New system for a middle of the road user

[canuckamuck]

So I am going to pick up a new desktop this week. My last system is running fine but the last couple of years it showed some limitations and it is incompatible now with some games/software.

But because this system lasted me 5 years, I have really fallen out of the loop as to current hardware.

I don't usually need a fast system, but I do occasionally edit some video, and I occasionally find time for a new game (Need for speed, Medal of honor and so on).

So I had a clerk write me up their version of what I need.

CPU Intel i5 4440

MB Asus H87 me (don't know what the "me" is, hopefully it is an H87pro)

Ram DDR3 1600 8GB

HD 1 TB

Video GTX 650 I think this is a Gigabyte card

500 watt supply

Obviously a case and a burner to go with it too

So is this a good set, or are their some substitutions I should consider. Keep in mind, I like the price and don't want to go up from here.

[ThaiLife]

Not sure of your price range , but a friend is looking for a PC tower replacement and found this, it seems a decent specification for the price .

[canuckamuck]

ThaiLife that price is in my range, but the processor is oldish, and the video card is basic.

Thanks for showing me that though, i learned a bit more from looking in to it.

[Bpuumike]

Not sure of your price range , but a friend is looking for a PC tower replacement and found this, it seems a decent specification for the price .

That looks pretty d*mn good to me. Where did you find it?

[JAS21]

ThaiLife that price is in my range, but the processor is oldish, and the video card is basic.

Thanks for showing me that though, i learned a bit more from looking in to it.

I was bored this morning and know SFA about these things but found this on google http://www.cpu-world.com/Compare/430/Intel_Core_i5_i5-4440_vs_Intel_Core_i7_i7-3770.html

[canuckamuck]

ThaiLife that price is in my range, but the processor is oldish, and the video card is basic.

Thanks for showing me that though, i learned a bit more from looking in to it.

I was bored this morning and know SFA about these things but found this on google http://www.cpu-world.com/Compare/430/Intel_Core_i5_i5-4440_vs_Intel_Core_i7_i7-3770.html

thank you for that, obviously I have more to learn.

But if I go with the older i7 chip will I also have to go with an older main board?

[ThaiLife]

Not sure of your price range , but a friend is looking for a PC tower replacement and found this, it seems a decent specification for the price .

That looks pretty d*mn good to me. Where did you find it?

I think it was at dot com ( IT mall ) in Pattaya , but ive all so seen it on invadeit ---

http://www.invadeit.co.th/product/desktop-pcs/acer/aspire-mc605-378g1t00mgi-t033-intel-core-i7-3770-8gb-ddr3-1tb-geforce-gt620-dos-p015113/

[ignis]

2 weeks ago built this

GIGABYTE GA-970A-D3P motherboard................. it only has 6 sata connections ! have now 4x HDD s and 2 sata DVD, so no spare...

Hyper-X DDR3(1866) 8GB. Kingston

AMD FX-8320 CPU

1 TB hard drive ............... total cost 10,090 baht at a local Advise IT Shop. this price was to fit these new item into my case [saved me the job with my eyes these days]

Already have so used my 9800 GTX graphics card, but was going to buy a 2GB (V) PCIe ATi 7790 'GigaByte'

Worked out if needed a good case, a good PSU, DVD etc still would have cost under 20,000 baht

All the years on computers have always had the so-say underdog, even the laptop is a Sony – AMD

Just never seen the need to pay so very much more for Intel

[keeniau96]

The system listed by the OP is pretty good for mid-level gaming and has the latest version of Intel chip and mobo (Haswell). Very decent video card &RAM, suggest you make sure to get very good PSU (not big, 500W is enough) but good name eg. Seasonic, should cost around 2k baht for that item.

[sammycic]

Built this a month ago for 24, 000 from j.i.b

Asrock z87 extreme 4

Intel i5 4570

128gb oc vector ssd

2tb wd green hd

Intel graphics 4600 brilliant don't use a graphics card

Case, power supply, case fan,

Sent from my GT-N8000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[2008bangkok]

If the last one lasted 5 yrs this one probably will aswell so my advice is simple, future proof it by going quad core and 16gig ram

[harrry]

Make sure you have USB3 ports....and I agree go top motherboard and CPU which is not the top but best price point. The price can esculate. with the top models. (AMD gives a lot of bang for the buck)....memory can be upgraded later but cpu and Motherboard are harder.

