Upgraded build

[TJones2]

Looking to upgrade my son's computer:

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

Mostly gaming

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

Under $500cdn

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

Canada

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.

Looking at Intel, would consider AMD

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

ATI 4870?
Seasonic 800w power supply

6. IF YOU have searched and/or read similar threads.

Yep.

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

If it works. Last two builds overclocking failed.

8. What resolution YOU plan on gaming with.

Don't know.

9. WHEN do you plan to build it?

Soon as I get a good price.

Here's what I'm looking at:

Gigabyte Z68X-UD3H-B3 ATX LGA1155 Z68 DDR3 1PCI-E16 3PCI-E1 2PCI HDMI SLI SATA3 USB3.0 Motherboard In Stock $169.99

Intel Core i5 2500K Quad Core Unlocked Processor LGA1155 3.3GHZ Sandy Bridge 6MB In Stock $214.99

Haven't decided on ram yet. Every time I do, it goes out of stock or up in price.

So, for now, I'm looking at the Motherboard, CPU and ram. Will reused everything else.

 

[Davidh373]

What does he currently have? You should really be asking about whether or not he's better off getting a new GPU, or a new chipset.

oh, he has a 4870. That should be good enough for a few more months (until games like BF3, Bioshock Infinite, and and many others hit the market). Just a heads up, because that will be Christmas time. He may be asking for a new GPU.

As for RAM, get 8GB of any 1.5V 1333Mhz.

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231424

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231417

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231426

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231311

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820139075

All of these will perform the exact same. Take your pick. The one on top is the best price, so I'd just buy those.

 

[mfenn]

What does he currently have? You should really be asking about whether or not he's better off getting a new GPU, or a new chipset.

This. Unless the CPU is something really old, you'll get a better improvement in gaming performance by upgrading the GPU.

 

[TJones2]

This. Unless the CPU is something really old, you'll get a better improvement in gaming performance by upgrading the GPU.

We need an extra computer, which I'll build from his leftover parts, hence, no GPU at this time. We'll get him that at xmas, as the other poster suggested.

 

[mfenn]

We need an extra computer, which I'll build from his leftover parts, hence, no GPU at this time. We'll get him that at xmas, as the other poster suggested.

In that case, I'd suggest:

i5 2500K + GA-Z68A-D3H combo $368
G.Skill DDR3 1333 8GB $70
Total: $438

 

[TJones2]

The ram are the one's I'm looking at, but the motherboard has no firewire..a must. Want the video too.

 

[mfenn]

The ram are the one's I'm looking at, but the motherboard has no firewire..a must. Want the video too.

Er,, that motherboard has video out. Firewire is becoming a really niche feature these days, so you're probably better off getting a PCIe x1 Firewire card so that you can move it between builds instead of having to buy a "premium" motherboard each time.

 

[TJones2]

I have a firewire card, doesn't work well. I won't actually need the firewire though until I take possession of the motherboard after my son's next upgrade. By then, I suppose, I might not need it.

 

[mfenn]

I have a firewire card, doesn't work well. I won't actually need the firewire though until I take possession of the motherboard after my son's next upgrade. By then, I suppose, I might not need it.

No current chipset has Firewire integrated. Mobos with Firewire are hanging a chip off the PCIe bus, just without using a physical slot. So the Firewire card is effectively the same thing.