What computer/OS are you using?

[Krizonar]

Do manufacturers tell you what parts will work together? Or do you have to go by form factor / size, electrical specifications, etc?

Usually manufacturers DO tell you what fits what. For example, if you were to browse Newegg for a processor and wanted to buy, say, the i7-4970X in your lust for power, it will tell you right on the specifications page it fits into an LGA 2011 Logicboard socket. Then you just browse to the 'Motherboard" section of their hardware listings and sort by socket type, naturally picking LGA 2011. It will give you a list and you can choose based on what you want and your case. 

Let's say you picked the Prodigy tower you saw earlier in the Case listings because it was cute. Note that fan information will be found on the specs page, such as fans it comes with already or fans you can put into the case afterwards. So, for example, you could buy 2 120mm fans to put in the top for extra cooling if the defaults are insufficient. This page will also usually cover information such as how much clearance a CPU aftermarket fan will have, luckily, our Titan TTC fits with ease.

Knowing your case is Micro ATX, you should select that along with LGA 2011 and it will give you LGA 2011 Logicboards that ALSO fit into that case. The X79 EXTREME fits the bill. Reading the specs on it, you see it supports 4 slots of 1600 speed Memory and of course has a graphics card slot as well as SATA 3.0 connectors.

Rounding up RAM and a Hard Drive is easy, we just need to look for cool looking (preferably red) 1600 MHZ memory and a SATA 6 Hard Drive. As usual, use the settings on the left to look for the type you want for these. Any logical person would pick these bright red Ripjaws for memory and this Barracuda looks alright.

Now, here is the part where it begins to get into size/electrical specifications. A graphics card may not fit into all Micro ATX cases, a certain PSU may not power the system, etc. While this can generally be figured out easily too, the most efficient way to figure this out is to simply research and see if someone has done it.

Choosing a Graphics Card will be the hardest part as there is lots to consider. Also, always choose your PSU last unless you know what you're going to build already, the Graphics Card Specs will tell you what power level it needs to operate and it will usually use the most power.

Turns out your Logicboard supports 3 way SLI. Naturally, this means we are going to stuff 3 Titans into this tiny thing as any sane person would. You will need to buy 3 Attack On Titan graphics cards. We can see in the specs that Titans are 10.5 inches in length, but luckily, your tiny tower supports graphics cards up to 12.5 inches it says, so we will be fine. Knowing that one Titan requires 600 watts minimum power, it would be safe to assume we need something beefy. While 1,100 watts should be safe, we will be going with the ludicrous Lepa G.

So we have finished our computer and what the computer it is, who thought 3 Titans could even get in there?

If you tackle one part at a time and let it flow from one to the rest, it becomes a lot simpler. I prefer to start with the CPU or Case when I theory build and end with the GPU and PSU.

[DustiiWolf]

A lot of interesting information on building computers...

>crapsung
>hisssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssses

I take it that either
A) You hate "crapsung", or
B) You are quite the opposite, and was insulted by me calling Samsung such.

Seriously. This piece of s*** of a tablet, named the "Ativ", was the worst $500 i've ever spent. Between the never-mentioned-online mass line defect, to the poor software configuration, to the poor hardware configuration, it has turned me off samsung for a long time, if not for good. Dell is good, and $90 for a tablet (i have a %10 discount) to hold me over till i can afford a surface is something one cant pass up. Especially on that has active stylus support, full windows, and comes with office.

[NejinOniwa]

snip

Yeah, sounds about righ-
>NVIDIA

GREEN TEAM?
WHAT SORT OF ###### ARE YOU, WHITE BOI

[Krizonar]

I am of team Brown, as I am not very brand bound when it comes to GPUs.

Though I will say both my current computer and my prior one are Red team.

Besides, I had to spend $5000 on the example computer for comedic values. 3 way Titan SLI on a Micro ATX board? LOL

[DustiiWolf]

Yeah, sounds about righ-
>NVIDIA

GREEN TEAM?
WHAT SORT OF ###### ARE YOU, WHITE BOI

Have you heard of our lord and savior, the "height" option?
_{Seriously. I shouldnt have to scroll so much for a mere image or two you guys....}

[Bella]

Thanks for the advice, you guys rock! I have a much better idea where to start now. I'm not planning on building a computer "soon", but I'm almost certain my next desktop will be a homemade computer, since I'm really not fond of the mass-produced PC offerings out there. I wanna get the ball rolling on learning about PC building, so when the time comes, I'll know what to do (or at least have a better idea).

