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On August 25 2013 03:00 ShootingQuasar wrote:+ Show Spoiler +What is your budget?£1000 What is your monitor's native resolution?1920x1080 by i eventually want to upgrade to 2550x1440 What games do you intend to play on this computer? What settings?Starcraft 2 mostly but some LoL and Battlefield (Latest) Would ideally like to run them as high as possible :D What do you intend to use the computer for besides gaming?Computer is mainly for typing, CAD, programming and simulations, maybe some rendering/video editing Do you intend to overclock?I dont know how to but am open minded to it as long as liquid cooling isnt necessary Do you need an operating system?Ideally Microsoft 8 and Ubuntu Linux on partitions Do you need a monitor or any other peripherals and is this part of your budget?Need a Keboard and mouse If you have any requirements or brand preferences, please specify.GPU from Nvidia GeForce, Intel CPU (want CPU to be an i7 4th generation) , Want to install OS on SSD then use an HDD for data storage What country will you be buying your parts in?UK If you have any retailer preferences, please specify.Amazon, pc world, places like that 
£915 before adding Windows and appropriately sized HDD.
Intel Core i7 4770k @ £259
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00CV3E3XE
Gigabyte Z87X-D3H @ £117
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00CUCRKO0
ASUS GTX 760 DirectCU II 2GB @ £201
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DM9B6FO
Corsair HX650 @ £95
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B008NJGPTA
Samsung 840 250GB @ £128
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009LI7C9Y
Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 @ £85
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00AWZQ4FI
Thermalright True Spirit 140 @ £30
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00B0AB0MQ
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What is your current build?
Alienware x51
Operating System
Windows 8 Pro 64-bit
CPU
Intel Core i5 3450 @ 3.10GHz
RAM
6.00GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 798MHz
Motherboard
Alienware 0KM92T (CPU 1)
Intel Chipset H61
Graphics
DELL S2330MX (1920x1080@60Hz)
Intel HD Graphics (Dell)
1024MB NVIDIA GeForce GT 545 (NVIDIA)
Hard Drives
932GB Seagate ST31000524AS (SATA)
Case: Dell Proprietary x51 Case
PSU: Dell Proprietary 240w PSU
What is your monitor's native resolution?
1920 x 1080.
Why do you want to upgrade? What do you want to achieve with the upgrade?
I would like to upgrade the graphics card to achieve higher graphical settings in StarCraft 2 and Dota 2, with stable fps through most of the game. Also, I would like to be able to reduce power consumption through the use of Kepler architecture.
What is your budget?
SGD 250.
What country will you be buying your parts in?
Singapore.
If you have any brand or retailer preferences, please specify.
Nvidia cards. I have been looking at the GTX 650 for some time now. Retailer preferences would be local distributors in Singapore, like Fuwell and Cybermind.
P.S. This is my first forum post, sorry for any bad English. 
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On August 25 2013 12:28 Equanimity- wrote:+ Show Spoiler +What is your current build?Alienware x51 Operating System Windows 8 Pro 64-bit CPU Intel Core i5 3450 @ 3.10GHz RAM 6.00GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 798MHz Motherboard Alienware 0KM92T (CPU 1) Intel Chipset H61 Graphics DELL S2330MX (1920x1080@60Hz) Intel HD Graphics (Dell) 1024MB NVIDIA GeForce GT 545 (NVIDIA) Hard Drives 932GB Seagate ST31000524AS (SATA) Case: Dell Proprietary x51 Case PSU: Dell Proprietary 240w PSU What is your monitor's native resolution?1920 x 1080. Why do you want to upgrade? What do you want to achieve with the upgrade?I would like to upgrade the graphics card to achieve higher graphical settings in StarCraft 2 and Dota 2, with stable fps through most of the game. Also, I would like to be able to reduce power consumption through the use of Kepler architecture. What is your budget?SGD 250. What country will you be buying your parts in?Singapore. If you have any brand or retailer preferences, please specify.Nvidia cards. I have been looking at the GTX 650 for some time now. Retailer preferences would be local distributors in Singapore, like Fuwell and Cybermind. P.S. This is my first forum post, sorry for any bad English.
