Building a new Gaming rig, decent size budget

[mnewsham]

Well, you still ain't getting the message. You simply cannot future proof a PC in the face of rapid technology advancements no matter how much money you throw into it now.

A 2600K 4 years into the future will be like what the original Core 2 Duos is now today; smoked by current Intel's lineup at a fraction of the price. An Asus ROG S1155 board will be near worthless when the next chipset or socket arrives.

You should build the most cost-effective PC now and use the leftover cash from the original budget to set aside for future upgrades plus selling of the old parts to recoup some of the cost. This what we are getting at: getting the best for your money.

Exactly, the 2600k will be better then, but it will still be shit compared to any CURRENT intel offering.

 

[Will Robinson]

Hey Dri....nice rig dude!
Sent ya a message.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Exactly, the 2600k will be better then, but it will still be shit compared to any CURRENT intel offering.

But in four years, when everyone has an 8-core (at least) on the desktop, and games are starting to take advantage of 8 threads, wouldn't the 2600K, being that it is capable of 8 threads too, make sense if he wants his computer to be viable in 4-5 years still?

 

[mnewsham]

But in four years, when everyone has an 8-core (at least) on the desktop, and games are starting to take advantage of 8 threads, wouldn't the 2600K, being that it is capable of 8 threads too, make sense if he wants his computer to be viable in 4-5 years still?

The first dual core that wasn't embedded was released in 2001. A decade later two cores is now the minimum, i doubt in 4 years 8 core CPU's will be as prevalent as you seem to think. Seeing as we still dont have games that utilize all 4 cores (some do yes but most still dont) I HIGHLY doubt we will see games optimized for more then 4 cores in the next 5 years. The first Desktop quad-core CPU from intel was released in 2006, 5 years later quad core CPU's are only really starting to become standard. Programmers aren't really programming for the enthusiasts they program for the masses (the ones who use their product) and will follow the "mainsteam" requirements and low end. And will usually be a year or two behind the "current" "mainstream" tech as well, to cater to the older computers.


TLDR; No I don't think it will give him any more life for his CPU, will it run a few things better? Yeah probably. But will it run them so much better that it is a night and day difference? No. For many tasks in 7 years BOTH of these CPU's will be outdated and it wouldn't matter which one you have.

 

[Dricen]

In 5 years, I'd rather have a better pos =) I have the money right now, any money left over will NOT be saved, my fiance can make good work of that. I would rather get the best I can get right now, as long as it stays in my budget. I still think I want to go with the i7 2600K. And no one knows if the 8 cores will be utilized in 5 years. What if it is, and the 2600K is much better at that point. I would rather take a chance on it turning out better in the long run, than saving $100 and wishing I didn't 5 years down the road =) I do not upgrade my PC often, so I like to get the most out of what I can when I do upgrade.

So about the case. Should I get a mid tower, or a full tower?

 

[Patrese]

Ok, I'll get the other case then, I did not know this. Like I said, I'm pretty misinformed =)

I thought I got the same memory you linked. How do I check for tall heatspreaders? And I want 16GB. 12-16 is a MUST. It's for personal reasons and I have to have it that way =)

I want to get the better processor because in 3-4 years, the processor will still run well, and the performance advantage will still be there. Yes $100 is worth an extra year for me. I said my budget was around 1700, this is at 1400 so I'm still well within my budget.

Tall heatspreaders are something like the one on the link below:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...144-_-07072011

Not tall on the link below:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145327

Check the pictures and you'll see the difference. As you're going to use all the four memory sockets to get 16GB of RAM and will get the Hyper 212+, tall heatspreaders are a terrible idea. They'll make for a tight or probably impossible fit.

Also I never realized it but the case I'm getting is a ATX Mid tower case, shouldn't I get a ATX full tower case?

I have a CoolerMaster HAF912, which is also mid tower, and the thing is huge compared to most "normal" cases. Since you're not going to mess around with the config a lot and the P183 is a great case, I can't see why you would need a full tower IMO.

As for the i7 2600k vs i5 2500k debate, count my vote on the 2500k ballot, for all the reasons the other guys mentioned.

