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Gaming desktop build help |
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Archon87 
AVADirect Noob 
Joined: 29 Jun 2012 Posts: 9 |
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 Topic: Gaming desktop build helpPosted: 29 Jun 2012 at 5:51pm |
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Hey I am looking to get a new desktop, one that would be able to handle games such as Diablo 3 or at best Battlefield 3 and was wondering if this configuration would work and to make sure there aren't any problems with this build.
cost:$958.93 Also got a dumb question, I was wondering if I would be able to use my HDTV as a monitor for this desktop, I was guessing it should be able to since both the motherboard and GPU have a HDMI but just wanted to double check. |
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vikonic
AVADirect Admins 
Joined: 11 Nov 2011 Posts: 351 |
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Posted: 02 Jul 2012 at 2:28pm |
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Hello Archon87,
The configuration looks pretty good. 6850 is a decent card and will run BF3 at high settings. Multiplayer is very CPU intensive and the 2500k will do a good job at handling that portion. If I can make small suggestions they would be to consider adding an SSD drive at some point. The system you put together would really scream if you gave it that extra oomph. Another one would be to look into a better quality power supplies. Not that the LEPA Bronze is a bad PSU, but based on our statistics we have had least failures with Antec, Corsair and Coolermaster PSUs. 650W will be enough for your build, so you don't have to get more, but I do definitely recommend getting a higher quality power supply. And yes, you will be able to use your HDTV as your monitor. Typically a HDMI to DVI cable or just plain HDMI will be able to connect to your TV and to your video card. |
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Vedran Ikonic
Technical Support Manager 216-503-6374 Option 4 support@avadirect.com How To Guides - FREE Troubleshooting Help from AVADirect Problems with your Computer? - Post HERE |
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Archon87
AVADirect Noob
Joined: 29 Jun 2012 Posts: 9 |
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Posted: 02 Jul 2012 at 4:02pm |
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Thank you for the help there I am currently thinking about replacing the PSU with the COOLER MASTER GX 650W 80 PLUS® and was wondering if this would be a better choice then?
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vikonic
AVADirect Admins
Joined: 11 Nov 2011 Posts: 351 |
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Posted: 03 Jul 2012 at 12:15pm |
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The GX650W 80 Plus is a good choice, GX series are well priced and provide enough juice for high end gaming systems. It may lack some features like modular cables but if you don't plan on adding many devices of your own that won't be such a big problem. Some people prefer the modular cabling for easier wire management, but we have no problem hiding big bundles of wire on standard PSU's even in small cases.
I'm not sure how tight you are on your budget but I do have to recommend the SSD one more time. In case you have very little room for adjustment, there are few items you could substitute out of that build in order to make up for a small SSD. Things like the CPU cooler, most of them will give you same performance so even a cheap 20-30$ cooler like the CM Hyper 212 will do just fine. Also, you can save some money by getting a i5-2500 instead of i5-2500k if you do not wish to overclock it. Performance and turbo-boost will be the same. You can also opt for a cheaper HDD, maybe even a SATA II technology because the SSD will be fast anyways.
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Vedran Ikonic
Technical Support Manager 216-503-6374 Option 4 support@avadirect.com How To Guides - FREE Troubleshooting Help from AVADirect Problems with your Computer? - Post HERE |
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Jmundy
AVADirect Staff 
AVADirect Sales Joined: 08 Apr 2008 Location: AVADirect HQ Posts: 1339 |
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Posted: 03 Jul 2012 at 6:25pm |
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Hello Archon87,
Welcome to AVAForums, it's great to see a new name! I also have to urge you to consider a solid state disk. I own a Crucial M4 SSD (by far one of the most reliable available, and one of the cheapest!) and it has changed the way I perceive computer performance forever. Even if it's something you cannot quite afford right now, trust us, waiting a few weeks/months to save the extra funds will be well worth it; you can hold both vikonic and I accountable for that statement! The power supply upgrade is also very important, you want to make sure it's something much better than the LEPA Bronze B650-SA 650W Power Supply if you want your system to last. A custom desktop PC is only as strong as it's weakest component, so you try to match everything as close together as possible. If, for some reason, you don't like Cooler Master power supplies then you could always look at Antec power supplies or Corsair power supples. They are both excellent choices when considering a custom desktop PC. Feel free to continue posting and we'll do our best to throw in something food for thought.  |
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Joseph Mundy
Assistant Sales Manager 1-216-503-6361 joseph.mundy@avadirect.com |
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Archon87
AVADirect Noob
Joined: 29 Jun 2012 Posts: 9 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 08 Jul 2012 at 7:11pm |
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Thank you guys for the input and the welcome there. Right now my budget is around $1090 with shipping included, I have heard about the ssd drive and I was interested in having it included in my build order, but it would then exceed my budget, I will take your advice however, since I do not plan on Overclocking I might get the I-2500 instead, and try to find a way to include an ssd drive in my budget. Also as for PSU I dont plan on making any more additions to the desktop for the time being until I gain some experience in building/upgrading desktops. The only thing I might be worried about is if it is a reliable PSU or if the CORSAIR, TX650 V2 Power Supply 650W, 80 PLUS® Bronze might be a more reliable unit but if they are both reliable I will probably settle with the Cooler Master PSU.
