Gaming Machine - Help

log1K · 13 Jul 2010 at 08:54

Hi all,

While I've been in this game a long time and have owned some incredible hardware. I am going to ask upon the services of the OCUK brains, (including staff) to come up with the best possible system for very little money, respectfully.

I will invest up to £750 (Can do a tiny bit more if needed), I could do a lot more but I feel this is ideal as an experiment to see what is actually the best possible configuration.

All my requirement is, simply, 'Gaming' - Let me be clear, I am going to buy this machine once a specification is decided upon.
Full credit to the person who can come up with the best idea. To make it interesting, I'll have your signature/logo vinyled onto the corner of the case as a sign of appreciation.

I just need the tower. I have a 24" Monitor, G15 and G9 so all set.

This machine is going to be used for nothing but 1/2 two FPS's this year and 1 racing game. That's it!

I hope some of you will rise to this and I appreciate all efforts hugely!

No real time limit, we'll just keep this going until all are happy.

I am not brand loyal - my last machine was listed here, Skeleton i7 920 @ 4Ghz+ Water-cooled, high end parts, both Rad's and GTX's lived in the machine at some stage or another. So, I'm no stranger to power but this machine is for a different purpose.
It's too easy to ***** (for lack of a better work) 1500 quid on the best numbers and have a good machine, but this is more realistic. More with the times.

Many thanks in advance, any questions and I'll be happy to ask.

M. :cool:

Edit! I do not need an OS! To make this a bit tastier! this is just hardware costs!

neoboy · 13 Jul 2010 at 09:02

Since you play so few games, might help if you mention them (ie if they benefit from more cores, etc).

log1K · 13 Jul 2010 at 09:06

Hi - Well the concept is to leave this open for any game. But I'm thinking, prehaps, BC2 if MOH flops massively. Crysis 2 will most certainly get a play through, but will not be used for MP if previous games are to judge on.

Rfactor is my main racing game + F1 2010 later in year maybe? Depends on if I need it on the xbox / PS3 (All depends on where my friends play).

I understand this doesn't help a great deal, but you never know the next big multilayer game - which I am looking for.

bsoltan · 13 Jul 2010 at 09:15

What happened to your last machine?

Deific · 13 Jul 2010 at 09:18

If the games you're wanting to play, you are partial to playing on xbox aswell, and there's only two definite games then is a new PC really needed in the scheme of things?

log1K · 13 Jul 2010 at 09:32

My last machine was passed onto a mate of mine. I won't go into too many details, but let's just say I have a computer, just not of the windows variety. But that machine is for business, this is pleasure.

Which games are no definite. I could end up playing on 10, I just don't know. It just appears that only really 3 come to my mind worth even trying. Crysis 2 for a 1 time play through, MOH for MP (Depending), Rfactor / Rfactor 2 and/or F1 2010 (Again depending on where my friends decide to play).

But I have no real idea what's in-store for us over the next 12 months. New COD due in November, that might be the MP fix I've been looking for.

The point I'm trying to make, is that I can run on just 1/2 games installed permanently.

bsoltan · 13 Jul 2010 at 10:01

Gigabyte UD5 --------- 124.98
Intel i5 650 ----------- 149.99
4GB OCZ Reaper ------- 96.98
Pailet GTX 460 -------- 159.99
Saumsung F3 500GB --- 39.99
Gelid Tranquillo -------- 26.99
Coolermaster Elite 335 - 29.99
OCZ ModstreamX 500W- 56.99
Windows 7 ------------ 99.99
LG DVDRW ------------ 14.99

Total: £800.88. Over budget.

log1K · 13 Jul 2010 at 10:11

Good effort, It's quite a difficult number to maintain.

My efforts brought me to £770 which I would have course pay. £20 over budget is acceptable.

bsoltan · 13 Jul 2010 at 10:25

I guess it makes sense to try AMD then:

Asus M4A88TD-V -------- 93.99
AMD Phenom II 955 ------ 128.99
Gelid Tranquillo ---------- 26.99
4GB OCZ Reaper --------- 96.98
Pailet GTX 460 ---------- 159.99
Saumsung F3 500GB ----- 39.99
Coolermaster Elite 335 --- 29.99
OCZ ModstreamX 500W -- 56.99
Windows 7 Home Prem --- 99.99
LG DVDRW -------------- 14.99

£748.89

neoboy · 13 Jul 2010 at 10:28

That tickle your fancy?

EDIT: Oh snap you want OS too

log1K · 13 Jul 2010 at 10:37

Oh sorry, I forgot to mention I do not need an OS! I have a retail copy of Windows 7 Home Prem here!

That's a nice machine, I thought the GA-P55M was a dual channel board though? My memory may not be correct..

Mak3R · 13 Jul 2010 at 10:44

neoboys spec has tri channel RAM, only needs dual, so that will bring it into budget.

log1K · 13 Jul 2010 at 10:44

£760 is fine.

Any other ideas?

neoboy · 13 Jul 2010 at 10:46

Ahem yeah your memory is correct, I really out to start sleeping more! Triple channel is on x58 motherboards and i5 doesn't support it either, I've gone all schoolboy error here.

log1K · 13 Jul 2010 at 10:48

it's ok mate. I like where you are going with it though.

log1K · 13 Jul 2010 at 11:45

Question is - Dual or Quad. Not a lot of difference in price, I know I can overclock the Dual to quite a bit. But with Quad a tiny over clock is only required to really give it a good kick.

FabienO · 13 Jul 2010 at 13:09

There's a post on the forums which will link you to this article showing what games benefit from 1 to 6 cores. Ultimately, I'd recommend quad.

log1K · 13 Jul 2010 at 13:28

ok - well this seems to settle the processor question then. Quad it is.

neoboy · 13 Jul 2010 at 13:37

Well if it is a quad then how about (had to sacrifice the GPU):

EDIT: AMD Spec (with same graphics as above works out at £680, I upgraded it back to ATI 5850):

FabienO · 13 Jul 2010 at 13:41

The 1TB Seagate Barracuda has outperformed the SpinPoint F3. I'd go with that instead (I did) on the above build. Though it's stability on certain revisions is questoinable according to OCUK reviews.