 

[Dricen]

[Part list permalink](http://pcpartpicker.com/parts/partlist/ar/lJC) / [Part price breakdown by merchant](http://pcpartpicker.com/parts/partlist/ar/lJC/by_merchant)

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
**CPU** | [Intel Core i7-2600K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80623i72600k) | $299.99 @ Newegg
**CPU Cooler** | [Cooler Master RR-B10-212P-G1 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-cpu-cooler-rrb10212pg1) | $29.51 @ Amazon
**Motherboard** | [Gigabyte GA-Z68A-D3H-B3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-motherboard-gaz68ad3hb3) | $128.99 @ Amazon
**Memory** | [G.Skill Value Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gskill-memory-f310600cl9d8gbnt) | $64.99 @ Newegg
**Hard Drive** | [Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/samsung-internal-hard-drive-hd103sj) | $64.99 @ Newegg
**Hard Drive** | [Crucial M4 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/crucial-internal-hard-drive-ct128m4ssd2) | $218.94 @ Mac Connection
**Video Card** | [Gigabyte GeForce GTX 560 Ti 1GB Video Card](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-video-card-gvn560so1gi950) | $259.99 @ Amazon
**Case** | [Antec P183 V3 ATX Mid Tower Case](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/antec-case-p183v3) | $119.99 @ Newegg
**Power Supply** | [Corsair 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-power-supply-cmpsu750txv2) | $99.99 @ Newegg
|| **Total**
| (Prices include shipping and discounts when available.) | $1352.37

Updated the case and ram. Someone asked me about my graphics card now, saying that I should get one with more VRAM. Do you guys feel this graphics card is adequate or should I go for a 570, 580? Nvidia is a must.

 

[Patrese]

Since your budget is way below the initial $1700 and you rarely upgrade, I would get the GTX570. Not because of VRAM, but because it is lot faster on higher resolutions. The GTX580 is too expensive for me to consider it worth it, but that's just me. This model seems to be a great deal today:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-622-_-Product

 

[mnewsham]

if you are still aiming to spend 1,700 just go for the gold and get two 570's you seem to have the money. If the two 570's break the bank im sure you can fit in two 560's.

 

[Dricen]

if you are still aiming to spend 1,700 just go for the gold and get two 570's you seem to have the money. If the two 570's break the bank im sure you can fit in two 560's.

I'm not really a fan of dual video cards. Always ran into issues, and they were always more of a headache than they were worth imo.

 

[mnewsham]

I'm not really a fan of dual video cards. Always ran into issues, and they were always more of a headache than they were worth imo.

That's because...they...are D:

 

[Dricen]

That's because...they...are D:

haha, I'm just looking for something I can put together, then not touch for a few years. =)

 

[mnewsham]

Then bumping up to the 570 wont damage anything just allow games to play better.

 

[mfenn]

Tall heatspreaders are something like the one on the link below:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...144-_-07072011

Not tall on the link below:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145327

Check the pictures and you'll see the difference. As you're going to use all the four memory sockets to get 16GB of RAM and will get the Hyper 212+, tall heatspreaders are a terrible idea. They'll make for a tight or probably impossible fit.

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

But in four years, when everyone has an 8-core (at least) on the desktop, and games are starting to take advantage of 8 threads, wouldn't the 2600K, being that it is capable of 8 threads too, make sense if he wants his computer to be viable in 4-5 years still?

If the 2600K was an 8-core processor, I'd agree with you. But it's not. There is a (low) theoretical maximum benefit from the extra logical cores that HT gives you.

 

[mfenn]

In 5 years, I'd rather have a better pos =) I have the money right now, any money left over will NOT be saved, my fiance can make good work of that. I would rather get the best I can get right now, as long as it stays in my budget. I still think I want to go with the i7 2600K. And no one knows if the 8 cores will be utilized in 5 years. What if it is, and the 2600K is much better at that point. I would rather take a chance on it turning out better in the long run, than saving $100 and wishing I didn't 5 years down the road =) I do not upgrade my PC often, so I like to get the most out of what I can when I do upgrade.

You're still not getting it my friend. The 2600K is not an 8-core processor. It is a quad-core with hyperthreading. There is a big difference between the two. The 2-5% performance difference now will still be 2-5% in 5 years.

