Guild Wars 2

I’ve been plaing Gw on and off since 07, never being able to experience it fully because of low grade computer. I want to finally put my own PC together specifically for GW2/Gaming. What parts do you guys recommend? i wouldn’t want to waste more then $1,000 total. Is it possible?

If you’ve never built a PC before, GW2 forum is not a good place to start. xD To your question, it’s definitely possible.

I don’t really wanna put together a build atm, so others can give it a shot. If you have specific question, ask away.

Yenn.9185:

If you’ve never built a PC before, GW2 forum is not a good place to start. xD To your question, it’s definitely possible.

I don’t really wanna put together a build atm, so others can give it a shot. If you specific question, ask away.

Do you know of a website i can check out for guidance? Also, what graphics card do you recommend that is a reasonable price?

If you’re in the States, a mixture of Newegg/Amazon/Tigerdirect is generally where you’ll find the best deals.

CPU: I recommend an Intel; an i7 if you can afford it. AMD processors are pretty cheap, but they’re not as good for gaming.

Graphics card: it depends on your price range. If you’re looking to spend about $200, the R9 280x is probably the best bang for your buck. At the $300 range, the R9 290x for just under $300 and the GTX 970 for just over.

The rest is fairly standard; don’t spend too much on your motherboard, but get a brand that’s reliable – I can’t stress that enough. The last thing that you’ll definitely want if you can afford it at all is an SSD. It’ll change your life.

Pcpartpicker is a good place to compile a build since it price match several online stores.

Try techpowerup, tomshardware, or guru3d forums for build advice.

Read a few online articles and how-to’a first. Part reviews are good but about 2 hours of background research will allow you to see where you can save money on parts. Decide what you want the most out of your computer for. For gaming, usually a graphics card is the most important investment but GW2 is notoriously CPU heavy if you have number of characters displayed at maximum.

PC part picker is a great tool to mix and match builds and compare investments. They also spotlight builds users make on their homepage so you can search “budget builds” etc…

I would definitely find TomsHardware and start a beginner thread there. They have some real experts and their gamers will know exactly where to get you started. Good luck. It’s a fun experience and you will appreciate what you own so much more after doing it yourself.

If you are adventurous and can absorb the cost of you making a mistake, I’d say go for it. if not well… do not.

A pc consists of a series of items.

The structure:
For mounting you will need a Case. A case is more important then it seems, as it directly controls how many slots you have available, what sizes of motherboard you’re limited to and the amount of fans, also your outside connectors will be on it (generally a secondary set headphone and mic jacks, and some USB 2 orUSB 3 ports,)
The case is generally the last thing people buy as the priority of the case seems lowest, but a good case can improve the life of your PC and be important for warmth management
The power
You’ll need a fitting powersupply (PSU) for your setup, you can only know how many watts you need when you figured out what you need. Never go for exactly the correct value, always go 50-100 watts more, try to get a certified PSU.
The Computer:
The processor (CPU), being the main part of your pc the CPU is probably most important, generally it is the clock speed which intersts most in onlder games and software, and amount of threads in newer software… Your processor will need to be cooled
The CPU needs a fitting socket which will be the staring point for your
Motherboard (MoBo), Motherboards regulate communications to and from your processor. Capabilities are mostly regulated by the CHIPSET, it is integrated on your motherboard, but controls the (amount of) PCI-E lanes, network/audio(/wireless/bluetooth) the motherboard also houses the slots for your Ram modules and thus limits the amount of room for those modules, having 1,2,4 or 8 slots…
As long as it is the right socket you are on your way, BUT features of the motherboard tend to be important, do you want 1 or 2 videocard slots, how many ports do you need, does it have adequate audio, or do you want an seperate audio solution,
Memory (RAM) your ram is the computers short term memory, it will not function without memory, present day computers should have 8 Gb of memory. Generally you want memory modules in pairs…. (but I’m old school)
CPU COOLER, either air or water (but water isn’t recommended for first build and might take away some of your cash…) passive coolers for computers are very rare nowadays. Generally being under heavy load, the +40Amps of current running through your CPU ,will make it HOT! You will need a decent cooler to keep it alive, coolers are screwed on the Mobo on top of the processor, with heat conducting paste in between . This paste (coolant paste) is essential. to maximize contact area. It is the only thing on a computer which requires some experience to apply. It is not that difficult, you will need a thin (as thin as possible layer of paste between the CPU and cooler. I prefer a bank card to smear it out but all people have their own ways. This paste tends to be TOXIC! So take care to make sure it gets on your CPU and nowhere else.
You’ll need a Graphics card (GPU) to make images. The most expensive single item in most computers, they tend to have additional power connectors. generally for most games (though not for GW2 at this time) the GPU is the bottleneck. GPU’s nowadays work optimally at ~80 celsius so exhaust is HOT. and needs to get out of the system Asap

