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Updated again:
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CPU - Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 [$330]
Heatsink - Noctua NH-D14 SE2011 140mm and 120mm SSO CPU Cooler [$90]
Mobo - ASUS P8Z68-V/GEN3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 [$180]
RAM - CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) [$45]
GPU - GIGABYTE GV-R797OC-3GD Radeon HD 7970 [$610]
PSU - SeaSonic X Series X650 Gold [$140]
Case - COOLER MASTER Storm Sniper ATX Mid Tower [$130]
SSD - Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) [$150]
HDD - Western Digital Caviar Black WD1502FAEX 1.5TB 7200 RPM [$180]
Keyboard - Tt eSPORTS MEKA G1 [$120]
Mouse - RAZER DeathAdder [$60]
Mousepad - XTRAC PADS Ripper XXL Mouse Pad [$22]
Monitors - 2x SAMSUNG S23A700D Black 23" [$600]
TOTAL: about $2660 - Newegg prices.
Thoughts?
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@[DUF]MethodMan:
Enermax Pro82+ is very solid, a reasonably recent offering actually made by Enermax (so good quality; this is to distinguish from some power supplies sold under the Enermax label but made by another manufacturer--these range from bad to decent). It's well more than you need for the kinds of things you're considering.
I wouldn't upgrade the CPU unless you really need the extra CPU cores for a particular game (most won't) or application. And if you do upgrade the CPU while staying on AM3, don't get a X4 980 if an X4 955 or similar is significantly cheaper, since it's the same chip, just at a different default clock speed and binned a little higher. It's just a difference of a couple hundred Megahertz in practice. If you actually need a large CPU upgrade in terms of single-threaded performance, you'd have to go with Intel anyway.
The only CPU upgrade I'd really recommend, unless you're sure you need something more, is grabbing a heatsink to overclock the Athlon II X2.
HD 6870 is a decent upgrade but nothing too special, at least compared to an HD 4850. You're looking at like a 140 euros card to replace a 80 euros card, so don't expect a huge improvement. Granted, out of context, it's one of the best values on the market right now. But if you don't need or really want improved GPU performance today, I'd wait a couple of months for Nvidia Kepler and AMD HD 78xx series launches, which should give you some better options or at least reduce prices.
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Thanks for the fast reply, been F5ing quite a bit :D
So I guess I won't be upgrading anything? Somehow I was feeling the CPU was holding things back, not so much the GPU, as I don't play any games on ultra-high settings anyway. Regarding the switch from my current 19" to a 27" (or probably 24", having read the monitor thread now), will the 4850 still serve me well? That's what I mainly had in mind when coming to the decision of getting a new GPU.
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On February 25 2012 11:42 NoSlack wrote:+ Show Spoiler +Updated again: + Show Spoiler +
CPU - Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 [$330]
Heatsink - Noctua NH-D14 SE2011 140mm and 120mm SSO CPU Cooler [$90]
Mobo - ASUS P8Z68-V/GEN3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 [$180]
RAM - CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) [$45]
GPU - GIGABYTE GV-R797OC-3GD Radeon HD 7970 [$610]
PSU - SeaSonic X Series X650 Gold [$140]
Case - COOLER MASTER Storm Sniper ATX Mid Tower [$130]
SSD - Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) [$150]
HDD - Western Digital Caviar Black WD1502FAEX 1.5TB 7200 RPM [$180]
Keyboard - Tt eSPORTS MEKA G1 [$120]
Mouse - RAZER DeathAdder [$60]
Mousepad - XTRAC PADS Ripper XXL Mouse Pad [$22]
Monitors - 2x SAMSUNG S23A700D Black 23" [$600]
TOTAL: about $2660 - Newegg prices.
Thoughts?
Like I said earlier, the bigger heatsinks don't have clearance for tall heatspreaders like the Vengeance. Noctua NH-D14 only has clearance for 44mm. If you really want Vengeance, you would have to install the fan on the other side.
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On February 25 2012 12:19 [DUF]MethodMan wrote:
Thanks for the fast reply, been F5ing quite a bit :D
So I guess I won't be upgrading anything? Somehow I was feeling the CPU was holding things back, not so much the GPU, as I don't play any games on ultra-high settings anyway. Regarding the switch from my current 19" to a 27" (or probably 24", having read the monitor thread now), will the 4850 still serve me well? That's what I mainly had in mind when coming to the decision of getting a new GPU.