So about the case. Should I get a mid tower, or a full tower?

The terminology lines are really blurred here. The P183 is pretty big, and would be classified as a full tower by some manufacturers.

 

[bntran02]

I'll make another suggestion which is to invest in a bigger/faster/more reliable SSD.

Everyone here seems to agree that the 2600K really brings nothing over the 2500K but the OP is determined to spend the extra $100 for the small bump.

If you must spend extra money then I would spend it on something that will give you a benefit now AND in the future. A bigger and faster SSD brings better real world performance now and more storage space for the future. Since the OP has not kept up with current hardware, an SSD's speed is directly related to the SSD's size. In an SSD's case, bigger = faster. The performance boost that a bigger/faster SSD will bring will be more than what the 2600K will bring over the 2500K with the added benefit of more storage space.

I'm always a fan of Intel SSD's due to reliability so I would suggest:
1) Intel 510 240GB ~$580, Bigger, faster, reliable
2) Intel 510 120GB ~$275 AR, Faster, reliable, same size
3) Intel 320 160GB ~$300, Not faster, but bigger and extremely reliable (more important IMO)

The OP is still well below budget so option #1 is not really out of the question. Intel also expects their 510 series to be less reliable than their 320 series but more reliable than any other drive on the market.

 

[mfenn]

I'll make another suggestion which is to invest in a bigger/faster/more reliable SSD.

Everyone here seems to agree that the 2600K really brings nothing over the 2500K but the OP is determined to spend the extra $100 for the small bump.

If you must spend extra money then I would spend it on something that will give you a benefit now AND in the future. A bigger and faster SSD brings better real world performance now and more storage space for the future. Since the OP has not kept up with current hardware, an SSD's speed is directly related to the SSD's size. In an SSD's case, bigger = faster. The performance boost that a bigger/faster SSD will bring will be more than what the 2600K will bring over the 2500K with the added benefit of more storage space.

I'm always a fan of Intel SSD's due to reliability so I would suggest:
1) Intel 510 240GB ~$580, Bigger, faster, reliable
2) Intel 510 120GB ~$275 AR, Faster, reliable, same size
3) Intel 320 160GB ~$300, Not faster, but bigger and extremely reliable (more important IMO)

The OP is still well below budget so option #1 is not really out of the question. Intel also expects their 510 series to be less reliable than their 320 series but more reliable than any other drive on the market.

Good advice IMHO! :thumbsup:

 

[Dricen]

After talking to many people, and hearing everyone's advice, here is what I will be ordering tomorrow night! I can't wait =D Thanks for everyone that helped me pick out this beast!

[Part list permalink](http://pcpartpicker.com/parts/partlist/ar/ocp) / [Part price breakdown by merchant](http://pcpartpicker.com/parts/partlist/ar/ocp/by_merchant)

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
**CPU** | [Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80623i52500k) | $219.99 @ Newegg
**CPU Cooler** | [Corsair CAFA70 61.0 CFM CPU Cooler](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-cpu-cooler-cafa70) | $31.24 @ Newegg
**Motherboard** | [Gigabyte GA-Z68A-D3H-B3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-motherboard-gaz68ad3hb3) | $128.99 @ Amazon
**Memory** | [Kingston HyperX 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/kingston-memory-khx1600c9d3k28gx) | $64.99 @ Newegg
**Hard Drive** | [Western Digital Caviar Black 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/western-digital-internal-hard-drive-wd5002aalx) | $59.99 @ Newegg
**Hard Drive** | [Crucial RealSSD C300 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/crucial-internal-hard-drive-ctfddac128mag1g1) | $228.94 @ Mac Connection
**Video Card** | [Gigabyte GeForce GTX 560 Ti 1GB Video Card](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-video-card-gvn560so1gi950) | $259.99 @ Amazon
**Case** | [Antec P183 V3 ATX Mid Tower Case](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/antec-case-p183v3) | $139.99 @ Newegg
**Power Supply** | [Corsair 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-power-supply-cmpsu750txv2) | $94.99 @ Newegg
|| **Total**
| (Prices include shipping and discounts when available.) | $1229.11

 

