most of today converting the formatting in the guide... The guide has successfully been ported!

New link is here.

Also updated the OP.

-Dae314

 

Oh WOW. Epic guide.

A couple of things though.
CPUs:
Budget should feature Pentiums.
The A8 Llano doesn't perform anything like the other chips in the mid-range build.
The 2500k can outperform a i7 950 in some situations.

Motherboards: I think putting the socket for each motherboard may be useful.

Graphics Cards: I think putting the GTX 560 in as well as the GTX 560 Ti would help to avoid confusion and make the guide more comprehensive. I would add the 6790 to the budget build section.

PSUs: The Corsair CX430 should be included in budget.

I would be tempted to use a Passive CPU cooler for the HTPC.

A few minor things really but I think they are worthwhile making. I will definitely be linking my First Time Builder friends to this.

James

 

Great guide.

I haven't read it thoroughly yet, just skimmed to the recommendations, but as someone who's building a new computer and has somewhat limited knowledge (on some parts at least) this is very helpful.

Most of the parts I plan on ordering are on the list, so that re-assures me that I made some good choices.

 

Thanks for the positive feedback and advice so far . When the first update comes around (will be soon, July's ending in a couple weeks already!) I expect to implement some/all of your suggestions. Will update when the time arrives.

 

August Updates:
1. Links updated
2. EoL products remove or replaced
3. Updated section 2 with AMD A-Series APU model information
4. Added more Z68 motherboards to section 3
5. Added socket names to the recommendations in section 3
6. Removed the 6990 from section 5 since it seems to have disappeared
7. Added some Samsung monitors and the Dell Ultrasharp 30” monitor to section 11
8. Modified the builds in section 14 – more expensive LGA 1155 builds have a Z68 chipset motherboard now.
9. Note to readers: the AM3+ motherboards that I’ve read reviews for did not score very well compared to other AM3 and LGA 1155 motherboards. While AM3+ motherboards will work with an AM3 CPU, I will not be recommending them until I’m more confident in their performance.

 

Cool guide! I am hoping to build my first PC in a couple of months. Am reading through now

 

Well, this is excellent. Thank you Dae314, I was looking for something exactly like this. It is clearly written, well presented, and up-to-date.

Sticky request!

 

Nice guide, especially the section on the screens - I wish I'd read something that succinct when I was choosing mine.