You can get a Palit GTX 650 Ti 1GB at Fuwell for $195 and you'll need to pick up a new power supply, preferably the Seasonic S12II 520 for $90 at a quick glance.
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The x51 is a custom case the size of a console, it can't fit a new PSU. I'm afraid you're stuck with the non-TI 650.
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On August 25 2013 14:19 skyR wrote:Show nested quote +On August 25 2013 12:28 Equanimity- wrote:+ Show Spoiler +What is your current build?Alienware x51 Operating System Windows 8 Pro 64-bit CPU Intel Core i5 3450 @ 3.10GHz RAM 6.00GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 798MHz Motherboard Alienware 0KM92T (CPU 1) Intel Chipset H61 Graphics DELL S2330MX (1920x1080@60Hz) Intel HD Graphics (Dell) 1024MB NVIDIA GeForce GT 545 (NVIDIA) Hard Drives 932GB Seagate ST31000524AS (SATA) Case: Dell Proprietary x51 Case PSU: Dell Proprietary 240w PSU What is your monitor's native resolution?1920 x 1080. Why do you want to upgrade? What do you want to achieve with the upgrade?I would like to upgrade the graphics card to achieve higher graphical settings in StarCraft 2 and Dota 2, with stable fps through most of the game. Also, I would like to be able to reduce power consumption through the use of Kepler architecture. What is your budget?SGD 250. What country will you be buying your parts in?Singapore. If you have any brand or retailer preferences, please specify.Nvidia cards. I have been looking at the GTX 650 for some time now. Retailer preferences would be local distributors in Singapore, like Fuwell and Cybermind. P.S. This is my first forum post, sorry for any bad English. You can get a Palit GTX 650 Ti 1GB at Fuwell for $195 and you'll need to pick up a new power supply, preferably the Seasonic S12II 520 for $90 at a quick glance.
Thanks skyR. Just a slight problem, I forgot to mention that the PSU is a Dell custom external power brick, used to power either the M18x or x51. So that would mean that I can't fit any of the internal PSUs from any manufacturers, due to the small form factor of the x51 case. In this case, would it be a good idea to get any of the GTX 650 non-Ti cards? Since the power draw of the GTX 650 is stated to be only 64w on the Nvidia website.
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On August 25 2013 14:28 Soap wrote:
The x51 is a custom case the size of a console, it can't fit a new PSU. I'm afraid you're stuck with the non-TI 650.
Was just typing out my reply to skyR when you posted this, haha. Thanks Soap!
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There's a different, larger power brick available, but you could also just try it out, I assume. It would shut down and you might lose data if it doesn't get enough power when you fire up a taxing game. I don't think anything about the hardware would break.
The thing is, your current GT 545 is rated as max 105 W and the GTX 650 Ti is rated as 110 W max. It might just work. I think the GTX 650 might be a bad choice as it's perhaps not much different compared to the GT 545.
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On August 25 2013 14:33 Ropid wrote:
There's a different, larger power brick available, but you could also just try it out, I assume. It would shut down and you might lose data if it doesn't get enough power when you fire up a taxing game. I don't think anything about the hardware would break.
The thing is, your current GT 545 is rated as max 105 W and the GTX 650 Ti is rated as 110 W max. It might just work. I think the GTX 650 might be a bad choice as it's perhaps not be much different compared to the GT 545.
Hmm, down here in Singapore, it seems quite difficult to get hold of the larger power brick. I was thinking of getting it through Amazon.com, but was worried about the shipping process and all that. But I didn't know that the GTX 650 Ti is rated as 110w max, so maybe I could try that out. Thanks Ropid!
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On August 25 2013 14:39 Equanimity- wrote:+ Show Spoiler +On August 25 2013 14:33 Ropid wrote:
There's a different, larger power brick available, but you could also just try it out, I assume. It would shut down and you might lose data if it doesn't get enough power when you fire up a taxing game. I don't think anything about the hardware would break.
