Gaming Rig, 80 - 100k

P

Hi techies

Had a look at this thread, but, I think, the Guide hasn't been upgraded there.

Some days back, I'd posted a forum for getting advice for a GPU and decided to go for HD 7950. Dad just agreed to get me a gaming rig - the budget is around 80k but if I'd be getting the best for 1 lakh, dad might go for it.

According to this forum, I'm answering the questions here:

1. What is the purpose of the computer? What all applications and games are you going to run? (Stupid answers like 'gaming' or 'office work' will not work. Be exact. Which games? Which applications? Avoid the word 'et cetera.')
Ans: Mainly, Gaming! FPS Games, high-end Games, latest games! More specifically, like Far Cry 3, Crysis 3, GTA 4 (Really, I love it), COD Series! Watching movies, listening music would be on the intermediate priority list, but MAINLY GAMING!!

2. What is your overall budget? If you can extend a bit for a more balanced configuration, then mention this too.
Ans: 70-80k. Might raise it to 100k (I wish :mrgreen:

)

3. Planning to overclock?
Ans: Yeah, I'm reading about it!

4. Which Operating System are you planning to use?
Ans: Windows 8 64-Bit

5. How much hard drive space is needed?
Ans: 1-2 TB would be more than enough.

6. Do you want to buy a monitor? If yes, please mention which screen size and resolution do you want. If you already have a monitor and want to reuse it, again mention the size and resolution of monitor you have.
Ans: Yeah, I'm buying a whole new rig! I think, screen size like 25-30 inch would do. Please guide me for the screen size and the resolution according to the GPU I'm planning to get - It's HD 7950 Vapor X Edition.

7. Which components you DON'T want to buy or which components you already have and plan on reusing?
Ans: I'm planning to get everything like Speakers, Keyboard/Mouse, UPS..everything! Well, if you don't want to, you may not give the recommendation for them.

8. When are you planning to buy the system?
Ans: Before my B'day - 11th April 2013.

9. Have you ever built a desktop before or will this be done by an assembler?
Ans: I can but my friend, the local store owner, would do it for free.

10. Where do you live? Are you buying locally? Are you open to buying stuff from online shops if you don't get locally?
Ans: Jammu. I don't think I'd be getting the latest products here but the local store would order it for me.

11. Anything else which you would like to say?
Ans: Yeah! Mainly, I just need recommendations on the main parts - CPU, MOBO, RAM, HDD and Display. I'd compromise for any peripheral or component for getting a better gaming rig. For the GPU, I've decided this one:

GPU - Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 Vapor X Edition.

If you've got some more time, you may answer these ones:

Haswell series worth waiting?
Should I take a sound card into consideration?
How much power would be required and which PSU would do?
Any suggestion for a Cabinet?

R

Here is my suggestion:
Processor-Intel i5 3570k 14k
Motherboard-asus z77 v pro 16k
GPU-Sapphire 7950 vapor x 22k
Cpu cooler-Cm hyper 212 evo 2.2k
RAM-Gskill Ripjawx 8gb@1600mhz 3.5k
PSU-Corsair tx 750v2 6.5k
Cabinet-Nzxt phantom 410 5.5k
HDD-WD 1TB Caviar Black 6k
Monitor-Dell u2412m 18k

P

rock2702 said:
Here is my suggestion:
Processor-Intel i5 3570k 16k
Motherboard-asus z77 v pro 14k
GPU-Sapphire 7950 vapor x 22k
Cpu cooler-Cm hyper 212 evo 2.2k
RAM-Gskill Ripjawx 8gb@1600mhz 3.5k
PSU-Corsair tx 750v2 6.5k
Cabinet-Nzxt phantom 410 5.5k
HDD-WD 1TB Caviar Black 6k
Monitor-Dell u2412m 18k

Thanks mate!

Btw, MOBO alone costs this much?

I mean, wouldn't the else bottleneck it?

and what about the haswell series. Should I wait for it?

R

Paras Lehana said:
Thanks mate!

