Buying a New PC (largish budget)

[adamus]

I've decided that it was about time I bought myself a new PC - my old one could just about handle RTW and BI and medium graphics settings and normal / large units, but can no longer handle any new games - the weak link in the system being the processor. But it has done well, as I bought it back in 2000.

Having had a browse of the internet, I was thinking of this - but with the Dual Core E6700, 2GB RAM, plus no speakers / monitor (already have these) and it came out at around £1450.

My budget is around £1,500 (live in UK) - can manage another £100 at a stretch - and I was thinking that I could build my own PC instead. It will mostly (99%) be used for gaming - ideally I want to be able to max-out my graphics settings. I also want to try and make my PC "future-proof" - if i'm spending £1500, I want it to stand the test of time. Here are my initial thoughts:

CPU
Thinking about the Dual Core E6700 (£350). Would like the X6800 , but not sure that its worth the extra £300 as this would mean half my budget spent on the processor alone. Then again, I could go for the E6600, and save £150 to spend elsewhere

Graphics Card
Would like something in the GeForce 8800 range, which would be another £350-400. Not sure on the difference between the different manufacturers (Palit, Asus, Leadtek), or if its worth spending an extra £100 to get a GTX?

Memory / RAM
Got to be 2Gb of DDR2 - I'm not sure on the difference in performance between a DDR2 800 Mhz and a DDR2 1066 Mhz though (other than price!)
I suppose that as RAM is probably the easiest thing to upgrade on a PC, I could always go for the cheaper option and then upgrade 1-2 years later.

Sound card
No real thoughts on this - would like surround sound as my speakers are compatible. Don't want to spend too much of my budget on this.

Hard drive
Space is not really a big issue - only have about 5Gb of MP3s, so could get away with 120Gb. Performance is more important to me - is it worth getting a Raptor? I'm not really sure on the difference that the cache size or the rpm makes to system performance.

Motherboard
This is one area where I really don't have a clue. Obviously it needs to be compatible with my Processor / GC / RAM, but I have no idea how to find this out. Initially, I won't be OC, but this may be something I want to do later on.

Power Supply
Again - I don't really have a clue. As mentioned above, initially I won't be OC, but I probably will want to at some point in the future, so fan / cooling system would be important.

CD / Dvd Drive
Need a Dvd drive and CD-RW capability - don't need Dvd-RW.

Case
I want something stylish (not too plain!) - and obviously it will have to fit all my components inside. Would like at least 4 USB ports, but I can always get a hub. Thinking about an Aluminium case - something in black or silver like this.
Would like this one - but think that spending £150 on a case is a bit silly!

Monitor / Mouse / Keyboard / Speakers - already have so don't need including in the budget :thumbsup4

Suggestions / thoughts / comments welcome!

The old spec was:
- Pentium III 1Ghz CPU
- 512Mb RAM
- 40Gb HD
- GeForce FX 5500 256Mb Graphics

[Peter]

If you are interested in windows Vista its suppose to be launched in january next year. If you waited for that, the components you listed will probably be much cheaper then they are now. an example: buy the OS first then the hardware and not the other way around because you can save some money doing the first way.

As for the components:
Motherboard 3 choices

:ASUS P5W DH/800mhz DDR2 memory
:ABIT AW9D MAX/800MHZ DDR2 memory
:MSI Platinum powerup ed/800MHZ memory

Or you could wait for the Nvidia Nforce 680i which is costly but solid

Sorry for the lack of help im in a hurry right now

[Shaun]

I've decided that it was about time I bought myself a new PC - my old one could just about handle RTW and BI and medium graphics settings and normal / large units, but can no longer handle any new games - the weak link in the system being the processor. But it has done well, as I bought it back in 2000.

Having had a browse of the internet, I was thinking of this - but with the Dual Core E6700, 2GB RAM, plus no speakers / monitor (already have these) and it came out at around £1450.

My budget is around £1,500 (live in UK) - can manage another £100 at a stretch - and I was thinking that I could build my own PC instead. It will mostly (99%) be used for gaming - ideally I want to be able to max-out my graphics settings. I also want to try and make my PC "future-proof" - if i'm spending £1500, I want it to stand the test of time. Here are my initial thoughts:

CPU
Thinking about the Dual Core E6700 (£350). Would like the X6800 , but not sure that its worth the extra £300 as this would mean half my budget spent on the processor alone. Then again, I could go for the E6600, and save £150 to spend elsewhere

Graphics Card
Would like something in the GeForce 8800 range, which would be another £350-400. Not sure on the difference between the different manufacturers (Palit, Asus, Leadtek), or if its worth spending an extra £100 to get a GTX?

Memory / RAM
Got to be 2Gb of DDR2 - I'm not sure on the difference in performance between a DDR2 800 Mhz and a DDR2 1066 Mhz though (other than price!)
I suppose that as RAM is probably the easiest thing to upgrade on a PC, I could always go for the cheaper option and then upgrade 1-2 years later.

