As others have said, almost machine will do. however seeing as a desktop PC usually becomes more than just a programming machine, and is often used for general content consumption as well as gaming. I tried to build a fairly decent machine while putting emphasis on sound. So it should be fairly quiet along with being fairly powerful.

CPU: Pretty much anything will do, I'd go for the i5-4570 or the i5-4670k, depending on if you're interested in overclocking. The price/performance ratio is pretty good, and if you want any better you're gonna have to go for the i7-4770 or something like that.

Heatsink: The stock is fine for general purpose stuff, but if you want something better and are willing to invest. Noctua NH-D14 is an excellent heatsink that keeps everything cool and is very quiet as well.

Case: The Fractal Design Define R4 is a great and a common choice, another alternative with similar features is the NZXT H440. They are both great in terms of looks and performance, and are both very quiet as well. They both have some included case fans and filters.

Fans/Filters: Additional case fans provide additional cooling and help in keeping the system fairly quiet. Noctua NF-P12 is a great all around case fan and again, very quiet. In general I'd recommend keeping your rig on a desk or something so that it doesn't colelct as much dust. But you almost always want some dust filters. Pretty much any filters will do but you generally want magnetic filters. Magnetic filters require no tools and attach on pretty much any case. They're easy to take off for cleaning and keep the innards of your rig clean. DEMCI makes some excellent magnetic filters if you need a place to start looking.

Motherboard: ASUS has excellent fan control software on their boards and almost any higher end ASUS board is gonna be great. Personally I'd recommend Asus Z97-Pro which is one of the best mobos I know and has everything you could ever want.

PSU: I almost always recommend Corsair for power supplies, their RM Series PSU's are fantastic and with a zero RPM fan mode are very quiet under normal load. the 550 watt PSU should be enough, maybe even the 450 one.

GPU: You don't need much if it's a pure programming rig, but in general the programming rig becomes "the everyday driver" so it's used for most things including gaming if your brother is into that. If you just want something to plug a monitor into the XFX R7-250A is a good passively cooled card that'll do that. For more performance I'd go for the ASUS GTX 970 StrIx. The GTX 970 provides excellent performance and ASUS' cooler makes it very quiet even under load

RAM: Pretty much anything will do. For a desktop PC that's used for general purpose stuff, I'd say at least 8GB, you can go for more too.

HDD: For general purpose get an SSD. It's much faster and makes less noise thanks no moving parts. Samsung 840 EVO is a good option, and the 250GB drive isn't that xpensive. For mass storage the 2TB Seagate Barracude is a great an affordable option. With a good case that has rubber standings for the HD it shouldn't make much noise either.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now the peripherals are where you can make programming a lot easier and more comfortable.

Keyboard: A good mechanical keyboard is going to make typing a lot faster and more comfortable. They are a bit loud, but some people like the noise. Now there are three main switch types you'll find:

Blue switches: These have an actuation point, basically you can feel a "click" when the button activates and you hear it as well. These are the loudest switches around.

Brown switches: Almost exactly like blues except a bit quieter

Red switches: These are linear switches, they have no real "point" of actuation that you can feel and rather go linearly all the way to the bottom.

There are other switch types as well, clears, blacks, greens, and some more. They mainly differ in the amount of force required to press the button. Black switches for example are extremely heavy to press. For more info you can head out to /r/MechanicalKeyboards another good things about mechanical switches is that they're very very durable.

Another option would be to go for ergonomic keyboards like the Microsoft Sculpt. Keyboards are a lot about personal preference so ask your brother before getting one.

Another thing would be two monitors. As others have said a dual monitor setup is great for programming and good for general purpose as well. Dell Ultrasharp mmonitors provide pretty much everything you could want. There are a lot of Ultrasharp models but the one I linked is great for it's price. It's 1920x1200 so it offers a bit more than your standard full HD monitor, IPS panel, has a vesa mount and the regular stand has all ergonomic adjustments you could want. most important being pivot, basically the ability to turn your monitor sideways to gain more vertical space which is great for coding.

------------------------------------------------------

With the monitors the whole thing is gonna run you for about 1900$

With some changes you can cut out a 1000$ from the pricetag http://pcpartpicker.com/p/yLjnNG

And if you ditch the 2TB Hard drive you're looking at about 825$ for the whole setup.

None of the stuff I listed above is really required at all, you could get him a 3 year old machine fro 300$ and it'd be fine for regular coding and nonsense like that. But if he wants to do something else on the machine as well, then he might need some more horsepower.

Another option for a dedicated programming machine is a good ultrabook. Like say, Thinkpad x240, slap an i5 there, 8GB of ram and a 256/512 GB SSD, use a HDMI cable to connect it to a larger external monitor and you're golden. Or the Thinkpad X1 carbon, with 8GB of RAM and a good sized SSD. The advantage is that the laptop is much more portable, but on the other hand lacks the raw horsepower of a desktop.

Not sure if this is the best place to ask (or I should start a post) but I have a list of laptops that seem to be great deals for the specs that they're carrying. Just having a tough time deciding. They range from USD 1000~1600. There's one ASUS that could get as low as 1030 for a GTX1080 but the responses to it have not been so good. Just wanted some good advice on which ones I should get and ones I should be more concerned about. At least I hope others will find this list useful.

• *Sager/Prostar Clevo w 9th gen i7 + RTX 2060 for $1299 - 500GB ssd, 16gb RAM, 144hz (no gsync but eh)Probably the most tempting laptop. It's seems super cheap for a RTX 2060; might be the best bang for the buck laptop out there. But some others seem good enough and a bit cheaper such as the Helios and ASUS w AMD. Anyone think the extra $300 over 1660ti laptops is worth for this? I feel like this one I could use for a good three years before changing set up. That it'll last a bit longer. Any drawbacks with Sager/Prostar from anyone else's experience?
  
• Acer Helios 300 for $1088 - GTX1660ti; 144hz; 16GB DDR4; 256gb PCIe NVMe SSDMost affordable and well regarded option but I'm not sure abut the 256gb ssd. The higher storage ones cost a few hundred more but they were only a bit more expensive a few days ago. I like playing FIFA, Witcher 3, Metro, TW3K and some relatively newer games. Just not sure if the 256gb ssd is enough. Might have to constantly install and uninstall. The price-tag is really hard to resist, though. But maybe it's worth spending a bit more on the Sager with better storage and graphics card.
  
• ASUS ROG Strix GL702VI for $1100 but through some discounts I can get to as low as $1039; i5-7200HQ; GTX1080; G-Sync (but 60Hz); 256gb SSD + 1TB HDDThis seems like an amazing deal. But the responses have been mixed. But a $1k laptop with gtx 1080 that will last about a year or two seem too good to be true. A bit suss but hella cheap. But again... for the lowest pricetag, a gtx 1080 that will last me a year or two.
  
• ASUS w AMD Ryzen 7 + GTX 1660 ti for $1134Seems like another cheap good deal. But are ASUS laptops just not that well regarded? A lot of mixed reviews. But I like the design, the thinness. Plus it has a good entry graphics card.
  
• ASUS ROG Zephyrus for $1311 - This one has a GTX 1070, 7th gen i7, 16gb ram, and 256gb ssd. Once again, ASUS isn't well received in amazon. This one's a bit more expensive than the Sager/Prostar. But I like the slim design and the GPU cards should be more or less equal, right?
  
• ASUS ROG Strix Hero II for $1372 - 8th gen i7, RTX 2060, 16 GB RAM, 521gb PCIe SSD
  
• Acer Helios 300 for $1384 - Only difference is bigger storage, 512 gbs this time. Same GTX 1660 ti and everything else. Considering there are cheaper laptops with seemingly better specs, maybe not worth the extra $300? Plus the others around this range seem to offer better bang for the buck.
  
• Acer Helios 500 for $1400 - AMD Ryzen 7 2700, Radeon RX Vega 56; Vega 56 seems like a really good card. But should I be considering this when there are rtx 2060 n gtx 1080 laptops available for cheaper or around the same price?
  
• Sager RTX 2070 for $1499 - Seems like a great deal for a 2070 card. But might still be pretty pricey for me. Yet considering some of the others, for value, this seems really good
  
• Acer Triton 700 for $1502.49 - GTX 1080 w G-Sync 120Hz, 512GB SSD. Again, like teh Sager, this seems like an amazing deal for the card and monitor. Only drawback I see is the trackpad
  
• ASUS ROG Zephyrus GX501 for $1549 - GTX1080 w 144Hz G-Sync, 16 GB RAM, 512GB SSD, 8th gen i7Similar price range as the previous two. I like the Zephyrus design better but that's really about it. But like the other ASUS laptops, it has mixed responses.
  
  Just for reference, I bought my previous laptop (now blue screened and unusable) four years ago. I wasn't (and still am not) very tech savvy so I wasn’t sure if it was a good gaming laptop back then. But these are the specs for my ASUS A501U: 6th gen i7; GTX 950M; 126gb ssd + 500gb hdd. I'm sure any one of these laptops will be great compared to my mingy 950M.
  
  Which one of these would you guys recommend? Thoughts on how black friday might change the price? Should I wait for BF or just get one sooner?

Here, have an upgrade guide. This is mostly oriented for gaming, but I tried to make it as general purpose as possible.

First off, if you're trying to survive gaming on an older system and are wanting to upgrade, remember to check out the PC Gaming Wiki as well as the Low Spec Gamer YouTube channel and /r/lowendgaming. There are lots of tips and tricks to get games running better, and if you discover your own, don't forget to share them!

• If you have a motherboard older than DDR3, save and upgrade to a new platform. It's not worth investing in a platform that old for anything other than novelty purposes.
  
  
• If you want to upgrade your motherboard (like if you're looking at buying an unlocked CPU but have a locked motherboard), save and build a whole new system, unless you happen to come across exactly what you want for cheap. Used motherboards are usually just as expensive as new ones so it's not really worth investing that much into an older platform.
  
  
• If you have an Intel motherboard and want to upgrade your CPU, see my reply to this comment. Character limit, woo!
  
  
• If you have an AMD motherboard, I'm not as experienced with this but upgrading to an 8320 or 8350 Black edition would be good.
  
• I'll do some research and put some detailed information here later; like I did for Intel processors. Again, after the aforementioned good night's rest.
  
  
• When buying any used processor, especially on eBay, be very wary of scams. Any price that seems too good to be true or is from a seller with very little feedback is something of which you should be very wary.
  
  
• If you have less than 8GB of RAM, buy a 2x4GB kit. Dual channel actually makes a difference these days. If you want more, well, divide the amount you want by the number of slots you have. 16GB / 4 slots = 4GB sticks, so get a 4x4GB kit. PCPartPicker is a good resource for this, although new DDR3 is getting more expensive. It might be worth looking at the used market, but be careful you don't buy ECC RAM (server memory) unless you have a motherboard and processor that support it.
  
  
• If your system isn't using an SSD as its boot drive, buy an SSD and reinstall your OS onto it. I don't know if I can recommend a SSD smaller than 250GB considering how cheap they're getting. Brand doesn't matter a whole lot but make sure to do a little research first. PCPartPicker, again, is a great resource for this. Filter by the minimum capacity you want and sort by lowest price, then go from there. Samsung is expensive but reliable; I don't know a lot about other brands.
  
  
• If you're running out of space, 2TB HDDs are pretty cheap and reliable these days. Here's a Seagate one, although I couldn't find Western Digital's equivalent for some reason.
  
  
• I don't really know much about graphics cards other than they're hard to buy new these days. If you buy new, I can't recommend anything with less than 4GB of VRAM, because modern games are getting better at using it. If you buy used, try not to go less than 2GB. Other than that, pick what fits your budget and performance needs, and remember you dont have to run everything on max settings. Dropping the settings a little can allow older cards to still compete today. I still run a 7870 and haven't found any unplayable games yet; 99% of games I get a solid 60, and once I upgrade to an e3-1240v3 that's in the mail I expect that to go to 99.9%.
  
  
• Make sure you have a good PSU. You can get really solid ones for $50 or less these days. Don't forget this one when upgrading your system, unless you already have a good PSU. This is the SeaSonic one I've been recommending a lot. Fully modular and 80 Plus Bronze seems pretty good to me. PSUs are a topic of a lot of controversy, though, so make sure to do your research.
  
  
• Similarly, investing in a case you like will last you a long time and significantly improve a build's appearance. Not its frames, though, so this isn't a priority. Pick one with all the features you want, good cable management options, something you don't mind looking at, that kind of stuff. Look up a review (google "[case name] review") where someone builds a computer in it so you can get an idea of what kind of issues people run into when building in it and if those issues are dealbreakers for you.
  
  
• Optical drives aren't really used this day but if you don't have one it can be worth it to pick one up. Blu-ray drives are getting cheaper, too. PCPartPicker -> optical drives -> filter by features -> sort by price.
  
  
• Monitors I cant speak much on, but if you're gaming at all, get one that goes at least 120hz at its native resolution, and don't get one lower than 1080p. If you don't do any gaming, make sure you get an IPS panel. I personally can't recommend any resolution other than 1080p (1920x1080) because compatibility issues are annoying and most software is either designed to work at 1080p, or have workarounds to run at 1080p. 4k is the next jump worth taking since that seems to be the next big standard (again, in my opinion), but hardware is still a generation or two out from that being mainstream.
  
  
• Multiple monitors are a thing. I don't think I can live with less than 3 monitors again. It's so nice to have a game on the center monitor, a webpage on the left, and a voip program on the right. You can kind of do this with window snapping, but, well, you can also do that with 3 monitors for much more information when you need it.
  
  
• Invest in good network gear. I cannot stress this enough. It will cost a chunk of money but will make your life so much better. If you're renting a modem from your ISP, or your modem/router has your ISP's logo on it, you need to upgrade. I'm currently running the Netgear R7000. If you're on cable internet, get a Motorola SurfBoard and something like the R7000. If you're on DSL, there's a variant that has a phone jack for dialing in. If you have fiber, the ONT that you have isn't replaceable but it's probably fine (but you'll still want to replace the included router). For all of these, you'll probably need to look up a guide on switching and it will probably involve calling your ISP. Expect to spend $200ish on the equipment, but seriously, you won't be constantly rebooting your router, wondering why the WiFi isn't working this time, etc. And a good modem will let you know if it can contact the network or not so you'll know if the internet is actually out or not. And if you're renting a router, you'll save money in the long run.
  
  
• If you're using WiFi, get a good network card. I saw this one linked on this subreddit the other day and it looks pretty good. I've personally found USB WiFi dongles unreliable, but YMMV.
  
  
• Don't forget to upgrade your peripherals. Check out /r/mechanicalkeyboards, /r/steamcontroller (it's about more than just the Steam Controller there, the name is a little misleading TBH), and the YouTube channel Rocket Jump Ninja (he does mouse reviews). I think /r/emulation has had some good threads on controllers, too. There's fun stuff like Mayflash adapters for GameCube controllers, or you could pick up a bluetooth dongle for a DualShock 3 or DualShock 4 (or WiiMote passthrough in Dolphin). There's lots of fun to be had in the peripheral department.
  
  I think that's about everything. Let me know if I missed anything and I'll include it.
  
  edit: Updated some stuff and tried to include more details.

I know you said you are from india but If you want take advantage of black friday’s sales then I would recommend this Acer Predator Helios 300 2019 version because it comes with everything you need, great value for money, 144Hz screen which is great for fast paced games, easily upgradeable, Latest CPU and GPU, Very good heat management, and here is a more detailed review :

• The top of the laptop plus the keyboard and palm area are metal.
  
• Screen bright enough for using outside in the shade but not in direct sunlight.
  
• GPU is powerful.
  
• Here is benchmark for the GPU performance.
  
• Laptop comes with Optimus to conserve battery.
  
• Keyboard is great, quiet, and have a nice feel.
  
• Keyboard has a numpad but narrower than the rest of the keyboard, and the arrow buttons shifted.
  
• Speakers are at the bottom and kinda muffed so a headset is recommended for when you are gaming.
  
  ***
  
  If you prefer better screen quality, then I would recommend this Eluktronics mech g2 because it has great combination between value for money, weight, battery life, and performance.
  
• It comes with GTX 1660Ti GPU, You can check the below link to see how the GTX 1660Ti
  
• GPU (scroll down for the FPs and settings expected or ctrl+f then type the name of your game).
  https://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-GTX-1660-Ti-Laptop-Graphics-Card.386426.0.html
  
• Comes with 9th gen, i7 hexa core CPU which is powerful for your usage.
  
• Very good sRGB coverage which is suitable for photo editing.
  
  
• The outer shell is made almost entirely out of metal.
  
• Keyboard is mechanical with RGB backlit.
  
• It has 3 USB type A, Ethernet, and mic and headphone jack and on the back an HDMI, and USB type C.
  
  
• Screen is IPS with 144Hz refresh rate, with impressively small bezels, and a professional design.
  
  
• Lid can't be open with one hand.
  
  
• Fans get loud under intensive work, but that is normal with every good gaming laptop.
  
  
• Plenty of upgrade options as the chassis supports up to 32GB of ram, and 2 SSDs and 1 HDD.
  
• Heat management is great, it can get hot but it gets cool again pretty quickly once the fans kick in.
  
  
• Main con of the laptop is the trackpad, it is mediocre at best when you compare it to other laptops in the price range.
  
  
• Battery life during normal usage is around 3.5-4.5 hours and 1.5 hour during gaming.
  
  
• Speakers are down facing so during gaming, it is best to wear headphone since the fan gets loud during gaming as well.
  
  If you are looking for more Black Friday Deals make sure to check my mega thread of black friday laptop deals here

CUSTOM VIDEOS

REMINDERS:

• I own copyright and content to all of my videos. Videos are for your eyes only. They are not to be shown to anyone else or posted anywhere (no redistribution, no reselling, not for commercial use). Doing so is copyright infringement, which is illegal.
  
• I do not show full face in ANY of my videos.
  
• All videos have a 5 minute minimum.
  
  
  
  Rate | Information
  ---|---
  $6/minute | Videos will be filmed with this webcam.
  $10/minute | Videos will be filmed with this camera.
  Fetish Content | Priced on a case-by-case basis.
  B/G Content | $10/minute to film with this webcam. $12/minute to film with this camera.
  
