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[Smokey]

Got all my parts in, can't wait to build (my first gaming PC ever) next Sunday. This pic is like porn to me.

I dunno, wasn't really going for too beastly of a machine, going with two gtx680 in SLI was a bit of a last minute mindless self indulgence, and it probably threw the rest of the build out of balance.

i7 3770 (got the non-K by mistake, is that going to be a problem? I'm not thinking of going crazy with the overclocking anyways)
16 (4x4) GB RAM Corsair Vengeance
2x asus GTX 680
Asus P8Z77-V mobo
Crucial M4 SSD 128gb
1TB Caviar Black HDD

This is a triple slot card if I'm not mistaken. SLI'ing these could be an issue if you don't have a big motherboard. Not going for a beastly machine yet that's EXACTLY what you have here. Nice play . Getting ready for dat Halo 4 PC version I see

Spoiler

lol :/

 

[specialguy]

Got all my parts in, can't wait to build (my first gaming PC ever) next Sunday. This pic is like porn to me.

I an pretty sure Gaffers personally funded the Nvidia CEO's mansion.

 

[Smokey]

I an pretty sure Gaffers personally funded the Nvidia CEO's mansion.

does it kill you to see the love for the green team

 

[carpediemdp]

I'm kind of ignorant on this PC builiding so I would appreciate for some help. I just bought a 5.1 A/V receiver and want to build a PC that works mostly for watching movies (BR player is a must) and that can run Diablo 3. I'm not asking for it to run with everything on max, but for it to run at a constant playable framerate. Would GAF be kind and help me build an awesome and cheap PC? My budget is $500, more or less, and won't be buying a monitor. Juat need something that's upgradeable and that is within my budget for now (since I'd love to upgrade video card and ram).

Thanks GAF!

 

[JetBlackPanda]

well I got finally got windows 8 on my new rig. I had to install windows 7 first. I just installed it without a product key and then installed 8 over the top of that.

 

[feel]

I an pretty sure Gaffers personally funded the Nvidia CEO's mansion.

:lol

This is a triple slot card if I'm not mistaken. SLI'ing these could be an issue if you don't have a big motherboard. Not going for a beastly machine yet that's EXACTLY what you have here. Nice play . Getting ready for dat Halo 4 PC version I see

Spoiler

lol :/

I think the motherboard I bought should be ok (Asus P8Z77-V Deluxe). I sort of tested the size by hovering one of the GPUs above the slots on the motherboard and it seems like they would both fit just fine with ample room.

And yeah, I'm all in favor of a Halo 4 pc announcement now.

 

[mkenyon]

I think the motherboard I bought should be ok (Asus P8Z77-V Deluxe). I sort of tested the size by hovering one of the GPUs above the slots on the motherboard and it seems like they would both fit just fine with ample room.

Yeah, they're 3 slots apart. However, your top card is going to be crazy hot and/or loud. When going SLI, go reference design.

I'm kind of ignorant on this PC builiding so I would appreciate for some help. I just bought a 5.1 A/V receiver and want to build a PC that works mostly for watching movies (BR player is a must) and that can run Diablo 3. I'm not asking for it to run with everything on max, but for it to run at a constant playable framerate. Would GAF be kind and help me build an awesome and cheap PC? My budget is $500, more or less, and won't be buying a monitor. Juat need something that's upgradeable and that is within my budget for now (since I'd love to upgrade video card and ram).

Thanks GAF!

OP, the standard build is perfect for what you want.

Also an update on my build, applied some white carbon Di-Noc to some sheet metal to cover the optical bays as well as the first SSD to see how it looks. Just need to figure out where I'm going to mount the second to maintain the aesthetic.

Just waiting on some o-rings now for the pump. Please don't take forever to get here.

 

[EternalGamer]

I'm kind of ignorant on this PC builiding so I would appreciate for some help. I just bought a 5.1 A/V receiver and want to build a PC that works mostly for watching movies (BR player is a must) and that can run Diablo 3. I'm not asking for it to run with everything on max, but for it to run at a constant playable framerate. Would GAF be kind and help me build an awesome and cheap PC? My budget is $500, more or less, and won't be buying a monitor. Juat need something that's upgradeable and that is within my budget for now (since I'd love to upgrade video card and ram).