Btw, MOBO alone costs this much?
I mean, wouldn't the else bottleneck it?

and what about the haswell series. Should I wait for it?

If you can w8 for haswell, you will have to w8 till june-july.It might or might not be a huge upgrade over ivy.

P

rock2702 said:
If you can w8 for haswell, you will have to w8 till june-july.It might or might not be a huge upgrade over ivy.

Ivy??
I think it's something like processor architecture? Sorry, newbie to pc components

. I use Android much time.

Paras Lehana said:
Ivy??
I think it's something like processor architecture? Sorry, newbie to pc components . I use Android much time.

Sandy bridge's successor, Haswell's predecessor.

rock2702 said:
If you can w8 for haswell, you will have to w8 till june-july.It might or might not be a huge upgrade over ivy.

Ya, definitely u should wait if you can. Haswell will provide some performance gains compared to IVB and will be on a different socket too.

Waiting for Haswell is not worth as it wil come to India till June or July.

Option 1:

i5 3570k (14000)
MSI Z77a G45 (9800)
Sapphice HD7970 (30000)
Corsair Vangance or G,skill ripjawsx (whichever is cheaper) 1600 MHz 4 GB x2 (~3800)
Corsair TX650v2 (5500)
WD blue or Seagate Barracuda 2 TB (4800)
Dell ST2240L 22" LED IPS (8500)
CM Hyper 212 evo (2200)
Corsair 400R (4500)

total: 82900

Option 2:

i7 3770k (20000)
Asus MAximus V Gene (15000)
Sapphice HD7970 (30000)
Corsair Vangance or G,skill ripjawsx (whichever is cheaper) 1600 MHz 4 GB x2 (~3800)
Corsair TX650v2 (5500)
WD blue or Seagate Barracuda 2 TB (4800)
Dell ST2240L 22" LED IPS (8500)
Corsair 400R (4500)
CM Hyper 212 evo (2200)

total: ~94200

Option 3:

Fx 8350 (11000)
MSI 990FXA G43 (8900)
Corsair Vangance or G,skill ripjawsx (whichever is cheaper) 1600 MHz 4 GB x2 (~3800)
Corsair TX650v2 (5500)
Sapphice HD7970 (30000)
WD blue or Seagate Barracuda 2 TB (4800)
Dell ST2240L 22" LED IPS (8500)
Corsair 400R (4500)

total: ~72000

If you can afford, then go with option 2.

harshilsharma63 said:
Waiting for Haswell is not worth as it wil come to India till June or July.

Option 1:

i5 3570k (14000)
MSI Z77a G45 (9800)
Sapphice HD7970 (30000)
Corsair Vangance or G,skill ripjawsx (whichever is cheaper) 1600 MHz 4 GB x2 (~3800)
Corsair TX650v2 (5500)
WD blue or Seagate Barracuda 2 TB (4800)
Dell ST2240L 22" LED IPS (8500)
Corsair 400R (4500)

total: 80900

Option 2:

i7 3770k (20000)
Asus MAximus V Gene (15000)
Sapphice HD7970 (30000)
Corsair Vangance or G,skill ripjawsx (whichever is cheaper) 1600 MHz 4 GB x2 (~3800)
Corsair TX650v2 (5500)
WD blue or Seagate Barracuda 2 TB (4800)
Dell ST2240L 22" LED IPS (8500)
Corsair 400R (4500)

total: ~92000

Option 3:

Fx 8350 (11000)
MSI 990FXA G43 (8900)
Corsair Vangance or G,skill ripjawsx (whichever is cheaper) 1600 MHz 4 GB x2 (~3800)
Corsair TX650v2 (5500)
Sapphice HD7970 (30000)
WD blue or Seagate Barracuda 2 TB (4800)
Dell ST2240L 22" LED IPS (8500)
Corsair 400R (4500)

total: ~72000

If you can afford, then go with option 2.

he doesnt need a "k" series processor, id suggest sticking with a normal processor and saving on the psu and getting a better gpu, and with that budget OP can get a ghz edition

harshilsharma63 said:
wd blue or seagate barracuda 2 tb (4800)

where are u getting these prices???

