Midrange System

[dmonarch]

Hi im looking to buy a midrange system but dont have much of a clue what to get. I have decided to go with an intel 2600k, and a nvidia 680 as for the rest i could do with some advice.

Cheers
Damian

 

[mfenn]

Please update this thread with the answers to the questions posed in the sticky. Off the top of my head, I'd say that an i7 2600K and GTX 680 isn't what most people around here would consider to be "midrange".

 

[dmonarch]

PLEASE when you POST threads asking for input on system builds tell us...

1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.

I use my pc for software development and games

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread

$2000

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

Australia

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.

No preference

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.

At first a 600gig seagate drive and dvd burner though later will may change to ssd and blueray

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.

Would like to overclock

8. What resolution will you be using?

1920 x 1080

9. WHEN do you plan to build it?
Note that it is usually not cost or time effective to choose your build more than a month before you actually plan to be using it.

Within the week

X. Do you need to purchase any software to go with the system, such as Windows or Blu Ray playback software?

No

In the end i would like to be able to play games using 3d and surround vision though initially i will have only one monitor

 

[richaron]

Hey buddy,

I wouldn't be count on getting a gtx680 down here any time soon & they're price gouging pretty hard. For a while it will be significantly cheaper to order from the states (when they get stock) & get it shipped individualy.

Can't help much with Intel boards off the top of my head & i'm pretty lazy sorry. Choice is often limited by the local online discount dudes so i just play around with items in the shopping cart till it looks ok. I use Umart.

Edit: With your budget i would def get a ssd (even if only 60G for the OS)...

 

[DesiPower]

That's not a midrange, lol, its high end... although i am not sure how far 2000 Australian dollar will go... where do you buy your stuff from? any online store we can look at?

I would go with a Z68 with 2 PCIe 3.0 ports, ASUS is my favorite...
16GB of RAM, 1.5v running at 1600
1 128GB SSD, OCZ or Corsair, definitely Sandforce
A 650 W PSU
Case something like Antec 900...

 

[T_Yamamoto]

2000 dollars is not "mid range"

From the top of my head, i would go

i5 2500k
z68 mobo
8gb ram
1tb HDD
256 SSD
good cooler
good case
680
600 watt psu?

 

[lehtv]

I'd say $2000 is too much to spend on 1080p gaming, even with Australian prices. The general outline above is good. To elaborate:

CPU i5-2500K
Mobo Z68, does not need to cost a fortune; buy the board that has the features and connectivity you need
RAM 2x4GB DDR3 1600Mhz 1.5V
GPU GTX 680 is a decent choice if it's available, but consider also 7870, it costs less, overclocks like mad, consumes less power, should be sufficient for 1080p gaming
HDD 7200RPM, does not need to be SATA 6gb/s; with an SSD for your system drive, you could consider a 5400RPM hard drive since those are usually a lot better $/GB
SSD Crucial M4 or Samsung 830 128GB (I doubt you'll need 256)
Cooler Whatever's good bang for buck in Australia
Case Antec/Corsair/Fractal Design/Cooler Master can't go wrong with these
PSU 520-650W is sufficient for a single <200W GPU + overclocking; don't buy a cheapo brand but also don't pay for modularity as it's usually just not needed for a psu of this size; efficiency is also not terribly important unless you're aiming for a super quiet setup

You might need more RAM for software development, I don't know. Could also benefit from hyperthreading (i7 2600K).

 

[jimrawr]

lehtv's recommendation sounds good to me, but definitely not a mid range, thats a high end build!

 

[mfenn]

I'm with lehtv, $2K for 1080p is just a waste. With that kind of cash you should be looking at 2560x1440 panels. His build outline is good IMHO.

 

[dmonarch]

Ok then a change of plan it is now a high end pc. I have decided on a 2600k and nvidia 680 which you can pick up in aus for around 700.
What would you recomend in the way of motherboard, memory, cooling, case, and 3d lcd monitor
Cheers
Damian

 

[danielhep]

Ok then a change of plan it is now a high end pc. I have decided on a 2600k and nvidia 680 which you can pick up in aus for around 700.
What would you recomend in the way of motherboard, memory, cooling, case, and 3d lcd monitor
Cheers
Damian

Why are you bent on getting a 2600k? The 2500k is pretty much identical without hyperthreading.

 

[richaron]

I don't do Intel builds, so take this with a grain of salt.

-First step would be to google "z68 roundup".
-RAM something like this? You can get a lower CL if you feel like spending more.
-Air cooling? I use Noctua's range, but I'm sure there are better options
-Case is personal, Anandtech & tomshardware do reviews
-3d monitor options are limited (& pricey) where I shop. You could go this, but for that price range I'd just get one of these

Where do you shop? Umart is one of the best by price, but if you want specific stuff you might have to look around.

Edit: Noticed a couple of cheaper monitors. I have nfi how much the glasses cost tho. Refuse to research smelly gimmick properly...
Edit2: Upon reflection, I can't recommend any monitor between generic ~$200 x1080 led\lcd and $500+ x1200 ips. Unless you want qaulity 120Hz.

 

[mfenn]

Why are you bent on getting a 2600k? The 2500k is pretty much identical without hyperthreading.

Exactly. OP, if you want to get responses to your thread, you have to work with us instead of proclaiming that you want certain parts and expecting us to fill in the blanks.