Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 16 of 31

Thread: Really really sick of looking at parts and need some help.

  1. #1
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    58
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Really really sick of looking at parts and need some help.

    Hey, im desperate to upgrade given atm im using a 4200 card after my old one died...

    I have roughly £1000 to spend, can go more, less would be nice.

    Also want a new monitor 22 or 24.(seperate budget of 250 ish)

    Heres what ive decided so far:

    Lian Li PC-A71 case.(Dont like akasa any other recommendations? want a door.)
    E8500(what custom cooler?)
    4gig or 8gig DDR2(is 8 gig worth it? what make is best?)
    Seagate 1TB sata
    Rampage Formula Mobo, x48.
    Suitable PSU

    The real problem i have is what graphics card??

    Ive researched loads ATI are most popular, but what do i get..

    4870
    48701gig
    4870X2

    Im not a high res freak or anything ,i want value for money, BUT i dont upgrade regulary i keep my PCs for 2 to 3 years, and i will build myself and probably overclock. But i consider for example an x48 worth is given its only £30 or so more than a older chipset.

    Im just really stuck on what route to go...crossfire mobo 4870 now and add another later when cheaper... or get a 4870X2 now, tho i do NOT like the low warranties..

    Give help please miss games.

  2. #2
    Senior Member Lanky123's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Oxford
    Posts
    922
    Thanks
    91
    Thanked
    152 times in 101 posts
    • Lanky123's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte GA-H81M-D2V
      • CPU:
      • Core i5 4570
      • Memory:
      • 2 x 4GB Vengeance LP
      • Storage:
      • 250GB Samsung 840 EVO SSD + 2+4TB HDD + 3TB Synology DS216SE
      • Graphics card(s):
      • MSI Radeon R9 270X HAWK
      • PSU:
      • Silverstone Strider 400W
      • Case:
      • Silverstone Sugo SG02B-F
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 8.1 / Ubuntu 16.04
      • Monitor(s):
      • ElectriQ 32" 4k IPS + Dell 22" U2212HM
      • Internet:
      • Virgin 60Mbit/s

    Re: Really really sick of looking at parts and need some help.

    If you want value for money a single 4870 will do you fine. That does leave you open to add another in crossfire later, though you may be better off just replacing it with a better card a couple of years down the line.

    What OS will you be using (are you factoring this into the budget)? It will need a 64 bit OS for your system to use more than about 3.5GB of your RAM. Again, if you want value for money 4GB will easily be enough, and you can always upgrade later if you get a 2x2GB set.

    Xigmatek coolers are very good value for money, and are often on Scan's Today Only for around £17. Slightly more expensive there's a lot of Scythe and Thermalright ones to choose from, SilentPC does a good job of rounding them up.

    I'm not big on cases so no doubt someone else can advise you on that front.

  3. #3
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    58
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: Really really sick of looking at parts and need some help.

    yeah i know about the 64bit thing, my laptop has 4gig of ram so i need 64bit for that normal vista only supports about 3.5....im trying to be economical without screwing my performance..the reason i was going to go for 8gig of ram is, ddr2 is pretty cheap and i always find that later on in my pcs life ram becomes more important and its nice to have 4 matching sticks..

  4. #4
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Merseyside
    Posts
    359
    Thanks
    22
    Thanked
    3 times in 3 posts
    • chavo's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus Sabertooth x79
      • CPU:
      • i7 3820
      • Memory:
      • 16gb corsair vengeance red. 1866
      • Storage:
      • Corsair force 3 240gb
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Asus Matrix 5770 2Gb
      • PSU:
      • Coolermaster M2 850w modular
      • Case:
      • Coolermaster Cosmos S
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 x64 ultimate
      • Monitor(s):
      • 2x Acer 27 inch led
      • Internet:
      • virgin 100 down 10 up

    Re: Really really sick of looking at parts and need some help.

    Hi mate,

    you want value for money? not a high res freak? i would get a 8800gt under 100 now or look on ebay for a 7900gtx i have seen them go for 30 quid. get the rampage extreme, it has some amazing overclocking potential, including the facility to emulate other more expensive chips... nice yes.

    4 gig is ample for vista or xp. have a look at this monitor i picked one up last week. full HD. very sweet http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...odid=MO-025-OK
    i got it last week on a special offer for 230.

    are you watercooling? if you plan on OC then you should consider water check this out. Thermaltake

    Oh and get a 10,000 rpm drive for your OS. dont blow your budget on a graphics card that will never see its potential!
    I am the gadget man!

  5. #5
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    58
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: Really really sick of looking at parts and need some help.

    the rampage extreme is ddr3 tho?

    how expensive/reliable is water cooling nowadays?
    Last edited by Falcor; 17-08-2008 at 12:22 PM.

  6. #6
    Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Gloucestershire
    Posts
    153
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked
    3 times in 2 posts
    • Skyboat's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte GA-X38-DQ6
      • CPU:
      • C2D 8500
      • Memory:
      • 4Gb Corsair TwinXMS
      • Storage:
      • 3 TB
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Sapphire HD4870 512Mb
      • PSU:
      • Corsair HX520W
      • Case:
      • Antec P182
      • Operating System:
      • XP 32-bit / Vista 64-bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • DELL 2007WFP
      • Internet:
      • Virgin Media (L)

    Re: Really really sick of looking at parts and need some help.