Thanks GAF!

Check the OP. it has up to date cheap builds that will easily play Diablo 3 and pretty much anything else for that budget. Maybe not at max settings, but at settings that will make a console cry.

The "standard build," for example with a 6850 is a very powerful PC for $540. Here is a quick moderation of it using Amazon and a few replacement parts based on current deals (better RAM for cheaper and a better deal on a power supply and a cheaper case since I assume you don't really care much about the look if you just want a cheap system):

i3 Dual Core Multi-Thread Processor $124
Motherboard $71
4GB RAM $23
Radeon 6850 Graphics Card $150
Antec 450w Power Supply $37
Cheap Case $15

Total: $420

That system would do fine with Diablo. It isn't that demanding of a game. If you wanted to spend a bit more than that, I'd consider upgrading the processor to a true quad core like this the i5 3450 $189 and going with the Radeon 6870 for $169 instead.

Then the build looks like this:

Quad Core Multi-Thread i5 3450 $189
Motherboard $71
4GB RAM $23
Radeon 6870 Graphics Card $170
Antec 450w Power Supply $37
Cheap Case $15

Total $505.

This is a substantially more powerful system. It will play anything you throw at it. Most games on near top settings. And it will last longer. I have a Media PC on my HDTV with a 6870 in it and it runs most games at the max settings in 1080p. It is an extremely good card for the money.

No tax from Amazon and, if you have Prime, free shipping too. It actually makes me envious that you can build a system that good for $505.

In my opinion, the best place to skimp a bit is on the RAM and the Case. 4GB will totally get you by now, especially if you simply close down programs you aren't using when playing games, and you can very easily and cheaply add more later. Whereas the other parts are more permanent. The case is one thing that is clearly just to your own taste and preference. I just quickly selected the cheapest one I found on Amazon because all it basical does is serve as box for all your parts. For as little as $10 or $20 more you can get a much nicer one. For example, Amazon has hundreds of them. Just make sure it is an ATX case (as all of those in that search list are) and you're good. But if you are truly pinching pennies, I wouldn't call that as much of a priority as the better processor. Just pick whatever case you like at a reasonable price.

 

[Smokey]

think i'm going to do a clean install on my machine in the next few days..shit is everywhere and it's feeling rugged

when re installing i forget, don't i have to do something with my ssd to make it the boot drive or make my secondary hdd appear in windows once I get it booted?

 

[mkenyon]

think i'm going to do a clean install on my machine in the next few days..shit is everywhere and it's feeling rugged

when re installing i forget, don't i have to do something with my ssd to make it the boot drive or make my secondary hdd appear in windows once I get it booted?

Make sure you set your SATA ports to AHCI mode. Other than that, piece o' cake.

If your HDD isn't showing up, just go into disk manager and add it.

Do it from a USB drive, takes like 8-10 mins going flash memory -> flash memory. It's too bad windows 7 doesn't natively support USB 3.0.

 

[Wolf Akela]

What's up with that gun?

 

[mkenyon]

What's up with that gun?

I don't wan't to talk about it. 690 covers it up, so it's all good.

Apparently gamers aren't satisfied with the legions of guns at their disposal in games. Gigabyte decided to take it one step further and put heatsinks in the shape of them on their motherboards. Cause it's awesome. Or something.

Plus, a brass colored skull on a green and black board? Seriously?

 

[Smokey]

Make sure you set your SATA ports to AHCI mode. Other than that, piece o' cake.

If your HDD isn't showing up, just go into disk manager and add it.

Do it from a USB drive, takes like 8-10 mins going flash memory -> flash memory. It's too bad windows 7 doesn't natively support USB 3.0.

i have my original oem win 7 disk that i got when i built my machine..shouldn't be an issue reusing the product key? and i dont have a big enough usb drive..my company has blocked the use of them so i don't have any laying around :l

 

[Hawk269]

Yeah, they're 3 slots apart. However, your top card is going to be crazy hot and/or loud. When going SLI, go reference design.

