Building a Gaming Computer [HELP]

theDreamer

Equinox, visit this website ([H]ard|Forum - Powered by vBulletin), make an account and post under the section called: General Hardware
Very helpful guide: Building or Upgrading a Computer (The Detailed [H] Guide) - [H]ard|Forum

I am going to go over your first post really quick, but the above are some quick tips.

Quick edit: Will be back in a few minutes, going to use Newegg to build your 1500USD computer.

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theDreamer

Here we go:

CPU - 288.99: Intel Core i7-920 Bloomfield
GPU - 259.99: EVGA GTX 275
MB - 300: Anything ASUS (unless you plan to do SLi stick with ASUS)
SSD - 299.99: Intel X25 (80GB)
HDD - 199.99: 2TB (Western Digital)
PSU - 109.99: Your choice is good (love corsair PSU), make sure you get a modular one, can easily keep case clutter down.
Memory - 149.99: G.SKILL 6GB, I have a spot for G.Skill because they make some of the best (real priced) memory. If you plan to go extreme on your OC then you need the Corsair, but if you just plan to hit 3.0 to 3.2 the G.Skill can do perfectly fine.
Heatsink (also buy thermal compound, Arctic Silver 5, costs about 9 bucks) -Thermalright Ultra Extreme 120
Total - I am around 1650 currently.

Many of these items will have discounts or mail in rebates which will help lower the cost. Also, you can buy a MB for less than 300 and it be great, I put 300 as a max you should pay. The SSD is also up in the air, that is one of the best SSDs on the market currently and you could buy a slightly smaller one from Intel if you just plan to run the OS and some programs. Terabyte hard drives are super cheap right now, I threw up the 2TB as it is the largest currently and finally dropped below the price point I would pay for it. You can get 1TB or even 1.5TB, from western digital, for sub 150USD or even sub 100USD if you find a good sale.

You will also need a case, unless you have an older one. Buying a new case, look for one with 120mm fans, and even then think about upgrading them down the road as it can make even the fastest machines run much quieter.

A few questions about the hard drives:
~Do you plan to just run the OS on the SSD or also programs?
~Do you do photo editing or video editing that you need a quick secondary drive?

The EVGA 275 will be a cheaper option, but if you go this route then do not buy the OC or Superclocked version, you can do that all on your own. EVGA has a program they bundle (or you can download for free) which does the OC and is easy to use. Also with EVGA do not forget to register the card right after you install it, you get lifetime support and a discount on upgrading if you upgrade within X amount of time.

Any other questions let me know, but it all comes down to what you plan on doing this besides just gaming also.

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TipsZ

Though not a bad build, I would not just pick any old PSU. A good efficient PSU will help prevent instability issues, especially if doing some minor overclocking. I always go by the 80 Plus efficiency standard to pick out a PSU you need. Here is the website:

80 Plus PSU List

Also, some motherboards are loaded with features you may never use. Make a list of what you would actually use and make a comparison on the Motherboards. No need to get triple or quad sli if you do not intend to use it. Also, if you are not an audiophile, the integrated sound on most of the current motherboards is not half bad. That could save you some on a separate soundcard.

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Equinox

I'm gonna take your extensive advice, especially when it comes to the 80 GB SSD Intel drive, and I only plan to run Windows 7 on the SSD, and then get a large storage 7200rpm drive, maybe 750GB. As for the memory, I may take your advice. I'm only looking for reliable 1600MHz ram, so Corsair, although I love them, isn't necessary. The Corsair PSU is 80 plus, or whatever that means, so I'm covered, but I forgot to check if my PSU is modular, which I remember is a big thing when it comes to cleanliness of the case. As far as case is concered, I know I'm gonna end up with a LIan Li case I'm sure, that or a Thermal Take, but whatever. It's either a new computer, or 6POT Brembo brakes that cost 2k+. Thanks A LOT for all the research Dreamer!

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theDreamer

I would put money on it being:
Newegg.com - Scythe SCMNJ-1000 80mm Sleeve "NINJA MINI" CPU Cooler - CPU Fans & Heatsinks
Looks exactly the same as the one in my HTPC and the one I linked is what I use, though it has been deactivated I am sure there is a similar, newer, version being made.

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DIGItonium

Correct... NINJA MINI REV B., which supports LGA1156. I couldn't fit the 92mm PWM fan on the other side because of the memory, so I had to set it up to pull air. However, I managed to squeeze in an 80mm fan at 5V to push air through the heatsink for better efficiency.

As for SSD, 80GB is a bid excessive for simply Win7-only. With optimizations, I was able to get the footprint down to 8-9GB. With the extra space, I install drivers, utilities, and some small apps that I didn't mind taking up space. It's really nice to have small stuff load up super fast. Right now, I have a 150GB RaptorX for all of my games, temp location, Internet cache, etc. Look up Kingston 40MB SSD, which uses Intel flash. It's a bit slower than the X25-M, but priced just right for OS-only storage.

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theDreamer

Well if he sticks with Corsair he is getting some of the best PSUs on the market, they are the most efficient and provide extremely solid build quality. Torn a few down and the work they do is top notch, also stick with the HX line.

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theDreamer

If you only plan to run the OS on the SSD then you can easily drop that down to a 30GB SSD. I would then skip the 2TB and go for a 7200rpm drive for your programs, though some companies are not producing 1 to 2TB drives that are 7200rpm. First ones were only "green drives" which means they vary, up to 7200rpm but at idle they drop.

Also, something I did not look into was your CD/DVD drive, for a good CD/DVD burner/player that will do everything is probably around 30-40USD. One thing I would recommend is two, it sounds wasteful, but there are many times I like to watch a movie and play a game which still requires a CD.

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Gaiiden

it should be mentioned, in case you switch motherboards, that socket 1136 is the only socket that will support the new Core i9 6-core chips coming out next year. Anything else will dead-end your system at Core i5/i7. Unless you want a new mobo next time you upgrade. Given that it's been six years since your last upgrade, I doubt this is even an issue for you anyways, but in case you're planning your next upgrade to be sooner... FYI

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Equinox

good info, thanks, I def will keep that in mind.

Oh and it has been so long because I've been in the Army about that long, different countries and so on, no time to lug around a case.

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vipor

for the past 15-ish builds i've done i've used Zalman fans. they've been great and use good mounting methods.

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370Zsteve

I'm a hardware and software consultant. I build gaming computers all the time. This build would be outstanding, kudos on the Asus MB.

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AndyO

Xbox 360?

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vipor

you're fired.

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AndyO

it will play those games in 1080p

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