1st gaming rig if you would be so kind to scrutinise

[wanny8888]

my laptop was on its last legs so I thought to the hell with that and decided to build a computer that actually worked and could play medieval II at a reasonable frame rate. Seeing that I didn't want to upgrade in the next 2 or 3 years I blew my bank account(s) on what I hope is the best value rig for around a grand

new gaming rig specs:

- i5 3570k
- asus p8z77-v pro
- msi gtx 570 frozr III
- g. skill ripjaw 1600mhz - 8GB
- novatech power station 750 black edition
- 2TB Seagate Barracuda ST2000DM001

- dell ultrasharp U2312HM 23" mon
- logitech g500

other stuff is getting upgraded when i get funds =)

runs like a dream 'cept for some compatability issues so I might try a fresh boot of the entire system and download the correct drivers. Mainly the wifi and sound that's screwing up on me atm

[kalniel]

Well if you're already using it it'd be rude to come up with improvements, but next time you see a good offer on a good PSU..

(Might not be needed, but you can't be sure you got lucky).

I presume the 570 is a carry over from a previous build? There are better value for money GFX cards now.

Definitely get an SSD as well if you're spending a grand - probably biggest day to day speed improvement.

You also might like to consider a better CPU cooler to keep that Ivy Bridge chip cool.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Some of the Powerstation PSUs are made by the same OEMs which supply OCZ. This means that they should be not too bad,although there are probably better designs available. However,it is hard to say which OEM makes your PSU. For some stupid reason Novatech is very quiet about this and its only because I got it confirmed by the main chap at JonnyGuru.

The GTX570 is a decent card but the main issue is that it has 1.28GB VRAM,which might start to prove a limitation over time and newer cards have more VRAM.

Apart from that the build seems fine - if you are overclocking you will need a reasonable quality aftermarket air or closed loop water cooler.

[wanny8888]

Some of the Powerstation PSUs are made by the same OEMs which supply OCZ. This means that they should be not too bad,although there are probably better designs available. However,it is hard to say which OEM makes your PSU. For some stupid reason Novatech is very quiet about this and its only because I got it confirmed by the main chap at JonnyGuru.

The GTX570 is a decent card but the main issue is that it has 1.28GB VRAM,which might start to prove a limitation over time and newer cards have more VRAM.

Apart from that the build seems fine - if you are overclocking you will need a reasonable quality aftermarket air or closed loop water cooler.

I cant complain about the PSU. Runs whisper quiet, it's modular which is a huge plus for keeping clutter to a minimum and does the job well.

what other GFX cards would you recommend for that price range?

i was torn between this and the SAPPHIRE AMD Radeon HD 7850 OC 2048MB GDDR5 but i ultimately decided on gtx as i was told nvidia support for games is better. I was quite confused about the PCI 3.0 spec differences. the HD 7850 probably would have been a better match for my MOBO]

Also I'm not sure about the benefits of OC'ing as its run everything that I've thrown at it on full

[kalniel]

PCI-E is fully backwardly compatible, so don't worry about that.

Support for games varies between the makes - some games are better supported by AMD, some by nVidia - best thing is to look at the games you're interested in and read the reviews. I would probably go for the 7850, but if you play a game that works best on nVidia then the 570 is OK, though waiting for the 660 would be better if you could (and I'd probably take that over the 7850 as well, depending on performance).

[wanny8888]

building a quiet gaming pc was a high priority and i was recommended the frozr III for just that. Cant say i regret it at all

have you got any info on the upcoming gtx 660?

[wanny8888]

Well if you're already using it it'd be rude to come up with improvements, but next time you see a good offer on a good PSU..

(Might not be needed, but you can't be sure you got lucky).

I presume the 570 is a carry over from a previous build? There are better value for money GFX cards now.

Definitely get an SSD as well if you're spending a grand - probably biggest day to day speed improvement.

You also might like to consider a better CPU cooler to keep that Ivy Bridge chip cool.

nope this is my 1st foray into the pc world. I'm considering an SSD but with the prices plummeting by the week I think holding out would be a better idea. Besides windows boots so quickly that it takes longer to detect my keyboard

would the OCZ 120GB Agility 3 SSD be a good one to go for? it's selling for £70 on ebuyer though ive heard there's reliability issues with OCZ SSDs

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Since you spent top pound on an overclocking capable motherboard and CPU - I would overclock the CPU a bit!!

The HD7850 2GB though,is really decent for overclocking,and in most cases overclocking the GPU will make more of a difference,than overclocking the CPU if you have something like a Core i5.

Regarding SSDs,I would look at the Crucial M4 or Samsung 830.

[teppic]

You'd have no problems with the HD7850. It's a lot more efficient than the GTX 570, has more memory, and should offer better overclocked performance. The GTX 660 might well offer better competition, when it's released.

[wanny8888]

hmm tbf i dont really see the need to upgrade the GFX in the near future

quick ques: what does updating the BIOS do? I just received a notification on my desktop

[kalniel]

quick ques: what does updating the BIOS do? I just received a notification on my desktop

If you have stability issues or a bug regarding voltages/timings, or if you're using a new CPU/RAM that came out after the BIOS was written then updating it can help. Otherwise if your current one is working it's often good to stick.

[Willzzz]

You've already bought all this?

I'd definitely not have got the 570 and would have got a smaller wattage better quality PSU.

[wanny8888]

You've already bought all this?

I'd definitely not have got the 570 and would have got a smaller wattage better quality PSU.

Had it about a month. You'd be surprised how good the PSU is :http://www.novatech.co.uk/products/c...ov-psb750.html

It's got brilliant reviews. Though if I was doing this again I'd get a better case and GFX. Still debating whether to get a SSD or not

[wanny8888]

Also anyone recommend a decent keyboard?

Currently got my eye on the corsair k90 cos of it being a mechanical keyboard, awesome back lighting and build quality. I'm also considering the g510

[Willzzz]

They are two very different keyboards, imo either you want a mechanical or you don't. Personally while the g510 is cheaper I still couldn't justify the price, while I would be happy paying good money for the k90.

I sorta see the g510 as being all bells and whistles and very little substance, I can't see it improving my in game performance at all. But hey maybe that's you want?

[wanny8888]

yeah I see what you mean. I don't have much use for The lcd and stuff. I like the k60 with the rubber wasd keys but having no back light is killing it for me though it is much cheaper. I've never tried mechanical keys but I've only heard good things about them