Meet ‘CLU’ – my future desktop computer project.
So my Toshiba Satellite laptop has been a noble companion in the digital realm for the past three to four years now. However, as history repeats itself, and technology advances, some things just become a little obsolete. There’s no way around it. A while ago my laptop’s battery died completely. It doesn’t even try to charge anymore. That’s expected as laptop batteries usually will only last a couple of years. Recently, I’ve noticed my power supply cord shorting out with a slight bump or jostle the wrong way. And since my battery is pretty much a paperweight, my computer just shuts off. Once I replace these parts, this will be the third power supply this laptop has used, and the second battery. So instead of continually spending time and money tracking down replacement parts, I’ve decided to start something I’ve wanted to do for quite some time now. Build my own custom desktop computer. I don’t know much about cars but I feel it’s kind of the same idea of somebody buying an old car to fix up. Only my ‘car’ will be able to stream HD video and play games like Sims 3 and Crysis with minimal to no lag, as well as hold 10x as much content as my current ‘lemon’ does. Now I’m sure at some point I’ll be looking around on other sites for better deals on certain parts and peripherals, but for right now I’m sticking with TigerDirect.com just to get a general idea of pricing. So without further ado, here is my wish list for my new desktop rig…
Internal Hardware
Case
Aerocool VX-R Gamer MidTower Case
Power Supply
Ultra X4 750-Watt Modular Power Supply
Motherboard
Biostar TA790GX A3+ Motherboard
CPU
AMD Phenom II X2 555 Dual Core Processor
Processor Cooling
Ultra U12-40602 X-Wind 120mm CPU Cooler
Memory
Kingston HyperX T1 12GB Memory Kit
Graphics
Sapphire 100314-2SR Radeon HD 6870 Video Card
Audio
Creative Labs SoundBlaster X-FI Titanium Fatal1ty Pro PCIe Sound Card
Optical Drive
LG BH10LS30 Optical Media 10x Internal Blu-ray Disc Rewriter
Hard Drive
Western Digital WD20EARS Caviar Green Hard Drive – 2TB
Networking
Sabrent 802.11n Wireless PCI Controller Card
Media Bay/Reader
Ultra MD2 5.25″ 4 Port USB 2.0 and Card Reader
Peripherals
Monitor(s)
Acer S201HL bd 20″ Widescreen LED Backlit Monitor
Sound System
Logitech Z506 Surround Sound Speakers
Webcam
Creative Labs Live! Cam Socialize HD 1080 Web Camera
Keyboard/Mouse
Logitech 920-002565 MK120 Keyboard and Mouse Combo
Surge Protection
Opti-UPS SBAH1210EXR Surge Buster 12-Outlet Surge Protector
So that’s pretty much it. Like I said, in time I’ll most likely be shopping around but for the most part, that’s the general setup. Based off of TigerDirect.com alone, the total cost for this machine is a whopping $1,841.51 (including shipping)!! Since I’ve got rent and bills to pay, not to mention I’m getting a kitten in a couple weeks, this computer will be bought piece by piece over at least a few month’s time. It’s definitely an investment, not just monetarily but chronologically as well. I’m pretty excited. I can’t wait to order my first couple of parts and start building my baby! I’ll be sure to track the progress of ‘CLU’ (inspired by the character from TRON: Legacy, obviously) right here on my blog. Stay tuned!
