My "investment"

[MrKicker]

So my laptop is starting to get tired. I'm estimating that my hdd is the first thing that's gonna go 'cause the transfer rate is slowing down. My cpu and video card are really slow. (They aren't showing sings of fatigue, they are just crap.) So I threw this together.

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/MrKicker/saved/22C1

My target is $700, but after finding out Linux still isn't compatible with most games, (I know ksp has Linux version but its not the only game I play.) I put a copy of windows on there. However the $700 budget still stays, my goal for this pc is for it to be cheap but upgradable when I need the extra power. So if you could please modify it do be under $700 and still be upgradeable, that would be nice.

[BostLabs]

Not bad! KSP won't use the six cores just yet but I'm hoping it will in a future update.

The driver to my Radeon HD 6750 is quirky. It like.s to spas out and windows has to recover from it. If I were you I would do a search on that card and see if it is having problems like that. Stops responding or blue screen if you are running the catalyst software.

everything else looks good.

[Tiron]

Not bad! KSP won't use the six cores just yet but I'm hoping it will in a future update.

The driver to my Radeon HD 6750 is quirky. It like.s to spas out and windows has to recover from it. If I were you I would do a search on that card and see if it is having problems like that. Stops responding or blue screen if you are running the catalyst software.

KSP is only going to use multiple cores if Unity somehow gains the ability to do so. Right now it's using an ancient version of PhysX that isn't set up to do it (and has other issues that cause all sorts of other problems too, like unstable orbital parameters and the Space Kraken.) There's also no alternatives, as the only add-on physics package that was being worked on for Unity has seemingly been abandoned by the one guy that was working on it.

[SkyHook]

Well I would recommend two key changes: Switch to Intel for the CPU, and buy Nvidia. The radeon series' drivers are pretty wacky, and the Intel CPU is just faster, and better supported in almost all applications..if you must save more money to buy the i series, then do that.

-Struggling Phenom owner

[cristof12]

Great computer. If you had around 30 bucks more, I would take the FX-6350 instead of the 6300, Win7 Ultimate and Western Digital Caviar Black (better than Blue). Except that, good computer. I approve the 7850, I have it (XFX one) and its really good. My Caviar Black is awesome, the LG DVD burner is the same that I have. Crucial makes good memory. My sister has a Hann-G monitor (19 inches) and its good. So yeah, great build !

[SRV Ron]

Defraging the HD and clearing out the clutter may help performance on the old laptop.

Note, all the new computers, including laptops, can use flat screen TVs as monitors. Many are now coming with HDMI connectors. The newer graphic cards can display directly to 720 or 1080P. And nothing looks better then KSP displayed on one of those big screen flat screen.

[stringyquark]

I might go win 7 pro (that's what I got) but for home application what would ultimate have that a gaming computer can't live without?

[roosterr]

So my laptop is starting to get tired. I'm estimating that my hdd is the first thing that's gonna go 'cause the transfer rate is slowing down. My cpu and video card are really slow. (They aren't showing sings of fatigue, they are just crap.) So I threw this together.

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/MrKicker/saved/22C1

My target is $700, but after finding out Linux still isn't compatible with most games, (I know ksp has Linux version but its not the only game I play.) I put a copy of windows on there. However the $700 budget still stays, my goal for this pc is for it to be cheap but upgradable when I need the extra power. So if you could please modify it do be under $700 and still be upgradeable, that would be nice.

I just shopped hard for an upgrade-able most "bang for the buck" PC and finally purchased one. BTW, I have been an IT guy/gamer for a long, long time. This was the first desktop I have ever bought in my life. I built my first PC from parts back in the 90's. It is now cheaper to buy them pre-built, and my time is more valuable than it used to be.

SO; Asus I believe makes the best bang for your buck PC. I also looked at Acer. I bought the Asus Essentio model. The Essentio model starts at $450. Mine was $899 (OK, $900), with the I7 CPU and an nVidia 620, including shipping (free shipping if ordered from Best Buy, even to Alaska). And of course it comes with the Asus MoBo stock. I am sure you could get one of the lesser models and still have enough money left over for a decent graphics card. In my case my current/previous graphics card is better than the one that came with the box, so I swapped it.

BTW, I hate Windows 8. Yes I have "figured it out" but MS failed by making you jump through too many hoops to do things that used to be simple. Fail!

I have had my new Asus for over a week, and it is working great. I am now getting into recording my flights.

[Slugy]

600w PSU is more than you need (unless you are going to go very heavy on overclocking, which I doubt given the lack of cooler).

If you really are planning on upgrading then go Intel and skimp on the graphics if you have to (cheap new 7770 or something last gen from ebay), and upgrade later.

