Build Advice Mid range gamer + all rounder, advice please!! :)

Hiya,

Having played around with my first pc, its starting to get to the point where it needs bits and peices upgrading, and since I've learnt a lot since i threw some bits together 18 months ago, I think that its time to bit the bullet and completely build a new machine.

Take a look at this list, it needs to be future proof for another 18 months or so, and run Dx11 heavy games very well - Im looking at BF3, the new eldar scrolls, F1 2011, Shogun 2 all as they should be played....

so heres the list: feel free to be critical, this is more of a wish list atm. Please pull it apart, tell me what works, what doesnt, and what you would change. Im not looking to buy it for at least a month or two, so i'd like to hash out the best build, and more importantly the best deal.

THANKS

HD: Samsung 1TB FP3
DVD: Samsung SH-S223AL
Case fans:140mm + 200mm fans
Wireless Card: Cisco Linksys Wireless-N PCI Adapter
Sound Card: Asus Xonar DX PCI-E 7.1 Sound Card
CPU cooler: Corsair Hydro Series H60 High Performance
TV card: Hauppage WinTV Nova TD 500
RAM: Corsair 8GB ((2x4GB) DDR3 2000MHz XMS3 Memory Kit CL9 1.65V
SDD: OCZ 60GB Agility 3 SSD
PSU: 750W Corsair Enthusiast Series TX750M Modular
Case:NZXT Phantom Special Edition Case White with Red Stripe
MOBO: MSI P67A-GD53 (B3)
CPU: Core i5 2500k 3.3GHz
GPU: Nvdia GTX 570 1.3GB

Total: £1152.87

 

ok, ive done some reading, and chances are the ram is a little excessive?

 

Ram is fine it's only like £60 for 8gb so you may aswell.
One thing - why a 2500 and not the 2500k ? You no like overclock??

Also why tv card ? And why wireless card? Ultimate sin

Gtx 570 is great depending very much on display same as the xonar dx depends on speakers/headset.

 

What monitor and resolution are you running? I was thinking about getting a 570 too but it turns out my HD 6870 is running everything fine at max or near max on my Dell U2311H (1920 x 1080) at the moment, issue may be BF 3 but I hope there will be a new chip out by then. If you are running 1920 x 1080 too I would probably get the 570 (although the GTX 560 ti or HD 6970 would probably be fine, the HD 6950 and 6870 appear overpriced), however if your resolution is lower then the 560ti and HD6870 will smash it, the 570 is overkill.

 

And the 60gb SSD I would not like either. With my Steam install (and with SteamMover archiving the less used games to a hdd), and some programs my 256GB Crucial M4 is half full! I think when Steam downloaded Shogun 2 it nonchalantly informed me I needed 20gb disk space minimum! An M4 is fast enough and priced competitively compared to sandforce drives, I think the 128GB model would be the minimum for me.

 

If you want to OC get the k version of the i5 but if not then drop the h60 and SB runs pretty cool. Also there I no point in a soundcard unless your audio is £150+. If the main use is gaming then getting a 128gb add (crucial m4) would be more beneficial than a sound + tv card as they can be added later and don't really limit performance. Unless of course you want to watch tv on it better of wasting time playing games though

 

Hi all, thanks for the advice, i did want the K one, i just cant copy and paste well! haha.

Tv card because i dont have a tv and do watch tv though my pc a lot, and it would be nice to record stuff that i watch.

And the wireless card may be a sin, but its that or a 10m crossover cable running though the house...

Currently running 1920 x 1080. This is a build i want to be able to spent a weekend putting together, then as im working full time, not have to worry about it for at least a year.

I really really like the look of the h60, but im getting conflicting reviews online. Some say avoid like the plague, some say really good. the average temp im seeing is around 38 degrees with a clocked i5K. Is this good? bad?

So i should drop the sound card and get a bigger SDD you say? interesting. Ok sounds good, any prefences?

THANKS EVERYONE, KEEP IT COMING!

 

have the h60 with my 2600k no problems what so ever getting temps around 33 idle and 70 stressed with prime 95

 

if and when u do get a sound card i would have the creative x-fi titanium over the xonar, gaming wise its just better, and not the fatality version either, u r paying alot of extra money for a name is its just about the same card.
Deffo get a bigger SSD and looks good to me.

 

Dropping the sound card and getting a 120GB+ SSD is what I would do, definitely the K model cpu too. The 570 looks good at that resolution for at least another year (I suspect my 6870 will be going stinky before year's end).

Also I assume you will be running windows 7? Any TV card that supports Windows 7 can be used in Windows Media Center, I have not seen 3rd party software that does tv better than this software that is included as standard with Windows 7. All you need is an MCE compatible tuner (most are), so I suggest getting the cheapest one possible. I recently sold a Compro Dual Tuner for under £20 on ebay, scan have this:

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/kworld-dvbt-pc160-2t-pci-dual-digital-tv-tuner-and-capture

My mate uses it no issues, but it is PCI not PCI-E.

 

hmm. The problem comes, so i read, when you OC the 2500k up to around the 4ghz mark, something i will want to do perhaps.

Is 70 degrees too hot for a cpu?

What about all the bits? are they all compatible?

 

I've tried various coolers on my i5 2500K including a closed water loop and found that a Be Quiet Dark Rock Advanced beats it!

One thing I will mention in the air cooling Vs closed loop systems debate is that the former recovers so much faster than the latter. When the work load drops off the CPU, temperatures plummet on air but the closed loop still retains that heat for a minute or two. Also in the event of fan failure I find a tower heatsink more reassuring because it still has the capacity to dissipate the heat passively.

 

hmm. ok, ill have a look. And yeah, win 7 ultimate with media centre.

The only issue is, am i running out of PCI ports with this mobo?

Thanks again guys

 

The motherboard you listed has 2 PCI ports at the bottom.

 

The best thing to do with one if those corsair units is the replace their loud and inefficient fan and replace it with something like a scythe gentle typhoon as that will make it a lot quieter and drop temps.

A 120gb SSd makes more sense than a sound

 

In that case I would say that is all PCI slots are good for, good that you are using an otherwise useless port.

 

Tried using those Ethernet over power units. Maybe better then wireless. The best thing you could do is get a cable to the Pc. I cabled the previous house and it was great. Nas drives available via tv in bedroom and lounge.

 

Yeah the problem is in my house the router is downstairs in the study. Im upstairs at the back. It'd to come out of the study, up the stairs, hang a right, 2 m, then a left into the back of my machine. Even if im losing 10 ping to wireless (its a top of the line netgear to be fair) its probably the same with the cable, plus the labador and my mother would only trip over it etc. Wireless im afraid is a necessary evil.

I know that theres different types of PCI ports, im just worried that the smallest ones wont make the wireless/tv card work as well as the bigger ones? forgive my ignorance....

ok?

Im such a noob at times

 

No way of going through the roof? Out over a floorboard ?
Even out of the house then up side of the house then back into the room?
All it takes is a drill and some expanding foam

 

Maybe, but like i said, its about 10m of cabling that needed... Surely N wireless cant be THAT bad?