I also appreciate all the help you guys are giving me also with this build and hope to hear from you guys again. Edited by Archon87 - 08 Jul 2012 at 7:28pm |
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Jmundy
AVADirect Staff
AVADirect Sales Joined: 08 Apr 2008 Location: AVADirect HQ Posts: 1339 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 09 Jul 2012 at 11:11pm |
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Hallo Archon87,
If you're really interested an SSD, first I must say that it is most say that it is definitely possible with your budget. It my require some tweaking here and there, but certainly nothing that can't be done. I would start by looking into the Ivy bridge chipset, as opposed to the Sandy bridge. Yes, they're similar, but you can obtain acceptable gaming performance, at a cheaper price, by building an Ivy Bridge system in most cases. Intel has began to follow a trend where they release improved chip designs that are cheaper to manufacture, thus reducing the premium they charge. I'd be happy to build a configuration for you to base your decision on, and even tweak a few things to your personal preferences. I really like Cooler Master products. In fact, I own a Hyper 212 heatsink and could not be happier with it's ability to cool effectively, even when compared to a liquid cooling system, at idle temperatures. However, working for a custom computer company has it's advantages. One of them, is seeing what fails the most compared to other brands. So far, we have seen more failures with Cooler Master power supplies than any other. Again, that's not to discredit Cooler Master in ANY way. Their heatsinks and cases designs are rock solid. but it appears their power supplies fall slightly shorter than most. I definitely recommend either Corsair power supplies, if your budget allows, or Antec if you're trying to squeeze the budget a bit more. Either way, all we can do as professionals is arm you with the same knowledge we have ourselves. The final decision is always up to you, and we'll do our very best to make sure it's one you're confident in.
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Joseph Mundy
Assistant Sales Manager 1-216-503-6361 joseph.mundy@avadirect.com |
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Archon87
AVADirect Noob
Joined: 29 Jun 2012 Posts: 9 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 10 Jul 2012 at 2:58am |
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Thanks there I did follow your suggestion and took a look at the Ivy bridge chipset options you guys have and it looks does look good. I tried making some configurations and it looks like this:
and with second day shipping it comes to around $1077.97 I would also really like to see the configuration you have in mind as well. |
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vikonic
AVADirect Admins
Joined: 11 Nov 2011 Posts: 351 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 10 Jul 2012 at 11:35am |
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Archon87,
Good to see you've moved up to the Z77 chipset. Although the performance difference between the i5-3470 and the originally picked i5-2500k is minimal, the new third gen Intel CPU run at significantly lower loads and consume less electricity while in return giving you the same performance. This is great on many different levels, especially considering the fact that your CPU doesn't have to work as hard to get you the performance you need. That means it will stay cooler, and live longer thanks to the new architecture. Also, wise choice on the 3 YLP, 3YLW warranties. It's good to keep yourself covered should you run into any issues in the future. It's great to have a piece of mind knowing that a HDD or memory or something else can be replaced if it fails. I'm not exactly a big fan of that particular Zalman cooler, but it will definitely do the job and work just fine.
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Vedran Ikonic
Technical Support Manager 216-503-6374 Option 4 support@avadirect.com How To Guides - FREE Troubleshooting Help from AVADirect Problems with your Computer? - Post HERE |
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Archon87
AVADirect Noob
Joined: 29 Jun 2012 Posts: 9 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 10 Jul 2012 at 2:15pm |
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Thanks there so far with the input, as for the cooling fan I did originally want the Coolermaster Hyper 212 but when I checked the product description it showed it was not compatible with the LGA 1155 sockets only the 1156 and 1157 etc. If you have a recommendation for a alternate cooling fan it would be most appreciated.
