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#2966636 - 02/25/10 07:52 PM I'm buying a PC in a week, reviews appreciated!  
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If I have to spend my bloody English days inside this bloody house and out of the bloody cold, then I bloody better have a fast bloody PC, yea?

I'm not sure if that's jardie-speak, but they sure see a lot of blood! biggrin

Anyways, payday has come 'round and I'm looking at a budget of £900.00 for the PC. Current research has given me this build:
CPU: Intel Core i5 750 2.66Ghz (Lynnfield) (Socket LGA1156) - Retail £159.99
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-P55-US3L Intel P55 (Socket 1156) DDR3 Motherboard £80.99
GPU: XFX ATI Radeon HD 5770 1024MB GDDR5 PCI-E £127.99
RAM: OCZ Platinum 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 PC3-10666C7 1333MHz Dual Channel Kit £83.99
HDD: Samsung SpinPoint F3 500GB SATA-II 16MB Cache - OEM £39.99
DVD: Samsung SH-S223C/BEBE 22x DVD±RW SATA ReWriter (Black) £14.99
Case: Antec 300 Three Hundred Ultimate Gaming Case - Black £41.99
PSU: OCZ StealthXStream 700w Silent Power Supply £69.99
Additional Case Fan: Scythe Kaze Maru 140mm 500RPM Cooling Fan - 3 Pin £10.21

OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium - Retail (Full Version) £99.99
Monitor: Iiyama ProLite E2407HDSD 24" Widescreen LCD Monitor 1920x1080 £159.25

The above setup comes in at £905.54 and that includes VAT and a £13.75 DPD Next Day Parcel from OcUK.

Comments and suggestions on the above setup is greatly welcome! A few questions that I have got:
1. I'm not so sure the Antec 300 can hold the MB and GPU, can anyone confirm this? All the terms (micro-, midi-, etc) I still don't fully grasp. Will they all fit?
2. Will I need a 3rd-party CPU cooler for this? I don't plan to overclock both due to lack of budget and lack of knowledge, so is the stock cooler sufficient even if I'm running games on max?
3. The additional case fan is added just to be sure everything is cool, should I scrap this instead?
4. Is there perhaps any way that I can shave off an additional £10-£15 off of this build, aside from scrapping the fan? One route I've considered is going with an AMD II x4 and an appropriate motherboard, but for less than £10 difference, I'm opting for the i5; are there any other options?
5. I'm also very green on PSUs. Is this PSU enough? The details webpage is here, I'm worried that I may not get enough or get the right connectors.
6. I'm usually "at work" from 9am to around 5pm, so I'm worried that my stuff might get delivered when nobody's home. How do I get around this? OcUK states there's a 72-hour wait for my order, so that'll put it early next week... but if I build it myself... I wonder if stuff gets delivered during Saturdays?

Am I missing anything on this build? I know there's no keyboard and mouse, that's because I plan to buy them separately. Then again, I found the Logitech Cordless Desktop Wave a nice option which brings my total up to £952.53 (inc. VAT and shipping) which is I guess £6-8 cheaper than if I buy the keyboard and mouse at Curry's.


Thanks for reading! I'm really excited about this build and I hope to be gaming by early next week! winner clapping


- Ice
Inline advert (2nd and 3rd post)

#2966707 - 02/26/10 01:43 AM Re: I'm buying a PC in a week, reviews appreciated! [Re: - Ice]  
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You can never have enough fans. A 140mm fan should move a little air. I would opt for a bigger hard drive. 500Gb now with the prices of drives is kind of wasteful. If you are getting a 500Gb, get the Seagate 12 series with one platter.

You can not go wrong with a big case though especially if you are going to be messing around in it as a roomy case is really nice when it comes to swapping a video card or memory out.

That PSU will be enough as long as you don't go with two video cards later, then it will not be big enough.

#2966803 - 02/26/10 07:50 AM Re: I'm buying a PC in a week, reviews appreciated! [Re: speedbump]  
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Originally Posted By: speedbump
You can not go wrong with a big case though especially if you are going to be messing around in it as a roomy case is really nice when it comes to swapping a video card or memory out.
Exactly my sentiments. However, I can't really figure out if this Antec 300 case is the "roomy case" I'm looking for.

