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When using this resource, please read FragKrag's opening post. The Tech Support forum regulars have helped create countless of desktop systems without any compensation. The least you can do is provide all of the information required for them to help you properly. |
Hi guys 
I've been on the look out for a new pc for a while now. This one is a little over 2 years old and it's time for a little change. My past 3 computers have always had a pricetag around 1000 euro's (1,300 USD)
However, because me and my girlfriend are going to start looking for a house and all that fancy stuff we talked and agreed that I would buy a new computer that would cost a bit more so I it would last a bit longer then 2 years. The pricetag doesn't really matter at the moment. So the thing i was wondering , what kind of system would you guys put together if you had , let's say 3000 euro's (3,902.96 USD), to spend?
The system would be used mostly for gaming. I also want to buy a new 32 " monitor to use with the system.
Overclocking is a Plus, although I don't plan to do it right away. I guess SLI or crossfire would be appreciated ^^ I'll be ordering the parts from my work so where and how much the part costs doesn't really matter. We will find it somewhere ^^ Oh and one last thing a SSD would be a great plus, just to have my operating system on. And ofcourse, excuse me for the english, getting kinda late here
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So I've been picking things up slowly to get me a larger budget for my computer. I was following a build that was posted here awhile ago my Myrm, however, I decided to spend a little extra and get a SB processor/motherboard. I'm between the 2500k and 2400 right now. (2500k plus a motherboard allowing me to overclock costs around sixty dollars more).
My main concern is sc2 and streaming. This computer will only ever be used for video games. Is paying more for the ability to overclock worth it? I will upgrade in 1-2 years, but until then, is the 2500k worth getting for future games as well as streaming right now? Is the extra power needed, I guess is my question.
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@PietjeP: What about the previous 1000€ computers did not last more than 2 years? If anything, I would expect that you would be able to reuse hard drives, CD/DVD drives, power supply, case, maybe even RAM (if it's DDR3), etc. if you wanted. In my perspective, a high-end computer is one you can keep upgrading with newer parts. Anyone spending 2000€ now will not get that much more performance than a 1000€ system.
Actually, for CPUs, the new Core i7-2600k (about 325 USD) is the best gaming processor ever released. You actually can't get more performance by spending more, unless you want to maintain a liquid nitrogen cooling system to sustain ridiculous overclocking. This is already at a very small gaming performance gain over a Core i5-2500k (about 220 USD).
I would spend a large portion of the money on a very nice monitor (2560x1600), peripherals, sound system, etc., as I think you're doing. Are you looking for specific parts suggestions?
@holynorth: For just gaming and streaming, the i5-2400 is plenty strong enough. Only if you plan to stream a very CPU-intensive game in the future would being able to overclock a i5-2500k make a difference. If you're upgrading in 1-2 years though, just get the i5-2400 now.
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@Myrmidon:
Do you think we would be able to only replace the cpu, mobo and memory in the computer? We could still use the case, PSU, HDD, CD drive, etc, right? It's an old HP computer and I don't know exactly what components are in it besides cpu and graphics. The cheapo mobo w/ integrated graphics and processor would definitely be within budget i think.
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Hey, I'd like a consult on this build.
Background:
+ Show Spoiler +-Photoshop, Games esp. SC2 , Reasonably future proofed low priority: maybe some 3d modeling. -resolution 1920x1080 -Budget ~$1000, some flexibility if there's reasonable gains(wrt to above), obviously prefer less cost if possible .
Build:
CPU- i5-2500k
MB- ASRock P67 PRO3 LGA 1155
GPU- MSI GTX 460 1GB "Hawk"
PSU- Antec 430W ATX12V(BP430)
CASE- ANTEC SONATA PROTO ATX MID TOWER 3 2 (4) BAYS USB AUDIO BK
RAM- GSkill Ripjaws 8GB( 2x4gb)
HDD- samsung spinpoint F3 1TB
Questions/Concerns:
- I randomly picked a cheaper case ($65). Is this choice ok? Wasn't sure what to consider.
-I was considering the p67Extreme, but decided I probably won't use multiple gfx cards. Is there any other benefits to having more than one pcie 2.0x16?
- Photoshop- I'm not 100% sure what is needed for a good PS machine. I've heard general rules like "lots of ram" etc Is 8gb overkill, anything else to consider?
Thanks!
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On January 12 2011 13:18 Toobz wrote:
Do you think we would be able to only replace the cpu, mobo and memory in the computer? We could still use the case, PSU, HDD, CD drive, etc, right? It's an old HP computer and I don't know exactly what components are in it besides cpu and graphics. The cheapo mobo w/ integrated graphics and processor would definitely be within budget i think.
It depends, but likely yes. Sometimes the big manufacturers use non-standard form factors and connectors for the power supply and motherboard. Generally they use standard ATX, but sometimes some of them don't or didn't. Normally, you would need to check the power supply label to see if it can supply enough power, but an Athlon II X2 and even a low-end discrete card (not to mention just integrated graphics) could be run on pretty much anything. If you see at least something like 10A listed for +12V, that's probably fine.
What kind of motherboards does the case hold? Most or many prebuilt computers have microATX motherboards in a case that can't hold full-size motherboards. That cheapo motherboard I linked was microATX. If you're looking at a ~14" tall small/mid tower with 4 expansion slots, that takes microATX boards. Larger is not a problem. Some smaller cases may not fit even microATX motherboards. Also, many slim (narrow) cases only take half-height (low-profile) expansion cards, which would limit your options if you ever needed to add a discrete GPU.
