4 posts shown.
Larry Ortiz5 said:The real difference between an i5 4690k and the one you've got there is $3.25. (check out some tech forums) That one uses the 1150 socket—which is newer—so if I were in your shoes, I’d probably swap that i5 3570k for an i5 4690k paired with a Z97 motherboard. But honestly, since you're basically building a whole new PC from scratch anyway, wouldn't it make more sense to just go for the latest components currently hitting the market?
Thanks for the advice. I think I'll take it!
Hey again.
Thanks for all the input, everyone. After digging through the builds you suggested and checking out some other threads, I want to get your take on this specific setup.
CPU: I5 3570k
Motherboard: MB ASRock Z77 Extreme3
Cooler: Zalman CNPS 7x LED
GPU: XFX 3 GB D5 X R9 280X Dual Fan Black ED
RAM: DDR3 HyperX Fury 8 GB PC 1866 CL 9 Kingston KIT ( 2 x 4 GB )
PSU: FSP FORTRON RaiderS 750 80+ S 750W Active PFC 1 x
HDD: WD Blue 1TB
Case: Zalman Z3 Plus Black ATX
Price: $2050
The reason I'm aiming for this build is the overclocking headroom and the fact that I could potentially run crossfire down the road if I feel like it.
My main priority is just making sure this rig stays relevant for at least another 4 or 5 years.
I'm debating if I actually need such a beefy power supply—though I guess if I decide to slap a second card in later, I'll definitely need the extra juice. Also, not sure if I should bother picking up extra fans right away.
Honestly, this whole option feels like a better move to me than going with an AMD build or that Intel Core i5-4440.
I'm broke when it comes to an SSD right now, but I can easily swing one in a few months.
So, does this look solid to you guys, or is there anything you'd swap out?
Thanks in advance.
Look, we're talking about used builds here.
My budget is $1500. This is just for the tower (I've already got my monitor, speakers, and peripherals ready to go).
Every time I've put together a new rig, it ends up costing me around $6,000. Honestly, that feels a bit steep 🙂
When I was putting this list together, I was looking at:
CPU : AMD X8 8320 (3.5GHz,16MB,125W,AM3+) $383
Mobo : Asus M5A97 R2.0 $200 or an M5A97 EVO R2.0 ($250)
GPU : SAPPHIRE AMD Radeon R9 280X 3G GDDR5 PCI-E DVI-I / DVI-D / HDMI / DP DUAL-X OC VERSION (the one they have over in Austria $667 ) or the Sapphire R9 280 3G GDDR5 Dual-X with boost (available locally $533 ) --> I'm not entirely sure if the more expensive one is actually worth the extra cash.
RAM 🙂Kingston DDR3 HyperX Fury,1866MHz,8GB(2x4GB)Blue($212)
HDD : WD blue 1 Tb cc $140
Cooler : LC POWER LC-CC-95 $33
Case : Zalman Z3 $108
PSU: FSP Raider 750W $207 (maybe I could get away with something weaker, like maybe 600W, but I'm not positive)
Cheaper version: $1817 ; Pricier version: $2000
There's always the option to just buy everything brand new and finance part of it, but right now I'm aiming for used gear that still has some warranty left. That way, in about 6 months, I can pick up a new monitor. My current setup uses a 22-inch screen, and that's what the next one will be too 🙂.
I've mostly stuck with Intel in the past, but in this specific case, the Intel CPU and motherboard combo would drive the price up, forcing me to settle for a weaker graphics card—which, honestly, doesn't make sense for what I need (unless I'm totally missing something here).
Thanks,
Cheers!
p.s. Just so you know, all the combos mentioned in the first post are in the same price range.
Hey there,
I’m looking for some help picking out a rig. It’s mostly for gaming—mostly online stuff—but I also need it for watching movies, listening to music, and the occasional session in Microsoft Excel.
My main goal is to get something that won't become a paperweight for at least the next 3 to 5 years.
I don't have any interest in overclocking unless I absolutely have to just to keep up with modern games in about two years.
I'm trying to figure out which of these two setups will give me better performance and actually last longer.
The Intel build:
CPU: Intel Core i5 4440 Motherboard
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z87-HD3
GPU: Nvidia GTX 680 Lightning 2GB
Or this one:
The AMD build:
CPU: AMD FX 8320 (16mb)
Motherboard: ASUS M5A97 R2
GPU: Sapphire Dual-X R9 280X 3Gb
Thanks a ton!
🤷