It is exceedingly and increasingly difficult to recommend components to people that give limited to no information, those helping often do so as a hobby within their free time. To alleviate growing frustrations I feel having a base-line and template goes a long way, I am requesting that people follow it in as detailed a way as they possibly can.
Purchase timeframe
I'll start with this as we often have people looking for builds they don't intend to put together for weeks or months. Computer hardware prices shift heavily over short periods of time, let alone longer. If you're looking for a ballpark idea to save up for that's fine, but if you're looking for more detailed advice you really need to be within a week or two of purchase to gain accurate information and even then you're best off checking in a day or so prior to buying.
Exact Overall Budget
We need at least a ball park if not an exact, telling us you don't really have one could result in recommendations anywhere between £500 and £10,000, we're not mind readers. No, we do not need the prices you've concocted for each individual component, that wont offer good end results for whatever you're looking to build.
What exactly is the build for in terms of use?
Please detail your requirements, if gaming at what resolution and detail expectations? Are there any specific titles you play, or are you more of a general gaming type? Are you looking to make a workstation for productivity, assuming you are what exact software will be involved?
Preferences
Everyone has a preference, sometimes for better or worse. If you have a hard preference for AMD, Intel, Nvidia, or whatever other company please let us know prior. However, it is worth forewarning that users may offer advice at times which challenges said preferences, especially in cases where you may be greatly overspending to your own detriment or intend to purchase a flawed product.
What are the exact specifications of your current hardware?
Exact means exact, we cannot estimate what a genuine upgrade looks like for you without knowing and there is always the potential for components to be reused, allowing for more of your budget to be spent on legitimate performance increases.
We would want to know the make and model of the components as some may be able to be reused in the new build. (Inform us if you want/don't want to reuse any current components)
If you are unsure of how to find this information, please download Speccy and list the data provided under the summary section. For the power supply you may need to remove the side of your case, the make and model should be listed on the unit itself.
Do you require peripherals?
Monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers/headset, pretty much anything that isn't inside of the PC case but is required for your experience will be a peripheral. Are you factoring these into your overall cost, or do you have a separate budget for them? Assuming a monitor is required, what size, resolution, and panel technology are you hoping for? Is high refresh rate gaming important or are you more focused on overall fidelity, or perhaps both budget allowing?
Do you have any special needs or requirements?
Are there any unusual aspects to your usage that might need to be taken into account such as being left handed, or perhaps some sort of disability? Do we need to account for specific hardware, software, or peripherals that could be considered non standard or at least a strict necessity?
Easy to copy-paste template following:
(My hope is to get this stickied, but any input from the regulars would be appreciated)
Purchase timeframe
I'll start with this as we often have people looking for builds they don't intend to put together for weeks or months. Computer hardware prices shift heavily over short periods of time, let alone longer. If you're looking for a ballpark idea to save up for that's fine, but if you're looking for more detailed advice you really need to be within a week or two of purchase to gain accurate information and even then you're best off checking in a day or so prior to buying.
Exact Overall Budget
We need at least a ball park if not an exact, telling us you don't really have one could result in recommendations anywhere between £500 and £10,000, we're not mind readers. No, we do not need the prices you've concocted for each individual component, that wont offer good end results for whatever you're looking to build.
What exactly is the build for in terms of use?
Please detail your requirements, if gaming at what resolution and detail expectations? Are there any specific titles you play, or are you more of a general gaming type? Are you looking to make a workstation for productivity, assuming you are what exact software will be involved?
Preferences
Everyone has a preference, sometimes for better or worse. If you have a hard preference for AMD, Intel, Nvidia, or whatever other company please let us know prior. However, it is worth forewarning that users may offer advice at times which challenges said preferences, especially in cases where you may be greatly overspending to your own detriment or intend to purchase a flawed product.
What are the exact specifications of your current hardware?
Exact means exact, we cannot estimate what a genuine upgrade looks like for you without knowing and there is always the potential for components to be reused, allowing for more of your budget to be spent on legitimate performance increases.
We would want to know the make and model of the components as some may be able to be reused in the new build. (Inform us if you want/don't want to reuse any current components)
If you are unsure of how to find this information, please download Speccy and list the data provided under the summary section. For the power supply you may need to remove the side of your case, the make and model should be listed on the unit itself.
Do you require peripherals?
Monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers/headset, pretty much anything that isn't inside of the PC case but is required for your experience will be a peripheral. Are you factoring these into your overall cost, or do you have a separate budget for them? Assuming a monitor is required, what size, resolution, and panel technology are you hoping for? Is high refresh rate gaming important or are you more focused on overall fidelity, or perhaps both budget allowing?
Do you have any special needs or requirements?
Are there any unusual aspects to your usage that might need to be taken into account such as being left handed, or perhaps some sort of disability? Do we need to account for specific hardware, software, or peripherals that could be considered non standard or at least a strict necessity?
Easy to copy-paste template following:
(My hope is to get this stickied, but any input from the regulars would be appreciated)
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