• Some users have recently had their accounts hijacked. It seems that the now defunct EVGA forums might have compromised your password there and seems many are using the same PW here. We would suggest you UPDATE YOUR PASSWORD and TURN ON 2FA for your account here to further secure it. None of the compromised accounts had 2FA turned on.
    Once you have enabled 2FA, your account will be updated soon to show a badge, letting other members know that you use 2FA to protect your account. This should be beneficial for everyone that uses FSFT.

New Gaming Build Advice

M

Mabu

Limp Gawd
Joined
Dec 15, 2009
Messages
420
Hello folks. Looking to build my first new PC for myself in over 4 years, and looking for some suggestions on some hardware. I plan on keeping this PC for at least 4 years, and would like to run everything (currently, and for at least the near future) at the highest settings possible while still at 60fps.

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Gaming and general use. Games that I play are mostly the staples - Batman AC, Borderlands 2, Skyrim, Diablo 3, etc.

2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
~800.00 with tax/shipping included for the parts that I need. This isn't a full build though, so I may not NEED to spend 800.00 for what I do need to meet my requirements.

3) Which country do you live in? If the U.S, please tell us the state and city if possible.
USA. I live in CT, and the closest Micro Center is up in the Boston area, a good 2hr drive.

4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. The word "Everything" is not a valid answer. Please list out all the parts you'll need.
Mobo, CPU, GPU, RAM, Power Supply, Optical drive (DVD-R I think should be fine), CPU Cooler (not sure if I need or not based on my OCing below)

5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
The only thing that I would consider re-using from my current PC would be an HT Omega Striker PCI sound card. Also, I have already acquired some parts over the past few months, all while on sale and based on recommendations from this forum.

Case: Corsair Carbide 400r
SSD: Crucial M4 256gb
HDD: Samsung F3 1tb

6) Will you be overclocking?
Probably, but nothing too crazy. I'm a novice to OCing, but have had a very mild OC on my current E8400 (3.2ghz to 3.33ghz) for a couple of years now. I anticipate the same with the new rig as well, but I definitely won't be doing any hardcore OC'ing. Therefore, I'm unsure if I would need a CPU cooler to accommodate a light OC or if the stock HSF will suffice.

7) What is the max resolution of your monitor? What size is it?
Single monitor, 1920x1080

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Within the next 2 weeks.

9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? eSATA? Onboard video (as a backup or main GPU)? UEFI? etc.
USB 3.0, preferably with the proper input for the Carbide 400r's front panel connector. SATA 6gb/s for sure. UEFI bios would be cool, but not a requirement. I know that PCI slots are on the way out, but having one for my sound card would be nice.

10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
I have already purchased a fresh copy of Win7 64bit


Here's what I've been looking at for some potential parts so far:

CPU: 3570k. I assume a 2500k would suit me just as fine as well too.
GPU: AMD 7950 2gb. My last two cards I have owned have been a 4850 and 5850 from Sapphire, but any recommended brand on the 7950 will be fine. I realize that a 7950 is probably just a bit overkill for CURRENT 1080p, but I don't mind splurging here to cover myself as best as I can for future titles.
PSU: Antec NEO ECO 520C 520W PSU. I think this is all that I would need, and it seems to come recommended from you guys in many standard builds. I don't ever plan on using more than one card to justify a higher wattage PSU, so I think this will suit me.
MOBO: Will definitely need help here, as I'm not up to speed on the current mobos.
RAM: Definitely 8gb (2x4gb), but so many choices. The only thing that I'm sure of is that I should not use anything higher than 1.5v. I see a lot of recommendations for the G.Skill Ripjaw series, and for Samsung as well.
CPU Cooler: Again, not sure if I even need one, though the CoolerMaster Hyper 212+ seems highly recommended.

And lastly, a few general questions:

First time using an SSD for me, so are there any special BIOS configuration or Windows settings that I need to be mindful of?

The Carbide 400r case comes with 2 intake fans on the front and 1 exhaust on the rear, with spots for 2 additional fans on both the side and top. Should I consider getting 4x 120mm/140mm fans to occupy these slots? If so, what would be some good recommendations for these additional case fans?

And lastly, for mounting the power supply, I believe the proper way for mounting at the bootom of the case is to have the fan blowing air up into case, rather than down. Is that correct as well?

Thanks in advance for any help!
 
Mabu said:
CPU: 3570k. I assume a 2500k would suit me just as fine as well too.
Click to expand...
Since you're only doing a light OC, you can save yourself $30 by going with the Core i5 3470 CPU. You can also save an additional $13 by getting this CPU and mobo combo deal:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.1065499

Note that the above combo deal expire on October 31st. So best get it ASAP.

Mabu said:
RAM: Definitely 8gb (2x4gb), but so many choices. The only thing that I'm sure of is that I should not use anything higher than 1.5v. I see a lot of recommendations for the G.Skill Ripjaw series, and for Samsung as well.
Click to expand...
I recommend this RAM:
$40 - Corsair Vengeance CML8GX3M2A1600C9 2 x 4GB DDR3 1600 RAM
Mabu said:
CPU Cooler: Again, not sure if I even need one, though the CoolerMaster Hyper 212+ seems highly recommended.
Click to expand...
You should be fine with stock unless your home gets really hot/warm during Spring/Summer. If that's the case, get the Hyper 212+.

Mabu said:
First time using an SSD for me, so are there any special BIOS configuration or Windows settings that I need to be mindful of?
Click to expand...
Enable AHCI. Thats about it really.
Mabu said:
The Carbide 400r case comes with 2 intake fans on the front and 1 exhaust on the rear, with spots for 2 additional fans on both the side and top. Should I consider getting 4x 120mm/140mm fans to occupy these slots? If so, what would be some good recommendations for these additional case fans?
Click to expand...
You just need one extra fan and rearrange the fan layout: One rear exhaust, one top exhaust, one front intake and one side intake. That's the optimal fan layout.
Mabu said:
And lastly, for mounting the power supply, I believe the proper way for mounting at the bootom of the case is to have the fan blowing air up into case, rather than down. Is that correct as well?!
Click to expand...
No. The PSU never blows air into the case. The fan on a PSU is an intake fan for the PSU only which means it brings in air into the PSU, not exhausts air into the PC. In any case, have the fan side pointed towards the bottom of the case. That'll allow the PSU to bring in air from the bottom of the case into the PSU.
 
Thanks very much for the reply Danny_BUI. A few follow-ups:

CPU: Is the only difference between the I5-3470 and the I5-3570K an unlocked multiplier? If so, then I'll probably just stick with the 3470 as you have recommended, as I don't think that the $30 worth of extra OC'ing capabilities offers would be worth it if I don't ever use it. Of course, if in the future I ever DO decide to try to get serious about OC'ing, then I'm kind of stuck if I go with the 3470. But only I can know the answer to that. :)

Cooler: I do have AC in my condo, and my CPU temps are in the mid-40s while gaming in the warmer months. That's with a mild OC on my E8400 and a cooler for which I don't remember the model of. I guess I can always just monitor temps now in the colder New England months and see if the need arises next year once it starts to warm up outside.

GPU: Any specific recommendations on a 7950? This Sapphire seems to be the cheapest of the bunch on Newegg. Though I've had good luck with Sapphire cards in the past, wondering if I should spend a bit more on a different brand that may offer some additional features (better cooler, better warranty, etc).
 
Last edited:
 
Danny Bui said:
You just need one extra fan and rearrange the fan layout: One rear exhaust, one top exhaust, one front intake and one side intake. That's the optimal fan layout.
Click to expand...

Either side intake or top exhaust.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top