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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. |
Note: I tend to write a lot which isn’t good so this will be my third draft. I’m just going to keep it as simple as possible. (In hindsight this hasn’t really worked out, it’s still a bit lengthy, I don’t think I can make it any more compact, I've tried to format it properly so it's good to read).
I think it’s really important for me to add in my motivation and views because that way I can be corrected for wrong reasoning and make better decisions.
At the end I provided a list of the build in a picture.
Components and reasoning:
i5 2500k.
+ Wanted to get the Zipang because it was really low noise but it’s discontinued. I don’t know I just saw there was a new cooler so this time I added the Scythe Ninja which also seems to be very quiet.
Corsair Vengeance CL8 1600mhz 8GB
I thought G-Skill was cool but then I read they had high fail rates. Now I think the Corsair Vengeance is a good model since it has existed a while and seem dependable. The 1600mhz and 8GB are pretty much because the prices different so little between 1333 and 4GB etc. Don't want make a purchase and slack on a component, I've done that before and it hurts. But RAM doesn't seem to have a really good effect on performance either so going further doesn't seem necessary either, thought this was an excellent medium. Also think the 8GB should be noticeably better because when running a ton of things on the desktop for example with 4GB you notice when some programs suddenly want a ton of ram then everything goes slow for a while.
Asus Motherboard.
Iin the 100-150e range but not sure which is good for me. A P67 at least for some overclocking years down. The Z68 offers the Lucid tech but does that allow the “concrete GPU” to actually switch off? With no fans running for example. And the video encode seem like nice.
I don’t understand the difference between LE, V, Pro etc. Seems like they add a ton of stuff I won’t need. They all have USB 3.0. I just don’t know if I would be missing out on anything if I pick the Asus P8Z68- (LX, LE, V), I can only see them get “nicer” heatsink design.
Corsair HX/AX.
I like the AX, it only starts the fan over 200 Watt but it might be too feature much? The HX should be “silent” too since it has a larger fan? 750 Watt I thought was good because of efficiency if that applies. I have no clue how the internals compare. I guess it’s practically the same lol.
Also I read features like: overcurrent protection and other such ones (like 6 different power protections). Is it a standard tech that cheap PSU’s have as well or is it limited to higher end ones? Because it actually seems really nice if it isn’t that regular.
Antec Performance One 193 V3.
Because silence is a huge point. A good case is worth the expensive and this seems like the most baller-est case. Larger format fans, removable dust filters, side fan for videocard, double wall panel for insulation, “modern layout” with the PSU at the bottom and compartments. Also like the design, it looks clean.
Asus 570GTX DCII.
Want it to last a bit longer have more power than a 560GTX. Always had Asus products, great brand and thankfully they are adding good coolers on their cards nowadays. Will use it to overclock year(s) down or when it could actually matter and be worth it but for now it’s good for durability, cooling and sound.
OCZ Vertex3 120GB.
Seems like a great purchase being one of the fastest/best SSD’s available
2x 2TB WD Green something.
Apparently the Sata600 does nothing for mechanical hard drives? I would still get the Sata600 version though since there is almost no difference in price, I think they are even a bit cheaper. Or is the regular one but with advanced form factor better? I don’t really understand what that is. The bigger clusters I sort of get but not its repercussions, seems it needs extra attention.
Going to run the Software Raid 1 since it is the most dependable and easiest to rebuild or break the array. I know it’s not good “backup”. I’ve got an external one and maybe in the future expand further but for now the redundancy increase seems great and gives me more comfort.
Benq XL2401t.
I looked around and it’s hard to get a grip on the color systems. I have a Dell 2407WFP and it has 6bit+dithering. You can really notice the banding. So I thought IPS would be great. Then I got confused and thought nowadays everything has at least 8bit and IPS just does it better or even more. So then I much prefer 120hz.
And this week/day I re-check more specifically and all the 120hz (benq and alienware one I checked) seem to have the 6 bit color. Is the dithering on those better than my Dell though? Has it improved or it will be similar banding as I have currently? (which is probably a normal amount I wouldn’t know).
