Need advice/help on final build

flake99

flake99

flake99

Associate
Joined
30 Dec 2007
Posts
49
Hi there.

I've had my current system for just over 4 years and I feel I need an upgrade/new system to play games such as BF3, Skyrim, SWTOR etc.

I've been browsing for sometime trying to decide what components to go for etc. that should last me another 3-4 years with upgrades in-between i.e additional GPU if/when needed.

I've come up with my full list of components plus additional extras but I need your advice/help on whether I've got a good system that should perform very well for the next 3-4 years as mentioned above.

Here it is:

purchase2011.jpg


Total Cost including VAT + Shipping: £1,594.21

Any improvements or suggestions in any of the components would be helpful especially if it can reduce the overall cost.

Thanks
 
A few pointers for you,

£290 for a GTX570 is too much, either get

1) cheaper reference design - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-149-OK&groupid=701&catid=1914&subcat=1010

2) pre-order price 6970 - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-123-MS&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1752


The PSU could benefit from being a modular design, unfortunately most of the ones such as the XFX Black edition or Lepa G series 900w Gold are out of stock.

And if this spec is to last 4 years odd, the getting a OEM copy of Win7 will suffice.
 
Last edited:
Realistically, for 24/7 you wouldn't clock your i5 2500K to beyond 4.6GHz and you should be keeping your vcore at 1.35v or below, so you could drop the £100 CPU cooler down to a Gelid Tranquillo CPU Cooler for £26. The £75 you save you can put toward getting a GTX580.

The Corsair 600T might look nice, but its cooling for graphic card is a bit on the weak side, and it WILL come back to haunt you if you go SLI in the future. Best you look for a difference case with better airflow and cooling for GPU. If you really must go with the 600T, I would suggest you get a reference card (which exhaust heat out the back) instead of a card with "dump heat into case" cooler.

And monitor...not really sure if going for 27" and still only on 1920 would look too good for games to be honest...if it was me, I wouldn't go beyond 24" for 1920 res. Ideally, you would want 2560 res for 27"...but with that res, you'd need more graphc power for games as well...and that add to cost again. So have a think to see what you really want to do in terms of monitor.

Motherboard...you could consider something that is Gen 3, something like this probably (but unfortunately it's currently out of stock):
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-191-MS&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=1990

The 2500K...you might want to get the retail version instead of the OEM for just £6 more for the extra two years of warranty. (Yea I know CPU rarely dies, but since the price difference between the OEM and retail is so little, so might as well pay a few quid more for peace of mind)

SSD you might want to switch to Crucial M4 128GB, as it slightly bigger in capacity, and is faster than the Corsair in real-world performance.

Optical-drive you might want to get the following instead of the OCUK OEM for just £1 more:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CD-090-LG&groupid=701&catid=10&subcat=
 
Last edited:
Hi there and thanks for the replies.

@stulid: Whats the difference between a modular and non-modular PSU? and oem vs retail win 7?

@Marine: fair point on the CPU cooler will change it but maybe for one of the all-in-one coolers not sure yet. Thanks for the other tips/advice will change a few of those but would like to stick to 27" as I want a big screen.

@Lemin: I have my hdd from my old system which I will use

@Surveyor: Thanks will look into it, just wondering what are the differences between a gtx 570 vs 6970 performance wise?

Thanks
 
@stulid: Whats the difference between a modular and non-modular PSU? and oem vs retail win 7?
Click to expand...

A modular PSU has detachable cables so you don't have a bundle of spaghetti to try and hide away.

The OEM Win7 is tied to the motherboard it is installed on, if make significant hardware changes then you will have to get it re-activated which can be difficult, but I have read people do it by phoning up and explaining their motherboard died and that a direct replacement wasn't possible ( basically Bull**** em)


The Retail Win7 can be used in different PC's (still only one installation at a time)

just wondering what are the differences between a gtx 570 vs 6970 performance wise
Click to expand...

I can answer a bit of that in the game you want to play - http://hardocp.com/article/2011/11/02/battlefield_3_single_player_performance_iq_review
 
Hi again.

