Building a decent gaming computer

LLeechingLeech on 15/09/2011 - 21:57

Want to find cheap (not old or outdated, just cheap) parts for a new computer. I probably won't get a new pc case and no monitor or keyboard/mice etc, but other than that I need the rest for ~$700.

Need:

  • i5 or i7 core (prefereably intel i7, other suggestions would be fine)
  • A decent graphics card, willing to spend ~$150 (prefereably ATI, only because I'm a fanboy)
  • Motherboard
  • Ram >4GB
  • Power supply (depending on the above)
  • Blu-ray (maybe)
  • Hard drive >1T (probably don't need SSD)
  • And other stuff…

Any help would be great :C

General Discussion

Comments

  • issh on 15/09/2011 - 22:08

    posted from another post a while ago

    Here are some info
    Whirlpool PC Suggestions
    Gaming configs
    Whirlpool Builds
    Compare Prices of SEPARATE parts
    Staticice

    For the GPU , i'll bump it up to $200 for the HD6950

  • samfisher5986 on 15/09/2011 - 22:10

    2500k
    P67 or Z68 mobo chipset if you want to overclock
    get 2x 4GB sticks because its cheap, $56….
    I would get a Corsair power supply

    Buy everything you need then get the best ATI video card you can afford at the end.

  • Cobalt_ on 15/09/2011 - 22:22

    New Intel CPU and motherboards due out in mid November (socket2011). If you wait until then it may drive down the price of the existing technology. Unless our exchange rate takes another hammering between now and November.

    • samfisher5986 on 15/09/2011 - 22:27

      I don't think waiting 2 months is worth it…

      • Trance N Dance on 18/09/2011 - 08:36

        It could actually, considering they are moving to a smaller die, ie die shrink to 22nm with ivy bridge there should be a nice jump in performance for the same amount of power, or a decent jump in processing power for the same power draw. But one thing for certain is a price drop on something that's comparable in terms of performance, ie cheap stuff =]

        • samfisher5986 on 18/09/2011 - 11:34

          yeah but I mean the wait for price drop is unlikely to be worth it.

          For example a 2500k is $218 now.

          For a 2 month wait, I would want it to drop to $100-150, but this is likely to happen in 3 months+ if it ever happens

          Just a guess anyway based on previous releases, the price sometimes drops, but often it just stops being sold.

  • joannatan on 15/09/2011 - 23:46

    why u guys love intel? amd speed is faster than intel and the price surely calm your pocket as well.

    • issh on 15/09/2011 - 23:54

      amd speed is faster than intel

      purely depends on the model—> As seen here, intel dominates the top of the high end CPU
      just like comparing Fords and Holdens

      price surely calm your pocket as well.

      +1 to this though, as seen here where amd is better value

    • samfisher5986 on 16/09/2011 - 10:48

      Intel is a lot faster.

      AMD has 6 cores for cheap, but the actual cores are slower so not very useful.

      2500k can easily be changed to 4.3Ghz, AMD can't come close to stock or OC'd 2500k.

      • joannatan on 17/09/2011 - 02:53

        overclock need some skills, friend of my he is maniac for overclock. he design a special case for this purpose, his casing look like a small aquarium. for general public you might not be able to overclock to certain speed, but for this type of people nothing is impossible.

        • samfisher5986 on 17/09/2011 - 12:46

          Nope

          2500k can achieve 4.3ghz with a $25 coolermaster cooler without issues.

          Overclocking a 2500k is done by increasing the multiplier, very easy.

        • issh on 17/09/2011 - 15:07

          his casing look like a small aquarium.

          haha probably oil(forgot the term for it)

        • joannatan on 17/09/2011 - 16:39

          When u do overclock, off course u need to change the multiplier setting and the result increase of the heat on cpu. Then u need the skills to control the heat. In my experience in the past, some of the cpu working normal for 3 months then trouble start appear and dead cpu :)

        • samfisher5986 on 17/09/2011 - 17:52

          joannatan, nope

          There is no skill in controlling heat, thats what your cooler is for.

          If your CPU has ever stopped working, you are doing something very very wrong.

          CPU's last over 10 years unless you purposly overvolt them for 7Ghz overclocks.

          Don't overvolt past intel guidelines and it will last 10+ years.

        • joannatan on 17/09/2011 - 20:23

          if you can keep your casing 100% free of dust, and you clean the cooler everyday so no dust and some thing stick on it, yes, it will long lasting. and make sure if you keep your room temperature around 22 degree as well. of all this condition can't be met, then the heat inside the casing will increase, no way your coolmaster can do all this thing one go. thats why i said that this type of people need some skill, where this skill need put some effort to think what is the best to keep the temperature inside the casing still below the max temperature that the cpu can handle.

          give you some idea, in 1994 my friend imported cpu that has broken pin from taiwan, hire some people to put the pin back and he resell it. to maximize the profit, hire some people to overclock, if you remember 486 series and early pentium series, thats what my playing field that time when i still in the univ. i can tell you based on my experience, some still fail even we put better cooler at that time. then after further study, we recognize some external thing that cause the temperature raise and the cooler can't keep up anymore as the result the temperature inside the casing above the the maximum the cpu can tolerate, then we got dead cpu, then we got called from the customer. I haven't done any commercial base in the last 10 years since i moved to here. But i did for my own personal pc when i upgraded my pc.

        • samfisher5986 on 17/09/2011 - 22:26

          joannatan, that explains it, 1994 computers could not be overclocked without downsides.

          Since Core 2 Duo's its 100% safe to do as long as you don't do silly things in the BIOS.

          You don't need to worry about dust too because the cpu runs so cool there is a huge leeway which allows the dust.

          I guarantee you its very easy and safe, but I obviously wouldn't recommend people do it without researching on how to do it.

          Its even easier with unlocked CPU's like the 2500k because you don't need to raise the FSB, memory etc, this means your CPU is the only thing working harder, which is perfect because the CPU is the longest lasting part in your computer.

        • joannatan on 17/09/2011 - 23:54

          you mean the new casing got hepa filter that able to filter the dust as well? that very new to me :)

        • samfisher5986 on 18/09/2011 - 00:47

          No, dust is not a big issue

        • joannatan on 18/09/2011 - 01:29

          when the last time you open your casing? have ever check the fan cooler? especially if you put the casing on the floor and you have carpet floor as well.

        • samfisher5986 on 18/09/2011 - 02:52

          I'm not saying dust doesn't exist, I'm saying dust in your CPU cooler is generally not a problem for most people.

          If you do have a problem with it and your computer is not years old, then you probably need a better case or CPU cooler.

      • joannatan on 17/09/2011 - 03:19

        interesting thing to read http://www.amd.com/us/Documents/Cores_vs_Threads_Whitepaper.…

        when you do overclock also take consideration with other hardware related as well. i know amd is not much fans in here, thats why it sound hard to get 4.3Ghz, but it does happen already.
        it remind me 10 years ago when i asked about amd in the computer shop, the shop attendant doesn't understand amd. well thats how small it is australia.

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akJiPTyFn6A

    • scrimshaw on 16/09/2011 - 21:04

      It used to be the case with Phenom VS Nehalem.

      Now not anymore, Sandy Bridge Core i5's are better bang for your buck in the $200 CPU market, there is also no competition from AMD when it comes to the Core i5 2500k either.

      The higher end hex-core Phenom's also don't perform as well as the i5-2500 in terms of gaming performance, since many games do not support hex core, let alone use all 4 cores equally.

      That's why the Whirlpool builds all recommend the Core i5 2500 or 2500k.

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