I'd like some advice please.

[niQL]

Hey guys,
I'd say that I am fairly knowledgeable with technology, although it's the fine specifications of a personal computer which have me stumped.
I've worked out a build for a gaming computer, tell me your thoughts on it, and if any changes are necessary.
Try and post in this format if it's possible;

Rating for gaming:
Rating for price:
Recommended changes:
Recommended extras to add:
Predicted lifetime (before an upgrade is necessary)

Here's my current build

Monitor: BenQ GL2440HM $199
Keyboard/Mouse: Logitech MK710 $115
Speakers: Logitech Z523 $95
Case: Silverstone Fortress FT02S $249
Motherboard: ASUS Sabertooth P67 Motherboard B3 $269
CPU: Intel Core i7 2600K $329
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2x4GB) (8-8-8-24) $129
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 570 1280MB Overclocked $369
Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB $95
DVD Drive: Lite-On iHAS324 24x DVDRW $45
Cooling: Noctua D14 All-In-One Cooler $108
Power Supply: Seasonic X-760 80Plus Gold 760W $229

Total: $2231

 

[mdd1963]

I'd personally find a slightly cheaper P67 still SLI/Xfire capable (saving $100), and, opt for the 2500k (only 100 less MHz clock speed, but saves $100).

Take the $200 saved thus far, and opt for a pair of 6950s in lieu of the single GTX570, or, optionally, a single GTX580...

$115 for a keyboard? Any $10 USB keyboard will do...even for gaming.

 

[niQL]

Isn't the price gap between GTX 570's and 580's very high though?
I'm not keen on getting a pair of 6950s because I may possibly buy another card later on. Keyboard and mouse combo is for a clean desktop; they're wireless.

 

[4745454b]

I think mdd1963 is on the right track. What you have so far is overkill for a gaming machine. People build good gaming machines for $1000+, and you've spent $2200+. Drop down to a cheaper case ($100 is fine), 2500k, mobo if possible, and a more normal PSU. With the $$$ saved, buy two more monitors and switch over to the 6950. Now setup an Eyefinity build and enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9lIdHAJqtc

 

[mjmjpfaff]

wireless keyboards are not reccomended for gaming. go mx518 mouse and a g110 keyboard (or anyother wired keyboard will work)
motherboard- asrock p67 extreme4
i5 2500k- no benifits from the 2600k in gaming
this cpu cooler- http://www.amazon.com/Noctua-Heatpipe-Bearing-Cooler-NH-D14/dp/B002VKVZ1A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=industrial&qid=1306468283&sr=8-1
p67 boards dont support tri channeling ram if that is what you were going for. any ways 8gb of ram is enough for gaming less than 4gb is actually used for any game.
samsung spinpoint f3 1tb hdd 60$ at amazon just as fast as the one you listed
get a dvd drive under 25$ i dont even know where you could find one for that price
2 560 ti's in sli will be the best bang for your buck at that resolution
this psu will do- http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Enthusiast-Certified-compatible-platforms/dp/B004MYFODI/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1306468664&sr=1-1
after my changes:
rating for gaming: 9.5
rating for price: 9.0 (i dont think your case is the best bang for the buck)
predicted lifetime: 3 yrs.

 

[apamilo]

Hey guys,
I'd say that I am fairly knowledgeable with technology, although it's the fine specifications of a personal computer which have me stumped.
I've worked out a build for a gaming computer, tell me your thoughts on it, and if any changes are necessary.
Try and post in this format if it's possible;

Rating for gaming:
Rating for price:
Recommended changes:
Recommended extras to add:
Predicted lifetime (before an upgrade is necessary)

Here's my current build

Monitor: BenQ GL2440HM $199
Keyboard/Mouse: Logitech MK710 $115
Speakers: Logitech Z523 $95
Case: Silverstone Fortress FT02S $249
Motherboard: ASUS Sabertooth P67 Motherboard B3 $269
CPU: Intel Core i7 2600K $329
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2x4GB) (8-8-8-24) $129
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 570 1280MB Overclocked $369
Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB $95
DVD Drive: Lite-On iHAS324 24x DVDRW $45
Cooling: Noctua D14 All-In-One Cooler $108
Power Supply: Seasonic X-760 80Plus Gold 760W $229

Total: $2231

If you want to save some money and have basically the exact same performance then just get a gigabyte p67 standard usb 3 mainboard they are like $150 and also change the i7 to i5 2500k for $219. I would also recommend a razer mouse and possibly keyboard (unless you really like logitech).

Oh and although 570 GTX is a great card for around the same price i would recommend a HD 6970 2gb OC. It has more memory that probably isn't necessary right now in gaming but i believe in 6 months+ the 6970 will serve you better in the future due to the extra specs for similar price.

 

[niQL]

Okay, I replaced my graphics card to a Gigabyte Radeon HD 6970 2GB, and a Razer Keyboard and Mouse. In doing this I also reduced my total price. Any other essential changes?

 

[niQL]

I revised my specifications, how is this?

Monitor: BenQ GL2440HM $199
Keyboard/Mouse: Razer Arctosa / Razer DeathAdder $103
Speakers: Logitech Z523 $95
Case: Silverstone Fortress FT02S $249
Motherboard: Asrock Extreme4 P67 Motherboard B3 $179
CPU: Intel Core i5 2500K $219
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2x4GB) $129
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD6970 2GB $399
Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB $95
DVD Drive: Lite-On iHAS124 DVDRW $29
Cooling: Noctua D14 All-In-One Cooler $108
Power Supply: Seasonic X-760 80Plus Gold 760W $229

Total: $2033

 

[4745454b]

You still only have one screen. Switch the cooler to something like the Hyper 212+, and go down to a more normal 750W PSU. (drop down to a 550-650W if you won't be doing CF.) This should free up enough $$$ to get you two more screens without going over your original $2200 figure.

