Hi all, long time since I've posted on a forum of any kind, but everyone here seems very well informed so I hope you can help me. I've built a fair few computers but it was so long ago that C2D was just about to hit the market and AMD was still on top. I've been using laptops for the past few years but I now miss the reliability and power of a desktop. I started a new job a couple of months ago and now have the finances for a new computer. Budget: £1000 +/- £200 Main uses of intended build: I'm a mechanical engineer so I want to use CAD software (namely SolidWorks if that affects anything) and MatLab. I'd like to get into gaming a bit more, particular old favourites are C&C series and battlefield 2. I'd quite like to be able to smoothly play the new Fall Out and Civ game. Software development (Java, C and C#) Office, Web etc Parts required: Everything bar hard drives, I've got stacks of the things. Monitor resolution: Monitor needs to be purchased. Will you be overclocking: Depends, I've yet to find a conclusive guide to overclocking, lots of the guides assume too much or too little knowledge and it shoots over my head a little, (I'm guessing this means I shouldn't be overclocking?). Extra information about desired system: I want it to be fast essentially, so I need a bit of advice on OSs, I've dual booted in the past and enjoyed the speed of Ubuntu, hated using OpenOffice though so I've reverted back to Windows Vista which runs fine for me if a little laggy while loading up. Windows 7 worth shelling out for? What I've got so far: M'board:Asus P7P55D-E PRO Intel P55 Express 1156 Motherboard Scan Link CPU: I5-760 Scan Link + Akasa Cooler RAM: At the moment my intention is to buy the cheapest available 4gb DDR3 1600MHz available when I place the order. Its also an area I need advice on. Is 4gb enough? Should I be looking at 8 gb? Speeds? Ram is an area that I never paid too much attention to in the past, but after some research it seems its much more crucial nowadays to get a suitable speed to go with the processor? Graphics Card: XFX HD 5870 XXX AMD / ATI Graphics Card - 1GB Scan Link Is this overkill? After reading a lot on this site and on tomshardware it seems that its not always the graphics card holding the machine back, often it can be the processor. Would this be the case with this combination. I tried to compare rig tests and scores but there is such an overwhelming amount of data out there I figured it'd be better to ask some people with more upto date knowledge. Case:Antec P183 + PSU Scan Link Is the PSU that comes with this any good? Monitor: As far as I see it, I don't want to have to purchase another monitor for a long long time so I'm prepared to go a bit beyond what might be considered a sensible amount to spend. I think anything above 24" seems complete overkill, I've got a nice big tele which I intend to hook up for watching movies and the like. At the moment this is what I'm considering Dell Ultrasharp U2311H Widescreen LCD, 1920x1080, IPS panel, DVI, HDCP, Displayport, U2311H, can I get as good monitor from other brands or are dell still above and beyond in terms of quality, do dead pixels still haunt new monitor buyers? (I tried to find a 2010 monitors buying guide but there was nothing from a source I'd consider to be reliable). Anything I've forgotten? I've got a DVD writer and hard drives, are sound cards in motherboards still OK for non audiophiles? Total price at the moment comes to £1022 so there is some room either way. Any ideas or thoughts you could give me would be ace.
Is it exclusive programming, or do you draw icons/images webpage design to link everything together? This is important to know. For the best experience, multi-tasking and performance, using Windows 7 64-bit is the ideal choice. Here is a detail comparison table between edition (your choices: Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate. Unlike Vista, each edition is based on the other. So the Pro version has allllll the features of Home Premium without exception) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_7_editions#Comparison_chart I don't suggest you do so. I had my experience with value RAM, and they are ALWAYS without exception problematic (even RAM that burned and broke my motherboard RAM slot). Get proper memory from brands like Corsair or G.Skill. Low timings is also welcomed in gaming (and also very welcomed in video/audio montage/editing/encoding/rendering) 4GB of RAM should be enough. If you need more you can buy later on an additional 4GB/ 1600MHz is ideal for a gaming PC. You don't need as much speed for what you do, but as you plan to play games, and maybe more demanding games, it is best to have the door open (not having a bottleneck). For the current game selection, it is. But if you work on large scale CAD projects, or playing more demanding games such as Modern Warfare 2, Starcraft 2, etc.. at max max max settings, then no. If you work a lot with large scale CAD projects, then I recommend a Quadro GPU, as it's designed and optimized for CAD features and includes additional features ideal for CAD (useless in gaming). The cards a lot more expensive, but they are also designed to run under intense heat for very long time all by lasting very long, and features ECC memory. If not, then a Geforce