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[Yoshichan]

TheExodu5, thanks! Can't wait for the stores to open... God bless.

edit: that picture of the Arc Midi makes me claustrophobic. It reminds me of my current box, everything all cramped out and shit. It's this one right?

http://www.komplett.se/k/ki.aspx?sku=621107

edit 2: nevermind, the Antec also feels cramped out in the picture :lol

Might as well bump my biggest problem on this page too:

My main problem right now, everytime something hectic happens in-game (can be in SC2, WoW or whatever), my screen goes black and I get the message: “Display driver stopped responding and has recovered". I've literally tried everything for 12 hours now and nothing's been working. I re-installed new drivers. I installed older drivers. I took the GPU out and cleaned it. What more can I do? Can it actually be something wrong with my VGA cables (connected to a DVI-converter)? I even tried plugging it in the other DVI-socket and it still doesn't work. I read that some people had the same problem and not even formating the computer would solve it. What more can I possibly do?

edit: in the following thread:

http://www.sevenforums.com/graphic-cards/42242-display-driver-stopped-responding-has-recovered.html

The guy had the same problems and it got solved by plugging in VGA-cables instead of DVI ones... but I only have DVI-sockets in my GPU ._. (again, using a VGA-DVI-converter).

 

[TheExodu5]

Well the Arc Midi allows you to route all the cables behind the motherboard tray. Also, the top HDD cage can be removed to give you more space if you want.

If you want something bigger, then you can check out the Corsair 400R or HAF 922.

Corsair 400R:

HAF 922:

Here's what the Midi looks like with the removed HDD tray:

 

[BoobPhysics101]

Highly recommend the HAF 922. Such a well-built, functional case.

 

[Yoshichan]

Damn, that looks slick as hell. Too bad mine will never look even close to that because there are 200 big cables coming out of my PSU and it's all over the place.

edit: yeah REALLY liking the Midi... it was the correct one I linked to before, right?

http://www.komplett.se/k/ki.aspx?sku=621107

Oh, the one I linked to has 140mm and this one:

http://www.komplett.se/k/ki.aspx?sku=634681

Has 120mm... difference being what exactly?

 

[TheExplodingHead]

TheExodu5, thanks! Can't wait for the stores to open... God bless.

edit: that picture of the Arc Midi makes me claustrophobic. It reminds me of my current box, everything all cramped out and shit. It's this one right?

http://www.komplett.se/k/ki.aspx?sku=621107

edit 2: nevermind, the Antec also feels cramped out in the picture :lol

Might as well bump my biggest problem on this page too:

If you're referring to the Nvidia drivers having that problem, I had that issue once and the current beta drivers have fixed it on my 580. What GPU are you running?

 

[BoobPhysics101]

Damn, that looks slick as hell. Too bad mine will never look even close to that because there are 200 big cables coming out of my PSU and it's all over the place.

edit: yeah REALLY liking the Midi... it was the correct one I linked to before, right?

http://www.komplett.se/k/ki.aspx?sku=621107

Yes you can. It's not that hard to do the cable routing if you take your time. Notice there's a hole to put the bundle of cables through? Yeah.

 

[TheExodu5]

Damn, that looks slick as hell. Too bad mine will never look even close to that because there are 200 big cables coming out of my PSU and it's all over the place.

edit: yeah REALLY liking the Midi... it was the correct one I linked to before, right?

http://www.komplett.se/k/ki.aspx?sku=621107

That's the point of having those holes near the bottom of the case. You can route all of the cables back there. Then you just tidy them up in back and tie them up with cable ties.

You'll probably have more cables than that, but there's still room to work with.

Damn, that looks slick as hell. Too bad mine will never look even close to that because there are 200 big cables coming out of my PSU and it's all over the place.

edit: yeah REALLY liking the Midi... it was the correct one I linked to before, right?

http://www.komplett.se/k/ki.aspx?sku=621107

Oh, the one I linked to has 140mm and this one:

http://www.komplett.se/k/ki.aspx?sku=634681

Has 120mm... difference being what exactly?

Like I said, the Mini is a smaller version of the Midi. It will only fit Micro ATX motherboards.

