Noob needs help setting up gaming rig

[dirtytrunks]

Hi expert bros,

I've been using a mac for several years already, and have been frustrated with the lack of gaming capabilities of the mac hardware/OS. I decided to build a budget gaming rig, and have been reading a bit lately, but i think I can do a lot better with your help.

Here are my requirements:
1. budget ~$1500
2. graphic card - at least GTX 760
3. wireless adaptor
4. decent web camera
5. mechanical keyboard
5. speakers
6. monitor
7. windows 8

I've been using the Alienware x51 as a benchmark of what I hope to achieve in terms of specs, but i believe i can get much more without its brand name.

Also, would it be cheaper if I
1. wait till Comex next month to build my rig
2. get some parts from Amazon
3. simply buy from SLS
4. do a combination of the above?

Hope to hear your expert advice and lobangs from the bros here.

 

[royfrosty]

Hi expert bros,

I've been using a mac for several years already, and have been frustrated with the lack of gaming capabilities of the mac hardware/OS. I decided to build a budget gaming rig, and have been reading a bit lately, but i think I can do a lot better with your help.

Here are my requirements:
1. budget ~$1500
2. graphic card - at least GTX 760
3. wireless adaptor
4. decent web camera
5. mechanical keyboard
5. speakers
6. monitor
7. windows 8

I've been using the Alienware x51 as a benchmark of what I hope to achieve in terms of specs, but i believe i can get much more without its brand name.

Also, would it be cheaper if I
1. wait till Comex next month to build my rig
2. get some parts from Amazon
3. simply buy from SLS
4. do a combination of the above?

Hope to hear your expert advice and lobangs from the bros here.

Imo amazon things arent gonna be cheap anymore except for certain gfx card. You can hoot all in sls. No point going to comex nowadays. They dont sell diy parts. And they dont give much of a discount. And when I see the x51 you are looking at bullshyt specs. Gtx660 at 1.5gb. An itx setup with no future easy upgrading. And no ssd.

Lets set aside $120 for mech kb. And $70 for a pair of multimedia speakers and $60 for a webcam.

So we are left with $1150 for a rig you might need to up a bit more if you wanna get the 760. But I will just recommend you the rough pricing

MSI B87m-e33 + i5-4430~ $323
Kingston value ram 1600mhz 8gb~ $78
1tb wd blue 64mb cache 7200rpm ~ $81
Palit gtx 760 2gb jetstream + seasonic m12ii 520w bundle ~ $410
Windows 8 Home 64bit ~ $120
Samsung ODD ~ $22
Xigmatek asgard xp ~ $58
Tp link wireless N adapter ~ $17
LG IPS234V 23inch monitor ~ $248

Total cost for rig alone with monitor ~ $1362 no ssd.

Basically if you want your peripherals like mech kb and speakers and webcam you may not fit everything into the budget.

 

[dirtytrunks]

Imo amazon things arent gonna be cheap anymore except for certain gfx card. You can hoot all in sls. No point going to comex nowadays. They dont sell diy parts. And they dont give much of a discount. And when I see the x51 you are looking at bullshyt specs. Gtx660 at 1.5gb. An itx setup with no future easy upgrading. And no ssd.

Lets set aside $120 for mech kb. And $70 for a pair of multimedia speakers and $60 for a webcam.

So we are left with $1150 for a rig you might need to up a bit more if you wanna get the 760. But I will just recommend you the rough pricing

MSI B87m-e33 + i5-4430~ $323
Kingston value ram 1600mhz 8gb~ $78
1tb wd blue 64mb cache 7200rpm ~ $81
Palit gtx 760 2gb jetstream + seasonic m12ii 520w bundle ~ $410
Windows 8 Home 64bit ~ $120
Samsung ODD ~ $22
Xigmatek asgard xp ~ $58
Tp link wireless N adapter ~ $17
LG IPS234V 23inch monitor ~ $248

Total cost for rig alone with monitor ~ $1362 no ssd.

