First time building a mini itx budget gaming pc.

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TheSHoal

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Aug 26, 2013
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Hi there, I'm extremely new to building anything, but want to get into entry level gaming, and make the shift from console to pc, and thought the miniature allure of a BitFenix Prodigy case would be a good start. I have a budget of around £500-520 so I'd appreciate any help to accommodate for that. I did read the stickied threads but feel I might need more help than that, hence leaving question marks on some fields.
Here's what I've deduced so far:

Case: Prodigy Passion Red Case £69
CPU: Intel Core i5 4670K £185
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO £26
Motherboard: ?
Memory: Corsair CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9 Vengeance 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 1600 Mhz (http://tinyurl.com/k88pc5q) £58
Storage: ?
Storage: ?
Card: Possibly GTX650 2GB GDDR5 (or any graphics card around £70-100)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder Series CXM 500W Modular 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX/EPS PSU £50
Optical Drive: ?

I should mention I need an OEM Windows 7/8, and that my monitor I own is a 23" IPS 1920x1080.
Thanks for any info
 
Solution
Onus
The concept is sound, but there are a few things I'd change there. Due to thermal limitations, a mini-ITX build does not lend itself to extreme overclocking. If budget is a concern, you may want to consider a non-"K" CPU. Compared to the CPU, you've selected a relatively weak graphics card. I've heard some people say a gamer should have twice as much spent on graphics as on the CPU; I'm not sure I would necessarily go that far, but bringing them closer to parity is probably a good idea. Look for a GTX650Ti Boost Edition or HD7850 to get that balance.
The less expensive Xigmatek Gaia is superior to the more-often mentioned Hyper212 EVO:
http://www.techreaction.net/2011/07/07/review-xigmatek-gaia-sd1283/7/...
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Onus

Onus

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Jan 27, 2006
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The concept is sound, but there are a few things I'd change there. Due to thermal limitations, a mini-ITX build does not lend itself to extreme overclocking. If budget is a concern, you may want to consider a non-"K" CPU. Compared to the CPU, you've selected a relatively weak graphics card. I've heard some people say a gamer should have twice as much spent on graphics as on the CPU; I'm not sure I would necessarily go that far, but bringing them closer to parity is probably a good idea. Look for a GTX650Ti Boost Edition or HD7850 to get that balance.
The less expensive Xigmatek Gaia is superior to the more-often mentioned Hyper212 EVO:
http://www.techreaction.net/2011/07/07/review-xigmatek-gaia-sd1283/7/
http://www.techreaction.net/2011/11/27/review-cooler-master-hyper-212-plus/4/

Unlike the Hyper212 EVO (ignore the URL; it IS the EVO they tested), the Gaia never throttled, although it wasn't always the coolest depending on the fan used. Both got awards, but if you factor in the price, the Gaia wins hands down.
As to storage, I don't think your budget supports a SSD, but if you can fit a WD Black drive in there, those are the ones I like; fast, and the only consumer drive afaik to have retained a five year warranty since the Thailand floods.
For the PSU, a good 450W-500W PSU would be sufficient (even if you change the graphics card). If you get a Corsair CX, make sure you get a modular one. They're all made by CWT for Corsair, but the non-modular ones use some inferior Samxon capacitors that don't like heat and are known for early failure. I would not use one in a gamer, especially a small one where heat is likely to be an issue.
 
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T

TheSHoal

Honorable
Aug 26, 2013
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10,510


Thankyou so much for your feedback Onus. I have amended the PSU issue and found an appropriate modular 500W option. I'll have a look in to the CPU / Graphics Card points you raised and see what I can find, too. Do you have any advice on motherboards? Or could you maybe pick the best Asus Gryphon Motherboard on Amazon.co.uk for me? There are plenty and I don't know how to choose the most adequate one. Thanks again for the help.
 
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