few questions before purchase

[creepy]

Im going to order a prebuilt dell xps 7100 tonight. I know I could put something together thats similar for cheaper or better for the same price but ive been out of the computer stuff for some time so wouldnt know where to start on whats good and whats not now days plus im pretty limited on time so this fits me best. Before placing the order I have a few questions.

Going with a x6 1090t cpu and hd5870 gpu.

1. Considering its a prebuilt system will I still be able to OC the 5870 using ___ software?

2. Would adding more ram be as simple as buying the proper speed, dimm,etc sticks and popping them in? I could be wrong but iirc years ago upgrading the ram in a dell was somewhat of a pita? Not really interested in paying $120 for 4gb more or ram when I can pick up a 4gb stick from newegg for less than half of that.

3. Soundblaster x-fi extreme audio sound card worth the extra $60? or should I just run on board?

 

[Theocnoob]

Im going to order a prebuilt dell xps 7100 tonight.

Why?

OEM pc's use cheap parts, don't overclock, give you a bastardized OEM OS, bloatware, etc etc etc.

You also don't want to go AMD. The AM3 socket is so totally at the end of it's lifespan. AMD will be abandoning it within 3 to 4 months for their new socket.

Socket 1366 still has some life in it but where you really want to be is socket 1155 and the Sandybridge CPU on a P67 chipset. They are rocketships, cost nothing for how well they perform, run cool, and routinely overclock to five Ghz on air.

Build it yourself, dude. Seriously.

In nerdinese, I'm about to order an OEM PC is like "I'm on a bridge and I'm going to jump".

Don't do it man. You have too much to live for. It's not worth it.

The fact that they're selling X-Fi Xtreme audio at this point, frickin terrifies me. First off, it was a $30 some odd card six years ago. Secondly, it isn't even X-fi, but rather an Audigy SE (which stinks) with an Xfi sticker over top of it.

Also, 5870? Are they serious? That's two generations old.
It should be a 6950 or 70.

And $120!? For 4GB of RAM!? There is perhaps one set of RAM, in the world, that I can think of that is worth that, and the memory controller on ANY AM3 chip won't clock that high, so the best stuff they can give you, in ACTUAL price, is about sixty bucks. Now, since I know what they're gonna give you is probably the stuff that retails at about $25, you can see why I don't do OEM.

Tell us what your budget is, we'll tell you what parts to get, then you build it, and it's twice as fast as the OEM pile you were going to buy .

 

[creepy]

well if thats the case have fun throwing something together for me lol...looking to spend 1k-1200 from newegg for a complete setup. Dont need anything special for the case etc. I no longer have any interest in cold cathodes, goofy lighting, w/c, etc.

 

[Theocnoob]

Ok

i5 2500K CPU
Coolermaster Hyper 212+ cpu cooler
Gigabyte UD3P or UD4 (B3) mobo
or
ASrock Fatal1ty or Extreme 6 (B3) mobo
8GB (others will say just get 4) 1600Mhz Cas 7 RAM (2x4GB)
1 TB western Digital Caviar Black 64MB cache
GTX 560Ti video card
Corsair TX650 power supply
windows 7 64 OEM
Antec 300 case
Optical drive based on your needs (BluRay or DVDRW or whatever you need it for. If you don't ever burn, don't waste the extra $. Likewise for lightscribe etc).
~Remember that playing Blu-Ray on pc requires software that isn't free, so buy a drive that includes playback software like cyberlink etc.


should come out to about 1100

If feeling 'spendy' knock the GPU up to a GTX 570 and go to 2000Mhz Cas7 RAM.

Are you going for an internal color scheme btw? , black red, whatever? It can be done in budget...

 

[creepy]

Thanks ill look into it. As for colors etc, i have no interest in that stuff. I went through the whole "cool colors", w/c,etc,etc when I was big into all this stuff back in 02-05. Just no longer care for it. The machine could sit in a cardboard box on my desk with a box fan beside it. As long as it runs and does its job im happy.

 

[Theocnoob]

Ok. Well, there's your system then. Unless you're a big ATI fan I say go Nvidia. The ATI drivers are still confusing as ever... And a lot of stuff uses PhysX which Nvidia has and ATI does not. There's a hack but meh..

With that CPU and cooler you can get 4.5-5Ghz out of the thing.

Grab a couple of quality 120mm fans for the case as it comes with 2 exhausts but has room for 3 more intakes. She's a bit fugly and tinny but she's cheap and effective. If you want mediocre quality blue LED intake fans preinstalled get the 300 illusion version.

If you get a mobo other than those make sure it is revision B3 and P67, not H67.

 

[creepy]

Sounds good, what do you think of this psu? Looking to go with something a little more expensive/higher end after some problems ive had in the past with middle of the road ones.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371050&Tpk=hcg 900

 

[DR DEUCE]

The 650tx is great. If you want something high end go with a ax750 though u dont need it.

 

[creepy]

thanks, ill go ahead and get one of those then, how do you like the g.skill ram? thats what im thinking about getting.

about fell out of the chair when i seen how cheap the os is. I remember paying $200 for xp a long time ago. Crazy how things have changed. I built my last setup right when amd came out with the 64bit cpu's. Was a dfi lanboy board, dont remember much about the cpu other than being the first line of 64bit amd came out with, radeon 9800 pro, and 768mb of ram dont remember brand. Almost like starting all over again lol.

 

[DR DEUCE]

What ram I dont see any

 

[creepy]

One more thing before I finish and order. How would you guys compare the corsair h70 or h50 compared to Coolermaster Hyper 212+ cpu cooler. Worth the extra money?

 

[DR DEUCE]

Heres some good ram
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231444&Tpk=N82e16820231444

For the money the 212+ is a great cooler. The h50/70 are good but will cool the cpu about the same as the 212 and def not worth the money

 

[creepy]

as said been forever since ive been into this stuff so just wanna 2x check ive got it all lol

case
cpu
mobo
vid card
heatsink/fan + extra fan for a push/pull setup
tube of as5
cheapy optical drive
hdd
psu
os/win 7 64

any little misc bs I left out? Trying to get it all in one order. Going to use the onboard sound for now. Im guessing mobos still come with cables and all that misc stuff?

 

[DR DEUCE]

DONT FORGET the ram lol. There should be a combo with the cpu that brings a 212+ and saves u bout $8. For the extra fan get a ultra kaze or gentle typhoon. Yeh mobos come with all the **** needed.

 

[Theocnoob]

And get MX 4. Arctic Silver 5 is from the age of the dinosaurs. Better stuff out now.

 

[creepy]

thanks

 

[bigdfootball89]

Alex I just built a new comp, and the mobo didn't come with any sata 2 cables. Quite dissapointing. So I would buy a few extra Sata 2 cables.

 

[Theocnoob]

Alex I just built a new comp, and the mobo didn't come with any sata 2 cables. Quite dissapointing. So I would buy a few extra Sata 2 cables.

I've never, ever seen that before . I hope that will not become a trend. All mobos should always come with all needed cables...
As far as cables go-- usually the cables that do come with mobos are not as high quality as the extra thick, high quality clip in cables you can buy- nor do you get to pick your color.

 

[Volumetrik]

Alex I just built a new comp, and the mobo didn't come with any sata 2 cables. Quite dissapointing. So I would buy a few extra Sata 2 cables.

Open box ?

 

[DR DEUCE]

Alex I just built a new comp, and the mobo didn't come with any sata 2 cables. Quite dissapointing. So I would buy a few extra Sata 2 cables.

Thats strange. You should hit up the mobo manufacturer and teull them to ship u some.