I was opting for a 600W PSU but the guy at the local store mentioned that he thinks a 600 might not be enough and wanted to give me an 800W, but I think that's just too much so a middle ground of 700W ought to be sufficient.

The build is now well over my £900 limit (£952.53) and I just realized I didn't have any speakers. I am thinking about swapping the fan for an £11 2.1 Logitech speaker set (total is now £961.48)... again, with things over the budget already, every additional add-on is a very tight squeeze!

I won't be overclocking this beast in the near future, so I'm thinking maybe I'm safe with just the Antec's two fans (1 rear 120mm fan, 1 top 140mm fan) and the PSU for the meantime?


- Ice
#2966809 - 02/26/10 08:19 AM Re: I'm buying a PC in a week, reviews appreciated! [Re: - Ice]  
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I have had 2 1/2 Samsung SH-223F (pretty sure it is the 223F) in around one year. I can not recommend them.

The first one lasted 5 or so months. The second started having errors 5 days after I got it. After 6 or so weeks, it was again a dead weight.

I sent it back a 2nd time, and now they gave me the same one back, but it was refurbished.

I am sure it will break again after some use. I no longer use it.

After spending $22 shipping it back twice, I am done with Samsung DVD drives. I should have bought Sony or some other brand when the first one stopped working.

My brother also has the same drive, and is getting the same errors with it occasionally.

I've used my crappy Pioneer DVD drive for 4 or so years on my old PC, and a lot more, and it is still going strong.

I'd go with another brand if you can.

The spinpoint hard drives are pretty good on the other hand.

#2966818 - 02/26/10 08:54 AM Re: I'm buying a PC in a week, reviews appreciated! [Re: Flogger23m]  

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As per my comments in the other thread, would not touch OcUK with a very long barge pole after the debacle of my last order, if you do order from them you better hope that it all works...

#2966831 - 02/26/10 09:38 AM Re: I'm buying a PC in a week, reviews appreciated! [Re: ]  
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If you can get a 4890 for the same price or a 4870 cheaper, might consider that. As far as I'm aware the 5770 is a DX11 upgrade but not a performance jump from those cards (You'd need a 58xx for that).

All those cards will be fine for your native resolution.

CPU is fine, PSU is fine (600W would also have done, power consumption under load of this rig will be mere 400W, the i5 doesn't need much more than 100 and the GFX maybe 200 and some).

The case fan is worth it.

One definite saving potential is the Win7 License. Why are you buying full, if with a new rig you can get OEM? You should be entitled to a "System Builder" or "OEM" version, only downside is you have to pick 32 or 64bit as you don't get keys for both versions.

Sells for 70 pounds at amazon.de, strangely I can't find OEM/SB versions at amazon.co.uk

But I can't imagine that M$ has a different license model in the UK. Buying "Full" is insane and overpriced.

#2966838 - 02/26/10 09:55 AM Re: I'm buying a PC in a week, reviews appreciated! [Re: RSColonel_131st]  

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Originally Posted By: RSColonel_131st
But I can't imagine that M$ has a different license model in the UK. Buying "Full" is insane and overpriced.


It's only thirty quid more and will allow him to shift it to new systems, hardly insane or overpriced at the cost of a new release.

#2966840 - 02/26/10 10:17 AM Re: I'm buying a PC in a week, reviews appreciated! [Re: ]  
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I have had similar experience with Samsung burners, pure garbage.

#2966841 - 02/26/10 10:22 AM Re: I'm buying a PC in a week, reviews appreciated! [Re: ]  
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Originally Posted By: anon
It's only thirty quid more and will allow him to shift it to new systems, hardly insane or overpriced at the cost of a new release.


You can shift OEM to new systems. Not a problem. And 30quid are 33% of the item price, and in his case if he's 60 quid over budget, half of what he needs to save. Hardly a minor thing if he's strapped for cash.