  
  
  
  
  Add-Ons | Cost | Description
  --------|-----|----
  Including Your Name | $50 |Include your name in the video. If you'd like to include your name, you must pay the "Keep It Private" Fee.
  Keep It Private | $75| I still own the content (you may not share with others or post elsewhere) but I won't resell your video.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  RETIRED PREMADES
  

  
  

1. BLINDFOLDED BJ (POV) - Ever wondered what it'd be like to get a BJ from the lovely Lacy? Well now you can find out! P.S. I swallow ;) The video is 14:47 minutes long and costs $20. http://www.gfycat.com/JaggedUnhappyJoey
   
   
2. FREAKY FRIDAY - Watch me ride my boyfriend on his little brother's bunk bed ;) The video is 11:17 minutes long and costs $15. http://www.gfycat.com/MerryWelcomeCod
   
   
3. TAKEN FROM BEHIND - Watch my boyfriend fuck me doggy style!! I am super loud and I cum so many times in this one!! The video is 17:58 minutes and costs $20. http://www.gfycat.com/UniformDirectBovine
   
   
4. DOGGY STYLE (POV) - In case you were wondering about the view... (Warning: Camera is a bit shaky/moves around a bit). The video is 10:32 minutes and costs $10. http://www.gfycat.com/EasygoingImpureGuppy
   
   
5. BJ, FACEFUCK, & FACIAL - Watch me gag over and over again on my boyfriend's yummy cock. He finishes all over my face at the end. The video is 10:41 minutes long and costs $15. http://www.gfycat.com/SnoopyCriminalCrow
   
   
6. ANAL FUCKING - Watch my boyfriend fuck and destroy my tight little asshole. The video is 9:43 minutes long and costs $20. http://www.gfycat.com/PerfumedDisgustingGarpike
   
   
7. DOC JOHNSON JELLY DILDO - My boyfriend surprised me with this huge dildo as a gift! Watch me cream all over it. It's huge! I give my toy a nice and soapy hand job to clean it off at the end ;) The video is 8:28 minutes long and costs $10. http://www.gfycat.com/RepulsiveWholeFurseal
   
   
8. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED - My boyfriend always makes fun of me for never doing any work during sex...well I showed him!! The video is 6:50 minutes long and costs $12. http://www.gfycat.com/BigheartedBigAntelopegroundsquirrel
   
   
9. SHOWER TIME - Watch me shower and have fun with my body! I love playing with my boobs. Some parts of my face can be seen throughout the video The video is 14:24 minutes long and costs $15. http://www.gfycat.com/LawfulSillyDogfish
   
   
10. TEASING LEG JOB - I confront you about staring at me in class. Then I tease you and fuck my thighs using my cute glass dildo. I titty fuck myself and give you a sloppy blowjob to finish. The video is 9:58 minutes long and costs $15. http://www.gfycat.com/WanSoftAsp
    
    
11. BJ & CUMSHOT (POV) - Watch me give my boyfriend a sloppy, wet blowjob. At the end he cums all over my face and I smile because I'm a grateful slut. ;) The video is 15:54 minutes long and costs $20. http://www.gfycat.com/FastRingedHarvestmen
    
    
12. LAZY BJ - My boyfriend and I decided to turn on the camera for fun. :3 Watch me blow him. At the end, he cums on my face (same shot as BJ & Cumshot POV) and I smile because I am a grateful slut :) Parts of my face can be seen throughout the video The video is 6:44 minutes long and costs $12. http://www.gfycat.com/RemarkableSimpleAvocet
    
    
13. MY FIRST TOY - Watch me fuck myself with my cute glass dildo. Afterwards, I lick the dildo clean because I'm a good girl. The video is 8:37 minutes long and costs $12. http://www.gfycat.com/AltruisticAmbitiousBillygoat
    
    
    
14. TITTY & ASS PLAY - Watch me tease my nipples with cold, cold ice...watch the ice melt all over my body as I continue to tease my nipples. I enjoy it so much I decide to rub myself down with oil. Do you like how shiny and glossy my tits look? I can't resist and I decide to play with my ass a little. Which do you like better? Tits or ass? I do get lint on me at one point, but don't worry! I catch it almost immediately and remove it The video is 9:04 minutes long and costs $15. http://www.gfycat.com/ZanyLoathsomeFlea
    
    
15. DIRTY, CLEAN, & DIRTY AGAIN - I shave for you and then proceed to shampoo myself up. Suddenly, I feel the urge to play with myself for you. I finger my soapy pussy and I finger my asshole a little bit too. ;) When I'm satisfied, I proceed to clean myself again and once again, I can't resist and I decide to try out my shower head for the first time. It feels soooo good. Finally, I rinse off and do some silly dancing :3 The video is 12:28 minutes long and costs $18.
    http://www.gfycat.com/UnpleasantHonestAidi
    
    
16. FOOT MASSAGE AND DANCING - I came home from the gym very late and I had to whisper in the video. (I apologize if I'm hard to hear). I show off my feet to as I massage them. I occasionally sniff and lick them because they are just so yummy. Then after my feet feel nice and moisturized, my feet dance to some indie songs. The video is 9:41 minutes long and costs $14. http://www.gfycat.com/DisastrousUnlawfulGraysquirrel
    
    
17. MASKED ORGASMS - I got a new mask! (I kind of don't like it because it gets uneven sometimes and doesn't do my beautiful face justice sometimes, maybe it's because it's like 10000 degrees outside?) My boyfriend and I decide to do a little fooling around in the heat. I cum lots! The video is 6:17 minutes and costs $10. http://gfycat.com/PerfectEminentErne
    
    
18. VEGETABLE FUN - I was looking through my fridge for a midnight snack and I found a nice thick cucumber and long carrot. Being horny as fuck, I chose to feed my sexual hunger, rather than my stomach. ;) The video is 14:59 minutes and costs $20. http://gfycat.com/RashWelcomeAttwatersprairiechicken
    
    
19. PANTY STUFFING - I've never stuffed an entire pair into my pretty little pussy before. Wanna watch my first attempt? Spoiler alert, I'm successful!! The video is 6:48 minutes and costs $10. http://gfycat.com/WeeklySameBeagle
    
    
20. RIDING YOU - I'm soo horny and I step over you as you're laying on the floor. You see that I'm not wearing underwear and I jump to the chance and ride you. ;) The video is 6:31 minutes long and costs $10. http://gfycat.com/NippyGrayAsiandamselfly
    
    
21. LACY'S JERK OFF INSTRUCTION - My first JOI video! I use my glass dildo as a representation of your nice and hard cock. Then I direct you and we have a countdown at the end! The video is 8:56 minutes and costs $12 http://www.gfycat.com/UnripeMadeupBarbet
    
    
22. HOTEL SHENANIGANS - My boyfriend and I decided to rent a hotel room for a couple hours after a day of fun. We had tons of fun and I came so many times! The video is 24:44 minutes long and costs $40 for stream only. $60 for full download! (not available for GFE packages). http://www.gfycat.com/MenacingPoshIberianmole
    http://www.gfycat.com/TightSpecificKingsnake
    
    
23. TEASING YOU - I'm back! Listen to my soft, cute voice as I tease you with my tight little pussy and my cute fat butt. ;) The video is 7:16 minutes long and costs $10 :)
    http://gfycat.com/RewardingFlashyCockatiel
    
    
24. GROOL COLLECTING - Watch me fuck myself with my glass toy and collect all my grool in a tiny vial! ;) I haven't cum this hard with my toy before!! The video is 9:10 minutes long and costs $10 :)
    http://gfycat.com/FaithfulAjarJackal
    
    
25. SAILOR MOON - Oh no! My Halloween costume came a month late :( Thought I'd make use of it and make a premade! Watch me fuck myself with my cute glass toy as I try not to cum too loud because my roommates are home! Video is 6:50 minutes long and costs $12. http://gfycat.com/ReliableWetGermanspitz
    
    
26. JAMES DEEN DILDO - Yay! I purchased the James Deen dildo for myself and here is my first encounter with it! It's so big. Watch me try to fit it into my little pussy and my cute little mouth! Video is 6:20 minutes long and costs $12.
    http://gfycat.com/UglyThunderousKouprey
    
    
27. HAPPY SPANKSGIVING! - I've been a naughty girl...watch me squirm while my boyfriend spanks me for over 15 minutes! Video is 17:16 minutes and costs $25 :)
    http://gfycat.com/DearDelightfulCobra
    
    
28. ALONE TIME - I'm finally home from school! I love coming home to my boyfriend. We snuck away to fuck and the only place available was his garage. Hear me moan and cum over and over again! We fuck in sooo many different positions....reverse cowgirl, doggy style, missionary....He cums on me in the end and sticks his cock right back in me ;) Video is 13:34 minutes long and costs $15! http://gfycat.com/ElectricOptimalEthiopianwolf
    
    
29. HAIRBRUSH FUCKING & PANTY STUFFING - I'm desperate! I've been without my toys for almost a month! Watch my cum drip out of my pussy while I fuck myself with my hairbrush. Of course, I stuff my panties to soak up the yummy juices afterwards!
    Video is 10:30 minutes long and costs $15. http://gfycat.com/DrearyDamagedCod
    
    

So let's cut right down to it and explain the parts:

• CPU: Intel quad-core, hyperthreaded CPU. This CPU will perform very well when playing any game, while streaming. Videos below will explain more why this CPU is more than good enough for your use. Got the H.264 codec which allows you to record and stream at very high quality.But this will give a hit on FPS.
  
• CPU Cooler: Review. Easy to install, silent, good looking CPU cooler. Will keep the Xeon more than cool enough.
  
• Motherboard: Black & red gaming motherboard. Got better on-board audio and a dedicated network chip to provide low latency when gaming.
  
• Memory: 16GB of RAM. Speeds don't matter, only capacity. 16GB is overkill for a gaming PC, but will be helpful when you're using a lot of programs at the same time.
  
• Storage: 240GB SSD for OS + all editing / streaming software. 2TB HDD for your game captures. Able to expand this later with 4 more HDDs.
  
• Video Card: Review. The best single core GPU on the market. Got Shadowplay, which is a feature where you can capture game play with, although not at a extremely high quality.
  
• Case: Review. Very awesome quality case and easy to work in. Given that it's $70, it's very good.
  
• Power Supply: Review. 5 year warranty, 80+ gold, semi-modular (so you only have to plug in the cables that you need and nothing more), semi-passive fan profile, 650W PSU from EVGA made by FSP. This is a very high quality PSU. Which will have no problem powering this system that will at most pull about 350-400W depending on how much you overclock the GPU.
  
• OS: Windows 10, remember that you need to have a USB stick of at least 4GB to install Windows. Also you need to have a PC with Windows on it to make use of this. If you're using XP you'll have to download the ISO file from the program and use Rufus to install the ISO on the USB flash drive.
  
• Monitor: 2560x1440p IPS monitor. You will absolutely love this monitor and the amazing image quality + size. You can simply record games at 1080p no problem. When you stream, you should also just stream at 1080p and use the downscale option in OBS. This will then record your whole screen and simply down scale it. So the viewers will see everything that you see. Same thing will happen for the recording.
  
• Capture card: Because you said that you don't want to have any loss in FPS while playing / recording games. This device is a very nice option to go for. This got a HDMI pass-through and will use the H.264 encoder to record or stream gameplay. Here is the product page. You simply connect this device with USB 3.0 to your PC, then you go out of your GPU into the device with HDMI and then out of the device into your monitor.
  
  ---
  
  
• Keyboard: Review. Mechanical keyboards are a lot better in terms of typing and durability compared to membrane. But they are louder.
  This is the Cherry MX red review and I went for the Cherry MX brown. The reds are perhaps even more silent once you've applied the O-rings. Not entirely sure about that. Here is a very good read about mechanical keyboards and especially a nice look at the different switches. I use MX browns personally and it's not silent at all, but it's far less loud compared to MX blues, that I've used previously.
  
• Mouse: Review. This is probably the best review of this mouse. There is an RGB version now, but it got a $30 premium.
  

• Webcam: Review. Pretty damn solid webcam for the price.
  

  
  

  Note: the total price is without the keyboard, mouse & webcam.
  

  
  

  ---
  

  
  

  Now I will also provide you with my standard list of videos to help you understand why I suggest these parts.
  

  Lastly I'll also provide you with a couple of great guides to help you build the PC.
  

  I have to post this in a reply to this post, since I went over the 10.000 character limitation reddit provides per post.
  

  
  

  
  

  PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
  

  
  

  Type|Item|Price
  

  ----|:----|:----
  CPU | Intel Xeon E3-1231 V3 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor | $252.98 @ Newegg
  CPU Cooler | CRYORIG M9i 48.4 CFM CPU Cooler | $25.99 @ Newegg
  Motherboard | MSI B85-G43 GAMING ATX LGA1150 Motherboard | $93.98 @ Newegg
  Memory | G.Skill Value Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1333 Memory | $63.99 @ Newegg
  Storage | A-Data Premier SP550 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $63.99 @ Amazon
  Storage | Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $68.09 @ Amazon
  Video Card | Gigabyte GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB WINDFORCE 3X Video Card | $629.99 @ B&H
  Case | Phanteks Enthoo Pro M ATX Mid Tower Case | $69.99 @ Newegg
  Power Supply | EVGA 650W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply | $69.99 @ Amazon
  Operating System | Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) | $94.16 @ Amazon
  Monitor | Acer G257HU smidpx 60Hz 25.0" Monitor | $254.10 @ B&H
  Capture Card| AVerMedia Live Gamer Extreme| $150.00 @ Amazon
  Keyboard | Cooler Master CM Storm QuickFire TK Wired Mini Keyboard | $85 @ Newegg
  Keyboard sound dampening| Cherry MX O-rings| $13 @ Amazon
  Mouse | Logitech G502 Wired Optical Mouse | $50 @ BestBuy
  Webcam| Logitech C920| $63 @ Amazon
  | Prices include shipping, taxes and discounts |
  | Total | $1837.25
  | Generated by Kiwiandapple |
  
  

Hello hopefuls, lurkers, and alumni! Rather than give each video a critique I'm just going to list some tips that will help everyone in the long run. These tips do not apply to any single person in particular and every one of them can be used to improve a performance in some way shape or form, those who have a mastery in all of them tend to go far.

1. Overlay Your Videos - Find a good quality version of your song that fits the theme, and edit your video in an video editing program (I use Windows Movie Maker for example) so the audio from your video is muted and the music is what plays over the footage. This has been a staple since week 5 of season 1 and is an absolute must if you want to do well.
   
   
2. Camera Quality - Now not everyone can afford an amazing camera ready to make Hollywood quality videos, I understand that. However if your camera can't keep up with you moving slowly, it's not going to be keeping up with your mouth either. I personally filmed my first few videos of season 1 with this before upgrading to this and then finally recently to this. You don't need to have the most amazing camera in the world but you do need one that is going to capture your performance in a quality that lets people see you werk it.
   
   
3. Emoting - Close your eyes, listen to your song, then listen to it again, then listen to it again, then listen to it again. Reread the lyrics, then reread them again. Get a real understanding of the song you want to perform and feel it out. Nothing causes a disconnect more than someone doing backflips and pirouettes to Natural Woman, and nobody wants to be the Kenya Michaels of that situation. However, on the other hand. You don't want to be completely still during an upbeat song that you can work the house down. Also use your face, don't be afraid to use your face. Are you feeling terrible, show it to me in your eyes. Happy? Throw a grin around that chin. Whatever the song calls for let it all out just keep it within the constraints of the song. Over emoting can hurt you just as much as under emoting.
   
   
4. Enunciation/Learning Your Lyrics - You can know the lyrics front to back, back to front, left to right but if you don't enunciate them properly what's the point? Now I'm always a fan of going above and beyond with enunciation for entertainment value but I understand that's not exactly everyones gig. What I WILL tell you however is that you do infact have to over enunciate at least a little. You're not actually singing, if you were to just move your mouth as if you were it doesn't get the point across as well as overenunication does. A little bit goes a long way and it really gives that extra punch to your lyrics. Also rather than syncing the way you'd sing the song, actually listen to the person singing, mimic their breath patterns, listen to how THEY pronounce the word rather than how you do.
   
   
5. Audience Connection - This one is going to be short, make and keep eye contact with your camera. Flirt with it a bit, the camera is your window to the audience and while you can't actually interact with them you can make them feel as if you are.
   
   
6. Reacting to Critique- Now every week your videos are going to be watched by a large pool of people, some of these people may choose to critique you. Largely whether or not you listen to their tips for improvement is up to you, however be forewarned that while it is 100% your choice to follow tips, it could shoot you in the foot regardless of whether or listen or not. Be smart about it, also try not to take them to heart, not everyone is going to love all of your videos, and not everyone is going to hate all of your videos. Just be proud of the work you put in and do it for you, have fun with it, learn from it, keep expressing yourself.
   
   
7. Dancing - Now if you are doing a song with rhythm, feel free to dance. You don't know how to dance? No problem either! Be creative, use the pauses and beats to your advantage. HOWEVER this is first and foremost a LIP SYNC competition. It helps to keep your fancy moves that could obscure your mouth to perhaps spots where there are no lyrics. If I can't see your mouth I don't know how well you're lip syncing. Find your balance, and run with it. In terms of non dance movement, hitting a beat with a quick arm movement or facial expression can really elevate a performance.
   
   
8. Have a Look - This is the last thing I can think of off the top of my head. Having a look or costume to go with the song you picked not only shows effort but can keep the video very engaging. Now obviously not everyone has access to tons of costumes, wardrobe, wigs and accessories so don't be afraid to get crafty. For example back in season 2 zoomyx made wigs out of yarn! Competitor Sailor Evan in season 1 is known for his viral construction paper Sailor Moon outfits. Even a simple t-shirt and some rudimentary makeup can be turned into a look that helps you tell a story with your video.
   
   
9. Filming Camera Angle Orientation - If you film on your phone, don't film in portrait mode. It cuts a lot out of the video and while you may have more room up and down to work with you lose a lot of room to your left and right, it also can be very distracting and take away from what otherwise be an absolutely stellar performance.
   
   Overall these tips can and WILL help you in the long run, I wish you all the best and good luck!
   
   Now with all that said I'm now going to reveal the 6 people I voted for in no particular order.
   
   /u/BitchEva /u/mtd1988 /u/Kamui_Gr /u/itsbrohan and I don't know Sheba Maneater or Lady T's reddit names.
   
   Now good luck, and don't fuck it up
   
   Edit: SECRET TIP NUMBER 10! Carrion Threads - If you don't get in or didn't audition but want to still participate, make a video and post it in the Carrion Threads! These threads are named after April Carrion from Season 6 of RuPaul's Drag Race, after she was eliminated she would post the runway looks for each theme that she brought to the show on her social media. In the spirit of that you guys can follow along in them and they're great practice to really hone your skills for next year! Stick around and lip sync with us!

It's really, really easy to get started. Don't get me wrong, there is definitely a high level of production value that you can achieve (later on if you want to, or maybe never), but starting off is quite a simple thing.


All you really need is a laptop, a webcam, and decent internet... and maybe a soft lamp. It's best to have an ethernet cable running to your router if you can, for faster speeds than wifi. You can get a pretty cheap webcam that does a decent job, or shell out a little more and get something a little better. The best (or at least most popular) webcam for camgirls I have found is this one. Inbuilt laptop webcams might do the trick, but use your judgement on whether it looks good enough or not. Would you watch something of the quality you're producing?

There is sooo much information on ambercutie forums, but a trap that I fell into early on is feeling like you need expensive lighting, the best webcam, an amazing mic and so on when you really dont.

On the subject of lighting, it really makes a difference to be well lit, but you don't need photography-standard umbrella lights. I have two soft lamps a little bit behind my laptop so I'm lit from two angles, and it works really well. You just want to make sure they're soft and you're not casting yourself into shadow on one side, and MOST IMPORTANTLY not solely lit from above, like from a ceiling light. That is some unflattering shit.

I really like Myfreecams.com because it's easy to use, high traffic, the token conversion is easy to understand, the payment methods are easy and reliable, and probably least importantly is that there seems to be fewer rules regarding what you can and can't do (which makes it a little less stressful). Have a look at the aforementioned forum for advice regarding choosing a site. Verification can sometimes be a pain but if you have a driver's licence and a scanner you'll probably have a really easy time.


