New Gaming PC Build - Help!

[dfedders]

OK, its time to build a new gaming PC, and I'm looking for some help.

Is this a good time to build a PC? Anything new right around the corner? I want to build something new for Battlefield 3 and other newer games. My current PC is now 6 years old.

It seems like the Intel i5-2500k may be the best price/performance choice. Also leaning towards the ATI 6950 2GB graphics card.

I have no idea what motherboard to get. It seems like every company has 15 models that are all very similar these days. Also not sure what RAM will work best for this combo. Probably looking to start around 8GB. Also need some power supply help.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[dma0991]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157264
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128494

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231430

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817207015
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139030

I'd go with 700W but 750W will do I guess. More power than you'll ever need in case you decide to do a HD6950 Crossfire.

 

[pkilway01]

Wait 4 weeks until Bulldozer rears it's head. At worst Intel could/would drop their prices if AMD does come through with a decent cpu - or it might just be impressive enough to warrant a thorough vetting.

 

[happy medium]

Wait 4 weeks until Bulldozer rears it's head. At worst Intel could/would drop their prices if AMD does come through with a decent cpu - or it might just be impressive enough to warrant a thorough vetting.

I disagree, just grab a 2500k system now and grab a motherboard that will upgrade to Ivybridge later and your set.

A Bulldozer setup will net you no game performance increase from a 2500k with a single gpu anyhow.

 

[whatdidyousayman]

I disagree, just grab a 2500k system now and grab a motherboard that will upgrade to Ivybridge later and your set.

A Bulldozer setup will net you no game performance increase from a 2500k with a single gpu anyhow.

With all due respect, I will have to disagree with your disagreement. I would recommend waiting a month to see how Bulldozer effects the market. Unless you can snag a 2500k for 180 or less (/cough, microcenter, /cough), I would wait.

 

[happy medium]

With all due respect, I will have to disagree with your disagreement. I would recommend waiting a month to see how Bulldozer effects the market. Unless you can snag a 2500k for 180 or less (/cough, microcenter, /cough), I would wait.

I would normally agree, but he has a 6 year old system and I would not wait a month to hope to save 25$.
Plus if he waits a month, then some other guy is gonna say wait for the next series of gpu's are out, and then he waits again.

 

[whatdidyousayman]

I would normally agree, but he has a 6 year old system and I would not wait a month to hope to save 25$.

Definitely, $25 alone shouldn't hold you back from upgrading, but Battlefield 3 doesn't come out until 25/10/11. I would exercise some patience, and let the market play out a bit, before pulling the trigger. Easier said than done when you have the upgrade itch!

 

[wuliheron]

Wait 4 weeks until Bulldozer rears it's head. At worst Intel could/would drop their prices if AMD does come through with a decent cpu - or it might just be impressive enough to warrant a thorough vetting.

I agree. Just ignore all the Intel fanboys at this website and wait for Bulldozer to come out. There's all kinds of wild speculation about Bulldozer, but the bottom line is its a radically new type of chip and nobody has a clue how it will perform in games or what impact it will have on the market.

 

[Crap Daddy]

The new thing around the corner, which is right around the corner since a year now, is the AMD bulldozer also known as Zambezi, 8 core CPU that goes by the name of FX. We don't know absolutely nothing about it's performance in games, which is why you want a new CPU and AMD keeps everything secret until launch date which we, of course, don't know nothing about but assume it'll be on the 19th of September. What we do know that in the last months, last week, today and in the next 35 days or more the best CPU for gaming purposes as in price/perf ratio is the 2500K. This is undisputable. If somebody wants to build a system now it is the only logical way.

 

[happy medium]

OK, its time to build a new gaming PC, and I'm looking for some help.

Is this a good time to build a PC? Anything new right around the corner? I want to build something new for Battlefield 3 and other newer games. My current PC is now 6 years old.

It seems like the Intel i5-2500k may be the best price/performance choice. Also leaning towards the ATI 6950 2GB graphics card.

I have no idea what motherboard to get. It seems like every company has 15 models that are all very similar these days. Also not sure what RAM will work best for this combo. Probably looking to start around 8GB. Also need some power supply help.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

To get back to you overall question.

cpu -2500k

Z68 Gigabyte motherboard, with pci-e 3.0 (with Ivybridge cpu), usb 3.0, sli and x fire support and a 16 phase power delivery for overclocking. 159$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128494

G skill 8gb, 4gb x2, ripjaw series ddr3 1600 $60 (with free 4gb flash drive)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231314

psu -Corsair gaming series 800 watt (65amp rail) 4, 6+2 pci-e connectors for 109$ AR and 10$ promo code.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139025

530$ for the fastest gaming system you can buy matched with the right gpu/s

Match that with a gtx570 for 275$ or 6950 for 245$ and your set.

 

[Crap Daddy]

If the 570 is just 30$ over the 6950 then it's a no brainer but I doubt that.

 

[happy medium]

I agree. Just ignore all the Intel fanboys at this website and wait for Bulldozer to come out. There's all kinds of wild speculation about Bulldozer, but the bottom line is its a radically new type of chip and nobody has a clue how it will perform in games or what impact it will have on the market.

It has nothing to do with AMD vs Intel. I have both personally.

A Bulldozer cpu will make 0 difference in gaming with a single or dual graphics card setup, a 2500k will max out 2 6970's very easily. SO there is nothing to gain by waiting. :thumbsup:

The high quality gaming setup I listed will last years.
/ thread

 

[whatdidyousayman]

For all intents and purposes you are correct. However, there is quite a bit of upside and no downside to practicing a bit of patience. Bulldozer is close to release and there is no harm in waiting. The recommended setup could last him the next few years, but a Bulldozer setup could potentially last longer.

