New gaming build, input wanted

[the_builder]

Going to get a new rig at last. Currently the specs are i7 930, 6GB Corsair 1.5V DDR3 RAM, Samsung Syncmaster 2233RZ monitor, Asus 460 1GB, with motherboard, hard drive (looking for a good 7200rpm 1TB), case and PSU undecided.

So basically, need input on the latter 4 items, and a specific model for the RAM. I'm in Sweden so the optimal build for most people might not make sense here due to prices, availability etc. One thing I've been told is to get a Sandy Bridge CPU. Not sure about that.

 

[iceclock]

the cpu u have is good, but that graphic card is alright, id get a 6850 ati or a 5870 ati 1 gig, depends on what ur budget is , OCZ StealthXStream 2 700W ps

Antec Three Hundred Mini Tower Gaming Case 300 ,


G.SKILL F3-12800CL9T-6GBNQ 6GB DDR3 3X2GB DDR3-1600 memory

Western Digital Caviar Black 640GB SATA3 6GB/S 7200RPM 64MB


and get a ssd like this one if ud likemore performance for ur apps that get accessed

faster and so on

Corsair Force Series 120GB 2.5IN SATA2 Solid State Disk Flash Drive SSD
cheers

 

[the_builder]

Sounds pretty good. I'll stick with the 460 but that case and HDD seem nice enough. Think I'm gonna let the SSD tech mature a bit more.

Been doing some reading and Sandy Bridge seems like a very good deal. If they'll ship to Sweden on a reasonable schedule, I'll probably get one of those, with a corresponding mobo.

There's also a Corsair RAM model called Vengeance (6GB DDR3 1600Mhz). Might be nice?

 

[geofelt]

1) For gaming, spend a lot of your budget on a great graphics card. I think a GTX460 is a bit weak for a 1920 x 1200 monitor, but perhaps OK for the smaller monitor you picked. Look for a GTX480 or GTX580 if you might game at 1920P. It might pay to wait to later in December for the amd 69xx response to nvidia.

A monitor is one thing you will keep for several generations, and you will look at it every day. Get a good one, perhaps a 24" 1920 x 1200 unit.

2) To pick compatible ram, use the ram vendor's configurator. Enter your motherboard, and get a list of ram kits that they support on that motherboard.
Do not spend much extra on faster ram, or better timings. They look good in synthetic benchmarks, but the impact on FPS will be in the 1-3% range.
Better to get 6 or 8gb: http://www.corsair.com/_appnotes/AN902_8GB_or_More_of_System_RAM.pdf

3) Get a quality psu. My short list of quality units includes: Seasonic, Antec, Corsair, PC P&C, and XFX for starters. Size the psu by getting one with enough 6 and 8 pin pci-e connectors for all anticipated graphics cards. This will usually be a 600-700w unit for one card, and a750-850w unit for two.

4) Get a case you love. As long as it has two 120mm intake fans, or one 140mm intake at least, you will get adequate cooling.

5) If your need is not urgent, I would wait for Jan 9 sandy bridge availability. A test with an early sample of a mid range cpu showes it to be comparable in gaming with the i7-980X. Read about it here:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/3871/the-sandy-bridge-preview-three-wins-in-a-row/11

6) I love the SSD. See if you can't fit even a small 40gb unit in you budget for the OS and apps. It makes everything feel so much quicker.

 

[the_builder]

Thanks for your reply, geo. Since I might indeed wait for Sandy Bridge, maybe I'll take a look at the GTX 580 (or 560?). I'm used to a 19" CRT so I think I'll be OK with a 22".

I was told to go for dual channel, which means 2x4 GB instead of 3x2. There's a Corsair 2x4 called Vengeance.

Apparently different PSU models use different manufacturers, even from the same designer (e.g. Corsair or Seasonic), and that I should look up which ones use the good manufacturers.

 

[doive1231]

Is the Sandy Bridge CPU going to be good value if the multiplier and front side bus (possibly?) is locked? An unlocked 1136 or 1156 could be much better value.

 

[geofelt]

Is the Sandy Bridge CPU going to be good value if the multiplier and front side bus (possibly?) is locked? An unlocked 1136 or 1156 could be much better value.

If the retail markup is reasonable(over $216), the 2500K with it's unlocked multiplier will be the cpu of choice for gamers.

 

[iceclock]

indeed, for its price to performance ratio, it hits the sweet spot