My Computer Build

-Blackout-

Honorable
Mar 18, 2012
24
0
10,510
Hey.

This is the first time I have ever built my own PC, I'm not very tech savvy and I've always bought pre-built system without even knowing what I should be looking for (normally just going for the pc with the highest price), I know, it's stupid, my friends have always been advising me to build my own PC, saying that it is a hell of a lot cheaper and obviously you can get the exactly parts that you want. So I decided this time that I'll go ahead and build my own, while having no clue on how and not having a clue what parts I should be looking for. After about 2-3 weeks of research I have finally drawn up a list of the parts that I THINK would be able to run BF3 and similar games at above 60 FPS. It is an absolute MUST that for me to be running BF3 above 60 FPS as I will be buying a 120hz monitor. I'll post my build down below with EVERYTHING including Monitors, keyboard, mice and so forth... I would like to know what you guys think about my build and if it would run smooth as a peach with both of the monitors (1 monitor for gaming and the other for browsing the web, watching films etc..). I will provide a link to the website I am buying it from and the price of the items. If you guys can clarify that my build is all good to go, it would be much appreciated. Also if you would like to recommend or point out if there are better parts at similar or maybe even at a slightly higher price (money is not really an object right now) that would be more efficient with my build then please do tell. :)

Motherboard
Gigabyte G1 Sniper, Socket 1366
£137
http://www.morecomputers.com/extra.asp?pn=GA-X58-G1-SNIPER


Processor
Intel Core i7 960 3.2 GHz, Socket 1366, 8MB L3 Cache
£235
http://www.ebuyer.com/197578-intel-core-i7-960-3-2-ghz-socket-1366-8mb-l3-cache-retail-bx80601960


Desktop Case
Coolermaster Storm Trooper
£118
http://www.ebuyer.com/288862-cm-storm-trooper-case-sgc-5000-kkn1?utm_source=google&utm_medium=products


DVD Drive
LiteOn iHAS124 24x DVD±RW DL & RAM SATA Optical Drive
£15
http://www.ebuyer.com/176026-liteon-ihas124-19-24x-dvd-rw-dl-ram-sata-optical-drive-oem-ihas124-19


Graphics Card
XFX Black Edition AMD Radeon HD 7970 3G
£444
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/3gb-xfx-radeon-hd-7970-black-edition-with-hydrocell-5700mhz-gddr5-28nm-gpu-1000mhz-2048-cores-dvi-i-?utm_source=google+shopping&utm_medium=google+shopping


RAM
Corsair Dominator GT Memory Kit 12GB (3x4GB) DDR3 PC3-16000 2000MHz 240Pin DIMM
£152
http://www.cclonline.com/product/43401/CMT12GX3M3A2000C9/Desktop-Memory/Corsair-Dominator-GT-12GB-DDR3-Memory-Kit/RAM1196/


Power Supply Unit
Coolermaster Silent Pro Gold 1200W Modular
£150
http://www.ebuyer.com/235557-coolermaster-silent-pro-gold-1200w-modular-psu-rsc00-80gad3-uk


Wi-Fi Card
D-Link Xtreme N PCI Express Desktop Adapter DWA-556
£62
http://www.ebuyer.com/137542-d-link-xtreme-n-pci-express-desktop-adapter-dwa-556-dwa-556


Hybrid Solid State Drive
Seagate 750GB Momentus XT 2.5" Hybrid SSD/HDD, SATA-III 7200RPM 32MB Cache
£149
http://www.ebuyer.com/321969-momentus-xt-750gb-sata-2-5in-7200rpm-hybrid-8gb-ssd-in-st750lx003?utm_source=google&utm_medium=products


Gaming Mouse Mat
Team Liquid Mouse Mat
£18
http://www.teamliquid.net/store/mousemat


Gaming Mouse
Cyborg R.A.T 9, 5600 DPI
£82
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Saitek-Cyborg-R-A-T-9-Rat-5600dpi-Wireless-Gaming-Mouse-/300664779558?pt=UK_Computing_ComputerComponents_KeyboardsMice&hash=item4601047326#ht_1672wt_1135


