First PC/gaming Build. Need feedback!

[guanton]

Hey guys, first time PC builder here. I’ve been doing research and trying to get the hang of things, think I’ve covered enough to post a build for input/feedback. This may be a long post, so sorry in advance.

Firstly, several things:
• I’m a third-year college student, I’m very into gaming. Games that I play/potentially will play: Heroes of Newerth, Starcraft 2, CS 1.6, CS Source, WoW, Rift, Battlefield3 (looking forward to this), Diablo3 (and this). Other than gaming: torrenting, music, movies, the usual.
• Budget: I’m aiming for around $1000. Though this can be a little flexible as I’ll be working over the summer.
• I want to build a PC that I will be able to upgrade over the years.
• Overclocking: This is something I’m not entirely too sure about. This influences my build – P or H chipset, 2600k, etc. Will I see a significant increase in performance when playing games? Is the performance gain worth the heat/instability/degradation of hardware? Do I benefit more from CPU or GPU overclocking?
• Will most likely be building this in a month after the current semester is over, when summer is starting.
• Will get Windows 7 through my school via student discount.

So, with that being said, here is an initial build I’ve constructed. Some things may be up in the air, influenced by my questions above. I’m open to what you guys recommend, because you all have experience. Wherever I can save money is a PLUS.

PSU: $70
Antec NEO ECO 620C 620W Continuous Power
Is this too much power? Would 520W be enough?

Case: $60
Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

Mobo: $140
MSI P67A-G45 (B3) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
OR the other few that are comparable on this page; i.e. the ASUS ones for around $140ish: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...CE&Pagesize=20

CPU: $225
Intel Core i5-2500K

CPU Cooler: $35
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

Memory: $40
G.SKILL NS 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666)

HDD: $65
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5"
Or http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822145304

GPU: $245
SAPPHIRE 100312-1GSR Radeon HD 6950 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity

Monitor: $180
ASUS VH236H Black 23" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Widescreen Full HD 1080P LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 20000 :1 (ASCR) Built-in Speakers

Total: $1060 not including shipping/taxes

Any feedback is appreciated. Once again, if you see a way that would save me money, that would be great.

Thanks!

-----------------------------
EDIT: updated build
-----------------------------

 

[JBDan]

I think it looks really good. With that resolution I'm not sure the 2GB $50 price jump is worth it on the GFX card. If you go above that res then yes it would be. There are many many benchmarks out there that show little to no difference with that res and the 2GB's vs the 1GB's. The XFX or Sapphire 6950 1GB are around $215-$224 with rebate $245 w/o. I have the Sapphire version it really kicks butt over my 8800GT!

I know your above budget, but I must say you would really appreciate an SSD for your OS drive. It's amazing. It's worth saving for. Maybe one day right.

Looks like you've done your homework now for the test.....the build!

As for OC'ing, I tell everyone the same thing....do your research and learn it well before diving in, then it will be a blast and you will see performance improvements across the board. A good air cooler (I use the 212+ coolermaster) and a proper airflow setup will go a long way in keeping your PC stable and enduring.

Good luck

 

[BoomerD]

Hey guys, first time PC builder here. I’ve been doing research and trying to get the hang of things, think I’ve covered enough to post a build for input/feedback. This may be a long post, so sorry in advance.

Firstly, several things:
• I’m a third-year college student, I’m very into gaming. Games that I play/potentially will play: Heroes of Newerth, Starcraft 2, CS 1.6, CS Source, WoW, Rift, Battlefield3 (looking forward to this), Diablo3 (and this). Other than gaming: torrenting, music, movies, the usual.
• Budget: I’m aiming for around $1000. Though this can be a little flexible as I’ll be working over the summer.
• I want to build a PC that I will be able to upgrade over the years.
• Overclocking: This is something I’m not entirely too sure about. This influences my build – P or H chipset, 2600k, etc. Will I see a significant increase in performance when playing games? Is the performance gain worth the heat/instability/degradation of hardware? Do I benefit more from CPU or GPU overclocking?
• Will most likely be building this in a month after the current semester is over, when summer is starting.
• Will get Windows 7 through my school via student discount.

