Amien
Skilled
Please mention the budget for your rigs before clicking the "Submit New Thread" button...
"Is this config. alright?"
"Should i go ahead with this upgrade?"
"What's the better option between these two?".
"Is this config. alright?"
"Should i go ahead with this upgrade?"
"What's the better option between these two?".
Questions like these are the first posts of many, many newbies who join TE. Some stay back, other's disappear once they get what they want, but the constant in-flow of threads with people asking for suggestions on their selected config or choice of upgrades never stop.
Over the short time i've spent on TE, I have come across many, many of these threads, and while most of them recieved more than satisfactory advice thanks to the excellent community here, some of them could not, due to not being able to put their point across.
To stop beating around the bush, what im trying to say is that most newbies are clueless and misinformed. I know because i've been there. There is a very high probability that a newbie's first post will be in this section as opposed to the introduction area, and so, im going to try providing some guidelines to help you out. Guidelines that would've helped me when i joined this place, guidelines that will let you get your point across and get the best possible advice, and hopefully make you stick around to learn, grow, and help someone else like you out in the future.
"Why do i need to read this?"
a) If you're here to ask for suggestions on a new computer or upgrade, you're obviously interested in getting the max. performance for the money you are about to spend. You've taken the trouble to fill a form and register, why not make it worth your effort by getting the best advice possible?
b) If you decide to stick around in the future, this is your eqvivalent of a first impression. Don't blow it
So, here goes, the top 5 things to keep in mind:-
1)Do not have an Attitude/Pride.
Please, leave it out, it's not going to help in any way. Members aren't obligated to giving you suggestions, neither are they to give you lenthy explanations as to justify their recommendation. Remember you are ASKING for help, not demanding it. All doubts can be googled.
2)Provide Accurate Information.
I cannot stress this enough, there are certain things absolutely essential for someone to even start giving you suggestions. They are:-
*Budget and all the components that fall within said budget.
*Primary Use of said computer.
*Current setup.
All of this information has to be present in your opening post, members who do not have as much free time are not likely to check a suggestion thread twice.
3)Do not ask for suggestions you don't need.
If you're completely convinced that your choice is the best, don't ask for suggestions as you're going to buy what you want anyway. EVEN if you for some reason still want to ask, don't let it be known to others that you have disregarded what they've said and bought what you originally wanted anyway. Since it's your money, no one really cares what you do with it, it's just an annoyance that can be avoided.
4)Do not have a bias.
There is absolutely no reason for you to have an emotional attachment to a company that profits from the products it sells to you. By putting stuff in like, "Intel/AMD/Nvidia/ATi/etc. only!" you're effectively putting limiters on the best you can get in that price-range. A lot of members will not have the patience to make you understand why you shoudn't go for a certain platform/part over the other and will just suggest something according to your wishes, so you're the one losing out here. Avoid. Just keep in mind that any suggestion worth it's salt will follow 1 simple principle: The maximum performance at the given price point.
5)Have an open mind.
Everytime you do something that you've never done before, there will be doubts and questions. Be it spending 3,000 plus on an "SMPS" for the first time or overclocking your CPU/other components. If there is a need for the power, if the components you're buying are OC-capable, the expensive power supply suggestions and OCing tips and targets will be put out. As with everything new, instead of being closed-minded, ask questions, read and increase your knowledge. It's obvious that the final decision will be yours. Rest assured that the rest of us like our components and money just as much as you do.
Hope this helps out in someway, Feel free to add to the above.
Note to mods.:- Something i typed out to alleviate boredom and to make a little contribution. Im not sure if this is the right place to post this, but it surely feels like it belongs to this section, you may move it to another section at your discretion.
You may modify/re-format/delete/rename this mini-guide as you deem fit.
Thank you for reading and i hope you have a nice day.