What's the resolution of the 19" monitor? For sure it's not 1920x1080 or 1920x1200, so if you upgrade that (I would, if the 19" is not particularly special), then you'll take a GPU-related performance hit when playing on native resolution. The thing is, HD 6xxx series is overall just a mild refresh / tweak of HD 5xxx series. They share pretty much just the same features, mostly the same architecture (HD 69xx is a little bit different), and manufacturing process. Thus I wouldn't really consider HD 48xx to 68xx as really jumping ahead two generations, just one. Your situation and needs may vary, but generally I would say an upgrade of just one generation may not be worth it, if you're not the type to play all the new games on the highest settings.
For SC2 definitely the CPU is holding things back. For other games, it depends. Check the benchmarks. I still think your mid-high end motherboard and low-end CPU are asking you to overclock, if you suspect any CPU-related performance troubles.
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On February 25 2012 12:19 skyR wrote:Show nested quote +On February 25 2012 11:42 NoSlack wrote:+ Show Spoiler +Updated again: + Show Spoiler +
CPU - Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 [$330]
Heatsink - Noctua NH-D14 SE2011 140mm and 120mm SSO CPU Cooler [$90]
Mobo - ASUS P8Z68-V/GEN3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 [$180]
RAM - CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) [$45]
GPU - GIGABYTE GV-R797OC-3GD Radeon HD 7970 [$610]
PSU - SeaSonic X Series X650 Gold [$140]
Case - COOLER MASTER Storm Sniper ATX Mid Tower [$130]
SSD - Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) [$150]
HDD - Western Digital Caviar Black WD1502FAEX 1.5TB 7200 RPM [$180]
Keyboard - Tt eSPORTS MEKA G1 [$120]
Mouse - RAZER DeathAdder [$60]
Mousepad - XTRAC PADS Ripper XXL Mouse Pad [$22]
Monitors - 2x SAMSUNG S23A700D Black 23" [$600]
TOTAL: about $2660 - Newegg prices.
Thoughts? Like I said earlier, the bigger heatsinks don't have clearance for tall heatspreaders like the Vengeance. Noctua NH-D14 only has clearance for 44mm. If you really want Vengeance, you would have to install the fan on the other side.
What memory should I get instead of the vengeance? I'll get whatever ya'll think I should get.
Hell I was going to buy a pre-built gaming rig but TL wisened me up on that which is why I am here asking what to get.
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On February 25 2012 12:33 Myrmidon wrote:Show nested quote +On February 25 2012 12:19 [DUF]MethodMan wrote:
Thanks for the fast reply, been F5ing quite a bit :D
So I guess I won't be upgrading anything? Somehow I was feeling the CPU was holding things back, not so much the GPU, as I don't play any games on ultra-high settings anyway. Regarding the switch from my current 19" to a 27" (or probably 24", having read the monitor thread now), will the 4850 still serve me well? That's what I mainly had in mind when coming to the decision of getting a new GPU. What's the resolution of the 19" monitor? For sure it's not 1920x1080 or 1920x1200, so if you upgrade that (I would, if the 19" is not particularly special), then you'll take a GPU-related performance hit when playing on native resolution. The thing is, HD 6xxx series is overall just a mild refresh / tweak of HD 5xxx series. They share pretty much just the same features, mostly the same architecture (HD 69xx is a little bit different), and manufacturing process. Thus I wouldn't really consider HD 48xx to 68xx as really jumping ahead two generations, just one. Your situation and needs may vary, but generally I would say an upgrade of just one generation may not be worth it, if you're not the type to play all the new games on the highest settings. For SC2 definitely the CPU is holding things back. For other games, it depends. Check the benchmarks. I still think your mid-high end motherboard and low-end CPU are asking you to overclock, if you suspect any CPU-related performance troubles.
I've never overclocked anything before, and all I can find on google are either very outdated guides or questionable sources. I don't want you to write some full guide for me, just tell me at what speed I should clock the CPU and/or point me to some reliable sources quickly. Many many thanks!