So, with that being said, here is an initial build I’ve constructed. Some things may be up in the air, influenced by my questions above. I’m open to what you guys recommend, because you all have experience. Wherever I can save money is a PLUS.

PSU: $70
Antec NEO ECO 620C 620W Continuous Power
Is this too much power? Would 520W be enough?

Case: $60
Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

Mobo: $140
MSI P67A-G45 (B3) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
OR the other few that are comparable on this page; i.e. the ASUS ones for around $140ish: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...CE&Pagesize=20

CPU: $225
Intel Core i7-2500K

Memory: $40
G.SKILL NS 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666)

HDD: $65
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5"
Or http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822145304

GPU: ~$290
I was unsure between 6950 vs 570, but I think I’ve settled on the 6950.
Currently leaning towards this one:
MSI R6950 Twin Frozr II OC Radeon HD 6950 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
Apparently this is the coolest (temp) 6950 available. How does this one compare? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121416. Or others?

Monitor: $180
ASUS VH236H Black 23" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Widescreen Full HD 1080P LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 20000 :1 (ASCR) Built-in Speakers

Total: $1080 not including shipping/taxes

Any feedback is appreciated. Once again, if you see a way that would save me money, that would be great.

Thanks!

If you're going to have a dedicated graphics card...and for gaming, you SHOULD, then go with the P67 boards...

If you can afford it, go with 8 GB of RAM if you're using a 64 bit OS. IMO, it's worth every penny.

Don't forget a decent CPU cooler. Most folks here like the Hyper 212 Plus. IMO, even if you're not overclocking, a good CPU cooler is worth the price.

BTW, it's i5-2500K, not i7-2500K the i7 version is the i7-2600K.

 

[Spikesoldier]

on the gpu choice - that card is incapable of unlocking into a 6970. but still a very nice card with a good non-reference cooler.

i would spring for a ddr3 1600 set with 7cas timing. i recommend this because you got the 2500k. i also agree to get 8gb, as its very affordable now.

personally i would swap the antec psu for maybe a corsair or seasonic. i trust them more than antec.

 

[BoomerD]

DDR3-1600 is fine...as long as it's 1.5 volts or less. Sandy Bridge processors "just don't like the higher voltages."

It's highly unlikely that the OP will notice the difference between 1333 and 1600 RAM anyway.

 

[dma0991]

You can get the 620W PSU. Nothing wrong with having a little bit more power headroom for the PSU. I would get an extra 4GB to make a total of 8GB as RAM is pretty cheap these days. The GTX570 has better performance than the HD6950 but cost about the same of it is the HD6950 2GB. Would be better and cheaper to get the HD6950 1GB instead if you are not going towards Eyefinity.

 

[guanton]

Hey guys,

Thanks for your replies, very informative.

I've decided to get a Hyper 212+ for my i5-2500k.

How many watts would you guys say my system would ever max out at?

Also, I'm already over my budget, so I think I will stick with 4 gbs of RAM for now. I can always add more RAM later. Does 1600 vs 1333 make a huge difference?

Most importantly, I've been thinking about getting a 1gb 6950 rather than 2gb, as its more bang-for-the-buck. However, I'm not sure which brand/card to go with. I'm most worried about longevity/reliability/low temperatures.

I'm leaning towards the Sapphire. The other two comparables are the XFX and PowerColor. Any input on this?

JBDan, does your Sapphire run too hot during games/load?

Thanks.

 

[BoomerD]

I'd guess that for most uses, your computer will draw about 100 watts. For gaming, I'd be surprised if it draws more than about 350-400 watts.

I have an i5-760 build and I have to push it hard to draw 350 watts. (Furmark on max)

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2138210

 

[mfenn]

i would spring for a ddr3 1600 set with 7cas timing. i recommend this because you got the 2500k

What does this mean?

