Opinion and advice on my new system

[Kenjimagnus]

I just bought these components and was wondering if I could improve upon anything. I have a limited budget around 600-700 euros. I'm not a professional gamer but I want to be able to play some top tier games at decent resolutions so I'm trying to build an upper mid range pc. I don't use Photoshop or video editing. I'm building a system that can give me a little upgrading room in the future. Im not looking to achieve maximum fps by super overclocking but I would like a little room to learn the basics of overclocking. So without further ado ...


Cpu & Cooler- Intel i5 2500k & Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus
mobo- ASRock p67 extreme4 gen3
RAM- G.Skill Ripjaws DDR3 1333 PC3-10666 2x4GB CL9 F3-10666CL9
GPU- Sapphire Radeon HD 6870 1GB DDR5
PSU- NOX NX Series 520W
Monitor- BenQ G2420HD 24" Full HD DVI/HDMI
box- Cooler Master Elite 430

Thank you for your time.

 

[romany8806]

Some pretty solid choices there. Brilliant CPU, plucky little cooler, decent GPU and nice monitor.

My advice:
1. I'm not familiar with that PSU but at 520w it sounds like a Seasonic build, so that's good. If you're planning to crossfire you might want to add another 20% power.
2. DDR3-1600 seems to be the sweet spot for Sandy Bridge.
3. Ditch that case. The CM Elite series are mostly fairly awful with poor build quality and occasionally bad cooling. In that price range an Antec 100 or 300 is a better choice. CoolerMaster do some fantastic mid-range cases though - the CM 692 (aka 690 II) is brilliant for not much more money.
4. If you've got enough room in the budget to step up to a 6950 or 560 Ti you won't be sorry.

 

[casualbuilder]

Is that Asrock board a microATX? if so, i would encourage you to find the regular ATX model, as it will have better spacing for you to fit more hardware on. Everything else romany8806 said is very true though, especially the PSU. Do some more research about that company, and make sure they are reputable. If you aren't sure, ask here. The PSU is by far the most important piece of equipment, especially if you are building a system meant for gaming. A lot of power is used with graphics cards, and overclocked cpu. 650W would be recommended though for a more future proof build.

On that note, if you aren't planning on OC'ing your cpu, you do NOT need an aftermarket cooler, even though i still suggest it. That could save you enough money though to upgrade that gpu.

Cooler Master is a great company for cases, but i only support their HAF series. A lot of people dont like the design of it, but honestly, they perform! Mostly quiet for a near unrivaled cooling performance. You can get the 912 (No LED's) for $60, or the 922 (Red LED's) for $90.

1600 speed ram is the sweet spot, and an 8GB (2x4Gb) setup is the only things ive ever seen suggested on Tom's. Most gamers run that in their system.