OP, the standard build is perfect for what you want.

Also an update on my build, applied some white carbon Di-Noc to some sheet metal to cover the optical bays as well as the first SSD to see how it looks. Just need to figure out where I'm going to mount the second to maintain the aesthetic.

Just waiting on some o-rings now for the pump. Please don't take forever to get here.

So what case is that? Not too fond of the big white carbon, looks out of place..just my opinion.

 

[Hawk269]

i have my original oem win 7 disk that i got when i built my machine..shouldn't be an issue reusing the product key? and i dont have a big enough usb drive..my company has blocked the use of them so i don't have any laying around :l

Smokey, you still planning on going with a 690? Any other changes to your rig that you are planning?

 

[MWS Natural]

Parts in my possession:
Lian Li V351B
Seasonic 650W X-Series 80plus Gold
128 GB Vertex 4
Asus DVD RW


Ordered Parts:
Noctua NH-U9B SE2 CPU Heat Sink
Noiseblocker NB-Multiframe M12-P
Custom Backplate


Not yet purchased:
CPU (i5 2500k or i7)
Motherboard (Asus Maximus V Gene matx)
Memory (8GB)
Video Card (Latest AMD card whenenver I'm done)

Notes:
Ordered custom back plate that will allow me to replace the 80mm fan with a 120mm fan and move the PSU to the other side of the case. I will have to remove one of the HDD cages but this will greatly open up airflow in the case.

I ordered the Noiseblocker fans to replace the 120mm intake fans that are at the from of my case. The Noctua cooler got great reviews and fits in the case with no issues.I have never done any sleeving in a case before but I would like to sleeve my cables to make everything as neat as possible and maximize airflow.

Side Note:
I have decided to take my old PC, purchase a low profile case and turn it into an HTPC that will sit in the living room.

 

[Pirabear]

Watch this. Great series, too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxaVBsXEiok

Thank you!

And thank you thread for all the help, my new machine runs great.

 

[feel]

Yeah, they're 3 slots apart. However, your top card is going to be crazy hot and/or loud. When going SLI, go reference design.

Thanks, rookie mistake. Finding hard to understand the differences in cooling between reference and non-reference cards by searching on google. Have a link where I can read and learn about this by any chance?

 

[Smokey]

Smokey, you still planning on going with a 690? Any other changes to your rig that you are planning?

yeah have some stuff planned i'm in need of a 'refresh' if you will. want to go back to the ft02 but i feel like if i take it apart i might as well put some new blood into it ya know.

690 i keep missing, may just "settle" for 2x evga signature sc 680s.

Thanks, rookie mistake. Finding hard to understand the differences in cooling between reference and non-reference cards by searching on google.

i had the 580 version (non-top) of your card and the cooler is excellent, but the 3 slot nature of it turned me away ( i wanted to do SLI). you can probably get away with it, but as mk said your top card is gonna get pretty warm

 

[Fox1304]

Ok so I'm pretty much decided on the i5 2500k for the processor.

I know I'll have to change the mobo to have a i5 compatible one, and I suppose change the RAM too.

My current setup :

Motherboard
Asus P5VD2-MX
Graphic Card
GT 430 1Gb
Memory
2x 1Go DDR2-667 @ 333Mhz
Processor
DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 (1,86Ghz )

Is there anything else I need to change to be ready for the 2500k ? Power supply for example, or cooling system ?

 

[clav]

well I got finally got windows 8 on my new rig. I had to install windows 7 first. I just installed it without a product key and then installed 8 over the top of that.

What.

The previews released don't require Windows 7.

 

[Fou-Lu]

As soon as my student loan gets in this year I'm going to buy myself a desktop, my laptop is on its way out and I don't know how much longer it'll last. Been a while since I assembled a computer so I'm a bit nervous, but I'm sure it'll go fine.

Probably going to try and stay under $1000, but I have to include a keyboard and a monitor in that... *sigh*

Definitely going to want a lot of storage on this baby, my steam profile alone has 1TB of games, my music is at least another 250GB.