And you’ll need one or more Storage devices. Long term memory.. I’d recommend a system SSD and a storage HDD..
DVD, Bray, card reader is your choice, generally I find them useless. All storage devices have 2 connectors 1 for power 1 for data. (Except maybe M.2 SSD’s no expereince on those)

Ventilation:
Make sure you have not to many cables dangling in your case. bind them together with tie rips so you can see wht isgoing on, and air can move freely.
You will benefit more from overpressure (fans blowing in!) then from more fans trying to get air out of the case. all fans blowing into the case should be on side, bottom, and front. exchaust hould be done by GPU’s and fans at the back and on top. (hot air rises…) make sure you keep the fans clean, or use dust filters. if you cannot cool enough your compueter will run hot.

If you placed this all in your case you have a computer.. before starting check if all connectors of components are connected, all fans are hooked up.

Then turn the power supply on and start your pc.
Check for errors,
Install your OS of choice.
Reboot.. if it works good, you could check if it runs smootly for 24 hours. monitor the heat in the case. it shouldn’t get to warm, if it does add more fans…
This is very basic. you’ll run into trouble somewhere , but fitting a PC in a case is easy. it’s “idiot-proof”…

Hey all, thanks for the input. It looks like it might be harder than i thought simply because I’m in Germany for now, wont be back stateside for a little while so it will be hard/expensive ordering the parts from online shops. I will try to fin an electronic store here somewhere and see what they have to ofeer

There are a lot of internet stores in Europe, though PC parts tend to be cheaper in the US.

But I suggest you check the powersupply so it can be used on whatever current you need, 230V DC being standard in most of europe. Dunno for States, as I’m Dutch.

Also taking your desktop back home could be difficult as they tend to be heavy 15 kg’s is not very strange, but if you would want to do so make sure you keep the box for the case, so you have a good container for transport.

If you need to travel you could pick up a gaming laptop, but as they are inherently expensive I’d warn you in advance the capabilities will be lacking compared to a desktop in the same price range.

When i put my first pc together, nobody told me about special paste i should use and gasses i accidently inhaled (i never tought there would be gasses in there) and had headache for 4 days. Just go to some of your local tech stores and let them do it for a small fee after you buy the conponents you like from their store. They may even do it for free.

If you read a the motherboard manual cover to cover it will instruct you on everything you need to know without any surprises.

Thermal paste is like $10 and used for heat transfer from your CPU to the cooling unit. The key to thermal paste is to cover the surface with it but use as little as possible. Theoretically you want a 1 molecule thick coat all the way across the heat transfer surface. Practically you wont get that, just get close. Your motherboard manual will explain this in depth.

Not sure about gasses? Most anything has a certain level of intoxitive inhalants though. These are just adhesives, glues, surface polish and other finishing materials that emit vapors that are hazardous to inhale over long periods of time. “New Car Smell” is actually an intoxitive inhalant associated with the glue that binds the car interior. I would not avoid the project for fear of this. It would be very unlikely to effect anyone unless you were born overtly sensitive to it for some reason.

