700 Notes - Gaming Build

[Merlin4458]

I know I posted a thread a couple of months ago, but decided to wait till my contract finished and it was a little closer to COD BO.

Looking at building in the next week or two whilst I have the money.

This is what I have come up with so far.




Im open to any suggestions regarding AMD/ATI : Nvidia/Intel combos and vica versa.


Its purely for gaming.


PS: Im moving to malta in Jan so the case needs to be small enough to not make the journy there a nightmare



Thanks all.

[nibbler]

personal thoughts: don't get that case - poor reviews it's ugly imo too. If you want something small but good then have a look at an antec 300, or uATX an antec P180 mini (which I have, yes). Save a tenner on the RAM and get cas 8 or 9 (there is no difference in the real world) and spend that tenner on a 6 core 1055T. You sorted for a CPU cooler and HD?

[Merlin4458]

Ive got a 500gb Spinpoint from the rig im on now. Its 4 years old, but no probs so far with it. Not sorted for a cooler. Should I get an aftermarket cooler if im not overclocking just yet?

[nibbler]

You could reuse your arctic freezer?

[Merlin4458]

You could reuse your arctic freezer?

It would fit fine? Despite it being so old?

[nibbler]

I think AMD mounting brackets have been the same for ages... is it a clip or a backplate job?

[Domestic_Ginger]

I would try and get a 5850 for less than £200. Froogle just priced the card at 207 on ebuyer. (losing my mind btw).

I would be quite tempted to get an i3 and overclock it to about 4ghz. Bit tech net has an okay guide on this. Like you said its only for gaming so you don't need too many cores.

What res are you using btw; a 460 768mb at ca £120 would be my choice on a 17" crt.

[Domestic_Ginger]

the artic freezer is no better than the AMD stock heatsink iirc. Oooops double post.

If you have to go AMD get a 955 or an athlon x3. It wrong to me to be paying almost three times the cost of the board on a CPU.

[nibbler]

This is the new one.
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Arcti...-to-130-Watts!

Think it's better according to this review
http://hi-techreviews.com/index.php/...-rev-2?start=3

[Merlin4458]

I dont have to go anything. Im open to intel ideas also. Im using a 2405FPW atm, but changing to a 22/23" HD monitor at xmas time.

I could go for a cheaper CPU and overclock, but ive not overclocked for years and even then it was very basic. So prob happier to spend extra to get the clock instead.

[nibbler]

I would still go for the 1055T. You'll easily learn to OC it to 3.5GHz, probably won't even need to up the vcore.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

The HD6000 series is coming out next month AFAIK.

I would get the following build:

AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition ~ £109

http://www.scan.co.uk/TodayOnly/Index.aspx

With stock cooler and stock voltages you should be able to get upto the speed of a Phenom II X4 965BE or 975BE. OTH, a mATX motherboard won't be as good for overclocking as a full ATX motherboard due to limitations on the VRM cooling.

Gigabyte GA-880GMA-UD2H ~ £82

http://www.scan.co.uk/TodayOnly/Index.aspx

OR

MSI 880GMA-E45 ~ £73

http://www.scan.co.uk/TodayOnly/Index.aspx

Both motherboards have the HD4250 IGP, SATA 3.0 and USB 3.0 ports.

Kingston 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1600MHz HyperX Blu Memory Kit ~ £72

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/234975

OR

Corsair Memory Dominator 4GB DDR3 PC3-12800 ~ £79

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/4GB-%...X-18v%28AMD%29

If you are not overclocking run the RAM at 1333MHZ using low latencies.

Antec Mini P180 ~ £62

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Antec...plus120mm-fans

OR

NZXT Vulcan ~ £54

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/NZXT-...USB-20-w-o-PSU

Antec TruePower New 650W ~ £76

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/159920

The total comes to around £384 to £408.

[Merlin4458]

Alright so Ram sorted. Gone for Cas 9. CPu going for 1055T.

Is the mobo a good enough choice? And psu?

[nibbler]

TBH I agree with CAT. Get that stuff and then wait for 6770/6750 (or if it's rubbish then go for a 5850). The P180 mini is gorgeous
That PSU that CAT linked to is a great price.

[Merlin4458]

The HD6000 series is coming out next month AFAIK.

I would get the following build:

AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition ~ £109

http://www.scan.co.uk/TodayOnly/Index.aspx

With stock cooler and stock voltages you should be able to get upto the speed of a Phenom II X4 965BE or 975BE. OTH, a mATX motherboard won't be as good for overclocking as a full ATX motherboard due to limitations on the VRM cooling.

Gigabyte GA-880GMA-UD2H ~ £82

http://www.scan.co.uk/TodayOnly/Index.aspx

OR

MSI 880GMA-E45 ~ £73

http://www.scan.co.uk/TodayOnly/Index.aspx

Both motherboards have the HD4250 IGP, SATA 3.0 and USB 3.0 ports.

Kingston 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1600MHz HyperX Blu Memory Kit ~ £72

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/234975

OR

Corsair Memory Dominator 4GB DDR3 PC3-12800 ~ £79

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/4GB-%...X-18v%28AMD%29

If you are not overclocking run the RAM at 1333MHZ using low latencies.

Antec Mini P180 ~ £62

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Antec...plus120mm-fans

OR

NZXT Vulcan ~ £54

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/NZXT-...USB-20-w-o-PSU

Antec TruePower New 650W ~ £76

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/159920

The total comes to around £384 to £408.

You have literally thrown the cat amongst the pigeons

So with a 200 card and psu im looking at just under 700.

[nibbler]

PSU is included there?
Just card needed. Go for uATX, it's just so much cooler