Gaming PC questions

RingoStarr1991 · Sep 1, 2011

I posted this on a different thread here on accident so if a Moderator could delete the old one that would be much thanked

Here is what I posted originally:

Hey everyone joined the site to get some info about possibly building a gaming pc for myself in the near future. I have been a console gamer all my life but with games like Deus Ex, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Dirt 3, ext. coming out/ already out I really think I should step it up and build a gaming PC and get rid of my PS3. I have a friend that has built many gaming pc's before so the only issue I have is what parts I need. I already have a choice monitor, keyboard/mouse and soundcard (I use a ux2 usb audio interface by Line 6 for recording which doubles as a sound card). I want something that will play any game with no problems at all and at close to max settings. I want to budget around $500-$650 if possible so I am up for any info you guys can pass on. I also live in the United States.Thanks a bunch and I hope to hear from some of you.

EDIT:

1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.
Just gaming; I have a Sony Vaio laptop for music, recording, and other tasks.

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread
Atm $500-$650 but would be willing to go to $800

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.
United States

4. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc.
I have no clue what manufacturer is the best....

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.
Do not need a monitor, keyboard and mouse, and speakers

6. IF YOU have searched and/or read similar threads.
I have but my price range is a little more precise

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.
Uhhhh huh? Lol noob at computers here.

8. What resolution YOU plan on gaming with.
My tv/monitor atm goes up to 1280X720 so that for now until I get something better.

9. WHEN do you plan to build it?
ASAP

Puppies04 · Sep 1, 2011

Sorry i don't live in the US but get yourself on to newegg and price up this list it should be somewhere around your budget.

I5 2500k

Z68 mobo

8gm DDR3 ram 1300mhz is fine but try for 1600mhz if the price difference isn't much

1tb hdd look for 7200 speed and 32mb cache 8-9ms response time.

gtx560 ti (the msi twin frozr is a nice example and what i am currently running)
550w psu look for antec/enermax/seasonic (don't be tempted to skimp on a crappy one you will regret it)

Coolermaster hyper 212 cpu cooler

branded dvd rw

Cheap gaming case you like the look of

You will easily get 4.4-4.5ghz out of the cpu by changing 1 setting in the bios which you can ask about here once you have the parts and the gtx 560 will run just about anything at max at 1280 x 720. Remember you are going to need an OS so pick up windows 7 64bit.

If you find you are over budget by the time you add the OS then drop down to 4gb RAM and forget the after market cpu cooler.

DaveSimmons · Sep 1, 2011

Notes on above:
- ASRock has a cheap but good Z68 motherboard for $130
- DDR 1333 RAM that runs at 1.5v is all you need, faster RAM doesn't help game performance for Sandy Bridge. 2 x 4 GB makes sense based on current prices.
- Samsung Spinpoint 1 TB drive is what we usually recommend
- You only need a third-party cooler if you decide to do a high overclock. i5 processors already have a built-in automatic "turbo boost" that's all that most people need for gaming.

See the eleventy-billion other gaming system threads for more details

Joseph F · Sep 1, 2011

Core i5-2400 $190 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115074
MSI P67S-C43 (B3) $90 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813130576
NZXT Alpha $55 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811146041
Corsair CX500 $60 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139027
PNY Optima 8GB 1333MHz $45 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820178333
Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB $50 (if you buy with a promo code before Monday) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822152185
HIS Radeon 6850 1GB $150 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161384
LG DVD-RW Burner $18 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827136216

$658 Before Shipping and OS (Most of them have free shipping, Add $100 for Windows 7 Home 64-bit)

Note: This processor doesn't support overclocking. (Overclocking is, simply put, Running your CPU or GPU faster than it does out of the box) If you want to overclock, get a Core i5-2500k. ($220)

RingoStarr1991 · Sep 1, 2011

Oh cool cool thanks for the fast responses; I actually have a spare copy of windows 7 laying around

so I don't have to worry about that. Is it best to buy these parts now or to wait a little longer? I want stuff that will last into next year but I would like to buy them at their lowest point possible...

