new gaming rig

S

Special-K

Weaksauce
Joined
Dec 28, 2010
Messages
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My AMD 2800+ is getting old.... 2003 maybe, so everything has changed, can you help me to choose because that's my last build :p

I'm looking for something new that will run new FPS game. I don't have any limit on budget but I'm looking to build something that you can say is good quality/price.

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Gaming. old and new games
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
good quality/price
3) Where do you live?
Quebec city, Canada
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.
CPU, GPU, PSU, MOBO, RAM, HDD or SSD(both?), case, Monitor, optical drive and CPU aftermarket fan if needed
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing?
Mouse, keyboard, maybe my CRT monitor??? 17" LG bought in 2003
6) Will you be overclocking?
depends, I never tried but if it's a good option maybe later
7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
I have that old 17", If i change I'm looking for something DEL with low ms latency, but im scared that 60ms is low for gaming, tell me!?!?
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
in the next month
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? etc.
I never tried these stuff. maybe SATA 6 USB 3
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If so, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
yes


Last month I was thinking about that if it can help, I would like you to stay in those brand but if you offer me something else tell me why :) . I can also wait couple of month if something else from AMD or Intel destroy SB

Intel I7-950 at 280$-310$ newegg.ca
Asus rampage 3 microATX at 240$ newegg.ca
Asus GTX 570 at 385$ local store
Antec Mini P180 at 140$ on ebay
Antec truepower PSU but i dont know what size to get
 
Don't go with Intel's Socket 1366 lineup as Sandy Bridge and its Socket 1155 lineup would give you similar performance for less money.

To make things easier for us (to help you, of course), please give us a set budget limit as well as the store(s) you plan on buying parts from. You should also factor in the costs of a monitor, which I believe that you need.

Additionally, please answer the following questions:

- Which games are you (planning on) playing? At what level of visual quality?
- Outside of gaming, what will you be using your computer for?
- Since you're considering a Mini P180, are you focusing on a microATX build? A quiet PC?
 
I would prefer i7 2600k unless its useless for me. I would like to hit 1500$ with monitor. I would like to play cs 1.6 (LOL) and call of duty black ops and future FPS games. I play competitively. the mATX option was because i dont need useless pci slot and it was cheaper, plus being silent was a plus for the price.
 
More Socket 1155 motherboards will be available after January 9, but I don't know when or even if any mATX boards will arrive then.

Why do you want the i7-2600K instead of the i5-2500K? Hyper Threading won't give you a huge performance boost in gaming.

From your OP, you mentioned NewEgg.ca and "a local store" as areas you plan on shopping from. Anywhere else?
 
I don't know more internet shop beside newegg.ca that ships in canada, competition is small over here so most part in local shop are 10% higher than newegg. What is hyper threading? and would it be safe to put that extra cost so the computer last longer? I do some video editing sometimes, but thats all.

EDIT : would i really need it to be unlocked "K"
 
Special-K said:
I don't know more internet shop beside newegg.ca that ships in canada, competition is small over here so most part in local shop are 10% higher than newegg.
Click to expand...
www.N C I X.com (remove the spaces)
www.canadacomputers.com

Special-K said:
What is hyper threading? and would it be safe to put that extra cost so the computer last longer? I do some video editing sometimes, but thats all.
Click to expand...
You can read about hyper-threading here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyper_Threading

HT really only comes in handy if you're doing extensive video editing/rendering and occasionally 3D Rendering. So unless you plan on doing extensive video editing/rendering and/or 3D Rendering, then get the i72600K. But for gaming, little reason to do so.
Special-K said:
EDIT : would i really need it to be unlocked "K"
Click to expand...

If you want to overclock, you need the K. If you never plan on overclocking, then go with the non-K. The CPUs will perform exactly the same at stock speeds.
 
what about waiting? LGA2011, is this going to be too good or too expensive? or AMD next cpu? Some people on this forum says there going to wait for LGA2011? why? is this going to be that good or just a little more?
 
