Tommy Vercetti
The Don
That crappy start screen and those third party programs don't count.
Rate my potential rig
- Thread starter Tommy Vercetti
- Start date
That crappy start screen and those third party programs don't count.
corovanrobber
King
i7 is overkill, too much RAM you potentially won't use, bad video, no ssd, motherboard not compatible with overclocking (you picked processor able for oc), pricy windows version, weak power supply, no point in sound card at all.
Take a look here -- http://pcpartpicker.com/p/DF1D
My configuration provides opportunity for nice overclocking, much better video, high-end ssd and even costs less.
Liquid cooling is also overrated, it's good but not that more efficient than a bit cheaper air coolers
Take a look here -- http://pcpartpicker.com/p/DF1D
My configuration provides opportunity for nice overclocking, much better video, high-end ssd and even costs less.
Liquid cooling is also overrated, it's good but not that more efficient than a bit cheaper air coolers
Yeah, for the same amount of money that's a much better build.
GoodGame
Red, White, & Blue, baby!
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2004
- Messages
- 13,725
I don't agree with that logic. I held onto XP during the Vista years and then built my current computer around Win 7. There'll probably be another OS after 8. For a desktop PC, what features does 8 have that 7 doesn't----the ones that actually add value and not trendiness nor aesthetic?
You can get a Silverstone ST60F-ES 600W PSU for $60 as opposed to your $80 520W PSU (can someone please double check this, I'm not an expert on PSU's so I may be missing something but the other PSU should work)
If you are building this computer, you could simply get the 64 bit OEM version of windows 7 for considerably less (but you won't get Microsoft tech support that way, may or may not be a problem for you). Next issue is do you really need Ultimate? You could get an SSD for the price difference between Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 7 Ultimate? Heck, even the difference in price between Pro and Ultimate is ~$50 and with the money saved by the other PSU you could use that to get an SSD boot drive.
Graphics card is a bit weak, what games will you be playing?
Finally, this is going to sound a little strange, but I'm not entirely sure you need the cpu fan. I actually didn't get one with my build and simply used the stock fan and I've been fine (haven't overclocked the computer yet). I normally run at 30 degrees and the highest I've ever seen it go was 50 degrees (running fluid simulations and rendering video in blender). However, if you want to overclock very much or if you don't have good cooling in your case you will want the aftermarket cpu fan.
If you are curious, my build is: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/vkxk
I've sense added a dvd drive that I received as a gift and I am planning on buying an internal hard drive soon for storage (don't only get an ssd, they just don't have enough space lol)
If you are building this computer, you could simply get the 64 bit OEM version of windows 7 for considerably less (but you won't get Microsoft tech support that way, may or may not be a problem for you). Next issue is do you really need Ultimate? You could get an SSD for the price difference between Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 7 Ultimate? Heck, even the difference in price between Pro and Ultimate is ~$50 and with the money saved by the other PSU you could use that to get an SSD boot drive.
Graphics card is a bit weak, what games will you be playing?
Finally, this is going to sound a little strange, but I'm not entirely sure you need the cpu fan. I actually didn't get one with my build and simply used the stock fan and I've been fine (haven't overclocked the computer yet). I normally run at 30 degrees and the highest I've ever seen it go was 50 degrees (running fluid simulations and rendering video in blender). However, if you want to overclock very much or if you don't have good cooling in your case you will want the aftermarket cpu fan.
If you are curious, my build is: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/vkxk
I've sense added a dvd drive that I received as a gift and I am planning on buying an internal hard drive soon for storage (don't only get an ssd, they just don't have enough space lol)
I'd change the mobo to an asrock z77 extreme4. It has everything yours has plus a few more ports and is a similar price. I have it on my computer and I absolutely love it (although it does have a power slot (tired and can't think of the right term) that is a little hard to find find).
Also, an SSD as a boot drive is incredible. I really didn't think it would make that big of a difference but I was very pleasantly surprised at the difference it made.
Places where I'd cut costs:
- I agree with those who have said Win7 Ultimate is a waste of money, unless there's some feature of it that you absolutely plan to use. Otherwise, you should buy the least expensive version that meets your needs - probably Home Premium, maybe Professional.
- The RAM is overkill. Both the 32 GB and the 1866 speed. 1600 MHz should be fine and less expensive, and you don't need that much to start. I'd begin with 8 GB and increase as needed.
- You'd be getting a better value with the CPU with a 3570K.
- If you don't plan on doing mad overclocking, the stock cooler will work just fine.
- Similarly, if you aren't an audiophile, the sound card isn't necessary.
Other thoughts:
- Make sure you do have a proper method of backing up your videos and other files. The 3 TB hard drive is fine, but you'll need something (whether DVDs or a second hard drive, or your current computer) if you want to be sure you won't lose data if it crashes.
- IMO the GPU is actually going to be just fine with a strategy game focus. The one corovan robber recommends is, IMO, higher-end than what you'll need. I'd stick to sub-$200 even if you did go somewhat above what you have now.
- You could afford to get an SSD with some or all of the cost-saving places I mentioned above. I'm still a skeptic on SSD value, but they're improving all the time, so it's worth considering.
- I agree with those who have said Win7 Ultimate is a waste of money, unless there's some feature of it that you absolutely plan to use. Otherwise, you should buy the least expensive version that meets your needs - probably Home Premium, maybe Professional.
- The RAM is overkill. Both the 32 GB and the 1866 speed. 1600 MHz should be fine and less expensive, and you don't need that much to start. I'd begin with 8 GB and increase as needed.
- You'd be getting a better value with the CPU with a 3570K.
- If you don't plan on doing mad overclocking, the stock cooler will work just fine.
- Similarly, if you aren't an audiophile, the sound card isn't necessary.
Other thoughts:
- Make sure you do have a proper method of backing up your videos and other files. The 3 TB hard drive is fine, but you'll need something (whether DVDs or a second hard drive, or your current computer) if you want to be sure you won't lose data if it crashes.
- IMO the GPU is actually going to be just fine with a strategy game focus. The one corovan robber recommends is, IMO, higher-end than what you'll need. I'd stick to sub-$200 even if you did go somewhat above what you have now.
- You could afford to get an SSD with some or all of the cost-saving places I mentioned above. I'm still a skeptic on SSD value, but they're improving all the time, so it's worth considering.
tokala
Emperor
Did you ever work on a system with a SSD? You won't be a skeptic after you had once.
I agree. I got one simply because I wanted to be able to load bf3 and ps2 maps in a reasonable amount of time. I was blown away at how much a difference it made. I never want to go without one as my boot drive ever again.
Maniacal
the green Napoleon
SSDs are great but they are still expensive for their size, you can't fit many games on them.
Yes, my primary computer has an SSD (as well as an HDD). It boots fast, but that's a minor point for me. The programs I have on it start faster than on my old laptop, but that isn't that many programs because SSDs are expensive per GB. But the programs on my hard drive also start faster than on my old laptop. I'm sure they'd start even faster on the SSD, but I can't put many of them on the SSD, so I think I get more benefit from the faster hard drive (since that's what 95% of my files are on) than the SSD.
I think I would have been better off saving the money, or upgrading to a better hard drive. A year later, though, you can buy a lot more SSD for the same cost, so perhaps today it would have made sense. And if you could afford to only have SSDs, I suspect it would give the "wow" that SSDs and Windows Vista are supposed to give... but that's a lot of money to spend on storage.