Although I've been an AMD/ATI guy my entire life, I think I'll be going Intel/Nvidia for this one. Though I'm tempted to try out an FX-series just to see, haha.

 

[Hawk269]

yeah have some stuff planned i'm in need of a 'refresh' if you will. want to go back to the ft02 but i feel like if i take it apart i might as well put some new blood into it ya know.

690 i keep missing, may just "settle" for 2x evga signature sc 680s.




i had the 580 version (non-top) of your card and the cooler is excellent, but the 3 slot nature of it turned me away ( i wanted to do SLI). you can probably get away with it, but as mk said your top card is gonna get pretty warm

Well if rumors are accurate, the 680 Classys should be out mid-month of June. Are needing 4gb Vram or is 2gb Vram good enough for you?

 

[Ledsen]

I'm so buying a modular PSU next time. I've got like 5 long cables left over that I stuffed in some unused drive bays... horribly messy but I can't remove them

 

[JetBlackPanda]

What.

The previews released don't require Windows 7.

My machine would not boot windows 8 and install. I tried 4 times with 2 different jump drives and 2 burned DVDs..

My computer would post, then the mobo would flash no bootable media. After that the windows 8 fish would appear and I would get a page fault.

I downloaded the iso of windows 7 and it booted and installed first try. Once I had 7 running I put my DVD of 8 in and it installed no problem.

Don't know what the issue was.

 

[clav]

My machine would not boot windows 8 and install. I tried 4 times with 2 different jump drives and 2 burned DVDs..

My computer would post, then the mobo would flash no bootable media. After that the windows 8 fish would appear and I would get a page fault.

I downloaded the iso of windows 7 and it booted and installed first try. Once I had 7 running I put my DVD of 8 in and it installed no problem.

Don't know what the issue was.

Ah. Thanks for clarifying the trouble you were having.

I suppose the drivers that were included in the Windows 8 preinstallation environment are still in beta phase.

The Release Candidate is nearing soon as it will be released sometime by next week.

 

[Chris R]

I'm so buying a modular PSU next time. I've got like 5 long cables left over that I stuffed in some unused drive bays... horribly messy but I can't remove them

Same here. It is nice to have the extra cables incase I ever add more stuff (Could go SLI if I wanted) but it would be better to just need to add the cords vs having to cram them behind my motherboard.

 

[RadioHeadAche]

I know there's a laptop thread, but it doesn't seem nearly as active, so I'll try here too:

I'm in the market for a new laptop. These are two models I've been looking at:

Link

Link

Based on some research, it seems the Toshiba one may be able to play games better than the HP. However, the only games I'm really interested in playing on a laptop are, for example, the first two Max Payne games, the original Halo and the older Valve titles to name a few. I'm not very interested in playing newer releases on it because I have a PS3 and most of the games I want are either multiplatform or exclusive. I definitely want the blu-ray player, though.

Anyway, I'm not very tech-savvy so I figured I'd ask those who are. I'm also open to other laptop recommendations as long as they are below $1000.

 

[scottnak]

Thanks. Helped put my brother's mind at ease with that.

Alright, so looks like he's finally at a build to buy, thanks to all of your suggestions.
Here's the build he's aiming at: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/94Nl
Just under is 1500 aim, but he was wondering whether it is worth it or not to boost up to this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131821

And I'm taking care of his monitor so that's out of his budget. (And while your suggestion for that amazing monitor was nice, no, i wont be getting him that. Haha)

Hmm. Looks like my post got lost in the wave... another friendly push.

 

[specialguy]

I'm so buying a modular PSU next time. I've got like 5 long cables left over that I stuffed in some unused drive bays... horribly messy but I can't remove them

The newer cases have spaces behind the mobo tray you should be able to stuff them.

 

[Ledsen]

The newer cases have spaces behind the mobo tray you should be able to stuff them.

I've got the Define R3, and there's barely enough space for routing, let alone storing cables. I guess I could try though.

