New First Time Build Advice (BUDGET)

[13lackOut]

Hello,

I've copied the suggested layout below.

Approximate Purchase Date: 2-3weeks

Budget Range: £300-£400(cheap as possible)

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming (BF3 other recent games) and General Usage, movies etc...

Parts Not Required: I am reusing an old NZXT case and a standard SONY dvd drive. I wont require peripherals.


Preferred Website(s) for Parts: scan.co.uk, aria.co.uk, overclockers.co.uk, amazon.co.uk

Country: UK

Parts Preferences: Open

Overclocking: First Build so i'll stick to the basics

SLI or Crossfire: Crossfire possibly in the future

Monitor Resolution: 1280 x 1024

My current thoughts are between these two builds:

AMD Llano Build £354

Processor: AMD APU A8-3870K Black Edition Socket FM1 Quad Core Processor
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/amd-a8-3870k-black-edition-s-fm1-lynx-core-quad-core-30ghz-gpu-amd-radeon-hd-6550d-600mhz-100w-retai

Motherboard: Asus F1A75-M PRO AMD A75 Socket FM1
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/asus-f1a75-m-pro-amd-a75-s-fm1-ddr3-sata-iii-6gb-s-raid-sata-pcie-20-(x16)-graphics-on-board-micro-a

Graphics: XFX HD 6770 AMD Radeon Graphics Card - 1GB
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/1gb-xfx-hd-6770-pcie-21-(x16)-4800mhz-gddr5-gpu-850mhz-800-cores-2x-dual-link-dvi-i-mini-hdmi

Power Supply: OCZ ZS Series 550W 80 Plus Bronze Power Supply
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/550w-psu-ocz-technology-zs-series-ocz-zs550w-uk-86-eff-80-plus-bronze-sli-crossfire-eps-12v-queit-fa

Hard Drive: 500GB HN-M500MBB Samsung Spinpoint M8 Hard Drive - HDD
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/500gb-samsung-hn-m500mbb-spinpoint-m8-25-hdd-95-mm-sata-ii-3gb-s-5400rpm-8mb-cache-12ms

RAM: Corsair Memory XMS3 8GB DDR3 1333 Mhz CAS 9 Dual Channel
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/8gb-(2x4gb)-corsair-ddr3-xms3-pc3-10600-(1333)-non-ecc-unbuffered-cas-9-9-9-24-150v

CPU FAN: Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro CPU Cooler
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/arctic-cooling-freezer-7-pro-v2-s775-1155-1156-1366-am3-am2plus-am2-939-up-to-130-watts

AMD Phenom Build £386

Processor: AMD Phenom II X4 Quad Core 960T Black Edition 95W Edition 3.00GHz
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/CPUs+%2F+Processors/AMD+Phenom+II/AMD+Phenom+II+X4+Quad+Core+960T+Black+Edition+95W+Edition+3.00GHz+%28Socket+AM3%29+Processor+?productId=47177

Graphics: VTX ATI Radeon HD 6870 1024MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card
http://www.aria.co.uk/SuperSpecials/Other+products/VTX+ATI+Radeon+HD+6870+1024MB+GDDR5+PCI-Express+Graphics+Card+?productId=46560

Motherboard: ASUS M5A97 PRO AMD 970A (Socket AM3+) DDR3 PCI-Express ATX Motherboard
http://www.aria.co.uk/SuperSpecials/Other+products/ASUS+M5A97+PRO+AMD+970A+%28Socket+AM3%2B%29+DDR3+PCI-Express+ATX+Motherboard+?productId=44770

Power Supply: 450W XFX Core Edition 80PLUS Bronze Power Supply
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Power+Supplies/650W+or+less/450W+XFX+Core+Edition+80PLUS+Bronze+Power+Supply+%28Seasonic+OEM%29+?productId=45329

Hard Drive:500GB Western Digital Caviar Blue WD5000AAKX 3.5" SATA III Hard Drive
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Hard+Drives/SATA+%28Serial+ATA%29/500GB+to+1TB/500GB+Western+Digital+Caviar+Blue+WD5000AAKX+3.5%22+SATA+III+Hard+Drive+?productId=43780

RAM: 8GB Corsair XMS3 (2x4GB) DDR3 PC3-10666C9 1333MHz 1.5v Dual Channel
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Memory/DDR3/Dual+Channel+1333MHz/8GB+Corsair+XMS3+%282x4GB%29+DDR3+PC3-10666C9+1333MHz+1.5v+Dual+Channel+Kit+-+CMX8GX3M2A1333C9+?productId=45516

CPU FAN: Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 PRO Rev.2
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Cooling/CPU+Coolers/Arctic+Cooling+Freezer+7+PRO+Rev.2+?productId=20729

This is the first time I've done this so I'm open to all feed back and i've probably gotten things wrong. Is it worth going for an intel i3 build instead? any changes I could make to improve or cheapen the build? take into account im trying to keep it as cheap as possible.

additionally would it be worth going for the AMD FX Bulldoser on the second build? Are either of these systems upgradeable in the future?

It's my first build so i'd like parts that are easy to fit are any of these components exceptions to that?

any help is appreciated

thanks,

Nick

 

[9_breaker]

the second build is the best for gaming . if youre going to cf get a bigger psu e.g

http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Power+Supplies/650W+or+less/600W+Corsair+Builder+Series+600CX+V2+Power+Supply+?productId=44572

the minimum for a 6870 is 500w but it might be possible.

 

[13lackOut]

Thanks for the help, is it worth getting the 80plus PSUs? or does that not make much difference

 

[9_breaker]

its more efficient so you'll save some money in the long run . the one i suggested is 80plus

 

[13lackOut]

Is this system fairly simple to put together?

 

[13lackOut]

additionally are there any things I should change in order to improve gaming?