Sound card
No real thoughts on this - would like surround sound as my speakers are compatible. Don't want to spend too much of my budget on this.

Hard drive
Space is not really a big issue - only have about 5Gb of MP3s, so could get away with 120Gb. Performance is more important to me - is it worth getting a Raptor? I'm not really sure on the difference that the cache size or the rpm makes to system performance.

Motherboard
This is one area where I really don't have a clue. Obviously it needs to be compatible with my Processor / GC / RAM, but I have no idea how to find this out. Initially, I won't be OC, but this may be something I want to do later on.

Power Supply
Again - I don't really have a clue. As mentioned above, initially I won't be OC, but I probably will want to at some point in the future, so fan / cooling system would be important.

CD / Dvd Drive
Need a Dvd drive and CD-RW capability - don't need Dvd-RW.

Case
I want something stylish (not too plain!) - and obviously it will have to fit all my components inside. Would like at least 4 USB ports, but I can always get a hub. Thinking about an Aluminium case - something in black or silver like this.
Would like this one - but think that spending £150 on a case is a bit silly!

Monitor / Mouse / Keyboard / Speakers - already have so don't need including in the budget :thumbsup4

Suggestions / thoughts / comments welcome!

The old spec was:
- Pentium III 1Ghz CPU
- 512Mb RAM
- 40Gb HD
- GeForce FX 5500 256Mb Graphics

Well what you opted for seems pretty good, I can tell you the E6600 is the most cost effective CPU out of that lot, the E6700 dosent perform £100 better and the X6800 dosent perform £300 better, but they do perform better so if you have the money, and you are sure you want an ultra high end system and have nothing better to spend the money on, then go for the X6800.

GPU wise, the 8800 is the best choice. The GTS is still better than anything less than a 8800 so will handle M2TW on max settings no lag at all (even my system can do that), the GTX isnt worth the extra £100 but if you have the cash then I dont see why not. Although you may want to wait untill prices drop (if they do).

RAM wise, there is almost no difference between 800 and 1066MHz.

[Maximilian I]

i would recommend waiting for the release of Graphic cards that can support the DX10 technology.

[Selahedîn]

Maximilian, they have already been released, in the form of the Geforce 8800 GTS/GTX...

Well Adamus, with a budget like that I really can't see why you would need any help at all, just buy the best CPU, best GPU, best mobo and best RAM available in the market atm and fly away!

I can only imagine what it would be like to have a system like this:

GPU: XFX Geforce 8800 GTX
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo X6800
RAM: 4GB Corsair DDR2 PC8500
MOBO: ASUS P5W DH DELUXE

OUCH!

Of course you could always settle for something like:

GPU: XFX Geforce 8800 GTS
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
RAM: 2GB Corsair DDR2 PC6400
MOBO: GIGABYTE GA-965P-DS3

Still a dream PC but a lot less expensive than the first option, I guess it depends on how much you feel like spending right now.

[UnderdawgIV]

For guidance on purchasing a PSU, refer to the following guide: http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1000883

[UnderdawgIV]

Read.

I've decided that it was about time I bought myself a new PC - my old one could just about handle RTW and BI and medium graphics settings and normal / large units, but can no longer handle any new games - the weak link in the system being the processor. But it has done well, as I bought it back in 2000.

Having had a browse of the internet, I was thinking of this - but with the Dual Core E6700, 2GB RAM, plus no speakers / monitor (already have these) and it came out at around £1450.

My budget is around £1,500 (live in UK) - can manage another £100 at a stretch - and I was thinking that I could build my own PC instead. It will mostly (99%) be used for gaming - ideally I want to be able to max-out my graphics settings. I also want to try and make my PC "future-proof" - if i'm spending £1500, I want it to stand the test of time. Here are my initial thoughts:

CPU
Thinking about the Dual Core E6700 (£350). Would like the X6800 , but not sure that its worth the extra £300 as this would mean half my budget spent on the processor alone. Then again, I could go for the E6600, and save £150 to spend elsewhere

As Shaun stated, get a e6600 instead, it is the most cost effective CPU.

Graphics Card
Would like something in the GeForce 8800 range, which would be another £350-400. Not sure on the difference between the different manufacturers (Palit, Asus, Leadtek), or if its worth spending an extra £100 to get a GTX?

I think the GTX is worth it over the GTS, in essence, I believe it is worth spending the extra £100 but the GTS is excellent for its price also. HOWEVER, I recommend waiting some 3 weeks for the current inflated prices for these cards to go down.... or not.

Memory / RAM
Got to be 2Gb of DDR2 - I'm not sure on the difference in performance between a DDR2 800 Mhz and a DDR2 1066 Mhz though (other than price!)
I suppose that as RAM is probably the easiest thing to upgrade on a PC, I could always go for the cheaper option and then upgrade 1-2 years later.

You don't even need 800Mhz RAM unless you overclock, so 1066Mhz RAM is absurd, sometimes even for overclockers.

Sound card
No real thoughts on this - would like surround sound as my speakers are compatible. Don't want to spend too much of my budget on this.