Seriously. This piece of s*** of a tablet, named the "Ativ", was the worst $500 i've ever spent. Between the never-mentioned-online mass line defect, to the poor software configuration, to the poor hardware configuration, it has turned me off samsung for a long time, if not for good. Dell is good, and $90 for a tablet (i have a %10 discount) to hold me over till i can afford a surface is something one cant pass up. Especially on that has active stylus support, full windows, and comes with office.

Hm, I'm generally a Samsung supporter, but I've only ever used their Android-based phones / tablets. I'm not at all familiar with the Ativ or their other Windows-based products, so I'll have to retract that last statement.

[DustiiWolf]

Thanks for the advice, you guys rock! I have a much better idea where to start now. I'm not planning on building a computer "soon", but I'm almost certain my next desktop will be a homemade computer, since I'm really not fond of the mass-produced PC offerings out there. I wanna get the ball rolling on learning about PC building, so when the time comes, I'll know what to do (or at least have a better idea).

Hm, I'm generally a Samsung supporter, but I've only ever used their Android-based phones / tablets. I'm not at all familiar with the Ativ or their other Windows-based products, so I'll have to retract that last statement.

I regret buying it, and the personality flaw that kept me from returning it.... Their Windows Phones are just rebranded versions of last years galaxy device, and their windows devices have little to no effort put in them. Thing is, the white model reviewed online seemed to have none of my problems, and i cant find half this stuff readily spoken of online, but talk to someone who knows tech a few months later and "yah, it had a massive defect on the entire line, and those problems are normal."

[NejinOniwa]

Have you heard of our lord and savior, the "height" option?

I am your lord and saviour. I have heard of me. My height is 186 centimeters. It is not optional.
problem?
RE: Windows Pone, that's sadly what seems to be on par for the course for most of that platform's products. The Nokia's were widely regarded as the best Wphones on the market last time i checked, but even those were slightly dragged down by the platform iirc.

[Krizonar]

Thanks for the advice, you guys rock! I have a much better idea where to start now.

No problem. To tell you the truth though I heavily regret building those pcs and attempting to use a pc on a regular basis. I do not regret procuring the knowledge, but I do regret that I could have spent 2 years with a Mac Pro vs what happened.

Before you make a choice like that about such a serious issue, consider all possibilities. You will be working with that machine almost every day, if there is the smallest thing you don't like about it, it will drive you insane. Choose what is best for you, not the easy way out.

Deciding on a computer is srs bizzness.

[DustiiWolf]

You guys got me in a pc building mood... not like i have the money... But i would like to make a cheap, compact media pc sometime. Something to use the Windows 8 apps like Netflix, Hulu, and IE, etc...

[Bella]

No problem. To tell you the truth though I heavily regret building those pcs and attempting to use a pc on a regular basis. I do not regret procuring the knowledge, but I do regret that I could have spent 2 years with a Mac Pro vs what happened.

Before you make a choice like that about such a serious issue, consider all possibilities. You will be working with that machine almost every day, if there is the smallest thing you don't like about it, it will drive you insane. Choose what is best for you, not the easy way out.

Deciding on a computer is srs bizzness.

Aye, I've considered the same thing! I'd like to have a quality Windows box around for the sake of running games / graphics programs that aren't available on other OSes, and a Linux machine for general computing, but I also appreciate the quality of Apple hardware and adore OS X. Idk if I would be up to using Windows and Linux full time.

I've considered getting a Mac Pro and doing a dual-boot, though it would have to be a used one because I have neither the money nor will to pay $3000 for a new rig. Of course buying a used computer comes with its own set of risks... decisions, indeed.

[Krizonar]

compact media pc

Uguuu, I find those so cute for some reason.
Here's an appropriate OS-Tan

[DustiiWolf]

Uguuu, I find those so cute for some reason.
Here's an appropriate OS-Tan

Kawaii~

[Krizonar]

Kawaii~

I feel some of the physical parameters of an OS-Tan go along with the hardware they are on. So teeny media pcs are like cute little children versions.

Mac Pro

Have I mentioned I want to get a warrant to marry my Mac Pro as everything about it is perfect and wonderful?

[NejinOniwa]

Sad news, people.
LAMBDA is starting to fail on me.
Not the system itself - she's 100% fine and dimples on the software side, which is pretty damn cool in itself. But the power plug is getting glitchy, alongside the broken headphone plug and the side panel...

MY GIRL IS GETTING OLD >__>