EDIT: Actually I just checked the CM Hyper 212 again and noticed it does support the 1155 I must have overlooked that since I was originally looking at the Hyper 212 plus and not the CM Hyper 212 EVO. Also I made another configuration build with a couple of changes. This is what it looks like now:
Edited by Archon87 - 10 Jul 2012 at 2:41pm |
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Jmundy
AVADirect Staff
AVADirect Sales Joined: 08 Apr 2008 Location: AVADirect HQ Posts: 1339 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 11 Jul 2012 at 6:37pm |
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Hello Archon87,
The 1156 socket is backward compatible with the socket 1155 processors, so anything within those two sockets will work well with one another. Between the Cooler Master EVO or Cooler Master PLUS coolers, one or the other will do. There's not much of a difference, so you might as well go with tetheheaper of the two. Upgrading to the Z77 chipset will also give you improved features in the BIOS, like Intel Smart Cache. The Z68 has those features, but it combines overclocking features at a smaller footprint and price tag. Even if you cannot afford an SSD at the moment, you could always invest in a 32GB SSD in the future and add that to the mix and accelerate the SEAGATE 1TB Barracuda® drive for performance nearly comcomparable a solid state disk. You can go with the Intel series for a 32GB SSD, or the Crucial M4 64GB SSD if you want the most out of the Intel Smart Cache feature. I just noticed you selected the ATI Radeon 6850 graphics card. Why not the 6950 graphics card? Now that ATI has released the 7000 series graphics cards, prices have dropped all over the board. This may increase the cost, or it may not depending on the brand you choose, but it would make a world of a difference for gaming performance. You also get the added benefit of increased driver support through newer products. Graphics cards that are more recent typically take to updated drivers better than others. It's a growing issue with those that try to squeeze as much time out of their existing graphics cards; sad, but true. Last, but not least, if you plan on expanding your system as time passes (or simply want to improve airflow) I recommend upgrading the cases. There are cheap alternatives, such as the Antec three-hundred case, that will only add an additional $20-$30 to the cost; well worth the investment when it comes to keeping your components cool and free from dust as much as possible. |
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Joseph Mundy
Assistant Sales Manager 1-216-503-6361 joseph.mundy@avadirect.com |
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Archon87
AVADirect Noob
Joined: 29 Jun 2012 Posts: 9 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 11 Jul 2012 at 7:19pm |
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Thanks for the advice on the case there jumundy because I was not sure at first if I should stick with the default casing or upgrade it and I decided to upgrade that and i am happy to hear that the motherboard is ok also since I was wondering if that was a good motherboard or not. Also I was at first interested in the 6950 after my friend told me about it but I couldn't find the gpu on the selections with the closest thing being the 6970 which was around $250 more and thus over my budget and I am ok with the 6850 for now. As for the ssd I might get that added on later on.
Here is hopefully my final build configuration before I place my order:
Also just out of curiosity I was wondering how long would it take for this system to be built? Edited by Archon87 - 11 Jul 2012 at 7:23pm |
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vikonic
AVADirect Admins
Joined: 11 Nov 2011 Posts: 351 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 12 Jul 2012 at 12:13pm |
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Archon87,
Usually the system takes 10-14 business days to be built. We try to get the parts in as fast as possible, make any last second adjustments if needed and make sure that everything will fit. Once the assembly begins, it moves through pretty quickly. We then have to make sure the product is tested thoroughly between 24-72 hours depending on the build. However, if any problems arise during the production it can sometimes delay the build time depending on the complexity of the problem. For example, if a HDD fails during testing, it's only a matter of hours or up to 2 business days to replace it. Meanwhile a more complicated issue such as a power supply or motherboard can sometimes take up to additional 4-5 business days to replace because of the added labor. Sometimes it's not even a matter of hardware failure. We also have to conclude that the tests passed not only without errors, but also with satisfactory results. If we notice that your 670 GTX card (for example) is performing 50% less than all other 670 cards we tested, that indicates a problem. We do not want to ship a system that is not going to perform as expected. Therefore additional troubleshooting may be required and part replacement may be necessary. Keep in mind that we update the customers through this process frequently. If everything goes smooth, then you will just get regular updates. However should any problems arise you will be contacted immediately. It is our responsibility to keep you to date with everything that's happening to your system. Although we try our best to make the deadlines, sometimes problems occur out of our control. However when these problems do happen, we're going to do everything we can to fix them as well as keep you informed throughout the process so you understand why, if at all, your system was taking 3-4 days (for example) longer than advertised.
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Vedran Ikonic
Technical Support Manager 216-503-6374 Option 4 support@avadirect.com How To Guides - FREE Troubleshooting Help from AVADirect Problems with your Computer? - Post HERE |
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Archon87
AVADirect Noob
Joined: 29 Jun 2012 Posts: 9 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 12 Jul 2012 at 1:27pm |
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Ok just wanted to be sure and appreciate the work you guys put into these systems. Also just one last question is the GIGABYTE, GA-Z77M-D3H, LGA1155, Intel® Z77 ok for a motherboard or would the ASUS, P8Z77-V LK, LGA1155, Intel® Z77 be a better choice?
