Time for a new machine

[TheCarpe]

This PC (which several of you assisted me in finding the parts for a few years ago) has served me well and with distinction, but the time has come to give it new life, and once again I humbly come to you, Villuns, to assist me in this noble endeavor.

My current rig is as follows:

CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E8400 @ 3.00GHz (2 CPUs), ~3.0GHz
Memory: 4096MB RAM
Motherboard: Gigabyte G31Micro ATX Motherboard
PSU: PC Power and Cooling Silencer 500W PSU
Video card: NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250
Case: Cooler Master Elite 330 Mid Tower

There's all the bits I'm looking to replace (the case not necessarily, but all depends on what else gets stuffed in there. It can certainly last another build).

Lets start with a working budget of $800 with some flexibility for a good deal. Any recommendations?

[gator]

Default starting point to get an idea:
http://www.logicalincrements.com/

[Clay Pigeon]

I was going to suggest you check the falcon guide, but it looks as though gator already provided a link to either it, or a site derived from it.

[Boss Llama]

Here's what I would build:

CPU: Intel Core i5-3350P $180
RAM: 8GB (2x4GB) Corsair Vengeance 1600 $60
Motherboard: ASUS P8Z77-V LE $150 ($20 MIR also available)
PSU: Corsair CX500M 500W Modular Single-Rail PSU $70
GPU: EVGA GTX660 $200 -or- XFX HD 7850 (2GB) $200
CASE: Antec Three Hundred $60

Total cost: $720. $700 if you send in the MIR and wait a couple months.

I went for the case as well, because it's nice to be able to keep the old computer around in as good shape as you can, as a second box, backup, etc. Wouldn't hurt to spend the $80 left on a very basic HDD and other small replacements needed to keep it servicable. Use Linux and other freeware to avoid that extra cost after moving over the primary licenses. Having 2 computers side-by-side is amazingly useful (my old E8400 system is doing exactly that right now!).

This system is not for overclocking, but it'll run beautifully straight out of the box.


Justifications on parts:
CPU: The best non-OCable CPU from Intel. It'll perform on par with $1000 CPUs for a year or two ago. Tom's Hardware recommendation.
RAM: Best price on RAM of that speed, which is the fastest the mobo will take without overclocking. A reliable name/manufacturer. No price increase over slower options.
MOBO: ASUS is a solid manufacturer of gaming mobos for Intel processors. This one rocks eSATA, quad USB 3.0, and all the onboards conceivably necessary for a normal gaming build.
PSU: I love Corsair for their reliability, efficiency, and single-rail design that avoids overloads or the need for finicky load-balancing across cables. Also, it's modular, so clean case!
GPU: The two cards are equivalent in performance, and identifical in price. EVGA is the rockstar of the NVidia market, and from what I hear, XFX is pretty darn solid in the AMD market. Your choice of manufacturer. Personally, I'd use NVidia with Intel, but I admit to being biased here.
Case: This is mostly a matter of comfort - I've built numerous systems in Antec cases, including this case. It's solidly built, and easy to use.

[TheCarpe]

CPU: Intel Core i5-3350P $180

I'm actually kicking around the idea of splurging on an i7. I can swap out other hardware but the CPU and mobo tend to be pretty static through a PC's life and I'd like to start them out beefy, so I can upgrade around it, but still have it be powerful.

[gator]

CPU: Intel Core i5-3350P $180

I'm actually kicking around the idea of splurging on an i7. I can swap out other hardware but the CPU and mobo tend to be pretty static through a PC's life and I'd like to start them out beefy, so I can upgrade around it, but still have it be powerful.

Unless you really think you're going to actually take advantage of HyperThreading on the i7 (which most games do not... http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/701?vs=551), I'd recommend the i5 3570 instead of an i7 3770 and spending the $100 elsewhere.

[gator]

Also, for what it's worth, I believe a number of the ATI 7850's currently include bundled redemptions for free copies of Bioshock Infinite and Tomb Raider, but I'm not sure what the details on how the redemption works for those. Check the individual products for details.

[Buzzy Beetle]

CPU: Intel Core i5-3350P $180

I'm actually kicking around the idea of splurging on an i7. I can swap out other hardware but the CPU and mobo tend to be pretty static through a PC's life and I'd like to start them out beefy, so I can upgrade around it, but still have it be powerful.

Unless you really think you're going to actually take advantage of HyperThreading on the i7 (which most games do not... http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/701?vs=551), I'd recommend the i5 3570 instead of an i7 3770 and spending the $100 elsewhere.

This. i7s are really more than most gamers need. Unless you plan on running Autocad or something similar an i5 3570 (k only if you want to overclock or it's cheaper than the regular 3570 for some random reason) as Gator suggested is the way to go.

Other than that I haven't really been keeping my eye on hardware changes of late. Afraid I can't be much more help.

[Cat Square]

Faster CPUS always have a positive impact on FPS, the question is, where's the line between "worth it" and "hot rod". Check the benchmarking charts on tomshardware or some such place (or google the part numbers for whichever CPUs you're comparing with a "vs" inbetween, like this: 3770 vs 3330).

I like AF's config, but I'd go Intel on the mobo over every other manufacturer hands down. ASUS and Gigabyte are the only 3rd party manufacturers really worth considering for motherboards, and IMO only if you plan to overclock or if you care about bells and whistles.

[Clay Pigeon]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6813157293 asrock z77 extreme 4. I have the z68 extreme 4. It's a very solid mobo, and asrock has really come to the forefront of build quality lately, while asus and gigabyte have fallen.

Go with the 3570k. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 116504&Tpk You don't need hyperthreading for games. 4 cores is the sweetspot.


what resolution monitor do you have?

[TheCarpe]

Thanks for all your help guys, I took a little from Alizee and a little from Clay and a little of my own tastes and came up with a build I'm happy with that should smash any game for the foreseeable future



I can't wait to get it running, and I'm happy with the price. Just goes to show, building your own PC beats any prebuilt crap any day.

[Boss Llama]

Very cool, Carpe! Let us know how it's performing when you get it up and running - should be awesome!

Also, yes, fact. Building your own > all.

[TheCarpe]

Tomorrow, with any luck, all this will turn into one badass machine

VIEW CONTENT:

[The Domer]

Also, yes, fact. Building your own > all.

For sure. It's fun, and you save a lot of money.

[Chaka of the Pakuni]

So how did this build turn out?

I'm thinking of doing something very similar.