PC Build (Budget: £1000)

[Rhaom]

Hello,

I am a somewhat experienced computer geek, although I am looking for some assistance building a new Intel / Radeon based gaming rig for a budget of roughly £1000. I have built many gaming rigs in the past although I have always gone with AMD / Nvidia. These days having looked at comparisons of performance benchmarks it seems that Intel & Radeon are substantially further ahead of the game than AMD & Nvidia are.

I already have dual monitors and most peripherals that are required so (unless you feel otherwise) the whole budget can be used on the case and the components.

My current computer specs are:

PSU: 550W, XFX Core Edition
CPU: AMD FX-8320 Hex Core CPU
MOTHERBOARD: Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3
MEMORY: 12GB (3x4GB) Corsair DDR3 Vengenance, PC3-16000, Non-ECC, 10-10-10-27, XMP, 1.50V
GFX CARD: 1GB EVGA GTX 550 Ti

[scaryjim]

OK, if you have an FX-8320 (this is octocore, incidentally, not hex core) and a 990FX motherboard, there is no point upgrading them at all. Games are increasingly becoming better threaded, and an 8 core CPU will serve you well into the future.

Not quite sure why you're using 3x4GB on an AM3+ platform - I'm pretty sure the CPU will compensate for the uneven loading and still run dual channel, but 2 or 4 sticks of memory would be more usual.

But basically, the only thing it makes any sense to upgrade on that rig is the GTX550 Ti, which is frankly the weak link by a long way. Get an R9 290 or 290X and you won't be sorry, but wait for the non-reference models to come out. Also, get a decent aftermarket CPU cooler and overclock the 8320. The sit back and revel in your much much faster gaming machine, and put the £600 you haven't spent towards something fun



and as an aside, you are away that AMD make Radeon graphics cards, right?

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

What case do you have OP?? Also,I would do what scaryjim suggests.

[Rhaom]

I do indeed know that AMD make Radeon cards, I have always just coupled AMD CPU's with Nvidia cards because when I first started this is what I was taught was best for gaming.

Maybe that is utter rubbish its just what I was taught so its how I have always done it - Would be useful to know if this is rubbish or not.

Memory
Can I ask what difference it makes running 2 or 4 instead or 3? (not disagreeing with you, just so I know)

CPU Cooling
Currently I am running a "Akasa, AK-CC017 Freedom Tower CPU Cooler" - Part of the reason I wanted to upgrade is from time to time my computer smells like its getting a little hot

As far as upgrading this I have been looking at the Corsair h100i Hydro Series

Case
At the moment I use a Zalman Z9-Plus, although I was looking at the Corsair R300 earlier today

[kalniel]

Maybe that is utter rubbish its just what I was taught so its how I have always done it - Would be useful to know if this is rubbish or not.

It's rubbish. Technology changes greatly year on year. What might have been a good recommendation at a particular moment in time isn't likely to be valid for a different technology.

Memory
Can I ask what difference it makes running 2 or 4 instead or 3? (not disagreeing with you, just so I know)

It's cheaper (most memory sold in pairs or quads), and easier on the memory controller/voltage controller.

CPU Cooling
Currently I am running a "Akasa, AK-CC017 Freedom Tower CPU Cooler" - Part of the reason I wanted to upgrade is from time to time my computer smells like its getting a little hot

Most of us use temperature sensors these days I recommend RealTemp.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I do indeed know that AMD make Radeon cards, I have always just coupled AMD CPU's with Nvidia cards because when I first started this is what I was taught was best for gaming.

Maybe that is utter rubbish its just what I was taught so its how I have always done it - Would be useful to know if this is rubbish or not.

Memory
Can I ask what difference it makes running 2 or 4 instead or 3? (not disagreeing with you, just so I know)

CPU Cooling
Currently I am running a "Akasa, AK-CC017 Freedom Tower CPU Cooler" - Part of the reason I wanted to upgrade is from time to time my computer smells like its getting a little hot

As far as upgrading this I have been looking at the Corsair h100i Hydro Series

Case
At the moment I use a Zalman Z9-Plus, although I was looking at the Corsair R300 earlier today

I would either remove 4GB of RAM or get another 4GB stick of RAM to make sure it runs in dual channel.

The Zalman case can take graphics cards upto 290MM long it seems:

http://www.zalman.com/global/product...ad.php?Idx=423

These cards are 269MM long:

http://www.dabs.com/products/msi-amd...%20280x&src=16
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/3gb-m...mhz-2048-cores

That MSI R9 280X for under £230 is a good card for the price IMHO.

So you can spend well under £300 in total.

[Rhaom]

@CAT-THE-FIFTH

Thanks for the links, I will definately be looking into that graphics card and either adding another or removing 4GB of memory.

@kalniel

RealTemp does not support AMD FX-8320, I have various programs to check heat, I wasnt saying my system is overheating, it just gets heat spikes and I am not sure what the cause of it is.


Seemingly the best thing to do is probably going to be to add another 4GB of memory, upgrade my graphics card to the 280/290X and possibly change my cpu cooler for the Hydro rather than an air cooler

[kalniel]

@kalniel

RealTemp does not support AMD FX-8320, I have various programs to check heat, I wasnt saying my system is overheating, it just gets heat spikes and I am not sure what the cause of it is.

AMD's own software then

You should be able to use it to spot when you are getting heat spikes.

[Rhaom]

Thanks for all the input.

After a little monitoring, I believe I have 1 fan that's dieing, since 3 are running at 1.1-1.3k RPM and 1 is only running at 700 RPM although it seems the hottest any of my temps get is 50c which doesn't seem to bad.

I ordered a Corsair H100i Hydro cooling system and will be replacing a couple of my case fans when I purchase a new graphics card, probably going to wait a month or 2 and see what happens with the non-reference 290-290X models as far as pricing is concerned.

[MrRockliffe]

Get a Noctua NH-D14 to overclock the CPU, get a non reference 290 when they come out or two of them if you want. Get a modular power supply with ribbon cables, a new case (I like the define R4 with a window).

Also, if you haven't already, get an SSD.