 

[MrCunningham]

I'm so buying a modular PSU next time. I've got like 5 long cables left over that I stuffed in some unused drive bays... horribly messy but I can't remove them

Yup I made the same mistake. I decided to save a couple bucks and go non-modular. It kinda sucks having all those wires bunched up. But thankfully I could bundle them up in the bottom corner near the drive bay area and keep them out of the way of the motherboard and airflow of the case.

But next time, modular all the way.

 

[FoxMcCloudDS]

Hello everyone. I am a virgin at this, and need a little help.

First off, I have nothing, and am buying my first build. Never done it before, and want to take the plunge. I have friends that have built theirs and are willing to help me assemble everything.

I am looking at the OP at the "Enhanced" column.

I need help with a motherboard and a case that can fit everything I am looking for and can keep everything cool. (I am also wanting something that looks pretty awesome with some LEDs inside).
Looking to purchase tonight, if possible - so I am going by today's pricing.


I want to play games like Skyrim, Battlefield 3, Diablo 3, Etc. on High settings with very good frame rate.

I have a Sony 3D Display Monitor, and an ACER 23" 1920x1080p 5ms LCD I am planing on using for gaming. This PC is going to be nearly exclusive to gaming, but I will be doing normal internet/schoolwork on it (Word, Excell).
Would like to learn how to overclock and will be doing that a bit.

So Far I have picked:

Graphics Card - GTX560Ti 448 Core - $289.99 (Do I need this expensive of a card to play High on Skyrim/BF3?, will it save me money in the long run for not having to upgrade? Is there something better for a bit more?)

Processor - Intel Core i5-2500K Processor $215.37 (Is this a good fit with the GC I picked?)

Memmory (RAM)- Samsung Extreme Low Voltage 30NM SODIMM MV-3T4G3D - $48.81 (I just picked this on a whim, I have no idea what I will need for my mobo. Suggestions please!)

SSD for OS - SAMSUNG 830 Series 2.5-Inch 64GB SATA MZ-7PC064B/WW - $86.63
WD for storage - WD Caviar Blue 500GB AAKX - $74.99

I also have these added, and don't know if I need them?
DVD Drive - Asus 24xDVD-RW - $17.99
CPU Cooler - Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 120mm Sleeve CPU Cooler - 26.98

Will I need a sound card with the Mobo? or is that only if I want high-end sound?

So, I need a motherboard that can fit everything and a case that looks awesome.

Finally - am I going to need anything else to build this PC? I have Windows 7. Will I need any paste or soldering equipment? Thanks so much for this thread and any help! Looking forward to your feedback!


Edit - I need a CPU, would you go modular? I guess the guys above me would. Case + MOBO + CPU suggestions please!

 

[Fou-Lu]

So, what's the driver situation for graphics cards nowadays? I've been rather frustrated with drivers on my Mobility 5850 so far, is Nvidia or AMD pushing the better drivers right now?

 

[specialguy]

Personally I think the 7850 or 7870 is a better deal for GPU's under $400. The 7870 will be faster, but the main thing is personally I wouldn't buy a card with less than 2GB RAM. But I'm kind of OCD about certain things. I realize AMD doesn't exist apparently here, but still.

The CPU (2500k) is the one everybody buys.

For cases, Corsair 400R or Arc Midi are good, but run ~$100. Case looks are kind of very subjective imo, some people love the looks on ones that I hate. I love the way Corsair cases look personally.

Not sure what the point of the "ultra low voltage" is on your RAM. Samsung is always quality though. Why not just get some normal RAM on newegg, $50 should do you.

CPU cooler is only needed if you plan to overclock which you said you do.

I'm too lazy/unknowledgable off the top of my head for the rest of your questions LOL. Google will help you out. In general terms go with a name brand motherboard, Gigabyte, MSI, Asus, Asrock, etc. And you want I believe Z77 chipset, theres a couple of 77 chipsets google the differences.

Dont really need a sound card these days onboard is good.

Dont need soldering equipment (LOL) or paste really unless you're doing the aftermarket cooler thing in which case it should include some, though some of the aces here may have better recommendations.

DVD drive is a good idea imo, and for $18 bucks no reason not too.

