Building a Pc, Need Help

NomNom

NomNom

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Hey guys

I am helping a friend build a new PC and I need some suggestions please. This is what I have so far:

Motherboard:
R1899
MSI P67A-GD65 LGA1155 ATX B3 Revision Motherboard - Retail
http://www.wootware.co.za/msi-p67a-gd65-lga1155-atx-b3-revision-motherboard-retail.html

CPU:
R2927
Intel Core i7-2600K 3.4GHz LGA1155 32nm Quad-Core - Retail
http://www.wootware.co.za/intel-core-i7-2600k-3-4ghz-lga1155-32nm-quad-core-retail.html

Ram:
R947
G.Skill F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL 2X4GB DDR3-1600 Ripjaws X - Desktop Memory
http://www.wootware.co.za/g-skill-f3-12800cl9d-8gbxl-2x4gb-ddr3-1600-ripjaws-x-desktop-memory.html

Graphics Card: ? ? ? ? ?


This rig will be purely for gaming, he is not getting a new case(Coolermaster HAF X) or PSU(Coolermaster 650w), HDD or DVD-ROM.

His budget is max 8k, suggestions please. :)
 
Ummm sounds good so far... But let me add, a 650w power supply will not be enough, you could start to see problems occur. I have 750w in my PC and that is nowhere near enough and I have a PC spec just below the one you are telling us about. If the computer is purely for gaming that means you would wana grab a nice GFX card. Most good spec GFX cards need there own power supply to run (I am joking but they need a lot of power). I would suggest going 800w maybe 900w. And make sure the case he already has, has lots of breathing room. Good luck.
 
Can drop the 2600K down to 2500K. Pure gaming nobody is going to notice the difference and its R1000 cheaper.
RAM you dont need more than 4GB right now, but RAM prices have dropped so much these last few weeks that I guess you might as well go for 8GB
650W will be more than enough for ANY single GPU configuration.
So that leaves you with R3000 for a GPU, which is just perfect for a HD6950 that your friend can unlock to a HD6970 :D You'll actually have R500 to spare, which if your buying from wootware, will easily cover the shipping costs
 
LeroyHarr said:
Ummm sounds good so far... But let me add, a 650w power supply will not be enough, you could start to see problems occur. I have 750w in my PC and that is nowhere near enough and I have a PC spec just below the one you are telling us about. If the computer is purely for gaming that means you would wana grab a nice GFX card. Most good spec GFX cards need there own power supply to run (I am joking but they need a lot of power). I would suggest going 800w maybe 900w. And make sure the case he already has, has lots of breathing room. Good luck.
Click to expand...

lol dude 650w is more than enough, I have the same PSU he has :) and you should Google HAF x, I'm sure it's enough space :D

Archer said:
Can drop the 2600K down to 2500K. Pure gaming nobody is going to notice the difference and its R1000 cheaper.
RAM you dont need more than 4GB right now, but RAM prices have dropped so much these last few weeks that I guess you might as well go for 8GB
650W will be more than enough for ANY single GPU configuration.
So that leaves you with R3000 for a GPU, which is just perfect for a HD6950 that your friend can unlock to a HD6970 :D You'll actually have R500 to spare, which if your buying from Wootware, will easily cover the shipping costs
Click to expand...

Thank you Archer you always post very useful help. :) will take your recommendations into account.

Does unlocking the GPU void the warranty? and will the unlocking work for this MSI one: http://www.wootware.co.za/msi-radeon-hd6950-2gb-pci-e-graphics-card-retail.html
 
I'd suggest something like the following:
i5 2500K ~ R2k
Asus P8P67-M ~ R1.4k
2x 4GB DDR3 1333/1600MHz RAM ~ R1k
Gigabyte GTX 560 Ti 1GB OC - at Take2 for R2532
G-Skill Phoenix 60GB SSD ~ R1300

If he has a Coolermaster GX 650W or better PSU, and don't like the idea of a SSD, then he can always try to get his hands on the Asus GTX 580 for like R4300 from PointIT - which has a special till end of March.
 
I'd take a 6950 as a GFX card.

LeroyHarr said:
Ummm sounds good so far... But let me add, a 650w power supply will not be enough, you could start to see problems occur. I have 750w in my PC and that is nowhere near enough and I have a PC spec just below the one you are telling us about. If the computer is purely for gaming that means you would wana grab a nice GFX card. Most good spec GFX cards need there own power supply to run (I am joking but they need a lot of power). I would suggest going 800w maybe 900w. And make sure the case he already has, has lots of breathing room. Good luck.
Click to expand...

Then you have a crap power supply. You can't go on wattage alaone. You get some 400watt power supplies that give more power than other 720watt units.
 