Maybe wait till there are 120hz IPS with little input lag? The benq seems like a great deal though.
And like, will the IPS never band? I don’t know how it works technically but when something applies a gradient, can the gradient be limited to the bands? Or will the gradient be “perfect” information wise, just when it comes to the display it has to skip/combine colors because it cannot generate them? Like say Portal 2 and the textures look bad because of the banding, does the IPS make the colors on them smooth? Or does that depend on Portal 2 itself.
+ Show Spoiler [Picture overview of the build list] +
Answers to the questions from the first post:
Budget ~1300 can stretch a little if other models are a better choice.
1920x1080 and or 1920x1200, intend to run two monitors but one just with desktop stuff.
Use it for gaming. Want to keep it for 3 - 4 years and perform really well the first 3 years if possible.
(I'm separating this point because I want to specifically ask if this is reasonable to expect or not.)
If there are no open questions left I will order the PC this weekend.
The monitor will probably come a bit later.
I don’t plan on overclocking since it should work more than fine. However I do have some experience with it and I will most likely give it a go at some point. But I think the components should be good enough to last pretty long so only past halfway and near the end would overclocking actually become interesting. I will definitely do it then.
No OS, No sli.
Tried but I can’t link others to the configuration, so regular site will have to do: http://www.alternate.nl/
Thanks very much for your time.
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my advice would be to get the cheapest, plainest memory possible regardless of brand lol. its all the same anyway, although different companies have better quality control i guess.
nice choice on the case btw, best cases antec has ever made
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5930 Posts
You could, theoretically, send it in and Dell would probably send you a fixed version assuming its still in warranty. You pay for the Ultrasharp branding for a reason! Its also why you buy straight from Dell, even if its more expensive, since the first party warranty is kickass.
Its a non-issue these days, most monitors don't have a problem with it. These days, most low end IPS panels (that is not $600+) use 6 bit + ARC and they look exactly the same as true 8 bit monitors. If there is a problem, you bitch about it and send it back to the manufacturer. If the post-service support is good, you'll get a new monitor that (hopefully!) doesn't have this problem.
Benq XL2401t is an OK 120hz monitor - viewing angles are predictably poor, the stand is not spring loaded or doesn't seem like it, and the added overdrive feature is defective. The best are those new Samsung ones with the strange asymmetrical stand since they have the best picture quality and not really any real performance issues..
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Building a gaming computer, looking for some advice. I just want to be able to play BF3, SC2, D3 and stuff on it. No need for overclocking. I run 2 screens 1920*1080 and 1280*960.
Previous (closed) thread: http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=275250#7
Here's what i got so far:
CPU Intel Core i5 2500 (3.3 GHz) 186.90 €
MOBO Asus P8H67-V (Rev. B3) 88.90 €
Kit Dual Channel DDR3 G.Skill Ripjaws X, 2 x 4 Go, PC3-10666 , CAS 9 39.90 €
GPU Asus GeForce GTX 560 Ti DirectCU II TOP, 1 Go 199.90 €
SSD Crucial M4, 64 Go, SATA III 92.45 €
HDD Western Digital Caviar Black, 1 To 72.85 €
DVD Burner Samsung SH-222AL/BEBE 17.90 €
Case PC Cooler Master HAF 912 Plus Noir 78.99 €
PSU StealthXStream II, 600 W, OCZ 59.99 €
TOTAL : 837.78 €*
ppl say i could get a cheaper mobo. just not sure which one ? the 560 Ti is pretty much the best bang for your buck right? Case, i just looked for a case with good airflow, if u guys have a better suggestion for about the same price i'm all ears.
I'm thinking 600W to be safe (only 10€ more then 500W). When i look on anandtech.com they say teh GPU uses 300 under load and CPU 140 under load. that's 440, awfully close to 500 if u add the 2 HDD,DVD etc don't u guys agree?
i live in Brussels, prices are from http://www.topachat.com. My budget can go up to 1000 euros but i really don't think i need it. Don't think i need an i7 either.
