My New Computer Specs, just making sure!

[Maldazar985]

Hey guys!

Posted in here a while ago to get some advise on what specs to put into a new computer that I am going to build myself.

Everyone was really helpful, and I ended up with a pretty decent list of parts! Just here one last time to make sure that everything is ok:

Intel CPU Core i5 2500K Unlocked Sandy Bridge Quad Core Processor OEM(3.3GHz):
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/intel...che-95w-retail

Western Digital 1Tb Caviar Black Hard Drive:
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/2tb-s...cache-89ms-ncq

Lite On Blu-Ray Writer, IHBS112-37, SATA, OEM:
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/lite-...-plus-software

EVGA 1280MB GeForce GTX 570 HD Superclocked NVIDIA Graphics Card:
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/1280m...4mhz-480-cores

Corsair Memory Vengeance 8GB DDR3 1600 MHz CAS 9 XMP Dual Channel Desktop:
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/8gb-(...-9-24-xmp-150v

Asus P8P67 Pro Rev3 Intel P67 Express Socket 1155 Motherboard:
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/asus-...gb-s-sata-raid

Coolermaster RS800-80GAD3-UK Silent Pro Gold 800W Modular Power Supply (PSU):
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/800w-...s12v-135mm-fan

NZXT Tempest EVO Black Mid Tower Computer Case:
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/nzxt-...window-w-o-psu

Coolermaster Hyper 212 Plus CPU Cooler:
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/coole...m2-am2plus-am3

I have changed a few things since I asked for advice, and I'm hoping none of it was stupid :P Also planning on getting the Razer Naga Epic and Razer Lycosa if I have enough money left over!

Anything wrong with this at all? Need to be completely sure before I start ordering any of it :P

Cheers in advance!

[Nellah]

Are you using the computer strictly for gaming, or are you doing other things, such as video editing? If you're using it for gaming only, you could save a bit and end up with identical performance by going with the i5-2500K. The i7 pays for itself as soon as you start doing any sort of content creation work, though.

[Maldazar985]

I do edit videos quite a lot from game footage that I record, would the i7 be useful for this?

[Deleted]

So it seems. The unlocked K version coupled with a stock cooler is around £20 more, its probably worth paying for that little extra given its performance. Alternatively you could buy the OEM version of the i7-2600K and get a decent after market cooler. This will increase your budget buy some margin. The Cogage True Spirit is probably one of the cheapest and most reliable CPU coolers available from Scan.

Alternatively you could still have decent video editing performance and opt for the i5 2500K, which as Nellah has mentioned, is best suited for those who mainly game on their computer. It certainly comes at almost £100, which could be best spent elsewhere if your rig is designed for gaming.

[llDemonll]

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/coole...m2-am2plus-am3

by far the best budget CPU cooler

I do edit videos quite a lot from game footage that I record, would the i7 be useful for this?

what does 'quite a lot' mean?

[Maldazar985]

Well, I usually make a couple of videos every few days and spend a couple of hours or so editing them, so not much to be honest, more of a hobby!

As for the processor, I'm likely to get the 2500k/2600k with stock fan, though may switch to a proper cooler at a later date if overclocking to a large degree is wanted :P

Also with these specs, how well do you think it would run something like Tera or Crysis (the first or the second) on maximum graphics? (Maybe not maximum on Crysis, being as I've heard that it is extremelly requiring :P)

[llDemonll]

go with 2600K then. if you're not overclocking now, stock is fine, but i'd recommend just making it speedy from the start. the hour or two (if that) reading about the new overclocking with asus uefi is well worth the benefit you will see from the cpu

[Jurwi]

Overclocking has never been easier than it is with these babies, you deffo should try it.

[Maldazar985]

Is it worth getting the 570 over a 560? Is there much noticeable difference?

[Deleted]

For current game titles, if you're running on a monitor that has a resolution of 1920x1080 or less the 560ti is a strong contender for current game titles. For higher resolutions, such as 2560x1600 with high quality settings then the 570 becomes the better buy especially for future titles.

Here is a review to help your decision.

Also @llDemonll, good find on the cooler, I blame my filtering skills.

