Help Needed: Cheap PC Build

[Ekkoeu]

Need help with a Cheap Portable(ish) Build. I will use this for 25 man Raiding.

Budget: $800-850 NZD

Graphics Card: Gigabyte GV-N65TOC-2GI GTX 650 Ti PCIE Video Card, 2GB DDR5 $225.00 $225.00
CPU : Intel Core i5 3570 3.40GHz CPU (1155) $291.00 $291.00
Case : Cooler Master Elite 343 Micro ATX Mini Tower Case, 420w PSU, Black $89.00 $89.00
Motherboard : Gigabyte GA-H77M-D3H Motherboard (1155) $136.00 $136.00
Memory : 8GB Kingston HyperX KHX1600C9D3K2/8GX DDR3-1600 Dual Memory Kit, XMP
Hard Drive: I already have a Vertex 3 120 GB Hard Drive I plan to use.

I'm not sure the PSU included with the Cooler Master case will be powerful enough? Any thoughts?

Thanks for your help. I'm ordering off Tastech - New Zealand supplier -.

[MMKing]

Add OS

Pick the K version of the CPU so you can overclock it

Pick a Z77 Motherboard so you can overclock your CPU

[Ekkoeu]

Add OS

Pick the K version of the CPU so you can overclock it

Pick a Z77 Motherboard so you can overclock your CPU

I've got Windows 7 installed on my old SSD so I'll use that. I'm not sure how to Overclock, will it cost much more? Do you think the 420w PSU will power the system ok? Thanks for your help.

[MMKing]

Not that much more, 50 Dollars at most. But the performance gain is huge. 420W should be more than enough to power all of this.

[yurano]

Not that much more, 50 Dollars at most. But the performance gain is huge. 420W should be more than enough to power all of this.

The CPU performance gain of overclocking a 3570K is roughly 10-15% for the standard 4.2-4.5 Ghz OC which won't make a difference in gaming because its going to be coupled with a 650 Ti.

A Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO is $56 and an acceptable Z77 motherboard is at least an additional $90 (ASUS P8Z77-V LK or Gigabyte Z77X-D3H) So going for a 3570K will cost roughly $150 NZD.

I'm not sure the PSU included with the Cooler Master case will be powerful enough? Any thoughts?

PSUs that come with cases (especially cheap cases) generally aren't fit for gaming loads. The following build will be more suitable for FPS and MMO gaming.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i3-3220 3.3GHz Dual-Core Processor ($165.00 @ Computer Lounge)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B75M-D3V Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($96.14 @ Aquila Technology)
Memory: Kingston 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($90.97 @ Ascent Technology)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 660 2GB Video Card ($315.00 @ Computer Lounge)
Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($81.00 @ Paradigm PCs)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 430W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($81.00 @ Paradigm PCs)
Total: $829.11
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-05-14 14:26 NZST+1200)

[chazus]

Unfortunately, your budget is pretty limited due to NZ pricing, as well as limited options in that area. A higher CPU (3570K) would push you way over 850, as would a better GPU.

If you had to choose between them though, a better CPU would be more desireable over GPU, considering 25 raiding.

PCPartPicker part list
CPU: Intel Core i5-3470 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($259.00 @ Computer Lounge)
Motherboard: ASRock B75 PRO3-M Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($96.54 @ Ascent Technology)
Memory: Kingston 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($90.97 @ Ascent Technology)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 650 Ti 1GB Video Card ($199.00 @ Computer Lounge)
Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($93.00 @ Paradigm PCs)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 430W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($81.00 @ Paradigm PCs)
Total: $819.51

[Ekkoeu]

Thanks for your input guys. It looks like, from what you've both said, I have the choice with either going with a better graphics card 650 Ti Vs 660, or better processor i3 3220 Vs i5 3470? Apart from that things look pretty similar.

[chazus]

The 660 will get better general game frame rate. The 3470 will get better raid framerate.

To be honest... I would recommend saving up another hundred bucks and getting both. At that budget (and those awful prices >.<) you're taking a pretty significant hit over a $100 difference no matter what.

[Ekkoeu]

Yeah, $100 isn't too much more, you're right.. I'm looking at cases now, and this one seems quite small, and may be better suited:

http://nz.pcpartpicker.com/part/bitf...cpro300wwxkwrp

I'm not sure there is a big difference between ITX and Micro ATX?

Are you inferring the prices in NZ are pretty expensive? Thanks for the help!

[chazus]

I'm not sure there is a big difference between ITX and Micro ATX?

Are you inferring the prices in NZ are pretty expensive? Thanks for the help!

ITX is not an option, simply put. It's mostly for media centers. MicroATX is as small as you can get if you can help it.

And yeah.. NZ prices are... cray cray. NZD is only 20% of USD... but NZ prices are like ... 50% more on TOP of that. Nothing you can really do about it, to be honest. More just an observation.

[Killora]

ITX is not an option, simply put. It's mostly for media centers. MicroATX is as small as you can get if you can help it.

And yeah.. NZ prices are... cray cray. NZD is only 20% of USD... but NZ prices are like ... 50% more on TOP of that. Nothing you can really do about it, to be honest. More just an observation.

Care to explain? The only thing ITX can't really support is extreme OCing and SLI. And of course 32gb ram. But even the extreme OCing part is being remedied as of late.

Unless you just mean it'd cost a lot more in New Zealand? Cause good ITX boards do cost more than a normal board. Which i can understand if that's what you mean.

[chazus]

Care to explain? The only thing ITX can't really support is extreme OCing and SLI. And of course 32gb ram. But even the extreme OCing part is being remedied as of late.

ITX boards are cases are usually prohibitively small, and just make everything more difficult. Tighter space, more heat. Some boards can't fit aftermarket fans because the space is so tight. Though I suppose with a i3 or low i5 + 650ti/660... It might be doable. I'd just never want to.

EDIT: And yes, a lot more expensive usually.

[Ekkoeu]

This is what I've arrived at, with your guys advice:

http://nz.pcpartpicker.com/p/X9rU

I have windows 7 Ultimate installed on my OCZ Vertex 3 for the build. It was originally used in a laptop, but I'm expecting to just plug it into the Motherboard and hopefully the system will boot windows, after which I can install the other drivers. Looking good though!

[chazus]

If you can swing the money, it's definitely a good choice. A few notes.

-Get the Gigabyte over the Asus card
-You'll need to reinstall your OS, unfortunately. You can't just change systems and have it work, not without some annoying things that is more work than its worth.
-I normally don't recommend the Corsair 430, but you really don't have much choice, unless theres a local place that might have some better options.

[Deleted]

Basically seconding Chazus' advice, on account of the really...different pricing in NZ. I'm presuming there's no way to import parts from, say, Australia if you can't find them cheaper locally.

[Ekkoeu]

Thanks for the heads up. I'll have to download a new version and put it on my external hard drive. Hopefully the Windows 7 code on the bottom of my now defunct laptop will work to activate it.

[chazus]

Hopefully the Windows 7 code on the bottom of my now defunct laptop will work to activate it.

It should. As long as that code isn't being used on two systems at the same time.

---------- Post added 2013-05-13 at 11:56 PM ----------

I'm presuming there's no way to import parts

Usually after either shipping, transport, taxes, duty, and a sound beating, it ends up not being worth it.

There is a lot of legislation and political stuff going on right now worldwide due to this same thing. The same reason Steam games cost twice as much in Aus and crap like that.