 

[Yoshichan]

If you're referring to the Nvidia drivers having that problem, I had that issue once and the current beta drivers have fixed it on my 580. What GPU are you running?

At this point I'm even doubting that it's the drivers that's causing the problem. Like I said, I've tried switching to both newer and older drivers, I've done everything it seems.

 

[Yoshichan]

Like I said, the Mini is a smaller version of the Midi. It will only fit Micro ATX motherboards.

Shit, I completely missed that it said "Mini". Too tired here ._.

Again, thanks for the help guys. I really appreciate it.

 

[Corran Horn]

The Arc Midi has 3 fans (bigger 140mm fans at that). Why do you care about it having 3 fans? All of the cases I posted have better airflow than the 300. They're also much easier to build with and are more maintainable.

The Antec 300 is overpriced because it's an old case and doesn't have features that are expected of better cases today. No tool-less option, little space to work with, no removable HDD cages, no removable HDD trays, no dust filters, no cable management options.

I would only recommend it if you can get it sub $40.

Just so you can see the difference, here's the interior of the Arc Midi:

Antec 300:

Similar here, went from an Antec P180 to now an Fractal R3. Sooooooooooo much better to have the cages how they are now. Plus all the other stuff like filters are awesome.

 

[BoobPhysics101]

At this point I'm even doubting that it's the drivers that's causing the problem. Like I said, I've tried switching to both newer and older drivers, I've done everything it seems.

Did you use Phyxion's Driver Sweeper to clean the driver stuff out completely and then reinstall?

 

[Yoshichan]

Did you use Phyxion's Driver Sweeper to clean the driver stuff out completely and then reinstall?

I will try this out in a minute.

 

[TheExodu5]

Similar here, went from an Antec P180 to now an Fractal R3. Sooooooooooo much better to have the cages how they are now. Plus all the other stuff like filters are awesome.

Yeah the R3 is a really nice case.

On that note, Antec finally released a case with a modern design. They updated the Performance One series with the P280:

Very similar to the Fractal.

 

[BoobPhysics101]

I will try this out in a minute.

Go into Safe Mode when you use it. Uninstall your drivers first too.

 

[Yoshichan]

Go into Safe Mode when you use it. Uninstall your drivers first too.

Ok, uninstall drivers, go to safe mode, use the Phyxion's Driver Sweeper and clean GPU driver stuff. Got it.

 

[lynguist]

Hello. I'd like to build a new silent system. It will be a completely new system and I can't reuse any parts but the HDD.

My current specs are very low for today's standards. But it was decent in 2006:
CPU: Core 2 Duo E6400
RAM: 3GB DDR2
Mobo: OEM, don't know what exactly
GPU: Radeon X1600

My budget: I don't know. I will be using the scholarship money which I should get within two months. I will pay what the components cost, but I don't want any overpriced components. I live in mainland Europe if it's relevant.

Monitor: 1920x1080

Main use: I enlist the relevant usage situations in hierarchical order:
1. Watching videos (10bit 1080p)
2. Programming
3. Playing games (including old games, new games, emulation)
4. Encoding video
5. Editing video

Silent products have primary priority. My system should be inaudible or almost inaudible even under heavy load.

Case: Something big and silent. If possible with front USB3. Maybe Antec P183. What do you recommend?
Fans: Anything good and big. How many?
CPU: i5-2500 or maybe i7-2600. Not sure about the K models because I'm not sure about overclocking since I prioritize low noise.
Heatsink: Do I need it? Recommend something.
GPU: I read a few reviews and looked at a few lists. An MSI 6870 Twin Frozr II OC is the most silent, but still performant graphics card. But it is no longer available. What else should I get?
Mobo: The cheapest with USB3.
RAM: 2x4GB 1333. I don't think I need more (as in 4x4 GB or 1600 RAM).
SSD: I prioritize reliability over performance. Samsung and Intel are reliable. I would like to have 256 GB, but those are extremely expensive.
PSU: Fanless modular design; e.g. Seasonic X-460 Gold.
Sound: I'm using 5.1 sound and I prefer a sound card over onboard sound. OP says Xonar DG.
ODD: I used it maybe 5 times in the last 2 years. I might as well not use it.

Help me with my build.

