New build

Woden · 8 Mar 2011 at 10:06

So umm, first post here, so hi

Basically I want to put together a new PC. I have been using laptops for years and havnt built a desktop from scratch so I am quite looking forward to it. Thing is I am lost with hardware these days.

I am going for a way over the top configuration. I am looking to spend between £2000-£2500 not including the monitor keyboard or mouse. Any ideas would be helpful, especially on what to avoid lol.

95thrifles · 8 Mar 2011 at 10:15

Hi and welcome to forums

What do you want to use the PC for?

And why do you want to spend so much money? Would you not rather save some?

Woden · 8 Mar 2011 at 10:22

Gaming mostly. I got a whole bunch of overtime in and promised myself a new build with it, and since I am single now I have no qualms over spending every penny lol.

I have been looking at the i7 2600k and it looks like it will actually beat the i7 990x?

95thrifles · 8 Mar 2011 at 10:26

Lucky you, but honestly, for gaming, spending that sort of money is just completely unnecessary, neither of those processors offer any more than an i5 2500k for gaming

What monitor have you got ATM? As I suspect youd be better investing a portion of your money in a really nice monitor too

Woden · 8 Mar 2011 at 10:32

My LG 32" 1080p tele. Problem with the monitor is its going in my bedroom, so size is an issue

95thrifles · 8 Mar 2011 at 10:33

For example, this is already overkill, has the most powerful gfx card, a large SSD, one of best PSUs available and all comes in at £1500, so you could use your spare money to buy yourself a nice new monitor, either a 3D one if you want to give that a go, or better still imo, a nice IPS one such as the Dell U2410

OK well if space is an issue continue using your TV, but theres still little point (no point) spending any more than this, treat yourself to (quite) a few beers to celebrate being single again, lol

King Damager · 8 Mar 2011 at 11:16

I could certainly give you a spec that would cost you £2500, but as you've already said monitor size will be limited then it's hardly worth it.

The only thing I guess we could say is that if you did choose to go for a 3D Screen, then take 95th's build, and maybe add a second 580 in SLI. 3D is the only thing a single one might ever struggle with.

Spend the extra on some nice peripherals

kd

Woden · 8 Mar 2011 at 11:21

Thanks for the replies. I might see if I can cram another monitor in my room. Its either this or cram a few hundred quid of ale in my fridge!

Would there be anypoint in choosing the i7 sadybridge over the i5?

Luke Burton · 8 Mar 2011 at 11:48

Not if your mainly using it for gaming. Just overclock the I5 2500k. If you want too throw the cash around, throw it my way

Woden · 8 Mar 2011 at 13:03

i5 2500k it is then. I think I better make some room in the fridge!

95thrifles · 8 Mar 2011 at 13:09

Woden said:
i5 2500k it is then. I think I better make some room in the fridge!

Or, if you dont already have one, use the money saved to invest in one of them little husky fridges, I have and theyre great

Skellig · 8 Mar 2011 at 13:15

Spend £1200 on a i5 build. Save the rest of your money.

Thank me when you have a rainy day in the future.

AdamN · 8 Mar 2011 at 15:44

My opinion on the matter based on my newly finished build:

I have thrown together an i7 950 OC @ 4.0 GHZ which I need to run some VERY CPU intensive programs. If you're looking at a gaming machine, and want to spend the more than £1200. Build an i5 and throw the extra cash at a GTX590 when it arrives and you'll be laughing!

Woden · 8 Mar 2011 at 16:04

AdamN said:
My opinion on the matter based on my newly finished build:

I have thrown together an i7 950 OC @ 4.0 GHZ which I need to run some VERY CPU intensive programs. If you're looking at a gaming machine, and want to spend the more than £1200. Build an i5 and throw the extra cash at a GTX590 when it arrives and you'll be laughing!

Do we have a price on that graphics card yet? I don't have all the cash yet (I was hoping to but as usual wage department messed up) so waiting a little while for the 590 is no big deal.

To be honest I don't get the whole CF/SLI thing, could I fit a 580 and add the 590 to it? Or do they have to be identical cards?

AdamN · 8 Mar 2011 at 16:35

Woden said:
Do we have a price on that graphics card yet? I don't have all the cash yet (I was hoping to but as usual wage department messed up) so waiting a little while for the 590 is no big deal.

To be honest I don't get the whole CF/SLI thing, could I fit a 580 and add the 590 to it? Or do they have to be identical cards?

Again, it depends on your usage. Example, I have 2 x GTX260 (a little older but I already had one and was able to pick up another very cheap). These have been overclocked to a level that on paper, out peforms a 460GTX for nowhere near as much money. My computer is mostly used for Flight Sim X which is a more CPU intense piece of software. Therefore a 590GTX probably wouldn't be for me as I already have the performance I need.

A 580 as far as I know couldn't be SLI'd (for want of a better expression) with a 590 but if you had a 590 you wouldn't need to SLI in the first place. From what I've read, 2 stock GTX 580's would be similar performance to a new 590 GTX.

I've read that SLI/Crossfire setups do suffer from Microstutter but I haven't seen this myself yet.

With that said, it's back over to you. If it were me in your situation, I would buy the i5, a decent cooler and overclock it. Then take the money you would have spent extra on an i7 and put that towards a GTX590 or equivalent GPU performance.

A little long winded but hope that helps...

Woden · 8 Mar 2011 at 17:27

Thnaks, it all does help a lot. I haven't built a PC from scratch in over 11 years!

I will see what the price on the 590 is, but to be honest I will probably get that
The i7 sandybridge is still tempting. I will be gaming in windows and run Gentoo Linux in a VM (no need for duel-boot on something so beasty! That will be a major plus). Although the i5 is easily capable of this, Gentoo is a source-based distro and the HyperThreading could really be useful.