This is a loooot of information to take in all at once, I know. Even though I could go on and on for ages, like I said before, keep it simple to start with and don't stress yourself out with the nitty gritty - you might get so stressed you don't want to even begin. Bear in mind, this is all about the SOLID parts of camming, the technical aspects. The mental game is a whole other topic entirely, and I would be happy to answer more questions if you're asking.

Good luck! xx

Boy, Ubiquiti sure doesn't make it easy for the average home user/consumer to get a grasp on their products and offerings. I fumbled my way into a similar situation as yourself, perhaps bits of my ramblings will be helpful for you. I started off with a trusty little ER-X, fully planning to outgrow that little device within a matter of months. That did NOT happen, as it's quite a capable router for the $49 I invested in it. It even handled load-balancing dual WAN connections without breaking a sweat. And there's a PoE passthrough for pairing the router with a wireless access point. After being so thrilled with the ER-X, I decided it was time to bring our wireless capabilities into the 21st century and ended up going with a UAP-AC-LR, which has continued to serve us well over the past ~18+ months, or so. I was getting consistent remarks on just how great the WiFi was all of a sudden after deploying that lovely little UFO shaped device. Do yourself a favor and avoid the CloudKey, unless you have a very specific use-case / need for it. There's dozens of ways to run a UniFi Controller that are both cheaper (free?) and better, IMO. If you just have the single access point (I only have the one) you could potentially even stand it up simply by using the UniFi mobile app to set it and forget it. It only needs to run when you want to make modifications, or changes to your setup, but the options are immense. You can even run the software on your desktop PC, pretty much whatever you have on hand will suffice.

In an effort to give a somewhat complete run-down of your options, there's another line of products, where many folks prefer to go with a pure UniFi setup. The USG is on par with the ER-X, but it's twice the cost with less power and less features. The only added bonus is that you get to manage it from the same menu/interface as your access point(s), so your metrics and charts will fill out more and look a bit prettier, but how often do you really sit around and look at how much data your network devices are pulling? I still prefer the EdgeMAX dashboard over the UniFi Controller interface, especially considering the fact that I'm not wholly convinced the values are particularly accurate, so it may be of little value if that's something you actually need for your use-case, rather than just a pretty toy to view. Hope some of this helps, if you have further questions, please ask away! Below I'll list the absolute bare-bones, budget-conscious way to get into an incredibly stable home network setup, from my experiences. I only recently upgraded my Edgerouter-X with an Edgerouter 12 from the Early Release store, and today is the day my upgraded fiber package gets flipped on. Goodbye 100Mbps, hello Gbps! Sadly, not symmetrical... but that's for another time and place. Best of luck with your decision(s). I swear by my little "hybrid" network with the Edgerouter at the core and the UniFi access point (i've since added a mish-mash of switches, but unless you have a large need for ethernet connected devices, the ER-X should be plenty to get you going. This TP-Link was the absolute cheapest "managed" (smart) switch I could find in my research. I'm not quite sold on the UniFi switches, but I often wish I owned an Edgeswitch Lite, but someday I'll learn more than just the basics of the used Cisco SG300-20 i picked up to be the "core" switch of my network. Both the ER-X and ER12 have the added bonus of built in switching chips, so you get the best of both worlds which gives you quite a bit of flexibility in a home/lab environment.

TL;DR -- Edgerouter-X paired with UAP-AC-Lite with the UniFi Controller software running on pretty much whatever you have on hand (RPi, Google Cloud Compute, AWS, any old PC, etc.) and you will have a rock-solid network core with dreamy WiFi that'll get you compliments for weeks, if not months from your significant other and/or housemate(s).

BenQ PG2401PT - a bit over your budget bracket, but I think I would go for it personally if I could afford it. Reason for it being the 10bit panel (my new favorite). However, as with everything it has its drawbacks and for that monitor it's the size, only 24inches.

The PG monitor features a 10-bit IPS panel that uses a 14-bit 3D Look Up Table (LUT) to guarantee silky smooth color gradation on any image. The 10-bit panel can create more than one billion colors--64 times the amount of color available on an 8-bit panel, and with 14-bit processing capability, generates crisper definition and improved gray-level distinction. The 14-bit 3D Look Up Table (LUT), monitors improves RGB color blending accuracy, resulting in impeccable color and gray tone reproduction. Rated to 350 cd/m2 brightness, the monitor’s Brightness Uniformity Function enables PG series monitors to certify a consistent image across the entire display.

ASUS PB278Q 27-Inch - Almost 600 reviews and still sitting at 4.5/5 stars. Pretty lucky for you as the price on amazon.co.uk and amazon.com is almost the same, but the UK one is priced as £ (£465) instead of $($469). People who own it state its a good multi-purpose monitor. So even though it is a PLS monitor it should be fine.

ASUS PB287Q 28-Inch 4K - 4K version of the above monitor. 100 reviews, 4/5 stars.

Samsung 28-Inch 4K LED Monitor (U28D590D) - pretty decent looking monitor, but has mixed reviews so could be a gamble.

That's roughly it for now. Here's a pretty nice IPS monitor list with USD prices and some helpful notes. I got a few more monitors noted down, but they are gaming monitors with 144Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, G-sync etc.

I think it's worth checking out NEC monitors, which seem to be mega expensive, but offer amazing specs. As to Korean brands, I haven't looked around, have you found any good looking ones with decent specs?

As it stands the BenQ BL2710PT or Asus PB278Q are best choice for you, both 27 inch and 1440p. Also, since you aren't gaming then maybe have a look at 4K monitors? Obviously 4K requires a bit more powerful pc.

Alright, here we go:

PLANNING

You mainly need to figure out how many cables you need and where you'll run them to. Obviously you'll need one to each location of an AP or camera, so you need to figure out how many you'll run to jacks for connecting Ethernet devices. The bare minimum is one to each TV location and desk location, in this case you'll connect a switch to the jack if you need to connect more than one device. The ideal number is five to your main entertainment center, and two to every other TV location and desk location. This hopefully eliminates the need for secondary switches. In addition, you should run one Coaxial cable to each TV location including your main entertainment center. Add up all the Ethernet cables you'll be running, and keep this number in mind.

As for the network hub location, the best place for it is the basement, preferably an unfinished part of it near the entry point of your internet service. If you don't have a basement, use a utility room. Just make sure it has some sort of ventilation, you don't want stuff getting too hot.

EQUIPMENT

For the actual Ethernet cable, you'll want to get a 1000 foot bulk spool. Get pure copper rather than copper clad aluminum (CCA) and solid conductors rather than stranded. It needs to be riser rated (pretty much any will be) but plenum rating is pointless unless you'll be running it through air ducts. Your big choice here is the category rating: Cat5e or Cat6. Cat5e is good for gigabit, Cat6 will future-proof you for 10 gigabit. Cat6 is more expensive, thicker, and trickier to terminate as the spec only allows a quarter inch of untwisting rather than Cat5e's half an inch.

Keeping in mind the number of wires you plan on running, you'll need a punch-down patch panel with at least that many ports that matches the category rating of your cable. You'll also need punch-down keystone jacks, these also need to match the category rating of your cable. You won't need them for cables going to cameras or APs, you'll just need one for each other cable. For each location where you'll be installing jacks, you'll need a single gang old work low voltage bracket (or a surface-mount box), and a keystone wallplate. Six ports for the main entertainment center, three for each other TV location, two for each desk location. You'll also want a keystone coaxial coupler for each TV location including the main entertainment center.

You have another big choice to make for the main switch, a managed PoE switch or a dumb unmanaged switch. The managed PoE switch will simplify things a lot as it'll power your cameras and APs, while with an unmanaged switch you'll need to use PoE injectors. A managed PoE switch will, predictably, be much more expensive. Either way, you'll ideally want one with at least as many ports as the total number of Ethernet cables you'll planning to install, plus one for the router. You can get one with fewer ports, but then you won't be able to connect all your cables to it at once, you'll need to just connect the ones you're currently using. If you'll be going with a managed PoE switch, get one of these UniFi switches: 8-port with 4 PoE, 8-port with all PoE, 16-port, 24-port, or 48-port. If you'll be getting an unmanaged switch, any is fine. Just make sure it's gigabit. I used this one in my previous house, for example.

For the router, you'll want the UniFi Security Gateway.

You've got another big choice to make for the APs: Lite or Pro. The main difference is that the Lite has two 5 GHz streams, while the Pro has three. Only high-end devices like Macbook Pros have 3-stream Wi-Fi hardware, so if you don't have any devices with this, the Pro won't give you any benefit. Also, since the Lite is cheaper you can get more of them for the money, as more APs rather than better ones is the best thing you can do to improve your Wi-Fi. Both of these are available in single-packs and 5-packs, the single packs include PoE injectors but the 5-packs don't. If you're getting a PoE switch, consider getting a 5-pack of Lites.

You'll need something to run the UniFi controller. This is the software that you use to manage all the UniFi gear in one place. The easiest thing to do is install it on an Ethernet-connected PC and just run it when you need to make changes or update firmware. If you want a dedicated device for running it all the time, you can use a Raspberry Pi or Cloud Key. The Cloud Key is PoE-powered, so it's particularly convenient if you have a PoE switch.

You'll also need a few RJ45 plugs for the AP and camera cables, a crimping tool for them, a 110 impact punch down tool for doing your jack and patch panel terminations, and something to strip the cable jacket. Normally this will be built into the crimper.

Lastly, you'll need a lot of pre-made Ethernet patch cables to connect everything in your network hub. Get ones that are as short as possible, 1-3 feet. You'll need one to connect each cable you've installed from the patch panel to the switch, one for connecting the switch to the router, and another for connecting the router to the modem/ONT (this one may need to be longer). If you'll be using any PoE injectors, you'll need an additional cable for each one. You could make all these yourself, but this is very tedious and time-consuming, and hard to get right. The wires need to be in the right order and all 8 need to be connected for gigabit to work. Lastly, you'll need one for each actual Ethernet device you currently have, these should be 6 feet or longer if necessary.

INSTALLATION AND SETUP

The first thing to do is run all the cables. Camera and AP lines go to the device's location and get an RJ45 plug, all the others go to a keystone jack box/bracket/faceplate. Whenever possible, leave a foot of slack at both ends in case you need to re-do terminations. I like to terminate each cable after I run it, as it makes things easier to keep track of. For all the jacks, note the port number of the cable at the patch panel, and write that same number on the faceplate next to the jack. When you do the terminations, make sure to untwist the wire as little as possible, particularly if you're using Cat6.

For the APs, install the ceiling mount bracket using the included hardware, connect the cable to the AP, and then just put the AP on the bracket and twist it to lock it in place.

At the network hub, first hook up any PoE injectors you'll be using. Connect the patch panel port for the AP/camera cable to the injector's PoE port, and connect the injector's LAN port to the switch. Plug the injector into an outlet. Now connect the rest of the patch panel's ports to the switch, or if you have a smaller switch just connect the ones you're currently using. Connect the USG's LAN port to the switch, and its WAN port to your modem/ONT. Make sure your APs are getting power, their ring light will be white if they are.

Now, open the UniFi Controller (wherever you have it set up) and go to the Devices page. Adopt everything, and update everything's firmware. Go through it and set up everything the way you like. All the UniFi devices will light up blue once adopted and configured.

yeah definitely! tons of online videos. i wouldn't consider myself an expert in computer knowledge, but i've built a couple of basic rigs and done work on my macbook. hardest part about replacing the hard drive is making sure you either

a.) have the necessary files to complete a full reinstall or


b.) can work a program like disk utility or carbon copy cloner to make an exact clone of your HDD (this is super simple either way)



I put a kingston SSDnow v300 120gb in my early 2011 macbook pro. it has a 2.7 i7, 16gb of ram (another easy and huge upgrade, technically overkill but i do graphic design and photography for a living) my mbp is great now.

I've read some trouble about the negotiated link speed on older gen MacBooks getting locked at 1.5gb/s instead of the 3 gb/s SATA II standard. This isn't really a problem, you can fix it i believe with a firmware patch, basically it means instead of getting ~200-210mb/s read and write, you'll get more like 128 mb/s and 170 mb/s ish. still A LOT faster than your standard hard drive. boot up time is dramatically reduced, and opening programs becomes a split second ordeal.


Here is the SSD i just installed | $69.99 (very good price for decent 120gb drive)

here is the connector to mount the SSD outside of the macbook to format it and clone your HDD to it. technically this isn't necessary, but its 8 bucks that might save you from pulling the computer apart again when you can't boot from the SSD.

-----------------------------------------------

Here's a good video that shows how straightforward replacing the HDD is in the older macbooks


Helpful video on how to clone an HDD with Carbon Copy Cloner


Great comparison on how drastically this improves your machine

Here's a few useful links:

Crucial.com | Sells RAM and SSD's, high quality and Mac compatible. Another alternative if you want to explore options


Carbon Copy Cloner download site. I used this to copy my HDD, had no issues

Samsun 840 EVO 120gb | Good price for a great SSD

OCZ Vertex 460 | Another great SSD

I'd recommend doing a RAM upgrade if you only have 1gb, that wouldn't run you much either. SSD is more bang-for-your-buck than RAM upgrade is IMO. Hope this helps! Feel free to pm me with any more questions!

So I bought a new wireless headset from Amazon that had the promo tag on it, (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VANOFY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) however I never got the code. Amazon chat told me a few minutes ago that the item wasn't fulfilled by Amazon so it doesn't count, so I'm hoping senpai notices me :P

My MMO life hasn't been too long, roughly 8 years or so. I'm a huge fan of FF, and played just about every game in the franchise except for XI...so I picked it up and it was so much fun, but really really quiet. I started the game maybe 5-6 years after launch, so there really wasn't anyone to play with, not even considering that I joined right when Abyssea came out, which coincidentally was when much of the population left the game.

When rumors of XIV came out, I was so excited. The biggest thing for me was that I could finally play a FF MMO on the same playing level field as other players, and I could actually do and play content while it was new. I always hated that I was "left behind" in XI, so this was a big deal for me.

I partook in the beta test for 1.0 and was there the day the game launched and continued to stay, even while others I met and played with in the game left. While others griped about the game and how bad it was, I was looking around looking at everyone like they were crazy - because I really loved the game and it was MUCH MUCH better than XI IMO. I also really really liked the changes Yoshi and his team brought to 1.0 even though I understood the game I grew to love was going to come to an end one day.

Yoshi and his team had done a really good job to pull those who really paid attention to the world and lore together (not including all of the special "hidden" surprises as time continued to tick away) so The Calamity felt immersive, and it was pretty special. You could feel the tension in the air while we were all waiting in Mor Dhona for the Empire on that last day....then the servers went down and we were greeted with "the end of an era" trailer - perfect ending. Tears were shed. I was devastated. NO game could ever come close to this experience.

Fast forward a few years and I still play every day, slowly making more progress. I recently got my 240 relic (BRD) on Friday, and my static recently cleared AM6 (for the FIRST TIME after 11 weeks) last Monday, and again on Tuesday, so even though I am a "legacy" player, I'm still celebrating milestones... even almost 5 1/2 years in.

I love this game very much and I have lot of hope for the future. Yoshi P and his team really do seem to listen to what the players want (contradictory to what most would believe) and I believe it shows. I think our best days are ahead of us in this game and I can't wait to see what the expansion has to offer.

Most of the monitors here are free sync and I would say have good implementations however I will include a Gsync category.

​

I would not recommend 4k for the 2080. It would be able to run games around 60 fps at 4k however refresh rate will make things more enjoyable. Also, 4k high refresh rate monitors are currently very expensive.

​

Good value companies to look at:

Viotek

Pixio (Did not list since availability issues but worth looking at)

Nixeus

​

More established companies to look at:

Acer

Asus

Samsung

LG

Gigabyte (They have one monitor on the market)

​

​

TL;DR of VA vs IPS

IPS has slightly better viewing angles than VA.

IPS has slightly better colors VA.

IPS has better response time than VA.

However, VA does not have defects like IPS glow and much better contrast, so much better blacks and such.

​

TL;DR of TN vs IPS

IPS has much better viewing angles than TN. TN will color shift if looked at straight on.

IPS has much better colors than TN.

TN has the best response rate.

TN is basically worse in every way than VA and IPS except for response time.

​

​

27"

Nixeus EDG 27" (NX-EDG27S v2) : $399.99

Here is one of the best value 1440p, 144hz, IPS monitors

https://www.amazon.com/Nixeus-FreeSync-Certified-Monitor-NX-EDG27S/dp/B07N4DL9F7/ref=sr_1_1?crid=32PU0K3VQCQXR&keywords=nixeus+edg27&qid=1555093535&s=electronics&sprefix=nexius+e%2Celectronics%2C126&sr=1-1

Aorus AD27QD 27": $595.33

Arguably one of the best 1440p, 144hz IPS monitor:

https://www.amazon.com/FreeSync-Monitor-Exclusive-2560x1440-Response/dp/B07MVX3PKS

VIOTEK GN27DB 27": $329.99

A good value VA panel by Viotek

https://www.amazon.com/27-Inch-Monitor-Samsung-FreeSync-GamePlus/dp/B078P57ZWL/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=viotek&qid=1555094420&s=gateway&sr=8-3

Samsung CHG70 27-inch: $499.99

A good quality Samsung monitor however I would say it is overpriced, uses a VA panel

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XSQ5QN8/ref=emc_b_5_t

Dell S-Series 27" (S2719DGF): $368.75

A good cheap TN panel usually can be found around $300 on sale

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-27-Inch-LED-Lit-Monitor-S2719DGF/dp/B00N2L5CXO

AOC Agon AG271QX 27" : $390.00

An alternative to the dell.

https://www.amazon.com/AOC-AG271QX-2560x1440-Adjustable-DisplayPort/dp/B01G5JYN0C

​

​

32"

LG 32GK650F-B 32": $408.98

This is the LG monitor I would recommend over the one this post has

https://www.amazon.com/LG-32GK650F-B-Monitor-FreeSync-Technology/dp/B07FLGR2PN

BenQ EX3203R 32": $537.99

Here is an alternative Benq monitor

https://www.amazon.com/BenQ-EX3203R-FreeSync2-Brightness-Intelligence/dp/B07DPVRZXG

The two 32" monitors are also VA panels.

​

​

34"

MSI Non-Glare UltraWide 21:9 Screen 34": $419.99 also there is a $20 MIR.

Here is an MSI ultrawide (21:9) 1440p inside your price range

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824475018

Currently on sale on Newegg, however, remember Newegg has a terrible dead pixel policy.

Instead, I would buy it from B&H even though it is a little more expensive: $449.99

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1443762-REG/msi_optixmag341cq_34_curved_21_9_lcd.html

Acer ED347CKR bmidphzx 34" 21:9: $499.99

Here is an alternative ultrawide in case you don't want the MSI one

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1415643-REG/acer_um_ce7aa_001_ed347ckr_34_va_curved.html

Both of the ultrawide monitors I have listed are VA panels.

