Official "System Builders" Thread

[Fredder]

Hi Guys & Gals,

Got my bonus but I'm going a bit broader, so its more a new system rather than just an upgrade, so I'm getting the following:

Core i5 3550

Asrock Z77 Extreme4

8Gb Transcend Performance DDR3 1600 RAM

CoolerMaster USP 100 case

XFX Pro 650W PSU

500Gb HDD

I will be adding my existing DVD writer and my Asus DCII 560Ti to this. Is the PSU good enough to handle everything, plus at least 6 USB devices and possibly another 2 hard drives? It did get good reviews, I just want to be sure before I spend my moola. If possible, would the XFX Pro 550w be enough too? Its R200 cheaper.

[H3R3T1C]

Yeah don't get the Lite-On. Whilst mine hasn't failed completely, half the time it gets stuck in the process of opening. Lite-On makes crappy drives and the other brands are only a few Rands more expensive.

Yip happens with me...feels like I am breaking into my own computer when I open it with a paperclip...:P

[H3R3T1C]

Guys the Thermaltake Challenger Pro...is it any good? Looks like a winner. Can't find a Microsoft Sidewinder X6 anywhere lol...

[Cranky]

The keyboard is Ok ish.

Te problem is that the keyboard is not comfortable at all. I would not be able to use it for longer than 1 hour at a time.

Im a huge Logitech fan boy. And ive only used it for as long as i can remember so when ever i try something new i keep comparing it which is not the best thing in the world. I had a Challnger in my bag when going to a lan. HAd to play on it for one comp. Worst keyboard I have ever gamed on .

And no i didnt loose and looking to blame it on something

[Toxxyc]

Is the PSU good enough to handle everything

You know that's one of the best PSU's on the market, right? They're not very well known in SA, but that's a DAMN good PSU, and it will power everything with a smile. You may even be able to add another 560Ti to the mix if you want to with that PSU.

[Wesley]

I will be adding my existing DVD writer and my Asus DCII 560Ti to this. Is the PSU good enough to handle everything, plus at least 6 USB devices and possibly another 2 hard drives? It did get good reviews, I just want to be sure before I spend my moola. If possible, would the XFX Pro 550w be enough too? Its R200 cheaper.

That PSU will be fine for everything you've listed and will also handle another GTX560Ti in SLI, but that's about the limit. You can also go for the Pro 550w, just keep in mind that you won't be able to SLI anything later. Also if possible, have a look at the Cooler Master Storm Enforcer chassis before making your purchase, its more flexible than the USP100.

[Fredder]

Many thanks chaps, will then go for the 650W. Good to know that I am making the right choice now (Gigabyte Odin 720 = problems)

[Cranky]

Welll not really



lack of wattage is the problem .


The quality of Gigabyte PSUs are not bad.

[Wesley]

The quality of Gigabyte PSUs are not bad.

You're right, they're terrible. In the same league as Thermaltake's Litepower series. There are certain models that are okay, but in general I'd never recommend a Gigabyte or Thermaltake PSU unless its from the Odin GT or the Toughpower series.

[Toxxyc]

(Gigabyte Odin 720 = problems)

I have one. I've had it for 6 years now. Not a single hitch - doesn't run hot, doesn't power off or fail, no noise whatsoever (most silent part in my PC, apart maybe from the display). Very happy with it, TBH.

[Cranky]

I have one. I've had it for 6 years now. Not a single hitch - doesn't run hot, doesn't power off or fail, no noise whatsoever (most silent part in my PC, apart maybe from the display). Very happy with it, TBH.

My 720W odin is also running strong 5 years later in my Sisters pc :D

Powering a 275GTX Q8300 4GB ram board and some hard drives. So its not pushing the 580 threshold :D

[Fredder]

My budget wouldn't allow for a big case so I got a CM Elite 334 but scored a XFX 650w Pro XXX Edition for R50 more

[bonus]

I want to build up a pc and i can afford the gtx 560, should i get it now or should i wait for the gtx 650/660 to be released

[Wesley]

I want to build up a pc and i can afford the gtx 560, should i get it now or should i wait for the gtx 650/660 to be released

The GTX660Ti is about three weeks away from a reveal/release so if you're able to find a GTX560 at a bargain price then I'd go for it. Note that performance of the GTX660Ti is likely to be faster than a reference GTX570, so its worth the wait if you're patient enough.

[tarisma]

Hi First Post!

So it will be worth waiting for the 660 to come out, I am planning on using a 7850 OC for my new rig. And I only need to have it on the 24th of August (Day before GW2 head start).

[Jeronkey]

I seriously, seriously need to replace my current computer. It isn't a gaming machine at all. I generally need to borrow my dad's laptop for any gaming I want done (Team Fortress 2 / Guild Wars, etc) and even then his laptop strains on titles newer than that. I figured this is all an indication that I should have started saving up for a decent rig of my own long ago. :P

I've far from having a ton of spare cash to throw about. Any ideas at what price I'm looking at to set myself up with a decent machine for the least amount of money? It can be balanced. I don't mind aiming at a higher prince at the end of the day if it means it'll last me better in the long run. So far, I've set my eye on this:

http://www.computer-world.co.za/shop...x?Cat_Id=21498

It just seems like a decent starting point, along with Windows 7, the integrated Intel HD graphics would set me up to be able to play Guild Wars and Team Fortress 2 on my own machine, possibly even some more titles than that. My dad's laptop is a core i3 and manages. I can then relax a little and safe for a decent graphics card. Any thoughts or recommendations?