 

[9_breaker]

Is this system fairly simple to put together?

nearly all systems are , all you need is a non magnetic screw driver . except for water cooling loops and things like that

 

[9_breaker]

additionally are there any things I should change in order to improve gaming?

everything's fine

 

[kilerp00n10]

nearly all systems are , all you need is a non magnetic screw driver . except for water cooling loops and things like that

I would also advise wearing an anti-static wrist band. There on amazon for £4

 

[9_breaker]

o yeh i forgot about those . but if you cant get one all you need to do is hold you case.

 

[kilerp00n10]

Hello,

I've copied the suggested layout below.

Approximate Purchase Date: 2-3weeks

Budget Range: £300-£400(cheap as possible)

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming (BF3 other recent games) and General Usage, movies etc...

Parts Not Required: I am reusing an old NZXT case and a standard SONY dvd drive. I wont require peripherals.


Preferred Website(s) for Parts: scan.co.uk, aria.co.uk, overclockers.co.uk, amazon.co.uk

Country: UK

Parts Preferences: Open

Overclocking: First Build so i'll stick to the basics

SLI or Crossfire: Crossfire possibly in the future

Monitor Resolution: 1280 x 1024

My current thoughts are between these two builds:

AMD Llano Build £354

Processor: AMD APU A8-3870K Black Edition Socket FM1 Quad Core Processor
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/amd-a8-3870k-black-edition-s-fm1-lynx-core-quad-core-30ghz-gpu-amd-radeon-hd-6550d-600mhz-100w-retai

Motherboard: Asus F1A75-M PRO AMD A75 Socket FM1
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/asus-f1a75-m-pro-amd-a75-s-fm1-ddr3-sata-iii-6gb-s-raid-sata-pcie-20-(x16)-graphics-on-board-micro-a

Graphics: XFX HD 6770 AMD Radeon Graphics Card - 1GB
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/1gb-xfx-hd-6770-pcie-21-(x16)-4800mhz-gddr5-gpu-850mhz-800-cores-2x-dual-link-dvi-i-mini-hdmi

Power Supply: OCZ ZS Series 550W 80 Plus Bronze Power Supply
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/550w-psu-ocz-technology-zs-series-ocz-zs550w-uk-86-eff-80-plus-bronze-sli-crossfire-eps-12v-queit-fa

Hard Drive: 500GB HN-M500MBB Samsung Spinpoint M8 Hard Drive - HDD
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/500gb-samsung-hn-m500mbb-spinpoint-m8-25-hdd-95-mm-sata-ii-3gb-s-5400rpm-8mb-cache-12ms

RAM: Corsair Memory XMS3 8GB DDR3 1333 Mhz CAS 9 Dual Channel
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/8gb-(2x4gb)-corsair-ddr3-xms3-pc3-10600-(1333)-non-ecc-unbuffered-cas-9-9-9-24-150v

CPU FAN: Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro CPU Cooler
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/arctic-cooling-freezer-7-pro-v2-s775-1155-1156-1366-am3-am2plus-am2-939-up-to-130-watts

AMD Phenom Build £386

Processor: AMD Phenom II X4 Quad Core 960T Black Edition 95W Edition 3.00GHz
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/CPUs+%2F+Processors/AMD+Phenom+II/AMD+Phenom+II+X4+Quad+Core+960T+Black+Edition+95W+Edition+3.00GHz+%28Socket+AM3%29+Processor+?productId=47177

Graphics: VTX ATI Radeon HD 6870 1024MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card
http://www.aria.co.uk/SuperSpecials/Other+products/VTX+ATI+Radeon+HD+6870+1024MB+GDDR5+PCI-Express+Graphics+Card+?productId=46560

Motherboard: ASUS M5A97 PRO AMD 970A (Socket AM3+) DDR3 PCI-Express ATX Motherboard
http://www.aria.co.uk/SuperSpecials/Other+products/ASUS+M5A97+PRO+AMD+970A+%28Socket+AM3%2B%29+DDR3+PCI-Express+ATX+Motherboard+?productId=44770

Power Supply: 450W XFX Core Edition 80PLUS Bronze Power Supply
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Power+Supplies/650W+or+less/450W+XFX+Core+Edition+80PLUS+Bronze+Power+Supply+%28Seasonic+OEM%29+?productId=45329

Hard Drive:500GB Western Digital Caviar Blue WD5000AAKX 3.5" SATA III Hard Drive
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Hard+Drives/SATA+%28Serial+ATA%29/500GB+to+1TB/500GB+Western+Digital+Caviar+Blue+WD5000AAKX+3.5%22+SATA+III+Hard+Drive+?productId=43780

RAM: 8GB Corsair XMS3 (2x4GB) DDR3 PC3-10666C9 1333MHz 1.5v Dual Channel
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Memory/DDR3/Dual+Channel+1333MHz/8GB+Corsair+XMS3+%282x4GB%29+DDR3+PC3-10666C9+1333MHz+1.5v+Dual+Channel+Kit+-+CMX8GX3M2A1333C9+?productId=45516

CPU FAN: Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 PRO Rev.2
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Cooling/CPU+Coolers/Arctic+Cooling+Freezer+7+PRO+Rev.2+?productId=20729

This is the first time I've done this so I'm open to all feed back and i've probably gotten things wrong. Is it worth going for an intel i3 build instead? any changes I could make to improve or cheapen the build? take into account im trying to keep it as cheap as possible.

additionally would it be worth going for the AMD FX Bulldoser on the second build? Are either of these systems upgradeable in the future?

It's my first build so i'd like parts that are easy to fit are any of these components exceptions to that?

any help is appreciated

thanks,

Nick

How did you get £386 for the Phenom build when i put all the items into the basket it came at £490