Edited October 20, 2013 by harrry

[sammycic]

Built this a month ago for 24, 000 from j.i.b

Asrock z87 extreme 4

Intel i5 4570

128gb oc vector ssd

2tb wd green hd

Intel graphics 4600 brilliant don't use a graphics card

Case, power supply, case fan,

Forgot 8gb memory.

Sent from my GT-N8000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[JSixpack]

The system listed by the OP is pretty good for mid-level gaming and has the latest version of Intel chip and mobo (Haswell). Very decent video card &RAM, suggest you make sure to get very good PSU (not big, 500W is enough) but good name eg. Seasonic, should cost around 2k baht for that item.

+1. I might suggest a CX500M: http://www.jib.co.th/web/index.php/product/readProduct/11460/6/index.html. Good reviews, good price, modular.

I'd also recommend getting a good case that'll last thru several builds. Makes life easier, good cooling, reliable switches. Lot of good brands, Cooler Master, Corsair, Lian Li, etc. Hardware House has Cooler Master HAF models, consistently one of the highest rated on newegg.com. http://www.hwhinter.com/price_show2.php

[robblok]

The system listed by the OP is pretty good for mid-level gaming and has the latest version of Intel chip and mobo (Haswell). Very decent video card &RAM, suggest you make sure to get very good PSU (not big, 500W is enough) but good name eg. Seasonic, should cost around 2k baht for that item.

+1. I might suggest a CX500M: http://www.jib.co.th/web/index.php/product/readProduct/11460/6/index.html. Good reviews, good price, modular.

I'd also recommend getting a good case that'll last thru several builds. Makes life easier, good cooling, reliable switches. Lot of good brands, Cooler Master, Corsair, Lian Li, etc. Hardware House has Cooler Master HAF models, consistently one of the highest rated on newegg.com. http://www.hwhinter.com/price_show2.php

I agree about the case, got a good case used it many times much better as cheap cases, mine is a cooler master.

[canuckamuck]

Thanks for the suggestions, I do think I will choose a case carefully. My office is often hot so cooling is a priority. This is also why I am going to use an Intel chip. I think now the i5 4570 is the way to go. just a few baht more for 13% better performance.

[dddave]

Thanks for the suggestions, I do think I will choose a case carefully. My office is often hot so cooling is a priority. This is also why I am going to use an Intel chip. I think now the i5 4570 is the way to go. just a few baht more for 13% better performance.

I don't pretend to know too much about all this but I was reading a review of various processors a few weeks ago and that reviewer claimed that the i3 and i5 Intel processors had low threshold heat issues. It stood out to me because a friend who lives up country with no AC was considering a laptop with an i5. He'd had overheating problems in the past with a desktop using an AMD processor during hot season.

[canuckamuck]

Built this a month ago for 24, 000 from j.i.b

Asrock z87 extreme 4

Intel i5 4570

128gb oc vector ssd

2tb wd green hd

Intel graphics 4600 brilliant don't use a graphics card

Case, power supply, case fan,

Sent from my GT-N8000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I would like to know more about the onboard video capabilities of that i5 CPU.

Can you run current games with it? or haven't you tried.

[sammycic]

I mainly set it up as a htpc and the video on my tv is fantastic. I use xbmc and watching my 720p hd downloads I couldn't be happier. This is running off the onboard graphics 4600 and with the realtek dts audio on board is awesome. I didn't go for a gpu as I read good things about the intel graphics. The asrock motherboard z87 has all you need. I don't play games so not sure but you can add a gpu so easy if not happy with the intel graphics. The i5 seems to be all you need unless you want to overclock.

Sent from my GT-N8000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[sammycic]

Definitely go ssd for your os. So fast.

Sent from my GT-N8000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[ignis]

Thanks for the suggestions, I do think I will choose a case carefully. My office is often hot so cooling is a priority. This is also why I am going to use an Intel chip. I think now the i5 4570 is the way to go. just a few baht more for 13% better performance.

I don't pretend to know too much about all this but I was reading a review of various processors a few weeks ago and that reviewer claimed that the i3 and i5 Intel processors had low threshold heat issues. It stood out to me because a friend who lives up country with no AC was considering a laptop with an i5. He'd had overheating problems in the past with a desktop using an AMD processor during hot season.

