Toying with alienware: Card options, GTX680 vs Radeon vs dual radeons

deconduo

-Don't get a 'Special Item' case, its an open box item that has been returned. It could have scratches or other cosmetic damage.

-I'd go with the PSU monotype recommended, the 700W Golden Green. While the BeQuiet one is decent enough as well, the SF is well worth the extra money.

-Do you want to get a decent cooler, the the HR-02 Macho? A good idea if you want to overclock.

The rest looks good.

Eboggles

deconduo wrote: »

-Don't get a 'Special Item' case, its an open box item that has been returned. It could have scratches or other cosmetic damage.

-I'd go with the PSU monotype recommended, the 700W Golden Green. While the BeQuiet one is decent enough as well, the SF is well worth the extra money.

-Do you want to get a decent cooler, the the HR-02 Macho? A good idea if you want to overclock.

The rest looks good.

If he's going to get the Macho might he not benefit from getting low-profile RAM? Those Vengeance heatspreaders are ridiculous .

Procrastastudy

128GB SSD is too small imo - its great as a system drive but won't allow you to store many games.

A few solutions:

256GB SSD, a high speed or hybrid (V-raptors / seagate momentous XT) RAID 0 2 identical disks or Intel caching with a 64GB SSD.

Of all those solutions I'd go for the 256GB SSD if you don't play many games at a time or one of the RAID solutions if you have a big library you want at your finger tips.

Looking at v-raptors or the momentous they aren't cost effective.

Also if you are getting HWVS to build it you need the H80 cooler. If not then some after market cooler like the macho.

I wouldn't go with a full tower (having just got rid of mine) it limits where you can put the machine - not really a major issue though.

Lastly - I've spent the evening looking at RAM benchmarks - get the gskill 1333 stuff - faster ram makes naff all difference on i5 systems. I like having 16GB but thats not needed either tbh. Just OC it for epeen numbers.

Skylinehead

Very nice case. Don't get the special item though, they're slightly damaged or unpackaged or something unappealing like that.

vard

deconduo wrote: »

-Don't get a 'Special Item' case, its an open box item that has been returned. It could have scratches or other cosmetic damage.

-I'd go with the PSU monotype recommended, the 700W Golden Green. While the BeQuiet one is decent enough as well, the SF is well worth the extra money.

-Do you want to get a decent cooler, the the HR-02 Macho? A good idea if you want to overclock.

The rest looks good.

Thanks - saved me there. Bit sneaky of them.

Would you have any recommendations on a case by any chance? Are cases all that important really? I would love to get something that doesn't eat up dust...

Procrastastudy

vard wrote: »

Thanks - saved me there. Bit sneaky of them.

Would you have any recommendations on a case by any chance? Are cases all that important really? I would love to get something that doesn't eat up dust...

600T with a H100 fitted exhausting out the top - all the intakes have dust covers.

Procrastastudy

Ignore what I said on RAM get the 1600Mhz stuff