i5/5850 - final build check

Cyrl

Cyrl

Cyrl

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Joined
30 Sep 2009
Posts
21
Ok, unlike the last time I posted a build I have the cash to buy this beast sat waiting in the bank. I'd just like a final once over from you guys here, I've lurked around the forums here long enough to have a good knowlege of the current markets and built PC's before... but it's always nice to check.

CPU: Core i5-750
MOBO: ASUS P7P55D Pro (Asus site refers to this with the D suffix, can anyone confirm/deny a "P7P55 Pro" is the same thing?)
RAM: G.Skill 4GB DDR3 Dual-Channel 1600MHz 8-8-8 @ 1600MHz
GPU: HD5850*1
HDD: Hitachi " Caviar Green" 500Gb 7200RPM 32MB
PSU: 550W Arctic Cooling 550R Fusion (80+)*2
CPU Cooler: Arctic Cooling Freezer7 Pro R2*3
CASE: NZXT Guardian 921
CASE FANS: 3x 120mm supplied w/case
OPTICAL DRIVE: Sony DVD+/-RW
OS: Win 7 Premium 64
Total ~£800

I'll be pairing this with a 19" 16:9 + 19" 4:3 monitor for now until I buy a 22" 1900x1020 in a couple of weeks/as a christmas present to myself.

Few simple questions: Anything glaringly wrong with this setup? Does the price seem unusually high/low given the components?

*1: Despite the dire stock situation right now are there any branded 5850's which perform particularly well or are worth avoiding? (XFX/BFG = good?)

*2: A quick guesstimate tells me 550W should be good so long as I don't drop a 2nd 5850 in here, is the capacity/specific PSU large/good enough?

*3: Can anyone find this for sale anywhere in the UK? I've seen it recieve very good reviews but can't find it online anywhere. If not are there any alternatives? The CM Hyper 212 is a possibility but the fiddly installation + loud fan put me off.

Cheers, Cyrl
 
I would personally go for the MSI GD65,I would change the hdd to a samsung f3, I woul go for the Corsair TX650 for psu apart from that it looks good.
Ps I personally would go for the Antec 300 over the NZXT
 
Im assuming youve put this shopping list together from elsewhere? seen as how some things cant be bought here and the cooler you ask if its available is sold on this site
Id recomend you read the thread in my sig and purchase all the bits from here :D
 
£80 saved - that's pretty considerable especially with a 5850 and it nets a larger hdd, never a bad thing. The only thing stopping me switching over to your build is the case and mobo - stupidly this is where the savigns have been made.

I've not OC'ed before but I'd like to get the most out of my i5 - I found a review with a 3.4GHz OC on the i5-750 with this board whereas the Asus can get up to 3.8/4GHz, this would be ideal as I need this rig to last throughout uni (3/4 years) and still run reasonably well.

The 330 seems a good case on the reviews I quickly read through but there's not delta T figures floating around (atleast none I could find in 5 minutes with google) but I'd really like a good looking case if I'm going to bother spending this much cash. On a side note is the lower temp the main attration of the spinpoint f3?

I know OEM components usually have reduced/no warranties, do you have any idea what the OEM i5's warranty is from OCuk? (I'll try and contact them tomorrow). I'll definetly take the PSU + HDD from your build however. Either way you've saved me £20 and I've got a few better components out of it - thanks 95thrifles.

Anyone have any more input?
 
OEM CPUs have 1 year warranty and no retail Heat Sink Fan, retail CPUs have 3 year warranties
Given your £800 budget theres no reason you cant upgrade the case and mobo from that build in my sig, I was fitting to a £700 budget thats all, as you have the extra money you can use it, have a look at the case and mobo from the build above, the £1000
 
You will need a decent monitor to appreciate it. Like buying a christmas present and not being able to open it until you get the monitor!

24" all the way!
 
On the subject of monitors, 2/5ms - I can afford a 22" 2ms or a 5ms 24" which would you advise for gaming? I know the 5ms will result in ghosting/motion blur but is this really that obvious?

Fake edit: I've just found a 24" 2ms display: Acer V243HBD but can't find any reviews, does anyone have experience with this?
 
I have the 24" dell @ £200, i get no ghosting in any game i play. (COD4, TF2, WOW).

Read the reviews on the ocuk site, everyone loves it. 5ms is fine for gaming
 
Showboat said:
I have the 24" dell @ £200, i get no ghosting in any game i play. (COD4, TF2, WOW).

Read the reviews on the ocuk site, everyone loves it. 5ms is fine for gaming
Click to expand...

I would also be an owner of this amazing monitor :)
It's easily the best 1920x1080 monitor for the price.
 
Showboat said:
I have the 24" dell @ £200
Click to expand...

Heh that's a little bit out omy price range at it's current price of £230, I was thinking more £150 for the monitor, possibly the 24" Acer V243HBD 1920x1080 which is bang on £150 right now...

Any advice on the brand of 5850, I've heard good things about the XFX and BFG but they seem to be in the shortest supply, how about the Sapphire or ASUS?
 
And it's all ordered, bar the 5850... *fireworks*

I'll have to refine my page refresh skills to ninja-like levels to ensure I get one soon :p I decided to treat myself and picked up a G11 + MX518 while the keyboard is on offer, I've been meaning to replace my crappy Desktop Wave set for ages (split keys NOT ***!).

I think the only 2 items which stayed consistent throughout the build: Win7 + the Core i5-750, everything else has had me to-ing and fro-ing, in the end my only real departures from the build above is 2x500Gb spinpoint f3's and an NZXT Hush instead of NZXT Guardian 921 - I decided it was too garish in the end. I also went for 4gb 9-9-9 @2000MHz rather than wait for OCuk to restock the 7-7-7 at 1600MHz, relatively little performance difference but I get it quicker.

One last question - does the XFX from OCuk come with a lifetime warranty as it's not mentioned on the product page

Thanks for the help guys!

Edit: I just got an XFX5850, I paid a premium to get it sooner rather than later but... mehh I want it now! :p
 
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