@stulid Thanks now I understand.

Here is another revision from my previous attempt:

purchase2011a.jpg


Total : £1,567.12

Tell me what you think and suggestions are welcome.
 
flake99 said:
Hi again.

@stulid Thanks now I understand.

Here is another revision from my previous attempt:

purchase2011a.jpg


Total : £1,567.12

Tell me what you think and suggestions are welcome.
Click to expand...
From what I recall that Zalman CPU cooler is quite loud.

Also, you sure you would want to stick with the OEM version of the 2500K for the sake of saving £6 comparing to the Retail version of the 2500K that has two more years of warranty?
 
4 fans? £55? what the hell for.

You could use the £55 on top of the price of the case and get something better.
 
As for the OEM software, I was in contact with microsoft about mine because I was wary about re-using my product code after switching my mobo and the lady said, which I still have in an email somewhere, that as long as the mobo change is for the purpose of the original being faulty/damaged and that significant changes to the machine aren't being made to render it a new machine, its then ok to re-use the product code.

I never sent her my product code or anything and after re-activating it all was fine and I've not had any contact from microsoft about it since.
 
J-FRO said:
As for the OEM software, I was in contact with microsoft about mine because I was wary about re-using my product code after switching my mobo and the lady said, which I still have in an email somewhere, that as long as the mobo change is for the purpose of the original being faulty/damaged and that significant changes to the machine aren't being made to render it a new machine, its then ok to re-use the product code.

I never sent her my product code or anything and after re-activating it all was fine and I've not had any contact from microsoft about it since.
Click to expand...

Cheers for the confirmation bud.
 
Hey.

@stulid: The fans are for the side mesh panel on the 600t for additional intake to cool my system as I plan to overclock as much as possible. I know I can get other cases but the base of the 600t allows me to place the case on top of my desk (if you know what I mean).

Though I'm willing for other suggestions.

@J-FRO: Thanks nice too know, guess I will stick to OEM version.

Overall how does it look as a system? need any changes etc.?
 
there might be a few problems with all these fans.

The case fan controller can run 4 fans (so thats the case fans accounted for bar one)

You would either have to stretch the fans cabling on the side panel across the gap to the motherboard (if there are enough fan headers free?)

Or connect them to the PSU molex connectors and thus run them at full speed.
 
Last edited:
To be honest if you just go for something like the Cooler Master HAF X:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-203-CM&groupid=701&catid=7&subcat=29
...you will be saving yourself £56 on not needing to get those 4 fans...if you got nothing against the look of the case that is.

No offense mate, but I find it amusing that you would want to keep insisting on blowing crazy amount of money on cooling, but won't get a GTX580 which WILL give you better gaming performane than GTX570/6970 :p
 
Last edited:
Hey there.

Currently recovering from a bad hangover ;/

@stulid: thanks for replying, ye never really considered all that and decided to scratch all that

@Marine-RX179: personally I don't like the look of that case and no offence taken ;p

I've been sort of been all-over the place trying to decide what components to get etc. I didn't think it through properly but I've changed a few things around and I've come up with another list:

purchase2011b.jpg


Total : £1,407.95

I know I could have gone for a 580 but for roughly £70-100 more is it worth it? considering the difference isn't massive though if you prove me wrong than I'll have another rethink.

I changed the PSU down from the OCZ ZX 1000w to 850w, would that be sufficient to run the current spec? and if I was to maybe go xfire one day would it be able to handle another 6970? or would going for 1000w be a better bet for future expansion?

So overall how is it looking now? good/bad? any improvements?

Thanks

P.S: I plan on placing an order either today or tomorrow
 
Realistically, for 24/7 you wouldn't clock your i5 2500K to beyond 4.6GHz and you should be keeping your vcore at 1.35v or below, so you could drop the £100 CPU cooler down to a Gelid Tranquillo CPU Cooler for £26. The £75 you save you can put toward getting a GTX580.
Click to expand...

All I would say is that after reading the above, if you want to save some money, I'd just get the Tranquillo instead of the Antec Watercooler.

I have a Tranquillo and it is great :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom