One of those "Hay guise, help me build a computer" threads

kazsymonds

kazsymonds

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Hi All,

I've been thinking of building a gaming machine for a good while now, for the past few years i have been gaming on my laptop, which is obviously not ideal, and as i'm expecting a windfall at the end of May, i want to plan my machine.

I play mostly Valve games, TF2, L4D2 etc and find that my laptop doesn't play too long before it's up to 75-80 degrees!

My budget is, in theory, unlimited - but i want to spend as little as possible really (if that makes sense). I was thinking £800-£1000.

I want the machine to play TF2, L4D2 on the very highest settings, and not have any problem at all. I may play Modern Warfare or similar games on it too (inb4 hate).

So, i was thinking of an i7 920 D0 stepping, and a nice overclock to ~3.6ghz with some nice cooling to keep it stable.

Remember i'm in the UK, so no Newegg.

Here's what i have drawn up, can anyone see areas for improvement / reasons it wouldn't work?

Also, is triple channel really better then dual channel? Cause i'm paying a bit more for a mobo that does tri and the ram obviously.

Mobo
Asus P6X58D-E
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-399-AS

CPU
Intel Core i7 920 D0 Stepping
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-283-IN

RAM
Kingston HyperX 6GB
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-071-KS

GFX
Club 3D ATI Radeon HD 5770 1024MB
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-014-C3

Cooler
Corsair H50-1 High-Performance CPU Watercooler
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-002-CS

Hard Drive
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 500GB SATA-II
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-206-SE

Case
Antec 300 Three Hundred Ultimate
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-101-AN

PSU
OcUK 650W Dual-Rail
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-043-OK

So, am I good?

Is a 650W PSU enough for that lot?

Is the graphics card any good?

I guess i did say i'd like good performance, but I would massively begrudge playing £300+ for a graphics card.

TIA
 
If the tri setup or at least the sticks are more expensive then I would go dual. (performance alternates but they are similar) Especially if you could get a 4gb dual setup vs a 3gb tri for similar price.

A CPU OCed to 3.6GHz is a mismatch with a mid-range GPU (5700). Keep your stability by not OCing or even getting a cheaper CPU (i5 750) and get a 5800.
What monitor do you have or I guess what resolution does it run?

Seagate is a tad slow. Maybe get a F3 or a WD 640gb.

You could easily power that machine with a modern (+12v rail with a lot of amps) 500watt PSU...from a good brand rather than generic PSUs.
Corsair is popular and gets some of their units from Seasonic (another good name). Antec, Enermax.
That one looks like it would power your system and be stable. Not expensive like some of the other good models. Good reviews on newegg.
 
Is the i5 much lower in terms of performance? I could get a 5800 anyway if you think it's worth the extra £75 odd?

Are the 5800 really that much better? I haven't been keeping tabs on the latest GFX cards (as you can see) so i just picked one in a price range i liked, perhaps i should re-think then.

The monitor will initially be my 40" LCD tv (lol). I want to try that initially and then I will probably get a 20" or so LCD so I can play while my GF is around and she can watch the TV while I basically ignore her.

I was planning to get a monitor that has HDMI so i can play my PS3 too while she's around.
 
If you will be running @ 1080p then yah, go for the 5800. If you were running @ 1600x resolution like a standard LCD size and just source games then a 5770 would be fine.
It is just a bit odd having a fast cpu also OCed but with a 5770 (5770 is actually very competent at normal res). Like monster tires on a ford focus.

games run with i5-750.

For playing off the HDTV you want to look at the 1920x1200 graphs. That is closest to 1080p (1920x1080).
5850 vs 5770 in cod
L4D
 
Asus said:
If you will be running @ 1080p then yah, go for the 5800. If you were running @ 1600x resolution like a standard LCD size and just source games then a 5770 would be fine.
It is just a bit odd having a fast cpu also OCed but with a 5770 (5770 is actually very competent at normal res). Like monster tires on a ford focus.

games run with i5-750.

5850 vs 5770 in cod
Click to expand...

I just thought that the faster the better when it came to processor speed.

Your analogy is interesting, what I thought I was doing was putting a big engine in my Ford Focus?

Will the 5850 run games well at 1080p then? I don't want something that's only just competent if that makes sense.

Maybe I just stick to a monitor then.

Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggghhhhhhhhhh man this is turning out to be complicated!

Asus, if you had £800-1k to spend on a machine, and you mainly liked TF2 and L4D, what would you do?
 
i5 750 + 5850

btw my analogy wasn't supposed to be exact. hehe
The reason a OCed cpu like that is odd is because it is too good for it's own good. In games fps mainly rely on the GPU so for the most part you need a CPU just fast enough to keep the GPU happy and on it's feet.
 
... good job.

Looks really good at a glance. (don't forget a PSU)

The Antec 300 will be way too small if you want to upgrade the video card in the future.
 
VirusType2 said:
The Antec 300 will be way too small if you want to upgrade the video card in the future.
Click to expand...

Boo Schitt. I have a Radeon 5850 and more than 10cm of additional video card space in my Antec 300.
r2vxit.jpg



@OP's last post: Seems like a very good combo, unless you're into stuff like Crysis and Metro 2033(by that I mean upcoming very demanding games) you won't need to upgrade in the next 3 years.
 
From what I've heard that case is not big enough for the larger cards like the 5970, so he won't be able to upgrade. That's why I mentioned it. Maybe if you cut out panels and stuff, IDK. The 5970 is about 12.2 inches. Source 1 : Source 2

EDIT: the 5870 is 11.1 inches and it barely fits, and you won't be able to put HDDs there: (Antec 300 + 5870 PICS) http://www.overclock.net/ati/621228-solved-5870-antec-300-going-5850-a-2.html


This one has an enormous amount of space for a video card. While the steel isn't the thickest, etc., it's also only about $60. Only comes with 2 fans, but has space for more.

COOLER MASTER Centurion 590 RC-590-KKN1-GP Black SECC / ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

I know you can't buy it at newegg, but can you not review it?

Specifications:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119152

Reviews
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16811119152
 
VirusType2 said:
From what I've heard that case is not big enough for the larger cards like the 5970, so he won't be able to upgrade. That's why I mentioned it. Maybe if you cut out panels and stuff, IDK. The 5970 is about 12.2 inches. Source 1 : Source 2

EDIT: the 5870 is 11.1 inches and it barely fits, and you won't be able to put HDDs there: (Antec 300 + 5870 PICS) http://www.overclock.net/ati/621228-solved-5870-antec-300-going-5850-a-2.html
Click to expand...

Damn, you're right. I thought you was able to place it with a part of the card in the HDD rack, but after taking a closer look I found out that the rack was placed too "high" for it to fit.:x
 
I'm in the same boat. I've got a Antec 900 and my planned upgrade (unless something changes before then) is the 5970.

Anyway, I think that there will be more choices in the future (more larger cases) if the 5970 sells a lot of units. Otherwise, I'm probably going to pick up that Centurion for $60 or $70. I need a bigger case for my 2nd desktop anyway (only 2 drive bays :x), so I'll just use my Antec 900 for that.

There are already several other cases available that fit it but they are generally $150-$300
 
VirusType2 said:
From what I've heard that case is not big enough for the larger cards like the 5970, so he won't be able to upgrade. That's why I mentioned it. Maybe if you cut out panels and stuff, IDK. The 5970 is about 12.2 inches. Source 1 : Source 2

EDIT: the 5870 is 11.1 inches and it barely fits, and you won't be able to put HDDs there: (Antec 300 + 5870 PICS) http://www.overclock.net/ati/621228-solved-5870-antec-300-going-5850-a-2.html


This one has an enormous amount of space for a video card. While the steel isn't the thickest, etc., it's also only about $60. Only comes with 2 fans, but has space for more.

COOLER MASTER Centurion 590 RC-590-KKN1-GP Black SECC / ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

I know you can't buy it at newegg, but can you not review it?

Specifications:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119152

Reviews
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16811119152
Click to expand...

Looks cool, but i can't see a similar one in the UK.

I won't be getting a 300 then, it didn't even occur to me that space might be a problem.

I don't want to be squeezing hot components into a small space!

I was considering an Antec 902, but thought that was probably money down the drain.

I'll have a look on overclockers at the biggest i can get. No doubt in a couple of years i will upgrade GFX so i need space for sure.
 
Dinnesch said:
Boo Schitt. I have a Radeon 5850 and more than 10cm of additional video card space in my Antec 300.
*pic*


@OP's last post: Seems like a very good combo, unless you're into stuff like Crysis and Metro 2033(by that I mean upcoming very demanding games) you won't need to upgrade in the next 3 years.
Click to expand...

I'm not into those games, but i'd like to run at least a few newer games.

Would it not run them at at least medium settings on a lower res?

Doesn't all have to be 1080p.

As long as i'm not going to be limited by the i5 in the short term, i don't really mind, I could always sell the 5850 and upgrade.

Does the i5 respond well to overclocking? (for future purposes)

was planning on this for PSU;

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-043-OK

Is it ok? I mean, it says it has 1x6 pin for PCIe is that enough to run my 5850?

*goes to look at bigger cases*
 
The problem with Metro is that there isn't a video card that can easily run that game at full settings because, from what I can piece together from random information (AKA, I'm not sure if this is pulled out of my ass), they used some graphic improvements from DX11, but didn't use the efficiency improvements from DX11. So this stuff is hard to render for today's cards - the DX11 cards are still in their infancy. However, if you run it in DX10 it should run pretty damn good, I think.

Crysis should be able to run at mostly maxed out.

kazsymonds said:
Is it ok? I mean, it says it has 1x6 pin for PCIe is that enough to run my 5850?
Click to expand...
Not recommended:
500 Watt or greater power supply with two 75W 6-pin PCI Express® power connectors recommended
Click to expand...
Certified power supplies are recommended. Refer to http://ati.amd.com/certifiedPSU for a list of Certified products
Click to expand...
5850 requirements page: http://www.amd.com/us/products/desk...s/ati-radeon-hd-5850-system-requirements.aspx

kazsymonds said:
As long as i'm not going to be limited by the i5 in the short term, i don't really mind, I could always sell the 5850 and upgrade.
Click to expand...
I think there's only 2 games that having a better CPU will even make a noticeable difference (180 fps will look like 60fps anyway). These games are GTA4, and Battlefield Bad Company 2. (i think) But anyway, I've seen BBC2 running perfectly smooth on an i5-750.

EDIT: Also Dirt 2, but you don't need a better CPU, it should run great.
 
I've had an Antec SmartPower 500 PSU that I bought from a retail store in an 'emergency'.

I've had my computer left on for about 3 years straight. So that's a respectable result. (supposedly that would be only about 25% of it's life? = No. Read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTBF)

Upgrade planned. I'd rather replace it before it dies. I'm more worried about the fans going bad unnoticed, making it overheat under demand.
 
Oh, I was supporting your statement actually. Just saying, while Corsair might be getting all the attention, the Antec unit should be reliable as well. Not sure if they make mine (SmartPower 2.0) any more.
 
Ok, here it is at the moment then.

pc.jpg


Anyone want to suggest a better / cheaper case?

Will an Antec 902 be sufficient, because it is cheaper.

More worried about functionality than looks / brand...
 
Asus said:
I would recommend that PSU I linked to above. And here.
Has 2 6pin PCI-E connectors (one of them has an additional 2pins that can be put together to make a 8pin PCI-E plug.

This review shows a 5850 PC using 315watts under load and 244watts while gaming (WoW).
This PSU calculator shows 350w. For i5 750, 5850, 2HDDs, CD/DVD RW, 2 120mm fans, 2 sticks DDR3.
Click to expand...

Ah, sorry dude I missed that, plus when you hide your links in the body of text i keep missing them...

So 500w is more than plenty?

Cool.
 
500w is the recommended minimum for the 5850. Yes, it's fine. But it's really all about amps, and he picked out a good one for you, I'm sure.
 
http://forums.techpowerup.com/showpost.php?p=1814163&postcount=28

The Cooler Master Elite cases are pretty cheap, and as you can read they fit a 5970.

kazsymonds said:
I'm not into those games, but i'd like to run at least a few newer games.

Would it not run them at at least medium settings on a lower res?

Doesn't all have to be 1080p.
Click to expand...

It would run Crysis and Metro 2033 on very high DX10(without AA), I have about the same setup except I have a i7-860 and getting playable framerates.
As I tried to explain, I meant upcoming very demanding games that require the best of the best hard when they release.(and Crysis required the best of the best in 2007)
 
Ok, i'm going with the coolermaster elite then, £30!

So, last question, do i need to worry about a cpu cooler? Does one come with my mobo? Do i need a better one?

Any GPU cooling?
 
CPU and GPU have their own fans, as does the PSU.

Check and see if you can find any information about how many fans your case comes with, because sometimes they give you places to put fans, but no fans in them. So you may need to buy some more of the appropriate size.
 
kazsymonds said:
Ok, i'm going with the coolermaster elite then, £30!

So, last question, do i need to worry about a cpu cooler? Does one come with my mobo? Do i need a better one?

Any GPU cooling?
Click to expand...

The i5-750 stock cooler gets the job done, but it's much healthier for your CPU to buy a better one. The Scythe Mugen 2 Rev. B (Rev.b is important, first version has no socket 1156 support) is a great cooler for the money.
FYI: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/lga-1156-heatsink,2535-6.html

If you get a Radeon HD 5850, you don't really need a aftermarket cooler because it stays cool enough(assuming you have appropriate case cooling).