VIOTEK GN35DR 35" 21:9: $449.99

Another ultrawide alternative by Viotek

https://www.amazon.com/VIOTEK-GN35DR-35-Inch-Ultrawide-Monitor/dp/B07L9GL6WH/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=viotek&qid=1555094420&s=gateway&sr=8-4

​

​

Gsync monitors (Would not recommend since you are paying extra for gsync without any apparent benefits anymore since free sync now works with Nvidia GPUs)

Dell Gaming S2716DGR 27.0" : $446.00

Can be found on sale around $350 mark. This is a TN panel

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Gaming-S2716DGR-LED-Lit-Monitor/dp/B0149QBOF0

Acer Predator XB271HU bmiprz 27" : $599.99

The old goto monitor before free sync became compatible with Nvidia gpus.

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-XB271HU-2560x1440-Display/dp/B0173PEX20

ASUS ROG PG279Q 27" : $699.00

The other goto monitor before free sync became compatible with Nvidia gpus.

https://www.amazon.com/PG279Q-DisplayPort-Adjustable-Ergonomic-EyeCare/dp/B017EVR2VM

Hey! It looks like you've got a pretty solid build started here! I just want to point out a few things to make your life just a little bit easier.

1. The motherboard you have will NOT work with the CPU that you've chosen. You picked a Z170A board, which works with the 6th and 7th generation (if BIOS is flashed) of Intel CPU's, and you're buying an 8th generation. So I would recommend this board or this one instead. Either will work, it just depends on how much money you want to spend.
   
2. Don't buy the power supply you've picked. It puts out way more wattage than you'll use, so I would recommend saving some money and maybe picking up this one. As a bonus it has an RGB fan, so that's kinda cool. It's also fully modular, meaning that you only need to plug the cables into the PSU that you need instead of having extras to hide in your case.
   
3. I'd also save some money on your RAM. This set is cheaper, faster, and only requires that you use two of your RAM slots instead of all four. More upgradeability in the future!
   
4. Think about if you really need 2TB of storage right now. The 1TB SSD you have picked out is going to be great, and if you're new to PC gaming it's going to have plenty of space for awhile. You can always pick up a new HDD (like the Seagate one you have in your cart) later down the road.
   
5. With the money that you've saved, I think that you could upgrade your graphics card from your 1060 (a GREAT option, don't get me wrong) to a 1070 like this one. (EVGA is a great company in my opinion, and I love their graphics cards.) It's a great contender for both 1440p and 1080p gaming!
   
6. Others have said to get a cheaper air cooler instead of opting for the water cooler that you've picked. If you decide to go that route (completely fine) I would maybe go with something like this if you want something extra beefy to keep your CPU cool, or this less beefy one. Either way, 8th generation CPUs run hot, so the water cooler you have would work great.
   
   So there ya go! I hope that you enjoy your new build, it's going to be amazing! If you PM me I'll add you on Steam and we can play some games together when your build is all set!

Not OP, but we've deployed Ubiquiti products in a few of our enterprise customers and it is running great. I am not sure how much you already know about networking, but I'll explain for anyone else reading.

First, some background to fully understand what it is you are trying to do. The thing that most consumers call "routers" are really three things: a router, a switch, and an access point. TLDR the router portion is the thing that actually moves traffic between machines, the switch extends how many physical ethernet ports you have, and the access point gives you wifi.

The Ubiquiti Access Points (UAP) are just access points. You will still need a router to route traffic, and your consumer one will work just fine for most people. If you are looking to get something more SOHO, Ubiquiti also makes their own router/firewall (check out USG, or ideally EdgeRouter). For all intents and purposes, it is a pretty good idea to separate the roles of your network (physical appliances for the router, firewall, wireless, etc...), and you can have as many UAP's as you'd like for wireless. The UAP's run off of Ubiquiti's 24V Power-over-Ethernet (POE), which can be provided via a POE injector or with a Ubiquiti Switch (either Unifi or EdgeMax). So for a basic network, you'll disable the wireless functionality on your consumer router, and plug a UAP into a port (obviously you'll need to pass it through the POE injector first). Rinse and repeat for however many UAP's you want, maybe another one on the other side of the house for example.

The UAP is pretty useless on its own, though. It needs a piece of software called the Unifi Controller. The software is free, and you can run it on Windows, Linux, or with Ubiquiti's appliance called the Cloud Key. Within Unifi Controller, you'll setup the UAP's; e.g. setting the visible wifi name (SSID), security, channels, etc... It isn't too complicated, the interface is really intutive and anyone who is even slightly technical could figure it out. The controller also serves another really important feature, which is zero-handoff. As long as the controller is running, your device will connect to the access point with the best signal. This is the seamless switching you asked about.

Ubiquiti also is focused on mesh networking, although we are generally pretty against that for businesses for reliability reasons. Of course, the exception to that is Cisco Meraki, which is a hybrid that will self-heal. If you lie and say you are an IT professional, you can get a free Meraki with a 3 year license. Just make sure that you follow the rules.

As a note, I would stick to the UAP AC's. They are the newer version and run great. For consumers, the UAP-AC-LITE is going to work fine. Obviously there is more to networking and wireless solutions than what I went over here, but this is the general gist of it.

So the good news is that WoW is not very demanding when it comes to computer specs, but I assume you want to get use out of this laptop in the future as well, so let's look at the recommended specs because those are usually at least still better than the minimum for the next expansion or two. Basically we just want to go down this list and match them to the specs on a laptop, and usually a higher number on something like a CPU, GPU, or RAM is better.

The Recommended Specs
> OS: Windows 10 64-bit with latest service pack

> CPU: Intel Core i5-3330, AMD FX-6300, or better

> GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 750 Ti or AMD Radeon R7 260X or better

> RAM: 4 GB

OK- Good news is that most every laptop you can get now runs windows 10 64-bit, so that's a really hard one to miss.

As for CPU, how fast your PC can process the information, we're looking at an i5-3330, it isn't super important that you know what that means, just that you want an i5-xxxx where that number is at least 3330 with intel or you'll have to look a bit more for comparisons with ADM just because of how they name their parts.

GPU is easy again, you generally just want something with a 750 Ti (note that this is slightly more powerful than a 750, but anything above 750 should still be fine) or higher with Nvidia, or 260X or higher with AMD.

Then RAM is easy again, just 4GB or more.

I don't know what your price range is, but here are some laptops that fit this build:

MSI GL62M - $800

Acer Aspire E15 - $580

Dell Inspiration 5000 Gaming - $639

Asus P-Series - $499


All of these should do fine, but if you don't need a laptop I would suggest building a desktop. It is much easier to upgrade over time and lets you adapt to what you need it to do instead of having to upgrade the entire laptop.

Here's a link to a build that you could use It's from PC part picker so all of the items here are compatible and will fit together, you can mix and match things to fit what you want. It pulls the lowest prices and shows you where to get parts from with links - $826

Video on building your own PC Part 1

Part 2

I used these videos to build my PC with no prior experience. You can also try r/buildapc

Hopefully this is helpful.

It does help! I’ve been out of the loop laptop-wise for a while, but I’m still pretty in touch specs-wise. If what you want is a portable machine with whatever battery life that can play r6 and MMO’s, you would a laptop with an intel Core i5 7th gen, (or amd equivalent), a gtx 1060 (or amd equivalent), 16 gb of ddr 4 ram, a 1080p screen with 60hz (I highly recommend 120hz or greater) and whatever storage you want. All this is with future proofing for at least a year in mind

But, you can blow all of those specs out of the water with a budget of up to 2000$. I would recommend you buy a machine that will last you a while. For your CPU, an intel Core i7 8750hq, for your GPU (graphics card) an rtx 2060, 16 gb of ddr 4 ram clocked at 2400mhz, and, again, whatever storage you want.

(Keep in mind that and SSD is better than a hard drive in that it’s load times for whatever is stored onto there is a lot faster than a hard drive). I also recommend a 1080p screen with a 120hz refresh rate or higher.

Anyways, hope this helps! Please ask any questions in DM’s or this thread! I’ll probably go and edit this comment later with some laptop recommendations because now I’m invested.

Acer Predator Helios 300 for 1200$

I also highly encourage you to check out the YouTube channel Jarrod’s Tech Review as he does really good reviews on gaming laptops. There’s a lot of techno-speak, but he’s very in-depth and I trust his opinion on recommendations.

I also like Dave Lee just try and steer clear of the razor blade laptops. They are very good laptops with very good performance and specs, and they look beautiful, but they’re overpriced in my opinion and outside your budget of 2000$.

Let me go over my picks for you.

Number 1 best value: Acer 240HY. 23.8", IPS, and almost no bezels. 60hz, so pretty great for the price, with HDMI.

Number 1 best 144hz gaming monitor: Viewsonic XG2401/2701. It has freesync, the best color of all sub $300 monitors, and can rotate into portrait mode if needed. This monitor is fantastic if you have an AMD graphics card. If you do not, however, you'll either want a G-sync monitor (Much pricier) or go for a Benq and save money, since those lack freesync (Which doesn't benefit Nvidia cards anyway) but still have fantastic ratings.

Speaking of which, this is the best 144hz monitor without Freesync or Gsync. BenQ XL2411Z

Want a fantastic cheap Freesync monitor? Look no further than any size of these Viewsonics. Viewsonic VX series. All are 60hz but overclockable to 75hz (Nice!) and they all have freesync. I'd still recommend the #1 monitor I listed first, since IPS will probably be a lot better on your eyes, but these are great alternatives if you want a cheap gaming monitor and have an AMD card.

Want 144hz gaming but you're a cheapskate? No problem. Either buy the AOC G2460PF (Freesync!) which doesn't look quite as good as the Viewsonic I mentioned second but is $60 cheaper, or go for the Atron Vision AVF24 for an alternate, highly rated but lacking Freesync monitor. You can even get them used off Amazon for $150ish too!

Personally, I think for you, the first monitor I listed is your #1 best bet, BUT you can, if you really want to pinch pennies, go for the Acer H236L 23" monitor and buy it refurbished for almost exactly $100. It's also a bezel-less monitor, looks okay, and has high ratings. Personally, based on my research though, if you're going to buy this one new, go instead for the Acer I listed at the top, since it's IPS and this one is LCD. It still seems the better deal.

Happy shopping!

Right, crash course time. I'm not really into the fighting game scene, barring watching a few EVO matches, but I'm going to go ahead and assume that they use TN panels, which prioritize high refresh rate and low input lag over picture quality. That one you linked most certainly does. If you've been using a TN monitor for a while, I'm not surprised that your friend's Predator got you thinking.

For picture quality, you have two options for panels: IPS and VA. Some people will tell you that IPS is the only way, but those people are wrong. IPS monitors clearly win the areas of color quality / vibrancy and viewing angles; TN panels have awful color shifting when viewed off-center, and VA panels, while better, aren't fantastic. On the other hand, all IPS panels bring with them the dreaded "IPS glow," a soft, pale light from the corners visible in dark content.

VA panels, on the other hand, stomp the competition when it comes to contrast - compare ~500:1 for TN, ~1000:1 for IPS, and ~3000:1 for VA - making them an excellent choice for movies. Think the difference between LCD and plasma televisions, which is actually not far off, technologically speaking. But, they're incredibly slow - there are only a handful of VA panels available with refresh rates over 60 Hz - and not really suitable for fast-paced genres like FPS.

Also, consider that both IPS and VA panels have inferior response times and input lag, compared to TN. Almost all gamer-oriented TN panels have ~1ms response times, while IPS aim for ~4ms and VA are lucky if they get ~8ms. What this means is that things might seem a little sluggish when you start out; I emphasize "might" because some people, like me, don't care about the difference, and others don't even notice it. Manufacturers attempt to fix this problem by building "overdrive" into their monitors, essentially pouring more juice into the pixels to force better response times. As you might imagine, though, this comes with its own problems, including higher input lag and "overshoot," faint trails and blurs behind fast-moving objects. This one I do care about, and it's one of those things that once you see it, you can't stop seeing it. IPS panels can suffer from this problem, but VA is where it gets really nasty.

So, in summary, you have three options:

• TN panels, which offer blazing speed and near-CRT levels of input lag, but often have poor colors, contrast, and viewing angles. This is almost certainly what you have right now.
  
• IPS panels, which offer rich colors and almost perfect viewing angles, but have only middling response times and suffer from glow. This is what your friend has.
  
• VA panels, which offer fantastic contrast and middle-of-the-road colors and viewing angles, but have low refresh rates and often suffer from input lag and overshoot.
  
  There are also other features that you might want to consider, but if you're not into PC gaming in a big way, they might be a waste. A few:
  
  
• 1440p+ resolution. This one can be nice even if you don't game. Higher resolution makes for a clearer, crisper picture, but does significantly decrease performance in games and can flummux Windows' and Linux's UI scaling to this day. Still worth it, in my opinion. Do note that the best resolutions for each screen size are probably: 1080p for 24", 1440p for 27", 4K for anything bigger.
  
• 21:9 aspect ratio ("ultra-widescreen"). I haven't used this one myself, but I hear it's pretty great, especially for games and movies. For applications, it might not perfectly replace two monitors, simply because you can't do things like full-screen a video on one monitor and work on another. It's up to you on that one.
  
• 120+ Hz. Fast refresh rates allow for more fluid gameplay, provided your graphics card can hack it. That 780 is a bit long in the tooth for this, at least with recent titles. In addition, 120 Hz offers a neat bonus: it's a perfect multiple of both 24 Hz and 30 Hz, which means it will eliminate judder in nearly all media.
  
• G-SYNC / FreeSync. Designed by NVIDIA and AMD, respectively, these technologies sync your display's refresh rate with your graphics card. What this means is that you can experience tear-free, buttery smooth gameplay without having to enable VSync and all the input lag nightmares that come with it. Note that, while FreeSync monitors are often competitively priced, G-SYNC adds a hefty tax, and you can't use one company's tech with the other company's graphics cards.
  
  Well, that's just about all you really need to know about finding a new monitor. As for suggestions, I don't really keep up with all the latest models and whatnot, so I'll leave that to others. The Predator is an excellent monitor, though. If you liked your friend's so much, why not get one yourself? It's right in the middle of your budget at ~$750, and includes all of the neat features above, minus 21:9. For $50 more, the ASUS PG279Q offers a similar experience with maybe juuuust a bit better colors. Finally, Acer also offers the 34-inch, IPS, 21:9, curved XR341CK for ~$840, which is...just...wow...really quite a...reasonable price...hmmmm. There's also the G-SYNC-enabled X34, but that $400 premium is absurd.
  
  Well, I know that was long, but I hope it helped. I just think it's always best to know what you're looking for, rather than just following some random recommendations. If you've got any questions, it's my long weekend, so ask away.

Everyone is saying the Logitech G502, and I could not agree more. I actually have 2 of them because I travel quite a bit for work. It has all the buttons you'll need right on the mouse to be an effective slayer of n00bs. It has a button which can select different DPI profiles which makes it easy to switch back-and-forth from Xbox to PC modes.

​

Keyboards can be subjective based on how you like your "finger feel" and noise level. For me, I cannot say enough good things about the Logitech G13 gaming pad (and holy balls I just realized how expensive it is, I don't think they make these anymore. Check on eBay for a cheaper price if interested). Buttons are right where they need to be, and it has nice ergonomic support for your wrist - it's designed for gaming comfort, not cranking out emails. The keys are not too clicky, but also have a nice feel to them. Also included; buttons to quickly switch between gaming profiles. Handy if you need different button keymaps for various different games.

​

My main keyboard, which I've also tested for gaming and cannot say enough good things about, is the Logitech G513. It has a sleek, minimalist design and comes with wrist support. The keys are a bit louder than the G13, but they are easier to press. It also has a surprisingly sturdy frame. The weight of it surprised me during the unboxing. It was oddly satisfying to hold in my hands which gave the impression that it was well engineered and of good quality.

​

As for the XIM, I've been a non-commissioned sales rep for it since the XIM 3 was released. These guys keep making better products, and the XIM Apex is no exception. The key (in my humble opinion) to giving it that PC feel is to find the right ballistics curve. I've found one that works very well with every game I've played. If you want more details on it, send me a private message and I'll give you the code that you can paste right into the XIM app on your phone. Another tip to making your experience even better on the XIM is to set the Hz to 1000 in the XIM app, and also set your mouse to 12000 dpi. Again, if you want more information on how to do that, just send me a message. I take great joy in helping people maximize their experience with the XIM.

Wow is not easy on your left (keyboard) wrist. If you are prone to having wrist pain, I'd recommend looking into getting either a Razor Orbweaver or a forget what the budget Orbweaver is called, or trying to find a Logitech G13. These are so much more wrist and MMO friendly, its insane.

What I'm using is an Azeron keypad, which is similar, just that its not a "big name brand", but rather a dude and his wife working on these with a 3D printer. I used to play League of Legends with an Orbweaver, but after 2 Orbweavers dying on me after about 1,5 years of gaming, I decided to explore a bit. The price range was the same, might as well go and give some money for the "little guy", and try out something new. I really like it, but the build quality is just not there. Its looks 3D printed, and most parts do feel very not... solid. But the layout is REALLY fucking good, its the best thing I have ever used in my life.

I basically use the joystick with my thumb as WASD, and the skills are programmed on the 12 keys you can reach very easily with your other 4 fingers. I have a Roccant Kone Aimo, so I set one of the buttons to shift, so with that modifier I can basically "instapress" 24 skills, and still move around like its nothing. If I had to play wow with a regular keyboard, I would quit on spot for sure. I... how the fuck would I have that much keybinds... Prob no way. The Azeron is not available for sale atm, I think there will be a preorder or something around september, bc they are going to "upgrade" from being a garage company to having employes and stuff. I'm really happy for them, and I truly hope they will make it big, cause this shit is amazing, and I want one that has sturdier build quality. I'm ordering another one in sept for sure, just so I'd have a backup :D

Sorry this will be a lot of information, but when you're buying something that sits on your ears for hours at a time, you want something that feels good.

Newegg has the Gamecom 780 on sale right now for 28 bucks. They usually float around 50-60 bucks so it's a really good deal. The only problem with them is they're not very drop friendly as they're plastic. The audio and mic quality are amazing for the price though.

If wireless is more his speed a Corsair H2100 is in your price range or a Logitech G930. I just recently bought a Corsair VOID on sale for 95 bucks and it was the best decision I've made in a long time, best wireless headset I've used. (but normal price is about 120)

Links:

Gamecom 780 priced 27.99

Corsair H2100 priced 99.99

Logitech G930 priced 84.36

Corsair VOID wireless priced 129.99

Pro's and Cons:

Gamecom 780

• Pro: One of the best gaming headsets in the $50 range.
  