Special-K said:
what about waiting? LGA2011, is this going to be too good or too expensive? or AMD next cpu? Some people on this forum says there going to wait for LGA2011? why? is this going to be that good or just a little more?
Click to expand...

Nah, not worth waiting for either product in your particular situation.
 
thanks for you help :D, but i just can't decide on some other stuff :

CPU - Intel I5 2500K 230$
Mobo - Too many option... I would like a mATX version thats as good as a full ATX : DDR3 1600, good LAN, audio, etc. good overclock performance. I won't SLI. The ROG I stated above for X58 was a good choice for me i guess? anyway if its not mATX I don't care but I need to choose another quality case with good fan. My top 3 brand are in order: 1.ASUS 2.MSI 3.Gigabyte
GPU - ASUS or MSI GTX 570 less than 400$
RAM - Can't decide on brand, model and size... 4gb or 8gb?
HDD - Do I need a SSD here or a Velociraptor? or just a decent 7200 will do?
Case - Antec with PSU antec, good vent, P series looks great IMO less than 250$ is that too high???

thanks for your help, I appreciate
 
Motherboard wise, don't worry about the DDR3 1600 RAM support. It's a non-issue. Personally I would stick with Asus since I like their UEFI software/BIOs better.

RAM wise, Corsair and G.Skill would be my top two recommendations. Speed wise, there's really no real world difference between DDR3 1333 and DDR3 1600 RAM. So just go for the cheapest DDR3 1333 RAM you can find from a reputable manufacturer. Also CAS latency isn't a huge factor at all.

HDD wise, A decent 7200RPM drive will be fine. I recommend this:
$70 - Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

For future reference: Never get or recommend the Velocriraptor drives as they're only 10% faster than the above listed drive yet costs significantly more. Basically, a waste of money for the vast majority of enthusiasts out there.

Case wise, the Antec Truepower New 750W is all that you need. Get the Antec Mini P180 from N C I X.com (without the spaces) to get that case for a little cheaper.
 
asus mATX mobo arent out yet, i can't find them? i hope they release soon, but they look a lil crappy compared to their bigger brother? i dont think they are usb 3 ready, i dont even know what need usb 3 anyway but looks like they cut off more thing than just pci stuff

EDIT: does LAN and audio onboard should be a factor. those mATX have cheaper LAN I guess intel is better than realtek?
 
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Special-K said:
asus mATX mobo arent out yet, i can't find them? i hope they release soon, but they look a lil crappy compared to their bigger brother? i dont think they are usb 3 ready, i dont even know what need usb 3 anyway but looks like they cut off more thing than just pci stuff

EDIT: does LAN and audio onboard should be a factor. those mATX have cheaper LAN I guess intel is better than realtek?
Click to expand...

Yeah Asus mATX moobos aren't out yet. .

LAN is only a factor if you're doing extensive LAN transfers between your PC and other PCs in the home. It may lower latency just a tad bit in games though. Yes Intel NICs are better than ANY Realtek NICs out there.

Onboard Audio doesn't really matter unless you're an audiophile with an expensive speaker/sound setup. Even then you'll more than likely be buying a dedicated sound card any way if you were an audiophile.
 
Danny Bui said:
Yeah Asus mATX moobos aren't out yet. .
Click to expand...

They are out actually.. Only found one P67 version though: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131688

They have 4 more using the H67 chipset: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...93976 600100186&IsNodeId=1&name=Intel H61/H67

I found a few on other vendor sites as well. Just using NewEgg as a reference point.

I think the H67 boards look great if you don't plan on overclocking at all and go with a non-K proc.