The only thing you don't get with OEM is to swap later 32bit for 64bit. Everything else works the same, even including the move to a new hardware.

So if you want to pay 33% more for an additional 32bit version you don't need and can't run on a second machine, everything else being the same, feel free, but you shouldn't recommend that to others.

#2966844 - 02/26/10 10:25 AM Re: I'm buying a PC in a week, reviews appreciated! [Re: RSColonel_131st]  

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You cannot shift OEM to a new motherboard without breaking the EULA.

#2966848 - 02/26/10 10:45 AM Re: I'm buying a PC in a week, reviews appreciated! [Re: ]  
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If your Mobo breaks in your current rig, you are entitled to repair the rig without buying a new license. Microsoft doesn't dispute this, and no EU Court would accept that. All Shops building under Austrian and EU Law I know here locally hold this up.

There's been a German court ruling a year ago that OEM must even be possible to resell, so I could sell you my OEM Win7 and Microsoft is not allowed to block it from working for you.

You can argue about EULA all day long, in court practice this OEM ruling hasn't held and all big German PC mags also recommend to go OEM.

Besides, his next system might be a laptop or a brand name system and come with a different Win7 version.

I'm clearly not advocating piracy here, Win7 is a great OS worth some money, but I'm also not in favor of big Software putting clauses into EULA that violate general customer rights like the right to resell an item.

#2966856 - 02/26/10 10:59 AM Re: I'm buying a PC in a week, reviews appreciated! [Re: RSColonel_131st]  

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Upgrading doesn't constitute a repair though...

However, to be honest I am playing devils advocate here and do not disagree with you whatsoever, but for the sake of thirty quid which is 3% of his budget he can have the retail version which will give him absolutely solid reactivations without any potential issues caused by using an OEM version.

Switching back to our side for a moment I would like to see M$ argue over it in a court of law when they've happily re-activated an OEM copy on a new system in direct contravention to their own EULA without ever asking the user any of the relevant questions other than 'how many machines is it installed on?'.

#2966881 - 02/26/10 12:33 PM Re: I'm buying a PC in a week, reviews appreciated! [Re: ]  
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I would in principle agree with you that 30 quid are not worthy any (potential, hypothetical) future hassle, but in his case it's special. I don't know if you followed it in it's origin: Ice has just moved from Phillipines to UK and is short on cash, likely financing this system or using up some kind of advance pay so he can get going.

So as he was saying he's already over budget and still needs to buy a pair of speakers, in his case it's definitly a help if he can save those 30 quid. If someone is blowing all the cash he has on a high end system, I wouldn't have argued with your point (personally, I still chose 170EUR for Win7 Ultimate OEMover 300 for Full, but as coporate IT Manager I arguable have other options if I run into OEM license troubles).

#2966884 - 02/26/10 12:41 PM Re: I'm buying a PC in a week, reviews appreciated! [Re: ]  
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Thanks for the word of caution on the Samsung drive. There's a Sony drive (Sony Optiarc AD-5240S 24x DVD±RW SATA ReWriter (Black) - OEM) for £2 more, and even an LG drive (LG GH22NS50 22x DVD±RW SATA ReWriter (Black) - OEM) also for £2 more than the Samsung drive. I guess Sony is a good-enough brand? I had an LG back home, IIRC.

Dano, your comments are valuable and like I said in the other thread, that was a definite ouch. However, money is really tight and I'll have to keep my fingers crossed on this one. Please do wish me luck!

RSC, unfortunately, I can only find a 4850 on the 4xxx line and with the prices close to the 5770, I'm going with the newer version if only for the "added pluses" of the newer cards.

A big thanks for the OEM recommendation though!!!! I was meaning to ask that --- I will definitely be getting the OEM version. I really don't mind getting the full retail, but every bit I can save at this time means a lot since money is really tight and I only have a first months' salary to work with. Like I said, I'd be happy to get the Ulitmate version and get this over with, but I don't have that cash and I'm already over-budget as it is. I have some cash put away, but I still don't have a concrete estimate of my "daily food budget" so that budget is a little rich... I'd rather have some spare cash than go hungry before the next paycheck.

