Building a new computer

Forums › Desktop computing › Building a new computer

sp3ctral

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#115335 22-Mar-2013 12:24

I'm looking at building a new computer seeing as I have had a semi-decent desktop for I don't know how long and I'm truely over using a laptop for gaming. It's been a while since I've looked through hardware and specs and prices etc so was hoping I could get some feedback on what I'm looking at:

CPU - Intel Core i5 3570K 3.4Ghz Socket 1155 Box. Looking at about $305

Graphics: ASUS GTX660TI-DC2-2GD5 GEFORCE for $479

Mobo: Asus P8Z77-V LK LGA for $219 approx

RAM: Kingston HyperX 2x 4gb at $85.48

PSU: CORSAIR 650W HX-650v2 ATX12V v2.31 and EPS 2.92 Power Supply 140mm fan Modular Cables 80Plus GOLD - $200

HDD: Western Digital Caviar Blue WD10EZEX 1TB 7200RPM for $90
SSD: Samsung 250GB 840 series Nand - $275 approx

Looking at around $1750 overall - I have a case and keyboard sorted and still looking into a mouse that is decent enough without being too expensive.

Feedback would be awesome, cheers!

mattwnz

20147 posts

Uber Geek

#785404 22-Mar-2013 12:40

I would get an Intel sdd

timmmay

20578 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#785415 22-Mar-2013 13:06

That's a heck of an expensive video card, but I know nothing about gaming.

Why the WD Blue? Black are faster and not much more expensive. Seagate Barracuda are good drives, I've had heaps over the years, a 2TB costs little more than your 1TB WD Blue.

I'm not up to speed on state of the art SSDs. I have two older units based on a Sandforce chipsets, 64GB and 128GB, they work well. OWC brand. 250GB SSD is quite large, I have W7-64, Photoshop CS7, development tools, imaging tools, iTunes library, and random stuff taking up 40GB - not including swap file or hibernate file. Games may be big, but not 200GB big.

Ram's cheap, consider 16GB?

Logitech gaming mice are great.

Oriphix

523 posts

Ultimate Geek

#785418 22-Mar-2013 13:09

Pretty nice build. Personally I would change the Video card and the RAM for the below.

The Gigabyte video card is nicer then other brands as it comes with 3 fans for cooling it. Most others have only 1 or 2. Again this depends on your case if you going for liquid cooling etc.

You might as well get 8GB of RAM. The price is similar and you get 4GB extra.

I have a Corsair SSD 240GB. It works well. Not sure about the Samsung.

Since you are also getting the i5 3570K 3.4GHz you can over clock that to 4GHz easily. (I have the same CPU I have run it at 4.5GHz and max temp reaches 80 degrees. But I don't think you would ever use anything that would make use of your CPU that much. I have a gigabyte mobo and it also has Boost. So when I run on 4GHz when the CPU needs it can boost to 4.5GHz)

Also the HDD get a 2TB the price is very similar. I only have windows and only programs I use all the time on my SSD the rest gets installed on my 3TB drive. Remember that you will also get Windows Updates / service packs etc and any programs you have installed on SSD will also take updates which will take up space. So I would still go for 240GB.

Corsair XMS3 Vengeance DDR3 PC12800/1600MHz CL9 2x4GB $73.95

(http://pricespy.co.nz/product.php?p=839815)

Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 OC HDMI DisplayPort Dual-DVI 2GB $591.91

(http://pricespy.co.nz/product.php?p=1239034)

Have fun :)

sp3ctral

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#785426 22-Mar-2013 13:23

Really? Looking through I wasn't able to find an Intel SSD that matched the Samsung for price, storage and IOPS (the samsung had random read write 96k/62k and sequential 540/250mb/s)

Which is better though, sequential or random read/write?

sp3ctral

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#785428 22-Mar-2013 13:33

Oriphix: Pretty nice build. Personally I would change the Video card and the RAM for the below.