PS. My moms PC was having issues earlier today, so I was going to have her buy one of the H67 boards and use the IGP with one of the lower end i5 procs. That's the only reason I know the Asus mATX SB boards were out.. :D
 
Ok so will this be a good buy :

CPU : Intel I5 2500K .................................... 230$
Mobo : Asus P8P67-M Pro .......................... 150$
GPU : Asus GeForce GTX 570 ..................... 380$
RAM : Corsair XMS3 (2 x 4GB) DDR3 1333 ... 75$ After 20$ Mail-rebate (btw 1.5V - 1.65 .. what volt has to do?)
HDD : WD caviar Black 640mb Sata3 6gb/s ... 72$
Case : Antec mini P180 black ...................... 120$ (Missed deal, the white one on newegg, 72$ with shipping ...)
PSU : Antec Truepower New 750W ............... 150$
drive : 30$
total: 1207$ without taxes and shipping

do i miss something? thanks a lot :)
 
The GTX 570 is overkill for your current resolution (and the HD 6950 will give you similar performance for less money). When again were you buying a new monitor?

Let me put it another way: If you're not buying a new monitor within the next three months, buy the HD 5770 now and grab a newer, better video card when you decide to upgrade your monitor. (Wait... what's the brand and model of your current monitor?)

Likewise, if you're sticking with just one video card, you can save some money by going with a good 600 to 650 watt power supply like the Antec NEO ECO 620C.

Go with the Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB hard drive instead of the WD Caviar Black 640GB drive. Even at NewEgg.ca, it's priced just a bit more, yet it gives you similar performance and more storage capacity.
 
I will buy a new monitor, I just need to shop them. what kind of monitor would be great with the GTX 570. I got a old 17" LG Flatron CRT screen :p . I don't know why but shame on me I've always preferred nvidia and when I can, I choose asus :p . I will also plug it to my 47" 240hz 1080p LCD, sometimes. Any brand you recommend?

How do we calculate PSU, I've heard online calculator are bads. why not a truepower?

On HDD I don't really care space, it's just that I can cut 1/3 space for 6gb/s and 64mb of cache, lol i don't really know what it means but it must be better :| (I curently have a 40 gb and I can't justify 1tb)

thanks a lot
 
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I'll need some time to find a decent gaming monitor.

I went with a cheaper power supply because it was cheaper. Since you appear to be using one video card, I found one with enough power for everything yet costs about $50 less. To calculate power, divide the total amount of watts coming from the 12V rail(s) by 12. Don't add up the max amperage from each 12V rail.

Don't get me wrong; I still found a good Antec power supply. But you haven't justified the need for the 750 watt Truepower New.

There are two reasons to grab the 1TB hard drive. First, it's much faster than your 40GB IDE drive. Second, you'll come to appreciate the additional space, especially after you start installing some of the latest and greatest games and programs available. (20GB to 30GB installs per game are starting to become commonplace. And the Windows 7 takes up about 20GB on its own after the initial installation.)
 
Nah my 40gb will stay in my old one, i was saying this beside the caviar black, and what the difference between neo eco and truepower?

For the monitor, will 1080p be okay on lets say 23 in? Any brand you trust?
 
Special-K said:
Nah my 40gb will stay in my old one, i was saying this beside the caviar black, and what the difference between neo eco and truepower
Click to expand...
Neo Eco is the decent-quality budget line where as the Truepower is the great-quality mainstream line.
 
I see in you sig you have a 8800GT, what game can you play with it? theres a 9800gt on sale with a coupon on tigerdirect for 59$, would this be a good buy if i want to play call of duty black ops?

EVGA GeForce 9800 GT Akimbo 512MB DDR3 - OEM
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicat...mc_o=-KeCjCZzypR2VCjCdRqJ4CjCZBf Kwzkl mfbgLY
Current Price: $114.99 -$55 Coupon = $59.99 + Free Shipping
Coupon: AFF17008
Expires on 1/17

EDIT: is this US only?
 
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Special-K said:
I see in you sig you have a 8800GT, what game can you play with it? theres a 9800gt on sale with a coupon on tigerdirect for 59$, would this be a good buy if i want to play call of duty black ops?

EVGA GeForce 9800 GT Akimbo 512MB DDR3 - OEM
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicat...mc_o=-KeCjCZzypR2VCjCdRqJ4CjCZBf Kwzkl mfbgLY
Current Price: $114.99 -$55 Coupon = $59.99 + Free Shipping
Coupon: AFF17008
Expires on 1/17

EDIT: is this US only?
Click to expand...
It's US only.