[llDemonll]

No worries =). That cooler is regarded quite highly for the price and was the first mainstream budget CPU cooler to have the direct heatpipe stuff AFAIK so it's got a lot of momentum going for it

[Maldazar985]

Cheers guys! I'll most probably stick with the 570 to future proof for newer game titles. And that cooler looks pretty awesome, will definately consider it when overclocking quite seriously!

Another thing, some of my friends seem to think that the AMD Phenom Hexacore (3.2 GHz) would be a better buy than the Sandy Bridge Quad Core (3.4GHz) that I am currently getting. Is this true? Which of these is better suited for gaming? Money/performance ratio?

Cheers!

[Nellah]

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/203?vs=288 is a good apples to apples comparison between the i5-2500K and the Phenom II X6 1100T. The gap between the two widens with the i7-2600K. I don't know the specs they used for the test system, but Anand tries to keep it as even as possible. If you don't feel like going through all the graphs, the condensed version is the i5-2500K manages to hold on to the lead even with 50% fewer cores (more efficient computing) even in multithreaded programs, and in games it's more or less a slaughter.

As far as price/performance goes at the price range of the i5-2500K, the Intel CPU wins by far in my opinion. In the lower end, AMD is competitive, but until Bulldozer comes out there's little reason to get an AMD chip in a computer that costs more than $800. If you're going AMD for gaming, get the fastest tri- or quad-core Phenom II you can find.

The benefit of going with an AMD computer is the price, definitely. A system built around a Phenom II X6 will probably cost as much as something based around an i3-2100 from Intel, and that's a much more even comparision (with the Phenom II walking away with any heavily multithreaded benchmark.)

[Maldazar985]

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/203?vs=288 is a good apples to apples comparison between the i5-2500K and the Phenom II X6 1100T. The gap between the two widens with the i7-2600K. I don't know the specs they used for the test system, but Anand tries to keep it as even as possible. If you don't feel like going through all the graphs, the condensed version is the i5-2500K manages to hold on to the lead even with 50% fewer cores (more efficient computing) even in multithreaded programs, and in games it's more or less a slaughter.

As far as price/performance goes at the price range of the i5-2500K, the Intel CPU wins by far in my opinion. In the lower end, AMD is competitive, but until Bulldozer comes out there's little reason to get an AMD chip in a computer that costs more than $800. If you're going AMD for gaming, get the fastest tri- or quad-core Phenom II you can find.

The benefit of going with an AMD computer is the price, definitely. A system built around a Phenom II X6 will probably cost as much as something based around an i3-2100 from Intel, and that's a much more even comparision (with the Phenom II walking away with any heavily multithreaded benchmark.)

Ah cheers, that comparison site was exactly what I needed! I'l be sticking with the 2600k then, being as I am prioritizing the performance in gaming over the price at the moment (to an extent!).

[Nellah]

Solid choice. The 2600K is the fastest gaming CPU at the moment. The only thing that can touch it in multithreaded applications are the hyperthreaded hex-cores from Intel's last generation... they're only better in heavily multithreaded apps though, are slightly worse at gaming, and cost $900+ for the CPU alone.

[Maldazar985]

That makes me feel a lot better about the choice, thanks :P

[Maldazar985]

One more thing! I have now decided to go for a non-stock cooler:

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/coole...m2-am2plus-am3

(Thanks for finding that for me llDemonll)

I am planning on OCing my CPU to around 4.2 or 4.3 GHz soon after I build the computer. Im guessing this cooler will be able to handle it? Also, does the cooler come with some thermal paste to apply or do I have to buy some seperately? If so, can anyone suggest some good stuff? xD

Cheers!

[Nellah]

One more thing! I have now decided to go for a non-stock cooler:

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/coole...m2-am2plus-am3

(Thanks for finding that for me llDemonll)

I am planning on OCing my CPU to around 4.2 or 4.3 GHz soon after I build the computer. Im guessing this cooler will be able to handle it? Also, does the cooler come with some thermal paste to apply or do I have to buy some seperately? If so, can anyone suggest some good stuff? xD

Cheers!

Most of the time heat sinks come with white goo thermal paste, you could get Arctic Silver 5 (arguably the best out there) but that'll often shave only a degree or two tops off the temperatures. Your mileage may vary with the CPU overclock, of course. Not that these chips have had any trouble hitting high clocks though.