• Pro: Easy to setup software, buttons on headset are easy to reach and use
  
• Con: Very prone to breaking, if they fall the wrong way, they're toast
  
• Con: Wired, I belive a 6 foot cable. Very limiting in distance (if you buy one of these buy a USB extension as well)
  
  Corsair H2100
  
  
• Pro: Very good entry wireless headset, clear mic audio and decent sound quality
  
• Pro: Wireless so no cables in the way
  
• Con: Battery life
  
• Con: Distance is short before cutout
  
  Logitech G930
  
  
• Pro: Easy to use and reliable
  
• Pro: Good range on headset (longer than H2100 and roughly same as VOID)
  
• Pro: Build quality is nice, audio quality is decent
  
• Con: Wireless receivers die before the headset does (will start with randomly dropping connection)
  
• Con: Mic gets white noise in it
  
• Con: Not very loud/Charge doesn't last long
  
  Corsair VOID RGB
  
  
• Pro: Strong build quality, clear mic, great battery life
  
• Pro: Good quality audio, can go very loud, bass drivers are decent
  
• Pro: Long range, Similar to G930
  
• Con: Software interferes with some other programs currently, Corsair is working on a fix (The headset does not require the software, it is just used to control simulated surround sound and lighting)
  
• Con: Feels loose on your head, the mesh fabric makes it slide against your hair
  
• Con: Users have reported turning on/off the headset can sometimes put the headset into a failed mode, and require being plugged into the computer to fix (i have not experienced this and could have been fixed in a firmware update already)

Hey Crimson! I have a pretty good amount of experience with camera work for my gaming videos!


I'm not sure what your budget looks like, so I'll start with the cheapest solutions first.


I would suggest the most easily obtainable camera for live action stuff would be just to simply use your smart phone! For example, the iPhone camera shoots with a Sony CMOS sensor in full HD! Just make sure you stabilize it on a tripod or flat surface because the auto image stabilizer is pretty terrible at times. Secondly, if you do choose this option, I would highly recommend using a different audio source. Smart phones traditionally don't always have the best audio recorders on board.


A web cam is probably your second best solution! Full HD cams can run about 50-100 bucks, but they usually get the job done. Though again, with all these recommendations, I'd suggest you use an alternative microphone for audio.


If your not willing to use cheaper alternatives like a smart phone or a webcam, then I think your best bet would be the GoPro. These products are massively popular for a reason; they can provide BEAUTIFUL footage if used correctly. You can probably find one of these bad boys USED for under 200 on craigslist. For the relatively small price tag, this is one of the best all purpose cameras on the market.


Finally, if you have a decent budget at your disposal, I'd suggest the T3i. If you only plan on using this camera for rare occasions, then I'd advise against purchasing it. However, if your hoping your channel would rely heavily on live action content, then this is it. This is your solution! It might end up running you a little over 500 bucks, but this is the camera a majority of youtube creators have been using. There is a slight learning curve, but when you get the hang of it, your videos will look fantastic.


Like I said though, never use the on board audio recorders these solutions provide for you. Buy a separate microphone if quality is a big concern for you in your videos!

Hi /u/codyhart - I am a GH4 shooter. It is a great camera, but with a $3000 camera budget, I would buy a camcorder.

As you say, by the time you buy ND filters, a Speedbooster to compensate for the GH4's sensor size, an XLR audio solution with decent preamps and rigging (e.g., a top handle) to compensate for its ergonomics - you might as well buy a real video camera.

In your price range, I recommend a [$2499 like new Super 35 4K JVC LS300 from a JVC authorized dealer] (https://www.amazon.com/JVC-GY-LS300CHU-Ultra-Camcorder-Handle/dp/B00USBVISE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?m=A2G9URD6L8MGV6&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1487606994&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) with a [$238 Canon to micro 4/3 autofocusing adapter] (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=2&pub=5575034783&toolid=10001&campid=5337235943&customid=&icep_item=351515840152&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg) and something like a [used $264.93 Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 lens with a 30 day warranty from Cellular Stream via Amazon] (https://www.amazon.com/Sigma-17-50mm-Aperture-Standard-Digital/dp/B003A6H27K/ref=as_li_ss_tl?m=A3GMNP3CXMIPDP&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1487606647&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20).

The LS300 has these features the GH4 lacks:

• 1080/120p slow motion (the GH4 is limited to 1080/96p)
  
• built-in ND filters
  
• built-in pro XLR inputs with phantom
  
• dual card slots (the GH4 has one)
  
• top handle
  
• LOG profile (the GH4's LOG profile costs $100 extra)
  
• built-in IP encoder for [live streaming] (https://youtu.be/Y3oYNy47yYo) with a [$9 wi-fi dongle] (https://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811Un-150Mbps-Raspberry-Supports/dp/B003MTTJOY//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20)
  
• SDI out
  
• full size HDMI out
  
• power zoom rocker with [prime zoom] (https://youtu.be/0Eq4_hPzQPc), which gives you a 2.5x lossless zoom with prime lenses
  
  I have shot with this camera, it is a solid pro camcorder with the ability to produce high quality 4K video at a reasonable price.
  
  Here are a few examples of the image quality this camera can produce:
  
  Narrative
  
  
• [UrbEx by Filippo Chiesa] (https://vimeo.com/200431612) (4K)
  
  
• [Даниил Хармс стихотворение Страх |Тест камеры JVC GY-LS300 by Александр Носовский] (https://youtu.be/xyO_-T7BhdM) (1080p)
  
  
• [JVC LS300 Test Footage by Hamilton Video & Sound Limited] (https://youtu.be/qQoDt62DNak) (1080p)
  
  Music Video
  
  
• [JVC GY-Ls300 Test 001 by Dario Viola] (https://youtu.be/LRWuOhLSAi8) (1080p)
  
  Corporate/Commercial/Interview
  
  
• [Halloween AM Skit by Robert Grant] (https://youtu.be/knzu5ZLgYMc) (1080p - Local TV promo - LS300 used on some shots)
  
  
• [KW Realty Group Experience, Anniston, Alabama by Barrett House Productions] (https://youtu.be/5fSgXSCEg9M) (1080p - [Azden SGM250 pro XLR microphone] (https://www.amazon.com/Azden-SGM-250-Professional-Powered-Microphone/dp/B00XWG2YBW//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) plugged directly into the camcorder)
  
  
• [Indian Oaks Event Center Community Golf Course by Barrett House Productions] (https://youtu.be/CLBbyXualSs) (1080p)
  
  Live Event
  
  
• [Supersonic Lips - House of Blues - Mas Musica Festival by Juan Flores] (https://vimeo.com/185562492) (1080p)
  
  
• [JVC LS300 Sample low light Footage (The Pocket Band) by Lonzos Studios] (https://youtu.be/VXEWARTJhv8) (2160p)
  
  Wedding
  
  
• [4K Ultra HD Wedding Film - Kassandra & Ralph's Photo Shoot by Jim Merchant] (https://youtu.be/d4pILlMyFEM) (2160p - shot with manual Rokinon cine lenses)
  
  
• [Kristin & Doug's Wedding at Glen Magna Farms 4K Ultra-HD Wedding by Jim Merchant] (https://youtu.be/GdKBKd5_e2Q) (2160p - shot with the LS300 and a Sony AX100 consumer camcorder)
  
  
• [Wedding with a jvc gy-ls300 by NOA NOA] (https://vimeo.com/154440004) (1080p - shot with the LS300 and Panasonic auto lenses)
  
  J-LOG on Vimeo (please watch at 4K and your monitor's highest resolution)
  
  
• [Japanese garden with the JVC gy ls300 by NOA NOA] (https://vimeo.com/162712903)
  
  
• [JVC GY-LS300 4K J-Log Vision] (https://vimeo.com/138523082)
  
  
• [Palm Springs Photo Festival 2016 - JVC LS300 footage by Zachary Andrews] (https://vimeo.com/164723392) (4K J-LOG)
  
  1080p on Vimeo
  
  
• [Breathing in New Life] (http://vimeo.com/120445118)
  
  
• [“Honmonji Temple” in GY-LS300 by moribun] (https://vimeo.com/139214323) (downscaled from UHD to 1080p, downloadable if you're a Vimeo Plus or Pro member [if you're not, you can sign up [here] (http://vimeo.com/pro/new?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=prosubscribe-cj-vimeo-bizlander-300x250-20130424&utm_campaign=7696)])
  
  
• [JVC GY-LS300 Camera Test] (http://vimeo.com/122736335)
  
  
• [A Snowy Day in Ann Arbor, Shot with the JVC GY-LS300 by Chase Stanton] (https://vimeo.com/158042771)
  
  J-LOG on YouTube (please watch at 2160p and your monitor's highest resolution)
  
  
• [GY-LS300 4K J-Log1 "KYOTO New Year's Day" by GAIPROMOTION] (https://youtu.be/efJrfawjVw0)
  
  Non-LOG Gammas on YouTube (2160p)
  
  
• [GY-LS300 UHD 4K w/ Canon 70-200 and 85mm lenses by JVCProfessional] (https://youtu.be/QYCdxMrvAoA)
  
  
• [JVC LS300 Clips by Hamilton Video & Sound Limited] (https://youtu.be/OzgGwCUdZV0)
  
  
• [EVS’s test footage for the JVC GY-LS300 4K super 35 Cinema camera] (https://youtu.be/S47dceBcuJI)
  
  
• [TOKYO“I”land KOWA PROMINAR w/JVC KENWOOD GY-LS300 by Satoshi Watanabe] (https://youtu.be/WO8DW5d0isE)
  
  
• [JVC GY-LS300 4K Footage by elton chong] (https://youtu.be/0pYEFhE3xLE)
  
  This camera is not perfect. It has a tiny viewfinder and LCD, so you'll probably need to buy an EVF - and, although it has 4:2:2 chroma subsampling, it is still an 8-bit camera.
  
  But for less than $3000, it is the most flexible large sensor, interchangeable lens 4K Super 35 camcorder on the market.
  
  Hope this is helpful and good luck with finding the right camera for your needs!

No problem. I really don't know what monitor, but I HIGHLYYY suggest and almost as this point require you to get an IPS display lol...its BEAUTIFUL. There are some high end gaming ones(qniq or something) which are 1440p, IPS, 27", 120hz refresh rate gaming monitors. I think you can only buy them online though, never used or seen one.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CIZZ0QO/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I have this monitor as well as another older 24" TN monitor and the difference is night and day. I really like the one on that amazon page although I wish I had gone 27"(mainly because I have the space for it). I prefer matte finish over gloss, 2-5ms reponse time is the best you can get, and 60hz refresh is the standard(gaming monitors go to 120, but I dont think we have any besides the qniq that are IPS as well).

I7's are fine for multithreaded stuff(photoshop, video processing, animation, etc) and while some games may take advantage, it depends on what games you play. Most of the games right now utilize the GPU more so than the cpu(may change in a few years, nobody knows; i heard witcher 3 recommends an i7). If you WANT to spend the money, an i7 is fine to get. It might come in handy later, it might not which is why I didn't add it. It's not a bad idea, it's just that you may never utilize it fully. The i7 is on sale at microcenter right now so you'd be adding about 80$ to your build which at this point would probably be worth it(normally it's $339). I have a feeling you really want to spend the money and get something that will last so in that case getting 2x8gb of RAM would be worth it as well.

http://cpuboss.com/cpus/Intel-Core-i7-4790K-vs-Intel-Core-i5-4690K

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2187021/true-4790k-4690k-dont-benifit-gaming.html

With the i7 4790k and now I upped you to 16gb of 2x8gb RAM:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor | $279.99 @ Micro Center
CPU Cooler | Noctua NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler | $99.99 @ Newegg
Motherboard | MSI Z97S SLI Krait Edition ATX LGA1150 Motherboard | $99.99 @ Newegg
Memory | Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory | $119.99 @ Newegg
Storage | Samsung 850 EVO-Series 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $188.99 @ Amazon
Storage | Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $44.99 @ Amazon
Video Card | MSI GeForce GTX 980 4GB Twin Frozr Video Card | $549.99 @ SuperBiiz
Case | Fractal Design Define R5 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case | $107.99 @ SuperBiiz
Power Supply | SeaSonic M12II 850W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply | $114.99 @ Amazon
Case Fan | Noctua NF-A14 PWM 82.5 CFM 140mm Fan | $23.99 @ Amazon
Case Fan | Noctua NF-A14 PWM 82.5 CFM 140mm Fan | $23.99 @ Amazon
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total (before mail-in rebates) | $1674.89
| Mail-in rebates | -$20.00
| Total | $1654.89
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-03-13 21:20 EDT-0400 |

edit: http://www.amazon.com/BenQ-GW2765HT-27-Inch-LED-Lit-Monitor/dp/B00KYCSRSG/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1426296104&sr=1-1&keywords=benq+27+inch+monitor+2560x1440 This is a decent monitor, I've heard good things about BenQ but never used one myself.

http://www.amazon.com/PB278Q-27-Inch-LED-lit-Professional-Graphics/dp/B009C3M7H0/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1426296300&sr=1-1 This is another Asus one you can look at.

You could also consider getting 2x24" IPS displays and setting them up side by side. The two I've listed below here are 2560x1440p so the resolution is much more than the 24" ones.

The R9 390 is much, much cheaper and offers same or better performance. I made a few changes. Here's each change, and why.

i5-4690k: can still be overclocked, but since you mentioned nothing about streaming, the i7 is pretty much unnecessary. The price difference between the i5 and i7 is not big enough to warrant so much money unless the i7's hyperthreading really benefits you. In most games (recently, poorly optimized games like fallout 4 have been wanting an i7), the i7 will offer little, if any benefit.

Cooler: Less noise. Lower temps.

RAM: Cheaper. Same performance, still a reliable brand and 16gb.

SSD: Newer. Better in all ways.

Video card: Literally the best card on the market right now. If you're staying at 1080p, I recommend the AMD R9 390, but this GTX980ti is top of the line and there's pretty much nothing better that isn't called a Titan. Offers huge 1440p performance.

PSU: Not overpriced as hell, but still provides efficiency and good power delivery and stability. Also, you could proooobably add a second 980ti if you want to play at 4k and have to buy a new PSU.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor | $227.99 @ SuperBiiz
CPU Cooler | CRYORIG H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler | $34.50 @ Newegg
Thermal Compound | Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver 3.5g Thermal Paste | $4.55 @ OutletPC
Motherboard | Asus Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard | $139.89 @ OutletPC
Memory | G.Skill Sniper Gaming Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory | $62.99 @ Newegg
Storage | Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $84.88 @ OutletPC
Storage | Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $49.98 @ OutletPC
Video Card | MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card | $596.99 @ NCIX US
Case | Corsair 500R Black ATX Mid Tower Case | $109.99 @ Amazon
Power Supply | EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply | $101.99 @ NCIX US
Optical Drive | Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer | $17.78 @ OutletPC
Operating System | Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) | $89.99 @ NCIX US
Case Fan | Cougar Vortex PWM 70.5 CFM 120mm Fan | $14.89 @ OutletPC
Case Fan | Cougar Vortex PWM 70.5 CFM 120mm Fan | $14.89 @ OutletPC
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | $1551.30
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-09 16:44 EST-0500 |


Wifi card that supports bluetooth: http://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-Bluetooth-Expansion-Components-GC-WB867D-I/dp/B00HF8K0O6

What to expect from Black Friday...

Deals on:
Motherboards
Power Supply
RAM
Storage (SSD,HDD)
Case
Monitors

Don't expect any deals on CPU or GPU beyond some free games they might include. If anything a lot of these brands will run out of stock quickly, pricing will go up, and don't jump on those products just because "limited inventory" because they'll restock in a week or two.

I just built this PC with all parts showing up by next Tuesday and It's my first build! I've been on this Laptop since 2016 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015PYZ0J6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It served me well for 2 years, but does not do well with Lightroom, Photoshop and definitely not Premier or GoPro studio....

I just did my homework, lean on me for any questions you have as deals come up and I can help you navigate!

Invest in a good PowerSupply... has "850W" on it's label does not mean it's good quality... Look at redditors comments on each one you're exploring. Spend a lot of time on reddit.com/r/buildpcsales and sort by the category you're looking for.

Invest in a good Monitor... Just because it says things like HDR/1ms/155hz/1440p does not mean it's a great monitor. Perhaps it's good enough for you, but some people here have said "Had to return 'x' monitor in a week because the glare was too awful" So don't run into that.

Each category and each topic deserves your time. I think the easiest decisions I made were the AMD Ryzen 7 3700 OC+ and my GPU (although I sort of wish I went for a 2080 like you did here! Or even the 2080ti... That thing is a beast), that was easy, Motherboard a redditor found for me and I fact checked it to be a great one... Storage was easy... go for PCI SSD... can't go too too wrong... Opt for a HDD too if you do have lots of photos... Just grab a 2TB or something to put that stuff on... Don't skimp on RAM... https://pcpartpicker.com/product/QDhKHx/corsair-vengeance-rgb-pro-16gb-2-x-8gb-ddr4-3200-memory-cmw16gx4m2c3200c16 I got these and they were highly recommended... I got them for $56 though! So I had my eye on them for 3 weeks and jumped on a deal when I saw it..

If you're looking for good youtubers... Bitwitz, Jayztwocents, MY FAVORITE Monitor youtuber... https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9M8-Fo7m7edE8-H7GLtz3A he's a german guy and does amazing reviews... He's good for you too because he's always looking at monitors that are G-sync capable and not Free sync... if you don't know what that is, let me know!

I would not buy the HP laptop for the following reasons:

1. It only has a 1366x768 resolution screen. The lower the resolution, the less information you can see on the screen at once. Try setting the resolution on your laptop's screen or desktop monitor to 1366x768 to see what it looks like. Note that setting the resolution below the native (max) resolution will make text look a little blurry. I generally a 1080p screen (1920x1080).
   
2. The laptop relies on the Intel UHD 620 graphics core. While it can be used to play some non-graphically demanding games (like some old games from before 2012) or some indie games; it is generally not recommend for games that can be rather demanding like Fornite or Overwatch. They are not very demanding games at all compared to something like the Witcher 3, but they are not games ideal for the Intel UHD 620 especially Fornite.
   
   ​
   
   ======================================
   
   ​
   
   The following Acer Aspire E15 E5-576G-5762 laptop for $560 represents the best bang for the buck when it comes to gaming performance. It is the least expensive laptop with the nVidia mx150 which is more powerful than the integrated Vega 8 graphics core in the Ryzen 5 2500u APU which is in the Dell Inspirion 15 5000 laptop. However, it is a heavier laptop at 5.27lbs and it comes with a smaller 256GB SSD.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-i5-8250U-GeForce-E5-576G-5762/dp/B075FLBJV7/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=mx150+laptop&qid=1563814234&s=gateway&sr=8-3
   
   ​
   
   The ASUS Vivobook K570ZD for $640 represents the least expensive laptop with the nvidia GTX 1050 which is definitely more powerful than nVidia mx150 in the Acer laptop. It is paired with the 1st generation Ryzen 5 2500u APU. It only has a 256GB SSD, and it weighs in at 4.32lbs according to the specs listed on Amazon. Be aware that the battery is usually the heaviest component in a laptop. Laptops typically sacrifice battery life in exchange for being lighter. Never trust what the brand name advertises for battery life. That is usually extremely optimistic; in this case Asus advertises 9 hours. The rule of thumb is cut what is advertised in half when doing things that are not CPU and / or graphically intensive. If playing games, then cut that in half again (if not more). Read user reviews to get a better idea though.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Vivobook-GeForce-Fingerprint-Backlit/dp/B07MKLLVFZ/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=gtx+1050+laptop&qid=1563818215&s=gateway&sr=8-3
   
   ​
   
   Acer Nitro 5 (2017 version) with Intel i5-7300HQ and GTX 1050 Ti. This is absolutely the most powerful gaming laptop for less than $700; it's $698. The GTX 1050 Ti is probably about 25% more powerful than the GTX 1050. It only has a 256GB SSD.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Gaming-i5-7300HQ-GeForce-AN515-51-55WL/dp/B074Q54GSR/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=gtx+1050+laptop&qid=1563818575&s=gateway&sr=8-10
   
   ​
   
   I purchased the 2018 version as a gift which has the newer Intel i5-8300H which is slightly more powerful thant the i5-7300HQ, but still has the GTX 1050 Ti. I can tell you that battery life is short at 3.5 hours with average usage. I assume the i5-7300HQ can get hot similar to the i5-8300H CPU. I recommend downloading a program called ThrottleStop to undervolt the CPU. Google for instructions on how to use ThrottleStop. Out of the box the i5-8300H hit 95c when I was stressing the CPU, using ThrottleStop helped reduce that to about 86c. That's considered "warm". You can leave it as is, but if you want lower temps, then the thermal paste would need to be replaced with something good like Artic MX-4 (or the more expensive but highly praised Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut). Doing so decreased the max temp to something like 77c from what I recall (as stated it was purchased to be given as a gift). However, doing so does void the warranty so if you do not want to risk loosing the warranty, then do not replace the thermal paste until after the warranty has ended.