    If getting a 24"+ monitor, get a 4870.

    Up to 1680x1050 res a 4850 would be just as good and cost a fraction over a ton. Forget about the 8800GT, it's old tech and AA performance is nowhere near as good as the new ATI 4800 Radeons and will definitely NOT last you 2-3 years.

  7. #7
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    58
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: Really really sick of looking at parts and need some help.

    yeah i hear 4870 is the way to go for the value... and probably will be a 24monitor...how much difference does a 10000 disk make?

    Any advice on cases? i want soemthing with a door, dust filters, plenty of space and looks sleek and neat, no wierd bits that hold dust, been looking at lian lis and the cosmos 1000....among a few others...

    Also E8500 or Q6600 i know dual core is a little faster generally for gaming, but quad is better for the games that use it, but is quad thefuture?

  8. #8
    Senior Member cptwhite_uk's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Posts
    4,122
    Thanks
    473
    Thanked
    577 times in 393 posts
    • cptwhite_uk's system
      • Motherboard:
      • MSI B450i Gaming plus Wifi
      • CPU:
      • AMD Ryzen 3700X
      • Memory:
      • 16Gb DRR4 Trident Z 3200 C16
      • Storage:
      • Adata XPG SX8200 Pro 1Tb NVME SSD
      • Graphics card(s):
      • RTX 3060 Ti 8Gb
      • PSU:
      • Corsair SF600 Gold
      • Case:
      • Ncase M1 v6
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10 Pro
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell S2721DGF (2560x1440 144Hz Nano IPS)
      • Internet:
      • Virgin Media 350Mbps

    Re: Really really sick of looking at parts and need some help.

    I recommend the following set-up:

    Motherboard (x48 Rampage Formula) http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=752994 £170.14
    RAM (4Gb) http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=782925 £89.30
    Case (Antec P182) http://www.ebuyer.com/product/126946 £90.35
    Graphics Card (Force3D 4870 512Mb) http://www.ebuyer.com/product/148210 £164.95
    Processor (Intel Quad core 9450) http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=795731 £196.91
    Hard Drive (Samsung T1 Spinpoint F1) http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=723884 £87.53
    Power Supply (Corsair VX 550W)http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=664337 £55.21
    DVD Drive (Samsung DVD Drive OEM) http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=819459 £15.15
    Card Reader (Scan 70+ in 1 card reader) http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=70360 £5.86
    CPU Cooler (Scythe Ninja Limited Edition) http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=800509 £43.35


    This would be whsiper quiet, allow overclocking of the processor to 4.2Ghz before even overclocking the RAM, and look stylish and sleek.

    It's a top value PC with little corners cut in terms of performance. Total cost is £748.61 + delivery from Scan (assuming free delivery from Ebuyer)

    Points to consider:

    Wait for Intel's new chip range? (Don't think I'd bother). Note The Q9450 is actually newer and faster than the Q6600. It has a faster default clock (2.66Ghz, compared to 2.4Ghz, and runs on the new 1333FSB speed, as compared to the Q6600's 1066FSB speed). It is also manufactured on a smaller process 55nm, so in theory should run quieter/cooler/overclock better.
    Opt for a 1Gb 4870? If you plan non keeping the card for 3 years it might be worth it, but given how easy a graphics card is to replace I wouldn't bother). Stock of the 1Gb 4870 and 4870X2 in none existant at the moment anyway.
    Get a cheaper CPU cooler, always an option if you want to look into it. Could probably save about £20 here if you can be arsed.
    I always recommend Samsung drives - they're always quiet and reliable from my experience.
    Power supply - The Corsair 550W will be ample for the system I've specced. If you want more wattage try the HX 620W Modular, a good £30 more, but you'd never need more than that.
    The Antec P182 is probably the best case I've ever used - my dream case. Sleek, spacious, quiet, dust filters, top fan, minimalist design, front door as you requested.
    Last edited by cptwhite_uk; 17-08-2008 at 01:39 PM.

  9. #9
    Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    148
    Thanks
    56
    Thanked
    2 times in 2 posts

    Re: Really really sick of looking at parts and need some help.

    any reason why paying £170 for Rampage mobo

    I been looking at this mobo Gigabyte GA-EP35-DS4

  10. #10
    Senior Member cptwhite_uk's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Posts
    4,122
    Thanks
    473
    Thanked
    577 times in 393 posts
    • cptwhite_uk's system
      • Motherboard:
      • MSI B450i Gaming plus Wifi
      • CPU:
      • AMD Ryzen 3700X
      • Memory:
      • 16Gb DRR4 Trident Z 3200 C16
      • Storage:
      • Adata XPG SX8200 Pro 1Tb NVME SSD
      • Graphics card(s):
      • RTX 3060 Ti 8Gb
      • PSU:
      • Corsair SF600 Gold
      • Case:
      • Ncase M1 v6
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10 Pro
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell S2721DGF (2560x1440 144Hz Nano IPS)
      • Internet:
      • Virgin Media 350Mbps

    Re: Really really sick of looking at parts and need some help.

