Potential Computer Build - and I'm talking everything!

By CG-88
in Hardware Hangout

 Share

Recommended Posts

Experienced

CG-88

Posted
Posted

Right....It has been many years since I built a computer or had an actual desktop so this build is going to be EVERYTHING lol

I'm a bit behind so if anyone has any advice based on the parts listed below please advise part swaps for something else etc.

The computer will mainly be used for programming and gaming.

Here goes:

CPU: Intel core i5 3.1ghz

Mobo: MSI Z77A - G43

RAM: Adata XPG Gaming

GFX: KFA2 Gefore GTX 660TI

SSD: OCZ Agility 3 60gb

SSD Adapter: Akasa Adapter

HDD: Seagate Barracude 1tb

PSU: OCZ ZS Series 750W

Optical Drive: Sony piece of **** for installing OS lol

Case: Xigmatek Asgard II

Total - ?742.89

In addition to this I have 2 24" monitors added to the basket, audio cable, various required cables and a keyboard and mouse.

Overall total - ?1,016.51

So based on the list, are there any better alternatives that might save a bit of money? Or maybe componants that will suit my needs more than what is on the list?

I am not a graphics ###### but I do like skyrim on max etc. I am not a major downloader of music but I suppose I would be if I had the space, movies etc.

And also, for the PSU - comes with 6 pin pci and 6+2 pin pci. Will this work considering the gfx card states 6 pin and 8 pin?

And can you install windows 8 on a fresh install? Or would I have to install windows 7 and do it that way?

Thanks :D :D :D

Experienced

CG-88

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Right looked over my list and here is an alternative

CPU: Core I5 3.0ghz

Mobo: MSI z77a - g43

RAM: Patriot 2x4gb

GFX: Gainward 560ti

SSD: OCZ agility sata 6gb/s

SSD Adapter: Akasa

HDD: Toshiba 1tb

PSU: OCUK Rage GT 700w

Case: Xigmatek Asgard II

Total for all that is : ?624.90

Then with the addition of 1 monitor(for the time being) and keyboard/mouse etc

?799.91

Same questions as first post apply. I think I have put all the componants together correctly so they will all work but I want someone to double check for me.

EDIT: Updated SSD to 6gb/s sata as mentioned below and removed optical drive. thanks guys

Experienced

CG-88

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Why use a disc for installing OS at all? Install via USB. Faster, need less stuff, and fully updated installer.

Ah cool thanks, didnt even think about that :)

Your board has Sata III but you have chosen a Sata2 SSD

not sure if it makes a massive difference but it stood out

Woops, yeah not sure of the difference, will have a look thanks!!

I'm going to begrudge buying windows 7 again though to upgrade to 8 when it is available :s lol

EDIT: updated second list based on comments so far, removing optical drive and adding a better SSD only took the total up ?1 lol

Grand Master

tsupersonic

Posted
Posted

Your board has Sata III but you have chosen a Sata2 SSD

not sure if it makes a massive difference but it stood out

Well...the Agility 3 is SATA 3 (which was in the 1st post). The Vertex 2 is outdated, and 2 generations behind, and also SATA2 (2nd post). Personally I would recommend against OCZ, but many people have had good luck with them on the forum. I can recommend Crucial M4, Samsung 830 and Corsair Force GT SSD as an alternative - those are very reliable, offer great speeds, but can be slightly more expensive than the OCZ alternatives.
Experienced

CG-88

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Well...the Agility 3 is SATA 3 (which was in the 1st post). The Vertex 2 is outdated, and 2 generations behind, and also SATA2 (2nd post). Personally I would recommend against OCZ, but many people have had good luck with them on the forum. I can recommend Crucial M4, Samsung 830 and Corsair Force GT SSD as an alternative - those are very reliable, offer great speeds, but can be slightly more expensive than the OCZ alternatives.

Thanks, I updated back to the OCZ in the first post, but I'm open to options, is something is alot better/reliable with a bit of an extra cost I can look into it definitely.

