Upgradeing my PC need help from the experts

cmndr_andi · 11 Jan 2011 at 22:14

umboma said:
It does have a backplate but it's about 2CM wider then my current power supply, I cant remember the name of the case it's the one they used just before the current one, predator 2 comes into mind for some reason????

With Windows 7 I'm gong to have to buy that as I have Vista at the moment, why would I buy the Retail windows 7 over the OEM?

May I ask what the make and model of your current PSU it?

If it is a Predator 2.0, then this takes standard ATX power supplier - so wouldn't be an issue with a PSU like the very nice Antec Truepower 650W mentioned above.

With windows 7 OEM means that when you install it on one PC - the license is tied to the motherboard of the system you install it on. If you want to change computers (or just the motherboard) then legally you need to buy a new windows license. With a retail licence, you can still only have it installed on one PC at a time, but when you change computers or motherboards you can legally install windows on the new system.

umboma said:
To set to AHCI I do that inthe BIOS correct?

Exactly.

RJC · 11 Jan 2011 at 22:15

Indeed a good price, very nice

umboma · 11 Jan 2011 at 22:17

cmndr_andi said:
May I ask what the make and model of your current PSU it?

If it is a Predator 2.0, then this takes standard ATX power supplier - so wouldn't be an issue with a PSU like the very nice Antec Truepower 650W mentioned above.

With windows 7 OEM means that when you install it on one PC - the license is tied to the motherboard of the system you install it on. If you want to change computers (or just the motherboard) then legally you need to buy a new windows license. With a retail licence, you can still only have it installed on one PC at a time, but when you change computers or motherboards you can legally install windows on the new system.

It's a Win-Power 750w, I've never heard of it so I'm guessing it's that being funny about the fitting, It is the Predator 2.0 I just goolgle images on it..

Exactly.

umboma · 11 Jan 2011 at 22:19

RJC said:
Indeed a good price, very nice

LOL I bet this kinda feels like your guys baby also the ammount of work you guys have put in for me LOL

umboma · 11 Jan 2011 at 22:21

So silly question how can I better the spec on the same money??

RJC · 11 Jan 2011 at 22:23

Ha ha

Were a sad bunch really :eek:

Edit: could go with the MSI board and claim the VAT back, assuming your in the uk, this makes the board £123~ instead of £144 ~, but I think your setup is good.

umboma · 11 Jan 2011 at 22:27

RJC said:
Ha ha

Were a sad bunch really

Edit: could go with the MSI board and claim the VAT back, assuming your in the uk, this makes the board £123~ instead of £144 ~, but I think your setup is good.

I was looking at the motherboard as the ASrock one is out of stock at the moment, I am in the uk so the MSI board is looking good lol

cmndr_andi · 11 Jan 2011 at 22:32

umboma said:
So silly question how can I better the spec on the same money??

Not really - should be great.

I would consider going for MX3 thermal paste instead - it performs a bit better and there isn't any "setting in" time.

Also, if you are spending £100 on the motherboard - you may want to have a look at this ASUS one one. The reason I mention it is that the new BIOS is supposed to be easier to work with than the Asrock. Also, as RJC mentions the MSI is on a pretty nice deal, is an amazing board and gives you the option of SLI for in the future.

Also, if you want to overclock you will want an aftermarket CPU cooler. This one isn't expensive and cools well.

If you are just going with a 60GB SSD, do you have other hard disks to use to store your games and files?

umboma · 11 Jan 2011 at 22:37

What you make of that one

Asrock H67M Intel H67 (Socket 1155) DDR3 Micro-ATX Motherboard - (Sandybridge)
little bit cheaper, looks about the same

cmndr_andi · 11 Jan 2011 at 22:38

umboma said:
What you make of that one

Asrock H67M Intel H67 (Socket 1155) DDR3 Micro-ATX Motherboard - (Sandybridge)
little bit cheaper, looks about the same

You can't overclock with that board at all. It uses the H67 chipset, you need P67 to overclock and use SLI/CF.

