€1200~ New Gaming PC Build

n1ck · 31-12-2012 4:24am #1

Hey guys,

Looking to build a new PC as mine is slowly getting out of date. Any help would be appreaciated!

1. What is your budget?

Around 1200, just an approximate value, any more or less doesn't really make a difference but in or around that figure.

2. What will be the main purpose of the computer? [Gaming/Video editing/3D Modelling/HTPC/Internet] (If gaming include which games)

Gaming.

3. Do you need a copy of Windows?

No.

4. Can you use any parts from an old computer? [Hard drive/DVD Drive/Case/PSU/etc.] (If possible state brand and model of the parts to ensure compatibility)

I'm just keeping a hard drive for storage(gonna get an SSD) and my dvd drive.

5. Do you need a monitor? [Yes/No]

No.

6. Do you need any of these peripherals? [Keyboard/Mouse/Wireless Card/Card Reader/Speakers/etc.]

No.

7. Are you willing to try overclocking? [Yes/No]

Preferably not but I have no objection to it.

8. How can you pay? [Bank Transfer/Credit Card/Laser]

All of the above.

9. When are you purchasing? [In x days]

In the next few weeks.

10. If you need help building it, where are you based? [South Dublin City/Cork City/Kerry/etc.]

Probably just get hardwareversand to build it.

Cheers guys.

challengemaster · 31-12-2012 5:26am

Item|Price
Intel Core i5-3570K Box, LGA1155|€205.99
ASRock Z77 Extreme6, Sockel 1155, ATX|€150.14
16GB-Kit Corsair XMS3 PC3-12800U CL9|€69.70
Seagate Barracuda 7200 2000GB, SATA 6Gb/s|€87.14
Gigabyte Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition, 3GB GDDR5, PCI-Express|€394.68
FRACTAL DESIGN Define R4 Black Pearl|€97.79
Super-Flower Amazon 80Plus 650W|€70.90
Crucial M4 Slim 128GB SATA 6GB's 6,4cm (2,5")|€95.22
Scythe Mugen 3, für alle Sockel geeignet|€37.28
Assembly | €20
Delivery | €18.99
TOTAL|€1247.83

There's a lot of areas that can be cut down though. Case is a personal choice when you're not on a budget. If you don't need the 2TB storage drive, you can remove that. The extra cooler is if you want to try overclocking (and it's quieter). And the motherboard can be scaled down/changed.

n1ck · 01-01-2013 3:29pm

Thanks for that man! Is there any improvements you would suggest if I removed the 2TB hard drive? I have a 360GB one I can barely fill as I only really play a few games.

challengemaster · 01-01-2013 6:20pm

Well as I've just noticed that case is completely out of stock with no expected delivery date, I'd change the case to this:
http://lb.hardwareversand.de/Midi/50915/Corsair+Carbide+Series+500R+schwarz%2C+ATX%2C+ohne+Netzteil.article

(but again, that's personal preference)

and I'd also change the CPU cooler to this:
http://lb.hardwareversand.de/Intel+AMD/71314/Corsair+Hydro+Series+H100i.article

It'll give much better temps, be quieter, and has much better overclocking potential should you decide to in future

Total should be €1233.24, if my quick maths are right

n1ck · 01-01-2013 8:48pm

challengemaster · 01-01-2013 9:14pm

Yup, that's it

n1ck · 01-01-2013 11:52pm

Lovely, really appreciate the help! Thank you!

n1ck · 17-01-2013 12:10am

So i've received my PC, but unfortunately any time I have power connected to the graphics card I don't get any signal to the monitor. I've looked in the bios for an option to disable the onboard but there is none. I disabled the onboard in the device manager but any time I boot with the power attached to the graphics card it doesn't work. The onboard still works even though the onboard was disabled too... I am lost for ideas at this stage and incredibly frustrated.

I would hate to be someone who doesn't have much experience with this stuff!

BloodBath · 17-01-2013 12:37am

Hey n1ck.

Nice build. Pretty similar to the one I just built.

I had a similar issue also. I know it's basic stuff but are you sure you connected both the 6 pin and 8 pin power connections to the card.

Did you change the dvi connection from the on board to the card?

Also have you tried different outputs on the card?

The BIOS on that board has a graphic that shows all connected devices. Make sure the card is showing up there.

Good luck.

I hope you will be overclocking that. That cpu and gpu have a lot of overclocking headroom and you have the coolers for it.

I'd expect at least 4.6 - 4.8ghz on the cpu and 1200mhz core on the gpu.

BloodBath · 17-01-2013 12:44am

Also in the northbridge config in the BIOS make sure that primary graphics adapter is set to pci-e.

n1ck · 17-01-2013 10:00am

Cheers BloodBath! (Pretty sure I used to play CS with you back in the day :P)

I have tried both dvi and the hdmi outputs on the card, both are the same.

The default graphics adapter is set to PCI-E too. Whenever there is no power to the card it is not displayed in the bios graphic display and when there is power there is no display at all from either onboard or the card. The two connectors, 8 pin and 6 pin, theyre the red ones that go into the top of the card at the back, correct?

Cheers

BloodBath · 17-01-2013 3:06pm

Yeah man, we did. You back for some cs-go?

Yeah those are the connections.

Maybe try the second pci-e slot and see if it works there.

If not my only suggestion is you try using the card in someone else's pc, if you can, to see if it work's. If not, it's dead.

n1ck · 17-01-2013 8:47pm

Yea i'll probably give it a go with the new PC if and when it decides to work.

Tried the second PCI-E slot.

My brother helped for a few hours today trying different things, he'll be along soon to update the thread on what he did. (looks as if the graphics card works by the way.)

Wossack · 17-01-2013 9:32pm

ugh its a bizarre one alright...

so, in the bios, theres the option under northbridge to choose the primary display adaptor - onboard, pci express, or pci

if you choose onboard, with the gpu hooked up ok, but the dvi connector into the onboard, the pc will boot in fine, display desktop. And from there we could get device manager to see it, and install correct drivers via ATIs utility. All hunky dorey...

however, swapping the cable into the graphics card at that point does nothing - looks like back into bios to swap the primary display adapter (how shit is that btw? cant display from both at once?)

so into bios, change primary display to pci express, and reboot - only this time the motherboard doesnt get all the way through its boot, and hangs - displaying '62' in the albeit handy 'dr debugger' display on the motherboard - which from the manual means "Installation of the South Bridge Runtime Services" (aka, sfa..). Dead as a doornail at this point.. no display or anything

tried updating the motherboard bios, and no change. And was going to try doing the GPU bios also, but I didnt think that likely... might be worth a go though

tried forcing the PCIe detection to gen1 (no dice), and tried gen3 (no dice), so its left to auto at the moment

no change if using the other 16x PCIe slot

as error was southbridge related, I pulled cables out of the 1394 and front usbs, and disabled usb3 in bios (google came up with a guy saying there may be power issues) - no change

going to hit the google tomorrow, but just if anyone else thinks of anything...!

Wossack · 18-01-2013 11:48am

Couple of things to try next (just typing here to remind myself later really) -

the new graphics card in a known working motherboard
an old known working graphics card in the new motherboard
remove all but 1 stick of ram
chipset driver update (probably via a full run through of windows update)
remove motherboard from the case - check for shorts, and make sure all the brass posts are correctly centered
reseat cpu

Wossack · 21-01-2013 12:20pm

following full windows update cycle, the previously 'looking ok' driver install for the gpu started saying 'could not start' in device manager

tried card in another machine, and no dice - so think nick is gonna RMA it - and fingers crossed that works out

€1200~ New Gaming PC Build

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