 

[flong]

Hi, you have made some really thoughtful, intelligent choices. I have some options that you may want to look at.

1. Monitor: HP ZR24W ($400), Dell U2410 ($477.77) or for a low-cost TN monitor the Asus VH236H ($179.99), HP2711 ($400) a cheap 27" TN monitor that has a good picture

2. Mouse - I'm not a serious gamer, let them advise you

3. Speakers: Corsair SP2500 ($189.99 at Amazon). I bought a set of these for my step-father and they blew me away. The are without a doubt the best 2.1 speakers for the money. The put my $2000 5.1 Harmon Kardon surround sound system to shame for clarity and detail in music and movies. And they never "clip" you cannot overload these speakers even at full volume

4. Case: first I must say that I love the FT02 Fortress. It is the best air cooling case in existence. However it does not support USB 3.0 and it does not support Sata III.
You may want to take a close look at the new Corsair 650D. It does not cool as well but it supports USB 3.0 and has a hot-swap Sata III drive bay for SSDs or HDDs. It also has been reviewed as nearly perfect in function and build-ability. It is also large enough to fit all your components in though it is a mid-tower. It is cheaper than the FT02 but you might want to add an extra fan.

5. No comment on mobo - Asrock is good or the Asus pro P67

6. Get 1866 RAM - it gives you the best bang for your buck

7. If you are going to crossfire, you may want to consider two 6950s. If you have the budget you can always add another 6970 later if you go with the 6970

8. WD is fine

9. Almost any optical drive is fine. Asus or Sony are a little cheaper

10. You couldn't have chosen a better cooler. The D14 is simply the best

11. PSU: I love the Seasonic PSUs. The one you have chosen will probably run two 6970s. You may want to check out the Corsair 850 HX silver rated. It is about the same price and it will provide more power. It is modular, it comes with almost any cable you will need, it is highly efficient and it comes with a seven year warranty from Corsair, one of the best in the business.

here is review to look at: http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=153

Hope this helps

 

[4745454b]

I'm not sure why you guys keep suggesting that PSU. Sure its great, but overkill for what he needs. Any quality 750W unit like this one is a better buy.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139021

$99 after rebate w/ free shipping. Do you have any idea how long it will take him to recoup that $129 at only 6-8% better efficiency? Even if he doesn't go Eyefinity I'd rather have the $130 to spend on something else.

 

[flong]

I'm not sure why you guys keep suggesting that PSU. Sure its great, but overkill for what he needs. Any quality 750W unit like this one is a better buy.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139021

$99 after rebate w/ free shipping. Do you have any idea how long it will take him to recoup that $129 at only 6-8% better efficiency? Even if he doesn't go Eyefinity I'd rather have the $130 to spend on something else.

Your comparing bronze pricing to silver and non-modular to modular which is not an intelligent comparison. The TX PSUs are very good but they are not as good as the HX PSUs. Read the reviews and look at the comparisons and the warranties. Every professional reviewer states that the HX series is superior to the TX.

I do recommend the TX PSUs for posters who are on a budget but in this case the OP chose a Seasonic gold top of the line PSU, not a bronze TX quality PSU. The idea is to provide other choices for the OP to consider that are similar in quality or better and that are fairly equal in cost.

It is not just the efficiency that must be considered although that is important. The gold and silver PSUs run quieter and have more reserve. They also run cooler than the bronze PSUs. The HX series also has two more years of warranty (7 year warranty) than the TX series. For me the modular cabling of the HX series alone would be worth $20 extra - it is just so much easier to build with. And really, is $20 or $30 difference that much??? I don't understand the penny pinching mindset of some builders when it comes to choosing quality components.

If someone is on a tight budget, I get it, they may have to go with the lower quality but still good bronze PSUs. But for someone who has the $30 extra in their budget there really is no comparison.

 

[4745454b]

I'm sure I could find a modular 80 bronze that's still cheaper. I know the differences in PSUs. I'm trying to point out that if he has this much $$$, he needs more then just a common gaming machine. (CPU, RAM, GPU, etc.)

 

[flong]

I'm sure I could find a modular 80 bronze that's still cheaper. I know the differences in PSUs. I'm trying to point out that if he has this much $$$, he needs more then just a common gaming machine. (CPU, RAM, GPU, etc.)

I agree. It is important not to waste money on a component if a cheaper component will do the job just as well.

 

[Murissokah]

I have a just finished similar buid. I am very pleased with the Sabertooth P67, and am runing a 2500k. IMO the 2600k is too expensive for the benefits it brings. Same Corsair Vengeance 8GB here. I haven't pushed it over stock clock yet, since my cooler is yet to arrive and I am runing on stock cooler.

I also added a ASUS Xonar DX, since the onboard sound card is very pedestrian. It's not very expensive and I believe it's well worth your penny.

As for HDDs, I went with 2x Spinpoint F3s 1TB. They are plenty fast running RAID on the Intel Controller. Since you are not going for SSDs, I believe RAID 0 is a good way to improve your access times and makes your sistem feel faster overall.

I opted for a 6870, to be crossfired soon. Quite fast enough for 1680x1050, but I support your choice of a better one.

 

[niQL]

Okay, I think the second build I posted showed enough content from other posters; the case is the only thing worrying me, but since the cooling is rated very highly, I'm sticking with it because I want a quiet and cool pc. This will be my final build, thanks for your input guys, if I feel like I need more help changing parts after purchase, I'll post here. Thanks again.