Building a gaming PC

[zephyr]

Needs a CPU + monitor + casing and everything including windows except mouse and keyboard and speakers.

budget: $<1200 (im hopeful this can go down even more. Still a student ><)

is it possible to play games using med-high graphic and resolution with this budget? I usually turn on the comp for 10-24hrs a day

games which i will play definitely after getting:
fifa14
atlantica online
dota 2
diablo 3 (probably)
some fps (still finding)

i know these games dun require very very good specs, but still hoping to build a gaming PC just in case i find a game that needs decent specs to play without any lag etc. Thanks

i've got ZERO knowledge on pc building.. so alot of stuff i wun understand. Thanks

 

[fleas1]

i'll keep it short
CPU:
i5 is a quad core for gaming needs and still quite ok for high powered softwares(eg: editing)

i7 is a quad core w/ hyperthreading(virtual 4 extra cores) overkill for gaming and great for high powered softwares.



Motherboard:
Get what you need. z87/z77 is the highest "tier"
usb3.0, wifi, thunderport, esata...etc


Graphics:
I don't know anything about ATI, only Nvidia cards
760gtx is your mid range; able to play most modern games on medium to high.
660 ti is about the same just slightly lower performance


Power supply(PSU):
go for proper ones like seasonic, Silverstone, coolermaster(some models are not bad), Corsair(they use seasonic btw if Im not wrong)

Go for roughly 650w? if your not using a high powered PC


continue later

 

[Teng Zai]

CPU & Mobo: i5-4570 & Asrock B85M Pro4 @ $355
Ram: Kingston 1600mhz value ram 8GB @ $78
HDD: Hitachi Deskstar 1TB @ $80
Case: Sharkoon T28 @ $87
PSU: FSP Platinum 550W @ $125

$727 (W/O GPU and SSD)

I recommend these GPU Choices for best value,
[TOTAL $1125]Gigabyte GTX 760 Windforce @ $400
[TOTAL $1095]Palit GTX 760/760 Jetstream @ ~$370
[TOTAL $1020]Powercolor HD7870 Myst @ $295


If you want to add in SSD for insane boot time and overall performance in the OS,
SSD: Plextor M5S 128GB @ $130 or Plextor M5P @ $150

Thus making prices:
[TOTAL $1255]Gigabyte GTX 760 Windforce @ $400
[TOTAL $1225]Palit GTX 760/760 Jetstream @ ~$370
[TOTAL $1150]Powercolor HD7870 Myst @ $295

^ Forget about the above, I didn't see you need monitor.

I recommend Dell U2312 Monitor, great color reproduction and legendary warranty(5 years), this will set you back roughly $250.

Monitor: Dell U2312 @$250
CPU & Mobo: Asrock b75m-dgs + i5-3470 @ $~292
Ram: Kingston 1600mhz value ram 8GB @ $78
HDD: Hitachi Deskstar 1TB (3Y Warranty)@ $80
Case: Sharkoon T5 @ $68
PSU: FSP Raider 550w @$78

$846 (W/O GPU and OS)

I recommend these GPU Choices for best value,(all without OS, see below for OS)
[TOTAL $1246]Gigabyte GTX 760 Windforce @ $400
[TOTAL $1216]Palit GTX 760/760 Jetstream @ ~$370
[TOTAL $1141]Powercolor HD7870 Myst @ $295

SSD, kinda out of qn since very limited budget but no SSD can live one lah(until you get use to ssd boot up time)!!
Just sip some kopi while waiting start up, after all many of us have live without ssd for many many years right?

And if your $1200 budget is very strict, just go for HD7870, it is a super solid tahiti card, meaning its performance is more of a 7930-ish. No need the 760 one.

Bear in mind ODD not included, about $22 to add on.

Just remembered windows also you need $120, cut the GPU down to a Powercolor 7850 2gb @$230, or Powercolor 7770/7790 below $200.
They will fare well and should be able to max dota 2 also, but if want more juice then 7850 or 7870 and above.

(With OS prices)
[TOTAL $1196]Powercolor HD7850 2GB @ $230
[TOTAL $1156]Powercolor HD7790 @ $190
[TOTAL $1113]Powercolor HD7770 @ $147

Add $22 on top of all for ODD.

 

[wuweiz]

Gtx 760 for future prove.

 

[Teng Zai]

Gtx 760 for future prove.

Yalor 760 or 7870 most ideal, but his budget 1.2k need os and monitor which will set him back roughly $370 liao($250 monitor, $120 OS), so left only $820 for guts, maybe need some pro's here see if can squeeze 760 into $800 build...?
Personally I think 7850 enough though.

 

[wuweiz]

Yalor 760 or 7870 most ideal, but his budget 1.2k need os and monitor which will set him back roughly $370 liao($250 monitor, $120 OS), so left only $820 for guts, maybe need some pro's here see if can squeeze 760 into $800 build...?
Personally I think 7850 enough though.

Oh. Miss the monitor budget. Squeeze in gtx 660 if can Loh. Else 7850.

Edit: on 2nd thoughts, almost no way to squeeze in gfx. Unless source for 2nd hand parts like monitor n ram. Maybe a 4 GB DDR3 ram is enough for now.

Monitor also get smaller one bah. 20" to squeeze in a couple more bucks.

 

[fleas1]

I would recommend you save up more $$ at least 2k

by then, prices probably drop more or new stuff come out.