EDIT: Yes, I realize that dependent on how long it takes me to save the hardware on the market might have changed. I just want a rough idea of the cost. :)

EDIT #2: Oh great. Was this meant to be in the hardware upgrade thread or is this the correct place? :< Really sorry if I messed up here.

[bonus]

The GTX660Ti is about three weeks away from a reveal/release so if you're able to find a GTX560 at a bargain price then I'd go for it. Note that performance of the GTX660Ti is likely to be faster than a reference GTX570, so its worth the wait if you're patient enough.

Do you know what the costs of those cards will be?, i can get a gtx 560 for R1950 and i cant afford a card more than R2000

Edit: http://www.gigabyte.com/products/pro...px?pid=3881#sp this is the card i can get for R1950

[D34thByCh01c3]

Do you know what the costs of those cards will be?, i can get a gtx 560 for R1950 and i cant afford a card more than R2000

Edit: http://www.gigabyte.com/products/pro...px?pid=3881#sp this is the card i can get for R1950

Why not get this one? and save +-R200?

[Wesley]

I seriously, seriously need to replace my current computer. It isn't a gaming machine at all. I generally need to borrow my dad's laptop for any gaming I want done (Team Fortress 2 / Guild Wars, etc) and even then his laptop strains on titles newer than that. I figured this is all an indication that I should have started saving up for a decent rig of my own long ago. :P

I've far from having a ton of spare cash to throw about. Any ideas at what price I'm looking at to set myself up with a decent machine for the least amount of money? It can be balanced. I don't mind aiming at a higher prince at the end of the day if it means it'll last me better in the long run. So far, I've set my eye on this:

http://www.computer-world.co.za/shop...x?Cat_Id=21498

It just seems like a decent starting point, along with Windows 7, the integrated Intel HD graphics would set me up to be able to play Guild Wars and Team Fortress 2 on my own machine, possibly even some more titles than that. My dad's laptop is a core i3 and manages. I can then relax a little and safe for a decent graphics card. Any thoughts or recommendations?

If you're aiming for a complete machine, I'd set a budget of R6500 for something pretty decent, more so than what you were looking at there. You didn't mention if you needed an OS, so I'll actually be working on a R5500 budget for the hardware, with around R1k set aside for Windows.

Intel Pentium G860 @ R802
MSI PH61A-P35 (B3) @ R653
TEAM Xtreem Dark 4GB DDR3-1600 @ R238
KFA² Geforce GTX560 1GB DDR5 @ R1767
Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB @ R718
LG GH24NS90 @ R162
Cooler Master Elite 311 Plus @ R425
Cooler Master GX 400w @ R500
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit @ R1120
Total: R6385

You can otherwise go with the Core i7 rig and save up for a better card. You'll be a little limited thanks to the power supply that will no doubt be some cheapie 400w, so that will raise the actual price that you'll be paying in the end since you'll have to get a better one. If you go for that rig, I'd suggest the Sapphire HD7750 GHz Edition, as that would at least allow high settings at 720p resolution.

Do you know what the costs of those cards will be?, i can get a gtx 560 for R1950 and i cant afford a card more than R2000

They'll probably be priced at $300, translating to around R2700 when it comes to shores here. It'll displace the already marked-down GTX570 and GTX560Ti cards and will be faster than both, so some bargains will pop up in the next few months. I don't expect the GTX560 to drop in price as its pretty much the best value for money it can be right now.

Go with the KFA² card that Death linked. Its a factory overclocked, slightly customised reference version with a much better cooler with the full three years warranty.

[Jeronkey]

If you're aiming for a complete machine, I'd set a budget of R6500 for something pretty decent, more so than what you were looking at there. You didn't mention if you needed an OS, so I'll actually be working on a R5500 budget for the hardware, with around R1k set aside for Windows.

Intel Pentium G860 @ R802
MSI PH61A-P35 (B3) @ R653
TEAM Xtreem Dark 4GB DDR3-1600 @ R238
KFA² Geforce GTX560 1GB DDR5 @ R1767
Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB @ R718
LG GH24NS90 @ R162
Cooler Master Elite 311 Plus @ R425
Cooler Master GX 400w @ R500
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit @ R1120
Total: R6385

You can otherwise go with the Core i7 rig and save up for a better card. You'll be a little limited thanks to the power supply that will no doubt be some cheapie 400w, so that will raise the actual price that you'll be paying in the end since you'll have to get a better one. If you go for that rig, I'd suggest the Sapphire HD7750 GHz Edition, as that would at least allow high settings at 720p resolution.

Oh, wow. I must sound like such a deprived little man, I opened every single one of those links and admired the parts. I wish I had the cash on me to purchase them right now. I'm happy to have a goal to work towards, though.

Out of interest, I looked up the Core i7 CPU to see the price compared to the G860 you recommended. It is.. quite a big difference. The Core i7 itself is nearly two thirds of the price of the entire Core i7 rig I linked to. Does that mean they pretty much skimped on everything else for the sake of including the pretty CPU, and if so would I be understanding correctly that the parts you recommended would be a far more balanced machine?

.. and yes. I do need a OS. Thankfully I had thought of it and realized I need about R1000 for that. Would you recommend forking out a little extra for Professional instead of Home Premium?