Moving to Ivybridge (I guess)

GhostlyPea · 5 Aug 2013 at 09:16

Hi guys

My trusty Q9550 + P5Q Pro is finally giving up the ghost as I think the Southbridge is going. As such it's time to move on. I don't usually do much around home systems any more so need some advice:

CPU (Quad core)
MOBO (USB3 needed, minimum 1 PCI slot that won't get in the way of my Xonar D2, SATA 6Gb/s)
RAM (6 - 8GB depending)
Cooler (Quiet - have 120mm fans if needed)
Case (Quiet is a priority. Something understated like a Fractal R2 or similar)

That's what I'm after - ideally looking to suffice for around 3 years. It's mainly used for gaming so specced for that it will do what else I need.

Budget is £500 - £550 all in

I'd be looking to buy this at the end of the month when I get paid so any advice now is appreciated so I can start to do some reading

Thanks

- GP

GhostlyPea · 5 Aug 2013 at 10:05

@tamzzy - Looking for new items rather than second hand

@ David_Bisset - Yeah have everything else needed. 6950, Crucial M4, Corsair HX PSU etc. It's purely the core gubbins that need replacing

I've seen a number of the bundles and have an idea of what's around but a lot of the items are very similar with little perceivable difference in their specs

- GP

GhostlyPea · 5 Aug 2013 at 10:39

Cheers - looking for full ATX though

- GP

GhostlyPea · 5 Aug 2013 at 10:55

Thanks - looks pretty similar to what I'd seen. Although I;m a gamer mainly I;m not a hardcore one any more for shooters so I;m not looking to get bleeding edge on anything

Thanks so far

- GP

GhostlyPea · 5 Aug 2013 at 11:14

Oh - what ASUS mainboard you be recommended as vendor preference?

- GP

GhostlyPea · 5 Aug 2013 at 13:26

I looked at that but there didn't seems much improvement form what I understood?

if Haswell is in budget and gives some kind of benefit then sure why not. Again, any ASUS board that's recommended?

- GP

GhostlyPea · 5 Aug 2013 at 14:59

Sounds sensible enough. Few queries on tamzzys' spec:

- Is there a suitable ASUS board instead of the Gigabyte one?
- I like the idea of the H80, but not so much one the case. Any other recommendations that it would fit in? For reference I have a Lian-Li A17b at the moment and much prefer the understated look so would prefer something along those lines, or the Fractal for example. not bothered about the material providing it's a metal shell, but I'd guess Steel would be quieter?

- GP