Thx for the input.
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On October 14 2011 18:07 legatus legionis wrote:Note: I tend to write a lot which isn’t good so this will be my third draft. I’m just going to keep it as simple as possible. (In hindsight this hasn’t really worked out, it’s still a bit lengthy, I don’t think I can make it any more compact, I've tried to format it properly so it's good to read). I think it’s really important for me to add in my motivation and views because that way I can be corrected for wrong reasoning and make better decisions. At the end I provided a list of the build in a picture. Components and reasoning: i5 2500k. + Wanted to get the Zipang because it was really low noise but it’s discontinued. I don’t know I just saw there was a new cooler so this time I added the Scythe Ninja which also seems to be very quiet. Corsair Vengeance CL8 1600mhz 8GBI thought G-Skill was cool but then I read they had high fail rates. Now I think the Corsair Vengeance is a good model since it has existed a while and seem dependable. The 1600mhz and 8GB are pretty much because the prices different so little between 1333 and 4GB etc. Don't want make a purchase and slack on a component, I've done that before and it hurts. But RAM doesn't seem to have a really good effect on performance either so going further doesn't seem necessary either, thought this was an excellent medium. Also think the 8GB should be noticeably better because when running a ton of things on the desktop for example with 4GB you notice when some programs suddenly want a ton of ram then everything goes slow for a while. Asus Motherboard.Iin the 100-150e range but not sure which is good for me. A P67 at least for some overclocking years down. The Z68 offers the Lucid tech but does that allow the “concrete GPU” to actually switch off? With no fans running for example. And the video encode seem like nice. I don’t understand the difference between LE, V, Pro etc. Seems like they add a ton of stuff I won’t need. They all have USB 3.0. I just don’t know if I would be missing out on anything if I pick the Asus P8Z68- (LX, LE, V), I can only see them get “nicer” heatsink design. Corsair HX/AX. I like the AX, it only starts the fan over 200 Watt but it might be too feature much? The HX should be “silent” too since it has a larger fan? 750 Watt I thought was good because of efficiency if that applies. I have no clue how the internals compare. I guess it’s practically the same lol. Also I read features like: overcurrent protection and other such ones (like 6 different power protections). Is it a standard tech that cheap PSU’s have as well or is it limited to higher end ones? Because it actually seems really nice if it isn’t that regular. Antec Performance One 193 V3. Because silence is a huge point. A good case is worth the expensive and this seems like the most baller-est case. Larger format fans, removable dust filters, side fan for videocard, double wall panel for insulation, “modern layout” with the PSU at the bottom and compartments. Also like the design, it looks clean. Asus 570GTX DCII. Want it to last a bit longer have more power than a 560GTX. Always had Asus products, great brand and thankfully they are adding good coolers on their cards nowadays. Will use it to overclock year(s) down or when it could actually matter and be worth it but for now it’s good for durability, cooling and sound. OCZ Vertex3 120GB. Seems like a great purchase being one of the fastest/best SSD’s available 2x 2TB WD Green something. Apparently the Sata600 does nothing for mechanical hard drives? I would still get the Sata600 version though since there is almost no difference in price, I think they are even a bit cheaper. Or is the regular one but with advanced form factor better? I don’t really understand what that is. The bigger clusters I sort of get but not its repercussions, seems it needs extra attention. Going to run the Software Raid 1 since it is the most dependable and easiest to rebuild or break the array. I know it’s not good “backup”. I’ve got an external one and maybe in the future expand further but for now the redundancy increase seems great and gives me more comfort. Benq XL2401t.I looked around and it’s hard