Basically if you want your peripherals like mech kb and speakers and webcam you may not fit everything into the budget.

Thanks royfrosty bro for replying.

I get that I'm asking a bit too much for the budget I stated. I guess I will get the other peripherals some other time when I've saved up a bit more money.

Comparing this rig you set up to those you suggested in other threads, how much am i sacrificing by choosing a cheaper alternative? Would you suggest I increase my budget? I guess I can do 1.6k

E.g.
MSI b85m-e33 +i5-4570 VS MSI B85M-G43 + i5-4570
and
Kingston value ram 1600mhz 8gb VS Gskills ripjaws 1600mhz kit 2x4gb

 

[royfrosty]

Thanks royfrosty bro for replying.

I get that I'm asking a bit too much for the budget I stated. I guess I will get the other peripherals some other time when I've saved up a bit more money.

Comparing this rig you set up to those you suggested in other threads, how much am i sacrificing by choosing a cheaper alternative? Would you suggest I increase my budget? I guess I can do 1.6k

E.g.
MSI b85m-e33 +i5-4570 VS MSI B85M-G43 + i5-4570
and
Kingston value ram 1600mhz 8gb VS Gskills ripjaws 1600mhz kit 2x4gb

Not much of a difference. Basically you cant feel it.

Anyway if you increase to 1.6k you would probably get a ssd like plextor m5s 128gb ~ $139 and pdrobably a better case. And a gigabyte gtx760 variant.

 

[dirtytrunks]

Not much of a difference. Basically you cant feel it.

Anyway if you increase to 1.6k you would probably get a ssd like plextor m5s 128gb ~ $139 and pdrobably a better case. And a gigabyte gtx760 variant.

Ahh okay, thanks so much royfrosty bro. I've amended the specs according to your suggestions.

Here it is now. Does this look like the best I can get with my budget?


MSI b85m-e33 +i5-4570 ~344
Gskills ripjaws 1600mhz kit 2x4gb ~95
Palit gtx760 jetstream 2gb + seasonic m12 520w bundle ~410
Plextor M5S 128gb ~139
1tb wd blue 64mb cache 7200rpm ~81
LG IPS234V 23inch monitor ~248
Windows 8 Home 64bit ~120
Xigmatek asgard xp ~58
Samsung ODD ~22
Tp link wireless N adapter ~17

Total: $1534


Where can I go to buy these parts at the above prices? And do you by change have any recommendations for multimedia speakers at 70 bucks?

 

[royfrosty]

Ahh okay, thanks so much royfrosty bro. I've amended the specs according to your suggestions.

Here it is now. Does this look like the best I can get with my budget?


MSI b85m-e33 +i5-4570 ~344
Gskills ripjaws 1600mhz kit 2x4gb ~95
Palit gtx760 jetstream 2gb + seasonic m12 520w bundle ~410
Plextor M5S 128gb ~139
1tb wd blue 64mb cache 7200rpm ~81
LG IPS234V 23inch monitor ~248
Windows 8 Home 64bit ~120
Xigmatek asgard xp ~58
Samsung ODD ~22
Tp link wireless N adapter ~17

Total: $1534


Where can I go to buy these parts at the above prices? And do you by change have any recommendations for multimedia speakers at 70 bucks?

Good to go. Can try the creative t3300 at $69

 

[dirtytrunks]

okay came back from SLS a couple of hours ago and was trying to set up the computer myself.

MSI b85m-e33 +i5-4570
Gskills ripjaws 1600mhz kit 2x4gb
Palit gtx760 jetstream 2gb
Seasonic m12 520w bundle
Plextor M5S 128gb
1tb wd blue 64mb cache 7200rpm
Dell U2312HM 23inch monitor
Windows 8 Home 64bit
Xigmatek asgard xp
Samsung ODD
Tp link wireless N adapter
Logitech Keyboard

Total damage: 1570

Apparently the Palit GTX760 + Seasonic 520W are no longer bundled so I got charged the usual price for them.


