What do YOU think is the most difficult component to choose?

So, I'm currently planning a new build, and there is one part that has had me stumped, for days. I simply can't find a case in the $200, that has everything I want. I find something I think I'd be happy with, but then I'll notice one or two things that I know would just drive me nuts.
Hopefully there will be some more choices, by the time Ivy and 6XX are out. :x

So tell us, when you built your last PC (or maybe you're currently in the process), which part did you find proved to be the most difficult decision.

the motherboard, just built a system the other week. sent my mother board back and the new one is coming today.... it was a good motherboard but it was micro atx, i thought i would be okay with that but i couldn't do it. the two pcie slots where so close together if i wanted to sli it would have caused some problems. as far as cases, i got the corsair 650D and i am beyond pleased with it. the two 200mm fans cause a bit more noise than i would like but other than that i **** love this case.

the motherboard, just built a system the other week. sent my mother board back and the new one is coming today.... it was a good motherboard but it was micro atx, i thought i would be okay with that but i couldn't do it. the two pcie slots where so close together if i wanted to sli it would have caused some problems. as far as cases, i got the corsair 650D and i am beyond pleased with it. the two 200mm fans cause a bit more noise than i would like but other than that i **** love this case.

MuD3

The toughest was to choose which GPU to get basically when I bought my 6970 it cost exactly or little less then a 570 and they trade blows in games but since I decided the extra vram could come usefull also eyefinity isnt out of the question and it was a little cheaper then a 570 I decided on a 6970.. I havent regreted my decision. The mobo that I got was right after the p67 fiasco so I just bought whichever was available the soonest(gigabyte p67A-UD4-B3)

Also as a case recommendation get the CM Storm Trooper.

I built myself a new computer at the end of January this year and I thought the most difficult part to choose was which case I wanted. Basicly because money didn't matter and I was just looking for the best hardware on the market so it was pretty easy to decide when it came to the components.

The toughest was to choose which GPU to get basically when I bought my 6970 it cost exactly or little less then a 570 and they trade blows in games but since I decided the extra vram could come usefull also eyefinity isnt out of the question and it was a little cheaper then a 570 I decided on a 6970.. I havent regreted my decision. The mobo that I got was right after the p67 fiasco so I just bought whichever was available the soonest(gigabyte p67A-UD4-B3)

Also as a case recommendation get the CM Storm Trooper.

Silicel1

choosing a motherboard and cpu would be the hardest for me, when I decide to upgrade my prehistoric Q6600. And probably find a case that fits as well cus the one I currently have is cramped. But I imagine it would be quite the thrill to order a build again and put it together and it works!" :D

choosing a motherboard and cpu would be the hardest for me, when I decide to upgrade my prehistoric Q6600. And probably find a case that fits as well cus the one I currently have is cramped. But I imagine it would be quite the thrill to order a build again and put it together and it works!" :D

shyco

I hear ya bout the Q6600. The MB has always been the hardest for me. I researched mine like crazy and still people had certain problems with it down the road. I expect the same for my next build which would have happened last year cept for $5000.00 out for my sons torn cartilage in his knee. All good now though.:)

CPU is easy, phenom II 955 on budget, i5 2500k if not.

Motherboard is a little harder, but in the end it doesn't matter as long as you get a decent one.

GPU there is so much choice I think it's probably the hardest.

Case is also easy to be picky about.

PSU just get decent brand with the wattage you want.

Hardest for me by far is case. No case seems to offer the combination of features, size, looks that appeal to me. Because of this my computer is still using a hand-me-down case I got back in 2005. It is a huge piece of crap but I can't find a case that I can justify replacing it with.

As for motherboards, since Abit went under, I switched to ASUS, so that makes that choice easy, just find the asus motherboard that has the features I want and get it.

For graphics cards I get sapphire for ATi or EVGA for nVidia, so from there it is pretty easy, just find the one that fits my price/performance/power usage requirements and get it.

For CPU, I don't buy intel processors for myself, ever. My last intel processor was a pentium MMX 233 back in like 1995 or something, I think I paid like 400 bucks for it. Even though AMD has been having issues being king of performance, I never got the top performing CPU anyway, I just get what performs best at about 100-150 bucks and that suits my needs fine, and in the last 10 or so years, AMD has been the 100 dollar performance champ.

Memory used to be hard, but now it is so cheap, I can just grab whatever amount at whatever speed I want and if I have problems I can use any of my extra ram while I return it.

optical drives used to be tough too but now it is whatever I have that is laying around or what oem piece is at fry's for 20 bucks.

I haven't bought any SSDs yet, but I am sure that will be tough when they start to get into the price range that will make them attractive to me (50c/GB)

I'd say motherboard because everything else is easy to change. When you choose your motherboard your set in terms of what GPU brand you can use, AMD or Intel, how much ram you can use, so on.

I'd say motherboard because everything else is easy to change. When you choose your motherboard your set in terms of what GPU brand you can use, AMD or Intel, how much ram you can use, so on.

fenriz275

Definitely motherboard. Cases can be tough to choose, but at the end of the day you're usually going to settle on a pretty solid (if not perfect) product (and worst comes to worst you can usually fix any issues with aftermarket fans and/or a dremel). With a mobo? There are so many different manufacturers offering so many different models at so many different price points that you're almost always going to feel like you made the wrong choice.