Get a Xi-fi or an Audigy 2ZS, depends how much you want to spend.

Hard drive
Space is not really a big issue - only have about 5Gb of MP3s, so could get away with 120Gb. Performance is more important to me - is it worth getting a Raptor? I'm not really sure on the difference that the cache size or the rpm makes to system performance.

No it's not worth getting a Raptor..... their cost does not warrant their gains in performance (which are little in gaming and general applications)

Motherboard
This is one area where I really don't have a clue. Obviously it needs to be compatible with my Processor / GC / RAM, but I have no idea how to find this out. Initially, I won't be OC, but this may be something I want to do later on.

Get a Asus P5B Deluxe. It is currently the king of C2D motherboards.

Power Supply
Again - I don't really have a clue. As mentioned above, initially I won't be OC, but I probably will want to at some point in the future, so fan / cooling system would be important.

Refer to the guide I linked to. I recommend a Seasonic S12/M12 Unit or a OCZ GameXStream Unit.

CD / Dvd Drive
Need a Dvd drive and CD-RW capability - don't need Dvd-RW.

Case
I want something stylish (not too plain!) - and obviously it will have to fit all my components inside. Would like at least 4 USB ports, but I can always get a hub. Thinking about an Aluminium case - something in black or silver like this.
Would like this one - but think that spending £150 on a case is a bit silly!

Monitor / Mouse / Keyboard / Speakers - already have so don't need including in the budget :thumbsup4

Suggestions / thoughts / comments welcome!

The old spec was:
- Pentium III 1Ghz CPU
- 512Mb RAM
- 40Gb HD
- GeForce FX 5500 256Mb Graphics

[BeachedWhale09]

8800s do support DX10 i think. I would like to buy a GTS but not at the current cost. Hopefully they will come down.

[Freddie]

I have the strange feeling of deja-vu here……………..didn’t I post a something about which processor to get earlier today? I had a graph from Toms hardware and table with the best match up of processors to motherboards, ram and coolers etc?

I’ve done a search and I can’t find my post. Is this real life or is this just fantasy?

[General Sun]

I would say right now is the worst time to buy a new PC. We're almost at the next-gen PC wise, but just not quite yet. The only thing component wise I can say is that Raptors are supposed to be very loud, I'm not sure you want one of those on your gaming PC, and I would go with the higher ram to be future proof, but cheaper CPU since the CPU is easily overclocked.

Actually if you have the money, get 3-4 gigs of ram. That's worth more than any clock boost.

[Frost, colonel]

I would say right now is the worst time to buy a new PC. We're almost at the next-gen PC wise, but just not quite yet. The only thing component wise I can say is that Raptors are supposed to be very loud, I'm not sure you want one of those on your gaming PC, and I would go with the higher ram to be future proof, but cheaper CPU since the CPU is easily overclocked.

My 160gig Raptor in a Antec p180 case is very quiet, despite my reading they were loud before buying it.

[General Sun]

My 160gig Raptor in a Antec p180 case is very quiet, despite my reading they were loud before buying it.

Perhaps it depends on the tasks you put the raptor to. Try zipping 10 files at once or rendering some big animation while at it.

[Freddie]

Okay I'm not going mad, it was in the buyers guide.

The X6800 is the extreme branded Core 2 processor, it's clocked slightly higher then the E6700, both chips are super fast. As for which one to buy check out this graph from Tomshardware



The line is average coalition between price and performance, what you do is plot the scores (the dots) onto a graph then you try to draw a line of best fit between the two lines. As you can see the X6800 is way of the line because it doesn't offer enough performance increase over the other Core 2 ships with its current price tag. OS basically the E6700 is the one to get, then only other then I'll say is if you plant overclock the X6800 has an unlocked multiplier (I think they all do but the Extreme chip is the only one that lets you raise the multiplier upwards).


And if your planning on building a new Core 2 system check out this useful table, it gives you the best hardware to buy to go with the processor you want to buy.

Yeah the only thing I regret is not getting 2gig of ram, so a smart move on your part is going for 2 gig. I would also say you only need 800Mhz ram unless you plant overclock, in which case the leap to 1100 Mhz would be worth while.

[Incinerate_IV]

If you don't plan to overclock, just get DDR2-667. No CPU is going to take advantage of DDR2-800 in a while.

[adamus]

Thanks to everyone for your help

[belson]

Just remember, Do NOT go cheap on the motherboard or PSU. They are just as important as everything else, maybe even more so, and most people thing they can get away with saving some money in that area. You don't have to be an expert in motherboards to find a good one. A good rule of thumb is, if you buy the most expensive processor, you should probably buy the most expensive motherboard. For the components you have listed here, you need at a minimum 500W probably more like 600.

Also, upgrading to a Raptor made a HUGE difference on my machine, but it was also an upgrade from PATA to SATA. I'm not sure which made more of a difference. So go for a raptor if you can afford it, but at the very least get a SATA hard drive.