Need a rig for uni

xpygmy

xpygmy

xpygmy

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Joined
17 Aug 2012
Posts
234
Location
England
I am about to start my 2nd year of uni and really missed my pc which I am leaving at home. So I want to build a computer to use at uni for gaming and media. I am looking to play mostly CSGO, GTA and any other new games. However the issue is I do not have a lot of money to work with.

I need everything excluding keyboard, mouse, headset and OS. 2 monitors would also be nice.

I have a low budget and would love to see peoples suggestions so I have an idea how much I will be spending


thanks.
 
 
Lemin said:
YOUR BASKET
1 x Asus H81M-K Intel Core i5 DIY Micro ATX Motherboard, CPU & RAM Bundle £227.93
1 x KFA2 GeForce GTX 960 Reference 2048MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card - OEM £139.99
1 x AOC E2470SWHE 23.6" Widescreen LED Multimedia Monitor - Black £109.99
1 x Seagate 1TB 7200RPM SATA 6Gb/s 64MB Cache HDD - OEM (ST1000DM003) £38.99
1 x EVGA 500W 80 Plus Power Supply (100-W1-0500-KR) £36.95
1 x BitFenix Neos ATX Tower Black/Black Window £28.99
1 x OcUK 24x DVD±RW SATA ReWriter (Black) - OEM £7.99
Total : £590.83 (includes shipping : Ex.VAT).



maybe add...
YOUR BASKET
1 x Crucial BX100 120GB SSD SATA 6Gbps 7mm Solid State Drive (CT120BX100SSD1) £44.99
Total : £44.99 (includes shipping : Ex.VAT).

Click to expand...
this looks good. I forgot to add that I would like it to be as small as possible, so I will probably go with a mini itx/micro atx case.
 
I was going to suggest, why not just buy a smaller tower (ATX) for your current PC then re-build it?

Much cheaper alternative...
 
Sparx said:
I was going to suggest, why not just buy a smaller tower (ATX) for your current PC then re-build it?

Much cheaper alternative...
Click to expand...

that is a good shout actually, never thought about it.

What is the smallest case my current parts fit into? (smaller the better as I would have to take it back by train during the holidays)


My pc:
i5 3570K
MSI 7950
Gigabyte Z77-D3H
Patriot Viper 8GB RAM
Seasonic GS 550W
Seagate Barracuda 500GB
samsung 250gb ssd
Bitfenix Shinobi case
 
Last edited:
Sparx said:
I was going to suggest, why not just buy a smaller tower (ATX) for your current PC then re-build it?

Much cheaper alternative...
Click to expand...

Am I the only person that used to carry my tower case home on the train with the monitor in my suitcase? Times must have changed! :)

Getting a smaller case, motherboard etc will help significantly, most will recommend this option.
 
Surely an itx 1155 motherboard and an itx case will be the best way forward?
The 7950 is pretty big so take a look around at the different cases to ensure it will fit but definitely be able to find an option and then you can save yourself a lot of money. Take a look at Silverstone SG05 etc

Get a monitor to keep at uni if possible also to save carrying that back and forth.
 
tlrBeta said:
Am I the only person that used to carry my tower case home on the train with the monitor in my suitcase? Times must have changed! :)

Getting a smaller case, motherboard etc will help significantly, most will recommend this option.
Click to expand...

how did you do that? I would need like 3 different suitcases (1 for clothes, monitors and the tower), then walk 10 minutes to the train station, then take 2 changes (those stairs...) until I arrive at London and then walk to Euston to get the train home. I would die after doing that.
 
For uni I would recommend a 2nd hand laptop or 'luggable' with a discreete graphics in it. It's such a hassle moving them around / finding space to set things up. It'll be more mobile that way.
 
We're missing the simple and obvious solution: fill the OP's PC with packing chips, pack it up, and send it via a courier!
 
For what it's worth, I took my PC with me to uni, although I only moved it back and forth for the summer holidays. I had to travel internationally, and have traveled with the PC by plane, Eurostar and sent it by mail. It survived all three, although my heart did sink when it dropped from one conveyer belt to the luggage reclaim belt.

I used the original box of the case for most things (tower, mouse, keyboard etc - having a very light aluminium "LAN party" case definitely helped), and then I had the monitor separately (15" LCD back then), again just in its original packaging that had a carrier handle, and a bag/suitcase for clothes etc.

For the changes, just take it slowly (plan more time), use lifts if possible, and travel at non-busy times if possible. Worst case do a few steps at a time. I found walking "long" distances to be the worst bit - try to get a lift from someone on the home side, and maybe consider getting a cab at the destination.

These days the bigger monitors would make travelling more of a pain. Like others have suggested, getting a monitor for uni is probably a good idea. If I were to do it again I'd also get a small case, maybe even a mini-itx one + mainboard if the graphics card fits.

You can also get specialised straps, rucksacks etc for carrying stuff to&from LAN parties, I didn't use any of that but it might be worth checking out in case there's anything that'll make your life significantly easier.
 
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