Probably some of the builds in the OP could help you, all the info should be there.

 

[Ledsen]

So, what's the driver situation for graphics cards nowadays? I've been rather frustrated with drivers on my Mobility 5850 so far, is Nvidia or AMD pushing the better drivers right now?

Nvidia are leagues better IMO, never going back to AMD.

 

[FoxMcCloudDS]

Personally I think the 7850 or 7870 is a better deal for GPU's under $400. The 7870 will be faster, but the main thing is personally I wouldn't buy a card with less than 2GB RAM. But I'm kind of OCD about certain things. I realize AMD doesn't exist apparently here, but still.

Not sure what the point of the "ultra low voltage" is on your RAM. Samsung is always quality though. Why not just get some normal RAM on newegg, $50 should do you.

CPU cooler is only needed if you plan to overclock which you said you do.

I would like to play on Ultra settings, and was looking for a good 2gb card around the 300-350 range. I would like to stick GeForce since my buddy has experience with them, and swears by them.
Found this GTX 570
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004EYSMGW/?tag=neogaf0e-20

I keep hearing this card is quite big. Anyone have experience with the 570? Will this fit in this Cool Master Case? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00336EM0W/?tag=neogaf0e-20

on a ASRock Z77 Mobo? And will that ram fit on it as well?
Mother Board -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157296

And lastly, would you go with the superclocked one or regular? Can't I overclock this anyway?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00336EM0W/?tag=neogaf0e-20
or Superclocked

 

[TheLegendOfMart]

I have a 5850 at the moment, there's nothing wrong with it and it plays everything I want it to with medium to high detail.

Having said that I know by next year this card will be outdated its 3 generations old now.

My spec isn't amazing but its not crap, Sandybridge Core i5 2400, 4Gb Ram, 700W PSU.

I have 3 options:

1) Do I just keep hold of it and keep lowering the detail settings on new games till its unplayable
2) I can get a GTX570 for £175 new, would it give me a noticeable FPS boost given that my 5850 runs things in 1080p med-high detail
3) Risk getting a refurbed GTX580 for £199 and hope that I don't have any issues with it

I can't spend any more than £200 so the 7xxx and 6xx cards are WAY out of the question.

 

[Hagi]

Just want to thank all the guys who helped with my build, it's running like a dream.

 

[alternade]

guys I need your help! my new PC wont install windows 8 it hangs and then shows the fish. then says your computer ran into a problem and needs to restart

page_fault_in_nonpaged_area

It does this with both the bootable USB and the disk image I made??? what is going on.

I just built my pc today and im getting the same error. I burned 2 dvd and tried booting from usb and still the same.

 

[Dance Inferno]

I posted this build a few pages back but never got any comments, so I'm reposting it. This will be my first gaming PC in, oh, about 10 years, and I know nothing about PC hardware right now. Any comments would be appreciated.

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.90 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Biostar TZ77XE3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($137.55 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Value Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: Samsung Spinpoint F4 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($419.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master HAF 912 ATX Mid Tower Case ($52.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: Corsair 650W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($116.99 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (32-bit) ($96.48 @ B&H)
Keyboard: Logitech K200 Wired Standard Keyboard ($14.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Mouse: Logitech G9x Wired Laser Mouse ($59.99 @ Newegg)

Total: $1278.85

Do I need something this expensive? Will this last me a long time, or will I be looking to upgrade it in a year or two?

 

[abunai]

I posted this build a few pages back but never got any comments, so I'm reposting it. This will be my first gaming PC in, oh, about 10 years, and I know nothing about PC hardware right now. Any comments would be appreciated.

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.90 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Biostar TZ77XE3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($137.55 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Value Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: Samsung Spinpoint F4 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($419.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master HAF 912 ATX Mid Tower Case ($52.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: Corsair 650W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($116.99 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (32-bit) ($96.48 @ B&H)
Keyboard: Logitech K200 Wired Standard Keyboard ($14.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Mouse: Logitech G9x Wired Laser Mouse ($59.99 @ Newegg)

Total: $1278.85

Do I need something this expensive? Will this last me a long time, or will I be looking to upgrade it in a year or two?