The Gigabyte video card is nicer then other brands as it comes with 3 fans for cooling it. Most others have only 1 or 2. Again this depends on your case if you going for liquid cooling etc.

You might as well get 8GB of RAM. The price is similar and you get 4GB extra.

I have a Corsair SSD 240GB. It works well. Not sure about the Samsung.

Since you are also getting the i5 3570K 3.4GHz you can over clock that to 4GHz easily. (I have the same CPU I have run it at 4.5GHz and max temp reaches 80 degrees. But I don't think you would ever use anything that would make use of your CPU that much. I have a gigabyte mobo and it also has Boost. So when I run on 4GHz when the CPU needs it can boost to 4.5GHz)

Also the HDD get a 2TB the price is very similar. I only have windows and only programs I use all the time on my SSD the rest gets installed on my 3TB drive. Remember that you will also get Windows Updates / service packs etc and any programs you have installed on SSD will also take updates which will take up space. So I would still go for 240GB.

Corsair XMS3 Vengeance DDR3 PC12800/1600MHz CL9 2x4GB $73.95

(http://pricespy.co.nz/product.php?p=839815)

Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 OC HDMI DisplayPort Dual-DVI 2GB $591.91

(http://pricespy.co.nz/product.php?p=1239034)

Have fun :)

Scratch my above reply.

The RAM is 2 times 4GB - I would not be paying that much for only 4 GB hahah even if the pricing is way better than 4 years ago.

I can't really afford to add too much more to my costs but if $50 extra is worth the upgrade then sounds good!

Is the Corsair likely to be better than the Kingston?

edit: aaaaand I can't read properly. I don't think I will be able to afford the graphics card at that amount (thought it read $519 haha)

Oriphix

523 posts

Ultimate Geek

#785439 22-Mar-2013 14:04

Haha yeah

Well yes I would go for Corsair not Kingston for gaming.

The way I look at when buy a PC or building a new one. Is If I buy this now when am I going to change it and if I spend a little bit more can I get something better that will last me longer

The graphics card is $150 more then your current budget but I would save and get that to be honest. You are already spending $450 anyway you might as well get a best one you can. Its not like you will change in the next 2-4 years? That should be able to play any game you throw at it.

The rest of the build looks good. If your building it for gaming then you don't want to get cheap on RAM and graphics & also check the PSU is enough for the graphics card.

Your choice at the end of the day though just my advice. But seriously save another $150 and get a better card you won't be disappointed for sure

timmmay

20578 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#785441 22-Mar-2013 14:12

Graphics card are really easy to change. Which is better, a $300 card now and a $300 card in two years, or a $600 card now?

Samsung

Shop now on Samsung phones, tablets, TVs and more (affiliate link).

Oriphix

523 posts

Ultimate Geek

#785446 22-Mar-2013 14:22

timmmay: Graphics card are really easy to change. Which is better, a $300 card now and a $300 card in two years, or a $600 card now?

Well that's also true. But the question is will you get a better card for $300 now and then later or you can get a high end card now and it will go to mid range in a couple of years and still be good. But yes you are right the price might drop down, as most electronics :)

sp3ctral

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#785474 22-Mar-2013 15:01

Oriphix: Haha yeah

Well yes I would go for Corsair not Kingston for gaming.

The way I look at when buy a PC or building a new one. Is If I buy this now when am I going to change it and if I spend a little bit more can I get something better that will last me longer

The graphics card is $150 more then your current budget but I would save and get that to be honest. You are already spending $450 anyway you might as well get a best one you can. Its not like you will change in the next 2-4 years? That should be able to play any game you throw at it.

The rest of the build looks good. If your building it for gaming then you don't want to get cheap on RAM and graphics & also check the PSU is enough for the graphics card.

Your choice at the end of the day though just my advice. But seriously save another $150 and get a better card you won't be disappointed for sure

That is a fair call haha I'll keep that in mind, however the current card may have to do at the moment as funds are stretched for what I have up there :/