If gaming is the main purpose, then OP should go with either i5 3570K or FX-8350 and invest the rest of the money for a better GPU.

IMO , a 2x 7870 will be a Good Choice. Combined with the AMD FX 8350 , the Total Cost will not go more than 80k.

P

harshilsharma63 said:
Waiting for Haswell is not worth as it wil come to India till June or July.

Option 1:

i5 3570k (14000)
MSI Z77a G45 (9800)
Sapphice HD7970 (30000)
Corsair Vangance or G,skill ripjawsx (whichever is cheaper) 1600 MHz 4 GB x2 (~3800)
Corsair TX650v2 (5500)
WD blue or Seagate Barracuda 2 TB (4800)
Dell ST2240L 22" LED IPS (8500)
Corsair 400R (4500)

total: 80900

Option 2:

i7 3770k (20000)
Asus MAximus V Gene (15000)
Sapphice HD7970 (30000)
Corsair Vangance or G,skill ripjawsx (whichever is cheaper) 1600 MHz 4 GB x2 (~3800)
Corsair TX650v2 (5500)
WD blue or Seagate Barracuda 2 TB (4800)
Dell ST2240L 22" LED IPS (8500)
Corsair 400R (4500)

total: ~92000

Option 3:

Fx 8350 (11000)
MSI 990FXA G43 (8900)
Corsair Vangance or G,skill ripjawsx (whichever is cheaper) 1600 MHz 4 GB x2 (~3800)
Corsair TX650v2 (5500)
Sapphice HD7970 (30000)
WD blue or Seagate Barracuda 2 TB (4800)
Dell ST2240L 22" LED IPS (8500)
Corsair 400R (4500)

total: ~72000

If you can afford, then go with option 2.

Really thanks for your effort man!

I've noted it down.

Cilus said:
If gaming is the main purpose, then OP should go with either i5 3570K or FX-8350 and invest the rest of the money for a better GPU.

Yeah, I too think that I don't need an i7. But, well, isn't HD 7950 awesome or should I really need 7970? I mean is it worth that price difference?

Paras Lehana said:
Really thanks for your effort man! I've noted it down.

Yeah, I too think that I don't need an i7. But, well, isn't HD 7950 awesome or should I really need 7970? I mean is it worth that price difference?

Crossfired 7870's beat a single 7950 .. i dont know about 7970 Ghz edition

Paras Lehana said:
Really thanks for your effort man! I've noted it down.

Yeah, I too think that I don't need an i7. But, well, isn't HD 7950 awesome or should I really need 7970? I mean is it worth that price difference?

> I included i7 3770k because you mentioned that you may go for 100k budget, and din not compromise on any other parts.

> You should really get i5 3570k or FX 8350, out of which I would suggest FX 8350.

> HD7950 is really good card and can easily match the performance of a stock HD7970. If you can afford, then I see no reason of skipping HD7970 for HD7950.

P

harshilsharma63 said:
> I included i7 3770k because you mentioned that you may go for 100k budget, and din not compromise on any other parts.

> You should really get i5 3570k or FX 8350, out of which I would suggest FX 8350.

> HD7950 is really good card and can easily match the performance of a stock HD7970. If you can afford, then I see no reason of skipping HD7970 for HD7950.

Thanks mate. Your posts really make me decide among the difficult choices in the life.

I've been researching over the option 2 provided by you for 3 hours.

Dell ST2240L 22" LED IPS is really awesome! May you please provide me some more suggestions for the displays of a bit higher range or the ST2240L is fine. I think, it'd be great if I do gaming on 25-27".

summers said:
Ya, definitely u should wait if you can. Haswell will provide some performance gains compared to IVB and will be on a different socket too.

Haswell might be overpriced just after launch. Also we are not sure about it's performance gains over ivy bridge cpu's. So I don't see any reason to wait for it.

Harsh Pranami said:
Haswell might be overpriced just after launch. Also we are not sure about it's performance gains over ivy bridge cpu's. So I don't see any reason to wait for it.

+1, so elegantly explained, anyways haswell will be overpriced once it enters the market... and usually enters india after a delay of about 2 months or so, add another 6 months for the prices to stabilize so about 8 months wait time, before haswell is more VFM than the current architecture

Paras Lehana said:
Thanks mate. Your posts really make me decide among the difficult choices in the life.
I've been researching over the option 2 provided by you for 3 hours.

Dell ST2240L 22" LED IPS is really awesome! May you please provide me some more suggestions for the displays of a bit higher range or the ST2240L is fine. I think, it'd be great if I do gaming on 25-27".

> Thank you for the comment.

> What did you find in your research

> I really not experienced when it comes to displays, so let other members give suggestion regarding that.

See, option 3 is the best VFM (value for money), option 2 gives the best performance and option 1 lies in between. Choose what you can afford. However, between option 1 and 3, I would choose option 3 as bith have same GPU, and fx 8350 does not lie far behind in gaming benchmarks than i5 3570k, thus making it a better option at a better budget.

^when it will be launched prepare for a small price cuts in ivy and sandies

101gamzer said:
^when it will be launched prepare for a small price cuts in ivy and sandies

Please use quotes to avoid confusion.

P

harshilsharma63 said:
> Thank you for the comment.

> What did you find in your research

> I really not experienced when it comes to displays, so let other members give suggestion regarding that.

See, option 3 is the best VFM (value for money), option 2 gives the best performance and option 1 lies in between. Choose what you can afford. However, between option 1 and 3, I would choose option 3 as bith have same GPU, and fx 8350 does not lie far behind in gaming benchmarks than i5 3570k, thus making it a better option at a better budget.

Just compared i7 3770k with the FX 8350, here

Actually, comparsion was only for VFM.
Checked prices on Flipkart - well, most of them are out of stock there.
Mainly, I'm researching ( :-D

) about the mobo Asus MAximus V Gene. Any alternatives to it?

I'd go for option 2.

NoasArcAngel said:
+1, so elegantly explained, anyways haswell will be overpriced once it enters the market... and usually enters india after a delay of about 2 months or so, add another 6 months for the prices to stabilize so about 8 months wait time, before haswell is more VFM than the current architecture

and the cycle will continue and continue till the end of the world :tired:

Paras Lehana said:
Just compared i7 3770k with the FX 8350, here Actually, comparsion was only for VFM.
Checked prices on Flipkart - well, most of them are out of stock there.
Mainly, I'm researching ( ) about the mobo Asus MAximus V Gene. Any alternatives to it?

I'd go for option 2.

> Psst, drop that sight. Most of the advantages of i7 3770k acc. to them are that it scores better in benchmark like passmark and cinebench

> Avoide flipkart. Computer parts are hoghly overprcices there. You should be able to find the parts listed locally for a much lower price.

> MSI Z77a gd65
MSI Z77a g45
AsRock z77 extreme 6 (although I doubt AsRock reliability and service)

Paras Lehana said:
Hi techies

Had a look at this thread, but, I think, the Guide hasn't been upgraded there.

Some days back, I'd posted a forum for getting advice for a GPU and decided to go for HD 7950. Dad just agreed to get me a gaming rig - the budget is around 80k but if I'd be getting the best for 1 lakh, dad might go for it.

According to this forum, I'm answering the questions here:

1. What is the purpose of the computer? What all applications and games are you going to run? (Stupid answers like 'gaming' or 'office work' will not work. Be exact. Which games? Which applications? Avoid the word 'et cetera.')
Ans: Mainly, Gaming! FPS Games, high-end Games, latest games! More specifically, like Far Cry 3, Crysis 3, GTA 4 (Really, I love it), COD Series! Watching movies, listening music would be on the intermediate priority list, but MAINLY GAMING!!