God all these walls of text…

Here you go i made a you an all-around great gaming rig:
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/W9bDFT

The price on that site is 1260$ but you might find the components for cheaper in other places. Those are some of the best quality/price components on the market. The PSU is a bit overkill for the rig i made you but it assures future upgrades if you want a SLI configuration in the future for example. If not you can go for the cheaper 660W platinum from seasonic.

Optionals that you can upgrade at a later stage are adding a true SSD besides the SSHD i put in your configuration and replace the H100i stock fans with Noctua fans which are as powerful as the originals but extremely silent.

The case is made to be silent..i have it and i am extremely happy with my choice.

The price difference of 200-300$ will literally double your performance/cooling etc and make your rig last longer and be a bit more futureproof. You can even overclock it safely with that configuration if you ever feel your rig is slow (after a few years).

Going to leave this here since it’s a good ressource: http://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc

Useful links on the right side include PcPartPicker and ChooseMyPc. Also a good place to post questions and get help if you run into trouble.

As mentioned, while GW2 is demanding and the crowd here helpful, I’d go to a specialized forum for this kind of a discussion. Good luck and have fun.

ps. 1,000$ is more than enough to build a very decent machine.

carlito.8954:

I’ve been plaing Gw on and off since 07, never being able to experience it fully because of low grade computer. I want to finally put my own PC together specifically for GW2/Gaming. What parts do you guys recommend? i wouldn’t want to waste more then $1,000 total. Is it possible?

go to http://pcpartpicker.com to find where to buy cheaper
no need for a i7 only for gaming, go with an i5

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K $200
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO (or Zalman/Corsair/other you like) in the range of $40
SSD: Samsung 850 EVO 250GB $110
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 7200rmp $80
GPU: nVidia GTX 960 $200
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 2×4GB LP $70
MB: AsRock Z97 Anniversary $80 (or any MSI/Gigabyte Z97 Board you like)
PS: Corsair CX 600W $50
Case: Corsair HAF 912 $50
DVD: samsung 15$

total: ~$900
you can go with a gtx 970 $300 instead of gtx960 (total now $1000)
but maybe you will better invest this $100 in gaming mouse/keyboard or a new monitor

Also do check if there are any parts you can re-use from your current computer.

About a year ago I started an upgrade that turned into basically a new build: new motherboard, processor, RAM, graphics card and hard drive. But I was still able to re-use the case, monitor, speakers, keyboard (I got a new mouse for unrelated reasons) and power supply from my old computer and that saved me a lot of money. Especially because I then bought parts separately instead of a whole new machine and could get each one from the cheapest place.

As for how to go about it I started by deciding on the graphics card and then picked everything else to match that. Admittedly partially because it was the graphics card that gave me trouble with the old machine but it seems a good way to go for a gaming rig.

Danikat.8537:

As for how to go about it I started by deciding on the graphics card and then picked everything else to match that. Admittedly partially because it was the graphics card that gave me trouble with the old machine but it seems a good way to go for a gaming rig.

It is better to start with the CPU, since it is easier to upgrade the GPU but to upgrade the CPU you may need to upgrade the MB.

Go to NewEgg, watch all the beginner videos before buying a single part. Make sure you budget yourself for tools and an anti-static band too.

Out of curiously, what are the specs of your current pc?

carlito.8954:

Hey all, thanks for the input. It looks like it might be harder than i thought simply because I’m in Germany for now, wont be back stateside for a little while so it will be hard/expensive ordering the parts from online shops. I will try to fin an electronic store here somewhere and see what they have to ofeer