EDIT:

Also what is a good blu-ray drive? I rather have one because once I get this all set up I am ditching the PS3. Also, are there any audio cards that output HDMI? I want to get Uncompressed 7.1 channels sent to my Onkyo receiver.

Ken g6 · Sep 1, 2011

Are you near Houston or Dallas? Get your ~~2500K~~ Intel Sandy Bridge at a Micro Center and save $40.

RingoStarr1991 · Sep 1, 2011

Ken g6 said:
Are you near Houston or Dallas? Get your ~~2500K~~ Intel Sandy Bridge at a Micro Center and save $40.

I am close to Dallas might look into that. Now as far as cooling goes, do I need to purchase additional fans or will the one that comes in that case do the trick? And I am pretty sure that I will be overclocking so I might fork over the extra cash for that better processor.

EDIT:

What about this video card? One of my friends has it and he says that its the best one he has had in a long time.

Joseph F · Sep 1, 2011

RingoStarr1991 said:
Is it best to buy these parts now or to wait a little longer? I want stuff that will last into next year but I would like to buy them at their lowest point possible...

Right now, DDR3 RAM is extremely cheap and I don't think that it's going to get much lower, if at all. Also, the Hard Drive in my list is only $50 until Monday.

Ken g6 · Sep 1, 2011

RingoStarr1991 said:
2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread
Atm $500-$650 but would be willing to go to $800

RingoStarr1991 said:
Also what is a good blu-ray drive? I rather have one because once I get this all set up I am ditching the PS3. Also, are there any audio cards that output HDMI? I want to get Uncompressed 7.1 channels sent to my Onkyo receiver.

RingoStarr1991 said:
What about this video card? One of my friends has it and he says that its the best one he has had in a long time.

You realize you're busting your budget here?

Since you have such a low-resolution monitor (1280x720), you don't need a video card that powerful. I'd go with this GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150512

DaveSimmons · Sep 1, 2011

RingoStarr1991 said:
Also what is a good blu-ray drive? I rather have one because once I get this all set up I am ditching the PS3. Also, are there any audio cards that output HDMI? I want to get Uncompressed 7.1 channels sent to my Onkyo receiver.

Note that the bundled player software that's included with some blu-ray drives only decodes to stereo, you need to buy the super-deluxe version of the software at $100+ to get 5.1/7.1 audio.

Since you're on a budget, sticking with a $20 DVD-RW and keeping the PS3 makes more sense to me.

RingoStarr1991 · Sep 1, 2011

DaveSimmons said:
Note that the bundled player software that's included with some blu-ray drives only decodes to stereo, you need to buy the super-deluxe version of the software at $100+ to get 5.1/7.1 audio.

Since you're on a budget, sticking with a $20 DVD-RW and keeping the PS3 makes more sense to me.

Yeah that's what I was thinking since Gamestop would only offer $80 for my ps3 :/

RingoStarr1991 · Sep 1, 2011

zi0n. · Sep 1, 2011

we won't be able to see that bro.

Joseph F · Sep 1, 2011

We can't see the contents of your shopping cart from that link. You'll have to either make a Newegg wishlist and set it to "Public" or just give us list of the components' URLs.

Joseph F · Sep 1, 2011

RingoStarr1991 said:
This is what I have set up so far; comments would be appreciated

EDIT: My bad try this:

https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=12409589

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827136216
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811108376
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822152185
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121434
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139020
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820233192
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813130576
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115220

The processor you picked is not compatible with the motherboard you picked. You need an LGA1155 CPU and the Core i5-650 uses LGA1156. Also, The nVidia GTX550 is much slower than the AMD Radeon HD 6850 while the price difference is only a few dollars. I wouldn't recommend it unless you were looking for nVidia-exclusive features such as Physx or 3D Vision.

DaveSimmons · Sep 1, 2011

^ and I wouldn't bother trying to play a modern game with hardware PhysX on just a 550, it's not fast enough to do both PhysX + 3D at the same time very well.

RingoStarr1991 · Sep 1, 2011

DaveSimmons said:
^ and I wouldn't bother trying to play a modern game with hardware PhysX on just a 550, it's not fast enough to do both PhysX + 3D at the same time very well.

I'll re-look the processor but I have had a lot of people tell me to stray away from Radeon stuff so thats why I choose the one I did plus I am not into 3d stuff.