The thing is, your current GT 545 is rated as max 105 W and the GTX 650 Ti is rated as 110 W max. It might just work. I think the GTX 650 might be a bad choice as it's perhaps not be much different compared to the GT 545. Hmm, down here in Singapore, it seems quite difficult to get hold of the larger power brick. I was thinking of getting it through Amazon.com, but was worried about the shipping process and all that. But I didn't know that the GTX 650 Ti is rated as 110w max, so maybe I could try that out. Thanks Ropid!
Can you check whether your power supply has a 6pin PCIe cable? Because both the GTX 650 and 650 Ti require a 6pin PCIe cable to work. The GT 545 doesn't need one.
Most of the GTX 650 and GTX 650 Ti are also dual slot cards so... it might not fit if your case only has room for a single slot card which the GT 545 is.
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sky R thank you soooooooooooooooooooooo much :D it was very similar to a sample build i tried but in which i forgot the cooler >.<
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question, what is the difference between gold and bronze PSU's? im assuming something to do with efficieny or something?
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On August 25 2013 15:07 ShootingQuasar wrote:+ Show Spoiler +question, what is the difference between gold and bronze PSU's? im assuming something to do with efficieny or something?
Bronze is 85% efficiency, Gold is 90%.
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ShootingQuasar,
![[image loading]](http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/80plus.jpg)
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On August 25 2013 15:03 skyR wrote:Show nested quote +On August 25 2013 14:39 Equanimity- wrote:+ Show Spoiler +On August 25 2013 14:33 Ropid wrote:
There's a different, larger power brick available, but you could also just try it out, I assume. It would shut down and you might lose data if it doesn't get enough power when you fire up a taxing game. I don't think anything about the hardware would break.
The thing is, your current GT 545 is rated as max 105 W and the GTX 650 Ti is rated as 110 W max. It might just work. I think the GTX 650 might be a bad choice as it's perhaps not be much different compared to the GT 545. Hmm, down here in Singapore, it seems quite difficult to get hold of the larger power brick. I was thinking of getting it through Amazon.com, but was worried about the shipping process and all that. But I didn't know that the GTX 650 Ti is rated as 110w max, so maybe I could try that out. Thanks Ropid! Can you check whether your power supply has a 6pin PCIe cable? Because both the GTX 650 and 650 Ti require a 6pin PCIe cable to work. The GT 545 doesn't need one. Most of the GTX 650 and GTX 650 Ti are also dual slot cards so... it might not fit if your case only has room for a single slot card which the GT 545 is.
Yeah, my power supply has a 6pin PCIe cable, which is connected to GT 545 currently. My GT 545 is the OEM version, which is a dual slot card (GeForce GT 545 GDDR5 (OEM)). Not only that, it still has a spare 6pin PCIe cable, so a total of 2 PCIe cables.
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United Kingdom3685 Posts
+ Show Spoiler [Questionnaire] +
What is your budget?
No strict budget, but aiming for £1000 or so.
What is your monitor's native resolution?
Two monitors at 1920x1080
What games do you intend to play on this computer? What settings?
Mainly Starcraft, but I also want to be able to play the latest titles at decent settings. Rome 2 coming out in a month is a big reason for building the PC now.
What do you intend to use the computer for besides gaming?
Streaming Starcraft. Nothing else too major.
Do you intend to overclock?
Yes
Do you intend to do SLI / Crossfire?
No
Do you need an operating system?
No (I might, but this doesn't affect what I'm willing to spend on the PC)
Do you need a monitor or any other peripherals and is this part of your budget?
No
If you have any requirements or brand preferences, please specify.
Prefer Samsung but not really fussed :D Would like to build it within the next month.
What country will you be buying your parts in?
UK
If you have any retailer preferences, please specify.
Here's my first attempt at coming up with a build. I have no idea what I'm doing but the guide in the OP was very helpful!
