Ok GAF, I want to invest in my first desktop PC. I know next to nothing about PC tech so, bear with me.
My questions center around CPU, GPU and motherboards. Everything else makes sense to me (RAM, SSD, power supply, etc). Right now I have a crap Dell Studio XPS laptop from 2010. It is basically worthless now (can't even get F1 2013 on low to crack 30fps).
My main requirement is upgrade-ability for the future and price to performance ratio. The biggest determinant of this is the motherboard and if I go AMD or nvidia? Huh?
Is it worth it to invest in a top of the line motherboard initially and go with entry level parts else (obviously, I have the intention of upgrade significantly in the future)? If I go with an AMD GPU am I locked into an AMD CPU as well, same for nvidia? Is there any new or developing tech I should be specifically aware of?
Basically, I would like my supporting cast members to be ready when I sign Daniel Day Lewis and Colin Firth, but I will not be able to sign them immediately. Perhaps this is not the best way to even go about things????
Your Current Specs: POS Dell.
Budget: $800USD
Main Use: Rate 1-5. 5 being Highest: 5: PC racing sims, video editing, basic CAD, work, video/music
Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080 Pioneer Kuro
List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: 60fps @1080p. Not a huge stickler for AA, can be mild. Initially, I would like it to run most PC sims at high with mild AA. I would like to be able to eventually run them at max @60fps/1080p. I have little interest in anything like Crysis or GTA on the PC.
Looking to reuse any parts?: 1x 3tb 72k rpm HDD 1x laptop hybrid drive (I have all software)
When will you build?: 3 months or so.
Will you be overclocking?: Not initially.