 

[blackprophesy]

Ok, uninstall drivers, go to safe mode, use the Phyxion's Driver Sweeper and clean GPU driver stuff. Got it.

Also check your GPU BIOS. I had similar problems with my Asus GTX570 DirectCU II in all DX11 games and upgrading the BIOS fixed it.

 

[Zaraki_Kenpachi]

If my computer lights up for like 2 seconds when I hit the power button and then turns off is it likely to be the power supply? Is there something else that could be doing it that can fix it or is it just my power supply is finally dead?

 

[Yoshichan]

Also check your GPU BIOS. I had similar problems with my Asus GTX570 DirectCU II in all DX11 games and upgrading the BIOS fixed it.

This says absolutely nothing to me... I don't know how to check BIOS, let alone GPU BIOS. I turn the system off and spam F4 or whatever to enter BIOS, I guess? And how do I "upgrade" BIOS, how do I know if I should upgrade it o.o?

But yeah, one step at a time... first I need some serious sleep.

 

[abunai]

If my computer lights up for like 2 seconds when I hit the power button and then turns off is it likely to be the power supply? Is there something else that could be doing it that can fix it or is it just my power supply is finally dead?

Any feedback from motherboard? Beeps? Is there a LED indicator on your motherboard that could indicate issues?

Have you overclocked? You could always try clearing the CMOS on your motherboard if you've overdone any frequencies and it won't boot. Check your motherboard manual on how to do it (usually just putting a jumper on a particular place on the board or removing the battery should do it).

 

[blackprophesy]

This says absolutely nothing to me... I don't know how to check BIOS, let alone GPU BIOS. I turn the system off and spam F4 or whatever to enter BIOS, I guess? And how do I "upgrade" BIOS, how do I know if I should upgrade it o.o?

But yeah, one step at a time... first I need some serious sleep.

Mine was as simple as running an .exe downloaded from the Asus site. What's your card? Brand and model?

 

[Zaraki_Kenpachi]

Any feedback from motherboard? Beeps? Is there a LED indicator on your motherboard that could indicate issues?

Have you overclocked? You could always try clearing the CMOS on your motherboard if you've overdone any frequencies and it won't boot. Check your motherboard manual on how to do it (usually just putting a jumper on a particular place on the board or removing the battery should do it).

Nah, I've never over clocked on this is a only a couple month old processor and mobo. I get a green light on the mobo and the lights for my wifi adapter and bluetooth light up, it just that the computer won't start. It's weird since if I press the power button again nothing happens but if I unplug it and press power again it will do the start up for two seconds. Otherwise it won't do the small startup if I just leave it plugged in and try again later. I forgot about trying to clear the CMOS though, I'll try to do that soon. It can't hurt anything by trying so no reason not to. If something is fried I hope it's only the power supply and not something else since I just replaced the mobo/processor.

Edit: FUCK, I think my hard drive is fucked. I unplugged my slave drive pushed every other connector back in and it started fine. The slave I guess was shorting it somehow.

 

[Barrett2]

If I were to buy a pre-built system from Dell or Newegg, what is a good mid-range graphics card? I don't necessarily want to run games on ultra settings, just medium-high. Thanks.

 

[ToyMachine228]

A budget and how flexible you are will help. There are decently large jumps in performance at those pricings which are hard to communicate. For example the 550ti is a good card, but a 6870 is a much better card for not so much more (compared to build cost). Likewise the i3 2100 with 2cores and 4threads is a very worthwhile investment if you can pick one up.

My budget is...Spend as little as possible because I rarely even play PC games. I need a computer that will run Blizzard and Valve games decently and that's it. Diablo III and DOTA2 are the only two PC games I can think of that I'm looking forward to. I literally just took the stuff from the budget build in the OT.

Again, is that list of stuff all I need? I'm not missing any parts or anything? I've never done this before so if I'm missing something please tell me.

 

[Wolf Akela]

If I were to buy a pre-built system from Dell or Newegg, what is a good mid-range graphics card? I don't necessarily want to run games on ultra settings, just medium-high. Thanks.