Also it is a smaller micro-ATX board - so there are less connectors.

umboma · 11 Jan 2011 at 22:39

cmndr_andi said:
Not really - should be great.

I would consider going for MX3 thermal paste instead - it performs a bit better and there isn't any "setting in" time.

Also, if you are spending £100 on the motherboard - you may want to have a look at this ASUS one one. The reason I mention it is that the new BIOS is supposed to be easier to work with than the Asrock. Also, as RJC mentions the MSI is on a pretty nice deal, is an amazing board and gives you the option of SLI for in the future.

Also, if you want to overclock you will want an aftermarket CPU cooler. This one isn't expensive and cools well.

I do have a 1TB drive in my machine at the moment, so plan was 60gb ssd for windows and the 1tb for games and such

If you are just going with a 60GB SSD, do you have other hard disks to use to store your games and files?

umboma · 11 Jan 2011 at 22:46

So now it's

Intel Core i5-2500K 3.30GHz (Sandybridge) Socket LGA1155 Processor
Asus P8P67 LE Intel P67 (Socket 1155) DDR3 Motherboard - (Sandybridge)
OCZ Vertex 2E 60GB 2.5" SATA-II Solid State Hard Drive
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit - OEM
Antec TruePower New Modular 650W Power Supply
GeIL 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C9 1600MHz
Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro Rev 2 CPU Cooler
Arctic Cooling MX-3 Thermal Compound

£637 all in, The Msi board is nice but I wont use the SLI anytime soon that'll more then likely be in a few years, so best bang per buck this seems to be the best setup??

cmndr_andi · 11 Jan 2011 at 22:48

Looks great

umboma · 11 Jan 2011 at 22:50

now I'm thinking do I buy Radon Allosaur" Intel Core i5 2500K 3.30GHz @ 4.60GHz Overclocked Bundle - Asus

and let OC do most the work for me in regards to the overclocking lol.... it never ends

cmndr_andi · 11 Jan 2011 at 22:53

Yes, with the bundle they do all the overclocking for you. You generally just need to go into the BIOS once to enable the overclocked profile (like 3 clicks) and you are away.

However, it is a bit more expensive that buying the above parts and overclocking it yourself.

umboma · 11 Jan 2011 at 22:56

cmndr_andi said:
Yes, with the bundle they do all the overclocking for you. You generally just need to go into the BIOS once to enable the overclocked profile (like 3 clicks) and you are away.

However, it is a bit more expensive that buying the above parts and overclocking it yourself.

£708.95 for OC to do or £630 if I do myself, looking at £80, I think I'd rather do it myself

umboma · 11 Jan 2011 at 23:19

Sorry guys, but whats the diffrence with :

Intel Core i5-2500K 3.30GHz (Sandybridge) Socket LGA1155 Processor with FREE Lost Planet 2 PC Game - Retail

and

Intel Core i5-2500 3.30GHz (Sandybridge) Socket LGA1155 Processor - Retail

The K must mean something?

cmndr_andi · 11 Jan 2011 at 23:30

The K means that the multiplier is unlocked - so you can overclock these processors. With the non-K CPUs, this is locked.

Since you can't overclock Sandy Bridge CPUs using the bus clock then this means that these CPUs don't really overclock.

umboma · 11 Jan 2011 at 23:46

cmndr_andi said:
The K means that the multiplier is unlocked - so you can overclock these processors. With the non-K CPUs, this is locked.

Since you can't overclock Sandy Bridge CPUs using the bus clock then this means that these CPUs don't really overclock.

Ahh, so no point buying the cheaper one of the two...

cmndr_andi · 11 Jan 2011 at 23:49

umboma said:
Ahh, so no point buying the cheaper one of the two...

I really wouldn't recommend it if you ever plan to overclock.

Also the resale value down the line will be much less - since few second-hand buyers will want a chip that can't overclock.