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Ok here's the setup then:
CPU - Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 [$495 w/ mobo]
Heatsink - Noctua NH-D14 SE2011 140mm and 120mm SSO CPU Cooler [$90]
Mobo - ASUS P8P67 PRO (REV 3.1) LGA 1155 [Combo'd]
RAM - Patriot Signature 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 [$36]
GPU - GIGABYTE GV-R797OC-3GD Radeon HD 7970 [$610]
PSU - SeaSonic X Series X650 Gold [$140]
Case - COOLER MASTER Storm Sniper ATX Mid Tower [$130]
SSD - Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) [$150]
HDD - Western Digital Caviar Black WD1502FAEX 1.5TB 7200 RPM [$180]
Keyboard - Tt eSPORTS MEKA G1 [$120]
Mouse - RAZER DeathAdder [$60]
Mousepad - XTRAC PADS Ripper XXL Mouse Pad [$22]
Monitors - 2x SAMSUNG S23A700D Black 23" [$600]
TOTAL: about $2670 - Newegg prices.
Any other opinions? What else do I need for the build? Imagine a 29 year old dummy opening all this up at once. What am I forgetting?
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DVD burner?
Speakers / Headphones?
Operating system?
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Great skyR. Thank you for your help over the last 12 hours with this. I'm confident it's going to be a great build. I'll throw on the little extras and call it done then.
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Budget?
$800-1000 (US)
What is your resolution?
1920 x 1080 ( I probably wont need more resolution, but I might think about getting a second monitor...if that significantly changes the situation).
What are you using it for?
Mostly gaming, but I also want to dual-boot linux for work purposes.
What is your upgrade cycle?
This will be my first desktop so I dont have a great idea. At least 2-3 years.
When do you plan on building it?
Within the next few weeks.
Do you plan on overclocking?
Probably not
Do you need an Operating System?
Yes.
Do you plan to add a second GPU for SLI or Crossfire?
No
Where are you buying your parts from?
Online (Newegg is my goto source, but I would be open to others if I can find better deals)
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Intel Core i7 2600k tuned to 4.4Ghz
Asus P8Z68 V Gen 3
Noctua U12P CPU Cooler
Gskill Ripjaws Z 1600Mhz CL9 16GB
MD 1TB Black
MSI 560 GTX 2GB Twin Froz II
FSP Aurum Gold 750W
LG 24x DVD RW
Win 7 64 Bit Premium
+ Case
1,769.78 USD... worth it or not? (can mix and match some parts)
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Not worth it as you are overspending on the powersupply and the graphics card. You are wating money on the 2GB version of the 560 and you don't need a 750W powersupply. Where are you buying your parts from and what are the goals of your system?
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2600k ~ $330
Mobo ~ $180 (unnecessary, a ~$120 one would be more intelligent)
Noctua heatsink ~ $73 ($35 212+ EVO sufficient)
Memory ~ $35x2 (but 8 GB is sufficient for almost every home user for $35)
GPU: $175 (a 6870 or 560ti are better purchases priced at $160 and $220 respectively)
HDD ~ $130 I found on newegg, but cheaper can be had
A proper psu is ~$80 probably (not that PoS)
Dvd ~ $20
Windows 7 depends on where you live and what resources you have available to you
A proper case is ~$60
Total: 1045 + windows 7. Preassembly is usually ~$50 if you can get it done.
It's also poorly optimised, an equivalent or better system is usually under $1k
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On February 25 2012 16:31 nanospartan wrote:Show nested quote + Intel Core i7 2600k tuned to 4.4Ghz
Asus P8Z68 V Gen 3
Noctua U12P CPU Cooler
Gskill Ripjaws Z 1600Mhz CL9 16GB
MD 1TB Black
MSI 560 GTX 2GB Twin Froz II
FSP Aurum Gold 750W
LG 24x DVD RW
Win 7 64 Bit Premium
+ Case 1,769.78 USD... worth it or not? (can mix and match some parts)
You're joking right. Just scroll up and you find a configuration for ~$1800 which blows the shit out of yours.
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Hey Guys,
what do you think of this build for mostly gaming on 1080p plus streaming:
(its about 850€ here in Germany)
CPU:
Intel i5-2500k
CPU Cooler:
Thermalright HR-02 Macho
Mainboard:
Asrock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 (intending to oc cpu)
RAM:
8GB Corsair ValueSelect DDR3-1333 DIMM CL9 Dual Kit
Case:
Antec Three Hundred
GPU:
Amd Radeon HD 6870
PSU: (has to be modular)
530W be quiet! Pure Power CM BQT L8-CM-530W
SSD:
Crucial M4 128Gb
HDD:
Seagate Barracuda 500Gb
+ DVD Burner
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EPT
