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Would appreciate your help with a PC spec

sh3896

Likes # 0

Posted April 9, 2012 at 8:39PM

Hi, new on here so apologies if i'm posting in the wrong place...I'm looking to buy a new PC as Im now working from home for 3 days a week (spreadsheets, excel-macros etc). I'm also becoming more interested in video editing and digital photography and want to look at building websites (as an aspiration but not a career...) I do like to play the odd game and would ultimately want something that I could run recent games on at a fairly decent level.

I must admit, the idea of a system that boots up straight away, with applications that are on the scren as soon as you've clicked on the icon and that just wizzes through everything you do on it, is something that I'd like to achieve.

Having done research, similar posts usually evoke people suggesting that the buyer builds their own pc from scratch. I can see the logic and potential for cost-saving but I'm not considering that an option. The same research has eventually lead me to the overclockers website. Having used their website to "build" a PC from the ground up (using google for reviews of the individual components) I came up with the following spec.

I would really love to get some feedback and perhaps comments on parts that are particulary good and worth being in the spec, or on the flip side, your comments on components that don't fit, or are not worth buying or even perhaps just aren't very good.

**Corsair Graphite 600TM Midi Tower Mesh Windowed Case - Black Intel Core i7-3930K 3.20GHz (Sandybridge-E) Socket LGA2011 Processor Stage 4: Overclock of CPU/Memory - 25% Overclock (Processor speed x1.25 / Max Attainable RAM Speed) Corsair A50 CPU Cooler Asus P9X79 PRO Intel X79 (Socket 2011) DDR3 Motherboard Corsair Vengeance Gold 16GB (4x4GB) DDR3 1600MHz C9 Quad Channel Memory Kit Asus ATI Radeon 6450 SILENT EDITION 1024MB GDDR3
Crucial RealSSD M4 128GB SATA 6Gb/s Solid State Hard Drive Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 1TB SATA 6GB/s 32MB Cache OcUK 22x DVD±RW SATA ReWriter (Black) OnBoard Sound Card Corsair Enthusiast Series TX 750W V2 High Performance Power Supply TP Link 300Mbps Wireless-N USB Adapter Fully Cable Managed Sharkoon 120mm 2000RPM Fan**

Thanks in advance for your help. I really will appreciate any feedback you can give.

Cheers

Steve

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KRONOS the First

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Posted April 10, 2012 at 11:09AM

Always useful to mention a budget in posts such as yours as it enables us to make suggestions within that budget.Also useful to post links to the components themselves.

My one major problem with your spec is the graphics card, you are spending a fair bit of cash on this set up yet you have an entry level graphics card, This one ? which I find odd.This card is suited to a HTPC not for the sort of set up you seem to be after.

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sh3896

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Posted April 10, 2012 at 12:41PM

Hi Chronus

Thanks very much for your answer. My budget was around the £1,000 mark but this is coming in around £1,300.

Do you have a suggestion for the graphics card I should be using and perhaps where i can make savings to the original spec in order to accomodate.

As above, the PC is intended to be used for various things, work, gaming video editing etc but I'm hoping for something fast and also looking to future proof (as much as you can do that) for the next 4-5 years (hopefully).

PS...website plus config opeiotns shown here:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/syscon_int.php?prodid=FS-282-OK

Once again, really appreciate your help!

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KRONOS the First

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Posted April 10, 2012 at 1:38PM

The latest Nvidia offering is the GTX 680 at around £400 is what I am saving for at the moment, but perhaps the 580 or the HD 7950/70 if you prefer ATI.

Your link just give the basic setup. But I feel you would do better looking at:

Pc Specialist. or

Dino PC. or

CryoPC.

Before you make up your mind as Overclockers tends to be about 10% more expensive and they have'nt got the best customer service record.Some of the components in the configurator are not what I would choose. CPU cooler is case in point.

If you want I can spec up a couple of PC's using the above link but to be quite honest half the fun is reearching parts, it is for me anyway, but there again I build my own.

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sh3896

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Posted April 11, 2012 at 9:57AM

Hi Chronus

I looked over the sites you suggested; Cryo look like they know what they're doing and they seem to have some rave reviews in the press - but they seem more expensive! I've researched in other forums and Dino get mixed reviews....

If you wouldn't mind, I'd love to take you up on your offer of building a spec. Here's what I had as the spine to my build (but again, happy to defer to your suggestions for improvements...)

Corsair Graphite 600TM Midi Tower Mesh Windowed Case (don't want anything too "out there"/space-age....like the look of this case but happy to consideralternatives...

Intel I7 2700K or 3930 - I believe these are the fastest processers and speed is a key criteria for me...

SSD drive for fast booting etc - see above

Decent connectivity USB2 & 3

I've read up on things like water-coolers and I woldn't want anything too complex that may leak...

If you could come in at around 1,000 (say 1,200 max) that would be great.

Really appreciate your help and expertise.