It's an incredibly capable rig. Basically very high end, just under enthusiast level spec. It'll last you a long time for sure, a lot longer than two years.

I don't really have any changes to suggest, although if you are looking to overclock a significant amount, it'd probably be worth your while to go for a 2500k instead of a 3570k CPU. Beyond ~4.4Ghz (rather, because of the increase in voltages required to go higher), the 3570k hits a heat wall and becomes unstable. However, if you're staying at stock or only doing a modest overclock, the 3570k will be better.

You probably don't need 2TB of storage, unless you are a media fiend. I am an extreme music and movie nerd and still haven't filled my 1.5TB hard drive. But IIRC the 2TB's are the best GB/price ratio atm, so it would probably be worth you time just sticking with it. You could go for a slightly cheaper case if you're looking to trim a bit of cost, but it wouldn't make your build significantly cheaper. The HAF 912 is a super case. Everything else is great.

I have a 5850 at the moment, there's nothing wrong with it and it plays everything I want it to with medium to high detail.

Having said that I know by next year this card will be outdated its 3 generations old now.

My spec isn't amazing but its not crap, Sandybridge Core i5 2400, 4Gb Ram, 700W PSU.

I have 3 options:

1) Do I just keep hold of it and keep lowering the detail settings on new games till its unplayable
2) I can get a GTX570 for £175 new, would it give me a noticeable FPS boost given that my 5850 runs things in 1080p med-high detail
3) Risk getting a refurbed GTX580 for £199 and hope that I don't have any issues with it

I can't spend any more than £200 so the 7xxx and 6xx cards are WAY out of the question.

Well, I can't really think of any games that are going to push the graphical envelope much further in the near future, so I wouldn't upgrade myself. However, more performance is always nice. The GTX 570 will give about 30-40% increase overall against the HD 5850, whether you think that is worth 175£ is up to you. Personally, I would wait for the GTX 660Ti to be launched some time in the summer. A rough guess based on previous generation launches would put it around the same performance (or just a bit faster) than the GTX 570 for a bit cheaper.

 

[Negaiido]

I posted this build a few pages back but never got any comments, so I'm reposting it. This will be my first gaming PC in, oh, about 10 years, and I know nothing about PC hardware right now. Any comments would be appreciated.

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.90 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Biostar TZ77XE3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($137.55 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Value Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: Samsung Spinpoint F4 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($419.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master HAF 912 ATX Mid Tower Case ($52.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: Corsair 650W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($116.99 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (32-bit) ($96.48 @ B&H)
Keyboard: Logitech K200 Wired Standard Keyboard ($14.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Mouse: Logitech G9x Wired Laser Mouse ($59.99 @ Newegg)

Total: $1278.85

Do I need something this expensive? Will this last me a long time, or will I be looking to upgrade it in a year or two?

Because of the 8 GB of internal memory you should get the 64 bit version of Windows 7 if you still want to buy a Windows copy.

 

[Dance Inferno]

It's an incredibly capable rig. Basically very high end, just under enthusiast level spec. It'll last you a long time for sure, a lot longer than two years.

I don't really have any changes to suggest, although if you are looking to overclock a significant amount, it'd probably be worth your while to go for a 2500k instead of a 3570k CPU. Beyond ~4.4Ghz (rather, because of the increase in voltages required to go higher), the 3570k hits a heat wall and becomes unstable. However, if you're staying at stock or only doing a modest overclock, the 3570k will be better.

You probably don't need 2TB of storage, unless you are a media fiend. I am an extreme music and movie nerd and still haven't filled my 1.5TB hard drive. But IIRC the 2TB's are the best GB/price ratio atm, so it would probably be worth you time just sticking with it. You could go for a slightly cheaper case if you're looking to trim a bit of cost, but it wouldn't make your build significantly cheaper. The HAF 912 is a super case. Everything else is great.

Oh, awesome thanks. I really don't know much about overclocking, is it easy to do? I feel like I would rather just stay at stock for now and play it safe... And yeah I know I probably won't use near the 2TB of storage, but it's not really that much more expensive than the 1TB drive so I figured why not.