or Radeon card like you picked is fine. It's a low end PSU. (not to be confused with cheap/crap PSU's... it's not) I suggest Antec Neo series, or Corsair HX Pro or AX series (and if you must due to budget TX series) or Seasonic PSU's (Corsair PSU's are made by Seasonic or CWT depending on the model.. Seasonic are currently one of the best PSU manufacture around, hence why they are not cheap.) Size is not for movies (well it is if you plan to play HD content on your computer), but it's for the work area. Hence why your TV resolution is just 1920x1080, while 30inch computer monitor is 2560 x 1600 easy. I play a lot of games, I enjoy 1080p content, I draw and design my program interfaces (including icons), do websites reflecting my personal projects (despite not being a web page designer). And I enjoy.. no.. I LOVE colors. Our eyes can see several billion colors, I tend to use some of them on everyday when I am on the computer. So I selected an IPS panel for true 8-bit colors per channel, wide view angle, nothing glossy so I can focus on my work.. I picked the very popular, best for your money (including build quality), Dell U2410. If you plan to just be in-front of a white screen with codes of line, any ultra low end display will do, but you want beautiful colors, descent monitor, you have to go with an IPS or PVA panel. I invite you to check out my posts on monitor advice that I provided on this forum several time to understand at an overview all the different panel technology with their up's and down's. http://forums.bit-tech.net/showpost.php?p=2433075&postcount=6 http://forums.bit-tech.net/showpost.php?p=2413874&postcount=3 http://forums.bit-tech.net/showpost.php?p=2414259&postcount=5 Ah, well I see you found something and know what you are looking for. This monitor is a great selection. The U2410 is a bit better in the sense that you can plug virtually anything, slightly better light spreading, and features 2 pre-calibrated color profiles done for you: Adobe RGB and sRGB. For the rest of your computer, I suggest to check out this thread which is similar build then what you have. http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=196982
Mobo looks good CPU looks good RAM looks good if u get 4GB (2x2GB) 1600MHz sticks. Also 4GB is enough. Graphics you might as well go with the 6870 or 6850 since they're the next gen if you're gonna get the 5870 . That case you linked us to on scan doesn't come with a psu. It's compatible with a psu but you need to buy your own . I'd suggest a corsair psu @ about 500W for your build. Where's the CPU cooler? That monitor looks fine. Here's a very good intro to overclocking guide: I used this myself I'd go with windows 7 x64 unless you like linux. edit: dang it bytes beat me to it
Well that is not true... You better the U.K prices, so if you see there is room, you can talk about a descent sound card and speakers. Also the topic of keyboard and mouse was not talked about.
Thanks for the input so far. "Is it exclusive programming, or do you draw icons/images webpage design to link everything together? This is important to know." I do like to dabble in a bit of web design occasionaly. So a decent resolution will make a very nice change to the one I'm getting on my laptop currently. "Graphics you might as well go with the 6870 or 6850 since they're the next gen if you're gonna get the 5870 ." I've taken your advice and put a 6870 in there. I'm guessing its worth the £50 over the 6850. I checked out the verdict on tomshardware but it didn't make a comparison between the 5870 and the 6870, anyone know if I'm going to see a real term dip in performance? I'm probably going to be playing some new FPSs at some point; I still haven't played crysis or F.E.A.R. for that matter and would be pretty annoyed after having spent £1200 on a computer for it not to be able to run them and the majority of new games with some competency. I've made 2 updated builds one with the old graphics card one with the new. Mouse and Keyboard are just going to be temporary, replaced if and when I get annoyed with them. Anything obviously amiss? If it were your money would it be worth the extra £100 for the older card? Once again thanks for the help.
Low profile cooler? I didn't check any review or know the product but all I have in my head is: Low-profile cooler = small fan = super noisy.
The 6870 is weird because of ATI's change in naming convention. Basically instead of being an upgrade of the 5870, the 6870 is actually more of an upgrade of the 5850. In this review you can see from the gaming benchmarks that the 6870 is just a little less powerful than the 5870. While this may seem like a put off to you, just consider that even for the 5850 90ish% of games out right now are playable on full graphics with it. The 6870 has a good amount of future proofing because of this and because of the features added by ATI for their next gen. Plus, look at the compared prices of those gpus on your chart . On a different note, why are you getting W7Pro? If there is a specific reason then it's fine, but just don't waste your money because of a bad reason. Also, have you considered the OEM version of W7? I'm also not sure about that cooler. If you're looking for something cheap then I recommend the Gelid Tranquillo or Thermaltake Frio.