If you want to order from a German shop, I recommend Mindfactory. CS is good, they have a forum for questions, too, and if you order between midnight and 6am, you don’t pay for shipping when you order for 100€ or more. Watch out for deals on specific expensive parts you want; a little bit of patience saved me 50€ on the CPU alone.
Piece of advice: Try and avoid local stores, unless you want to ask if they build your PC for a fee, too (though I think Mindfactory offers that service as well). Stores like Media Markt or smaller electronics stores usually have a few parts, but nothing special, and are hilariously overpriced nine times out of ten. They’ll have to order most parts anyway and slap on a good chunk of money for the “effort”. Only (kinda) worth it if you really think you can’t handle assembling the PC yourself, or with a little help from forums and Youtube’s “How to” section. And it’s really not rocket science. Somebody said PCs were foolproof, and they are. It’s pretty much impossible to stick something where it doesn’t belong, and if you somehow manage to do it anyway, the thing simply won’t turn on until you fixed it. A lot of MBs are colour coded, so even though it might look confusing at first, it really isn’t.

I would forget that nerd stuff and just buy one pre-made gamer PC with a rather good graphics card (gtx970) and a good amount of ram (16gb) with not all too cheap stuff. It’s really easy to get good ones where I live (Europe), don’t buy alienware kitten and this stuff, it’s overpriced.

I wouldn’t waste time on buying your components each. Usually there are shops online where you can buy complete systems with good specs which end up being cheaper than the single parts.

ProtoGunner.4953:

I would forget that nerd stuff and just buy one pre-made gamer PC with a rather good graphics card (gtx970) and a good amount of ram (16gb) with not all too cheap stuff. It’s really easy to get good ones where I live (Europe), don’t buy alienware kitten and this stuff, it’s overpriced.

I wouldn’t waste time on buying your components each. Usually there are shops online where you can buy complete systems with good specs which end up being cheaper then the single parts.

If by waste time you mean you get a good 20% or more for your money and know exactly what hardware and software you have installed, yes.

A custom pc will almost always beat floor models and pre built pcs.

Well, that “nerd stuff” (seriously?) will get OP more power for their money, so if they are willing to learn how to assemble a PC, I say go for it.
And since the PC is supposed to run GW2, specifically, the graphics card is not as important as the CPU, anyway. Many pre-built gaming PCs focus on the graphics card, though, and build around it, and in this case, that’s not the best reference point.

Well, I used to do that myself, even worked in a company nearly 15 years ago. Times have changed and I don’t give a kitten if there is a a couple of % faster since games run good anyways. After a couple of years I just buy a new one, it works for me.

ProtoGunner.4953:

Well, I used to do that myself, even worked in a company nearly 15 years ago. Times have changed and I don’t give a kitten if there is a a couple of % faster since games run good anyways. After a couple of years I just buy a new one, it works for me.

And I’m in the exact opposite boat. Used to build my own pcs and then bought 3 generations worth of pcs (about 8 years worth) until I custom built my new machine last year. Your point besides story time?

Simple fact is, custom building your pc will get you more for your money. Today with everything being color coded it’s insanely easy. You not valuing your money spent or not wanting to put up the minimum effort is not what the topic creator asked for or was looking for in his topic.

Cyninja.2954:

ProtoGunner.4953:

I would forget that nerd stuff and just buy one pre-made gamer PC with a rather good graphics card (gtx970) and a good amount of ram (16gb) with not all too cheap stuff. It’s really easy to get good ones where I live (Europe), don’t buy alienware kitten and this stuff, it’s overpriced.

I wouldn’t waste time on buying your components each. Usually there are shops online where you can buy complete systems with good specs which end up being cheaper then the single parts.

If by waste time you mean you get a good 20% or more for your money and know exactly what hardware and software you have installed, yes.

A custom pc will almost always beat floor models and pre built pcs.

And he called us nerds! How rude!