HD6770 / GTX 550ti

 

[abunai]

Nah, I've never over clocked on this is a only a couple month old processor and mobo. I get a green light on the mobo and the lights for my wifi adapter and bluetooth light up, it just that the computer won't start. It's weird since if I press the power button again nothing happens but if I unplug it and press power again it will do the start up for two seconds. Otherwise it won't do the small startup if I just leave it plugged in and try again later. I forgot about trying to clear the CMOS though, I'll try to do that soon. It can't hurt anything by trying so no reason not to. If something is fried I hope it's only the power supply and not something else since I just replaced the mobo/processor.

Edit: FUCK, I think my hard drive is fucked. I unplugged my slave drive pushed every other connector back in and it started fine. The slave I guess was shorting it somehow.

Hmm, If it boots without then at least it isn't a more expensive component (at the cost of data :[) but it might not be the hard drive. I had a problem for a long time which I could not diagnose, failure to boot on occasion, random hard locks etc. I replaced everything, except the sata cable. Switched that and all was well.

If your motherboard supports hot plugging (99% it does) then you could leave the faulty HDD out then boot into windows or a linux pen drive, plug it in and run some tests (if it doesnt crash upon hotplugging, don't see why it would, though).

 

[EdgecrusherLSU]

Finally ordered the parts for my computer. Gonna be my project when I get on my 7 off this wed. morning.

Also this will be my first top of the line computer, can't wait to put this together.

Case - Corsair Obsidian Series 650D (CC650DW-1) Black Steel structure with black brushed aluminum faceplate ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

MoBo - ASUS P8Z68-V/GEN3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard with UEFI BIOS

Video - EVGA 012-P3-2066-KR GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 448 Cores FTW 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

Power - SeaSonic M12II 620 Bronze 620W ATX12V V2.3 / EPS 12V V2.91 SLI Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply

CPU - Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 3000 BX80623I72600K

Memory - CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9

HDD - HITACHI Deskstar 7K1000.D HDS721075DLE630 (0F13179) 750GB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

BluRay - LG Black Internal 12X Super Multi Blue with 3D Playback Blu-ray Disc Rewriter SATA WH12LS38 LightScribe Support

Soundcard - ASUS Xonar DX 7.1 Channels PCI Express x1 Interface Sound Card

Extra Fan - COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus RR-B10-212P-G1 "Heatpipe Direct Contact" Long Life Sleeve 120mm CPU Cooler Compatible Intel Core i5 & Intel Core i7

Did I do good? I feel like I'm in over my head but I'm excited to get this thing put together.

 

[Zaraki_Kenpachi]

Hmm, If it boots without then at least it isn't a more expensive component (at the cost of data :[) but it might not be the hard drive. I had a problem for a long time which I could not diagnose, failure to boot on occasion, random hard locks etc. I replaced everything, except the sata cable. Switched that and all was well.

If your motherboard supports hot plugging (99% it does) then you could leave the faulty HDD out then boot into windows or a linux pen drive, plug it in and run some tests (if it doesnt crash upon hotplugging, don't see why it would, though).

Hmm, that's a good idea. I have some data cables just laying around so I'll play with it later but at least it boots and works no problems so it could be worse. I always did backups so no significant data was lost but redownloading like over 100GB of data from Steam for my games sort of sucks though. I'm just glad it wasn't something more expensive after replacing my mobo and processor not too long ago.

 

[RS4-]

If my case interior was still silver, I'd powder coat that shit immediately to black or something to match the rest of the case.

 

[chaosblade]

Yeah the R3 is a really nice case.

On that note, Antec finally released a case with a modern design. They updated the Performance One series with the P280:

Very similar to the Fractal.

I'd probably go with Fractal or a 400r over that if only because of the price. Not convinced it offers anything better for the extra $30.

My budget is...Spend as little as possible because I rarely even play PC games. I need a computer that will run Blizzard and Valve games decently and that's it. Diablo III and DOTA2 are the only two PC games I can think of that I'm looking forward to. I literally just took the stuff from the budget build in the OT.

Again, is that list of stuff all I need? I'm not missing any parts or anything? I've never done this before so if I'm missing something please tell me.

Doesn't look like you have a case picked out. Bitfenix Merc Alpha or Xigmatek Asgard II would be a good choices. Former is better overall and more expandable, latter is cheaper and probably fits your needs fine.

