Would you change anything in this build?

[Deleted]

So I'm looking to build a new PC, I need it to run MMO's maxed out constantly (Rift, SWTOR, GW2 etc) and be able to play BF3 at reasonable settings and FPS. My budget was £700, but I soon realised it wasn't enough so up'd it to £750.

The only part I have yet to pick is GPU. As the one I wanted isn't in stock anywhere (MSI Radeon 6850 Cyclone Power).

So, yea, I'll list what I've got below, and hopefully you guys can give some advice/help out.

CPU: i5 2500k - £163.40
Mobo: MSI P67A-GD53 - £104
CPU Cooler: Be Quiet! Dark Rock Advance - £39.95
RAM: 8GB Mushkin Blackline LV 1600Mhz 1.35V - £65.99
PSU: 500Watt OCZ ModXStream Modular PSU - £47.99
HDD: 500GB Seagate Barracude 7200RPM - £28.79
Case: HAF 912 - £56.38
OS: Windows 7 Home OEM 64bit - £67.28

The above totals at £573.77 - I'll be taking my optical drive and my old HDD from my old PC and using them in this also.

So, just wondering if you guys would change anything in the build, if so to what, and also what GPU would you recommend? I will up the PSU if needed aswell.

[Fuzzykins]

Asera would say the motherboard is bad.
I'd say the cooler is bad.
I love the RAM.
The PSU isn't great.

Everything else looks fine.
I'd use a 6970 as a GPU, but I think that may be going a bit over budget.

[Deleted]

Ok, do you have any suggestions for replacements?

I picked the PSU and cooler, since the reviews on bit-tech were good.

[Fuzzykins]

Motherboard could be replaced by an Asus/AsRock, whatever you're privvy to. I suppose you could also use Gigabyte, I've just heard poor things about MSI's board.
I'd just go with the reliable Hyper 212+ as a cooler.
I'd use an Antec High Current 520w as a PSU. It's not horrifically expensive. You could go for the 650tx from Corsair too.

[Deleted]

I would pick another PSU (corsair or seasonic) and pick another cpu cooler (the coolermaster one)

and as GPU i would pick a 560 Ti with a custom cooler ^^
not sure about pricing for all the parts, but i noticed on that site that the 560 ti is about 200 pounds

[Deleted]

Ok, I'm finding the opposite when I looked them up before deciding about the MSI board. :s
Same with the cooler.

I'll have to check the prices for the PSU, and maybe not go modular.

[BicycleMafioso]

I would pick another PSU (corsair or seasonic)

Bad advice, his current choice of PSU is a good one.

[Deleted]

I used this guide here: http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/buy...ide-may-2011/3
As a base for my build, aswell as ofcourse reading up on everything they list else where.

[Deleted]

Bad advice, his current choice of PSU is a good one.

thaught the OCZ ones, werent that great, altho also not total garbage... Ah well, i like to cling to brands :P

saying its bad advice is a bit to far, seeing as most corsair psu's and all the seasonic ones are prob better

[BicycleMafioso]

thaught the OCZ ones, werent that great, altho also not total garbage... Ah well, i like to cling to brands :P

saying its bad advice is a bit to far, seeing as most corsair psu's and all the seasonic ones are prob better

OCZ have made some horrible PSUs, but so has Corsair (HX1000w springs to mind).
Basing it on brands is a bad idea, models vary greatly.

And I'm very much aware of how much better Seasonic are, as I'm a huge fanboy of their PSUs. :P But changing PSU from a very very capable one to a similiar one just because of brands isn't good advice. Esp as Corsair have made some poor PSUs as well. Cost/benefit, the OCZ ModXstream 500w is very tough to beat.

[Jake5467]

The problem I have with the OCZ modular PSU's is the cables are quite short, not much room to move, so if you don't mind everything being a tight fit, it shouldn't be an issue.

[Uggorthaholy]

I love my MSI board, so I would say to stick with that.

Change the cooler - 212+ is good in that range if you leave it at 1 fan (second fan just takes the price up a touch)

For the card - good card, I would take the GTX460 over it (I prefer NVidia) or up your budget just a touch and go for a 560 Ti

Other than that, enjoy your rig ^_^

[Deleted]

If I was to swap the cooler to the Hyper 212 plus, what kind of overclocker would I be able to get? How good is it at cooling compared to the Dark Rock Advance?

Also is there any major difference between a MSI P67A-GD53 mobo and a MSI P67A-GD65? Since both websites I use sell the latter with a "free" Hyper 212 plus cooler.

[BicycleMafioso]

If I was to swap the cooler to the Hyper 212 plus, what kind of overclocker would I be able to get? How good is it at cooling compared to the Dark Rock Advance?

4.6-4.8 should definitely be within your reach.
I can't compare it, as I've never read up on the DRAdvance.

[Deleted]

4.6-4.8 should definitely be within your reach.
I can't compare it, as I've never read up on the DRAdvance.

The only review I've got is http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/coo...ock-advanced/1 - but it doesn't have the Hyper 212+ on the compare list.

[BicycleMafioso]

The only review I've got is http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/coo...ock-advanced/1 - but it doesn't have the Hyper 212+ on the compare list.

Can't say for sure, but think H212+ is better. But it isn't all too noticable. Go with price, then.

As for the motherboards, The GD65 has more s-ATA 6.0Gbps-connectors, and more s-ATA-connectors in general. Go with the cheaper one unless you expect to have 6 drives.

[Deleted]

Can't say for sure, but think H212+ is better. But it isn't all too noticable. Go with price, then.

As for the motherboards, The GD65 has more s-ATA 6.0Gbps-connectors, and more s-ATA-connectors in general. Go with the cheaper one unless you expect to have 6 drives.

I highly doubt I'd use all the stuff on the GD65 board, but it's only 34pence more(Including the Hyper 212). Than buying the GD53+Cooler

[Biernot]

I work as technician/salesman at a computer store, and i can tell something about motherboard brands:
Most older computers (>1 year) with a broken motherboard that we repair are MSI, and nearly all of them with AM2 socket. The current generations are a lot better, but i can also see a slight trend to higher failure rates with MSI-AMD boards.

So my advise would be to stay away from MSI-AMD boards. My first choice would be Asus, but Gigabyte should be fine too.

[Deleted]

It's an Intel board.

Got another question though, is there any difference between 1.3volt RAM and 1.5volt RAM? I save £5 buying 1.5v, but I heard lower voltage is better for SB CPU?

I can get 8GB Mushkin 1.5volt

Would I notice anything? Or would it reduce my PC life span?

Also MSI GTX560ti OC or a 6950?

[BicycleMafioso]

It's an Intel board.

Got another question though, is there any difference between 1.3volt RAM and 1.5volt RAM? I save £5 buying 1.5v, but I heard lower voltage is better for SB CPU?

I can get 8GB Mushkin 1.5volt

Would I notice anything? Or would it reduce my PC life span?

Also MSI GTX560ti OC or a 6950?

Anything at or below 1.5volt is good. Seeing as RAM overclocks better with lower voltage (unless I misremember) and voltages are creeping down every few generations, the 1.3v has the potential to last longer. No guarantees though.
But I'm just nitpicking, either is very fine, go with what you're comfortable with.

I'd say, it depends on what you want to do with it.
Photoshop, gaming in 3D, using Linux - pick the GTX560Ti.
Anything else, and especially gaming in 3 or more monitors, get the 6950 (2GiB for more monitors than two, 1GiB is fine and cheaper otherwise).