Because of the 8 GB of internal memory you should get the 64 bit version of Windows 7 if you still want to buy a Windows copy.

Oh OK. What's the difference? Is the 64 bit version better than the 32 bit version?

 

[MrBig]

Hmm. Looks like my post got lost in the wave... another friendly push.

I'd still say drop the cpu to an i5 3570k. And I'm not sure about those types of CPU coolers, I would think having something like a hyper 212 would be better for keeping static pressure and moving air directly towards the rear exhaust. Even if you have a fan on the side panel it'd be best to make it an intake to cool the GPU. Those coolers are designed for small case designs.




I got my HR-02 Macho in yesterday and it's a massive cooler, I'm glad I got the asus 670 that has a backplate on it
My Fractal R3 is in my city, have no idea if it made it in time to go out for delivery. 670 I don't know, hopefully they're just having tracking issues because it says it's still at the Edison origin. At least I can do my build without the GPU if that doesn't show up for a bit though

Oh, awesome thanks. I really don't know much about overclocking, is it easy to do? I feel like I would rather just stay at stock for now and play it safe... And yeah I know I probably won't use near the 2TB of storage, but it's not really that much more expensive than the 1TB drive so I figured why not.



Oh OK. What's the difference? Is the 64 bit version better than the 32 bit version?

64bit allows windows to handle more than 4gb of memory, 32bit is design limited to 4gb. If you don't want to spend the time to do a manual OC, most mobos will do a semi-conservative auto OC that will give a pretty good bump over stock.

 

[Negaiido]

Oh, awesome thanks. I really don't know much about overclocking, is it easy to do? I feel like I would rather just stay at stock for now and play it safe... And yeah I know I probably won't use near the 2TB of storage, but it's not really that much more expensive than the 1TB drive so I figured why not.



Oh OK. What's the difference? Is the 64 bit version better than the 32 bit version?

32 Bit Windows version does not make use of the full 8 GB. The max memory for a 32 bit OS is 4 GB.

 

[LordAlu]

Oh OK. What's the difference? Is the 64 bit version better than the 32 bit version?

32-bit will only use a max of 3.5GB RAM, whereas 64-bit will go much higher. Literally the only reason to ever go 32-bit now is if there isn't a driver for some old legacy device someone might still use (like an ancient scanner or printer).

 

[Dance Inferno]

Oh wow OK, did not know that. I would have gotten seriously screwed if I got the 32-bit Windows then lol.

If you don't want to spend the time to do a manual OC, most mobos will do a semi-conservative auto OC that will give a pretty good bump over stock.

Is overclocking relatively easy to do? Keep in mind I've never built a PC before, so this is all pretty new to me. If a manual OC is easy to do, then I may just switch out the motherboard for the 2500k that abunai suggested and do the OC.

 

[MrBig]

Oh wow OK, did not know that. I would have gotten seriously screwed if I got the 32-bit Windows then lol.



Is overclocking relatively easy to do? Keep in mind I've never built a PC before, so this is all pretty new to me. If a manual OC is easy to do, then I may just switch out the motherboard for the 2500k that abunai suggested and do the OC.

Yes, it's quite easy. The basic premise of it is to increase the turbo multiplier and voltage, and then run a stability test. It's not a hard thing to do but it can be time consuming. iirc SB chips can't be adjusted in software, so you'd have to do it in the bios, boot to windows, and then run a test, then go back to the bios; I might be wrong though.

Here's one guide for OCing on SB, look around that site and others for more.

 

[LordAlu]

Is overclocking relatively easy to do? Keep in mind I've never built a PC before, so this is all pretty new to me. If a manual OC is easy to do, then I may just switch out the motherboard for the 2500k that abunai suggested and do the OC.

I have an i5 3570k, and it was literally change a few BIOS numbers, test with Prime95. If it worked, increase the numbers a bit and test again. Keep doing it until you're happy with the temps and speed.

Mine is now OCed to 4.4GHz with load temps of around 75-80 degrees C, which I'm very happy with