Edited by Archon87 - 12 Jul 2012 at 1:28pm |
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vikonic
AVADirect Admins
Joined: 11 Nov 2011 Posts: 351 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 13 Jul 2012 at 10:46am |
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Well, in terms of features they are almost identical. However, the biggest difference is that the GA-Z77M-D3H is a Micro ATX board, so the number of expansion slots is limited. Features like mutli-GPU (nvidia or AMD) are also limited.
While both the D3 series by gigabyte and P8 series from Asus have been around quite some time, I believe that in this particular duel, the P8Z77 board comes out on top. However, if you don't need the additional features of the P8 and the D3 ends up being cheaper, then it's the right board to get.
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Vedran Ikonic
Technical Support Manager 216-503-6374 Option 4 support@avadirect.com How To Guides - FREE Troubleshooting Help from AVADirect Problems with your Computer? - Post HERE |
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Jmundy
AVADirect Staff
AVADirect Sales Joined: 08 Apr 2008 Location: AVADirect HQ Posts: 1339 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 13 Jul 2012 at 2:04pm |
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Hello Archon87,
Your configuration is about as solid as it can get for the price, your excellent research and diligence to get the right build for you will pay off, trust me! I agree with vikonic; in most cases, the Gigabyte and ASUS boards are ssimilar There may be slight differences between the type of available ports on the back panel, and BIOS features, so depending on what your needs will be you will want to explore both options. mATX form-factor motherboards will not be an issue, if you plan to keep the build as lean as possible while you use it. (Minus the occasional RAM, graphics card, or even CPU upgrade). If you plan to add expansion cards in the future, such as sound cards, wireless, firewire, etc...then an ATX board will be preferred for you, so you have all of the room. Heck, your power supply will support it all so there's no issue there. |
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Joseph Mundy
Assistant Sales Manager 1-216-503-6361 joseph.mundy@avadirect.com |
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Archon87
AVADirect Noob
Joined: 29 Jun 2012 Posts: 9 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 13 Jul 2012 at 5:37pm |
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Thanks there, but I have you guys to thank for helping me with selecting the components for my setup and the advice. As for the motherboard I guess the Gigabyte d3 is sufficent for me since I don't plan to make alot of future upgrades unless it involves CPU, GPU or ram upgrades. And thanks again for stating the configuration is solid, the only thing i'm changing is just the CPU where I will use the I5-3470 instead of the I5-3570 since there is only a minor difference between them. Other then that I will be placing my order later this week :)
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Jmundy
AVADirect Staff
AVADirect Sales Joined: 08 Apr 2008 Location: AVADirect HQ Posts: 1339 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 17 Jul 2012 at 3:17pm |
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Hello Archon87,
I agree, I also think the GIGABYTE GA-Z77M-D3H motherboard will be just fine for your intended use. Even if you plan to upgrade the GPU, to either a better NVIDIA or ATI model, you will be set due to the CORSAIR TX650 V2 Power Supply that you decided on. The system will only pull about 550w on average, so this gives you plenty of breathing room for future upgrades. Also, starting off with 8GB of RAM will be plenty for the next 4-5 years, easy, unless you decide to use your PC for more aaggressiveapplications. Even then, either adding another kit or purchasing a new kit will be around the same price range, so it all depends on your needs at that point. I'm happy to hear you plan on ordering next week! That gives you some time to really think about your configuration and make sure it's something you will be sasatisfiedith; inside, and out. As always, feel free to contact us if anything pops up within the process.
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Joseph Mundy
Assistant Sales Manager 1-216-503-6361 joseph.mundy@avadirect.com |
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Archon87
AVADirect Noob
Joined: 29 Jun 2012 Posts: 9 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 09 Aug 2012 at 6:42pm |
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Hey just got my desktop about a week ago and just wanted to say I'm very happy with it. The customer service was great and I liked how it was packaged and everything was put together well. I'll be sure to refer my friends to your company and I hope to do more business with you guys in the future.
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vikonic
AVADirect Admins
Joined: 11 Nov 2011 Posts: 351 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 10 Aug 2012 at 9:50am |
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Arhcon87,
Glad to hear that! Remember, if there are any issues, you're always welcome to contact the technical support line in my signature. Enjoy your new custom computer!
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Vedran Ikonic
Technical Support Manager 216-503-6374 Option 4 support@avadirect.com How To Guides - FREE Troubleshooting Help from AVADirect Problems with your Computer? - Post HERE |
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