Tell me more ×
Super User is a question and answer site for computer enthusiasts and power users. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 1 down vote favorite

I'm in the market for a new pc/laptop. Portability is not an issue for me, so I'm leaning more towards a desktop, since it will be easier to upgrade specific components at a later stage. The problem is, I have a limited budget, but I need to get it by the end of this month. My basic components which I plan on getting now are (converted from R8 ~ $1):

  • Processor: Intel® Core™ i7 2600 - 3.40GHz Quad Core, Socket 1155, 8MB L3, DMI Bus, 32nm, x64, Intel HT, Intel VT, Intel HD Graphics @ 850MHz = $404.27
  • Motherboard: INTEL® "Classic Series" "Woodworth" H61 Chipset: Socket LGA1155, 2.5GT/s DMI, For: 2nd Generation Core i3, i5, i7 LGA1155= $97.33
  • RAM: Kingston 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 Non-ECC CL9 DIMM = $24.80
  • Tower case: FOXCONN Midi Tower Case & 350W PSU - supports 1x 12cm Fan = $59.99
  • HDD: Seagate® Barracuda™ 7200.12 Series - 1TB Serial ATA II (SATA3) Plus - Serial ATA 600 (6Gbps) With 32MB Cache @ 7200RPM - NCQ = $146.06

  • Screen: LG E2041T 20" Wide HD LED, 1600 x 900, 5ms, Contrast 5 Million:1 = $129.82

    Total ~ $862.27

This would be my initial setup. I'll add a graphics card and more RAM next month. I've never really been interested in hardware (always been into software/programming), but it's about time I find out more about these things, so I would like to know if this setup is good, if I haven't left any component out (!) and if it will be easy to upgrade later. I'm not sure if that PSU will be suitable with the motherboard either. The prices are just guidelines, as I still have a few other places to check out, I just want to be 100% sure of the specs before I spend any money.

My main use for the computer (besides personal home use) will be running ArcGIS software. I have asked this question over at http://gis.stackexchange.com for the GIS specifications, but I've posted it here as well as it will form the main computer of my home network. Any advice would be appreciated.

share|improve this question
Ok, firstly, don't ask about pricing, purchasing parts, etc. That would be off-topic here. You should only ask practical, answerable questions based on actual problems that you face. The Resources for building computers question has a good list of places to go to for the advice you want (parts needed, power needed, etc), since you don't have a specific question. – Bob Apr 12 '12 at 7:36
Unfortunately purchase questions are off topic for SU (though its ok to ask on SU chat), and this question will very likely be closed. Considering you arn't running a external video card, that looks about ok. You might want to use this power calculator or others to work out how if your PSU is powerful enough. Looks alright though you may need to upgrade your PSU if you get a more powerful video card. – Journeyman Geek Apr 12 '12 at 7:40
Thank you @JourneymanGeek for your comment, I must have read through the FAQ too quickly and missed that (just saw that I could post a question regarding hardware and rolled with it). I have gotten excellent answers to this question over at gis.stackexchange.com anyway. I do have a problem I'm facing right now with my home network, with certain components not interacting the way the they should, but I will post a proper question for that. – Arabella Apr 19 '12 at 5:08

closed as off topic by Bobby, Dave M, Sathya♦ Apr 13 '12 at 4:56

Questions on Super User are expected to relate to computer software or computer hardware within the scope defined in the FAQ. Consider editing the question or leaving comments for improvement if you believe the question can be reworded to fit within the scope. Read more about closed questions here.