Please review my new PC spec...

michaelg

michaelg

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Michael
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...before I hit "buy:

In addition to the below I will be moving my 1Tb SpinPoint F3 Desktop Class HD103SJ 3.5" HD over to the new PC.

Case STYLISH PIANO BLACK ENIGMA CASE + 2 FRONT USB
Processor (CPU) Intel® Core™i5-2500k Quad Core (3.30GHz, 6MB Cache) + HD Graphics
Motherboard ASUS® P8Z77-V LX: USB 3.0, SATA 6GBs, ATI®CrossFireX
Memory (RAM) 8GB SAMSUNG DUAL-DDR3 1333MHz (2 X 4GB)
Graphics Card INTEGRATED GRAPHICS ACCELERATOR (GPU)
Memory - 1st Hard Disk 120GB INTEL® 330 SERIES SSD, SATA 6 Gb/s (upto 500MB/sR | 450MB/sW)
1st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive 24x DUAL LAYER DVD WRITER ±R/±RW/RAM
Power Supply 600W Quiet 80 PLUS Quad Rail PSU + 120mm Case Fan (£59)
Processor Cooling SUPER QUIET 22dBA TRIPLE COPPER HEATPIPE INTEL CPU COOLER (£19)
Sound Card ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Facilities 10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT - AS STANDARD ON ALL PCs
USB Options 2 PORT USB 3.0 INTERNAL PCI-EX CARD + STANDARD USB PORTS
Modem NONE, I WILL BE USING BROADBAND
Operating System Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit w/SP1 - inc DVD & Licence
Office Software FREE Microsoft® Office Starter 2010 (Limited functionality Word & Excel)
Anti-Virus NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Warranty 3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year
Labour)

£697.00 (inc VAT)

Buying from pcspecialist.co.uk as a similar system at Chillblast forces you to take a minimum of a 1Tb internal HD which I don't need but it is more expensive.

Trying to keep budget below £800 so feedback welcome....:)
 
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Or this one from Chillblast, which is £770 (so £73 more expensive):

Chillblast Fusion Chimera
4.6GHz Core i5 2500K, 8GB, GTS 450 1GB
Selected products:
EZCool A200D Basic Case
Intel Core i5 2500K Processor Overclocked to up to 4.6GHz
Be Quiet! Dark Rock Advanced CPU Cooler
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Paste
Asus P8Z68-V LE Motherboard
8GB Corsair PC3-12800 1600MHz DDR3 Memory (2 x 4GB sticks)
120GB Corsair Force 3 Solid State Drive
Integrated Intel Graphics
1000GB 7200RPM Hard Disk - 6Gbps
Sony 24x DVD-RW Drive
EZCool Basic 650W PSU
Onboard High Definition Audio
2 Port USB 3.0 Card
Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
Standard Chillblast Cable Management
Install and configure AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition
 
Given you have the HDD I'd take the first and overclock it myself (very easy to do). Edit: having said that, it doesn't indicate which heatsink they come with. I'd be inclined to overspec that
 
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Had upgraded the cooling on the PC Specialist (first) one above with a view to potentially over-clocking (although I've never done that before).

With the Chillblast one, any recommendations on what would be a better PSU? That was "recommended" above the default one....
 
Here's what they offer - the Alpine one they seem to suggest isn't a good option as it's inconsistent or something like that ...

Power Supply options

  • EZCool Basic 650W PSU
  • Alpine 750W Power Supply - EZCool 650W Recommended instead.
  • Xigmatek Premium Grade 500W PSU Recommended
  • Price: [+£25.00]
  • OCZ StealthXstream 2 600W PSU
  • Price: [+£35.00]
  • Corsair Ultra Low Noise 600W PSU
  • Price: [+£35.00]
  • BeQuiet Pure Power 530W PSU
  • Price: [+£39.00]
  • Corsair TX 750W V2 PSU
  • Price: [+£60.00]

Cheers for the help!
 
Also for no extra could swap processor on Chill blast for Intel Core i5 3570K Processor Overclocked to up to 4.5GHz.

