RMarine
|
| posted on 7/4/12 at 09:16 PM |
|
|
Custom pc help
Hi, i am looking for a build/buy a gaming PC. i havent built a pc in about 5 years and i have no idea re specs and performance. i have only got a
small budget it project. i have been looking on ebay to see what passes as a "gaming PC" and i have found this :
eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace
is there anyone out there can see if this is a good spec pc or not..... any advice would be good to
Thanks
Its all Mark Evans fault......
|
|
|
|
|
I predict a Riot
|
| posted on 7/4/12 at 09:24 PM |
|
|
Have a look on cpc.co.uk
They send me frequent offers on pcs and laptops.
Big company (owned by Farnell) but prices always seem reasonable to me.
|
|
|
Madinventions
|
| posted on 7/4/12 at 09:41 PM |
|
|
Just did a very quick price up with approximately like-for-like components at the place I get all my PC stuff
(www.aria.co.uk) and they come out at £420 for the same system. £50 to bolt it all together? Ok, not so bad I
guess.
However, I think it's fair to say that whilst the PC spec is ok for many uses, none of the components are particularly cutting edge so you are
getting what you pay for. Oh, and you'll need to add on £100+ for Win7-64 too. You say you have a small budget, so this is still quite a lot
of PC for the money, but you may be better off looking at getting the individual bits and just tweaking the spec to get the most out of what you have
to spend. I don't want to start a war (Intel vs AMD), but you could get a potentially higher spec AMD system for similar money.
Of course, this is all just my opinion! 
Ed.
Mojo build diary: http://www.madinventions.co.uk
Solo music project: Syrrenfor http://www.reverbnation.com/syrrenfor
View my band website:
http://www.shadowlight.org.uk
http://www.eastangliankitcars.co.uk/
|
|
|
RMarine
|
| posted on 7/4/12 at 11:40 PM |
|
|
thanks both.
What AMD cpu is comparable to I7 intel ?
Its all Mark Evans fault......
|
|
|
mookaloid
|
| posted on 8/4/12 at 08:10 AM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by RMarine
thanks both.
What AMD cpu is comparable to I7 intel ?
there isn't one - that's why they are cheaper.
I don't mind starting a war
"That thing you're thinking - it wont be that."
|
|
|
Slimy38
|
| posted on 8/4/12 at 08:24 AM |
|
|
Personally I wouldn't bother with an I7. If you're just into gaming, then most multi core CPU's will do, you're better off
saving your money for the graphics cards. I went for a triple core AMD X3 455, it cost me £50 and is plenty for most games.
The other thing about that Ebay job is the case and the power supply. While most people don't think about the case, it is infinitely nicer to
work with a PC that doesn't sound like a jet engine when it's switched on. And as for the PSU, I will never do 'no-name'
PSU's again. The ad doesn't even quote what the PSU can do!
Unfortunately hard drives are quite expensive at the moment, the prices went up last year sometime and have yet to settle. They are dropping, but you
can't get the 2 Terabytes for £50 that you used to be able to get.
Lastly, I know I'm going to get shot down for this, but if you're only into gaming can I suggest an Xbox or Playstation? I know people
swear by PC gaming, but for ease of use and much cheaper costs the consoles have things wrapped up.
|
|
|
FuryRebuild
|
| posted on 8/4/12 at 09:08 AM |
|
|
I would always use scan.co.uk again. Loads of tools for getting your spec right. Lots of side-by-side comparisons again to help you manage spec, they
deliver, or you can go in and get your order over the counter. Best bit is they sell a build insurance, so if you fry something during the build they
will replace it.
Without joining in the chip wars, the advice to invest in your graphics card is good. CPUs sub-contract the graphics processing to the card anyway. A
triple-core amd is enough (and you can sometimes unlock a 4th core).
You do need to be sure you have spent money on the PSU as well. Typically go 50 to 100% over the sum of the rating of all your components. A
struggling PSU will make for a very unreliable machine.
I could go on. I built a gaming machine for my son, and did a great job for about 600.
I also think "get an Xbox" is good advice. Or hang about for the 3D ps3. The thoughts of playing nazi zombies in 3d is exciting.