Amazon bundle @ £360
- Intel Core i5 4670K
- Asus 787-K
- Crucial Ballistix 2x4GB 1600MHz
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DRDYF0S/
Asus GeForce GTX 760 DirectCU II OC 2GB @ £219
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DM9B6FO/
Samsung 840 EVO 250 GB @ £147
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00E391OX6/
Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB @ £49
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0088PUEPK/
Corsair CX600 @ £58
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009RMP44O/
Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 @ £86
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00AWZQ4FI/
Thermalright True Spirit 140 @ £30
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00B0AB0MQ/
Total - £949
Couple of questions:
- The motherboards in the recommended builds often had "D3H" at the end of the model number. What does that mean and is it important?
- What is the '1600MHz' for the RAM referring to and is it worse than 2133 or 2400MHz RAM?
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On August 25 2013 19:16 Sayle wrote:+ Show Spoiler ++ Show Spoiler [Questionnaire] +
What is your budget?
No strict budget, but aiming for £1000 or so.
What is your monitor's native resolution?
Two monitors at 1920x1080
What games do you intend to play on this computer? What settings?
Mainly Starcraft, but I also want to be able to play the latest titles at decent settings. Rome 2 coming out in a month is a big reason for building the PC now.
What do you intend to use the computer for besides gaming?
Streaming Starcraft. Nothing else too major.
Do you intend to overclock?
Yes
Do you intend to do SLI / Crossfire?
No
Do you need an operating system?
No (I might, but this doesn't affect what I'm willing to spend on the PC)
Do you need a monitor or any other peripherals and is this part of your budget?
No
If you have any requirements or brand preferences, please specify.
Prefer Samsung but not really fussed :D Would like to build it within the next month.
What country will you be buying your parts in?
UK
If you have any retailer preferences, please specify.
Here's my first attempt at coming up with a build. I have no idea what I'm doing but the guide in the OP was very helpful! Amazon bundle @ £360 - Intel Core i5 4670K - Asus 787-K - Crucial Ballistix 2x4GB 1600MHz http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DRDYF0S/Asus GeForce GTX 760 DirectCU II OC 2GB @ £219 http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DM9B6FO/Samsung 840 EVO 250 GB @ £147 http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00E391OX6/Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB @ £49 http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0088PUEPK/Corsair CX600 @ £58 http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009RMP44O/Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 @ £86 http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00AWZQ4FI/Thermalright True Spirit 140 @ £30 http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00B0AB0MQ/Total - £949 Couple of questions: - The motherboards in the recommended builds often had "D3H" at the end of the model number. What does that mean and is it important? - What is the '1600MHz' for the RAM referring to and is it worse than 2133 or 2400MHz RAM?
D3H is the gigabyte mobo, pretty normal recommendation in this thread. Not sure if Asus is worth it in that deal, someone else will probably chime in.
1600 is the speed, so yeah 2133 etc are faster and better. But memory speed doesn't have a huge impact, so get faster memory if you can but don't spend much more than a $20 premium over 1600 (which is the standard speed these days).
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@Sayle:
There's a case called Fractal Design Define R4 that's pretty similar to the Arc Midi R2 on the inside, but comes with dampening and one less fan. The missing fan is a 140mm Fractal Design Silent Series and is about £10.
You might be interested in that dampened case. It has pretty much no downside as it's similar price even with added fan, and it's actually open in all the same places as the Arc Midi R2, just has covers on all those spots by default. So if you find out your cooling is fine (it will very likely be fine), you can keep everything covered and quiet. If you find out you need more cooling, the covers are removable and it transforms into a pretty open case.
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United Kingdom3685 Posts
Thanks for the suggestion Ropid! My current PC is obnoxiously loud so getting a dampened case like that is definitely appealing. Looks like it's slightly cheaper than the Midi R2 on Amazon as well. I assume this is the one you're talking about: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B008NFWNFO/
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5930 Posts
Yes, that's the case everyone is talking about. In its price range, there aren't a lot of better cases.
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United Kingdom20274 Posts
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EPT
