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1st PC build - advice and opinions

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    #2
    Jonathan
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 8,120 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jonathan


    I'd dump/change the soundcard.


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    #3
    crouchimus
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭crouchimus


    thanks for the input.

    Any recommendations?Or is one really necessary?


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    #4
    Jonathan
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 8,120 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jonathan


    You could always just have a look over on adverts.ie for old EMU20K1/2 based X-FI's.

    Some bargains to be had - I got a Platinum Fatal1ty Champion with drive bay and remote for €40.

    A much better job than paying for a new inferior model. :)


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    #5
    crouchimus
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭crouchimus


    cheers jon, yeh will do tomorrow - any other recommendations or glaring errors you can spot? Really appreciate the advice

    been putting this together in my head for a while now since the auld PC gave up altogether - 5 years of loyal service.

    It seems that hardwareversand have a good rep as do komplett - little bit hesitant about ordering online though.


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    #6
    marco_polo
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 10,079 Mod ✭✭✭✭marco_polo


    The is nothing wrong with any of that. You could spend quite a bit less as you could go a good bit cheaper than the i7 and the 275GTX.

    Would reccomend a well spec'ed Quad Core based system myself. But if you have the cash then go right ahead and do whatever you want:)


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    #7
    leninbenjamin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,983 ✭✭✭leninbenjamin


    I wouldn't be bothered getting an i7, and I'm saying that as an i7 owner. They are great CPUs, but only worth getting if you have a specific need for it (I use mine for sound synthesis). It'll be completely wasted for what you list above, As for games, even GTA4, which is supposedly optimised for quadcore, only uses a fraction of it's power.

    I'd recommend you look at a Core2Quad or a PhenomII x4 instead. They'll last just as long, satisfy all your needs, and wont leave your pockets as empty.


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    #8
    Jonathan
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 8,120 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jonathan


    Here is the Core 2 Quad build I got off HWVS about a month ago.

    You might want to get a better PSU and GFX card if you want it for gaming tho.

    Also I wanted a small case, so you would be better going with the Coolermaster 330 or something.


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    #9
    kmick
    Registered Users Posts: 3,375 ✭✭✭kmick


    Also be aware that most 32bit O/S's like Vista Home Premium 32bit can only really use 3Gb of RAM. You need a 64bit O/S to handle 6Gb of RAM.


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    #10
    Effluo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,890 ✭✭✭Effluo


    The graphics card is a bit rich, especially considering what you said about your monitor...

    It sounds like the monitor you have right now is of a medium to low resolution. Even you have plans to upgrade in the future i'd still recommend buying your graphics card for what you have today!
    By the time you get the new monitor the 275 will still be a great card but not worth what you paid for it now.

    As everyone else is saying an i7 offers very little in performance boost to gamers. Even the quad-cores are wasted on pretty much every game. Although in terms of "futurproofing" a quad is not a bad step.

    The i7's really rack up the price between the motherboard and the processors itself.

    The phenom II's wsith their am3 sockets and ddr3 ram prob offer the best upgradeable option right now.

    Out of interest what's the resolution of the monitor you have right now and when and what were you planning to upgrade to?


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    #11
    crouchimus
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭crouchimus


    thanks for the replies lads, exactly why I posted here.

    Right I may have been a bit overawed by the 920:eek: - it does add a fair bit since it needs compatible mother board etc.
    The choice then boils down to an AMD Tri core or Intel quad?????
    Have not done a tap of research on these.
    Might keep the i7 - don't upgrade monitor and lower graphics card to go below a grand.

    Will be using 64 bit o/s however anyone have opinions on windows 7 - seems like a polished piece of kit but not much more than vista sp2 from what I read? i'm still an xp man at the moment!!!:p

    Cheers for the recommendation effluo - I was originally looking at an ATI 4870/4890 but the catalyst drivers didnt seem as up to scratch as nvidias drivers? Although a few recent reports say they are much improved. And the MSI 275 performed highest in a review of 3rd party 275's offered.
    Current Max resolution would be 1680*1050
    Upgrade i have no definite on it (depends on cash and also if I treat the woman!!;)) - hopefully before Xmas and bring it to 1900*1200.

    Again lads cheers for the advice:)


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    #12
    Jonathan
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 8,120 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jonathan


    crouchimus wrote: »
    Will be using 64 bit o/s however anyone have opinions on windows 7 - seems like a polished piece of kit but not much more than vista sp2 from what I read? i'm still an xp man at the moment!!!:p
    I'm using Window 7 Professional x64 at the moment, and I honestly cannot fault it.

    I was getting regular bluescreens but that was due to a hardware fault. I haven't had one bluescreen since I sorted that.


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    #13
    Effluo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,890 ✭✭✭Effluo


    A single 4890 is almost(just almost) overkill for your monitor right now and for a monitor with 1200 it'd be a good performer still.

    If I were you?
    I'd get this load....

    For less than 800 delivered and built it's hard to go wrong.

    -The cpu is a Phenom II BE 3.2ghz AM3

    -The mobo supports xfire (two graphics cards)

    -You have 4gigs of ddr3 ram

    - Case: I put this case in cause you had it in your previous build, just choose whatever one you like the look of, then have a goo at it's reviews and see what kind of fans/fan grills/filters you could do with.

    -Corsair 80+ 750 Watt psu more power than your gonna need but it has the connectors for that 2nd 4890 when you want to upgrade!

    -4890 for the GPU, At 1200 you'll need this

    -1terrabyte hd
    -dvd-rw

    and that's it...

    Keep in mind you should get a few 4 euro fans for the case, keyboard, mouse, i didn't put a card reader in here either and If overclocking you would need a new cpu cooler...



    But for a gaming rig this is a great option and i'm not gonna lie i'm suprised how cheap it is. GREAT!



    Don't wait to get your fancy new screen! Buy this and your sceen for under a grand!

    Oh yeah and windows 7 is really and truly brilliant! It's just so fast and easy to use. Stuff just seems like it's exactly where it should be.


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    #14
    Tillotson
    Registered Users Posts: 218 ✭✭Tillotson


    Why don't you get a sata dvd drive?
    Avoid that ugly ribbon.


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