Gaming Keyboard
Razer Lycosa
£60
http://store.razerzone.com/store/razerusa/en_US/pd/productID.169417800/parentCategoryID.35156900/categoryId.54626400


Gaming Monitor
BenQ XL2420T LED
£315
http://www.amazon.co.uk/BenQ-XL2420T-Widescreen-Multimedia-1920x1080/dp/B005XZBMTU


General Monitor
Acer S243H 24 Inch Widescreen LED LCD
£248
http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/12927921/Acer-S243H-24-inch-Widescreen-LED-LCD-Monitor-With-HDMI/Product.html?_%24ja=tsid:11518%7Ccat:12927921%7Cprd:12927921


Total -- £2035

I would also appreciate if you guys could go easy on me with the tech language as I am a complete newbie when it comes to the this.

Cheers.
 

g-unit1111

Titan
Moderator
know, it's stupid, my friends have always been advising me to build my own PC, saying that it is a hell of a lot cheaper and obviously you can get the exactly parts that you want. So I decided this time that I'll go ahead and build my own, while having no clue on how and not having a clue what parts I should be looking for.

That actually is a pretty decent build to start with, but I'd completely scrap the idea of 1366 as it's two generations old and way out of date. You want Sandy Bridge right now - it's the reigning champ of CPUs.

You also don't need the dedicated gaming monitor - anyone that makes one is just marketing noise, there's no difference between the two unless you're going for a higher refresh rate or a slightly better resolution. You also don't need the gaming mouse mat either - that's a waste as mouse pads haven't been required since the switch from the trackball to laser tracking. Put that money into the GPU. The GPU and the PSU bar none are the most important parts of any build and you do not want to skimp or compromise if you can possibly help it.

The Momentus is an OK pick but not for a desktop - it's meant for laptops where you don't have the option for secondary storage and need a performance boost. You want a dedicated SSD and a secondary mechanical HD - that will give you the best performance. I also don't recommend expensive peripherals as you can always get those later - put that in the GPU and PSU.

Here's what I would recommend for a build of your budget:

Case: Corsair Carbide 500R - £87.00
PSU: Seasonic X1000 Gold - £218.52
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3P - £119.62
CPU: 3.30GHz Intel Core i5-2500K - £166.98
Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 - £66.29
RAM: 8GB Corsair Vengeance Low Profile 1600MHz 1.5V - £39.36
SSD: 128GB Crucial M4 - £119.94
HD: 2TB Samsung Ecogreen F4 - £89.04
Optical: LG Blu Ray Burner - £61.86
Video Card: 2 x Power Color Radeon HD 7950 3GB - £695.50
Monitor: Viewsonic 24" VX2439 - £119.94

Total: £1,833.58

Use the difference for a 7 Home Premium license and whatever peripherals you want. I cannot stress enough how important your PSU and GPU choices are - and you do not want to skimp or compromise in these areas if you can help it. I generally don't recommend peripherals because a lot of that is personal preference and you can't really judge how a keyboard or mouse feels to you on an online site - you need to go see them in person.
 

-Blackout-

Honorable
Mar 18, 2012
24
0
10,510
Thanks for the reply.

I've took some of what you said into consideration after doing a little bit of research on what you have recommended. I have decided to go with the i5, HDD and SSD, Seasonic 1000W Platinum rather than the gold you that you mentioned(it was a similar price and is a better PSU), the motherboard and finally the RAM.

Personally I would not even use the Blu Ray optical drive so that would be waste of money for me. It also is a must that I have 2 Monitors, so getting 2 GPU's would be out of the question because by then I would be going over 2.2k which would be a no go for me. I know I said money wasn't an object but it is to some extent, I don't want to go absolutely crazy on the price. When I was looking up the RAM you suggested, I found out that because the heatsinks are so large I wouldn't be able to fit a large cooler and I don't think I would need a cooler if I am only using 1 GPU. Also I know that the mouse pad isn't necessary, it's completely personal preference for me, I honestly can't play without one. :)

I'll re-post everything I have decided to go with to see if you think of it all.

Cheers.
 