OEM license means that the license is tied to the motherboard. Upgrade or retail are not. If I have XP or Vista, I would purchase Win7 Upgrade instead, as you can do a clean install with it. That is what I did. I showed him the comparison chart.. so I guess he found that the Pro edition to fit his needs. I use the Pro edition. In my case, I want the advance backup features, remote desktop (very useless in accessing my files from home or work), XP Mode, and file encryption. A sfor my laptop, the needs are similar. Instead of remote desktop (as I don't need to connect to it), I use local aware printer. Great for when I switch from school, work, or my parents (mother or father) places.
http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/clean_install_upgrade_media.asp Method #1 work when you start the setup IN your old Windows and click on Custom Install (basically your telling Windows that you have the old Windows) Method #2 is doing what Method #1 does for you, but you do it manually and in Windows. This never failed on me. Method #3 is the stupid method of upgrading Win7 to Win7. Very time consuming. If you have a high-speed memory stick, you can can make an ISO image of Windows 7 (there is no copy protection on the disk), and use Microsoft USB tool (free): http://store.microsoft.com/help/iso-tool To extract the ISO on your USB key and make it boot-able, and you boot from it, and install Win7 at ridiculously fast rate. 7min for me!
I meant to add Home Premium to the basket. I was comparing price to features and ended up putting the wrong one in, as much as I'd like dynamic disks its not worth ~£50to me, my bad. And I went for retail version this time because the last time I bought OEM software it was for my parent's PC and the motherboard broke. Long story cut short, I couldn't get ahold of the same board and when I called MS to explain they demanded I buy another lisense. Don't want that to happen again. I'm still looking at reviews for coolers (first time I've really researched cooling) and will once again ask advice at that point. I think I picked the current cooler either from one of the recommended builds on here or somewhere else. Cheers for the suggestions but do you guys thing its worth spending the extra ~£10 on a thermaltake frio? it seems to score the highest on the first few pages of relevant coolers. Now lets talk cases... I remember thermaltake and antec being the goto guys for quality cases, hence why I chose the P183. I do like the look of the FractalDesign Define R3and as its a little cheaper I'm leaning towards it for now. Reviews seem generally favourable although one did mention it could be a little loud (I'm not too worried, it CANNOT be anywhere near as loud as this laptop on full pelt) but all in all seemed favourable. Are they a reliable company, never heard of them. Are motherboards these days better designed than a few years back? I remember replacing a powersupply on a mates PC and the two power connectors were on othersides of the board, it was stupid having this cable stretched miles over the board. It was a motherboard with inbuild graphics and the power connector seemed to connect to those if that makes any difference. The total cost it now £1209.33 including delivery. Are there still the occasional sudden price drops? and I scanned the first few pages of the forum and it looks like memory prices still fluctuate on an almost weekly basis? Once again guys thanks for the advice. Also you are a godsend Dae314 with the overclocking guide, just finished it, very interesting read, even if I don't decide to go and overclock very interesting to know the relationship between the components themselves. Cleared up a fair few misconceptions I had about the way things worked.
OEM Windows 7 is not always tied to the motherboard. It just means that it is not packaged in a retail way. Companies who build machines tend to buy OEM copies to install and send out with their machines. Most of which are not tied to the motherboard. I'd advise using 8GB RAM to be honest. If you plan on running some complex stuff on Matlab, you would benifit from the extra memory. CAD would also benifit from the extra memory, but would benifit more from the memory on the GFX card. As someone has already mentioned, the 6870 is more like an upgrade to the 5850, but the 6870 1GB should serve you well for some time. If you plan on overclocking the in the future, the Artic Cooler Freezer Pro is a a decent Cooler which should do the job of most overclocks. If you're looking at some extreme overclocking though, a decent Water cooling unit would be best. Here's a link to a good overclocking guide: http://www.devhardware.com/forums/showthread.php?p=567765#post567765
You are confusing with Enterprise edition (volume licensing). In such case the activation process communicated with Windows Server, which then communicates with Microsoft. In such case, it just checks that the number of licenses are not exceeding the volume allowed.
We stock OEM versions of Windows 7 which we send out with our PCs. Each machine we send to a customer has a unique key. These versions are not tied to the motherboard, but Windows 7 will detect if a major bit of hardware is changed such as the motherboard and require you to reactivate your product key, usually via phone. The old machine is then removed from the activation server and the new machine is placed on it. This what how the OEM version works which we stock for our machines as I said.
It seem to me that for that budget this CPU cooler is not a good idea, I think you hshould go for a real tower cooler, maybe a bit taller but surely more silent and cooler( havn't seen any review of your cooler but small is usually noisy and low profile mean les cooling but smaller wich you don't need in your case).
If you replace your motherboard with the same, Windows won't know. If you change your motherboard because the old one is broken and not manufactured anymore, Microsoft will accept the activation. If you upgrade your computer (where your motherboard is changed) then you need to buy a new license. They are only 2 types of OEM licenses.. the standard OEM that I mentioned above, and the special one for big computer builders like HP, Dell, etc.. where it checks the BIOS to see if it's from the manufacture. Like, what I am trying to say, is that if you a Dell Win7 disk, it will work fine on any Dell computer, but not somewhere else (these OEM licenses are pre-activated). I have no heard or saw any other OEM licenses.
The thermaltake Frio which I mentioned in the post after I posted the basket pictures is a tower cooler no. Review is front page of the cooling section on this site. Here