to get a grip on the color systems. I have a Dell 2407WFP and it has 6bit+dithering. You can really notice the banding. So I thought IPS would be great. Then I got confused and thought nowadays everything has at least 8bit and IPS just does it better or even more. So then I much prefer 120hz. And this week/day I re-check more specifically and all the 120hz (benq and alienware one I checked) seem to have the 6 bit color. Is the dithering on those better than my Dell though? Has it improved or it will be similar banding as I have currently? (which is probably a normal amount I wouldn’t know). Maybe wait till there are 120hz IPS with little input lag? The benq seems like a great deal though. And like, will the IPS never band? I don’t know how it works technically but when something applies a gradient, can the gradient be limited to the bands? Or will the gradient be “perfect” information wise, just when it comes to the display it has to skip/combine colors because it cannot generate them? Like say Portal 2 and the textures look bad because of the banding, does the IPS make the colors on them smooth? Or does that depend on Portal 2 itself. + Show Spoiler [Picture overview of the build list] +Answers to the questions from the first post: Budget ~1300 can stretch a little if other models are a better choice. 1920x1080 and or 1920x1200, intend to run two monitors but one just with desktop stuff. Use it for gaming. Want to keep it for 3 - 4 years and perform really well the first 3 years if possible. (I'm separating this point because I want to specifically ask if this is reasonable to expect or not.) If there are no open questions left I will order the PC this weekend. The monitor will probably come a bit later. I don’t plan on overclocking since it should work more than fine. However I do have some experience with it and I will most likely give it a go at some point. But I think the components should be good enough to last pretty long so only past halfway and near the end would overclocking actually become interesting. I will definitely do it then. No OS, No sli. Tried but I can’t link others to the configuration, so regular site will have to do: http://www.alternate.nl/ Thanks very much for your time.
afaik Mugen3 should be as quiet / quieter and have more performance
Wasting money in CL8 is bad, just save 20€ with CL9
The SSD is kind of risky, suggestion is crucial m4 for now.
GPU is overpriced.
The PSU is overpriced and enormous overkill
The tower is enormous overkill
mobo seems overpriced but might be fine
HDD might be ok but seems overpriced
Overall you seem to be buying from a sucky site that's overpriced, you also have poor component selection. For a 1300€ budget you can do much much much much much much better. I can give an example if you want.
On October 14 2011 21:48 Nizaris wrote:Building a gaming computer, looking for some advice. I just want to be able to play BF3, SC2, D3 and stuff on it. No need for overclocking. I run 2 screens 1920*1080 and 1280*960. Previous (closed) thread: http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=275250#7Here's what i got so far: Show nested quote +CPU Intel Core i5 2500 (3.3 GHz) 186.90 €
MOBO Asus P8H67-V (Rev. B3) 88.90 €
Kit Dual Channel DDR3 G.Skill Ripjaws X, 2 x 4 Go, PC3-10666 , CAS 9 39.90 €
GPU Asus GeForce GTX 560 Ti DirectCU II TOP, 1 Go 199.90 €
SSD Crucial M4, 64 Go, SATA III 92.45 €
HDD Western Digital Caviar Black, 1 To 72.85 €
DVD Burner Samsung SH-222AL/BEBE 17.90 €
Case PC Cooler Master HAF 912 Plus Noir 78.99 €
PSU StealthXStream II, 600 W, OCZ 59.99 €
TOTAL : 837.78 €*
ppl say i could get a cheaper mobo. just not sure which one ? the 560 Ti is pretty much the best bang for your buck right? Case, i just looked for a case with good airflow, if u guys have a better suggestion for about the same price i'm all ears. I'm thinking 600W to be safe (only 10€ more then 500W). When i look on anandtech.com they say teh GPU uses 300 under load and CPU 140 under load. that's 440, awfully close to 500 if u add the 2 HDD,DVD etc don't u guys agree? i live in Brussels, prices are from http://www.topachat.com. My budget can go up to 1000 euros but i really don't think i need it. Don't think i need an i7 either. Thx for the input.