[avatar82]

i like your build thats going to be an awsome pc!

some things worth saying.

ram over 3 gigs makes no difference in games
ram faster then 1333mhz cas 777 makes no difference in games
triple channel ram over dual channel makes no difference in games
hyperthreading quad core compared to no hyperthreading makes no difference in games
that means i5 is the way to go

that being said i personally like 4 - 6 gigs of ram for smoother alt tabbing, and the occasional multi apps open in windows. 8 gigs is fine

my thoughts are 500gigs hard drive is too small, 1tb should only be 20-30 bucks more right? i think my steam folder alone is close to 500 gigs...

if this is a gaming system, the single most important thing over everything els is the videocard, nothing els matters in comparison. i would splurge on a 570 or 580 if it has to be nvidia, esspecially for 1080p and up.

 

[Dricen]

i like your build thats going to be an awsome pc!

some things worth saying.

ram over 3 gigs makes no difference in games
ram faster then 1333mhz cas 777 makes no difference in games
triple channel ram over dual channel makes no difference in games
hyperthreading quad core compared to no hyperthreading makes no difference in games
that means i5 is the way to go

that being said i personally like 4 - 6 gigs of ram for smoother alt tabbing, and the occasional multi apps open in windows. 8 gigs is fine

my thoughts are 500gigs hard drive is too small, 1tb should only be 20-30 bucks more right? i think my steam folder alone is close to 500 gigs...

if this is a gaming system, the single most important thing over everything els is the videocard, nothing els matters in comparison. i would splurge on a 570 or 580 if it has to be nvidia, esspecially for 1080p and up.

I usually don't fill up my hard drive with games though. I reformat often to keep my computer pretty clean. I usually only have a handfull of games installed at a time I don't think I'll ever need that much space. I have a 250gig external if I ever need it anyway. And I have numerous hard drives that could store things if I need.

As far as the graphics card goes, I think the 560 TI will give me the biggest bang for my buck. Looking at numerous benchmarks the 570 price difference didn't justify upgrading to it.

Edit: I got the 8gigs of ram because it was a killer deal from buy.com. 39.95 for 8 gigs =)

 

[avatar82]

cool, yeah looks like the 560's a good deal

omg ram is so cheap these days :knocks on wood:

 

[mfenn]

My comments:
- RAM: That RAM is 1.65V, which is out of spec for Sandy Bridge. You want 1.5V or less like this G.Skill DDR3 1333.
- HDD : That HDD is smaller and more expensive than the Samsung F3 1TB. They perform very close to the same.
- GPU: The GPU is stupid expensive for a GTX 560 Ti. Get this Palit for $200 AR and drag the sliders to the right for yourself.
- PSU: 750W is still way overkill for this rig. The XFX Core 550W is $50 AR.

 

[Dricen]

My comments:
- RAM: That RAM is 1.65V, which is out of spec for Sandy Bridge. You want 1.5V or less like this G.Skill DDR3 1333.
- HDD : That HDD is smaller and more expensive than the Samsung F3 1TB. They perform very close to the same.
- GPU: The GPU is stupid expensive for a GTX 560 Ti. Get this Palit for $200 AR and drag the sliders to the right for yourself.
- PSU: 750W is still way overkill for this rig. The XFX Core 550W is $50 AR.

Ram: Will the ram I got work with the CPU or not? I already ordered the ram. =/
HDD: I don't really care about space, and the one I picked is only $5 more and alittle faster. I'll take that
GPU: What are "sliders". Sorry I'm kinda clueless =P
PSU: I was getting this PSU just incase I do ever need it. I don't think the price difference is worth it in the long run to have to worry about switching it at this point.

 

[mnewsham]

When you OC a GPU you just have to go into the control panel and change the Core clock and memory clock they are a simple "slider" based change and he was only saying you should not pay for an OC when you can do it yourself in all of about 5 seconds.

 

[Dricen]

When you OC a GPU you just have to go into the control panel and change the Core clock and memory clock they are a simple "slider" based change and he was only saying you should not pay for an OC when you can do it yourself in all of about 5 seconds.

Ic. With the card he linked, would I be able to match the same speeds as the one I have currently? And all I need to do is move those sliders over?