Also need a hard drive, unless you already have something to use.

Get this RAM, paying $46 for 4GB is ridiculous when you can get 8GB for less than that. Doubly so when you're looking at "cheap." 4GB for $21, G.Skill is a good brand and offers a lifetime warranty: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231394

Get the i3 CPU, it will be a lot better in the long run and doesn't cost much more, especially after the $15 promo. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115078

Hard to recommend the 550 Ti, the 6850 beats it and only costs a little more, but it should run games fine at mediumish settings @ native res. Don't expect any miracles out of it and you should be good.

 

[Parl]

Hey, guys. Building somebody a PC.

Budget: £350-£500 (UK)
Main Use: Gaming
Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080
Are reusing any parts?: Nothing
When will you build?: ASAP
Will you be overclocking?: Maybe

I'm looking at: 960T Black, ASUS HD 5850 (can get it for £100 locally), 4GB.

PSU wise, can I just put an Antec 450W in it? I worked out that max power usage comes in well below 400W.

Due to HDD prices, he's thinking of getting a low capacity (like 250GB or whatever) off of eBay, but decent speed, any recommendations?

Any relevant advantages to going better than a £60 mobo?

Thanks.

 

[TheExodu5]

I'd probably go with Fractal or a 400r over that if only because of the price. Not convinced it offers anything better for the extra $30.

The only real advantage I can tell it has over the Fractal is that the CPU cutout is actually big enough to allow for CPU heatsink installation. That's worth $30 to me, though it might not be to others.

The 400R isn't sound insulated, so I consider it in a separate category of cases.

 

[Lionel Mandrake]

Power supply came this morning, and this may be a silly question, but...

All of the cables are wrapped inside this nylon-esque netting material, which is convenient, but I was wondering if I'm supposed to remove this stuff somehow? My old PSUs never had anything like it, so I just wanted to check first.

 

[chaosblade]

Power supply came this morning, and this may be a silly question, but...

All of the cables are wrapped inside this nylon-esque netting material, which is convenient, but I was wondering if I'm supposed to remove this stuff somehow? My old PSUs never had anything like it, so I just wanted to check first.

Nope, that's to keep all the cables together and make things a little tidier.

 

[Chris R]

Power supply came this morning, and this may be a silly question, but...

All of the cables are wrapped inside this nylon-esque netting material, which is convenient, but I was wondering if I'm supposed to remove this stuff somehow? My old PSUs never had anything like it, so I just wanted to check first.

It is there to try and make the cables round and tightly bunched to improve airflow. Leave it on.

 

[Lionel Mandrake]

Thanks. That's what I figured, but just wanted to be 100% before I screwed something up.

 

[Theonik]

So what is the absolute safe max for temps on a 2500k OC'd @4.5Ghz with a CM Hyper 212+
Getting 60C at full load on Prime95 which I assume should not be the norm...

 

[Lionel Mandrake]

Crap. Quickly ran into another problem with the PSU.

So, there's a small plug port on the bottom right of my motherboard between the internal and external fans. It is a 2x2 plug. I assume that maybe it powers one or both of the fans? Either way, there isn't a 2x2 plug on the new PSU. There's a 3x2 plug and 2x1 plug, but no 2x2. Uhh.... What now?

Edit: On Google someone said that a 4x2 connector is just two 2x2s stuck together. Is this true? Would it be possible to leave half the connector unconnected.

 

[BoobPhysics101]

So what is the absolute safe max for temps on a 2500k OC'd @4.5Ghz with a CM Hyper 212+
Getting 60C at full load on Prime95 which I assume should not be the norm...

That is the norm. Don't worry unless it's 80c or over.

Crap. Quickly ran into another problem with the PSU.

So, there's a small plug port on the bottom right of my motherboard between the internal and external fans. It is a 2x2 plug. I assume that maybe it powers one or both of the fans? Either way, there isn't a 2x2 plug on the new PSU. There's a 3x2 plug and 2x1 plug, but no 2x2. Uhh.... What now?

Probably gonna need an adapter.

 

[chaosblade]

Crap. Quickly ran into another problem with the PSU.