What on earth? That site sucks for pricing or something. Example 840€ build on hardwareversand:
http://www3.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsp?aid=41225&agid=1617
http://www3.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsp?aid=46914&agid=1603
http://www3.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsp?aid=43166&agid=707
http://www3.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsp?aid=44315&agid=1192
http://www3.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsp?aid=46113&agid=1145
http://www3.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsp?aid=40725&agid=1283
http://www3.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsp?aid=47362&agid=699
http://www3.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsp?aid=48895&agid=631
http://www3.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsp?aid=30069&agid=1628
Totals at 808€, 838€ with shipping. With a GTX 570 instead of 560 Ti with no performance loss.
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On October 14 2011 21:48 Nizaris wrote:Building a gaming computer, looking for some advice. I just want to be able to play BF3, SC2, D3 and stuff on it. No need for overclocking. I run 2 screens 1920*1080 and 1280*960. Previous (closed) thread: http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=275250#7Here's what i got so far: Show nested quote +CPU Intel Core i5 2500 (3.3 GHz) 186.90 €
MOBO Asus P8H67-V (Rev. B3) 88.90 €
Kit Dual Channel DDR3 G.Skill Ripjaws X, 2 x 4 Go, PC3-10666 , CAS 9 39.90 €
GPU Asus GeForce GTX 560 Ti DirectCU II TOP, 1 Go 199.90 €
SSD Crucial M4, 64 Go, SATA III 92.45 €
HDD Western Digital Caviar Black, 1 To 72.85 €
DVD Burner Samsung SH-222AL/BEBE 17.90 €
Case PC Cooler Master HAF 912 Plus Noir 78.99 €
PSU StealthXStream II, 600 W, OCZ 59.99 €
TOTAL : 837.78 €*
ppl say i could get a cheaper mobo. just not sure which one ? the 560 Ti is pretty much the best bang for your buck right? Case, i just looked for a case with good airflow, if u guys have a better suggestion for about the same price i'm all ears. I'm thinking 600W to be safe (only 10€ more then 500W). When i look on anandtech.com they say teh GPU uses 300 under load and CPU 140 under load. that's 440, awfully close to 500 if u add the 2 HDD,DVD etc don't u guys agree? i live in Brussels, prices are from http://www.topachat.com. My budget can go up to 1000 euros but i really don't think i need it. Don't think i need an i7 either. Thx for the input.
Those load figures don't work that way. The GPU figure is full system draw from the wall under load. Includes the CPU. The CPU used in that testing will pretty much inevitably pull more power than a SB i5. Accounting for PSU efficiency, that puts the DC output somewhere in the 250-260w range, at 300 AC from the wall.
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The website is actually the best available in france/belgium but he doesn't seem to know what to get ... the samsung spinpoint F3 is 40euros and i5-2400 160euros
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On October 14 2011 23:01 JingleHell wrote:Show nested quote +On October 14 2011 21:48 Nizaris wrote:Building a gaming computer, looking for some advice. I just want to be able to play BF3, SC2, D3 and stuff on it. No need for overclocking. I run 2 screens 1920*1080 and 1280*960. Previous (closed) thread: http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=275250#7Here's what i got so far: CPU Intel Core i5 2500 (3.3 GHz) 186.90 €
MOBO Asus P8H67-V (Rev. B3) 88.90 €
Kit Dual Channel DDR3 G.Skill Ripjaws X, 2 x 4 Go, PC3-10666 , CAS 9 39.90 €
GPU Asus GeForce GTX 560 Ti DirectCU II TOP, 1 Go 199.90 €
SSD Crucial M4, 64 Go, SATA III 92.45 €
HDD Western Digital Caviar Black, 1 To 72.85 €
DVD Burner Samsung SH-222AL/BEBE 17.90 €
Case PC Cooler Master HAF 912 Plus Noir 78.99 €
PSU StealthXStream II, 600 W, OCZ 59.99 €
TOTAL : 837.78 €*
ppl say i could get a cheaper mobo. just not sure which one ? the 560 Ti is pretty much the best bang for your buck right? Case, i just looked for a case with good airflow, if u guys have a better suggestion for about the same price i'm all ears. I'm thinking 600W to be safe (only 10€ more then 500W). When i look on anandtech.com they say teh GPU uses 300 under load and CPU 140 under load. that's 440, awfully close to 500 if u add the 2 HDD,DVD etc don't u guys agree? i live in Brussels, prices are from http://www.topachat.com. My budget can go up to 1000 euros but i really don't think i need it. Don't think i need an i7 either. Thx for the input. Those load figures don't work that way. The GPU figure is full system draw from the wall under load. Includes the CPU. The CPU used in that testing will pretty much inevitably pull more power than a SB i5. Accounting for PSU efficiency, that puts the DC output somewhere in the 250-260w range, at 300 AC from the wall.