 

[happy medium]

There is quite a bit of upside and no downside to practicing a bit of patience. Bulldozer is close to release and there is no harm in waiting. The recommended setup could last him the next few years, but a Bulldozer setup could potentially last longer.

Considering a AM3+ board will only support the first wave of AMD BD cpu's
and will be dead end next year, I somehow doubt that. AMD 's new socket FM2 wil be released next summer. Please don't ask him to wait till then.:thumbsdown::'(

The Z68 board I listed will also be used for the next wave of 22nm cpu's called Ivybridge.

Still think somehow it "could potentially last longer"? I think not!

 

[RussianSensation]

For all intents and purposes you are correct. However, there is quite a bit of upside and no downside to practicing a bit of patience. Bulldozer is close to release and there is no harm in waiting. The recommended setup could last him the next few years, but a Bulldozer setup could potentially last longer.

Something tells me that by looking at the enormous gap in performance between a Phenom II X6 4.0ghz and a 2500k @ 4.7ghz, that the SB chip is going to be just fine for another 2-3 years. My prediction is that BD will be better for multi-threaded apps, but I have serious doubts that it will touch an overclocked 2500k in games.

 

[whatdidyousayman]

--bah, double post --

 

[whatdidyousayman]

Considering a AM3+ board will only support the first wave of AMD BD cpu's
and will be dead end next year, I somehow doubt that. AMD 's new socket FM2 wil be released next summer. Please don't ask him to wait till then.:thumbsdown::'(

The Z68 board I listed will also be used for the next wave of 22nm cpu's called Ivybridge.

Still think somehow it "could potentially last longer"? I think not!

I would agree with you if we were talking about someone who was constantly upgrading their system. However, we're talking about someone who hasn't upgraded their system for 6 years. Factoring that into the equation, I would go with what is the best combo now... plus 'future-proofing' is a bit of a misnomer.

 

[whatdidyousayman]

Something tells me that by looking at the enormous gap in performance between a Phenom II X6 4.0ghz and a 2500k @ 4.7ghz, that the SB chip is going to be just fine for another 2-3 years. My prediction is that BD will be better for multi-threaded apps, but I have serious doubts that it will touch an overclocked 2500k in games.

I still think the 2500k is a best buy, but it's so close to BD, why not wait and see?

 

[nyker96]

I personally do NOT think BD will do any better than 2500k in games. That's my honest opinion from reading all the rumors/leaks etc. However, since you are building new, and BD is just around the corner, I'd personally just wait out this months, see what BD will do to the market. Who knows maybe BD carries some useful features you might like after seeing it, you'd be kicking yourself for getting a 2500k now. But if you just gotta pull the trigger now, 2500k won't disappoint you a bit.

 

[wuliheron]

It has nothing to do with AMD vs Intel. I have both personally.

A Bulldozer cpu will make 0 difference in gaming with a single or dual graphics card setup, a 2500k will max out 2 6970's very easily. SO there is nothing to gain by waiting. :thumbsup:

The high quality gaming setup I listed will last years.
/ thread

Bulldozer has 8 cores which some games can already take advantage of. To say it will make 0 difference in gaming is along the lines of arguing ten years ago that dual core processors will make zero difference in gaming before they even hit the market.

 

[grkM3]

Im selling my 2500k that does 5ghz on a 26 dollar air cooler from best buy with a p67 pro asus board for 330 shipped.

Check my forsale add for pics.

 

[happy medium]

Bulldozer has 8 cores which some games can already take advantage of. To say it will make 0 difference in gaming is along the lines of arguing ten years ago that dual core processors will make zero difference in gaming before they even hit the market.

What I stated has nothing to do with cpu power and more to do with it would be impossible for BD to be any faster than 2 6950's, because 2 6950's are allready the bottleneck with a 2500k. In other words you willl see no fps increase no metter what cpu you use.
In fact I'd bet that even 2 6990's would not be bottlenecked by a overclocked 2500k.

 

[blackened23]

With all due respect, I will have to disagree with your disagreement. I would recommend waiting a month to see how Bulldozer effects the market. Unless you can snag a 2500k for 180 or less (/cough, microcenter, /cough), I would wait.

Hmm, not sure i'd agree. I don't think BD will be available in a month, and there's always something better to wait for. I say just get a 2500/2600k now and be done with it, it will definitely last you a good while.

 

[dfedders]

Thanks guys. This thread was moving a little slow until the AMD vs Intel stuff started.

I do have some time since BF3 won't be out until October.

I also do have a Microcenter nearby, so the 2500k price is nice and low.

 

[dfedders]

To get back to you overall question.

cpu -2500k

Z68 Gigabyte motherboard, with pci-e 3.0 (with Ivybridge cpu), usb 3.0, sli and x fire support and a 16 phase power delivery for overclocking. 159$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128494

G skill 8gb, 4gb x2, ripjaw series ddr3 1600 $60 (with free 4gb flash drive)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231314

psu -Corsair gaming series 800 watt (65amp rail) 4, 6+2 pci-e connectors for 109$ AR and 10$ promo code.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139025

530$ for the fastest gaming system you can buy matched with the right gpu/s

Match that with a gtx570 for 275$ or 6950 for 245$ and your set.

What is the difference between that Gigabyte board an the other 30 Z68 models that they make? There is another for $118 that looks similar. What am I looking for in a motherboard these days? In the past you really only needed to worry about 1 or 2 models from each major brand, now there are 32 models from each brand.