-Blackout-

Honorable
Mar 18, 2012
24
0
10,510
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3P Z68 - £120
Processor: Intel Core i5 2500K - £153
Case: Coolermaster Storm Trooper - £118
Optical Drive: LiteOn iHAS124 - £15
Graphics Card: XFX AMD Radeon HD 7970 3G - £444
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 12GB - £60
PSU: Seasonic 1000W Platinum-1000 - £213
Wi-Fi Card: D-Link Xtreme - £62
SSD: OCZ Octane 128GB - £133
HDD: Samsung F4 EcoGreen 2TB - £97
Mouse Mat: Team Liquid Mat - £18
Mouse: Cyborg R.A.T 9 - £82
Keyboard: Razer Lycosa - £60
Gaming Monitor: BenQ XL2420T - £315
General Monitor: Acer S243H - £203

Total: £2093
 

-Blackout-

Honorable
Mar 18, 2012
24
0
10,510
Just a re-post of everything so far but with links. :)

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3P Z68 - £120
Processor: Intel Core i5 2500K - £153
Case: Coolermaster Storm Trooper - £118
Optical Drive: LiteOn iHAS124 - £15
Graphics Card: XFX AMD Radeon HD 7970 3G - £444
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 12GB - £60
PSU: Seasonic 1000W Platinum-1000 - £213
Wi-Fi Card: D-Link Xtreme - £62
SSD: OCZ Octane 128GB - £133
HDD: Samsung F4 EcoGreen 2TB - £97
Gaming Monitor: BenQ XL2420T - £315
General Monitor: Acer S243H - £203

Total: £2093
 

-Blackout-

Honorable
Mar 18, 2012
24
0
10,510
Thanks for the info, I'll keep that in mind.

Do you think I would be able to run BF3 on Ultra settings and be pulling over 60 FPS consistently with this rig?
 

Robi_g

Distinguished
Jan 28, 2012
510
0
19,010
Get an OCZ agility or vertex as they run on SATA iii and have faster read speeds.
PSU is definitely overkill.
maybe get an aftermarket CPU cooler if you plan on overclocking, Arctic freezer pro 7 rev.2 (or something like that) is a good value one.
 

-Blackout-

Honorable
Mar 18, 2012
24
0
10,510
I originally thought that the Agility or the Vertex would cost too much, but having a second look the prices aren't actually too bad. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the Vertex suppose to be that little bit faster?

Isn't there a way to increase the gb's on you're SSD through a HDD? Or something like that, I can't remember where I read this, not sure if I'm just chatting rubbish but if there's a way then let me know please. :)

Thanks for the advice.
 

mvee18

Honorable
Feb 21, 2012
38
0
10,530
I wouldn't think so but, you can install the OS on the SSD for fast boot times and just store all your data on the HDD.

Maybe your thinking of RAID?
 

-Blackout-

Honorable
Mar 18, 2012
24
0
10,510
In fact, thinking back now, I remember it being some sort of adapter type thingy that takes some memory of you're HDD and adds it to you're SSD.
 


great choice but-
get dual channel 8gb ram,something like this-
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Corsair-CML8GX3M2A1600C9-Vengeance-1600MHz-Memory/dp/B00569K7LM/ref=sr_1_4?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1332093618&sr=1-4
psu is a great overkill.HX850w is more than enough including overclocks-
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/850w-psu-corsair-hx-cmpsu-850hxuk-modular-90-eff-80-plus-silver-sli-crossfire-eps-12v-fan-atx-v291
i would say stay away from OCZ ssds.crucial m4 128gb is way better.it may be a bit slower than others(it's almost unnoticeable LOL)but cheaper and most reliable ssd IMO-
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/128gb-crucial-realssd-m4-25-sata-6gb-s-ssd-mlc-flash-read-500mb-s-write-175mb-s-new-version
other things are good.especially monitors :ange:
 

-Blackout-

Honorable
Mar 18, 2012
24
0
10,510
Yeah, I realise that 1000W is overkill now, I'll be getting an 850W instead. Also could you explain to me why you recommend that RAM over the RAM g-unit111 recommended, I'm curious. :)

I've been looking at reviews where they are comparing SSD's and the Vertex and Agility blows everything else out of the water, so I have decided to go with a Vertex, it's pretty pricey but it's still within my budget of £2,200.

