Need to replace an ancient rig

[DefineByte]

Hello there, new poster here.

My current PC is over 4 years old and in desperate need of upgrading (it's slow and dying). I haven't been keeping track of hardware for a long time so I was wondering if you could take a gander at my choices and tell me what you think.

• Intel i5 750
• Cogage True Spirit + Thermalright LGA1156 Bolt-Thru Kit - I'm trying to avoid a heatsink as heavy as the Megahalems etc.
• Gigabyte GA-P55-UD3R
• G.Skill Ripjaw 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C9 1600MHz Dual Channel Kit (F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL)
• XFX ATI Radeon HD 5850 (also got a Sapphire on order. I'll cancel one when the other is sent out, which hopefully won't be at the same time )
• Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB x2

I'll be using my existing Seasonic S12-500 PSU and Antec Solo case (hopefully). I don't plan on overclocking (blasphemy!).

Does everything look OK? Anything that could be better?

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Looks good to me!!

[nightkhaos]

I concur. Except you not overclocking. Why get an AM heatsink if you're not going to overclock? I mean it's like "look at how cool my CPU is" is about all you can do.

[DefineByte]

Thanks. I'm getting the heatsink because I want things cool and quiet. Are there any CPU bound games out there at the moment to make overclocking worthwhile?

[nightkhaos]

Thanks. I'm getting the heatsink because I want things cool and quiet. Are there any CPU bound games out there at the moment to make overclocking worthwhile?

GTA IV and erm... that'd be about it.

[DefineByte]

Heh, well I don't have GTA IV (it's a dog performance wise right?). I did like GTA3/VC/SA though.

[nightkhaos]

Heh, well I don't have GTA IV (it's a dog right?). I did like GTA3/VC/SA though.

A dog hmm?

Let's see, it over uses your computer because it was a particularly bad port from the Xbox? Check.

It is hard to get into because it's depth of story and slow progression resulting in you welding a pistol for way to long? Check.

You can't get any of the DLC like the lost and the damned on the PC? Check.

Hmm yes... it's definately a dog, but it's a cute little puppy you want to play with every once and a while.

[scaryjim]

in my experience there's little wrong with stock coolers if you're not overclocking, so (assuming you're buying a retail boxed CPU) it may be worth giving the stock cooler a go first, and only buy an after market cooler if you're genuinely unhappy with the noice and/or temps you're getting from the stock one...

[DefineByte]

That was my original plan but I didn't revel in the idea of taking the motherboard out to install the backplate if I decided the stock cooler wasn't good enough. Would certainly save a bit of money though.

[MadduckUK]

A dog hmm?

Let's see, it over uses your computer because it was a particularly bad port from the Xbox? Check.

It is hard to get into because it's depth of story and slow progression resulting in you welding a pistol for way to long? Check.

You can't get any of the DLC like the lost and the damned on the PC? Check.

Hmm yes... it's definately a dog, but it's a cute little puppy you want to play with every once and a while.

worth upgrading just so you can increase the draw distance and snipe from further away

[UseItNow]

When you posted ancient, I thought it would have been older than 4 years, I've one I'm using to this day that's 7 years old (this reply is from the machine I'm referring to), unfortunately, I just can't get the time to finish the upgrades that have been long overdue. All the components are just sitting there!

In regards to your build, looks good, I also tend to go for the bigger coolers for better cooling although I've never overclocked, presume will have an attempt on the machine I'm looking to build in the SG03 not my HTPC.

[DefineByte]

7 years is very good going. I usually find parts start failing around the 4 year mark myself. Maybe I'm unlucky, inept or the power round here is really dirty.

[UseItNow]

7 years is very good going. I usually find parts start failing around the 4 year mark myself. Maybe I'm unlucky, inept or the power round here is really dirty.

I had an old Packard Bell P3 go for 9 years before it packed in because my sibling thought he could game on it, LOL.

The most recent of the rigs in our home had the motherboard pack in under 2 years use! Funnily, that was the most I'd spent on a machine!

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I built my PC in late 2006 and the longer I can keep it the better!! A 975X motherboard and a mildly overclocked Q6600 still is fast enough for my purposes and for the amount of gaming I do!!

[DefineByte]

That sounds pretty powerful compared to my current Athlon 64 3400+ (Newcastle). I do have other, much slower computers that I use for other things though. This is just my main system.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

That sounds pretty powerful compared to my current Athlon 64 3400+ (Newcastle). I do have other, much slower computers that I use for other things though. This is just my main system.

I think that your system is due an upgrade. My 975X is one of the earlier Core2 compatible motherboards and I upgraded from a dual core to a Q6600 this year very cheaply!!

I use a Pentium M 1.7GHZ notebook for most general purpose things though.