New Computer Build (Ideas)

[Luke Filewalker]

Hey guys! well some of you may know my last computer died so i've been looking around at parts for a new rig that I want to build.. never built my own computer as of yet, helped out a few friends but by no means am I an expert.

Here's where you guys come in! :P So i've got a few parts lined up but I would love if you guys could look them over and fire a few suggestions my way on what I could improve or swap out etc etc

So here it is..

At the moment i'm looking to get a bundle deal for the Motherboard, Ram & Cpu

Motherboard: ASUS P8Z68-V Intel Z68 DDR3 USB3+SATA3 Raid SLI+ CrossFire LGA1155 PCI-E
CPU: Intel Core i5 2500K Sandy Bridge 3.30GHz 6MB 95W LGA1155
RAM: 8Gb DDR3 (2x4GB) Memory
GPU: ASUS ENGTX560 Ti DCII TOP/2DI/1GD5 Geforce GTX560 1GB GDDR5 PCI-E
Case: Raidmax Ninja Mid Tower
HDD: As for HDD i'll probably just grab a WD 1TB.
PSU: Not sure what kind of PSU i'd need for this setup, any ideas?

Alright that's pretty much it, if any of you have suggestions it would be greatly appreciated :D

[Dorobbo]

Luke i would love to help but i would probably do more harm than good! I am what you call brain dead when it comes to computer know how. I do know that my comp is about 5 years old and the only thing upgraded on it is the video card and the power supply so if you are getting parts any newer than that (which i guarantee you are) than you will do fine. Only big catch is to make sure everything is compatable with each other. for example: the ram fits into the motherboard etc...

[nolongeramember]

Hey Luke Nice to see you again. After looking over that list... I suggest you change the site you shop on. Their prices are crazy! Use Newegg and save money. Here's my opinion:

Mobo: P8Z68's are very good and Asus rarely has problems with their motherboards. However, that mobo is WAY overpriced and you will definitely be able to save at least $100 and put it towards something more useful. Trust me, that mobo is a no go :P I cannot understand why it is so overpriced. Trust me when I say that you'd be wasting money if you got it. Check this one out: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128507
I use it personally it I love it. Best mobo I have every used in a system, and it'll save you a good $100. However, I'm not sure how much the mobo you listed goes for on Newegg, so it may not be that overpriced after all.

CPU: Nothing much to be said here. The i5 2500k is undeniably the best gaming CPU on a performance to price comparison. In my opinion, i7's are a waste of money that could be spent on a better GPU, so you've made the right decision. The i5 2500k is $220 on Newegg.

RAM: What speed is that RAM? Not that it matters much, just an important thing to know. I go with DDR3 1600, but even if yours is DDR3 1333, you can still overclock it if you'd like. This RAM should be about $50 on Newegg.

GPU: I'm not really understanding the GPU... It's a 560 ti, and that's all fine and dandy (I use it myself), but why is it $450??? Your site is crazy! Here is by far the best 560 ti: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127608
The twin frozr design with the two fans keeps it unbelievably cool while gaming, and it can power through any modern game, maxed. I really don't understand the prices from that site; A 560 ti should not exceed $270. Many 560 ti's have problems playing BF3 and Skyrim, however I have encountered none and heard of none on the MSI model I listed above.

Case: I have never heard of that brand, so I honestly wouldn't take a risk with something like the case. Best case ever, right here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021
I mean, look at those reviews? And it's cheaper too. However, if you want to throw in a few extra bucks, check this out: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129097
Bottom line, get an Antec case. Antec is to cases as Corsair is to power supplies.

HDD: Here is the HDD I use: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185
Very fast, and has served me well so far. However, the first single platter HDD ever is here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145533
Basically, single platter means it goes very fast, faster than the Samsung one I listed. But, many people have reported having numerous issues with the single platter Hitachi, so why take a risk?

PSU: You can probably get by with a 550W, but, again, it's not good to take chances when building a computer. Go with this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005
Probably have some voltage to spare, and Corsair is easily the best PSU manufacturer.