Would this be a better option or would I be best to stick with the Intel Core i5 2500K Processor Overclocked to up to 4.6GHz?
 
neil_g said:
do you get a preset list of options?
Click to expand...

With Chillblast you can upgrade 90% of the components.....the selector will not let you pick something that is not compatible with your system.
 
Final spec I went with:

Chillblast Fusion Chimera
EZCool A200D Basic Case
Intel Core i5 3570K Processor Overclocked to up to 4.5GHz
Be Quiet Dark Rock Advanced CPU Cooler 10
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Paste 1
Asus P8Z68-V LE Motherboard 1
8GB Corsair PC3-12800 1600MHz DDR3 Memory (2 x 4GB sticks)
120GB Corsair Force 3 Solid State Drive
Integrated Intel Graphics
1000GB 7200RPM Hard Disk - 6Gbps
Sony 24x DVD-RW Drive
Corsair Ultra Low Noise 600W PSU0
Onboard High Definition Audio
2 Port USB 3.0 Card
Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
Standard Chillblast Cable Management
Install and configure AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition

Went a bit (£42) over my £800 budget but after feedback here I thought better safe than sorry with the power supply.

How does this sound? If you think it might blow-up / catch fire please just leave me in blissful ignorance...:)
 
Looks nice :)
 
michaelg said:
Final spec I went with:

Chillblast Fusion Chimera
EZCool A200D Basic Case
Intel Core i5 3570K Processor Overclocked to up to 4.5GHz
Be Quiet Dark Rock Advanced CPU Cooler 10
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Paste 1
Asus P8Z68-V LE Motherboard 1
8GB Corsair PC3-12800 1600MHz DDR3 Memory (2 x 4GB sticks)
120GB Corsair Force 3 Solid State Drive
Integrated Intel Graphics
1000GB 7200RPM Hard Disk - 6Gbps
Sony 24x DVD-RW Drive
Corsair Ultra Low Noise 600W PSU0
Onboard High Definition Audio
2 Port USB 3.0 Card
Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
Standard Chillblast Cable Management
Install and configure AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition

Went a bit (£42) over my £800 budget but after feedback here I thought better safe than sorry with the power supply.

How does this sound? If you think it might blow-up / catch fire please just leave me in blissful ignorance...:)
Click to expand...

and? (other than a new 'puter)
 
Thanks a lot for your input, guys! Indispensable as ever! Will let you know how it turns out once it arrives :)
 
tiler65 said:
With Chillblast you can upgrade 90% of the components.....the selector will not let you pick something that is not compatible with your system.
Click to expand...


I bought from Chillblast about 3 weeks ago. Excellent company to deal with. Most helpfull, rapidly reply to email enquiries. Delighted with the product supplied.
 
Hello again! The new computer arrived today :)

More questions though - I have Lightroom 3 with the photos stored on an internal 1Tb hard-drive on my old computer. I'll be moving this HDD over to the new computer but am I right in saying that for optimum speed I'm best to move the library file to the solid state hard drive rather than keep it beside the photo files themselves? Any tips on this would be appreciated!
 
Thanks, Andy - very interesting, I remember reading your post on this. I think it would require me being disciplined about moving older photos over to the HDD and keeping only current stuff on the SSD. Problem is I often return to older photos when I learn something new on PS or get new software just to try them out as no "apt" newer photos but I'm sure it wouldn't be THAT slow. Hopefully there will be cheap 1TB SSD's soon and then we'll all have them :)
 
Me I'll be using a D7,000,000 with 1Gb filesizes no doubt!
 
I am also considering buying the Chillblast Chimera however I am on a very tight budget.
Would you say that the upgrade to the Be Quiet Dark Rock Advanced CPU Cooler 10 and also the Corsair Ultra Low Noise 600W PSU0 is necessary?
Are there any other problems/concerns with the computer?
Thanks, and I hope the computer's doing fine!
 
Seems to be running okay so far - touch wood! Not sure if those were necessary but there are far more knowledgeable people on here who can advise on this! :)
 
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