That's not to mention that if you add up full system draw for CPU load with full system draw for GPU load, you're double counting motherboard, HDD, RAM, etc. power draw. You were about to triple count those.
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On October 14 2011 23:10 Rachnar wrote:
The website is actually the best available in france/belgium but he doesn't seem to know what to get ... the samsung spinpoint F3 is 40euros and i5-2400 160euros
oh that's good then
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^^ thx for your help Rachnar, you've been super helpful 
On October 14 2011 23:10 Myrmidon wrote:Show nested quote +On October 14 2011 23:01 JingleHell wrote:On October 14 2011 21:48 Nizaris wrote:Building a gaming computer, looking for some advice. I just want to be able to play BF3, SC2, D3 and stuff on it. No need for overclocking. I run 2 screens 1920*1080 and 1280*960. Previous (closed) thread: http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=275250#7Here's what i got so far: CPU Intel Core i5 2500 (3.3 GHz) 186.90 €
MOBO Asus P8H67-V (Rev. B3) 88.90 €
Kit Dual Channel DDR3 G.Skill Ripjaws X, 2 x 4 Go, PC3-10666 , CAS 9 39.90 €
GPU Asus GeForce GTX 560 Ti DirectCU II TOP, 1 Go 199.90 €
SSD Crucial M4, 64 Go, SATA III 92.45 €
HDD Western Digital Caviar Black, 1 To 72.85 €
DVD Burner Samsung SH-222AL/BEBE 17.90 €
Case PC Cooler Master HAF 912 Plus Noir 78.99 €
PSU StealthXStream II, 600 W, OCZ 59.99 €
TOTAL : 837.78 €*
ppl say i could get a cheaper mobo. just not sure which one ? the 560 Ti is pretty much the best bang for your buck right? Case, i just looked for a case with good airflow, if u guys have a better suggestion for about the same price i'm all ears. I'm thinking 600W to be safe (only 10€ more then 500W). When i look on anandtech.com they say teh GPU uses 300 under load and CPU 140 under load. that's 440, awfully close to 500 if u add the 2 HDD,DVD etc don't u guys agree? i live in Brussels, prices are from http://www.topachat.com. My budget can go up to 1000 euros but i really don't think i need it. Don't think i need an i7 either. Thx for the input. Those load figures don't work that way. The GPU figure is full system draw from the wall under load. Includes the CPU. The CPU used in that testing will pretty much inevitably pull more power than a SB i5. Accounting for PSU efficiency, that puts the DC output somewhere in the 250-260w range, at 300 AC from the wall. That's not to mention that if you add up full system draw for CPU load with full system draw for GPU load, you're double counting motherboard, HDD, RAM, etc. power draw. You were about to triple count those.
ahah ok thx guys. 500W it is !
should i just get the samsung spinpoint F3 instead of the Western Digital ?
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I just gave you a full build but whatevs
On October 14 2011 18:07 legatus legionis wrote: -- --
![[image loading]](http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/1313/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzze.png)
Totals 1.265,09 € on hardwareversand and should be quiet enough
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5930 Posts
Yes, you should. I actually have no idea why Caviar Blacks are so expensive compared to other 7200RPM drives. While it might be performance, it might as well not be there because I can't feel any difference between any modern 7200RPM drive for general use.
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My girlfriend needs a new computer, so she asked me to "build" her one.
Shes gonne use it for daily activities such as internetting office and so on. She allso wants to use it for some light gaming (minecraft, sims......).