I've had my HD598s for a couple years now and while they've been a huge upgrade from my previous headsets (things like the logitech gaming headsets) I've been looking at getting a semi-significant upgrade. I've been mostly looking at the HD650s, 700s and the AKG k712s, trying to find a good balance of looks cool (I really like the k712 design) and sounds good (only heard good things about the 650s and mostly positive about the 700s, but I'm not a huge fan of the latter's looks).

Disclaimer: I'm very new to general headphones shopping so forgive my inexperience here.

----

Budget - $400-500USD, fairly flexible

Source - My desktop, through a to-be-determined DAC/amp (currently have an e10k but I've been eyeing The Element for quite some time, if anyone has any input on that that'd be great too)

Requirements for Isolation - None

Will you be using these Headphones in Public? - No

Preferred Type of Headphone - Full-sized/over-ear

Preferred tonal balance - Haven't experienced a huge variety of headphones to say for sure or really develop a strong preference, but I do like some good bass. Hopefully looking for something that will pack a bit more of a punch than my 598s.

Past headphones - The aforementioned 598s. As I said the bass isn't super great on them, but I understand that that's just kind of how it is with open-back cans, and I don't particularly hate that about them, just something I'd like to improve. That's pretty much my only complaint though, I do enjoy these headphones, just looking to upgrade to something more mid-upper range.

Preferred Music - My listening habits seem to change every few weeks. Plenty of classical for when I'm working, but I've been on a big lofi indie folk punk binge lately. In general I keep coming back to classic rock and some electronic music though. I also do some movie watching and a lot of gaming on the same computer, if that affects anything (I know plenty of big-name streamers use 650s but not sure if there's a specific reason for that).

What would you like to improve on from your set-up - Since I don't have any real hard complaints with my current phones I'm not sure if I can pinpoint specific areas I'm looking to improve. Coming from these things to the 598s was so night-and-day that I haven't considered specifically what points I'd prioritize.

Edit: I'm also not solely trying to chose between the three headphones I mentioned above, but those would probably be my top three choices at the moment, I'm definitely open to other suggestions!

Looking for my first mechanical.

• Uses: Typing/coding, gaming (Already have a Logitech G13 that I use for some games though)
  
  
• Full-size (I use the number pad in some of my graphic design apps and like to have it available, I think, but maybe I could adjust if I didn't have it if it really is better. I also use the arrow keys to nudge things around in graphic apps)
  
  
• Wired (Don't like having to charge things)
  
  
• Brown (I got the WASD Tester and I like the bump of browns without the click. The clicky ones are too loud for my taste)
  
  
• No brand loyalty or preference
  
  
• Budget: Under $200 would be nice, but I could justify more if necessary
  
  
• USA
  
  
• Definitely want it to be backlit, but not necessarily fully programmable with full RGB and disco features
  
  
• Current keyboard: Logitech G15 The screen is a gimmick and I never use it or any of the other media keys, macros, or layout switcher
  
  
• Would like the option to customize with cool keycaps as some of the best keyboards seen here.
  
  I always liked typing on Mac laptop keyboards, the low profile made me feel like I could type a lot faster and more accurately and with less fatigue. I've been following the Tesoro Gram XS for a long time as I thought that might be a good compromise between a Mac keyboard and a mechanical, but the reviews seem pretty mixed so I'm afraid to jump in on that one.
  
  I've read through a bunch of the wiki pages, but was hoping you guys could help narrow down my search a little based on the above criteria.
  
  Thanks!

Hi there!

1. This sexy microphone. You know what's awesome? Recording yourself on the computer. Or skyping. Or third thinging. And this mic has some pretty stellar reviews. I'd love to get a good mic for my computer. I'm considering getting in to making tutorials and posting them on one of those "learn how to do things" websites, but my current mic won't but it for that. Also, my current mic (which is really just a crappy headset) sucks.
   
   
2. I can't remember if you like Game of Thrones, or if you've seen it, but the newest season is sitting on my wishlist. If you haven't seen it, you really ought to, as it's fantastic and I love it! And if you have, well, see it more! :p
   
   
3. You know what else is good? The Walking Dead. And what's even more interesting than the show is the source material. There are three of these compilations (all are on my wishlists) that cover 50-ish volumes of the original comics each. It's no secret how into the series I am, and the comics don't disappoint. Give them a shot if you're even a little interested, regardless of this contest.
   
   
4. Webcams are helpful, and anyone who ever uses one should have a good one. This seems to be a good one. I know I could use it, and I'm sure there's something fun you can use it for too :p
   
   
5. Classics are good, even if they're a bit bogged down with awkward prequels. Star Wars is a fantastic series of movies, and they're all available here. I've really been wanting to rewatch them! I also have steelbook versions of the individual movies on my wishlist, but this entry is more contained.

Your 450W is probably fine. The 970 lists 500W as the minimum, but the rest of your system is pretty low power. The FX-6300 is not a very power hungry CPU, and a link to your actual motherboard model would be helpful, but only a little. It's a small board, and they don't consume much. You should be maxing out at <400W, and you should be running your PSU between, oh, say, 60% and 85% load (it's fuzzy, and newer PSUs have wider peak efficiency curves than older supplies for the most part) at all times so it runs most efficiently. If it's running too far under load or too close to its max load, your PSU is losing efficiency and running hotter and wasting electricity, and wearing out faster as a result. Many newer, higher end supplies, like EVGA's Gold- and Platinum-certified models, can even maintain peak efficiency up to 95% of their max output - we don't know your actual power supply model.

Note, if shopping for these, that their efficiency certifications apply within their peak efficiency curve - not above or below it. Therefore, most supplies that are advertised as something along the lines of "80+% efficiency" means they run that efficiently between somewhere around 60%, and somewhere around 85%, of their max output - so, roughly, between 270W and 380W on a 450W supply (and even 400W is not far above it).

If you are dead set on upgrading, you'd be best suited not putting one in with a much higher capacity unless you're going to be upgrading more on your system to more power hungry components or adding a second video card in SLI (which is losing software support as time goes on and not many people would recommend). I would not shop for more than a 600W PSU, or you're wasting your money twice over - once in buying an overkill power supply, and again in wasted electricity on your utility bill every month.

I would not say that your 450W is plenty or more than enough, but I would say a decent 450W PSU is correct for your system. I don't see a reason for you to replace it.


As a side note, you may want to check that your motherboard actually has a PCI-e 3.0 slot to use with the 970, or your motherboard could be slowing your graphics card down pretty hard. Prebuilt systems like that are usually not made with upgradability in mind - they usually contain the minimum specs for the included components, as anything else would be a waste of money.

If you do the install and find you really need the new PSU, or you're just not confident without the upgrade and want it regardless, here are two I'd recommend: 500W and 600W. You are almost certainly fine with the 500W model, but the 600W is still a good pick for you, and will allow for future major system upgrades. The 600W model also has an equivalent that's semi-modular for an extra $5, if you want easier cable management. EVGA's PSUs are extremely robust and absurdly reliable, and yes I'm shilling, because their products, warranties, and support are top notch. And they'll actually hold up consistently to whatever they're rated for.

This unit scored 4.5 out of 5 on Amazon. Please note that this model is discontinued and there are many refurbished units available. This looks like a refurbished unit. I would check warranty. Pass if 180 days or less. You can get a 1 year warranty on a refurbished unit if bought from the Dell Outlet. I paid $360 new from Amazon in December right as these were being discounted/discontinued. You will also need a keyboard & a mouse ($25-50), a headset with mic ($10-100+) and possibly a monitor ($100-150).

You are not going to get an unbiased opinion on a pre-built PC in a sub-reddit called buildapc. These are a great buy at ~$360 for new(er) units. These can be use for low to middle desktop gaming but are designed as an affordable set-top PC console. For the listed games, this unit will do okay to very good (not great to mind blowing fabulous) graphics.


Things to know:

• These are made to hook up to a HDTV and only have a single HDMI port for graphics. There is no VGA port. Thus, you will need a monitor (or TV) that takes HDMI or DVI (DVI requires a HDMI to DVI cable or adapter).
  
  
• The default interface is called HiveMind and built on top of XBMC/Kodi and will launch Steam in Big Picture Mode. This computer interface is designed to be controlled with a controller. Many PC games support a controller. However, 3 of 4 games you listed are best played with a mouse and keyboard.
  
  
• For audio output, these only have HDMI and S/PDIF ports. Because your son wants to play online with friends, he will need a headset with mic. You can use a [Xbox 360 headset ] (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_11?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=xbox+360+headset&sprefix=xbox+360+headset%2Caps%2C169) that plugs into the game controller ($10-25). - OR - Get a USB audio adapter ($6) and use a standard wired headset ($10-100). I recommend the USB audio adapter if desktop gaming. My unit had a problem that when the game controller shut off the PC audio would have problems. If you hook to a TV, look into getting a wireless headset ($50-100+) or again a headset that hooks into the controller.
  
  
• The game controller for this unit is wireless and requires 2 AA batteries. I recommend getting rechargeable batteries and a charge base ($25) because the controllers eat batteries and need a place to live when not in use.
  
  
• Plan to get an extra wireless xbox 360 controller for when his friends come over or he needs a quick controller swap.
  
  
• Plan to upgrade to Windows 10.
  
  
• For this unit a SSD swap down the road is recommended and an extra 4GB of memory while you are at it.
  
  
• There are 5 USB ports. 2 in the front, 2 in the back, and 1 hidden on the bottom. I found it's actually pretty easy to run out of USB ports. My configuration: one for the wireless game controller dongle, two for the keyboard & mouse, one for the USB audio adapter.
  

Yeah sure, the Samsung ones are really great. Price wise they go for more than a hard drive but are definitely worth it. This one here is going for around £88 new for 250GB ($130) but will be cheaper if you are buying in a already built PC.

The sales pitch is that SSDs are around 10x faster than regular hard drives. The reason this is useful is because DayZ has a lot of landscape and objects that are read directly off your drive every time they come into view. The faster the drive, the faster your game. It will also increase your FPS by a healthy amount. My game looks fantastic after upgrading and I was even able to run the game in full 1080 HD which was uncomfortable before (the FPS was too low for me to enjoy it).

Also DayZ is currently really processor heavy and doesn't necessarily rely on a graphics card as much as other games. This may change in the future however. I would suggest getting an Intel processor definitely with at least 3.0Ghz power or more if possible.

Since this is a laptop you are buying, I would suggest looking for one with an Intel processor (i5 if you can) with an SSD and a graphics card if you want. The Intel chip has an inbuilt graphics card which will run the game fine if you have an SSD but the game may rely on a graphics card more in the future so getting one could be a good idea in the long run.

This may cost slightly more but will run the game 10x better than the laptop you posted and you will be so much happier I promise. The Intel chip will also help you do everything else you need to do on the PC brilliantly and will last you a long time. Hope I've helped and see you Chernarus!

I'm mainly echoing some things that other people have said but here's my two cents,

Can you use your thumb very well? You could consider investing in an MMO mouse like someone else suggested.

Also, if you have at least some use of your left hand to hit keys, like say, for example, you can hit 1, 2, and 3, but not 4, 5, and 6, you can consider getting one of those gaming foot pedals, and use the pedal as modifier keys so you can do say, like, 1 as a key by itself, left side of the pedal and 1, right side of the pedal and 1, and so on.

Another option which again, depends on your hands, is one of those ergonomic gamepads. You might find it easier to use one of these because of how the keys are spaced and curved inward than a traditional keyboard.

Again, I don't know your exact situation, but those are some recommendations as far as some hardware goes, which take varying degrees of monetary investment (but can be translated to other games, too!)

As far as your initial question involving Voiceattack, I don't know how Jagex's bot detection software works (obviously) but the general rule they put out is one input = 1 output, so if the program only does 1 thing per thing you tell it to do, like for example, if you tell it to use your 1 key, and it only presses that key once, then you should be good to go. However if it's set to hit 1, 2, and 3 in order when you only give it one command, then that's a no-go. But I personally would try to reach out to Jagex and get some sort of feedback from them first. That way if you somehow get banned or something, you're already out ahead of it and would probably have no issues getting your account back. Hypothetically speaking, though I'd think that this hypothetical is pretty out there anyway as long as the program is used within the one input = 1 output rule.

^ Also don't take my word to be gospel on this, I strongly strongly recommend getting official word from a Jagex rep before trying anything with any sort of program like that if you value your account

Good luck, and I wish you the best in your gaming endeavors

So the first thing you should decide is what type of internet to get. The vast majority of people get cable or fiber (if they can afford it and if it's available). Both of those options give you good reliable internet. The cheap option is to get DSL which works over telephone lines. DSL usually has low speeds and isn't as reliable but only costs like $30 a month compared to $60-100 for better internet. If you like to stream movies or do anything outside of very basic browsing, I would say to get cable if you can afford it. What you do then is find a provider for that internet (internet service provider - ISP). Comcast, Cox, AT&T, Verizon, and many local companies are ISPs but you're probably limited to only one or two in whatever region you live (assuming USA). You should also know that these companies have random naming conventions for their services (Comcast calls their cable Xfinity while AT&T calls theirs Uverse) So you go to their web sites and compare plans and find something that works for you (if you don't know what speed you need, I would recommend 20 Mbps or more for streaming and normal use, 50 Mbps if you're a really heavy user). You can use this to find out what providers even have wiring in your area (if the top speed for a certain provider only shows as 10-25 mbps, then it's likely only DSL).

If you go with cable, you'll need both a modem (which receives the internet connection from the cable built into your apartment) and a router (which takes that wired connection and turns it into wireless - wifi). I would recommend buying your own hardware because companies like Comcast charge you something like $7-10 a month per modem/router that you get from them, which ends up being more expensive than buying your own to start with. If you buy your own modem, make sure it will work with whatever cable provider you select (something like this is standard). After that, you hook up your router. There are many to choose from. You can get one for as little as $10-30, but I would recommend getting a better one like this if you can as it performs exceptionally well and is easy to set up as well.

If you have any specific questions, let me know.

Hey /u/QuestionSleep - Nice work on the sounds for your video! It looks like everyone is giving you a bit of a hard time about the video quality though. So I'm here to help! :)

Here's a couple of super basic things to help you:

• Light is EVERYTHING! Having lights behind you (like your window) makes any camera have to lower the gain and exposure (fancy words for the way the image sensor takes in information which requires light). The best thing you can do with what you have right now is turn around so all the lights are behind the camera. That way the exposure and gain will come down and your framerate will go up. If you want to really help your videos get a simple table lamp and have it pointing at your face without getting in the shot, super cheap lighting!
  
  
• If you can afford it, a new camera would be great! Decent webcams can be cheaper than you think too! I'm guessing you are American so head over to here for something to put on Santa's list! http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Webcam-Widescreen-Calling-Recording/dp/B006JH8T3S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416858979&sr=8-1&keywords=logitech+c920
  
  That webcam will film at a good frame rate automatically in 1080p. Problem solved!
  
  Other than that, keep it up! Us ASMRtists have to keep working. Let me know if I can help you any more. And awesome Power Rangers top! :D

Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you, but I had classes at school all day. Here is a build for you in all Euros.

CPU: $218

MOBO: $119

RAM: $92

SSD: $70

HDD: $40

GPU: $480

OS: $23

Case: $117

PSU: $104

CD Drive: $21

TOTAL: $1284

I realize that this is over your initial budget, but you mentioned that you could add an extra $100. Now for the explanations:

• I did not change your CPU, but instead just found an actual link.
  
  
• You do not need to buy thermal paste, as your CPU comes with a stock heatsink, which has thermal paste pre-applied.
  
  
• I changed your motherboard to a compatible one, and then changed it again (when making the list in euros) for price reasons. Also keep in mind that Z series motherboards (as in Z97) are meant for overclocking. This is a method of getting better performance from your CPU. However, it requires specialized parts, like a Z series motherboard, and an unlocked CPU (shown with a K as in 6600K). These parts are more expensive. Because of that, I recommend you don’t overclock, which means you do not need the fancy, Z series motherboard. Instead I went with a H170.
  
  
• Because I went with a different motherboard, different RAM was needed.
  
  
• You chose a GTX 970 GPU. I switched it to a 1070. The reason for this is that it is a newer card with better performance. The 9 or 10 in the front shows which series the card is in, and the 70 shows which version of that series it belongs to, with a higher number meaning better performance. So therefore, a 1080 is better than a 1070 or 1060, and a 1070 is better than a 970 or 870.
  
  
• You chose a Fractal Design R4 for your case. This case is the older version. I upgraded it to the R5.
  
  
• Lets talk PSU’s. These can be very confusing. Obviously, you need to pick one that can supply enough watts to power your PC. You did that just fine. However, there are other things to consider. When it comes to PSU’s, not all watts are created equal. Two PSU’s may provide the same amount of power, however be very different in price. The cause of this comes down to the build quality of each. This affects 4 (main) things, noise, reliability, modularity, and efficiency. Hopefully the first 2 are self-explanatory. If a PSU is fully modular, that means that all of the internal cables that attach to your motherboard or GPU or hard drives or whatever can be completely removed from the PSU itself. This is very useful as it allows you to manage them much better. Efficiency means that less of the power you draw from the wall is being lost as heat. This not only reduces your electricity bill, but also means that your PSU will be cooler, creating less heat for your CPU and GPU. Efficacy is rated using the 80+ scale, which you can see here. Because of these 4 factors, I went with a higher-quality PSU.
  
  Hope all of this helps! If you have questions, related or not, feel free to message me!
  

I've been helping people pick computer parts a lot lately, and here's my go-to current build (as in, where I feel price/performance is optimized)--it's usually around $1000, NOT including monitors. I built two for my company (minus the video card), and they are wonderful. If you want to compare: CPUs, GPUs.

