Gaming PC(£700-£1000) Help please!

joe_pesci

Hi all. Been looking round the net for help, but no response yet. Notice a few threads about pc's on here. So hoping one or two can help.

Im looking for a gaming pc to play the hi end games. It will only be used for gaming, i have a laptop for basic internet etc....

Some good spec gaming pc's on the net, but tad overpriced, so thought i go down the custom route again, By again i mean with Cougar Extreme, i ordered a gaming pc couple of years back from then, and it was great. So unless anyone can advise eslewhere, i will order with them, they are good value.

Few questions.....

Memory:
4gb memory is enough right? Would it be better getting 8GB DRR2 memory, or 4GB DDR3?

Hard Drive:
Seems very cheap, but also no need in having alot. Is it worth sticking with 500GB or pay the extra £30 for 1000GB?

Motherboard:
This one part of a computer i have no clue about, any help on the below specs Motherboard will be handy.

Windows:
Vista 32 bit or 64 bit? Im told if you have more than 3Gb memory, it's worth getting 64bit. For some reason on Cougar Extreme the 64bit is £1 cheaper than 32bit! Odd?

I had a mess about on CE and trying to custom build one, this what i came up with....

Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 3.16 GHz 6Mb Cache, 4GB Corsair Memory DDR3 1333 (2 x 2gb), 1000GB SATA Hard Drive single drive, , Apevia X-Clio , Power Cool 650Watt, 1GB GTS250 PCI Express Nvidia DDR DVI, QCE - Asus P5Q motherboard - 1600FSB-DDR2 1200x4 - Intel P45, 2 x DVD+/- RW - 18X Samsung Lightscribe, No Floppy Disk Drive, LG monitor 19 Inch widescreen W1942S 5ms silver DVI, Microsoft remote keyboard & mouse wireless 3000, Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 4 PCI 7.1, Intergrated Monitor Speakers, , 64 BIT Windows Vista Home Premiem, No Additional Software, , 13 Month Warranty, Free Carriage
£960.58

I would like to go below £900, but would pay that price if the specs are top enough. I could knock £50 off if went for cheaper case, but im slitghtly vain:cool:

Anything i could cut corners on and save money, or maybe needs improving? the Motherboard worrys me, is it ok?

Any advice or help would be VERY much appreciated.

P.S great forum:T

-TangleFoot-

Have you considered something from these guys?

joe_pesci

HI TF, thanks for reply.
Answer to your question......yes. But from what i see, the prices are little expensive.

I just checked your link, and found this one

• Case: Antec Three Hundred Ultimate Gamer 420W Case Black
• Lights & Illumination: NONE
• Extra Case Fan Upgrade: Default Case Fan
• Power Supply Upgrade: 700 Watts Power Supplies (CyberPowerPC Performance ATX 2.0 Power - Quad SLI Ready)
• CPU: (Quad-Core)Intel® Core™ i7 920 @ 2.66GHz 8 MB cache LGA1366 ***Overclockable XXX***
• Overclocking Service: No Overclocking
• Cooling Fan: INTEL LGA1366 CERTIFIED CPU FAN & HEATSINK
• Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD3R X58 2 Way Crossfire/SLI DDR3
• Memory: 6GB (3x2GB) PC10666 DDR3/1333mhz Triple Channel Memory (G.SKILL Value Select or Major Brand)
• VGA Power Supply: NONE
• Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX275 896MB 16X PCI Express (Major Brand Power by NVIDIA)
• Video Card 2: NONE
• Video Card 3: NONE
• Monitor & LCD: NONE
• 2nd Monitor: NONE
• Hard Drive: Single Hard Drive (1TB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16M Cache 7200RPM Hard Drive)
• Data Hard Drive: NONE
• Hard Drive Cooler: None
• Optical Drive: (Special Price) LG 22X DVD±R/±RW + CD-R/RW DRIVE DUAL LAYER (Black Color)
• Optical Drive 2: NONE
• Sound: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
• Speakers: NONE
• Network: ONBOARD 10/100 NETWORK CARD
• MODEM: NONE
• Keyboard: NONE
• Mouse: NONE
• Extra Thermal Display : NONE (AS SHOWN)
• Wireless 802.11B/G Network Card: NONE
• Wireless 802.11B/G Access Point: NONE
• Flash Media Reader/Writer: None
• Cable Wiring: None
• Cables: None
• Video Camera: NONE
• Power Surge Protection: None
• IEEE Card: NONE
• USB Port: Built-in USB 2.0 Ports
• USB Portable Drive: NONE
• Floppy: NONE
• OS: Microsoft® Windows Vista™ Home Premium w/ Service Pack 1 (64-bit Edition)
• Media Center Remote & TV Tuner: NONE
• RUSH SERVICE: NONE
• WARRANTY SERVICE: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
• HOME INSTALLATION SERVICE: NONE

Thats looks alot better and is cheaper than my one. Only downside i see is 450w fan?

Would i be best upgrading than to 600w+. I like that system alot though. Do you agree?

joe_pesci

Just noticed Monitor not included......shame. Would put me over £1000.

I will keep looking, any advice on motherboards or anything would be appreciated.

-TangleFoot-

joe_pesci wrote: »

Only downside i see is 450w fan?

It has a 700W PSU if that's what you're on about. Won't even need upgrading.

Wait... you don't have a monitor? :eek:

DatabaseError

the gts250 in your original choice is not a great choice
the 2nd pc you list has a 700w power supply (or fan, as you call it)

thegrimreaper

just a quick post as i dont have time to study the full spec before i have to run out the door (but i will look later) i would say if running vista :mad: i would definately consider more than 4gb for gaming, my pc has 4gb and barely copes with everying else i did when on vista, so i took the easy option, get rid of the horrbile vista, now on windows 7 as a beta!

joe_pesci

Cheers guys.

Yes just reading about GTS250. Don't seem great, so better going for radeon HD 4850+ OR a GTX card.

Tough choice, the best ones seem slightly out of price range by £100 or so.
It's almost teasing me:D

-TangleFoot-

Well... you could save a little by going AMD rather than Intel, but you should seriously consider spending up to half your budget on a decent display.

Something like this, for example.

joe_pesci

Wow, thats one expensive Monitor:eek:

I have rough idea what i want & need, just about finding the right price. As i say though i have no clue on motherboards. Anyone got any useful links to read up on what i should be looking for in a motherboard.

-TangleFoot-

If you're willing to compromise a bit, you could get a MESH. That's what I did last time around.