Thanks for the advice.
 

g-unit1111

Titan
Moderator


That's a lot better. Having a cooler doesn't have anything to do with the number of GPUs you use - it's more if you plan to overclock or not. If you want to overclock it's an absolute must - if you don't you can run it without one and run it off the stock cooler.

The mouse mat is a complete waste of money - I haven't used one in years since they were required. Now that they're not - it's something I don't recommend on any build.

Yeah, I realise that 1000W is overkill now, I'll be getting an 850W instead. Also could you explain to me why you recommend that RAM over the RAM g-unit111 recommended, I'm curious. :)

It's actually the same RAM - I don't know why that was recommended any differently.

I only recommended a 1K watt PSU because that's usually what my PSU wattage calculator suggests if you're going for more than one GPU - especially one of that quality. But don't get 12GB - that's a triple channel X58 configuration. You need 8 or 16 to get the proper functionality of it.
 

-Blackout-

Honorable
Mar 18, 2012
24
0
10,510
I'll re-post my everything again, I'm pretty much set on buying everything here unless you guys want to advise me otherwise. :)

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3P Z68 - £120
Processor: Intel Core i5 2500K - £153
Case: Coolermaster Storm Trooper - £118
Optical Drive: LiteOn iHAS124 - £15
Graphics Card: XFX AMD Radeon HD 7970 3G - £444
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 12GB - £60
PSU: Seasonic Platinum 860W - £189
Wi-Fi Card: D-Link Xtreme - £62
SSD: OCZ Vertex 3 Max IOPS Edition - £316
HDD: Samsung F4 EcoGreen 2TB - £97
Gaming Monitor: BenQ XL2420T - £315
General Monitor: Acer S243H - £203
 

Lokordd

Distinguished
Feb 5, 2012
98
0
18,640
On the ram you want to get dimms in quantities of 2, like 8 gigs (2x4), 16 gig (2X8, or 4x4gig). You want to set them up in pairs of two for the proc, and chipset. They function on dual channel. At least that is the way I understand it :) Also I wouldn't recomend going over 8 gigs, you won't even use it to my knowledge. I have a 2600K oc'ed to 4.6 and I rarely see the meter hit 40% on my 8 gigs of 1600 ram.
 

-Blackout-

Honorable
Mar 18, 2012
24
0
10,510
Ah, yeah sorry about that, I got mixed up with the RAM, my bad.

I don't plan on overclocking atm (mainly because I have no idea how to overclock :D) so there would be no point in purchasing a cooler right now.

As I said before, the mouse mat is a personal thing for me, I like having a mouse mat so I don't mind spending £20 to get a cool and quality mat since I have had a grubby old Alienware mat for a good while, I think it's about time I get a new one. :)

Also, what do you think about the SSD, should I get a OCZ Vertex 3 120gb or 240gb? It's pretty expensive but I've seen reviews comparing them to most of the SSD's out there and this one absolutely topples all the other SSD's besides the OCZ Agility. Or do you think I should spend my money elsewhere?
 

striker410

Distinguished
Hey blackout! I know this thread is pretty well off but I figured I'd throw my voice in there as well.

First off I will say you did an excellent job picking your main components. With the refinement of your build (swapping X58 for Z68, etc) it's getting better each revision.
-I don't like the "gaming monitor" idea. A 3ms difference is barely noticeable, not worth spending £100 on. For that price, you could get a 120hz monitor which will provide a MUCH bigger visual difference. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Acer-GD245HQ-monitor-DVI-D-1920x1080/dp/B00322VJC6/ref=sr_1_4?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1332097871&sr=1-4
-I'd grab this AX850 and save a chunk of change: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Corsair-CMPSU-850AXUK-Professional-Series-Supply/dp/B003QP417O/ref=sr_1_3?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1332097917&sr=1-3 Just as high quality.
-You'll want 8GB or 16GB of RAM, as the others say. Make sure it's 1.5v
-A 120GB SSD wouldn't be a bad idea, save some cash there. It's half the size but with clever game management and use of tools like Steam Mover you could EASILY make it work.

With the money saved, 7870 crossfire would be an excellent option.

Don't take this as criticism, we are just trying to get you the most kick-ass for the least cost.