Whew, that is a big wall of text. Here's the rundown: Drop the mobo, get a cheaper one. Your selected CPU is perfect. RAM sounds good (Corsair has good RAM). Go with the GPU I listed... the price of the one you listed is way out of wack. Definitely get an Antec case. Get that Samsung 1tb HDD. That Corsair PSU is very good, and will suit your needs (as long as you don't plan on doing SLI).

Keep in mind that these are just my opinions; I'm not trying to force you to do anything :P If you like that case you chose, go for it. But REALLY look back over what site you use...

[Luke Filewalker]

Long time no see, Matternous! :P

So I had a little shop around, after you suggested it, because the site I was using was over priced! but then again it's not too bad of a site considering I live in New Zealand and most companies have to import their parts from the US, so they get marked up a little.

I had a look into the parts you suggested, and have made some changes.

Mobo: GIGABYTE GA-Z68XP-UDP4 ($313.41)

CPU: Intel Quad Core I5 2500k ($293.19)

RAM: Click me! Not too sure what to get for RAM?? what do you think.

GPU: ASUS GTX560 TI ($400.00) - It's so expensive over here for this card... It's like $300 (not including shipping) in the US once the conversions are done.

HDD: WD Caviar Blue 1TB 7200RPM 32MB SATA3 ($186.81) I've heard WD is a really decent company for HDD's and the warranties are quite a decent amount of time?

PSU: Corsair TX650 V2 650W ($169.00) Better to be safe than sorry.

Case: Raidmax Ninja Mid Tower ($120.50)

Grand Total: ~$1500-1600 excluding keyboard/monitor etc

I really like the design of the Raidmax Ninja case, though it does have a few cons according to this article

Have a read of the article and compare it to my setup, they say there isn't much room for improvement with air flow. Do you think i'll need more than whats there?

Another thing i'm contemplating right now is whether i go for this deal here which will give me the I5, Corsair 2x4GB RAM (Though it doesn't give me the speed of the ram..) and the Asus P8Z68V mobo for $699.00 or if I go for the current setup i'm looking to implement above? at current the cpu/mobo will be $606.60 which leaves $92.40 for 8GB of ram.

And from what i've seen with the bench marking of a ASUS P8Z68-V vs GIGABYTE GA-Z68XP-UDP4 they are VERY similar. So it would make sense to get the combo deal above as I wont be able to get 8GB of ram for $92.40, right?

Thanks for the help, Matternous! :D (you too Dorobbo! :P)

[nolongeramember]

Hey Luke. Prices in New Zealand must be far different than they are here in the States. Here, the i5 2500k is $210, that mobo should be $200, and you can get 8gbs of RAM for $40.

Anyways, that HD will serve you well. WD does make good ones. That GPU is definitely the right choice. Also, that case should be fine. I have never had to do any replacing of case fans, so it shouldn't be a problem. However, I suggest you get an aftermarket heatsink to replace the stock one that comes with the Intel CPU.

Also, get this RAM http://www.alphacity.co.nz/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=117_312_120&products_id=90459
It's what I use, and it's great. Easy to OC if need be (which you won't).

[Sticx45]

500 series cards are power hogs. I wouldn't recommend less than 700w on the psu. But it's really your call. Honestly the w rating on a PSU means very little though. What you need to pay attention to is what each rail provides compared to your needs.

There are quite a few great buyer's guides on the net that can explain better than I can the in's and outs of PSU's. But I'll just say this. The PSU is everything in a system. You can have the best components in the world, but if the PSU isn't up to the task required of it your system will under perform.

[Boat Van]

That looks like a great build!

I use the same corsair ram you were looking at. Over the past few years I have had to replace 3 sticks.

I would recommend a different brand based on my past experience.

One thing to keep in mind with GPU and CPU pruchases:
The numbers they provide you with (clock speed, various cache sizes, amount of ram, etc.) are not necessarily representative of what you will actually be getting out of the piece of equipment. The best way to truly tell which is better is to measure execution time of each processor on all sorts of benchmarking programs. This will give you a true measure of the specs that they do not provide you with up front, like pipeline forwarding efficiency and branch predictor accuracy.
There are a number of great websites that do just that. I like tomshardware.com because they give you up front, well thought out answers as to what is the best bang for your buck.

I know that's a bit overboard but I have strong feelings on the issue lol.