>Case: Corsair 200R, $73

>http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Carbide-200R-Compact-CC-9011023-WW/dp/B009GXZ8MM/

>Cases cheaper than this price point will become flimsy, break, literally cut you, and otherwise fall apart over time. I like the way the 200R is, too--no LEDs, no weird shapes, and 2.5" drive slots.

-

>Motherboard: Asus Z97-A, $145

>http://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Z97-A-DDR3-2600-Motherboards/dp/B00K2MAU5Q/

>This is a medium range motherboard with PWM case fan pins: an extremely quiet combo. It's more important than you think.

-

>CPU: i7-4790K, $336

>http://www.amazon.com/Intel-i7-4790K-Processor-Cache-BX80646I74790K/dp/B00KPRWAX8/

>While we're on CPUs: GHZ MEANS ALMOST NOTHING FOR PERFORMANCE. My 2Ghz i7 in my Mac outperforms my 4Ghz 2500K in my desktop. It's annoying that it's even mentioned in anything but overclocking guides.

-

>Memory: 16GB Corsair Vengeance (2x8GB), $130

>http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Vengeance-Desktop-Memory-CMZ16GX3M2A1600C10/dp/B006EWUO22/

>I find myself always using >8GB. Task Manager tells me I'm at 9GB with lots apps but no actual games open.

-

>Graphics Card: EVGA GTX 960, $210

>http://www.amazon.com/EVGA-GeForce-Dual-Link-Graphics-02G-P4-2966-KR/dp/B00SC6HAS4/

>The 960 was recently released, but the 750 and the 900 series are very powerful and power efficient, and EVGA makes great cards.

-

>PSU: Corsair CX 600W, $60

>http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Builder-Watt-EPS%C2%A0-CX600/dp/B0092ML0OC/

>I skimped on a PSU once (it was "Diablotek"). It took my motherboard and a stick of RAM with it when it died.

-

>SSD: Samsung 850 EVO 250GB, $135

>http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-2-5-Inch-Internal-MZ-75E250B-AM/dp/B00OAJ412U/

-

>OS: Windows 8.1 Full Version (not OEM), $100:

>http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Windows-8-1-Full-Version/dp/B00EDSI7QO/

Current total: $1189 + tax, way over budget, so...


>The PSU can be replaced with a 500W EVGA for $17 less:

>http://www.amazon.com/EVGA-80PLUS-Certified-ATX12V-100-W1-0500-KR/dp/B00H33SFJU

-

>The SSD can be replaced by a 2TB 7200RPM drive, where you won't need a 2nd HDD but booting will be much slower, for $60 less:

>http://www.amazon.com/HGST-Deskstar-3-5-Inch-7200RPM-Internal/dp/B003GSLDRC/
(and get the sata3 monoprice cable)

-

>The GPU can be replaced by a GTX 750 Ti, for $65 less, but at a ~30% loss to graphics power (although it's still a great card):

>http://www.amazon.com/EVGA-Superclock-Dual-Link-Graphics-02G-P4-3753-KR/dp/B00IDG3IDO

-

>The CPU can be a non-K version (at very little/no performance loss), for $36 less:

>http://www.amazon.com/Intel-Core-i7-4790-Processor-BX80646I74790/dp/B00J56YSLM

>The next step down in terms of CPU is an i5-4690, at ~30% less CPU power, for $80 less. I personally wouldn't go there.

This is at $1015 + tax--still over budget, but going much cheaper really starts to bite into your experiences (and if anyone here can recommend anything to save money, I welcome it).


As for monitors, if you're playing EVE, honestly I'd recommend a 2560x1440 monitor because spreadsheets. However, since those start around $300, my go-to cheaper monitors are the not-bad 22" 1080p ones that can be had for around $140.

>BenQ 24" flicker-free (for comfortable viewing) 1080p TN panel (for faster response times), $140:

>http://www.amazon.com/BenQ-GL2460HM-24-Inch-LED-Lit-Monitor/dp/B00IKDFL4O/

-

>Dell 22" 1080p IPS panel (for better colors and viewing angles), $134:

>http://www.amazon.com/Dell-CFGKT-IPS-LED-21-5-Inch-LED-lit-Monitor/dp/B009H0XQPU/

Source: I've done IT for the past few years, and done dozens of computer purchases/builds.

Notes: I don't buy AMD or ATI unless it's an extreme budget build. I don't buy off-brand because I've had parts break and then not have an RMA available; I've had good experience and RMA support with Corsair and EVGA. You don't really need a CD/DVD drive; you can install Windows from a USB key, but if you're unsure, CD/DVD drives are like $15. If you go with Intel/nVidia Maxwell, you won't really need a >500W PSU.

I don't like to skimp on computers much because, economically, if you're spending even 5-10% of your time waiting for your computer and you earn $10-25/hr, $1000 is paid for in somewhere between 2000-250 hours of use, yet the computer will last at least 3-5 years.

I just spent a full hour writing about this but it got deleted by my mistake :-:
I recommend these parts

https://www.amazon.com/GIGABYTE-LGA1151-Intel-Motherboard-GA-H110M/dp/B0165YUDTM/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1491086662&sr=1-1&keywords=h110m
https://www.amazon.com/Intel-Skylake-Desktop-Processor-BX80662I56500/dp/B010T6CWI2/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1491088199&sr=1-1&keywords=i5+6500
https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-GeForce-Support-Graphics-03G-P4-6160-KR/dp/B01KUADE3O/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1491087663&sr=1-2&keywords=1060&th=1
https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Vengeance-2400MHz-Memory-Black/dp/B01ARHBBPS/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1491086759&sr=1-3&keywords=8gb+ddr4
https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-WHITE-Power-Supply-100-W1-0500-KR/dp/B00H33SFJU


The CPU is good enough for the game you will be playing, the motherboard is good enough and more expensive ones sell you feature you don't need. The RAM will do you fine and is enough for any game you want and the GPU will be perfect for 1080p with 3GB of VRAM. For storage, go with a cheap 500GB HDD but I would certainly recommend an SSD for the future. The power supply will do you fine no matter what anyone else says, trust me (powers my R9 280X which is a LOT more power hungry).
I would recommend looking round Ebay, Facebook selling sites etc etc for any used components or 'starting points' with Ebay being the best bet in my opinion due to the massive amounts of sellers. If you see a 6600 or a 6600k for the same or less than on Amazon, snag it up and make sure to have a CPU cooler with it (stock will do you again, I have experience with 6600/6500 running on stock coolers and it's perfectly fine)

Sorry if the response looks rushed, I had a better one but I clicked something and it deleted :'(
Would love to hear about how the build goes, may your frames be high and temperatures at a low enough level!

EDIT BEFORE POSTING : 'Bomba' recommended an 8GB RX 470 - that's pointless for 1080p in my opinion and having a Pentium Dual core isn't something anyone would crave. I also have bad experience with Corsair PSUs but I haven't tried the 450W.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i7-3820 3.6GHz Quad-Core Processor | $229.99 @ Microcenter
CPU Cooler | Swiftech H220 55.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler | $139.99 @ Microcenter
Motherboard | Gigabyte GA-X79-UP4 ATX LGA2011 Motherboard | $248.49 @ Newegg
Memory | Corsair Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory | $126.99 @ Best Buy
Storage | Samsung 840 Pro Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk | $219.99 @ NCIX US
Storage | Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $85.99 @ NCIX US
Video Card | EVGA GeForce GTX 780 3GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) | $663.98 @ Newegg
Video Card | EVGA GeForce GTX 780 3GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) | $659.99 @ Amazon
Case | NZXT Switch 810 (Black) ATX Full Tower Case | $152.95 @ Amazon
Case Fan | Noctua NF-P12-1300 54.4 CFM 120mm Fan | $22.99 @ NCIX US
Case Fan | Noctua NF-P12-1300 54.4 CFM 120mm Fan | $22.99 @ NCIX US
Power Supply | XFX ProSeries 850W 80 PLUS Silver Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply | $119.99 @ Newegg
Optical Drive | Asus BC-12B1ST/BLK/B/AS Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer | $49.99 @ Amazon
Operating System | Microsoft Windows 8 Professional (OEM) (64-bit) | $130.55 @ Amazon
Monitor | Samsung S23B300B 60Hz 23.0" Monitor | $179.99 @ Newegg
Monitor | Samsung S23B300B 60Hz 23.0" Monitor | $179.99 @ Newegg
Monitor | Samsung S23B300B 60Hz 23.0" Monitor | $179.99 @ Newegg
Keyboard | Ducky DK9087S2 Shine II Wired Standard Keyboard | $137.00 @ Mechanical Keyboards
Mouse | Logitech G500 Wired Laser Mouse | $52.49 @ Amazon
| | Total
| Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available. | $3584.33
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-06-26 01:43 EDT-0400 |


Replaced the 4770k with the 3820 and a gigabyte up4. They're better for sli set ups, especially with your budget.The 840 pro is a better option for an ssd than the 830. I took out the network adapter, because it shouldn't be needed. The 32 gb of ram is pointless, and dominator platinum is way overpriced, 16 gigs should work fine. A 850 watt power supply will work fine with your setup. The asus blu-ray reader is cheaper, but you should also consider a regular $17 dvd reader, as it will do everything perfectly, unless you want to watch blu-rays on your computer.

With the sound card and speakers, I'm fairly certain you don't need $400 speakers, unless you are an audiophile, but you can add them back if you do want them. Without the speakers though, you shouldn't need the sound card, as the mobo's sound should be fine. If you want to get a good headset or speakers, you can add the sound card back in, or go for one of asus's xonar sound cards.

Instead of 2 144hz monitors, I gave you 3 60hz monitors for if you want to go with a multi-monitor set up. I would highly recommend going with this 1440p monitor instead, but either monitor set up should work.

I wasn't sure about the mouse, but the logitech G500 is supposed to be a very good mouse, but I recommend you do a bit of research to find out what you want. The Ducky shine 2 is a very good mech keyboard at the same price as the k95. I do recommend checking out /r/mechanicalkeyboards to do some research on some good mech keyboards, and to decide what kind of switch you want for it.

I love board games!

If you want a simple game instead of the regular 2 hr trek of Arkham or Catan, you could get Zombie Dice. It's silly, but entertaining. It's a little like Blackjack and yahtzee mixed together. If you don't have Pandemic, you need it. It's so much fun and it's different because you work together instead of against the other players. You can play with two people also. Ticket to ride is another fun one, don't be deceived into thinking it's lame from the art/cover. It's award winning.

As far as senitmental ones, you can steal this idea from me =): I bought a deck of cards and wrote 52 different reasons I love my boyfriend on each card. He really appreciated the time and thought into picking 52 different things. Plus the medium is interesting if you like games. I had things on there varying from "You always appreciate the effort I put into cooking, even when it's not the best result" to "You never make me feel embarrassed to be myself". Plus a couple more scandalous items ;).

If he's into PC games (and if he doesn't have one) he might enjoy a gameboard like this one or a gaming mouse. And, if we're getting sentimental again, make him a mousepad with a picture of you two.

I could keep going, but I have to go to work. I think your SO and mine are a lot alike as far as interests go, haha.

I've had a Dell XPS from Dell's Outlet site for 4 years and it's top notch. I would have bought an XPS 15 over the Razer Blade if it had a comparable GPU, because that laptop is superb, and it keeps winning the awards to back it up.

I think you get what you pay for. I wouldn't buy a cheap-o Dell, HP, Acer, etc. because they're all crap.

But if you do any sort of research on the Inspiron 7559 or the 7567 you'll see lots of favorable reviews, both personal owners and professional reviewers.

Think of it like this: Toyota makes the Yaris - a piece of crap, bottom dollar commuter car with no power amenities at all. They also make the Lexus GS series - the most popular full sized luxury sedans on the market.

Two very different vehicles from the same company. The difference is the cost, which gets put into the engineering and materials.

Similarly, there is a difference between a Dell XPS and the $200 Dell Inspiron bottom line laptop, and the whole experience is completely different. The Inspiron 7559/7567 would be like a loaded Toyota Camry in this analogy - a very reliable, very popular model with many perks and features but not as expensive as the Lexus GS/Dell XPS.

I've also personally played with the Dell 7559 and it's solid. It's got a nice soft touch coating and it feels very solid to the touch - no wobble or flex when dealing with it like you get on other laptops.

The Inspiron 7559 has a 4 star rating from nearly 1700 reviews on Amazon.

It was named "Best Budget Gaming Laptop" by The Wirecutter.

Linus from LTT gave it a very positive review.

So it has a great reputation.

The 7567 should continue that. The only issue that people have noted is that it has a TN display (common for this price range) instead of IPS, and for some people the viewing angles were not wide enough for their liking. I would say, give it a shot and if you find it works, fantastic! If not, return it without issue.

The Samsung C27HG70 is the 27" version of the monitor Hoi_C recommended. As far as I know, the specs are otherwise identical: 144hz 1440p VA panel with excellent color accuracy and HDR (not strictly necessary for gaming, but still a nice touch). It's also within your budget, selling around $450 on Amazon. Note: this monitor comes with Freesync support (not G-Sync), so it pairs much better with a high-end AMD GPU than an NVIDIA. That said, if you don't care about variable refresh rate, it's still a great option regardless.

​

If you're tempted by ultrawide monitors, Massdrop has a really good one for $550 (a little over budget, but you basically can't get better specs than this without spending at LEAST $200 more). For a similar price, the Acer Predator XB271HU will offer similar specs to the Samsung monitor, but with G-Sync.

​

As for what I'm using, I have the ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q. Pretty much the top of the line for G-Sync at 1440p, but I can't recommend it to you because it's too over budget at $680.

​

TL;DR: the Samsung C27HG70, Massdrop Vast, and the Acer XB271HU are all excellent monitors, and you can't go wrong with any of them. Best all around value is the Samsung.

I'll try, if you have any questions or if I wasn't really clear on something, ask away and I'll try to explain it better.

A normal home network is quite simple, in order starting from your ISP's line coming into your house, you usually have a modem, a router, a switch and an access point. Most consumer routers are actually a combo router-switch-access point all in one. They provide you a few ports for wired connection and the wifi in a single convenient unit. What you can also do is split up this combo unit to be able to place each device in a better location. If you have your modem in the basement, putting the router next to it makes sense, but putting the access point there often means it will be completely unusable on the second floor. Don't be afraid, separate unit aren't really more complex, you just need to wire them together. I'll recommend a few unit throughout, but feel free to ask for a second opinion!

Personally, after witnessing the extreme difference in quality between home all-in-one routers and dedicated separate unit, I will strongly recommend you go with a separate unit setup. Ubiquiti makes super great hardware that won't cost you much more than a combo but will give you much more performance. Here are the recommended devices, I'll explain the setup right after :

• Router : Ubiquiti Edgerouter X
  
• Switch : TP-Link Gigabit switch (8 port / 16 port / 24 port)
  
• Access point : Ubiquiti Unifi AP AC Lite
  
  So, your provider will supply you with a modem (or you will buy your own) and plug that directly in the DSL/Cable/Fiber line that comes from outside. Then, you will plug the router in the modem. The router will allow all the devices in your home to communicate with the internet. In the router, you will plug the switch. In the switch, you can plug all the lines that are going through your house. You can also plug several switches in the router, or a switch in another switch (example : a switch in the office plugged into a line that goes to the second floor, a switch on the second floor, that will work). Also plugged in the switch : the access point. You can plug it (or them if you buy more than one) directly in the switch, or at the end of a long line that goes where you want the access point to be. For a two stories house, you might get good result by having a central AP on the first floor, or an AP on each floor, depending on construction, materials and interference.
  
  So now, we have the classic modem > router > switch > AP, using separate devices for greater flexibility and performance. Once it's all plugged in, time to set it up. For the router, simple, follow the wizard. For the switch, these switches are plug and play, no config needed. For the AP (or APs), install the software on your PC, follow the wizard, done! The controller software is used to configure the APs, but is not needed for the APs to work. The APs, once they get their config from the software, are completely standalone and independent, you can turn the PC off without issues.
  
  Hope this answers your questions, as I said, ask anything that wasn't answered and I'll try to explain it.

Your best options are probably either the Lenovo Ideapad 510 or the Acer Aspire E15. Both are around the same price, but the Lenovo has a 1TB HDD if you need more storage and the E15 has a SSD. They would work well because they have a GTX 940MX dedicated graphics card which will help a lot for gaming. The Acer is an especially good option if you'd like a solid battery, as it's advertised up to 12 hours.

Neither of these have touch screens though. You won't find any options in your price range that comes with a touch screen, and even then it may not have good pen support for drawing.

If you do want something for drawing, maybe look at the Acer Switch Alpha 12, but you have to buy a pen separately. It won't work nearly as well for gaming since it only has integrated grpahics and less ram.

If you're looking for more suggestions or are interested in getting a better idea of options on the market, I suggest taking a look at my Laptop Suggestion Guide. Best of luck!

If I were you I would definitely look into getting a 2560x1440 monitor, it will be fantastic for any sort of editing and will provide a stellar gaming experience too. Unfortunately most of the affordable displays have to be imported from Korea via eBay, here are some links: Qnix, Achieva Shimian, Yamakasi Catleap. There is another alternative if you're absolutely sure you want a 1440p monitor and you don't want to take the risk with a Korean display. Monoprice sells a 2560x1440 IPS display for under $400. Dell and ASUS also have a really nice 1440p monitor, they just tend to be more expensive.

I think if I were you I would take a serious look at the Shimian Achieva, while it's a smidge more expensive then the Qnix, it has a glossy finish which aids the vibrancy of the colours it's displaying and would be the best pick for photoshop and other editing programs. Take in mind that without a matte finish it can succumb to screen glare but if you're willing to tweak the lighting in your room, it'll look fantastic.

Then you can afford a second Korean 1440p monitor into your budget if you want to or if you'd like to save some money then you could just look into a cheap 1920x1080 screen for a secondary monitor if you'll only be using one monitor for the important stuff (editing and gaming). But if you want my honest opinion, the ultimate setup for your needs and your budget would include this BenQ display. It is simply one of the best gaming monitors ever made-- it has a sweet 144Hz refresh rate, unbelievable build quality and can be put into portrait mode incredibly easily. On the negative side it is not an IPS screen and is not 1440p but if you play any sort of competitive game (SC2, LoL/DotA, Counterstrike) you will see the buttery smoothness that this monitor offers. If you combine that with a 1440p screen, that is a delightful combination.

tl;dr trying to figure out what's important for me. Looking for 1) ~27", 2) curved (just a preference), 3) high refresh rate (not sure how important this is), 4) IPS (not sure how important this is), 5) 1440p (or 1080p?), 6) VESA mountable, 7) low blue light, 8) flicker-free, 9) tiny bezel for a multi-monitor setup for long hours of non-media and non-gaming related usage.

Looking to get a new monitor setup and have put in some 15-20 hours of research, and I feel more lost than when I started.

For programming/reading/daytrading (and not gaming/doing media related stuff), what should I be looking for and what criteria should I be evaluating? I'm trying to maximize screen area across a multi-monitor setup (4-8 monitors total for 2 rows) and ease on the eyes for long hours of work (so: flicker free and low blue light), I don't really care about color range/trueness.

Size: looking for 27" as that's the largest that can realistically be mounted on a desk stand in a multi-monitor setup.