Are the HDD and DVD drive connected through SATA or PATA (IDE; the ribbon cable)? Modern motherboards tend to only have one PATA connector with several SATA connectors.
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@ ironchef
If you are looking for longevity in a computer build. You may want to spend more on the power supply and case as these components can carry on to your next build and the build after that. These will last you for quite a while until you decide you want a new case just for looks.
Again, you'd probably want a 500w or 600w psu if you want longevity.
There is no other benefits in having more than one pci-e x16 slot other than doing SLI / Crossfire in the future or plugging in a $500 pci-e x16 SSD.
8gb isn't overkill by any means. With it being so cheap ($70 for 2x4gb gskill or $90 for 2x4gb corsair veng 1600mhz), you'll see many sandybridge builds have 8gb by default (mine included).
You'd probably want an aftermarket cooler to overclock that 2500k. If you have no intentions in overclocking, step down to the 2500.
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5930 Posts
8GB of RAM is more than enough for basic Adobe image manipulating programs like Lightroom and Photoshop. If you do lots of batch processing, the real bottleneck is really your storage medium and not your processor or RAM.
I actually think you can save quite a bit of cash by getting the Sonata III (which looks identical to the Sonata Proto to me). IIRC it comes with a Antec 500W Earthwatts power supply, which is pretty solid for how much you pay. Really nice case though IMHO, besides the door its built like a tank.
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What are the best ways to achieve wireless internet? My router is a story below my bedroom where my PC will be.
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On January 12 2011 13:49 ironchef wrote:
Is 8gb overkill
Yes, but DDR3 is so cheap right now it's not a terrible idea
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On January 12 2011 13:49 ironchef wrote:Hey, I'd like a consult on this build. Background: + Show Spoiler +-Photoshop, Games esp. SC2 , Reasonably future proofed low priority: maybe some 3d modeling. -resolution 1920x1080 -Budget ~$1000, some flexibility if there's reasonable gains(wrt to above), obviously prefer less cost if possible . Build: CPU- i5-2500k MB- ASRock P67 PRO3 LGA 1155 GPU- MSI GTX 460 1GB "Hawk" PSU- Antec 430W ATX12V(BP430) CASE- ANTEC SONATA PROTO ATX MID TOWER 3 2 (4) BAYS USB AUDIO BK RAM- GSkill Ripjaws 8GB( 2x4gb) HDD- samsung spinpoint F3 1TB Questions/Concerns: - I randomly picked a cheaper case ($65). Is this choice ok? Wasn't sure what to consider. -I was considering the p67Extreme, but decided I probably won't use multiple gfx cards. Is there any other benefits to having more than one pcie 2.0x16? - Photoshop- I'm not 100% sure what is needed for a good PS machine. I've heard general rules like "lots of ram" etc Is 8gb overkill, anything else to consider? Thanks!
try the antec three hundred illusion instead. it has a better case layout, better cooling, same price
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Can someone point me to a good PC assembly tutorial? I've never had built one before, and have little experience assembling electronics. Also, do I need to buy a static strap or something for while I'm assembling everything? Thanks
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Haha don't worry about the static wrap. I bought that thing back in 2000 and it hasn't been used since then. Just ground yourself on the case once in a while. Oh and obviously don't wear wool when you're building.
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Ok excellent, thanks guys!
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Fragking should probably update the original post with new hardware
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Thank you Myrmidon and a176 for the quick and helpful response. Since your builds are pretty similar, I am going to go with what you suggested. The powercolor 6850 is out of stock right now though. Is there a big difference between the two cards (gtx 460 and HD 6850)? Or is it just the price?
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HD 6850 is usually a little less expensive, is a little bit weaker, and uses somewhat less power. Either is fine. I picked a cheaper power supply, though it's also a Seasonic-manufactured unit based on a S12II design--so pretty similar. It doesn't come with a power cord though, but any generic one will do. You could buy a cord or salvage one from any old PC anywhere. I picked a significantly cheaper microATX motherboard too. If you won't need the extra expansion slots, a microATX board would be okay. The cheaper case I picked is a little more modern (has some cable routing holes and a 2.5" drive bay, unlike the Antec 300, etc.), and I think the cooling is more than sufficient for a single-GPU setup like that.
Anyway, none of the differences are very significant.
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On January 13 2011 11:34 Silentness wrote:
Fragking should probably update the original post with new hardware
FragKrag*
Update is in the works, but it's going to be a relatively large one and I'm back in school as well  !
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Hey everyone,
I thought I'd come here and ask for a consult before I went ahead an bought a new computer, just to make sure there aren't any glaring deficiencies or major overpricing that I've missed. It will be primarily a computer for games like sc2, hopefully d3 sometime in the near future, and stuff like that. Here's the build:
gpu: EVGA GeForce GTX 460 Fermi 720MHZ 1024MB - $200 -30 MIR
cpu: i5 2500 - $200
mobo: Asus p8h67-m Pro - $118
ram: G.SKILL Ripjaws X F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL 8GB 2X4GB DDR3-1600 CL9-9-9-24 - $90
psu: XFX 650W XXX Edition - $90 -30 MIR
hdd: WD 1TB SATA3 - $80
total: 778 - 60 MIR
I already have an Antec 300 case to put everything in. Does everything seem okay? I don't plan on OCing or anything, and hopefully won't need any upgrades for at least 3 years.
Thanks for the help!
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EPT