Now I have a different problem though. When I was at the shop I double-confirmed with the shopkeeper that 520W is enough for this system and he confidently said yes.

But when I got home, set up everything and tried to start the pc, the fans started running, but the monitor could not detect anything. It was only after much troubleshooting that I realise that only if I remove the GTX760, that it's able to boot.

Any experienced bros know why this is happening? It can't be a power not enough problem, can it?

 

[wuweiz]

U got give power to the gfx? Got ensure its firmly fitted in the slot?

If yes n still don't work, them bring back to the shop loh. Maybe u got a lemon.

520W is enough for normal operations. If u game on those high intensity games, might have a problem if ur gfx n cpu constantly hit max load.

 

[royfrosty]

okay came back from SLS a couple of hours ago and was trying to set up the computer myself.

MSI b85m-e33 +i5-4570
Gskills ripjaws 1600mhz kit 2x4gb
Palit gtx760 jetstream 2gb
Seasonic m12 520w bundle
Plextor M5S 128gb
1tb wd blue 64mb cache 7200rpm
Dell U2312HM 23inch monitor
Windows 8 Home 64bit
Xigmatek asgard xp
Samsung ODD
Tp link wireless N adapter
Logitech Keyboard

Total damage: 1570

Apparently the Palit GTX760 + Seasonic 520W are no longer bundled so I got charged the usual price for them.


Now I have a different problem though. When I was at the shop I double-confirmed with the shopkeeper that 520W is enough for this system and he confidently said yes.

But when I got home, set up everything and tried to start the pc, the fans started running, but the monitor could not detect anything. It was only after much troubleshooting that I realise that only if I remove the GTX760, that it's able to boot.

Any experienced bros know why this is happening? It can't be a power not enough problem, can it?

Omg. Cannot be no power ar. Check the connectors. Try dvi or hdmi cable from the onboard mobo first. Go into bios. Check the configuartions. Disable onboard graphics if there is an option.

Reconnect back to the gpu card with a hdmi or dvi.

Check the psu is it giving power to the gpu.

 

[royfrosty]

U got give power to the gfx? Got ensure its firmly fitted in the slot?

If yes n still don't work, them bring back to the shop loh. Maybe u got a lemon.

520W is enough for normal operations. If u game on those high intensity games, might have a problem if ur gfx n cpu constantly hit max load.

520w enough. Got my old cm elite 475w still can power up. Run on full load still can take it.

 

[dirtytrunks]

Omg. Cannot be no power ar. Check the connectors. Try dvi or hdmi cable from the onboard mobo first. Go into bios. Check the configuartions. Disable onboard graphics if there is an option.

Reconnect back to the gpu card with a hdmi or dvi.

Check the psu is it giving power to the gpu.

Mm if by connectors you mean the ones from the PSU, then yes I did connect them securely to the GPU. Is this what you meant by giving power to the gpu? The GPU should be receiving power, cos its fans are spinning too.

I went into BIOS, but being the computer noob that I am, I don't know how to see if the onboard graphics can even be turned off. I googled, but can't seem to find anything.

 

[dirtytrunks]

Oh whew. Finally managed to make it boot with the GPU connected. I used the DVI cable to connect from the GPU to the monitor instead of the mobo to the monitor.

Now there's a different set of problems altogether (omg i must be cursed by the IT gods!)

There are lines appearing on my brand new Dell U2312HM!!
imgur.com/a/Ans8f

(hwz says i dont have a sufficient post count to post images/links)

 

[royfrosty]

Oh whew. Finally managed to make it boot with the GPU connected. I used the DVI cable to connect from the GPU to the monitor instead of the mobo to the monitor.

Now there's a different set of problems altogether (omg i must be cursed by the IT gods!)

There are lines appearing on my brand new Dell U2312HM!!
imgur.com/a/Ans8f

(hwz says i dont have a sufficient post count to post images/links)

Hmm. Try on another monitor and see what happens. If it is the same likely the GPU is a lemon set. If not that means is the Monitor a lemon set.