Build I hope to get started on. Thoughts?

Dr. Doctor (inactive)

Dr. Doctor (inactive)

EGO Zealot
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
1,488
Part list permalink / Part price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-2400 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($149.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: Biostar TZ68K+ ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair XMS3 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 550 Ti 1GB Video Card ($109.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($46.93 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: OCZ 550W ATX12V Power Supply ($44.99 @ NCIX US)
Monitor: Acer S211HLbd 21.5" Monitor ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $741.86
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated 2012-04-12 18:04 EDT-0400)
 
Why not go for a 560 Ti?

I have this card and it lives up to its expectations with the latest games. It runs Battlefield 3 flawlessly with ultra graphics and only costs a little extra than the 550 Ti and would be more future proof.
 
When are you building? Ivy Bridge launches in around two weeks, and that'll kill the prices on Sandy. A couple things I noticed:

1. Since you're going to go to Microcenter anyway, skip the i5-2400 entirely and pick up an i5-2500K. For twenty or thirty bucks more (it'll probably cost as much as that 2400 does right now by the time Ivy launches), you can have a processor that'll blow that 2400 away.

2. Not a huge fan of that PSU model. There are better units available around that price range... maybe one of the Corsair TX v2s:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139020
They're about $30 more than that power supply, but they're very solid units and will leave you room to upgrade into more hardcore components later down the line, and will last you for a long time.

3. Gotta agree with MontyPilon. If you can make it fit your budget, 560 Ti 2GBs are only about $100-$150 more nowadays and will utterly destroy a 550 Ti or 560 non-Ti. Well worth the price difference. If you're really dead-set on spending less than that on a GPU, you could pick up a GTX 460 1GB for about ten bucks more and that'll run circles around the 550 Ti.
 
Yeah, not a huge fan of most ocz psus. That does seem like a decent price for a fully modular one, though newegg reviews seems to bash them for being DOA which isn't necessarily a huge problem if you can deal with the possible hassle.

As for vid card, I would avoid the 550 Ti. Not a great price for the performance. 6850s can be had for $10 more and blow it away:

[ame]http://www.amazon.com/HIS-Radeon-Eyefinity-DisplayPort-Express/dp/B005D6P0N8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1334273635&sr=8-2[/ame]


560 Ti is not worth the cost premium over this 6850. Obviously deals are popping up continuously, but the 550 Ti has never been a great buy and it still isn't.

And definitely wait for ivy bridge which should be released in a couple of weeks if you can.
 
1. If you're going on the i5-2400 (which is solid at that price) I can't think of any reason to get a Z68 board. I don't think you'll be missing anything by going H series unless you want to get a k-line Ivy Bridge down the road. If you are, just invest in a Z77 board now.

2. If you aren't OC'ing (which you can't with a 2400), I strongly suggest looking into mATX or mITX for some cash-saving and room-saving features. Even if you are OCing most mATX boards clock just as well as ATX boards, though perhaps not at the world record level/liquid nitrogen.

3. That PSU is not a bad unit. It's actually pretty good. The problem is it's about 150W over what your rig will draw. The CX430V2 is cheaper and fits your build better. It's not modular though.

4. I hate that case, mostly because I hate NZXT. I would suggest a Fractal Design over them any day of the week. Honestly, I couldn't find any cases on newegg at that budget that don't completely suck. I would raise budget on this component, personally.

5. As stated, the 550Ti is a PoS. Don't buy it. Get a 6850 or a 460 if you can still find them anywhere.

6. You may find it worthwhile to order everything from the same place for shipping costs. I don't know if you've totaled up shipping, but you might be paying an extra $20 to save $10 on a mail-in rebate.

7. Ivy Bridge is soon enough you really should think about waiting.
 
a pet rock said:
4. I hate that case, mostly because I hate NZXT. I would suggest a Fractal Design over them any day of the week. Honestly, I couldn't find any cases on newegg at that budget that don't completely suck. I would raise budget on this component, personally.
Click to expand...

What's wrong with NZXT? They make nice cheap cases.
 
I have a nxzt case but mine has about 6 fans also has front control knob for top and rear side like the intel pick but I went amd this time got the amd fx 3.10 8 core unlocked black edition.
 
460 is 130 off newegg I suggest that over the 550ti
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top