Planning on doing a self build

[Junkers]

I've never done a custom build so this would be a first time and I'm looking into the possibility of finally doing one. The most experience I have with building a PC is limited to replacing RAM, a hard drive and a graphics card so naturally I'd have a few questions regarding a custom build before I get down to asking for opinions on parts;

- I've always been concerned about the need to tweek voltages, do you really have to sort out voltages in the BIOS or do they just set themselves to the defaults by default?
- I've never had to use a static mat and have always just touched unpainted, earthed metal, is that still alright?
- I'm considering buying an SSD to use as a boot drive and I've got a 1TB I'd use for storage; how would I set it to be a storage drive (RAID 0?) and how would if affect loading programs/installing programs onto the storage drive?

And here's the parts I intend to buy, rate/slate/change! I have a budget cap of about £500 but can go as high as £600 if need be.

Updated
Graphics: http://www.ebuyer.com/261375-asus-gtx-550-ti-1gb-gddr5-vga-dvi-hdmi-pci-e-graphics-card-engtx550-ti-dc-di-1g
Motherboard: Asrock P67 PRO3 SE Socket 1155 8 Channel HD Audio ATX.. | Ebuyer.com
CPU: Intel Core i5 2300 2.8GHz Socket 1155 6MB Cache retail.. | Ebuyer.com
Memory: G-Skill 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 1600Mhz RipjawsX Memory Kit.. | Ebuyer.com
Case & PSU bundle: CM Storm Scout + Coolermaster Silent Pro 700W Modular.. | Ebuyer.com
Optical drive: Samsung SH-222AB 22x DVD�RW DL & RAM SATA.. | Ebuyer.com
Total: £488.29

I have a hard drive (1TB Samsung Spinpoint) I'd use as storage but also considering getting a 64GB SSD as a boot drive, any recommendations? (Was eyeing up an OCZ). All parts are supplied by Ebuyer.com and would prefer it if you changed parts that they were sourced from there.

Anything I'm missing/should know about? :

 

[AngraMainyu]

The Asus GTX 550-Ti is priced at only $20 USD more than the GT 440 and yields more than twice the performance.

 

[Alfons]

The Asus GTX 550-Ti is priced at only $20 USD more than the GT 440 and yields more than twice the performance.

This.

If you have the cashmoneys to get a solid state drive, invest that in a better gfx card. Getting more fps > overall load times to be honest.

 

[AngraMainyu]

Google informs me that £600 converts to $940 CAD. Let's see what we can build. The prices included represent the lowest retail in Canada and should be taken with a grain of salt.

Processor: $220
Intel Core i5 2500K Quad Core Unlocked Processor LGA1155 3.3GHZ Sandy Bridge 6MB - Intel - BX80623I52500K

Motherboard: $125
ASUS P8Z68-V LX Z68 LGA1155 ATX 2PCI-E16 2PCI-E1 DDR3 SATA3 USB3.0 Audio Video CrossFire Motherboard - ASUS - P8Z68-V LX

Graphics card: $260
ASUS GeForce GTX 560 Ti DirectCU Top OC 900MHZ 1GB 4.2GHZ DDR5 2xDVI HDMI PCI-E DX11 Video Card - ASUS - ENGTX560 Ti DCII TOP/2DI/1GD5

Memory: $60
Patriot Viper Xtreme 8GB 2X4GB DDR3 1866MHZ PC3-15000 9-11-9-27 1.65V XMP Ready Desktop Memory Kit - Patriot - PXD38G1866ELK

Case: $100
Coolermaster Haf 922 Mid Tower ATX Case Black 5X5.25 5X3.5INT Front Audio USB eSATA No PSU - COOLERMASTER - RC-922M-KKN1-GP

PSU: $100
OCZ ZT Series 650W ATX12V 20/24PIN Modular 80+ Bronze Active PFC Power Supply 140MM Fan 5 Year Wrty - OCZ Technology - OCZ-ZT650W

(Optional) CPU liquid cooling: $60
Antec Kuhler H20 620 Liquid CPU Cooling System LGA775/1155/1156/1366 AM2/AM3/AM3/FM1 + 2000RPM - Antec - KUHLER H20620

Total: $865 (925) CAD, £538 (574).

 

[Junkers]

This.

If you have the cashmoneys to get a solid state drive, invest that in a better gfx card. Getting more fps > overall load times to be honest.

I assume this is the right thing aye? Only £20 more and I'll definetly be able to stretch to that : what about an SSD? I've found this nice looking Kingston one, would that be an alright boot drive?

Processor: $220
Intel Core i5 2500K Quad Core Unlocked Processor LGA1155 3.3GHZ Sandy Bridge 6MB - Intel - BX80623I52500K
.

The Core i5 2500k is approx. £30 from eBuyer, is there a somewhat noticable performance difference between the 2500 and the 2300 that makes it worth that £30 increase?

 

[MentaL]

The i5 is a beast and can overclock stupidly. Mine runs @ 4.6 ghz.,

 

[Alfons]

Junkers go with AngraMainyu's build. It's pretty much the best you can get.

 

[AngraMainyu]

The Core i5 2500k is approx. £30 from eBuyer, is there a somewhat noticable performance difference between the 2500 and the 2300 that makes it worth that £30 increase?

The i5-2300 is a locked at 2.8GHz, whereas the i5-2500k is stable at clock speeds in the range of 4GHz using the stock heatsink, and up to 4.8GHz with aftermarket cooling.