So, there's a small plug port on the bottom right of my motherboard between the internal and external fans. It is a 2x2 plug. I assume that maybe it powers one or both of the fans? Either way, there isn't a 2x2 plug on the new PSU. There's a 3x2 plug and 2x1 plug, but no 2x2. Uhh.... What now?

Bottom right? What motherboard is it, and how do you have it oriented?

That is the norm. Don't worry unless it's 80c or over.

80C?! 65C should be your goal, and if you're over 70C you should probably make some changes if you plan to run it long term.

 

[BoobPhysics101]

dbl post

 

[Theonik]

That is the norm. Don't worry unless it's 80c or over.

Ok, was getting worried I messed something up for a bit. I got a bit higher voltage wise than the guide on the OP but since it's at least stable at normal temps now I'm happy.

 

[Lionel Mandrake]

Probably gonna need an adapter.

What kind of adapter? Where would I find one?

Bottom right? What motherboard is it, and how do you have it oriented?

I couldn't tell you. My PC was purchased pre-built from HP.

 

[chaosblade]

What kind of adapter? Where would I find one?


I couldn't tell you. My PC was purchased pre-built from HP.

Picture then? Because if the board is oriented normally - with the I/O panel (USB/sound/etc. ports) on the top left - I've never seen a board that needed the PSU plugged into the bottom right.

If it's by the CPU and you're just looking at it from a different angle, you should have a 4x2 that you can split into two cables.

 

[ToyMachine228]

OK so here's my current shopping cart.

Motherboard: ASRock H61M-VS LGA 1155 Intel H61 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
Item #: N82E16813157241

Processor: Intel Core i3-2100 Sandy Bridge 3.1GHz LGA 1155 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2000 BX80623I32100
Item #: N82E16819115078

Graphics Card: SAPPHIRE 100315L Radeon HD 6850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
Item #: N82E16814102908

HDD: Western Digital Caviar Blue WD5000AAKX 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Item #: N82E16822136769

Power Supply: CORSAIR Builder Series CX430 V2 (CMPSU-430CXV2) 430W ATX12V v2.3 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply
Item #: N82E16817139026

RAM: (2)G.SKILL NS 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Desktop Memory Model F3-10600CL9D-4GBNS
Item #: N82E16820231394

Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite Black Steel with painted interior ATX Mid Tower Computer Case w/ Black Front Trim
Item #: N82E16811146078

Disk Drive:
ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM
Item #: N82E16827135204

Monitor: Acer S200HLAbd Black 20" 5ms LED Backlight Widescreen LCD Monitor
Item #: N82E16824009317

OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit - OEM
Item #: N82E16832116986

What do you think? I only have very basic needs. The only games I really want to play on it are Diablo 3 and DOTA2. Blizzard and Valve games essentially is all I play on PC. I want to spend as little money as possible yet get the best value. If anyone has any suggestions for things to switch out to save money or things to switch out to get better quality for the same price, please let me know.

 

[knitoe]

OK so here's my current shopping cart.

Motherboard: ASRock H61M-VS LGA 1155 Intel H61 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
Item #: N82E16813157241

Processor: Intel Core i3-2100 Sandy Bridge 3.1GHz LGA 1155 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2000 BX80623I32100
Item #: N82E16819115078

Graphics Card: SAPPHIRE 100315L Radeon HD 6850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
Item #: N82E16814102908

HDD: Western Digital Caviar Blue WD5000AAKX 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Item #: N82E16822136769

Power Supply: CORSAIR Builder Series CX430 V2 (CMPSU-430CXV2) 430W ATX12V v2.3 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply
Item #: N82E16817139026

RAM: (2)G.SKILL NS 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Desktop Memory Model F3-10600CL9D-4GBNS
Item #: N82E16820231394

Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite Black Steel with painted interior ATX Mid Tower Computer Case w/ Black Front Trim
Item #: N82E16811146078

Disk Drive:
ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM
Item #: N82E16827135204

Monitor: Acer S200HLAbd Black 20" 5ms LED Backlight Widescreen LCD Monitor
Item #: N82E16824009317

OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit - OEM
Item #: N82E16832116986

What do you think? I only have very basic needs. The only games I really want to play on it are Diablo 3 and DOTA2. Blizzard and Valve games essentially is all I play on PC. I want to spend as little money as possible yet get the best value. If anyone has any suggestions for things to switch out to save money or things to switch out to get better quality for the same price, please let me know.