Panel type: TN/IPS/VA - what's best? I'm seeing a lot of conflicting opinions but it seems that TN is cheapest, VA best for gaming (?) / media, IPS best otherwise?

Curve: I think I prefer curved - opinions?

Resolution: 4k seems like a waste, leaving 1080/1440. It seems that the limiting factor for taking in data from my monitor setup would be my vision as opposed to the number of pixels per screen given that I'll have at minimum 4x27" monitors. If that's true, how much advantage is there really to 1440 versus 1080?

Refresh rate: is high refresh rate actually worthwhile/easier on the eyes [for not gaming]?

Response delay: Not really a consideration for usage unrelated to gaming.

Flicker-free/low blue light: Sounds nice, potentially the most important factor, but horribly subjective -- how do you actually quantify this? It's listed on some monitors and not on others, but never quantified. Is this a real/worthwhile thing, and am I to just believe that it works fine on any monitor that mentions these features?

Mounting: looking to get a 2x2/2x3/2x4 monitor setup, so VESA mount is critical. Further, it seems that I'm realistically limited to 27" monitor size due to monitor stand limitations (I don't want to mess with wall-mounted arms). If there were some good >30" monitors I might be able to make a 2x2 setup work (Samsung's 49" looks sooo fantastic but seems tragically awkward/difficult to make work in a multi-monitor setup due to weight/size).

Brand names: Recommendations? I keep reading through horror stories about dead pixels from foreign/less heard of brands that only produce monitors. Anything to watch out for?

Some monitors I've been looking at:


(1)

pros: 27", curved, 1440p, 144Hz, VESA mount,

concerns: VA and not IPS (is this even bad?), doesn't mention "flicker free" (but it's 144Hz? are refresh rate/flicker-free even related? idk), complaints about dead pixels

https://www.amazon.com/VIOTEK-GN27D-Curved-Computer-Monitor/dp/B078P57ZWL/


(2)

pros: 27", 1440p, 144Hz, IPS (!!!), mentions flicker free, good brand

concerns: not curved, pricey, doesn't mention low blue light

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CH9ZTI4/


(3)

great (best?) brand (Asus), 31.5" is a good size but might be awkward/hard to mount, options are straight+1440p+75Hz and curved+1080p+144Hz rather than the ideal curved/1440p/144Hz, really great sounding blue light/flicker free tech (subjective though)

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=0JC-001P-00A25


(4)

Asus, 27", IPS, 1440p, not curved, pricey (165Hz is overkill)

https://www.amazon.com/PG279Q-2560x1440-G-SYNC-Gaming-Monitor/dp/B017EVR2VM/


(5)

Asus, 27", IPS, 1440p, requires out of stock adapter to VESA mount, low refresh rate

https://www.amazon.com/Designo-MX27AQ-2560x1440-Frameless-Monitor/dp/B00VRKVGSC



curved+IPS+high refresh rate+1440p seems like a hard combination to come across, though I'm not sure that those are important features.

Hello, I've worked with artists on similar projects and I think that I understand what you are asking for.

There are some good answers here, but I think you need to clarify your vision a bit more as there is some ambiguity in your specs and this can mislead people.

Sometimes it helps to specify what you want, instead of suggesting the solution. e.g. you say "LEDs" but you want "white lights and coloured gels".

LEDs are mono-colour. There are devices which combine several LEDs called an "RGB LED", which combines Red, Green and Blue, and this will give you a white-ish colour when you switch on all the LEDs on at once. It wouldn't make sense, from a technical point of view, to switch all the LEDs on and then use a gel to change the colour. Most likely, you'd want to adjust the relative balance

The good thing is that you can buy strips of RGB LEDs for a fairly low price these days and they're easy to control from an Arduino, as people have suggested. This would be the easiest way to go as it's almost a ready to go solution and there are loads of examples.

e.g. https://www.adafruit.com/category/183

If you want bright white, then you would want to look at a circuit which switched on, say, banks of halogen lights or 12V white LED bulbs. e.g. http://www.ledkia.com/uk/buy-g4-led-bulbs/578-g4-15w-led-bulb-12v.html This is certainly more complicated as you'd be looking at custom circuitry.

Next up is your power consumption.

Your image shows 13 columns, with 12 rows per column and you said up to 12 LEDs per bar. That's roughly 2000 LEDs. Each RGB LED unit consumes about 0.25Watts at medium brightness. Therefore you need 0.25W x 2000 = 500 Watts of power.

But that's only if you were to switch on every single LED at full brightness. If you don't, then you only need a fraction of this. This is a worst case scenario. Reduce the number of lights per bar, and your power requirements will go down accordingly.

Say you use 12V, so you would need 500W / 12V = 41Amp power supply. e.g. a PC power supply like https://www.amazon.co.uk/EVGA-100-W1-0500-K3-500W-Power-Supply/dp/B00H33SFJU The spec for this power supply says, "Supporting 40A on a single +12V rail".

But I think most of the RGB addressable strips need 5V.

So you'd need 500W / 5V = 100A power supply. This is a lot of current for a single power supply, and you'd need several 5V power supplies. e.g. You can have one power supply for column.

e.g. https://www.adafruit.com/product/658

You are good at this troubleshooting, gold star to you sir!

You're getting there, but basically you just need to be more careful in future not to remove the drivers, but uninstall the device itself (because how are you going to get the drivers again without a connection)

Right, you need to get the drivers somehow. Do any of your friends have a WiFi USB dongle you could borrow? It's basically a wireless network card on the end of a USB. You can pick one up for pretty cheap on Amazon, and I would recommend this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811Un-150Mbps-Raspberry-Supports/dp/B003MTTJOY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1491853009&sr=8-2&keywords=edimax

Invest in one of these, they are lifesavers for situations exactly like these. I have about 5 lol.

If you can find a friend who has one, or get one yourself, install the driver that comes with it on CD and plug it in. You should get a WiFi connection right away under something like 'Wifi 2' in your network settings.

Go back into Device Manager and under the Unknown Devices section you should find some devices there, that are not recognised because of the lack of drivers.

Right click on each of them and click Update Driver Software, and then click Search automatically on the popped up window.

Let it do its thing, and it may take a few minutes. Windows 10 happens to be fantastic at searching for drivers, and it should find the drivers you need no bother at all!

Best of luck :)

haha, Well I love your honest opinion about the shit you care about.

Anways, you don't need anything too ridiculous to max out your budget. The MSI GT60 Dominator-424 would do great for you.

Also, it would be a good idea to get a Samsung 840 Evo and slap that in there as your boot drive. It's pretty easy as it comes with drive cloning software so you don't even have to reinstall your OS or anything.

It'll also play your games at high to ultra settings, even with WoW addons whic you should have if you're trying to play competitively. Also it will be well capable of playing with high settings even with the new character models being introduced in WoD.

Hey. That's quite a... detailed list you've got there. I'll clear up what I can. I'll go through your issues one by one.

First off:Motherboard. Addresses in problem #7 #5.
-Bluetooth. Most motherboard don't have a built in Bluetooth module. If you want Bluetooth anyway I recommend you to check out this:
https://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-GC-WB867D-I-Bluetooth-Adapter-Computer/dp/B00HF8K0O6
This also comes with wifi. Bonus points for convenience.

-Motherboard:Your 6700k is an unlocked processor, which mean it is designed for a Z170 chipset motherboard, which enables CPU overclocking, you can learn more about it in Google. Considering your concern about audio quality I recommend either an:

+ASROCK Fatal1ty Z170 Gaming K4

Or a

+Gigabyte Z170X Gaming 3

Both of which comes with the newest onboard audio codec [ALC1150] but I generally prefer the Z170X Gaming 3 because it has better build quality and comes with an Op Amp. Solid choice overall.

Secondly:Performance related issues. As addresses in problem #2 and #3

-Ram:32GB of RAM is all you need, most of the people who run out of 64gb RAM are the ones who work on hi profile project like BF1 and AAA titles. Don't sweat it.

-Storage:1TB SSD is pretty pricey but is worth it if you can pay the bucks. If you can't, then opt for a 120gb or 240gb SSD and then get 3x500GB HDD and run it in Raid 0 configuration. This feature is supported by the aforementioned motherboards, this makes the HDD faster while still having fast boot time and low cost.

Third: Comfortability. This one is small so I'll keep it short.

-Keyboard:It depends on your need. If you want a quiet and tactile, go for Brown switch. If you don't use the keypad much but can use some extra money and space they get a TKL keyboard, it all depends on your preference. My recommendation:
https://www.amazon.com/Storm-QuickFire-Rapid-Tenkeyless-Mechanical/dp/B007VDKLLM?th=1&psc=1

-Monitors:Are you multitasking? Do you want to watch porn while playing GTA5? Then get 2 1080p.
If you prefer quality instead, I recommend an ultra wide 1440p monitor. The 1070 isn't powerful enough to hit a steady 144fps at max settings.1080 also has a hard time hitting it so just stay with the 1070 and SLI later for extra performance. My recommendation:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VBNQJSM/ref=as_li_tl?tag=amazon0251-20&ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00VBNQJSM&linkCode=as2&linkId=DXJX3BVD7T5PL252
There is enough real estate for multiple windows when you're not gaming. So if you can spare a few buck then this may be cool for you.

-Case: Just go with what the community considers best: the NZXT S340. Simple and efficient.

-Installation: You do indeed need to buy a Phillips screwdriver if you want to assemble the PC. The rest is just adult Lego.

Hope I cleared that up. If you don't understand anything feel free to ask me.

first off, don't rent a router from your ISP. you will need to use a modem or gateway depending on the type of internet you are getting. if you are using cable or dsl i would also suggest to buy your own modem as well. it's a modern version of renting a rotary phone from the company and a racket.

you can get a router and wifi combo that is new and good for about $150 or more for faster or more advanced features.

as far as game plan for your home here is my suggestions
to start you off since you just moved in and are already renting it for now just use the provided router from to fiber provider so you can get connected and plan the rest of this build out.

depending on the layout and size of your home (cinder block construction is terrible for wifi and other rf signals) you may need multiple access points. my suggestion is to look into a brand of networking equipment called ubiquity.

they are relatively new to the market and have really shaken up the price and feature packs. set up is mainly through a web and mobile app and is very easy for a relatively new person to IT. there is also a huge community here on reddit and youtube showing off features and giving how to's.

here is my goto suggestion if you are willing to invest in an infrastructure more than a single router.

the fiber will come into your property and go through a modem and gateway provided by the isp you would then plug it into a router:
https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Security-Gateway-USG/dp/B00LV8YZLK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1526552321&sr=8-2&keywords=unifi

This is a smaller model that is a router and firewall combo by ubiquity, its about 110 at amazon

Then you plug the router into a switch:
https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-Managed-Gigabit-US-8-150W/dp/B01DKXT4CI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1526552321&sr=8-3&keywords=unifi

This is a sort of backbone device that you would use to send the internet to other devices and for other devices to comunicate with each other. this one is a poe switch which means it can send power to some devices like access points over the one cat 5 cable. this one has 8 ports so that means 7 outboard devices can be connected to the network because one is needed for the router. they make larger ones with more ports for more devices. this model is currently 194 on amazon

you will then need access points:
https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Ap-AC-Lite-UAPACLITEUS/dp/B015PR20GY/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1526552321&sr=8-5&keywords=unifi

these are radios that broadcast wifi to your wireless devises these connect to the switch with cat 5 cables and are best placed near where you are going to use wifi devises the average home would benefit from two or three of these one to cover the living room kitchen great room area and one to cover the bedroom hallway are and possibly one for the backyard pool area (that might be important because of your external walls). this model is currently 80 on amazon.

if you deploy this list you will also need a cloud key:
https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Cloud-Key-Control/dp/B017T2QB22/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1526553343&sr=8-1&keywords=cloud+key

this is a devise that manages the network and stores configuration files locally. it's like a mini server. this is about 78 on amazon.

you will also need cat 5/6/7 cables of various lengths and a power strip for about 500 you can get a really great network that can cover your whole house and that can easily be upgraded incrementally as technology improves. My suggestion would be to get all this mounted in a closet somewhere and get cat5/6/7 run to all the things that you can and place the access point in the house so you get the best coverage possible for the IOT devises in your house. as your network grows and you need more wired ports you can add a switch or replace the one with a 24 or 46 port one. when wifi tech improves past ag you can just replace the access points without affecting the rest of the network.another big thing is to run cable to anything you can this will help with keeping your wifi fast since there are less devices on the wifi.

Edit:
If there are two main points they would be:

1. wire everything you can so that way the devises that need to be wireless can be faster
   
2. Don't rent non-proprietary equipment from your ISP

>"The issue for me is that initial investment for a good PC. I would love to get into PC gaming."

Speak no more, I've got you covered. These lovely bastards are great to portable go without the hassle. There's others too varying in prices but this is one of the best versions that comes with Bluetooth and other sweet additions including being VR-ready!

Also, I suggest getting HDMI cords and attaching the PC to a bigger monitor (e.g., television).

>"I have many fond memories of my mother watching me play silent hill and final fantasy 7 growing up, id love to make memories like that with my kids."

You still can but it's all about timing, resources, and devotion. There's always other ways.

>"And she could be Sherry! Now I just have to inject myself with the G Virus and impregnate her with my...wait...."

When the time comes, you'll already have plenty of newer installments to share with the whole family!

Oh my god please don't do a prebuilt from here and not likes Dell prebuilt like someone built it here. You can learn so much but buying the parts, and researching it can be a bonding experience with your son!
Edit: SORRY IN ADVANCE FOR A WALL OF TEXT!
anyway lets get this build started!
Idk what you want but for a case that looks super sexy the NZXT S340 would be a good start, cheap and nice.
CASE:NZXT S340 Mid Tower Case CA-S340MB-GR Matte Black/Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T4BWUUY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_wR12xbKDZPNE8
Note: $74 Jet.com has it cheaper. (GET THE BLUE AS I MADE IT A BLUE BUILD)
CPU:Intel Core i7-2600 Quad-Core Processor 3.4 GHz 8 MB Cache LGA 1155 - BX80623I72600 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004EBUXSU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_nT12xb7BECNJC
Note: $164
MOTHERBOARD: ASUS P8H61-M LE/CSM R2.0 LGA 1155 Intel H61 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008NA1K0S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_b112xb1T6M7HK
Note: $94
RAM: PNY Anarchy 8GB Kit (2x4GB) DDR3 2133MHz (PC3-17000) CL10 Desktop Memory (BLUE) - MD8GK2D3213310AB-Z https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012DT0IB6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_h412xb3VC5JNW
Note: $45
POWER SUPPLY: EVGA 500 W1, 80+ WHITE 500W, 3 Year Warranty, Power Supply 100-W1-0500-KR https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H33SFJU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_E512xb56068FP
Note: $37
GRAPHICS CARD: ASUS ROG STRIX Radeon RX 460 4GB OC Edition AMD Gaming Graphics Card (STRIX-RX460-O4G-GAMING) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K1JVQI4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_z712xbFGF2Y2T
Note: $140

TOTAL: $554

Edit 2: As your budget is $600 and I don't know how lenient you are with going over or what, but an Asus RX 470 would be a better graphics card and would increase the total to around $650.

Edit 3:
AFTERMARKET CPU COOLER:Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO - CPU Cooler with 120mm PWM Fan (RR-212E-20PK-R2) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005O65JXI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_E-12xbR7ZCHBK
Note: $28

Edit 4: If you want peripherals that's gonna be around $1000 in total for decent crap. I would suggest a 1080p 60hz monitor, a mechanical keyboard ( I use a G. Skillz KM780 RGB and it is fabulous), a nice pair of headphones HyperX cloud 2, and a nice set of speakers Logitech Z506. Also idk what you have but get a wifi adapter as well unless you can hook up to Ethernet which is highly recommended.

Edit 5: If any other questions just PM me glad to help you out more.

Edit 6: shit I forgot drives and OS. I'm too tired to link things anymore so I suggest getting a 128gb Samsung PRO SSD for your OS and main shit then get a Seagate 1TB HDD and you're good to go. Hopefully I covered everything.

Honestly 500-600 wouldn't make a very decent computer for a first rig. You can make one and well I made one just right now but that doesn't take into account peripherals. If you wanted 500-600 WITH peripherals that would have been the hardest budget build of my life. To maintain quality and performance, I'm cringing just thinking of it.

>Plus it all seems inefficient since I already have the LAN throughout the house.

If you already have Ethernet pulled to places all over the house, then wired Access Points is the obvious and correct answer.

Ubiquiti is the king of reliable Access Points. But switching to Ubiquiti requires a bit more knowledge than your typical wireless router / repeater system, so if you choose this, you'll have to do a bit of learning too.

For 900 sqft on two floors, you can likely get away with just one Access Point mounted on the First Floor in the Center. That would easily cover the floor, plus very likely cover the floors above and below it too. A Ubiquiti nanoHD is my go-to recommendation lately, but if you are trying to save some money, an AC-LITE is fine.

nanoHD:

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-Internal-1733Mbit-Ethernet/dp/B07FFNTLJD/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=nanohd&qid=1574904222&s=electronics&sr=1-4

AC-PRO:

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-802-11ac-Dual-Radio-UAP-AC-PRO-US/dp/B015PRO512/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=nanohd&qid=1574903775&s=electronics&sr=1-5

AC Lite:

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Ap-AC-Lite-UAPACLITEUS/dp/B015PR20GY/ref=sxin_2_ac_d_rm?ac_md=0-0-YWMgbGl0ZQ%3D%3D-ac_d_rm&keywords=ac+lite&pd_rd_i=B015PR20GY&pd_rd_r=382f4fce-b8fd-41f5-9d83-2ce30c7d4867&pd_rd_w=2JjVi&pd_rd_wg=IV1TH&pf_rd_p=e2f20af2-9651-42af-9a45-89425d5bae34&pf_rd_r=BRFTH2F9ZHRVN6T7YH6B&psc=1&qid=1574903705

Since you already have Ethernet presumably at ground level, you can also consider the Ubiquiti In-Wall units as well. These units provide you Wireless Access Points PLUS they give you two Ethernet ports at ground level. If you can get your gamer and game machines plugged into Ethernet instead of wireless, you'll have the ideal setup (streaming and other things are fine on wireless).

So maybe 1 ceiling mounted AP in the middle of the first floor, one in wall where the gamer is (for Ethernet ports as well as supplemental WiFi on the second floor), and maybe one In-Wall in the basement if needed (good chance it won't be).

AC-In-Wall:

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-UAP-AC-Iw-Wireless-Access/dp/B06XZLP8Q6/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1YA0NR13TWSGZ&keywords=ubiquiti+in+wall&qid=1574903832&s=electronics&sprefix=ubiquiti+in+w%2Celectronics%2C199&sr=1-2

If you do get 2-3 Ubiquiti APs, you'll probably want a PoE switch to power them all. This is another expense, unfortunately, but makes installation much cleaner.

>Based on what I've read (and experienced before) one kungfu wireless router isn't likely to provide adequate coverage throughout the house.

If you didn't want to go the Ubiquiti route, your house is actually a pretty good candidate for an Asus or Netgear, since it's 900sf stacked on top of each other. These consumer routers are pretty good these days. Unless your house is all brick and metal, I don't see why it wouldn't cover it.