Seriously though, a custom built PC has many benefits.
~ The first and key one is that there is no bloatware on it, knowing exactly what is installed to make sure there is no keylogger ware on your PC (yes, some of that preinstalled software is essentially keylogger stuff that watches your every move on your PC to “help better assist in providing a better computing experience”).
~ The second is that most pre-built PCs are very horrible in ventilation and air flow. They try to jam parts into the smallest case with the fewest fans because ‘cheaper’. Not a good move for a gaming PC. Building your own allows for selecting the best case for you, with proper air flow, a good number of fans, basically the best way to keep the F/C down to a minimum.
~ The third is that you’re able to upgrade to your heart’s content when needing to do so. Some manufacturers make the design of their parts proprietary, making it nearly impossible to get upgrade parts for it. I know Dell is well known for this, making MOBOs that won’t accept other chips, or not supporting new GPU’s.
~And finally, as previously mentioned, it is the price difference. When building a pre-built PC you’re paying anywhere between 20-35% increase cost due to ‘labor’ in building the thing. Building it yourself save that much money and you get the learning experience of a lifetime.

I suggest NewEgg or NCIX for getting the computer parts.
IBuyPower if you just want to buy a computer.
TomsHardware to ask a forum about technology questions, including this question.

I’m in the USA I’m also needing to upgrade. I will probably drive to a company a few towns away that specializes in building gaming PC’s. Thought of putting one together myself but it really isn’t that much cheaper than having an expert do it.

Quick Beginner’s Guide Not All Inclusive: http://www.geforce.com/whats-new/guides/design-build-your-own-gaming-pc

Well u could always buy something like this, which is pretty cheapish, although I got it to be able to play all the new quad core+ only games. I buy everything off newegg usually.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117369

Then there’s this scary thing that was recommended to me; http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119225

I have a 560 ti GPU already that works fine so I didn’t buy a new one.
Then you’d just need a harddrive and power supply basically, and then endure the horror of putting it together. Hopefully you don’t spend an entire day wondering why it won’t start just to find you plugged in the power switch in wrong slot like I did.

This site is also pretty useful.
http://www.logicalincrements.com/

a lot of good info here. I built my own PC for the first time without much knowledge of how to do so. I would say if you have the time then DEFINITELY build one. It is super easy if you have time and want to learn. there’s nothing wrong with a pre-made but you can do a whole lot better building on your own.

Resources I used were already listed:
- TomsHardware – do SOME research first. then start a thread
- pcpartpicker (once you have idea of CPU/GPU you want you can view other people’s builds that include them too)
- Youtube – I basically had this video open while i was actually building and followed step by step: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zOYdNEHDQo&list=FLesXde5bXxeIw06B87wXbcw

Online stores in US (as already mentioned): newegg/tigerdirect (especially if no tax for you), ncix, amazon.
Brick and mortar stores you may have near you: Microcenter, Fry’s

Benson.9063:

a lot of good info here. I built my own PC for the first time without much knowledge of how to do so. I would say if you have the time then DEFINITELY build one. It is super easy if you have time and want to learn. there’s nothing wrong with a pre-made but you can do a whole lot better building on your own.

Resources I used were already listed:
- TomsHardware – do SOME research first. then start a thread
- pcpartpicker (once you have idea of CPU/GPU you want you can view other people’s builds that include them too)
- Youtube – I basically had this video open while i was actually building and followed step by step: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zOYdNEHDQo&list=FLesXde5bXxeIw06B87wXbcw

Online stores in US (as already mentioned): newegg/tigerdirect (especially if no tax for you), ncix, amazon.
Brick and mortar stores you may have near you: Microcenter, Fry’s

I can’t upvote this post enough OH, and btw, my first build, I watched the exact same vid, along with one that a tech at newegg put together.

I still use Tom’s Hardware all the time, even just to keep up on hardware news. Amazing forum community.

Something like this. Of course this is little bit over kill build if you only play GW2. You could use much cheaper GPU and processor.

A recent guide I found helpful for newbies DIYers.

http://techreport.com/review/27832/system-guide-current

@OP http://pcpartpicker.com/

This website is great by only showing you items that are compatible with the selections you make. No more worrying “Will this CPU work with this mother board?” or “Is this RAM compatible?” It also gets the cheapest price from several vendors (Newegg, Amazon, TigerDirect, ect).

