Thread: Building new gaming rig first time need help

Hey everyone, thanks for reading,

So I was able to snag a gtx 560 ti for 170$ new.
I'm looking for my processor to be a i5-3570k 220$

monitor 140$: ASUS VS228H-P 22 Class Widescreen LED Backlit Monitor - 1920 x 1080, 16:9, 50000000:1 Dynamic, 5ms, HDMI, DVI, VGA, Energy Star at TigerDirect.com

psu 70$: Thermaltake W0382RU Modular Power Supply - 750 Watt, 140mm Fan, 80 Plus Bronze, Active PFC at TigerDirect.com

case 60$ Cooler Master HAF 912 RC-912-KKN1 Mid-Tower Computer Case - ATX, mATX at TigerDirect.com

CD/DVD Writer 18$ - Sony Optiarc AD7280S-OB 24x DVDRW Drive - 24x, SATA, Black, OEM at TigerDirect.com

SSD 100$ - http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...ts-_-Spot%2016

Sound Card 30$ - http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...3&Sku=C44-3400

16G Ram 1600mhz 90$ - Kingston HyperX Blu KHX1600C10D3B1K2/16G 16GB Desktop Memory Module Kit - DDR3, 1600MHz, 2x8GB, CL10, 240 Pin, DIMM at TigerDirect.com


Problem though...

Stuck at the motherboard. I'm trying to future proof my computer for 5-6 years. The idea would be that after 3.5ish years I upgrade my gpu and cpu on the same mobo perfectly smoothly. Other things I have taken into consideration are the psu (750w should handle a decent mid range card 3-4 years from now), the case (well reviewed and adequate room), good memory/ssd as well.

So I need a really nice price to performance ratio mobo that will be able to handle a good gpu/cpu transition 3-4 years down the road. I understand that I would probably want a chipset that will handle pci 3.0 for whatever gpu i will be using, and something that is i series compatible and now x series compatible 3-4 years from now.

Other than mobo advice, please feel free to chime in on my other selections. the goal here was a medium budget gaming computer that will be able to stream games like LoL and dota2 nicely and just preform up to expectation for at least 3-4 years.

** forgot to mention I am also trying to figure out if it is recommended that I get a cooler like the hyper 212 for my cpu to maximize my investment. I've also heard that an external sound card isn't really necessary. I'm pretty into listening to music streamed through grooveshark was maybe wondering if anyone figures it a worthy investment.

I have to get to class pretty soon, but I'll be back later tonight. The only thing I would mention for now is the CPU: it doesn't look like a bad choice, the core i5 is pretty solid, but consider some alternatives as well. The i7's can get a little pricier, but if have no particular aversion to AMD you should browse their CPUs as well - their top-line desktop CPUs are under $200. Also keep in mind that with that particular CPU you're paying for onboard graphics, which of course you don't need thanks to the gtx 560 (which is a solid card, I have a GTX 560M in my ASUS, and I'm very pleased with the performance).

Originally Posted by Supernova

I have to get to class pretty soon, but I'll be back later tonight. The only thing I would mention for now is the CPU: it doesn't look like a bad choice, the core i5 is pretty solid, but consider some alternatives as well. The i7's can get a little pricier, but if have no particular aversion to AMD you should browse their CPUs as well - their top-line desktop CPUs are under $200. Also keep in mind that with that particular CPU you're paying for onboard graphics, which of course you don't need thanks to the gtx 560 (which is a solid card, I have a GTX 560M in my ASUS, and I'm very pleased with the performance).

AMD really can't keep up with the performance of intel these days though. I would definitively get an i5 or an i7. And all the modern intel CPUs come with a graphics module. However some motherboards support dynamically switching between the internal graphics-card and the external one depending on the load. That might be worth getting, can save a bit of power and heat.

Originally Posted by khh

AMD really can't keep up with the performance of intel these days though. I would definitively get an i5 or an i7. And all the modern intel CPUs come with a graphics module. However some motherboards support dynamically switching between the internal graphics-card and the external one depending on the load. That might be worth getting, can save a bit of power and heat.

I'm no expert, I'm mostly just looking at the specs vs the price, plus a few glances at PassMark benchmarking scores (and I mean glances, I'm not too aware of them at all). I just get the impression that Intel's CPUs are a bit more effective around the top end of the spectrum (as far as desktops are concerned), but not enough to justify the difference in price unless you absolutely have to have that little bit extra performance on top of what is already a ripping fast unit either way. That could be way off base, of course, especially since I don't have much experience using AMDs, but that's just how it appears to me based on past experiences and what I hear.

Side note, apparently AMD just launched a new line of APUs using some new tech. Maybe worth checking out if you're interested in the dynamic GPU switching.

Make sure you get a motherboard with high quality capacitors to last you 5-6+ years and also take great care to keep heat levels in the case as low as possible.