Help me knock £100 off my build budget

atheus

atheus

atheus

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Joined
17 Apr 2006
Posts
29
Hi all,

If you're not interested feel free to skip this paragraph... I intend to build my new setup in three stages: 1 - some new hardware in my existing case run at stock speeds to keep the old 650W PSU happy. 2 - new watercooled case build with new PSU, fancy stuff with copper pipes and a Lian Li base, should look cool and allow me to overclock beyond 5GHz. 3 - a NAS system to back everything up in case the beast dies on me.

So here's my hardware list for stage 1... I will not specify where the parts are coming from but at least 3 are from this site so I think it's cool to post about it here.

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- motherboard - Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD4 Intel Z68 - £149.98

- processor - Intel Sandybridge i5-2500 Core i5 Quad-Core Processor 3.30GHz, 6MB Cache, Socket 1155 - £159.77

- 8GB RAM - G-Skill 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 1600Mhz RipjawsX Memory Kit CL9 (9-9-9-24) 1.5V - £35.02

- SSD OS/apps drive - OCZ Vertex 3 Series SATA III 2.5-inch Solid State Drive 120GB - £169.99

- graphics card - Sapphire ATI Radeon HD 6950 2048MB GDDR5 PCI-Express - £209.99

- 1TB storage HDD - Western Digital WD10EARS 1TB Hard Drive SATAII 5400rpm 64MB Cache OEM Caviar Green - £43.49

- monitor - LG W2363D 23" TRUE 120Hz 3D Widescreen LCD Monitor Black - £172.57

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total - £940.80

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I will probably add a blu ray drive as it becomes necessary, using my old LG DVD writer until then. I'll also consider a second SSD for SRT and page file/caching etc, or maybe a larger one for the OS and the Vertex 3 for caching, if prices take a dive in the next year.

...


Now, this price is a bit much for me - at this rate the whole project is going to cost me three grand...

Can anyone give me any ideas how to knock some money off this build without losing too much performace. One option is to use the Force 3 SSD but I've heard of issues...

Can anyone help?
 
This motherboard - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-368-GI&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=1990
Samsung F3 - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-082-SA

I hope thats a "K" CPU you selected?


Re-done your spec,



Your basketProduct Name Qty Price Line Total
LG W2363D 23" TRUE 120Hz 3D Widescreen LCD Monitor - Black £199.99
(£166.66) £199.99
(£166.66)
OcUK ATI Radeon 6950 2048MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card with FREE DIRT3 & Deus Ex PC Games £194.99
(£162.49) £194.99
(£162.49)
Intel Core i5-2500K 3.30GHz (Sandybridge) Socket LGA1155 Processor - Retail with FREE TrackMania 2 Canyon PC Game £173.99
(£144.99) £173.99
(£144.99)
Crucial RealSSD M4 128GB 2.5" SATA 6Gb/s Solid State Hard Drive £139.99
(£116.66) £139.99
(£116.66)
Gigabyte Z68XP-UD3 Intel Z68 (Socket 1155) DDR3 Motherboard ** LOWEST UK PRICE ** £99.98
(£83.32) £99.98
(£83.32)
Corsair XMS3 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C9 1600MHz Dual Channel Kit (CMX8GX3M2A1600C9) £45.98
(£38.32) £45.98
(£38.32)
Samsung SpinPoint F3 1TB SATA-II 32MB Cache - OEM (HD103SJ) £41.99
(£34.99) £41.99
(£34.99)
Sub Total : £747.43
Shipping cost assumes delivery to UK Mainland with:
DPD Next Day Parcel
(This can be changed during checkout) Shipping : £11.75
VAT is being charged at 20.00% VAT : £151.84
Total : £911.02

The RAM is on "this weekend only" deal.
 
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Yea it's the K version - unlocked. Motherboard worries me a bit... if there's anywhere I want to spend money it's the mobo... I'll think about it though.

Where on earth did you find that RealSSD 128GB for that price?
 
atheus said:
Where on earth did you find that RealSSD 128GB for that price?
Click to expand...

Its all here at OCUK.

Oh and is the Spinpoint going to be significantly better than the WD? I was going for quiet.
Click to expand...

Well its faster at 7200rpm and is a performance drive, anything with "Green" or "Eco" is going to be slow.

if there's anywhere I want to spend money it's the mobo... I'll think about it though.
Click to expand...

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/z68xp-ud3-dz68db,2980.html

Its a good board.

SLI/Crossfire at 8X/8X
All the usual Z68 features.


But if you have got your mind set on that other Gigabyte? then I cant complain;) - http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18312497&
 
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It's the 16 phase power regulator and the cooling and... I dunno it just looks cool :) yours is £50 cheaper though. I just wonder where they saved all that money on the manufacturing side...

Also the memory and the i5 are actually more expensive... I'm saving 30 quid there. if I replace the other two prices with my original prices It'd be more like 60 which isn't too bad. Perhaps it's the SSD I need to look at for serious savings....

Thanks for your help so far!

/edit: and BTW yea I know the 'green' drive is gonna be slow but I've got an SSD and I'll consider another to SRT cache it. If the Spinpoint makes that 'fast hard drive noise' I'll pass.
 
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I'm not sure I understand. Are these components for your new PC or your old one?

It seems a bit OTT for a spare system? Are you planning on some sort of LAN gaming or what?

You wont hear the Samsung F3. It's fast and silent. Don't get a caviar green. I've just RMA'd one. know of over 5 Samsung F3's in various systems that haven't went pop.
 
Buchanan0204 said:
I'm not sure I understand. Are these components for your new PC or your old one?

It seems a bit OTT for a spare system? Are you planning on some sort of LAN gaming or what?

You wont hear the Samsung F3. It's fast and silent. Don't get a caviar green. I've just RMA'd one. know of over 5 Samsung F3's in various systems that haven't went pop.
Click to expand...

It's mostly in the OP... It's my main system though - my grapchics card died so I'm using it as an excuse for a rebuild. I want top quality but I can't afford it all at once so I'm doing it in stages.

/edit: I could keep my monitor and get that with the new case etc... I did replace the caps in it recently so it's refurbed...
 
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