 

[Junkers]

I'm not particularly interested in overclocking to be honest as I'm not a proper hardcore gamer, but eh I'd look at Angra's build if it can all be sourced within the UK/from eBuyer.

edit: not so keen on the case either.

 

[AngraMainyu]

I'm not particularly interested in overclocking to be honest as I'm not a proper hardcore gamer, but eh I'd look at Angra's build if it can all be sourced within the UK/from eBuyer.

If you don't intend on overclocking, anything more than an i3 is likely to be wasted. The build isn't intended to break any records, but there's no reason you can't increase the multiplier by a few steps. 4GHz is still well within the thermal limits of the i5-2500k and its heatsink.

edit: not so keen on the case either.

Any reason in particular?

 

[Junkers]

If you don't intend on overclocking, anything more than an i3 is likely to be wasted. The build isn't intended to break any records, but there's no reason you can't increase the multiplier by a few steps. 4GHz is still well within the thermal limits of the i5-2500k and its heatsink.

Chances are I'll look into OC-ing but at this moment in time I don't know how to so I'm just leaving it be.

Any reason in particular?

Don't particularly like the looks of the case and I've always had my eye on the Coolermaster Storm Scout since it came out, I just generally love the case :tongue:

 

[-Blazed-]

in regards to your question about a static mat; me and my buddy put together a computer and made our own wrist straps for static (forgot what we made it out of though lol) and just did it on a wood table on wood floors. Computer worked like a beast so you could just do that and save some money

 

[AngraMainyu]

Chances are I'll look into OC-ing but at this moment in time I don't know how to so I'm just leaving it be.

On an Asus motherboard, configure the Turbo Ratio setting to "By all cores" and input the desired multiplier. On Sandy Bridge, the base clock is 100 MHz; a multiplier of 40 results in a final 4GHz clock speed.

Don't particularly like the looks of the case and I've always had my eye on the Coolermaster Storm Scout since it came out, I just generally love the case :tongue:

I personally don't care for the side panel, but otherwise there's no reason I wouldn't recommend the Storm Scout. So long as you understand that the case is intended for LAN parties above all else. The Carbide Series™ 500R Mid-Tower Case may be worth a look as well.

 

[Junkers]

After doing some calculations the parts you've recommended I sourced on eBuyer (minus your case choice, I added in the CM Storm Bundle) it came to £680! So would outlaying an extra £30 for the 2500K + the other components be a worthwhile build?

 

[AngraMainyu]

After doing some calculations the parts you've recommended I sourced on eBuyer (minus your case choice, I added in the CM Storm Bundle) it came to £680! So would outlaying an extra £30 for the 2500K + the other components be a worthwhile build?

Is that without the optional liquid cooling?

You could opt for a GTX 550-Ti at half the price of the GTX 560-Ti and still retain 60% of the performance. It wouldn't be the solution of my choice, mind you. Otherwise, every component I've chosen is already at as reasonable a price point as you'll find before you start compromising on price-performance ratio.

 

[Junkers]

Here's what I'm going with:

Graphics: http://www.ebuyer.com/261375
Motherboard: Asrock P67 PRO3 SE Socket 1155 8 Channel HD Audio ATX.. | Ebuyer.com
CPU: http://www.ebuyer.com/252537-intel-...mb-cache-retail-boxed-processor-bx80623i52300http://www.ebuyer.com/251596
Memory: G-Skill 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 1600Mhz RipjawsX Memory Kit.. | Ebuyer.com
Case & PSU bundle: CM Storm Scout + Coolermaster Silent Pro 700W Modular.. | Ebuyer.com
Optical drive: Samsung SH-222AB 22x DVD�RW DL & RAM SATA.. | Ebuyer.com
Total: £517.70

Worth it? Also when doing my first build any tips/things I should be aware of?

 

[AngraMainyu]

Your graphics card is an obsolete last-generation card with less performance and a higher price tag than the equivalent 500-series card. Your motherboard has one PCI-e slot, a deprecated chipset and fewer features than an Asus, Gigabyte or MSI motherboard of the same price. Most of the features advertised on the ASRock website aren't even real features (Supports K-series processors? Groundbreaking!) or are present on virtually any P67 board anyway. The same can be said about the RAM; it's generic, and you can find a better quality product from a more reliable manufacturer for less cash.

 

[Junkers]

Ah I meant to fix them links!

Graphics: Asus GTX 550
CPU: Core i5 2500K
Case: CM Storm Scout
PSU: CM Silent Pro 700W
Optical drive: Samsung

I really need to keep the cost at around £520 ideally so would this do for better RAM?: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 1600Mhz CL9 1.5V.. | Ebuyer.com. Also how about this for a new mobo: Asus P8Z68-V LX Socket 1155 Onboard graphics output 8.. | Ebuyer.com

 

[AngraMainyu]

You have the daeva's seal of approval.

 

[rice]

>2011
>Almost 2012
>Not using newegg
>ISHYGDDT

Your motherboard has to be Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 or P8Z68-V Pro. All else is wrong.

Your case is wrong. I would use a Newegg.com - Antec Three Hundred Illusion Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case, it's a great case for the amount of money spent on it.

Your PSU is wrong. Only buy from Corsair or Antec. Everything else is untrusted and will fail.

And no, for fucks sake, Ati 7x series is coming out early next year. Just wait and you will have a top of the line GPU.