I play mainly play BFBC2, BFBC2:Vietnam, Eve Online, and occasionally Fallout 3. It's ok at 1600x900 but I do have to turn down some settings. I would only recommend the 9800GT if you're really really broke.
 
Thats fine, i was just wondering at that price. I will probably buy from N C I X anyway with 6$ shipping deal. Unless i get good deals on newegg with free shipping.
 
I'll just chime in to say that $150 is overkill for the system you are putting together, and you might consider something like the Corsair 650w. $90, $70AR.

You might also want to think about another case on your budget. You can save another $20-$30. Possbily a $69 Lancool job whoch Newegg seems to have on perpetual sale lately.

The reason I say save on those 2 items is so you can put that extra into the monitor, and actually get performance out of the cash you saved. I'll also be honest and suggest going to a 1920x1200 instead of a 16:9 1080i.
 
I will get a Antec truepower new 650W that is $100 with $25 MIR. I will buy a new monitor for sure, why you say 1080i ? can't a TV runs 1080p in pc mode? Anyway my TV will only be use to watch online streaming video and video I own. the reason I want this case is for noise reduction and fans included in it. I will sure put enough money in the monitor because I'm lower on my budget anyway :) thanks to people who helped me in this thread !!!
 
I'm currently looking at those screen and choice is limited for 1920x1200, why would it be better, is it because i get more pixel vertical so in game is better, I thought 16x9 was standard, anyway tell me whats good, ill buy it :) I have a 4:3 screen so old now :)

only thing i found is http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236047CVF

looks good but i need more option maybe just to choose from?
 
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Sorry, I did not realize you wanted the monitor to simply watch video on, because on the questions you answered, you popped gaming right out as the first thing.

Dell has a few 24" 1920x1200 , but they are a bit pricier.
 
Most of the "gaming" monitors available today use a 1920x1080 resolution, which is the same 1080p resolution used in many HDTVs. However, most PC games can scale to a 1920x1200 resolution.

If you want the Asus monitor, get it.
 
You should try Urban Terror, that's the best game.

EDIT: I wish it wasn't so hard to find reasonably priced monitors with higher vertical resolution these days...

For the monitor the prices have REALLY dropped since your last system. It's hard to find ones with more than "1080p" resolution without paying a big premium over the 1920 x 1080 ones.

I LOVE my Samsung SyncMaster 2343. It's "only" 23 inches, but it's resolution is 2048 x 1152.

I got some good deals on LCDs from Dell years ago, but I don't know if I'd choose them today, unless I found a "hot deal"?

The latency on today's recent LCD monitors is fast fast fast.

I'd go with one that has LED backlight to save $ on electricity, runs cool and efficient, might last longer too, but I don't know about that personally.

I got a Samsung SyncMaster BX2431 recently, 24" LCD LED 1080p monitor for under $200 :D - but - it's got a CRAPPY stand and no "VESA mount" for mounting on a wall bracket/swiveling arm.

I can not stress enough how much I love having a monitor on a wall mount arm, I had no idea how much of a difference it would make and how much I love it. My whole desk space under the monitor is now open, the monitor is higher and more ergonomically positioned, and it's so easy to adjust it/move it around - like it's floating in the air over my desk.

EDIT: I used to love ASUS motherboards, used them for years - however, the most rock-solid stable system I've had was an Intel motherboard with an Intel CPU. I liked ASUS back when they were made in Taiwan - are they made in China now? I'm not sure.

How about this video card?: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125333

I agree you don't need an unlocked CPU, but I wouldn't avoid it on purpose, unless I could get the non-unlocked one for cheaper, or, faster for the same price.

It seems like a decent time to upgrade now, there will always be "something better if you wait" - the recent Socket 1156 Intel CPUs seem good for about $200 - $300.

If it just costs a little more for the version with HyperThreading, I say go ahead and get it.
 
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