She recently got a GT430 which she still wants to use(will be ugpraded when/if needed).
The goal here is to build a computer wich will last her for a while and since she doesn't have a lot of money to spent she wants it to be cheap(no specific budget, but take ~300 euro).
I'm quite sure on most parts but im stuck on the cpu+mobo. I figuered there are 3 options:
1. h61 mobo + i3 2100
2. am3+ mobo(most likely ASUS M5A78L-M/USB3) + phenom II 955
3. am3+ mobo + fx-4100
Each has its adventages and disadventages.
1. Performance wise probably the best one, but I doubt she will notice, specially in combination with her gt430.
2. Costs roughly the same as the i3 only the mobo has more features (at the same pricepoint) and you can overclock. Allso tempted to buy a xigmatek gaia since those are only 21 euro and it will make the computer a bit less noisy and ill be able to overclock the cpu for her.
3. New, so not quite sure. It costs a bit more and im just not sure how this compares to the 955 and i3.
I´m leaning towards the 955 since its slightly cheaper than the i3. The motherboard has more features than an intel motherboard at the same price and I can make it more quiet + overclock with a cpu cooler (which will make it cost slightly more, I know).
She lives in germany and as far as I know the cheapest sites are compuland and hardwareversand.
Rest of the system:
Superflower Amazon 450W (for a future gpu)
4gb 1333mhz cl9 ram
Lite-on iHas122 dvd/rw
spinpoint f3 500gb
Fractal design core 1000 or xigmatek asgard II
GT 430 (for now)
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I had the same when i started out only when I thought about it I thought It wouldn't last long enough. I thought the i3 2100/955 would last 1/2 years longer than a g530.
For example. If there is a new sims in 2-3 year she still has to be able to play it at decent settings(with gpu upgrade). She allso occasionally plays adventure or rts games(Black and white, these dumb harry potter games and so on).
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I doubt sims is CPU-capped enough and I really doubt it makes use of 4 cores so basically you're going to be paying for about 10-15% performance in a GPU-limited game with a turn-based nature.
Getting a 5-year-lasting computer for 300€ is pretty optimistic anyway. And BTW the celeron would nearly outperform the Phenom II x4 in that game anyway
The 2009 Sims 3 had system recommendations at around 2.4Ghz pentium 4.
I think you're underestimating Celeron G530, like here's some G540 charts:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/celeron-g540-g440_6.html#sect0
Like for instance it's at 57 fps in Crysis 2 on high quality in 1680x1050, I can guarantee you it won't be choking on any SIMS.
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btw Core 1000 is probably preferred to the Asgard, but the Core 1000 is a relatively slim mini tower. It will not fit typical 120mm fan tower heatsinks. Consider an aftermarket heatsink even with an Intel processor that can't be overclocked though, if you want to reduce noise.
In the future, hyperthreading and AVX on the i3-2100 may be useful advantages, but in the future, you can also buy Ivy Bridge processors...
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Is the MSI P67A-G43 (B3) (http://ncix.com/search/?categoryid=0&q=MSI P67A-G43 (B3)) a decent motherboard in terms of overclocking/value? I want a board with two PCIe 2.0x16 slots so I have the option of adding a second gfx card in the future for an SLI/Xfire build.
Also, what models of power supply and PSU ratings are recommended for an overclocked i5-2500K SLI/Xfire build with say, SLI GTX 560 Ti's, or Xfire'd HD 6950's? Also, how much of a concern is heat/noise with an SLI/Xfire build?
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~600w is recommended. The Antec Earthwatts 650 for $60 is a good deal atm: http://ncix.com/products/?sku=59339&promoid=1366
The MSI G series of boards is a good budget SLI board but keep in mind these don't come with a SLI bridge so you'll need to purchase one of those later. Don't buy from Newegg unless you enjoy paying $12 for shipping a motherboard from a state side warehouse. Pricematch it at NCIX, pay like $5 for shipping and receive it in the next day or two.
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EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/Ab06E.jpg)
