Help and advice please

[tallscotuk]

Hi,



I am about to buy a PC after 6 years with laptops and your opinion of this spec would be appreciated.



I like gaming but I am not too bothered about having the very highest detail and resolutions but at the same time I want the latest games to run smoothly. I also watch a lot of movies on the PC and use it as a day to day machine.



Is this too much or too little?? Can you see anywhere that I can cut costs or is there anything that I have missed out?? And finally where in the UK is a good place to buy??



Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 2.83GHz 12MB-cache (1333FSB) Processor

Gigabyte GA-EP43-DS3 Intel P43 (Socket 775) PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard

XFX ATI Radeon HD 4890 1024MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card

Kingston HyperX 4GB (2x2GB) DDR2 8500C5 1066MHz Dual Channel

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Gamer 7.1 Sound Card

Corsair TX 750W ATX SLI Compliant Power Supply

Antec 900 Nine Hundred Ultimate Gaming Case

Coolermaster V8 CPU Cooler

2 x Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 1TB SATA-II 32MB Cache

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-Bit



Thanks for any help

 

[floppybootstomp]

It's more or less perfect actually if you realise that Core 2 CPU based systems will shortly be outdated, i7 CPU's and DDR3 memory being the new technology.

You could get a 2.6Ghz CPU for a fair bit less and it's unlikely you'll notice any difference in performance.

I personally prefer Nvidia video cards to ATI at this moment in time and would personally go for a 260 or 275. Also I've had several bad experiences with XFX video cards, consider cards made by EVGA and BFG.

Again, I personally don't think much of Coolermaster CPU coolers and would go for something from Noctua; Thermalright; Zalman or Scythe.

You'll only need 2Tb of disk space if you intend to store lots of multimedia such as movies and music.

But, these are minor points really, all in all you've selected a good system.

As for too much or too little, rarely is it a case of too much

 

[muckshifter]

The CPU is a little over-the-top for gaming, however, no harm in future proofing.

I like the look, and "supposed" cooling, of the CoolerMaster V8, should keep the CPU under control, but boy, does it weigh a ton ... I would certainly be assembling that, outside the case wonder if it will hold, and, will I be able to close the side panel.

The case, well not for me but I like the integrated cooling ... the side window is still non-EUC compliant, I don't look at the case while on my computer. It should hold everything you need.

ATI graphics cards ... err, sorry, not for me, I'll let those who use such an item comment.

Kingston RAM, fine by me.

I like your choice of PSU ... the price is a little OTT, however, it ticks all my other boxes, hope there is room in that case to tidy up the cables.

Creative sound ... err, once again, not for me, they been conning people for years, shame the "competition" is so thin on the ground, especially Philips.

Barracuda, with a name like that, they should be good.


Just one more thing ...

Make sure you get an upgrade ticket, free would be nice, to Windows 7 with your purchase of OS.

enjoy!!




PS
A PC is pretty useless without a monitor.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Just read Mucks' reply - I forgot to mention to make sure you get the upgrade ticket to Win 7, Vista will be a dead duck by the end of this year.

 

[tallscotuk]

thanks for all of this. you have been very helpful.


thanks

 

[floppybootstomp]

thanks for all of this. you have been very helpful.


thanks

You're welcome.

I just edited the last line in my first post from 'too little' to 'too much' Oops.