I'm just trying to get my head around building again and wanted to make sure what I put down is worthwhile for the purpose of what i will be using it for,

thanks

EDIT: found this for not much extra - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-023-CS&groupid=701&catid=2104&subcat=

This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Posts

    • The official Funny Pictures thread

      By Steven P. · Posted

    • Apple MacBook Neo is a blessing for Windows users, here's why

      By The Werewolf · Posted

      1. Define "better". 2. It's still more expensive than equivalent PCs so... And there is not one Windows platform. This is the mistake ALL Apple oriented people make. Apple is one OEM. You could reasonably compare them to one PC OEM, say Dell or HP. But you can't compare them to ALL PC OEMs. Case in point, Apple has NO touch screen MacBooks. No tablet Macs. There are no rugged Macs. The variety of PC OEM design is insane. With Apple, you have... Apple. The problem is that you're starting with Apple as the definition of "good" then filtering out anything that isn't close to an existing Apple product, then trying to homogenise all of those left into a fictional product line and then ignore any innovations to create a minimal feature subset so you can say "See! Apple better!" PS: I was an Apple dev for 17 years and helped develop MacInTalk and disability solutions for Apple - and I have several Mac and MacBooks - so tread very carefully.
    • Major Xbox layoffs may claim South of Midnight developer Compulsion entirely

      By LoneWolfSL · Posted

      Major Xbox layoffs may claim South of Midnight developer Compulsion entirely by Pulasthi Ariyasinghe Microsoft has been making major changes in its gaming wing Xbox for a few months now, including the appointment of a new CEO, a large number of leadership changes, and strategy shifts. However, the company is seemingly also looking at initiating a major layoffs wave at Xbox and perhaps even a studio closure. The new report lands from Kotaku, Xbox first-party developer Compulsion Games is being shuttered soon by Microsoft. For those unfamiliar with the studio, it's the team behind Contrast (2013), We Happy Few (2018), and South of Midnight (2025). Its latest game was quite well received, even winning a Peabody Award for its writing. It even received a 9/10 in Neowin's own review, highlighting its engaging storyline, gorgeous world, and curious characters. The studio joined Xbox Game Studios in 2018, just as Microsoft announced it is acquiring Playground Games, Undead Labs, and Ninja Theory. Despite recent listings for new staff roles, according to the new report, Compulsion Games is being closed entirely, with over 90 staff being let go. Kotaku also added that the studio's leadership is in negotiations with Microsoft about this decision, but no official details have been revealed yet. The report lands just as two senior managers of Xbox leave their posts at Microsoft Gaming. Head of Xbox Game Studios Craig Duncan and chief of staff Louise O'Connor originally began their journey in Rare and have been a part of Xbox for over two decades. Dunkan has been responsible for games like Kinect Sports and Sea of Thieves, while O'Connor was primarily working on Rare's Everwild project before its cancelation. If this report about the studio shutdown is accurate, this may just be the start of a major new layoffs wave at Xbox Game Studios. There are also rumors of Arkane Studios being heavily affected. As always, take all these reports with a grain of salt until something official materializes from Microsoft or the studios.
    • Apple MacBook Neo is a blessing for Windows users, here's why

      By The Werewolf · Posted

      The flaw with this analysis is that this laptop has a cellphone CPU in it. In the Intel world, that would be an N150 and those are everywhere, even in low end laptops. You can get an N150 based NUC with 16GB RAM and 256GB-512GB SSD... NOT soldered in... for < $500 Canadian (around US$360). The problem is two fold: tech bloggers/writers on most tech site (like this one, ironically) overvalue Apple and apparently aren't in the same earnings class as most regular people. As a result, we get breathless articles about how everyone needs a folding phone when most people just cannot afford one... or really need one. And we get Apple used as the baseline metric regardless of whether that comparison makes any sense. If Dell or HP released a retail laptop with a cellphone motherboard, you'd be all over them for doing that - but Apple does it and it's genius. I see articles suggesting what Samsung - a company that basically started the foldable phone market and has built them for eight years - needs to do to compete with Apple's unreleased, unspecced and unseen folding phone. Sorry, no - if the Neo (really creative name there BTW - still, better than the Go, the other "creative" product name everyone's using) encourages PC makers to make cellphone laptops using lower end ARM processors, we all lose. It's a step backwards and a capitulation to the fact that semiconductor makers and computer OEMs (and tech bloggers) have totally lost the plot.
    • Steam Next Fest returns with thousands of new demos to try out

      By +pmrd · Posted

      Everyone should install this extension and ignore games that use AI. https://chromewebstore.google....nnigaaeelfkeomjcngmnh?pli=1 https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ai-warning-for-steam/

  • Recent Achievements

    • One Year In
      ThatGuyOnline earned a badge
      One Year In
    • Week One Done
      Jeroen Wilms earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Week One Done
      rolfus earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • One Month Later
      Leroy Jethro Gibbs earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Conversation Starter
      flexorcist earned a badge
      Conversation Starter

  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      504
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      199
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      127
    4. 4
      Steven P.
      83
    5. 5
      ATLien_0
      74
    Show More

  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!