If u really want to buy because perhaps pc died or something,

you can consider bundles

 

[Teng Zai]

I would recommend you save up more $$ at least 2k

by then, prices probably drop more or new stuff come out.

If u really want to buy because perhaps pc died or something,

you can consider bundles

Don't play the waiting game. If every 2 year tech doubles, then why buy now when you can get it half the price 2 years later? Then forever don't buy liao cos ever year you tell yourself the same thing.

At least 2k, you kidding? I can easily build a monster with 1.5k that can handle most games at 1080p max setting and a high stable fps..?

What bundles? CPU + Mobo bundles is a given, everyone buy it that way. If you mean bundle by entire rig then DIY confirm stamp chop cheaper. Go tradepac and buy whole rig bargain all you want also can, and it will for sure be cheaper than the default builds that dell/hp can offer.

Anyway TS just want to play some games that are not very graphic intensive such as dota 2 and diablo 3, why the hell you even need anything close to 2k to play such tier of games?

 

[battlefielder]

Get a 760. Lots of value + future proof like what the other bros said earlier.

Also, grab Battlefield 4 if you are looking to play some FPS games on your future.

Remember, don't ever take Calling woof D00ty: Ghosts, Dogs, Cats and Dinosaurs.

 

[battlefielder]

Don't play the waiting game. If every 2 year tech doubles, then why buy now when you can get it half the price 2 years later? Then forever don't buy liao cos ever year you tell yourself the same thing.

At least 2k, you kidding? I can easily build a monster with 1.5k that can handle most games at 1080p max setting and a high stable fps..?

What bundles? CPU + Mobo bundles is a given, everyone buy it that way. If you mean bundle by entire rig then DIY confirm stamp chop cheaper. Go tradepac and buy whole rig bargain all you want also can, and it will for sure be cheaper than the default builds that dell/hp can offer.

Anyway TS just want to play some games that are not very graphic intensive such as dota 2 and diablo 3, why the hell you even need anything close to 2k to play such tier of games?

He don't know much about PC..

 

[zephyr]

Hi all. Thanks for the fast and detailed response. Will probably get it this weekend. Looks good as well all the stuff. Is the cooling system included alr?

 

[Teng Zai]

Hi all. Thanks for the fast and detailed response. Will probably get it this weekend. Looks good as well all the stuff. Is the cooling system included alr?

Not overclocking, so no need cooling, stock cooler will do great.
If you really paranoid can get cooler master 212 evo or whatever. Good and cheap, should be around $30+? Not sure i now on mobile later check for you!!

Anything can ask me i try to help, i still got fresh experience just finish my first diy rig

 

[wuweiz]

Not overclocking, so no need cooling, stock cooler will do great.
If you really paranoid can get cooler master 212 evo or whatever. Good and cheap, should be around $30+? Not sure i now on mobile later check for you!!

Anything can ask me i try to help, i still got fresh experience just finish my first diy rig

Xigmatec Gaia also good and cheaper.

 

[Teng Zai]

Xigmatec Gaia also good and cheaper.

^ Yeah heard this one rising star now. Not a fan of bulky air coolers though.

 

[wuweiz]

^ Yeah heard this one rising star now. Not a fan of bulky air coolers though.

They doing not bad in Taiwan when I last heard also..

Anyway, Xigmatec Gaia performance matches CM 212 Evo.. Maybe just one to two degrees difference and is much cheaper.

 

[NVDefender]

If on budget, get 7870 Myst, not that far off GTX760, but much cheaper.

 

[kingsen]

After 1year of usage with Evo212, my 3570k at 4.4ghz gives me 61degree max, I dunno its good or bad but decent for my own preference. The result is not from prime95 stress test though, its from normal usage like dota2 , mmos etc , chrome opened in background with 10-20 tabs. I feel that its a fair trade for evo212 price given such performance. Maybe I'm unlucky the fan gave up on me after 1 year, recently just replaced it with Scythe Gentle Typhoon 1.8k rpm. Absolute silent and cool.

Conclusion: If you're overclocking and want a budget cooler, CM212 Evo is decent enough to perform the job. Theres a Turbo version I saw on the price list which is slightly more exp, not sure how that version works.

Just my personal experience.

 

[battlefielder]

Stock fans are good to go. But temps might be a little higher when you activate its turbo boost than when using some other aftermarket cooler.

 

[shadow84]

After 1year of usage with Evo212, my 3570k at 4.4ghz gives me 61degree max, I dunno its good or bad but decent for my own preference. The result is not from prime95 stress test though, its from normal usage like dota2 , mmos etc , chrome opened in background with 10-20 tabs. I feel that its a fair trade for evo212 price given such performance. Maybe I'm unlucky the fan gave up on me after 1 year, recently just replaced it with Scythe Gentle Typhoon 1.8k rpm. Absolute silent and cool.

Conclusion: If you're overclocking and want a budget cooler, CM212 Evo is decent enough to perform the job. Theres a Turbo version I saw on the price list which is slightly more exp, not sure how that version works.

Just my personal experience.

Your GT is in push or pull, ie. push is right side of 212evo and pull is left side of 212evo? Did i intepret push-pull config correctly?

 

[kingsen]

Your GT is in push or pull, ie. push is right side of 212evo and pull is left side of 212evo? Did i intepret push-pull config correctly?

My GT is in Push now. The direction is depending on the small arrows on the side of the fan. It usually have 2 small arrows indicating the direction of the wind flow , and the spinning of the axle.