When all you have is a hammer, everything around you is a nail.
www.furyrebuild.co.uk
|
|
|
loggyboy
|
| posted on 8/4/12 at 09:10 AM |
|
|
What sort of games do you want to play? Would a consol not be a cheaper more efficent way of gaming?
|
|
|
gottabedone
|
| posted on 8/4/12 at 09:55 AM |
|
|
The price is about right as Ed ^^^^^ says - a few quid in it but you are paying for an expensive CPU, pretty good motherboard and the rest of the
machine is average at best. 4Gb of average memory, probably a 5400 spin HDD (because he doesn't mention it's speed) and an unknown
quality PSU.
Yes you have 1Gb of memory in your graphics card but this is going to be a weak spot. As an indication, the AMD 5770 (picked randomly) is nearly 5x
as fast as the GT 520 and approx £90
Have a look at some of the barebones kits - if you can build a car then you can do a computer in an afternoon ;-)
What you have picked is a good machine but may disappoint you if you whack up the graphics properties in your games.
Steve
|
|
|
RMarine
|
| posted on 8/4/12 at 09:24 PM |
|
|
Thanks all for the very useful advise and comments. i did go down the PS3 and Xbox road and even brought a eagle eye keyboard and mouse adapter for
both, and it works well.
But i play or did play a lot of BF2 Mods and counter strike, which you can't do on a games console.
I always have built my own pc's so i have a few bits already i.e. hard drives EZcool 850 watt PSU and a case(ATX).
Now all i need is the CPU, GPU, Ram and motherboard......
Thanks
Its all Mark Evans fault......
|
|
|
bigfoot4616
|
| posted on 9/4/12 at 07:50 AM |
|
|
i would wait for the new ivybridge cpu's. should be out at the end of the month.
i5 3570K is probably going to be the one to go for.
|
|
|
Slimy38
|
| posted on 9/4/12 at 08:28 AM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by bigfoot4616
i would wait for the new ivybridge cpu's. should be out at the end of the month.
i5 3570K is probably going to be the one to go for.
I gave up waiting for the next big PC thing ages ago, things change so much in the PC world that there is always something out at the end of the
month!
It's also 'usually' cheaper to go for things that are last years tech, they're still perfectly capable but the new kit causes
the old kit to drop in price.
|
|
|
mat.price
|
| posted on 9/4/12 at 09:55 AM |
|
|
try http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=BU-080-OE
been looking at this myself
also try http://www.dabs.com/category/components-and-storage,motherboards-and-processors/11022
they do some good self buld bundles as well
hope they help
|
|
|
Liam
|
| posted on 9/4/12 at 02:50 PM |
|
|
That Ebay thing is dreadful! Calling something with a 520 GPU a gaming PC is a joke. Literally half the budget is wasted on that i7 which is pointless
for gaming. That PSU may as well be a grenade, too. Far better off with an i5 2500K on a Z68 mobo and the best GPU you can afford - ideally a
6850/6870 minimum. Games nowadays are starting to benefit from more than 4GB RAM and since it's so cheap, 8GB is good to go for.
I get everything from Overclockers.co.uk - good prices and excellent customer service and forum, plus the overclocked bundles are great if you dont
fancy doing it yourself. The bundle linked above would be great with the optional 8GB RAM for £20 more.
If budget is tight you could consider second hand parts. I got my PC a couple of years ago - previous gen i5-750 which I overclocked to 4GHz, 4GB RAM
and a 5850 when that was all pretty much current hardware and made a massive saving getting it second hand. My GPU was only 3 months old!
|
|
|
bigfoot4616
|
| posted on 9/4/12 at 06:45 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by Slimy38
quote:
Originally posted by bigfoot4616
i would wait for the new ivybridge cpu's. should be out at the end of the month.
i5 3570K is probably going to be the one to go for.
I gave up waiting for the next big PC thing ages ago, things change so much in the PC world that there is always something out at the end of the
month!
It's also 'usually' cheaper to go for things that are last years tech, they're still perfectly capable but the new kit causes
the old kit to drop in price.
generally agree about not waiting for the next thing out for the reasons you say but when its only a few weeks away i think its worth waiting. for me
my old q6600 is still working fine untill they come out.
|
|
|
