Gaming Build

TheZestyLemon

1. What is your budget? [€700-750]

2. What will be the main purpose of the computer? [Gaming]
3. Do you need a copy of Windows? [Yes]

4. Can you use any parts from an old computer? [No]
5. Do you need a monitor? [No, I will be using my t.v. for now]

6. Do you need any of these peripherals? [I may possibly need a wireless card, I'm sorted in everything else for the time being.

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

8. How can you pay? [Credit Card or Laser]

9. When are you purchasing? [Hopefully this week]

Sadly, due to some issue with payment, I can't deal with HWVS, nor Komplett. Instead, I will be dealing through Overclockers unless strongly urged otherwise.

ITEM | PRICE
CPU | 180.43
MOTHERBOARD | 97.73
RAM | 43.84
GPU | 125.24
HDD | 66.40
PSU | 63.89
OPTICAL DRIVE | 21.29
CASE | 37.59
Windows 7 | 105.25
SHIPPING | 9.08

TOTAL | 760.54


All the prices have been converted from Sterling to Euros. I'd honestly rather go for a 6850 but I couldn't see one there cheap enough (The only 6850 I saw was a 2gb card). Anyone have any ideas where I could save a few euros?

Thanks in advance.

Monotype

There's also scan and dabs.ie

For that price on the CPU, I'd be looking at a 2500K instead. It's a fair bit more expensive on ocuk, but you might have better luck elsewhere. I'd keep my eyes on the scan.co.uk 'today only' page if you plan to buy this weekend as they don't change until 2pm on Monday then. You might find a few useful parts.

Are you a student that could get discounted windows? Second/third level or kids going to school.

TheZestyLemon

Yeah, I'm a student. I'm aware of software4students but to my knowledge don't they only give discounts on the upgrade version of windows 7?

Eboggles

TheZestyLemon wrote: »

Yeah, I'm a student. I'm aware of software4students but to my knowledge don't they only give discounts on the upgrade version of windows 7?

Yes, but if you googled it you'd see that it can be used for a clean install as well .

Monotype

Scan's today only isn't so good this weekend. One thing that does catch my eye is the Seagate 7200.14 1TB for £58.79 (much better than ocuk's this week only offer of £65.99).

I'd definitely spend the extra money saved from Windows on a 2500K (or even 3570K although other things should take priority).
How about a 6870 for ~€142/143?
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-143-MS

uncle_sam_ie

OverclockersUK will price match if you call them. I did this last week for a keyboard.

TheZestyLemon

Eboggles wrote: »

Yes, but if you googled it you'd see that it can be used for a clean install as well .

"It is NOT possible or permitted to perform a clean install with this product."

Is it illegal to do a clean install or something?




I checked out that deal on scan. That's an extremely good offer.

Eboggles

TheZestyLemon wrote: »

"It is NOT possible or permitted to perform a clean install with this product."

Is it illegal to do a clean install or something?




I checked out that deal on scan. That's an extremely good offer.

Did you look it up?

TheZestyLemon

Eboggles wrote: »

Did you look it up?

Yeah, I know how to do a clean install with win 7 upgrade now. That quote is from software4students, the one about not being permitted to do a clean install.

TheZestyLemon

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

OverclockersUK will price match if you call them. I did this last week for a keyboard.

In what way did you get in contact with them for that? Email, phone..?

uncle_sam_ie

TheZestyLemon wrote: »

In what way did you get in contact with them for that? Email, phone..?

You have to phone them.
Sales and Order Enquries - 0871 200 5052

With the priced matched it was still cheaper because, their shipping is cheaper.
It was my first time using OverclockersUK and I can't complain. The service was excellent and the shipping was spot on 2 days like they said.

Monotype

Just realised what motherboard you picked there, that one is quite poor for overclocking, I suggest that you pick another.

They have the G45 version on scan's today only page for the same price if you choose to go down that route. I had actually been looking at Thursday's today only page. They were a bit late updating, I think.
Scan also have a good selection of PSUs. I see the neo eco 520W there for £45.59. It doesn't come with the modular cables since they're trying to be 'eco' but the existing ones should be enough to support your system. They also have a few GT 640s... I'll have to read a few reviews on them to see what they're like.

Also, cheaper RAM on memoryc.
Free delivery.
http://www.memoryc.com/computermemory/ddr3ram.html#Capacity=8GB&page=0

Edit: The 640 is rubbish. I'd read about it but forgotten because it's so bad for gaming and the money.

TheZestyLemon

For the GPU, I'm going with a 6870, this one to precise.

I don't imagine myself doing much overclocking, but if the motherboard is the same price I may as well.

I would go with that deal, only the fact that the PSU having no modular cables put me off. If they don't come with the PSU, how will I get them?

Monotype

I'm not sure it would be worth your while ordering from scan unless you can get a total price under what you have. Splitting the order would mean that you'd be paying a lot of postage (although sometimes it can still be worthwhile).

As for the PSU... scan used to sell individual cables I think, but at the moment I only see bundles of them. They're a standard size for most PSUs - I suppose the idea is that you can get them from an old PSU that might need replacing. There's enough cables for a light build anyway. If it came to it, there's always the antec store.
http://store.antec.com/Category/accessory-spare_parts.aspx

I'll take a look to see what other ones they have. On the today only page, they have...
650W OCZ ZS £52.79
500W Coolermaster Silent Pro M £43.19 - That's actually pretty good value - Don't buy coolermaster's cheap lines (GX, extreme, elite)! Possibly cheap because it's being replaced with a new line, but it's still a solid enough PSU.

Not on today only pages and keeping around the same price, I see the 520 HCG @ £55.82 and the XFX 550W for £47.46. Both of these would be quite similar to the Eco PSU (aside from the XFX not being modular).
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/520w-antec-high-current-gamer-hybrid-modular-87-eff-80-plus-bronze-eps-12v-135mm-silent-fan-atx12v-v
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/550w-xfx-pro-series-core-edition-p1-550s-ukb9-85-eff-80-plus-bronze-sli-crossfire-eps-12v-fan-atx-v2

TheZestyLemon

Why should I keep away from the GX, extreme and elite series? Are they known to be faulty?

Monotype

Just poor quality or at the very least questionable quality at times.