My first build in a few years! Advice welcome :-)

MahatmaGeansai

It's been a while since I've built my own so I'm hoping that you kind folks could have a look over what I've put together below and let me know what you think. I'm going to use it for a bit of gaming and probably a bit of software dev.

It's adding up to roughly 700 ex delivery which is a bit more than I was hoping to spend so if anyone can see where I can save a few bob that'd be great.

CPU Intel Core i5 2500K / 3.3 GHz processor 195.88
Motherboard MSI P67A-G43 (B3) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard 95.87
Memory Corsair Vengeance memory - 8 GB : 2 x 4 GB - DIMM 240-pin - DDR3 39.77
Graphics Card Sapphire HD6870 1G GDDR5 PCI-E DL-DVI-I+SL-DVI-D / HDMI / DP 147.49
PSU Cooler Master GX Series PSU, 80Plus Bronze - 550 Watt 63.56
Case BitFenix Merc Beta 32.16
Optical drive Samsung SH-222AB bare schwarz SATA 16.46
Storage WD Caviar Blue 500GB SATA 3 6Gb/s 89.00
Wireless ASUS PCE-N10 18.59

The Omen 666

8GB-Kit Corsair XMS3 PC3-12800U CL9 €37.53

Super-Flower Amazon 80Plus 450W €41.95

Intel Core i5-2320 Box, LGA1155 €161.39

ASRock P67 Pro3 (B3), Sockel 1155, ATX €84.65

Substituting the above ram, psu, cpu and MB could save u a few bob.

Serephucus

I'd stick with the 2500K (the 2320 is a huge downgrade when you take into account overclocking) but I'd sub in the rest of Omen's suggestions.

The case: Though the picture doesn't show it, the Merc Beta actually has a sine panel window. The Alpha is the one with the fan vents.

MahatmaGeansai

Thanks a mill folks,

Trying to do a price comparison between doing my own build and just buying a dell. Anyone have any idea what the savings can be percentage wise when looking for the type of machine I've specced here?

MahatmaGeansai

Am i better off with the Merc Alpha?

The Omen 666

speaking from experience it'll prob save u money in the long run to build yourself the above specced machine

u'll be able overclock the cpu ( assuming u go with the 2500k) to squeeze extra performance which a dell will not allow you to do unless u buying one of their alienware computers which could cost u up to 2 times the cost of what is specced here

sure, dell can be convenient if u dont have he money up front but they are restrictive thesedays in what u can choose re cpu etc

I wish i had built my own first time round as upgrading a dell can be troublesome. U dont really get value for money in what u spend with them, sure they are well priced and specced on paper but i think over time it is better to go the self build as with a tweak here and there in a yrs time or more (GPU wise if u wann keep up with trends etc) u'll have a crackin machine for yrs to come

MahatmaGeansai

Thanks Omen,

That's all I needed to hear. I was leaning towards the self build all along but couldn't help but be enticed by the dells and how it easy it all is with them.

I used to build all my own PCs back in my college days (early naughties) and always got a great sense of satisfaction from it.

Just trying to justify it to myself now that I'm saving a few squid over the dells.

MahatmaGeansai

Do i need to get a separate heatsink with this?

Serephucus

No, the processor comes with one. It won't be very good for overclocking (or the quietest thing on the market) but it will do the job.