Potential new rig

Well my laptop is just not enough for what I am wanting to do gaming, graphics, 3d and video rendering wise. So I am looking to drop about 1.5k on a desktop build come xmas. I have built several desktops in the past, and was full into overclocking for some time, so I'd like to leave that door open, at least as a possibility if I ever feel like doing it again.

So I've spent the last week or two tweaking and finding the best bang for the buck build I can squeeze out of 1.5k. Here's what I have planned thus far.

Mobo: Gigabyte GA-Z68M-D2H
CPU: Intel Core i5 2500K (K version leaves open that overclocking window)
Case: CoolerMaster HAF 922
Monitor: BenQ G2420HD 24 Inch Widescreen LCD
GPU: Sapphire Radeon HD6950 2GB [11188-05-41G] (may unlock to 5970 shaders in future if needed)
Cooling: CoolerMaster Hyper 212 EVO
PSU: OCZ Fatal1ty Series 750W Modular
RAM: Corsair Vengeance CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 1TB ST31000524AS
Optical: Samsung SH-222AB SATA DVDRW Drive
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit

Total cost: 1380$ if pickup or a bit over 1400$ for shipping+mail

I don't care about a mouse and keyboard, I have a gaming mouse from my last build (G9, use it every day and it's still perfect) and keyboard I will eventually buy when I feel the need. As for SSD, not going to bother. Not sure if its worth dishing out another 100-200$ to get slightly quicker loading screens and copying times.

I figured this is a fairly future proof build, however, I will consider dropping another card in there for crossfire in the distant future. Not planning to run 3d, not planning to run more than 1(2?) monitors.

Thoughts/opinions on the build would be nice

 

Looks awfully similar to mine

If some of the programs you use can benefit from CUDA, I suggest looking at the Nvidia side of the GPU market. A MSI GTX 570 Twin Frozr III would be a good investment as well. This is if you use CUDA.

Oh and SSD is the most noticeable upgrade you could ever do on your computer. It just makes everything so much snappier. I like it when my programs open instant

 

Not sure about CUDA is that more for 3d modelling/medical imaging sort of stuff?
But SSD can wait, honestly, I'll think about it more when I have everything else.

 

If you are going to overclock. Get a better Cooler.
Maybe you could invest in a Water Cooling or better Air Cooling.

Water Cooling: Corsair H80 / H100
Air Cooling: Noctua NH-D14

 

The 212+ is fine.

PS> it's not watercooling, it's a piece of shit AIO kit.

The D14 smashes them.

Unless he is hardcore OCing, then the 212+ is fine, will get the 2500k on 4.3ghz+

 

He can actually get up to 4.7 GHz with just standard Air. Depends on his cooler.

 

Depends on the chip,, you cannot guarantee anything, but 4.5ghz is rather standard.

 

On the i5-2500k he can get a speed of 4.7GHz

 

No, it depends on the chip, and how good of an OCer it is.
You cannot guarantee it'll get a certain speed.
Plus, 4.7 won't make any real life difference from 4.5.

 

What the fuck are you talking about? The i5-2500k is the chip. You could be a brand new Overclocker, and still achieve a core speed of 4.7GHz.

 

Considering you do GFX, I might spend the extra $60 on another 8GB RAM, if your Mobo can support it.

 

He means the individual chip. Not all 2500ks are created equal, some will be able to reach higher stable speeds than others.

 

Have you ever heard of chip binning? Yeah, chips that hit high overclocks are rare. Though, 4.7GHz is not too unrealistic on most Sandy chips. 4.8GHz seems to be around the mainstream max for 1.5v or less, with some chips hitting 5.0-5.2GHz with similar volts.

 

Basically what the two above me said.

It all depends which batch it comes from honestly, I've seen ones stable at 5ghz, and ones that are stable at around 4.5ghz and to get any higher there's a huge increase of voltage.

 

I think the people who can't get at least 4.8GHz stable on most, if not all Sandy chips just don't know how to overclock lolz. 4.5GHz would be a veeerry generous estimate though, and for all intensive purposes it's all you need given current software limitations.

 

4.5 is pretty standard, and real world difference would be minimal in any higher.

THey can OC, just a decent bit of voltage to get it to go higher, so they didnt bother haha.

 

Computer looks nice , Although can i just mention that, make sure you get a second gen I5 chipset mobo, as the first sets were faulty. I also use my pc for rendering and i would not suggest overclocking unless you need to, my I7 is running at 4.0ghz (from 3.2) liquid cooled and i have seen my cpu hit the high 70's while rendering 3d animation, I would also stress that the most important thing is amount of ram , CAS timings and SPEED. I overclocked my ram to 2000mhz but it did increase my CAS.

Just a few words of wisdom

GL!

 

Okay so it looks like I will be getting most of my old computer back, it's an i7 860 with a Venomous X (excellent cooler) p7p55d evo mobo, ati 5850 and a few other bits and pieces.

Going to upgrade the ram from 4gb to 8gb (or 12gb since I already have 2x2gb and want to put in 2x4gb as well, all ddr3) first thing. Then gradually upgrade starting with the graphics (may wait for the 7000x series from AMD since the 5850 is about the equivalent of a current 6870 anyway so that will last me a while, may just overclock it). Mobo+cpu will be later on, definitely locking down on a 1155 mobo + 2500k in the next year some time. Bit by bit it'll get there, leaving me a nice project to gradually improve in the coming year.

 

If the rig is mainly a gaming, going to sandy wouldn't be the greatest improvement from an 860.

Wait till you feel like the CPU is slowing down, and IMO invest in a high end 6**/7*** series card when they come out, it'll do more good the a midend card + a 2500k.