EDIT:

Here is another motherboard I have looked into that would work:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813121394

DaveSimmons · Sep 1, 2011

No, no, no -- you want a socket 1155 MB + Sandy Bridge processor (i5-2400 / i5-2500 / i5-2500K). Socket 1156 is the older dead one, with CPUs that are slower and use more power.

GTX 550 is an OK card, just not as fast as the Radeon for the same cost. It's fine for 12x7 but if you plan to buy a new monitor eventually and still use the same card then a GTX 560 or 560 ti is worth considering. But you could get it now and upgrade later.

RingoStarr1991 · Sep 1, 2011

DaveSimmons said:
No, no, no -- you want a socket 1155 MB + Sandy Bridge processor (i5-2400 / i5-2500 / i5-2500K). Socket 1156 is the older dead one, with CPUs that are slower and use more power.

GTX 550 is an OK card, just not as fast as the Radeon for the same cost. It's fine for 12x7 but if you plan to buy a new monitor eventually and still use the same card then a GTX 560 or 560 ti is worth considering. But you could get it now and upgrade later.

I do not really understand where you are coming from on the processor. I need a dual core processor and they are all 1156 not 1155

RingoStarr1991 · Sep 1, 2011

DaveSimmons said:
No, no, no -- you want a socket 1155 MB + Sandy Bridge processor (i5-2400 / i5-2500 / i5-2500K). Socket 1156 is the older dead one, with CPUs that are slower and use more power.

GTX 550 is an OK card, just not as fast as the Radeon for the same cost. It's fine for 12x7 but if you plan to buy a new monitor eventually and still use the same card then a GTX 560 or 560 ti is worth considering. But you could get it now and upgrade later.

I think I understand what you are aiming at now; here is the list updated with what I think will work:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115074
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813121508

Everything else is the same as I do want to stick with that nVidia card as I have heard just too many negative things about readon

DaveSimmons · Sep 1, 2011

Yes, that's a 1155 sandy bridge i5 CPU, which FYI is actually quad-core not just dual. The motherboard is compatible.

Yes, the 550 should be fine, the radeon is just a better value.

mfenn · Sep 1, 2011

Who have you been hearing negative things about Radeons from? Make a list and remember that those people are idiots who know nothing about computers.

Both AMD and Nvidia have made terrible cards and/or drivers before. Painting the whole product line in such broad strokes is silly.

Your updated list is OK, but it could be a lot better:
- CPU: Fine
- Mobo: $5 more gets you an ASRock Z68 Pro3 which has more features.
- Case: Not worth $120 IMHO and are you sure that you want a full tower next to your TV? Check out the HAF 922.
- GPU: As has been mentioned, the GTX 550 Ti is not a particularly inspiring card. With the savings that I'm getting you here, you can afford the 6870.
- PSU: Good, but overkill for your needs. Check out the XFX Core 550W for $55 AR
- RAM: Combo this PNY DDR3 1333 8GB with your CPU to save a few bucks.

T_Yamamoto · Sep 1, 2011

That mobo is intel branded...i dont like those
Radeon is a good GPU company
they arent bad
just has some negative comments

RingoStarr1991 · Sep 1, 2011

DaveSimmons said:
Yes, that's a 1155 sandy bridge i5 CPU, which FYI is actually quad-core not just dual. The motherboard is compatible.

Yes, the 550 should be fine, the radeon is just a better value.

I understand I found a decent motherboard for the price so it's not a huge issue anymore.

Joseph F · Sep 1, 2011

mfenn said:
Who have you been hearing negative things about Radeons from? Make a list and remember that those people are idiots who know nothing about computers. Both AMD and Nvidia have made terrible cards and/or drivers before. Painting the whole product line in such broad strokes is silly.

I certainly agree. AMD and nVidia are both very reputable companies, but they both have had a few fumbles. (Take the GTX 590 for example, on nVidia's part or the Radeon HD 2900XT on AMD's)

@OP take a look at this review of a GTX 550 ti.
http://guru3d.com/article/geforce-gtx-550-ti-review-msi-cyclone-ii-oc/10

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