[Jarnis]

I might go win 7 pro (that's what I got) but for home application what would ultimate have that a gaming computer can't live without?

Do not buy pro or ultimate. They offer nothing of value to home user.

Pro is needed only if you wish to join an Active Directory domain (and it is actively missing media center features). Ultimate is "pro + home combined" plus few totally useless bells & whistles.

Win 7 Home is the sane purchase unless you wish to give extra money to Microsoft just for fun.

[Tataffe]

The driver to my Radeon HD 6750 is quirky. It like.s to spas out and windows has to recover from it. If I were you I would do a search on that card and see if it is having problems like that. Stops responding or blue screen if you are running the catalyst software.

I had this problem on my HD 6950, and solved it by using the current Catalyst Beta (13.8).

@OP:

Build looks fine overall, maybe a little to much with your PSU.

[MrKicker]

Swithced out the graphics cards for something cheaper, and not from radeon.

I would switch out the power suplie for something cheaper with less wattage, but I couldent find anny thats reliable. Most of the cheaper psu's were dead on arival acording to the reviews.

[Spyritdragon]

Not bad! KSP won't use the six cores just yet but I'm hoping it will in a future update.

The driver to my Radeon HD 6750 is quirky. It like.s to spas out and windows has to recover from it. If I were you I would do a search on that card and see if it is having problems like that. Stops responding or blue screen if you are running the catalyst software.

everything else looks good.

This. My Radeon HD does this too, albeit almost never on KSP. Still, when running games like Section 8 it does tend to stop responding rendering the entire computer stuck for around a minute untill it recovers, then i can just play on..

[Kerbart]

Can you spare money for a 2-hard disk setup? One for programs, one for data. Make them both primary (and the DVD drive secondary to one of them) and you can also setup windows to use drive #2 for the paging file (as well as Photoshop, Illustrator, etc if you're into that thing).

More importantly you're separating your data from your programs, which makes disaster recovery (or upgrading OS'es) a lot easier.

[joppiesaus]

Well I would recommend two key changes: Switch to Intel for the CPU, and buy Nvidia. The radeon series' drivers are pretty wacky, and the Intel CPU is just faster, and better supported in almost all applications..if you must save more money to buy the i series, then do that.

-Struggling Phenom owner

I see it different:

Intel processors: slower mHz but more cache

AMD processors: fast mHz but less cache

[MrKicker]

Can you spare money for a 2-hard disk setup? One for programs, one for data. Make them both primary (and the DVD drive secondary to one of them) and you can also setup windows to use drive #2 for the paging file (as well as Photoshop, Illustrator, etc if you're into that thing).

More importantly you're separating your data from your programs, which makes disaster recovery (or upgrading OS'es) a lot easier.

That might be a future upgrade, id like to put my os aswell as slow games on a ssd, since viruses usualy target your os. And since my important stuff is on the main storage, I just have to get a new ssd and os and I'm running again. But due to the fact that I'm allready over budget, I can save that for lator. Remember its suposto be upgradeable.

Edited August 22, 2013 by MrKicker

[DaRocketCat]

Get an Intel CPU, much better per core performance (unlike AMD's core spamming).

[TooManyErrors]

I see it different:

Intel processors: slower mHz but more cache

AMD processors: fast mHz but less cache

GHz/ MHz are pretty much useless as they don't actually show how fast a processor actually is.

[MrKicker]

I might redo this. But first I need you guys to compair this http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80637i33220 to the amd I have in the list.

[Leveller]

Defraging the HD and clearing out the clutter may help performance on the old laptop.

Note, all the new computers, including laptops, can use flat screen TVs as monitors. Many are now coming with HDMI connectors. The newer graphic cards can display directly to 720 or 1080P. And nothing looks better then KSP displayed on one of those big screen flat screen.

Yes, ksp on my 3x 27" screens does.

[M5000]

I'm still running this game on a 4850.

Just thought I'd say that, so OP I know your pain. But my AMD Phenom is doing just fine. I got the AM2+ socket model with 3.0GHz per core. It handles the game just fine, the bottleneck is ACTUALLY graphics for me.

[Whackjob]

Get a physX card. I have one, and a lousy 2.53GHz proc, and that lets me (I think) build big.

[Leonov]

Why not join us on the KSP Computer Building Megathread?

[MrKicker]

Why not join us on the KSP Computer Building Megathread?

Shure, why not.

[SuperWeegee4000]

Page not found.

EDIT: Type sudo and then the first line. Prepare for epic.

Edited August 27, 2013 by SuperWeegee4000