Never used anything but AMD, never had any overheating problems + never use Air Con....... on PC always get a good case + have extra Fans fitted + change case fans to wider/thicker ones where I can, have a twin fan on my main hard drive, graphics card has twin fans, have a slot fan always have a large Cooler master CPU fan,

AMD Laptop use it on a 3 fan laptop base..

Many cases come with 1 cm thick fans, most of mine. have 5 are 4 cm thick fans

Edited October 21, 2013 by ignis

[harrry]

Thanks for the suggestions, I do think I will choose a case carefully. My office is often hot so cooling is a priority. This is also why I am going to use an Intel chip. I think now the i5 4570 is the way to go. just a few baht more for 13% better performance.

I don't pretend to know too much about all this but I was reading a review of various processors a few weeks ago and that reviewer claimed that the i3 and i5 Intel processors had low threshold heat issues. It stood out to me because a friend who lives up country with no AC was considering a laptop with an i5. He'd had overheating problems in the past with a desktop using an AMD processor during hot season.

Never used anything but AMD, never had any overheating problems + never use Air Con....... on PC always get a good case + have extra Fans fitted + change case fans to wider/thicker ones where I can, have a twin fan on my main hard drive, graphics card has twin fans, have a slot fan always have a large Cooler master CPU fan,

AMD Laptop use it on a 3 fan laptop base..

I think overheating with AMD is overstated. If you consider it a problem you can always use liquid cooling which has the advantage that it is silent. The Chips will run really cool too and this can improve service life.

It makes a big diference the silence in a small room.

[ignis]

a case is as good as you make it, it is after all just a metal box......... my case has a 25 cm fan x 4 cm wide on the side, as well as larger and wider 3 fans inside on the case.. guess could even have a small desk fan blowing into PC ? most cheaper cases just have a small fan on back and on side...

Even before coming to Thailand 10 years ago, always bought extra fans which were extra think... Yes can use liquid cooling, but so far never had any issues on overheating, here a normal 10 cm fan but 4 cm wide cost about 40 baht or so.. [have noticed a expensive case already have extra fans and wider ones, but why spend another 1,500 baht]

[harrry]

a case is as good as you make it, it is after all just a metal box......... my case has a 25 cm fan x 4 cm wide on the side, as well as larger and wider 3 fans inside on the case.. guess could even have a small desk fan blowing into PC ? most cheaper cases just have a small fan on back and on side...

Even before coming to Thailand 10 years ago, always bought extra fans which were extra think... Yes can use liquid cooling, but so far never had any issues on overheating, here a normal 10 cm fan but 4 cm wide cost about 40 baht or so.. [have noticed a expensive case already have extra fans and wider ones, but why spend another 1,500 baht]

Cases are not just metal boxes...they also have diferent ways of mounting the disk drives etc so that they can be replaced quickly and eaisly if possible. Most also have sockets for USB drives and headphones and the newer ones have USB3 sockets as well which makes a real difference.

Some have eSata sockets built in too.

Better cases often run quieter because they are designed not to have sympathetic vibration.

Depends what you want but it is often worth buying a newer case. A good power supply is esential too.

[JSixpack]

Never used anything but AMD, never had any overheating problems + never use Air Con

Right. No issue about overheating w/ AMD. I use both AMD and Intel. I used to use AMD exclusively, to root for the underdog, never had any such problem.

These days I'd have go with Intel mainly because of much greater efficiency (probably wouldn't notice the real performance advantages). I5 is a great choice.

Definitely go ssd for your os. So fast.

Well worth it now that prices have fallen to reasonable levels. So nice to have!

[canuckamuck]

Yes I have decided to go with the SSD now. I am also thinking to go without the video card for a little while to see the capabilities of the Intel 4600 graphics. Easy enough to drop in a card later if underwhelmed (likely).

Edited October 21, 2013 by canuckamuck

[sammycic]

Don't do what i did. connect the hdd after you install the os on the ssd or you end up with system on the hhd.

I think you will be suprised how good the intel 4600 is.

[innerspace]

Just bought a similar machine for 15k. Onboard graphics and no screen....ssd rather than a TB HDD.

Run it dual screen for work and it is fast! Boots in around 6 seconds.

Almost upgraded case and PSU, would have been a good move up but was on a budget this build.