With the rig I'm currently using the toughest decision I went through was for the GPU. I'll admit the PC is a bit of a hodge podge between an old and new PC, the case is old and the fans, hard drives etc. The "important" pieces are newer, buying the AMD 5870 was the toughest decision, I actually bought that GPU in April 2011 on sale for $200. I compared it with the 6950 for Nvidia 560 GTX and determine the 5870 was the best bang for the buck even though the DX 11 support is pretty poor.

When you are working with a limited budget and have to buy several components then the combination and "balance" can become a mind numbing thing. :|

As for individual components I did research alot when I got my HAF 922 but in the end it had mostly everything I needed and I have been very happy with it.

The most difficult component for me is the GPU, there is always something a "bit better" for a "bit more" until you end up with something like the second best card where the top card has a really high premium.

When you are working with a limited budget and have to buy several components then the combination and "balance" can become a mind numbing thing. :|

Gambler_3

I know the feeling, I bought a budget PC last year for a total of 260€ (without the gfx card) + 140€ monitor. I kept thinking whether I should get the cheapest AM3 board and a Phenom ii x4 or a "future proof" AM3+ board and an Athlon. Eventually I got Asus M5A97 and Athlon x3 that refuses to unlock, and that was I think 1 day before Bulldozer release.

I would say the case. It's one of those things you probably want to keep for a long time and through a lot of upgrades. It can be really tough to choose the right one especially if you are a bit picky like me.

So, I'm currently planning a new build, and there is one part that has had me stumped, for days. I simply can't find a case in the $200, that has everything I want. I find something I think I'd be happy with, but then I'll notice one or two things that I know would just drive me nuts.
Hopefully there will be some more choices, by the time Ivy and 6XX are out. :x

So tell us, when you built your last PC (or maybe you're currently in the process), which part did you find proved to be the most difficult decision.

C_Rule

I don't really have difficulty choosing parts for a build/upgrade. Usually things seem pretty clear-cut for me. I guess the monitor is the hardest for me.

[QUOTE="C_Rule"]

So, I'm currently planning a new build, and there is one part that has had me stumped, for days. I simply can't find a case in the $200, that has everything I want. I find something I think I'd be happy with, but then I'll notice one or two things that I know would just drive me nuts.
Hopefully there will be some more choices, by the time Ivy and 6XX are out. :x

So tell us, when you built your last PC (or maybe you're currently in the process), which part did you find proved to be the most difficult decision.

Diwashb

I don't really have difficulty choosing parts for a build/upgrade. Usually things seem pretty clear-cut for me. I guess the monitor is the hardest for me.

hartsickdiscipl

i'd say motherboards, at the time i had no understanding about them.

So, I'm currently planning a new build, and there is one part that has had me stumped, for days. I simply can't find a case in the $200, that has everything I want. I find something I think I'd be happy with, but then I'll notice one or two things that I know would just drive me nuts.
Hopefully there will be some more choices, by the time Ivy and 6XX are out. :x

So tell us, when you built your last PC (or maybe you're currently in the process), which part did you find proved to be the most difficult decision.

C_Rule

Going with a full-sized motherboard or a microATX one. I chose microATX (paired with a midtower case) 3x so far.

[QUOTE="Diwashb"]

[QUOTE="C_Rule"]

So, I'm currently planning a new build, and there is one part that has had me stumped, for days. I simply can't find a case in the $200, that has everything I want. I find something I think I'd be happy with, but then I'll notice one or two things that I know would just drive me nuts.
Hopefully there will be some more choices, by the time Ivy and 6XX are out. :x

So tell us, when you built your last PC (or maybe you're currently in the process), which part did you find proved to be the most difficult decision.

C_Rule

[QUOTE="C_Rule"]

[QUOTE="Diwashb"] Corsair Graphite 600t?

kraken2109

[QUOTE="kraken2109"]

[QUOTE="C_Rule"] I don't think it supports a fan in the floor. It is a nice case, though.

C_Rule

yeah the case and the gpu was the most difficult for me as well, everything else was pretty easy since there was only one choice.

Definitely the motherboard. The wrong motherboard can limit your overclocking ability, give you slow performance, cause all types of instability, and they're often the first component to die if you're not careful.UltimateviL

I'm not really sure that I've ever seen a motherboard give slow performance or instability, unless there was something actually wrong with it. Overclocking potential, yes.. definitely depends on the mobo.

MONITORs, without question the monitor if you consider this a "component". It is a necessary piece so I guess it qualifies:P

Most components you can get a general consensus on what are the "best" for each slot. Best CPUs, Best GPUs, Best Mobos (a bit more subjective), etc.

But not so with monitors. I've spent a month trying to figure out what is the "best". I've gotten 15+ answers, all of them with valid supporting evidence that makes every suggestion make sense at the time. It's bloody impossible lol. There are just so many bloody variables to consider:

resolution, refresh rate, response time, input lag, color correctness, backlight bleed, ghosting, etc...it's maddening

I live in Australia, so a case with good airflow is a must. C_Rule

I then cleaned the GPU, disconnected the bottom fan and all was good. Yes I didnt have dust filter at bottom but unless you are going to clean it regularly the bottom fan is going to become useless pretty quickly.

I still have the disconnected bottom fan sitting in my casing because...well it just looks cool. :P