How to use:
I normally sort by review then read the top reviews to see if there are any major problems. Pick all the essential parts and order!

Junkpile.7439:

Something like this. Of course this is little bit over kill build if you only play GW2. You could use much cheaper GPU and processor.

I wouldn’t go for a much cheaper CPU. I have the same one, and it’s pretty good for GW2, but I wouldn’t go too far below its power. The GPU though is definitely overkill, you can shave off an easy 100-150€ there and not feel it at all. With GW2, that is, if OP wants to play other games that need this kind of GPU, it might be worth a look, even if it is slightly over budget. But that’s up to the OP.
(And now I might just be tempted to shell out the additional 70€ for that GPU after all…)

carlito.8954:

I’ve been plaing Gw on and off since 07, never being able to experience it fully because of low grade computer. I want to finally put my own PC together specifically for GW2/Gaming. What parts do you guys recommend? i wouldn’t want to waste more then $1,000 total. Is it possible?

I congratulate you on building your own computer. It’s an experience you wont forget anytime soon.

Only thing I recommend is pay decent attention to the graphics card and use benchmark test sites to balance cost and effectiveness. Don’t skimp on the card, but you don’t need to get the latest and greatest either. Card costs drop by half once they are a generation behind, and usually the performance gap is miniscule, so take advantage of that.

Build your computer around both the card and the processor with a compatible motherboard, and be sure your power source has enough overhead to not be maxed out when running your box. Do research on the wattage your components require, then buy a power supply that provides a modestly larger number than the component totals, so it won’t run hot.

Note: If i7 is too expensive for you, an unlocked i5 (has a K at the end of the model number) works well too, for less.

I’d sink the most money in the processor just so you don’t have to upgrade it later. Graphics card and ram and stuff can be swapped out on the fly pretty painlessly but upgrading you processor is a huge money sink. Also the smaller less important pieces can be salvaged from old computers you might have lying around. Power supply, hard drives, stuff like that. No reason to buy totally new ones unless you absolutely have to. They’re relatively cheap, but the cost adds up, you can easily save a few hundred if you don’t start from scratch. Also go out and find a kittening case. It’s a silly little thing but you’ll feel way better when you computer looks as cool as it is. Mine glows blue and eats other computers for sustenance. Mwuhahahaha

Red Queen.7915:

carlito.8954:

Hey all, thanks for the input. It looks like it might be harder than i thought simply because I’m in Germany for now, wont be back stateside for a little while so it will be hard/expensive ordering the parts from online shops. I will try to fin an electronic store here somewhere and see what they have to ofeer

If you want to order from a German shop, I recommend Mindfactory. CS is good, they have a forum for questions, too, and if you order between midnight and 6am, you don’t pay for shipping when you order for 100€ or more. Watch out for deals on specific expensive parts you want; a little bit of patience saved me 50€ on the CPU alone.
Piece of advice: Try and avoid local stores, unless you want to ask if they build your PC for a fee, too (though I think Mindfactory offers that service as well). Stores like Media Markt or smaller electronics stores usually have a few parts, but nothing special, and are hilariously overpriced nine times out of ten. They’ll have to order most parts anyway and slap on a good chunk of money for the “effort”. Only (kinda) worth it if you really think you can’t handle assembling the PC yourself, or with a little help from forums and Youtube’s “How to” section. And it’s really not rocket science. Somebody said PCs were foolproof, and they are. It’s pretty much impossible to stick something where it doesn’t belong, and if you somehow manage to do it anyway, the thing simply won’t turn on until you fixed it. A lot of MBs are colour coded, so even though it might look confusing at first, it really isn’t.

Hey thanks for the input. A lot of these answer’s were great but you nailed it simply because I’m in Germany at the moment lol Thank’s, i am going to check out the website now.