matx build, for gaming

RoyalMarine

hi guys, hoping to get a decent build going.

I sold my computer as i was no longer using it. I had a great laptop (m1710) and it just died on me. It needs a motherboard replacement, and im not forking out to repair it when something else could go wrong.

My dad gave me his laptop for a few weeks, but its not "gaming" ready.

I still have some parts from my desktop lying around here that i want to use.

I have

msi 5770 gpu
8800gt 512mb gpu
2tb sata drive
dvd drive
23" hd screen

I was hoping to build a small tidy matx build.

Im trying to find a lanbox, but cant seem to find them available anywhere.

I want to stick to decent retaillers, such as komplett, dabs etc.

And i dont want to break the bank!

All i see i need is:
a case
psu
matx board
cpu
cooler
ram

so, on a tight budget, of say... 400? what could i throw together?

ideally i want this to play starcraft 2, watch hd movies/tv shows, and be portable so it doesn't break my back like my last case, the 800D.

Serephucus

RoyalMarineComm wrote: »

hi guys, hoping to get a decent build going.

I sold my computer as i was no longer using it. I had a great laptop (m1710) and it just died on me. It needs a motherboard replacement, and im not forking out to repair it when something else could go wrong.

My dad gave me his laptop for a few weeks, but its not "gaming" ready.

I still have some parts from my desktop lying around here that i want to use.

I have

msi 5770 gpu
8800gt 512mb gpu
2tb sata drive
dvd drive
23" hd screen

I was hoping to build a small tidy matx build.

Im trying to find a lanbox, but cant seem to find them available anywhere.

I want to stick to decent retaillers, such as komplett, dabs etc.

And i dont want to break the bank!

All i see i need is:
a case
psu
matx board
cpu
cooler
ram

so, on a tight budget, of say... 400? what could i throw together?

ideally i want this to play starcraft 2, watch hd movies/tv shows, and be portable so it doesn't break my back like my last case, the 800D.

It's beyond me why you sold a build like that in the first place, but:

If you're only spending 400 with your CPU/PSU/other junk, you're going to be bottlenecking yourself.

Sell the 5770, use the money to get a good CPU, PSU and motherboard, and use the 8800. You could use the 5770, but for what you want you really don't need it.

Solitaire

Er... 8800GT won't be worth squat at 1920*1080

I had lots of good mATX cases in mind, then realised they were all HAF-inspired casemod ideas of mine and weren't actually available in reality... :D

Serephucus

Solitaire wrote: »

Er... 8800GT won't be worth squat at 1920*1080

Well then he's to use the 5770. Meaning a good PSU, and a good CPU to make it worth while, meaning his €400 isn't going to cut it. But yeah, you're probably right. Having said that, he doesn't have to game at 1080p.

Solitaire

I'm probably wrong, but surely i3-530 + some LGA1156 mATX + 2*2GB DDR3 + CX400 = €320-ish?

Although there aren't that many decent gaming mATX cases on the market... except in my imagination! :D A Sugo would be okay but combined with the above could force you slightly overbudget...

Solitaire

Yay! Memory prices seem to have gone up another €10-15 overnight!! :rolleyes::mad:

So for €400 you're stuck with a cheapo heavy steel case



If you can stretch further than €400 HWVS is the only site that has mATX win at the moment (not sure about eBuyer, if there's competition to be found its there!). That's the cheapest half-competent case; the pricier lightweight units are much nicer

For €10 more you've got the venerable old Sugo SG02. Not very contemporary cooling-wise but a fair bit lighter and not bad looking, even if you're limited to reduced-height CPU coolers. €15 and you've got the white Antec Mini P180, discounted a good €30-odd. Great value but despite its small size it allegedly weighs several tons €35 over the Superflower (and your budget) you have the weird sideways-drives Lian-Li. No weight given but its mostly alu. Good cooling as well. And at Budget+€40 you finally have the Sugo SG03. Sexy beast, very well cooled and about as small and lightweight as a durable partially-alu gaming mATX case can get. If you think its worth being one-third of the weight of the Antec while still as cool and smexy then go for it

Jonny7

Ooohh cool I get to chip in on the Sugo thread..

I have the SG02 mATX case

The good..
Very light
White looks great with silver DVD player
All those components will fit

The not-so-good..
All those components will fit.. just about.. its a squeeze
You are limited to low profile CPU coolers (about 80mm high)

I'm a complete convert now, could never take a monster ATX case again, there are always small heat, noise and space issues, but damn you can put it anywhere, its subtle and you don't get roommates/girls/wives/friends giving you grief about the nerdmaster 5000 taking up half the room.

Solitaire

Jonny7 wrote: »

you don't get roommates/girls/wives/friends giving you grief about the nerdmaster 5000 taking up half the room.

djrlittleton

Jonny7 wrote: »

nerdmaster 5000 taking up half the room.

i actually have been looking for a new case, 2 hold as many harddrives as possible, and i came up with the old style server cases that were around circa 1990s would be perfect for my needs, but i hear what you are saying about cases just being for the "uber elite":cool:

RoyalMarine

thanks a mill guys, right, some updates.

the €400 budget is now only for....

cpu + cooler
psu
mobo

ill sort the ram and case out myself.

Solitaire

Advice remains largely the same, only real difference is that you could shoehorn in an i5-750

Just bear in mind that most sub-€200 mATX mobos won't have awe-inspiring VRM systems so while you could give an i3 a fair bit of OCing (not too much voltage mind! ) you'd have to be very restrained with OCing a 95W CPU like an i5-750; certainly no overvolting! Also bear in mind that you lose two possible monitor outputs, although its best not to use them much anyways as using the integrated GPU on an i3 reduces CPU OCability and power efficiency a tad.

Are you determined to shoehorn in the 8800GT for some arcane reason? (probably linked to hacked PhysX/CUDA drivers? ) Bear in mind that as well as needing an mATX CrossFire mobo you'd have to have one of the better-cooled cases from the list (the last two both take multiple 120mm fans) and would need to upgrade to a VX550 or similar to be safe power-wise!

RoyalMarine

thanks sol!

ive no intention of using the 8800gt apart from using it for physx, but if it wont fit, then its out.

im not picky when it comes to overclocking, if i can, i will, if i cant, i wont.

had a look at their matx cases, not too keen on any of them apart from the m40.

i reckon ill order it as soon as i get paid!

thanks lads, owe ya one.