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Need advice on this computer build:

T

theraker007

Member
So this is kind of what I picked out for starters, I was originally hoping to keep the costs under $1k, but I've gone over that by 144 already. I am hoping for this desktop to last me at least 3-4 years as far as playing most high end games on max or near max settings. My guess is I can probably cut back on the video card a bit, but I haven't built a pc in almost 5 years now so I'm a little behind on the times. Thanks for any advice or suggestions in advance.

PC Setup
Case Cooler Master HAF 912 10-Bay ATX Mid Tower Computer Case w/2x120mm Fans - No PSU - $36.99
http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?InvtId=RC-912-KKN1-FB-
R&AID=10440852&CJPID=3629892

PSU Corsair Enthusiast Series 650-Watt 80 Plus Bronze Certified Power Supply Compatible with Intel Core i3, i5, i7 and AMD platforms 650TX v2 $89.99
http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Enthus...-platforms/dp/
B004LB5AZY/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1311365068&sr=1-1

Processor Intel Core i7-2600K Processor 3.4GHz 8 MB Cache Socket LGA1155 -$314.99
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...cursegaming0f-
20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004EBUXSA

Heatsink Noctua 6 Dual Heatpipe with 140mm/120mm Dual SSO Bearing Fans CPU Cooler NH-D14 - Retail -$89.28
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...cursegaming0f-
20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002VKVZ1A

Motherboard ASUS P8P67-M PRO LGA 1155 SATA 6Gbps and USB 3.0 Supported Intel P67 DDR3 2200 Micro ATX Motherboard $149.43
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...cursegaming0f-
20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004QF0VEK

Ram G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL -$36.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...277&nm_mc=AFC-
C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-
na&AID=10440897&PID=3629892&SID=ih-ih

Video Card EVGA GeForce GTX 570 Superclocked 1280 MB GDDR5 PCI-Express 2.0 Graphics Card $311.76
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...cursegaming0f-
20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004EYSMGW

Hardrive Western Digital WD Caviar Black 1 TB SATA 6 GB/S 7200 RPM 64 MB Cache $89.99
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...cursegaming0f-
20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0036Q7MV0

CD/DVD Liteon 24X DVDrw Sata Retail -$23.99
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...cursegaming0f-
20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002QGDWLK

Total estimated cost after rebate of vid card: $1144
 
Get the i5-2500k and a 550w PSU instead, also the Samsung Spinpoint F3 is the same performance of the WD black but it is cheaper.
 
You can very easily get a gaming build for under $1k that has similar performance to what you've listed. Here's my advice:
- Case: Fine
- PSU: A 550W is plenty for a single-GPU setup. Get the XFX Core 550W instead. (-$30 AR)
- CPU: The i5 2600K doesn't add much for gaming. Get the i5 2500K instead. (-$95)
- HSF: The Noctua is good, but not really needed for reasonable overclocking. Get the Corsair CAFA50 instead. (-$56 AR)
- Mobo: Kind of overpriced for a single-GPU rig. Get the ASRock Z68 Pro3 instead. (-$35)
- RAM: No need to limit yourself to 4GB any more. This G.Skill DDR3 1333 8GB kit is $50. (+$13)
- GPU: OK, but the 6950 2GB is similar in performance and much less expensive. (-$70)
- HDD : Samsung F3 1TB. Less expensive, same performance. (-$30)
- DVD Burner: Fine
Total Savings: $303 AR, that puts you well under budget.
 
Definitely get the i5 and spinpoint instead. There's also no way I'd spend $150.oo on a micro atx mobo except for a LAN system. Especially if you plan on sli I'd get a full sized atx.
 
The heatskink mfenn suggested is basically the exact same thing as the 212+ you linked. Only difference is that newegg loves to periodically jack up the price of the 212+ to fifty bucks (as recently as last Thursday, and solely because it's so damn popular), so most people recommend the CAFA50 or the Xigmatek Gaia instead. Whichever you choose among those three will be just fine.

As for the mobo, you linked a p67 board. I'd go with mfenn's suggestion, once again. The p67 boards were the ones that first came out with the sandy bridge processors (the sibling to the h67 board), while the z68s are more recent. There's very little reason to get a p67 over a z68, given that the latter can do more for the exact same price. It would be fair to say that Intel realized shortly after sandy bridge dropped that the p67 was not what it should have been, and the z68 was what they wanted all along. So unless you find a killer deal on an open box p67 board or something, no reason not to get the one mfenn linked.
 
Raswan said:
The heatskink mfenn suggested is basically the exact same thing as the 212+ you linked. Only difference is that newegg loves to periodically jack up the price of the 212+ to fifty bucks (as recently as last Thursday, and solely because it's so damn popular), so most people recommend the CAFA50 or the Xigmatek Gaia instead. Whichever you choose among those three will be just fine.

As for the mobo, you linked a p67 board. I'd go with mfenn's suggestion, once again. The p67 boards were the ones that first came out with the sandy bridge processors (the sibling to the h67 board), while the z68s are more recent. There's very little reason to get a p67 over a z68, given that the latter can do more for the exact same price. It would be fair to say that Intel realized shortly after sandy bridge dropped that the p67 was not what it should have been, and the z68 was what they wanted all along. So unless you find a killer deal on an open box p67 board or something, no reason not to get the one mfenn linked.
Click to expand...

:thumbsup::thumbsup: Thanks for the explanation. 🙂
 
Is overclocking important to you for its own sake? I don't think it improves gaming at all. An i5 2500k is going to do everything you need right now, and should be enough for the foreseeable future. For that reason, you don't need to get an aftermarket cooler; if you want something quieter than stock, for $25 you can improve cooling performance and noise.
 
Overclocking can be great for cheaper processors, extending the useful life of older processors, and for cpu intensive games. The idea that it has no effect on gaming defies all the benchmarks.
 
wuliheron said:
Overclocking can be great for cheaper processors, extending the useful life of older processors, and for cpu intensive games. The idea that it has no effect on gaming defies all the benchmarks.
Click to expand...

Right, but in this specific case the above doesn't currently apply for the 2500K at normal resolutions.

It might in a few years, at which point the OP can try a lesser overclock using the stock HSF, or just buy the i10-3500KXL and a new motherboard with DDR7 RAM.
 
DaveSimmons said:
Right, but in this specific case the above doesn't currently apply for the 2500K at normal resolutions.

It might in a few years, at which point the OP can try a lesser overclock using the stock HSF, or just buy the i10-3500KXL and a new motherboard with DDR7 RAM.
Click to expand...

If you're that good at making predictions perhaps you can give us a few stock tips?
 
wuliheron said:
If you're that good at making predictions perhaps you can give us a few stock tips?
Click to expand...

But you wouldn't want to invest in a stock now because it was expected to gain value from 2013 to 2014, would you? That's what you're doing if you buy a cooler to overclock a 2500K now. Sure, in two to three years, overclocking a 2500K might be useful, but it also may be useless. Why spend money now to deal with a problem that is two years away, if it comes around at all? Wait to see what that stock is predicted to do in late 2012 before you invest.

Also, I have not seen a single benchmark of a Core i5 series CPU that suggests that it will bound gaming performance. The Q6600 is still a solid gaming CPU if you can live with 50fps in the most CPU bound games... See here: http://www.anandtech.com/show/4083/...core-i7-2600k-i5-2500k-core-i3-2100-tested/20
 
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