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KRONOS the First

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Posted April 11, 2012 at 10:44AM

No problem,I will post later. I am assuming you want to factor in Windows 7,what about monitor,keyboard etc?

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sh3896

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Posted April 11, 2012 at 12:17PM

That's great Chronus, again thank you!

I have a keyboard and mouse already. Would be interested in any comments you have re a decent monitor (say, 24" or similar) but I wouldn't include that within the budget - wold probably buy tht in a few months (I have an old one that will do for now.)

Also, if you know anything about TV cards.....I fancy getting one installed (tho not urgent). I generally do include things like multi card readers, extra USB ports etc when I'm looking (not sure i'll want to go back and add much to it after I get the PC).

Look forward to seeing your suggestions....

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KRONOS the First

Likes # 1

Posted April 11, 2012 at 1:51PM

Overclockers £1,181

  • Full Cable Management
  • Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-Bit - OEM (GFC-02050)
  • OCZ ZS Series 750W '80 Plus Bronze' Power Supply
  • OcUK 22x DVD±RW SATA ReWriter (Black) - OEM
  • Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 500GB SATA 6Gb/s 16MB Cache - OEM (ST500DM002)
  • Crucial RealSSD M4 128GB 2.5" SATA 6Gb/s Solid State Hard Drive (CT128M4SSD2)
  • XFX HD 6870 1024MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card
  • Kingston HyperX Genesis 16GB (4x4GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C9 1600MHz Dual/Quad Channel Kit
  • Gigabyte X79-UD3 Intel X79 (Socket 2011) DDR3 Motherboard -Intel Stock Cooler
  • Intel Core i7-3820 3.60GHz (Sandybridge-E) Socket LGA2011 Processor - Retail
  • Antec 300 Three Hundred Ultimate Gaming Case - Black

DINOPC £1,184.

CPU:Intel Core i7 2700K

CPU Cooler:Corsair H60 Water Cooler

Operating System:Microsoft® Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

Motherboard:Asus Asus P8Z68-V/Gen3

Memory:8GB Corsair 1600mhz Vengeance (2x4GB)

Hard Drives:Corsair 60GB Force3 SSD S-ATAIII 6.0Gb/s

2nd hard drive:500GB S-ATAIII 6.0Gb/s

Optical Drive:22x DVD±RW DL S-ATA

Graphics card:AMD Radeon HD 6970 2GB

30-in-1 USB Media Card Reader

Case:Zalman Z11 Plus

PSU:700W Xigmatek

SCAN Computing £1200

CPU:Intel Core i7 3930K £449.00

Mobo:Asus P9X79 Pro, Intel X79 £196.55

GPU:1GB XFX HD 6870 £132.82

SSD:120GB Corsair Force Series 3 £103.34

HDD:500GB Western Digital WD5000AZRX Caviar Green £63.00

PSU: 600W PSU, Corsair Gaming Series £58.78

RAM:4GB (2x2GB) Corsair DDR3 XMS3 Classic £21.79

Case: Silverstone Precision PS05B £39.47

Card reader:Akasa USB 3.0 Memory card reader with front USB 3.0 port £20.21

OS: Windows 7 64BIT £70.88

Of course this would mean building it yourself.But as you can see the mobo and CPU are £650 alone which means its a struggle to keep within budget with all the other components.

Anyway have a look and see what you think. the quotes can always be adjusted.

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sh3896

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Posted April 12, 2012 at 9:50AM

Thanks Chronus! I had a look at the various descriptions/reviews and it all looks really good.

Incidentally, which one would you go for?

Can't thank you enpough for this. As they say in the gaming world i am a noob and appreciate all the assistance you've given me.

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Digirunner

Likes # 1

Posted April 12, 2012 at 11:21AM

On the subject of monitors, Acer do a nice one for under the £100 mark if your looking to save, I use mine for watching films, playing my Xbox and doing portfolio work, its only 22" but it looks sweet!

http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/16086247/Acer-S-series-S221H-22-inch-Widescreen-LCD-Monitor/Product.html?searchstring=Acer+LED+monitor&searchsource=0&searchtype=allproducts&urlrefer=search

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KRONOS the First

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Posted April 12, 2012 at 11:25AM

To be honest I would not go with the X79 as initially X79 was supposed to offer some killer features like 10 x SATA6 ports on its own 4x PCI-e lane to the CPU, but they abandoned that and now offer no better than what Z68 provides. While the i5's can do video editing, it is far more beneficial to have an i7 due to hyper threading and pretty much every benchmark will show it is significantly better at it as well.By going with Z68 and still with an i7 CPU you could save around 300 quid and use the savings elsewhere.

As for TV cards,I do have one in my HTPC,a Hauppauge,but know little about them,the one I have comes wit a remote control which also works very nicely with Windows Media Center.

As for a monitor Dell Ultrasharp take some beating,I have the U2410 and it is with out a doubt the best monitor I have owned, I have an Acer 24" as a secondary and they are like chalk and cheese. So you really need to read as much as you can before deciding on your monitor.

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