At the very least I'm not doing this on any advance cash, finance, or going into credit schemes... although Lloyds just gave me a letter stating I have 100 quid overdraft with 1.45% monthly rate, so I have a little peace of mind in case I miss my food budget... and 1.45 quid for a 100 quid "instant loan" is reasonable by me.

I'd never thought I could have 900 quid for a PC and still be considered "strapped for cash." Hahaha... this is gonna rock though!




So... edited my build... now with a Sony Optiarc burner and a Windows 7 64-bit OEM OS, £944.48 inc VAT and shipping.

Still going with the stock cooler and the 2 fans in the Antec case... I'm okay as far as cooling goes, right? The room's ambient temp is between 20-27 degrees Celcius, so it's a bit cool and I'm not overclocking anyway.


- Ice
#2967285 - 02/27/10 05:36 AM Re: I'm buying a PC in a week, reviews appreciated! [Re: speedbump]  
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Originally Posted By: speedbump
I have had similar experience with Samsung burners, pure garbage.


What are you using now, if you changed it to something better?

I am thinking of getting a Sony.

#2967324 - 02/27/10 08:47 AM Re: I'm buying a PC in a week, reviews appreciated! [Re: Flogger23m]  
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I've opted for a Sony as well.


- Ice
#2967415 - 02/27/10 02:49 PM Re: I'm buying a PC in a week, reviews appreciated! [Re: - Ice]  
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Sony does not make drives. They have not made drives for over six or seven years. They take bids for the cheapest drives and then the manufacturer rebadges it for them. Then Sony changes some code in the firmware to their liking. Usually it's Liteon that makes the drive. But it's sometimes LG.

The good thing about this is the drive can be flashed to a Liteon because unlike Sony, Liteon actually updates the firmware several times while Sony hardly ever updates the firmware. Firmware updates are important to a optical drive since new media is always coming out and firmware takes that into account to write better quality data to the media.

#2967596 - 02/27/10 07:51 PM Re: I'm buying a PC in a week, reviews appreciated! [Re: speedbump]  
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Yo Ice. Ive build some i7-860's recently in cases similar to the Antec, and they still get too hot on load even with their lower power and smaller manufacturing. I'd recommend using all of the Antec's fan ducts, you'll need the airflow. It would be a cheap investment, and you could put off an aftermarket cooling solution since you're pushing the budget.

Originally Posted By: speedbump
Sony does not make drives. They have not made drives for over six or seven years. They take bids for the cheapest drives and then the manufacturer rebadges it for them.


Check out cdfreaks for reviews to know what you're really getting. A lot of drives are just re-branded, even the "LG's" and "Lite-ons"! In my experience, lite-ons tend to be faster and noisier, and LG's quieter/slower but have fewer problems with crappy media. Just generalizations, reviews tell you more than anything.

#2967597 - 02/27/10 07:53 PM Re: I'm buying a PC in a week, reviews appreciated! [Re: speedbump]  
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Originally Posted By: speedbump
Sony does not make drives. They have not made drives for over six or seven years. They take bids for the cheapest drives and then the manufacturer rebadges it for them. Then Sony changes some code in the firmware to their liking. Usually it's Liteon that makes the drive. But it's sometimes LG.


actually they do because Sony & NEC merged their ODD businesses to create Optiarc as a joint venture & then Sony bought out NEC's stake..


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#2967628 - 02/27/10 09:45 PM Re: I'm buying a PC in a week, reviews appreciated! [Re: BUFF]  
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Optiarc is generally regarded as the lowest of the low. I've owned a couple of Sony burners. The first was a rebadged Liteon which I flashed to a Liteon firmware. The last Sony I bought was a rebadged BenQ. Now Liteon bought out BenQ's optical drive division. Even most Plextors are rebadged Liteons or Pioneers.

IMHO NEC, Liteon and Pioneer generally make excellent burners and actually update the firmware occasionally. HP burners can be anything on the inside.

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