Reaper needs a computer. Let's build one together!
 

Okay, first off, sorry for stealing your thread title, hobo :p

All righty, now that that's taken care of...

As some of you know, my current computer (HP laptop) is on the fritz. For the last 6 months or so, I've been meaning to start pricing out a custom desktop, but I keep putting it off. So my goal is to have a new computer in the next two months, finances allowing.

I don't plan on doing any hardcore gaming (a little here and there but nothing serious), but my MO is go for overkill... so for all intents and purposes, pretend you're building a gaming computer.

So far I have the monitor(s) (dual monitors ftmfw!), case (with power supply), keyboard, and mouse picked out, and I think I have my RAM picked out. I'm going to be taking input both from this thread and my friend/local computer guru. He's actually going to be assembling everything for me as well as ordering everything (probably from newegg).

Any suggestions on other hardware (video cards, hard drives, etc)?

Please forgive me for being ignorant. I really know nothing about building computers... I know how to turn 'em on and use 'em.

If you want to give me a link to a product, please link me to newegg as ordering everything from one place would be extremely convenient.

Here's the wants/needs:
-Super fast
-Total overkill for a basic-use computer
-a lot of USB ports. I love USB ports
-SD port (it makes photography a lot easier when I can just insert my SD card straight into the computer)
-It'll run windows 7 if that matters, probably a second OS for S&Gs.
-I'd prefer to keep the budget around $1,000 if that's possible. I don't want a $350 video card, but I know you get what you pay for.
-Going over the budget (within reason) is acceptable as I'm just pricing things out to see how much I need to save up ATM.

lol 1000 dollars on a computer FTL :P Gotta love usb ports though!

i doubt you'll be able to keep it under a grand with an i7 processor so look into i5s

GPU ATI Radeon 5830 series

how many watts is your power supply btw

motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD3

i has a pretty decent graphics card i will sell ya for 50$ shipped its a GeForce 6200, i only used it for 2 months then upgraded to a bigger graphics card. i garuntee it works.
i can post pics also. let me know.

Make sure whatever motherboard you get has USB 3.0

EDIT: mmmmmm i like that one josh posted. get that


hook that optical port up to a home theatre system... digital surround sound gaming FTW

Read the last bullet point. $1,000 is kind of a goal, but I know I'll go over it, especially with dual monitors (meaning a video card is a must). Really, right now, I just want to get everything figured out so I know how much I need to save to buy the computer.

And correction, the case I plan on getting does not have a power supply included. Apparently I was thinking of one of my choices, not the one I decided on.

But I'll check into the stuff you posted in a few, josh. Mitch, I'll let you know about the video card. I'd prefer to buy only new components (just for the sake of it being "entirely my computer"), but I'll let you know when I decide for sure. And stu, the computer will definitely have some form of surround sound :D

it is new, i bought it then upgraded to a better one cause my games req. higher card

okay if u go with the stuff i posted that graphics card requires at least a 650w power supply

Josh, can you find me a specific graphics card and get a link for newegg.com?

And so far, assuming $300 for a processor, I'm sitting at ~$1,150 before a graphics card if I didn't forget anything. I'm not as far over my budget as I thought I'd be.

*edit: crap, forgot about the hard drive. Recommend me a brand and I'll shop around? I'd like 1TB... like I said, overkill :D