Today, I wouldn't recommend a dual core. Quad cores are becoming standard. I would push the budget, get a 2500K, P67 MB, overclock cpu to 4.5GHz and you would be good for a few years. If down the line you need better graphics, you can just easily replace the graphic card.

And, with memory so cheap, go 8GB.

 

[chaosblade]

OK so here's my current shopping cart.

Motherboard: ASRock H61M-VS LGA 1155 Intel H61 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
Item #: N82E16813157241

Processor: Intel Core i3-2100 Sandy Bridge 3.1GHz LGA 1155 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2000 BX80623I32100
Item #: N82E16819115078

Graphics Card: SAPPHIRE 100315L Radeon HD 6850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
Item #: N82E16814102908

HDD: Western Digital Caviar Blue WD5000AAKX 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Item #: N82E16822136769

Power Supply: CORSAIR Builder Series CX430 V2 (CMPSU-430CXV2) 430W ATX12V v2.3 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply
Item #: N82E16817139026

RAM: (2)G.SKILL NS 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Desktop Memory Model F3-10600CL9D-4GBNS
Item #: N82E16820231394

Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite Black Steel with painted interior ATX Mid Tower Computer Case w/ Black Front Trim
Item #: N82E16811146078

Disk Drive:
ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM
Item #: N82E16827135204

Monitor: Acer S200HLAbd Black 20" 5ms LED Backlight Widescreen LCD Monitor
Item #: N82E16824009317

OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit - OEM
Item #: N82E16832116986

What do you think? I only have very basic needs. The only games I really want to play on it are Diablo 3 and DOTA2. Blizzard and Valve games essentially is all I play on PC. I want to spend as little money as possible yet get the best value. If anyone has any suggestions for things to switch out to save money or things to switch out to get better quality for the same price, please let me know.

If you're okay with rebates, this GPU has a better rebate even though it costs more up front, and XFX has a great double lifetime warranty. And it comes with a free game.

You can combo Windows with a number of things like your motherboard. Only saves $5, but might as well save that $5 if you can.

Today, I wouldn't recommend a dual core. Quad cores are becoming standard. I would push the budget, get a 2500K, P67 MB, overclock cpu to 4.5GHz and you would be good for a few years. If down the line you need better graphics, you can just easily replace the graphic card.

And, with memory so cheap, go 8GB.

That would probably increase his budget by 50%. It's more futureproof and would be a better overall build, but if he knows he wants something for just a couple of games that aren't even going to have high system requirements and doesn't want to spend much, that build will be fine.

8GB RAM might be feasible for $14 more though. Especially since that board only has two slots and to upgrade he will have to entirely replace the RAM.

 

[Lionel Mandrake]

Picture then? Because if the board is oriented normally - with the I/O panel (USB/sound/etc. ports) on the top left - I've never seen a board that needed the PSU plugged into the bottom right.

If it's by the CPU and you're just looking at it from a different angle, you should have a 4x2 that you can split into two cables.

Sorry for the crudeness of the pic, I hate working on this netbook.

The only 4x2 I have looks pretty connected.

 

[knitoe]

That would probably increase his budget by 50%. It's more futureproof and would be a better overall build, but if he knows he wants something for just a couple of games that aren't even going to have high system requirements and doesn't want to spend much, that build will be fine.

8GB RAM might be feasible for $14 more though.

It's only around $150 more going from i3 2100 & H61 MB to i5 2500K & P67 MB. The added performance and future proof well worth it long term. If he can't afford it now, just save up for another month or so.

 

[BoobPhysics101]

It's only around $150 more going from i3 2100 & H61 MB to i5 2500K & P67 MB. The added performance and future proof well worth it long term. If he can't afford it now, just save up for another month or so.

I agree 100%. The extra $150 means having a system that's viable for 3-4 years instead of 1-2 and would only need videocard upgrades. That's a tiny bit to spend for a LOT of futureproofing.