Pada said:
I'd suggest something like the following:
i5 2500K ~ R2k
Asus P8P67-M ~ R1.4k
2x 4GB DDR3 1333/1600MHz RAM ~ R1k
Gigabyte GTX 560 Ti 1GB OC - at Take2 for R2532
G-Skill Phoenix 60GB SSD ~ R1300

If he has a Coolermaster GX 650W or better PSU, and don't like the idea of a SSD, then he can always try to get his hands on the Asus GTX 580 for like R4300 from PointIT - which has a special till end of March.
Click to expand...

why would you choose the Asus mobo over the MSI? and he's pretty keen for the AMD 6950 graphics card hey.

Archer said:
No it does not. The card has a dual bios switch, so even if you stuff something up you just flick the switch back to default and you're good to go again. I would go for the VTX3D one though at R2500
Click to expand...

why would you choose the VTX3D over the MSI? I see the VTX3D 6950 requires a min of 500w PSU, hmm maybe I should get him a more powerful PSU..

Qwikslver said:
I'd take a 6950 as a GFX card.
Click to expand...

yeah thanks going for it.
 
Last edited:
NomNom said:
why would you choose the VTX3D over the MSI? I see the VTX3D 6950 requires a min of 500w PSU, hmm maybe I should get him a more powerful PSU..
Click to expand...

Its the recommended minimum supply for your entire system. Would go VTX3D since they both the same cards, and VTX is cheaper.

HD6970 = 200W iirc (taking this value cause I assume you'll unlock it)
CPU = 100W
Mobo = 50W
HDDs = 5W each

Total draw = max 400W with everything going flat out
 
Last edited:
Archer said:
Its the recommended minimum supply for your entire system. Would go VTX3D since they both the same cards, and VTX is cheaper.

HD6970 = 200W iirc (taking this value cause I assume you'll unlock it)
CPU = 100W
Mobo = 50W
HDDs = 5W each

Total draw = max 400W with everything going flat out
Click to expand...

cool thanks, will change to the VTX3D then :)
 
Rudimental said:
Looks good. I only have 1 suggestion that no-one else has mentioned:

CPU Heatsink/Fan
R302
CoolerMaster Hyper 212 Plus, RR-CCH-LB12-GP, Aluminium Base + Fin
http://www.wootware.co.za/coolermaster-hyper-212-plus-rr-cch-lb12-gp-aluminium-base-fin.html
Click to expand...

Definitely this, or something similar. Stock coolers are generally inefficient and loud.

Build looks good otherwise.

Its amazing to think, I built my PC a year ago, and if I spent the same amount of money today, I could get a 50% faster GPU and twice as much RAM. Not that the hardware requirements for games have kept pace with that development. I'm not sure whether thats a good thing or a bad thing.
 
Ancalagon said:
Definitely this, or something similar. Stock coolers are generally inefficient and loud.

Build looks good otherwise.

Its amazing to think, I built my PC a year ago, and if I spent the same amount of money today, I could get a 50% faster GPU and twice as much RAM. Not that the hardware requirements for games have kept pace with that development. I'm not sure whether thats a good thing or a bad thing.
Click to expand...

Ok if you guys recommend I get it I will, yeah it's amazing how technology evolves like that :D

This is what it's looking like so far:

Motherboard:
R2010.05
Asus P8P67 Pro LGA1155 DDR3 (New B3 Sandybridge) SLI/CrossFireX
http://www.prophecy.co.za/asus-p8p67-lga1155-ddr3-sandybridge-slicrossfirex-p-90608.html

CPU:
R1,944
Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz LGA1155 32nm Quad-Core - Retail
http://www.wootware.co.za/intel-core-i5-2500k-3-3ghz-lga1155-32nm-quad-core-retail.html

CPU Cooler:
R302
CoolerMaster Hyper 212 Plus, RR-CCH-LB12-GP, Aluminium Base + Fin
http://www.wootware.co.za/coolermaster-hyper-212-plus-rr-cch-lb12-gp-aluminium-base-fin.html

Ram:
R947
G.Skill F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL 2X4GB DDR3-1600 Ripjaws X - Desktop Memory
http://www.wootware.co.za/g-skill-f3-12800cl9d-8gbxl-2x4gb-ddr3-1600-ripjaws-x-desktop-memory.html

Graphics Card:
R2,499
VTX3D Radeon HD6950 2GB PCI-E Graphics Card - Retail
http://www.wootware.co.za/vtx3d-radeon-hd6950-2gb-pci-e-graphics-card-retail.html

Total:
R7702.05+R59=R7761.05
 
Last edited:
Rudimental said:
Looks good. I only have 1 suggestion that no-one else has mentioned:

CPU Heatsink/Fan
R302
CoolerMaster Hyper 212 Plus, RR-CCH-LB12-GP, Aluminium Base + Fin
http://www.wootware.co.za/coolermaster-hyper-212-plus-rr-cch-lb12-gp-aluminium-base-fin.html
Click to expand...

+1 to this.

I have a CM Hyper 212 plus and it really is a fantastic cooler!

I dropped my idle temps on my i5-760 to ~25deg C and load temps using a stress tester (heavyload) to ~ 42deg C, which is a good ~20deg C drop :)

Even now, overclocked to 3800mhz, it runs cooler than with the stock cooler without any overclocking :D
 
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