Hi, I am looking for a mid range gaming PC that would be sufficient for current games and hopefully do a job for me for a couple of years.
Need a complete package and I've never built my own system before.
Any advice/recommendations will be great.
Thanks in advance :)
Thanks. Problem is, I live out in the country which means there is one computer store in town and its prices arent exactly competitive. They dont have a wide selection either.
Go to any reputable computer store nearby or online with cheap shipping and ask them to build a computer for you around an i3 3220 and a 7870 with a good power supply.
Fixed that for 'mid range'.
Thanks. Wouldnt happen to know of any good online sellers, would you?
pccasegear is reasonable. I like scorptech. MSY are cheap, but there is a lack of service.
PC Case Gear is in Victoria — not really an ideal location to buy a whole desktop from if you are in NSW.
MSY is good if you know what you're getting beforehand. Consult the Wiki on possible gaming builds.
It isn't the kind of shop where you walk in and ask for suggestions. You'll get weird looks.
They never pick up phone calls either so email and the online order system is your best method of communication.
Other than that, you can try ARC Computers who are fairly price competitive.
IT Estate is so-so and PC DIY is a good choice too.
Cheers fellas. You guys have been a big help in getting me in the right direction. Thanks again!
What are your thoughts on this setup?
CPU: Intel Core i5 3570K $239
Mobo: Asus P8Z77-M $109
RAM: Corsair XMS3 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3-1600 $59SSD:
Plextor M5S 256GB $199
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 2TB (ST2000DM001) $99
GPU: Powercolor 3GB AMD Radeon HD7950 Boost $299 (Use MSI Afterburner – or a similar program – to set the fan speed curve to your liking)
Case: Silverstone TJ08-E $99
PSU: Antec High Current Gamer 520W $89
ODD:
DVD burner $25
CPU HSF: Coolermaster Hyper 212 EVO $35 (Install the fan on the heatsink in a pull configuration, to clear the hard drive. Use Asus Fan Xpert to tune the fan to your liking)Soundcard: Asus Xonar DG $29
Peripherals: [ 23" LG IPS234V / Coolermaster Storm Trigger w/ 40A-L o-ring mod / Razer DeathAdder V2 / Edifier S330D 2.1 ] (+$524)
That setup is fine.
If you are not overclocking, it is possible to save further by dropping the Core i5 to a vanilla 3570 and getting rid of the Coolermaster EVO 212 cooler.
The sound card is completely optional. Unless you plan to get the Edifier S330D or have an equivalent kick-arse sound system setup, the Xonar DG is not neccessary. On-board audio will do the trick.
Although the Wiki recommends a Plextor SSD, you can also consider a Samsung 840 if it is in stock.
The case Silverstone TJ08-E is not a very common case (MSY don't sell Silverstone brands) and not a lot of stores have it.
A good alternative to the Silverstone TJ08-E is a Corsair Carbide 400R or a Fractal Design Define R3 Titanium.
Hi just thought I'd add that I see people often recommend the 3470 if you don't plan to overclock the cpu so it's like 40 cheaper than the 3570k also don't forgot you can also change your motherboard for a cheaper one too if you don't oc
Ps. and as scrimsaw said you can get rid of the cooler cause it would be not needed I this circumstance
You'll have to forgive my computer illiteracy, but what is ocerclocking, and what are the advantages of it?
Overclocking is making the CPU, GPU or anything else run faster than the speed it is sold at. Normally this means you need to give it more power and more cooling, and increase the chance of failure.
Sometimes you can get better value for money this way, but often people just do it for entertainment value. Historically you could get huge improvements, but not so much any more.
Summary: If you have to ask you don't want to overclock. This means:
1: Don't pay more for a 'z' motherboard if you have another good option (ie 'z77').
2: Don't pay for a 'K' CPU.
3: Don't buy any third party cooling devices.
Agreed with Bruce on those points so yeah as suggested you could be saving about 100$ give or take (rough figure) through doing the changes
Wow im glad I came here for advice. The saleman could jave pissed on me and told me its raining and I would probably have believed him.
Ill probably take you advices and get that set up with the changes you suggested. Thanks again lads. Been really helpful!
I Found Newegg's How to build a PC guide helpful for me.
http://youtu.be/lPIXAtNGGCw
and reddit's subreddit on buildapc
www.reddit.com/r/buildapc
Check Static Ice and PC PART Picker also. (be sure to switch to AU for PC Part Picker)
Thanks mate. Will give the video a look in when I finish work.
Go to any reputable computer store and ask them to build a computer for you around an i5 3570k and GTX 670.