    To be honest I'm not really up on the motherboard side of things. So just went with his preference. Personally I wouldn't pay that much for a M/B. My limit would be about £100 and you can get a perfectly adequate board for that amount. My personal choice of motherboard would probably be the Asus P5K Premium http://www.ebuyer.com/product/142854 (this would save about £70 from the price I listed above). Do a Google search for reviews and you'll see it's widely considered one of the best reviews
    Last edited by cptwhite_uk; 17-08-2008 at 01:50 PM.

  11. #11
    Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    148
    Thanks
    56
    Thanked
    2 times in 2 posts

    Re: Really really sick of looking at parts and need some help.

    Looks nice case that Antec P182, very tempted I been looking at the Antec Sonata III 500 but comes with psu

    Found antec p182 a little cheaper at Novatech

    http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/s....html?ANT-P182 £87.54 inc vat but only better if you buy something else as Ebuyer as free postage

  12. #12
    Senior Member cptwhite_uk's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Posts
    4,122
    Thanks
    473
    Thanked
    577 times in 393 posts
    • cptwhite_uk's system
      • Motherboard:
      • MSI B450i Gaming plus Wifi
      • CPU:
      • AMD Ryzen 3700X
      • Memory:
      • 16Gb DRR4 Trident Z 3200 C16
      • Storage:
      • Adata XPG SX8200 Pro 1Tb NVME SSD
      • Graphics card(s):
      • RTX 3060 Ti 8Gb
      • PSU:
      • Corsair SF600 Gold
      • Case:
      • Ncase M1 v6
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10 Pro
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell S2721DGF (2560x1440 144Hz Nano IPS)
      • Internet:
      • Virgin Media 350Mbps

    Re: Really really sick of looking at parts and need some help.

    I only really use Scan and Ebuyer as I know there customer support is excellent. The case is £2.50 cheaper, Best to stick to buying your stuff from as few sources as possible if you ask me. It won't even be cheaper once delivery is added as you point out. You'd have to save about another £7.50 to break even with Ebuyer's prices and I doubt you'd manage it to be honest Ebuyer seem to be the cheapest for most things. Plus as I said I reckon Ebuyer are a better company to deal with anyway

  13. #13
    finding nemo staffsMike's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    11,498
    Thanks
    197
    Thanked
    794 times in 741 posts
    • staffsMike's system
      • Motherboard:
      • evga 680i
      • CPU:
      • e6600
      • Memory:
      • geil ultra pc6400
      • Storage:
      • WD 320gb
      • Graphics card(s):
      • leadtek 8800 GTS 640mb
      • PSU:
      • ocz gameXstream 700w
      • Case:
      • akasa eclipse
      • Monitor(s):
      • dell 2007wfp and Lg L194WT
      • Internet:
      • pipex homecall

    Re: Really really sick of looking at parts and need some help.

    The P182 is great but a good compromise is the antec sonata PLUS. That is an Antec solo case with a 550W modular PSU which does very well in review

    Another good case is the coolermaster CM690. Very similar in features to the antec P182, not quite as quiet but better cooling and the same cable management.

  14. #14
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Chesterfield
    Posts
    86
    Thanks
    9
    Thanked
    5 times in 5 posts

    Re: Really really sick of looking at parts and need some help.

    Personally I would drop the E8500 and go for a Q9450 / Q6600. If your keeping it 2-3 years I would go for the X2 and use this with a P5Q Delux (P45). The P5Q will allow you to max out your Quad.

    I use a P5Q with a Q9450 and I can push 3.8 although I currently run it at 3.0 with 1.1 volts.

  15. #15
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    58
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: Really really sick of looking at parts and need some help.

    well reason i was going for the max formula was. its full 16xcrossfire, so if i go for a 4870 i can add another 4870 later when there cheapish.

    Either i need to plan for crossfire or not...crossfire means more money on mobo and psu...no crossfire means saving money on those, but my graphics performance wont last as well

  16. #16
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Chesterfield
    Posts
    86
    Thanks
    9
    Thanked
    5 times in 5 posts

    Re: Really really sick of looking at parts and need some help.

    Quote Originally Posted by Falcor View Post
    well reason i was going for the max formula was. its full 16xcrossfire, so if i go for a 4870 i can add another 4870 later when there cheapish.

    Either i need to plan for crossfire or not...crossfire means more money on mobo and psu...no crossfire means saving money on those, but my graphics performance wont last as well
    Yes but the X2 is better than 4870 Xfired. Some results show that the 512MB 4870 is slightly better with current games but this will change once developers start using the additional ram.

    With regard to P45. You won't noticed any difference in games between the 2 chipsets. X48 is up to 0-10% faster in some games. Going P45 will allow you to push your E8XXX/Q9450 series faster than X48 due to higher overclocking potential. X48 is limited to 450-475 ish on Quads. With P45 you can push 500+ with decent cooling on quads depending on the chip. E8XXXX upto 600 FSB.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •