Seeking advice on self-built PC

[rinkjames]

Approximate Purchase Date: Within the next week or so.

Budget Range: 10 000 to 12 000 South African Rand (so about $1250 to $1500, though I'm not sure how helpful that is)

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Playing games, surround sound, internet.

Parts Not Required: I already have a wireless mouse and keyboard, 5.1 speaker system that decodes dolby and dts, a 40inch LCD screen, and I also have an X-fi Xtrememusic sound card.

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: http://rebeltech.co.za

Country: South Africa (Cape Town)

Parts Preferences: I prefer Intel and Nvidia

Overclocking: I'll overclock the CPU, but not sure about the GPU.

SLI or Crossfire: No (only at a much later stage if at all)

Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080

Additional Comments: I don't really like super-fancy cases that flash like Christmas trees.


Hi
I've never done this before but I'm keen to finally get a decent gaming PC that will last me a while. This is what I've come up with so far (note that everything is is South African Rands):

CASE: Cooler Master Silencio 550
R780,00
1 year warranty
Cool. (Ha, pun.)
http://www.takealot.com/electronics/cooler-master-silencio-550,10805880

PSU: Antec HCG ( High Current Gamer ) 620w ( 12v : 576w )
R837,50
3 year warranty
http://rebeltech.co.za/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=39_85&products_id=1498

CPU: Intel Core i5 2500K
R2191,40
3 year warranty
I intend to OC to 4.5GHz
http://rebeltech.co.za/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=251_252_255&products_id=5702

CPU COOLING: Coolermaster Hyper 212 Evo
R331,88
1 year warranty
Apparently this is sufficient?
http://rebeltech.co.za/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_90&products_id=9136

MB: Asus P8P67 Evo
R2083,57
3 year warranty
...
http://rebeltech.co.za/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=25_31_259&products_id=6455

RAM: Corsair Vengeance 4Gb - ddr3-1600 [x2]
R280,36 x2 = R560,72
Limited lifetime warranty
...
http://rebeltech.co.za/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3_4_10&products_id=153

GPU: MSI nVidia GeForce N570 GTX Twin Frozr III Power Edition/OC
R3 799,00
3 year warranty
This online store has free shipping at the moment. Is this a good brand of the gtx 570?
http://www.takealot.com/electronics...twin-frozr-iii-power-edition-oc-1-2gb,9759205

HDD: Seagate Barracuda 500gb, Sata6G, 7200rpm, 16mb cache
R855,00
2 year warranty
Getting it for special price and I don't really need tons of HDD space. I have externals.
http://rebeltech.co.za/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70_233_235&products_id=8702

DVD: Liteon - iHAS524-T32 B - 24 Speed DVD Super All-Write - SATA
R165,41
1 year warranty
...
http://rebeltech.co.za/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=75_77&products_id=6084

With shipping, the total comes to about R11 700 (so about $1460). I do not want to go beyond R12K - I'd rather stay around R11K to R11,5K. I'm really eager to hear whether this is a good setup or not.
Thanks, James

 

[Petrofsky]

All those links are broken. Somehow when you copied them, the middle part got replaced with an ellipsis (...). They work if you go to rebeltech, select an item, and cut-and-paste the "id=xxxx" from each of your parts onto the end. Please fix the links so we can look at your stuff more easily.

 

[rinkjames]

Oh. That's weird. The links work when I click on them (with ellipses). I'll try to fix them.

Edit: Oh hang on they don't work, at all... Fixed, and I changed a few things in the selection too.

 

[g-unit1111]

Pretty good selection of components for the most part.

I'd up the RAM to 8GB and maybe consider investing a little bit more for the case - if you're going with Cooler Master the HAF 912 is an excellent choice for the money.

If EVGA is available where you live I'd definitely look at them over MSI.

 

[rinkjames]

Pretty good selection of components for the most part.

I'd up the RAM to 8GB and maybe consider investing a little bit more for the case - if you're going with Cooler Master the HAF 912 is an excellent choice for the money.

If EVGA is available where you live I'd definitely look at them over MSI.

Thanks. I've edited the first post and added 2 sticks of 4GB RAM. Is vengeance necessary for gaming? If I can get cheaper RAM then maybe I can look into getting a better case.

It doesn't surprise me that you say EVGA is a better brand - they are sold out everywhere!

 

[g-unit1111]

Thanks. I've edited the first post and added 2 sticks of 4GB RAM. Is vengeance necessary for gaming? If I can get cheaper RAM then maybe I can look into getting a better case.

It doesn't surprise me that you say EVGA is a better brand - they are sold out everywhere!

Corsair is an excellent RAM maker and their Vengeance is a good line, but if you get that RAM, be sure to get the low profile version as the massive heat sinks will make installing after market coolers difficult. If you wanted other suggestions I'd highly recommend Kingston Hyper X, G.Skill, and ADATA.

And yes EVGA is the best NVIDIA maker on the market, hands down. It's pretty much all they make. If you wanted to go the Radeon route, Sapphire and XFX are the best in that area.

And this would be a much better choice for PSU: http://rebeltech.co.za/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=39_85&products_id=1464

 

[seaside_hermit]

this is almost the same computer im trying to build, and my name is also james.

WHO ARE YOU???

Parts that I have different that you may wish to consider:

G.SKill Ripjaw 2x4Gb@1600 (primarily due to the heatsink, Corsair vengence ram has a really high spreader)

EVGA version of the 570, though I think that guy ^ said the same thing

If you can find it, Ive got the Antec P180 case...thing is ridiculously silent and built like a tank =). Think you should be able to find the revisions (P183 etc).

Using a Z68 mobo will also let you use the built in graphics on the cpu, but the value of this is debateable if you have a 570 lol. might help reduce your idle power usage though with the intel graphics switcher chipset thing....cant remember the name offhand xD

edit*
cant see g.skill on your site so Corsair ram is great, just watchout for clearance for the heatsink!

link for the antec p183 v3 case: http://rebeltech.co.za/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=73_81&products_id=6996

also, would you recommend the soundcard? im looking at getting one

 

[g-unit1111]

Using a Z68 mobo will also let you use the built in graphics on the cpu, but the value of this is debateable if you have a 570 lol. might help reduce your idle power usage though with the intel graphics switcher chipset thing....cant remember the name offhand xD

Yeah - you definitely don't need built in video if you're running a 570. :lol:

Alternately you could go with a P67 - you'll lose a few features but it's still a pretty strong chipset and motherboard.

also, would you recommend the soundcard? im looking at getting one

You don't need a sound card - they're pretty worthless anymore - the built in audio on your motherboard will work perfectly fine.

If you can find it, Ive got the Antec P180 case...thing is ridiculously silent and built like a tank =). Think you should be able to find the revisions (P183 etc).

Antec cases are really solidly built but they have no cable management whatsoever. I'd recommend the Corsair Carbide or Cooler Master HAF 922 if they're available in your area.

 

[rinkjames]

Best answer selected by rinkjames.