OP, your build looks pretty good. You can definitely go lower on the PSU, even a GTX 580 only results in a total system power draw of 390W under load. The NEO ECOs seem to be out of stock at the moment, so I'd recommend this XFX 550W as a good alternative.

Regarding the GPU, there is a reference design (i.e. unlockable) 6950 2GB from HIS for $235 AR right now. Even if it doesn't unlock, I think that the extra VRAM is worth $10.

The rest of your build looks good IMHO.

 

[JBDan]

JBDan, does your Sapphire run too hot during games/load?

Thanks.

Not at all. It runs very cool, idle and load, in a well thought out case and setup. It's also very quiet, until you game hard, but then that doesn't matter because hopefully you don't game with no sound!

 

[guanton]

What does this mean?

OP, your build looks pretty good. You can definitely go lower on the PSU, even a GTX 580 only results in a total system power draw of 390W under load. The NEO ECOs seem to be out of stock at the moment, so I'd recommend this XFX 550W as a good alternative.

Regarding the GPU, there is a reference design (i.e. unlockable) 6950 2GB from HIS for $235 AR right now. Even if it doesn't unlock, I think that the extra VRAM is worth $10.

The rest of your build looks good IMHO.

Would 550W be enough headroom for overclocking CPU and GPU? Also, you've opened up my eyes to researching on which 6950 card to get again.

Not at all. It runs very cool, idle and load, in a well thought out case and setup. It's also very quiet, until you game hard, but then that doesn't matter because hopefully you don't game with no sound!

Nice. Thats good to know. Yet, I find myself researching on the various 6950's again. :|


I'm currently digging up reviews for these:
HIS H695F2G2M Radeon HD 6950 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
SAPPHIRE 100312-1GSR Radeon HD 6950 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity

Hmmm is the Sapphire more reliable? Lower temps? HIS seems to run a bit hotter. I can't decide.

 

[BoomerD]

XFX for AMD GPU's, EVGA for nVidia GPU's.

/thread.

Palit is ok...but their products aren't quite as nice as their Gainward brand. (like comparing Chevy with Cadillac)

 

[JBDan]

Nice. Thats good to know. Yet, I find myself researching on the various 6950's again. :|


I'm currently digging up reviews for these:
HIS H695F2G2M Radeon HD 6950 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
SAPPHIRE 100312-1GSR Radeon HD 6950 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity

Hmmm is the Sapphire more reliable? Lower temps? HIS seems to run a bit hotter. I can't decide.

I only chose the Sapphire because of brand name recognition and the price after rebate. When I buy Nvidia I buy EVGA. Just one of those things, you find a brand and often stick to it.

You can't go wrong with either they are the same gpu with different cooling/cosmetics/fan placement (might be the same HS). The Sapphire does dump a little heat into the case maybe the HIS's HSF is "tighter" and dumps more out the rear? idk

Which one are you drawn to more?

 

[betasub]

^ Don't get too stuck on a brand because of name or "past performance". We all know of brands that have played on image or history while pulling a fast one on their customers <hem,hem>

 

[dma0991]

If a non reference cooler HD6950 1GB cost as much as a reference cooler HD6950 2GB then it would be better to get the HD6950 1GB with a 3rd party cooler. It will offer better cooling and less noisy compared to the reference cooler. Better cooling = better chance of higher clocks.

 

[Drakula]

Since you use Newegg link of the case as reference, may I suggest getting the Antec Three Hundred Illusion? You get two more fan and it cost slightly less, unless you do not like LED fans.

 

[mfenn]

Would 550W be enough headroom for overclocking CPU and GPU?

Should be plenty.

If a non reference cooler HD6950 1GB cost as much as a reference cooler HD6950 2GB then it would be better to get the HD6950 1GB with a 3rd party cooler. It will offer better cooling and less noisy compared to the reference cooler. Better cooling = better chance of higher clocks.

I'd actually use that bolded argument as an argument for the 2GB reference model. The reference model is likely to unlock to a 6970, and that's far more likely to give greater performance than rolling the dice on hitting very high clocks.