Need advice on new gaming rig

[Mclovin666]

Hello everyone, this is my first entry in this awesome community!

After many years of only having a bad laptop for normal use, I finally decided to build my own hardcore gaming pc. I'm trying to buy the best bang for the buck and future proof rig as possible. I'm also interested in future additions, like doing a Crosfire configuration and also overclooking, so these must be taken in consideration. My current budget is ~1300-1700$

I don't live on the USA, so my option is to try to find similar products that you may suggest, but these are the base ones that I have though off:

I7 2600K for Overclooking in the future
HD 6970 2G from any company
3x 4GB DDR3 1333 MHZ
1 TB WD hard drive
DVD/RW

 

[Mclovin666]

Hello everyone, this is my first entry in this awesome community!

After many years of only having a bad laptop for normal use, I finally decided to build my own hardcore gaming pc. I'm trying to buy the best bang for the buck and future proof rig as possible. I'm also interested in future additions, like doing a Crosfire configuration and also overclooking, so these must be taken in consideration. My current budget is ~1300-1700$

I don't live on the USA, so my option is to try to find similar products that you may suggest, but these are the base ones that I have though off:

I7 2600K for Overclooking in the future
HD 6970 2G from any company
3x 4GB DDR3 1333 MHZ
1 TB WD hard drive
DVD/RW burner

I don't know what MOBO should I take as I need one that is also Crossfire and Overclook compatible. Also I was wondering if a 750W PSU would be enough. Any inputs are welcome!

Thank you in advance for your help.

By accident I pressed the submit button without the whole message, and I couldn't edit my first post, so I added the info in the quote. sorry for bumping

 

[Why_Me]

You could go a bit easier with the RAM. I mean 2 sets of 2x4 gig...that should be more than enough imo.

 

[Zenthar]

Any monitor in mind? A 6970 could be overkill depending on the games and resolution you are aiming for, a single 6950 could be enough (and I heard they can be softmoded to a 6970 with a firmware flash).

Get the i5-2500K, put the 100$ you save toward an SSD like an OCZ Vertex 2 or a Crucial C300 for your OS.

For MB, get an Asus P8P67 Pro, a Gigabyte P67A-UD4 or an ASRock P67 Extreme4

For the RAM the recent Sandy Bridge CPU support dual channel memory so no need to buy 3 DIMMs kits, just get a 2x4GB kit like this one.

For the PSU, I'm not sure, 750W is probably enough for a pair of 6950, but for 6790 you better make sure it's a really good PSU or get a 850W.

 

[buzznut]

What resolution are youn planning on using. The HD 6970 is overkill for a lot of folks. Considering there are mods that can take a 6950 up to a 6970...
Unless you are playing the top titles at max settings above 1080, its a bit much. However I won't dissuade you if you want to sink your money in a high end card.

I can't imagine a scenario where you'd need 2X 6950. Unless you're interested in getting a top score in 3d mark!

 

[buzznut]

+1 SSD suggestion. You should really consider this if you want a powerful new system.

 

[Mclovin666]

Well, I'm really glad I have asked for advice, now I can really get more for my money

I really don't care about benchmarks, my main objective is to get a great pc that works excellent today and even in 3 years it will still be a great pc, so future proof is very important for me. I'm also planning to buy a 24" Full HD LG monitor BTW.

As you have suggested, this looks like my final rig:

HD6950 2GB
850W PSU
1TB HD + any SSD for the OS
Core i5 2500K 3.3Ghz
2x or 3x 4GB RAM

A few more questions that came up to my mind: aren't 3 channel MOBO better than dual channel?
Also what would a good case would you recommend for me (I would like some glass panels and maybe some light effects, but mainly a well cooled case)? Is it necessary to get extra fans?

Thanks for the input so far!

 

[Zenthar]

If you get an HD6950 a 750W PSU will be enough even if you add a second one.

For the RAM it's 2x4GB (more than enough BTW, worst case add a 2nd 2x4GB later if needed), sandy bridge does not support triple channel at all. Is triple channel better than dual channel, yes, but not by much and certainly not worth switching to an i7-9XX series CPU to get.

For the case it's really a matter of preference and budget. If you want a big case with lots of cable management and place to work plus excellent cooling, the CoolerMaster HAF X is a great choice, but it's massive and not cheap.

 

[Mclovin666]

Awesome, it just so bad that the prices are so more expensive here than the US, I'm paying almost 500$ more for the same rig

Well at least I will have the pc that I always dreamed of, thanks for helping everyone!

 

[Zenthar]

I know how you feel, I'm actually in Canada. Sometimes we even pay more for stuff made in Canada ... go figure.

 

[buzznut]

Awesome, it just so bad that the prices are so more expensive here than the US, I'm paying almost 500$ more for the same rig

Well at least I will have the pc that I always dreamed of, thanks for helping everyone!

It depends on your uses, but I agree there are very nice cases from coolermaster. Also look at Antec (300, 900, 1200), NZXT, Silverstone, and Lian Li. Look for looks obviously, but also superior cooling and wire management options. Tool-less design is nice if implemented properly, but screws work just fine. Pick the right case and you won't need any extra fans.

 

[CraigHarrison]

a 500 watt PSU is nuff for that 6950 ..I'd recommend you get that card from XFX ..I've found en to be rally good ..and fairly cheap ..and yeah ..an SSD would be a great idea ..
if you're buying online ..try www.theitdepot.com ..you from India right ..?

 

[CraigHarrison]

check out the cooler master HAF 922 ..I'm gonna be getting that one ..great case ..fairly low cost ..books good ..one of the variants comes with a transparent side panel ..its got a red led fan in the front ..and you fan attach another on the side ..totally tool less ..
Ohh and make sure you get a 64 bit OS with all of that RAM ..a regular 32 bit only recognises 3.18 gigs ..and most games don't use more then 2-3 ..opt for faster RAM ..id recommend G-Skills 1600 MHz 4 gig kits ..cheap and fast ..also win 7 home premium only recognises 16 GB ..the higher versions can use 192 gigs ..