BTW. Don't know if you have read the link I posted in my previous post, but only the Cooler Master Elite models there fit the 5970.(just to confirm)
 
Dinnesch said:
The i5-750 stock cooler gets the job done, but it's much healthier for your CPU to buy a better one. The Scythe Mugen 2 Rev. B (Rev.b is important, first version has no socket 1156 support) is a great cooler for the money.
FYI: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/lga-1156-heatsink,2535-6.html

If you get a Radeon HD 5850, you don't really need a aftermarket cooler because it stays cool enough(assuming you have appropriate case cooling).


BTW. Don't know if you have read the link I posted in my previous post, but only the Cooler Master Elite models there fit the 5970.(just to confirm)
Click to expand...

Yeah i read it thanks mate.

I'm going for this case

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-184-CM

Looks like I need a 120mm fan for the front and im good to go.

Will it be nice and cool? I guess that's a how long's a piece of string question.

Do i need anything other than a phillips screwdriver to install all of this? Thermal paste or anything?

I'll post pics up when i get all this.
 
Thermal material wise all you need is this little tube of Arctic Silver 5, there is a pdf on the Arctic Silver website to show you how to apply the paste to your CPU surface before you attach the HSF. As Dinnesch said below, I'd personally buy a third party HSF for your CPU for more efficient cooling than the stock thing it comes with.

edit:

Also I must add (and Asus gets angry with me how often I bring this up...), I'd always stick with a Corsair PSU. There is no gamble with their PSUs, they have terrific build quality and superb reliability. With the expense of the components you purchase for me it is only logical to not skimp on cost on the reliability of powering your PC. Asus did mention them earlier, I'm not sure if you considered them or not. - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/productlist.php?groupid=701&catid=123&subid=1084
 
The stock i5-750 has some kind of thermal compound already on the heatsink, and it works fine. That's what I'm using. But others have reported cooler temperatures than me with other compounds. I can't give you an exact value, but I'll just say probably at least 5 C.

It's also easier to clean [the already applied] paste from the heatsink before you get it all over the CPU. So if you're going to do it, do it.

Or not. If you do, then you might need rubbing alcohol. I'm not sure, I've never done it. Stuff is $1 a bottle here.
 
Ok, is one of these cool -

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-076-TR

Do I need 2 x 120mm fan then? (+the extra one for case)

Couldn't find a scythe one on OC, and i might as well get it all there. For £20 extra there is a CPU watercooler, or is that overkill?

Hectic Glenn said:
Also I must add (and Asus gets angry with me how often I bring this up...), I'd always stick with a Corsair PSU. There is no gamble with their PSUs, they have terrific build quality and superb reliability. With the expense of the components you purchase for me it is only logical to not skimp on cost on the reliability of powering your PC. Asus did mention them earlier, I'm not sure if you considered them or not. - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/produc...123&subid=1084
Click to expand...

Ok, i've changed to the corsair 550w, it's a bit more money but it makes sense if they are reliable and as you say, might as well for piece of mind.
 
Ok, so here we are

pc2.jpg


Off screen is 3 x 120mm fans, some thermal paste, and a keyboard (already have a mouse).

Are we there?
 
Looks sweet to me! I have nothing to add that you haven't already heard, and you've made all the changes anyways.

Good luck!
 
Looks good.

Glenn, you know I like Corsair units (have 2 of them myself...).

TBH you don't need a different cooler than the Intel one unless you don't like fan noise. A big heavy cooler with a 120mm fan will let you set the fan to a lower speed. Of course then you would need the thermal compound if it doesn't come with. AS5 is good, so is MX-2. That thermalright unit you linked to is like 2nd best of all the HS+fans but also cost a lot compared to some that do pretty well. It's too bad that site doesn't sell a Mugen 2 as they cost like half as much and do a similar job.

Ya know, you could pick any case that fits a 5850 if you don't plan on buying the most expensive card on the market at any time. As long as you stay south of the card at the top of the totem pole the card length will be pretty standard.
 
I think that heatsink is hilarious overkill if you're not going to PUSH IT TO THE LIMIT.

I would just use the stock fan and cooler and save money.
 
VirusType2 said:
I think that heatsink is hilarious overkill if you're not going to PUSH IT TO THE LIMIT.

I would just use the stock fan and cooler and save money.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking the same now too, £45 for something i don't even need.

I think i'll take it out, and if i do want to OC a year or two in the future, get one then.
 
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