Improvements to $1500 Gaming PC

[itsbighead]

Hi Community,
I will be upgrading my computer very soon and need your advice on improvements that i can make towards my hardware before i get it. I will be mainly playing new games such as Black Ops, Crysis 2 etc etc.

The specifications are as followed

CPU: Intel i5 2500
Memory: 2x4GB Kit G.Skill Ripjaws-X DDR3-1600
Motherboard: Asrock Z68 Pro Extreme4 Gen3
HDD: WD Black SATA3 1TB
Graphics: ASUS Geforce GTX 580
Case: Coolermaster HAF 932
PSU: Corsair HX-850W
DVD: ASUS SATA DVDRW Burner

Thanks

 

[ervinelim]

HDD : Samsung Spinpoint F3 1tb

Cheaper by $20, great performance.

If you're not overclocking then don't get the z68. Waste of money

Get this h67 mobo cheaper by a long margin

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131783

Get this PSU. 850watts is just to big for a single GPU.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341017

It's only $50 after rebate.

Good luck, you can grab a good cheap netbook with the money saved.

 

[spentshells]

I like those suggestions, but jeeze dont buy a netbook.

 

[ervinelim]

I like those suggestions, but jeeze dont buy a netbook.

Netbooks are cool! If you just plan to do light things and with the E-350 CPU it's a good deal for the price

 

[hunuok]

If the budget stretches, get an i5 2500K. You can OC this CPU easily-manually or automatically in BIOS.

I would also stick with the Z68 board.

As for the netbook, I would get an SSD instead to install Windows/Office etc.

Don't be stingy on PSU. 850W is a little high for your rig. Corsair (AX Series), Antec make good, quality PSUs. 80+ certification if you can.

The Samsung F3 is a great drive. Great performance. Used about 12 of them without issues.

The WD is also a good drive. Am using one now.

Good luck with the build.

 

[itsbighead]

If the budget stretches, get an i5 2500K. You can OC this CPU easily-manually or automatically in BIOS.

I would also stick with the Z68 board.

As for the netbook, I would get an SSD instead to install Windows/Office etc.

Don't be stingy on PSU. 850W is a little high for your rig. Corsair (AX Series), Antec make good, quality PSUs. 80+ certification if you can.

The Samsung F3 is a great drive. Great performance. Used about 12 of them without issues.

The WD is also a good drive. Am using one now.

Good luck with the build.

do you have any suggestions for PSUs that i can get and im not getting a netbook???????

 

[itsbighead]

but what actualy is the difference between a z68 and a h67? performance wise

 

[ervinelim]

If you're not going to overclock, there is no reason for you to get a z68 since it's for overclockers. Performance wise, there is no big difference.

Get a 600watts PSU.

 

[itsbighead]

will 600w be enough for a gtx 580?

 

[itsbighead]

If you're not going to overclock, there is no reason for you to get a z68 since it's for overclockers. Performance wise, there is no big difference.

Get a 600watts PSU.

what about p67 motherboards?

 

[hunuok]

If you are not oc'ing H67 is fine. The differences are as follows:

http://www.pugetsystems.com/blog/2011/06/09/h67-p67-and-z68-which-one-is-right-for-you/

IMO, the Z68 is a combo of H67 and P67 platforms.

The reasons I suggested Z68 are:

1. A Z68 is fully "optioned" platform, for a small premium.
2. You may want to oc your rig in the future.

 

[itsbighead]

other than that are there any noticable advantages of having a z68 because i know that in the long term i will never OC my computer

 

[008Rohit]

Processor : i5 2500K - $220
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072

MoBo : ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 - $125
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157271&Tpk=ASRock%20Gen3%20Extreme3

RAM : G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 - $55
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231314

Hard Disk : Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB 7200rpm - $60
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185&Tpk=Spinpoint%20F3%201TB

Graphics : GIGABYTE GV-R697OC-2GD Radeon HD 6970 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 - $360
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125371

Case : COOLER MASTER HAF 932 Advanced RC-932-KKN5-GP Steel ATX Full Tower Compucase Case - $140
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119160

PSU : Corsair HX750 - $140
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139010

DVD : LG 24x DVD R/W - $19

 

[itsbighead]

thanks for the reply but whats the point of getting a i5 2500k when 2500 is the same without the OCing capabilites?

 

[008Rohit]

More future proof. That'll last longer than the 2500 due to the overclocking capabilities. If it becomes a bottleneck for a upcoming game released 4yrs later, you can overclock it to match the performance of more powerful CPUs. Overclocking doesn't harm really, you need to get an aftermarket HSF. The price difference is really small between those two. So either get an i5 2500K with Z68 or i5 2400 with H67.

 

[itsbighead]

if im getting a p67 motherboard what cpu do you suggest i get with it?

 

[itsbighead]

im can definetly say that when i get this PC im probably going to be upgrading only my gpu to a newer ATI model and cpu to probably something like a i7 2600 in the next 2 years so the future proof thing doesnt matter that much

 

[008Rohit]

P67 FTL! Integrated Graphics (Quick Sync) is great for Video Transcoding.

 

[spentshells]

im can definetly say that when i get this PC im probably going to be upgrading only my gpu to a newer ATI model and cpu to probably something like a i7 2600 in the next 2 years so the future proof thing doesnt matter that much

need to upgrade to a 2600 for gaming. It is not likely needed in the next two years.

 

[ScrewySqrl]

ok. If you aren't ovrclocking, you can probly get a way with an i5-2400 and an AS Rock H61M/U3S3 motherboard, on sale this month for $70 at newegg.

ONLY difference between H61M/U3S3 and H67 is the H67 does RAID.

 

[itsbighead]

i know that but since the prices for sandy bridge cpus will go down in the next 2 years i might as well get it

 

[itsbighead]

P67 FTL! Integrated Graphics (Quick Sync) is great for Video Transcoding.

im not going to be too much video editing.coversion on the PC so it doesnt matter that much??

 

[itsbighead]

ok. If you aren't ovrclocking, you can probly get a way with an i5-2400 and an AS Rock H61M/U3S3 motherboard, on sale this month for $70 at newegg.

ONLY difference between H61M/U3S3 and H67 is the H67 does RAID.

does raid matter when youe playing games or is it useless? I live in Australia so newegg is not an option for me

my new setup is as followed

CPU: Intel i5 2500
Memory: 2x4GB Kit G.Skill Ripjaws-X DDR3-1600
Motherboard: ASUS P8P67-LE-V3
HDD: WD Black SATA3 1TB
Graphics: Powercolour Radeon HD 6970
Case: Coolermaster HAF 932
PSU: Corsair HX-750W
Extras: ASUS SATA DVDRW Burner

 

[itsbighead]

anyone?

 

[itsbighead]

Best answer selected by itsbighead.