2. What is your overall budget? If you can extend a bit for a more balanced configuration, then mention this too.
Ans: 70-80k. Might raise it to 100k (I wish )

3. Planning to overclock?
Ans: Yeah, I'm reading about it!

4. Which Operating System are you planning to use?
Ans: Windows 8 64-Bit

5. How much hard drive space is needed?
Ans: 1-2 TB would be more than enough.

6. Do you want to buy a monitor? If yes, please mention which screen size and resolution do you want. If you already have a monitor and want to reuse it, again mention the size and resolution of monitor you have.
Ans: Yeah, I'm buying a whole new rig! I think, screen size like 25-30 inch would do. Please guide me for the screen size and the resolution according to the GPU I'm planning to get - It's HD 7950 Vapor X Edition.

7. Which components you DON'T want to buy or which components you already have and plan on reusing?
Ans: I'm planning to get everything like Speakers, Keyboard/Mouse, UPS..everything! Well, if you don't want to, you may not give the recommendation for them.

8. When are you planning to buy the system?
Ans: Before my B'day - 11th April 2013.

9. Have you ever built a desktop before or will this be done by an assembler?
Ans: I can but my friend, the local store owner, would do it for free.

10. Where do you live? Are you buying locally? Are you open to buying stuff from online shops if you don't get locally?
Ans: Jammu. I don't think I'd be getting the latest products here but the local store would order it for me.

11. Anything else which you would like to say?
Ans: Yeah! Mainly, I just need recommendations on the main parts - CPU, MOBO, RAM, HDD and Display. I'd compromise for any peripheral or component for getting a better gaming rig. For the GPU, I've decided this one:

GPU - Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 Vapor X Edition.

If you've got some more time, you may answer these ones:

Haswell series worth waiting?
Should I take a sound card into consideration?
How much power would be required and which PSU would do?
Any suggestion for a Cabinet?

Here goes your best bet:

AMD FX 8350 -11000,
Asus M5A97 R2.0 -6000,
Sapphire HD7950 3GB Vapor-X -22500,
WD Black 1TB -6000,
Corsair GS600 -4500,
Corsair Vengeance 8GB 1600MHz -3000,
Corsair H60 Cooler -3700,
Corsair 300R -3900,
Dell 2240L 22" LED IPS -8600,
APC 1.1Kva UPS -5500,
Microsoft Sidewinder X6 -2200,
Logitech G400 -1500,
Logitech Z313 2.1 Speakers -1650,
CM 140mm 4 BLUE LED fans -2200,
Asus 24B5ST DVDRW -1000.
TOTAL -98,100.

sumalatha , while posting, please stop quoting the whole PC Buying template everywhere. We already know that you're suggesting as per the OP's requirement specified in the template. Still, if you wanna quote it then put it inside the SPOILER tag for not making the post unnecessary lengthy. I am giving you an example below.

Text Here [/SPOILER

I haven't finish the Third Bracket at the end to show you. While posting, make sure you end the braces. Also you can just use the SPOILER Button present by switching into the advanced mode.

Cilus said:
sumalatha , while posting, please stop quoting the whole PC Buying template everywhere. We already know that you're suggesting as per the OP's requirement specified in the template. Still, if you wanna quote it then put it inside the SPOILER tag for not making the post unnecessary lengthy. I am giving you an example below.

Text Here [/SPOILER

I haven't finish the Third Bracket at the end to show you. While posting, make sure you end the braces. Also you can just use the SPOILER Button present by switching into the advanced mode.

Ok Corrected it brother and I will follow from now on as you say. I might be the only girl in the forum and I have to learn slowly.

P

harshilsharma63 said:
> Psst, drop that sight. Most of the advantages of i7 3770k acc. to them are that it scores better in benchmark like passmark and cinebench

> Avoide flipkart. Computer parts are hoghly overprcices there. You should be able to find the parts listed locally for a much lower price.

> MSI Z77a gd65
MSI Z77a g45
AsRock z77 extreme 6 (although I doubt AsRock reliability and service)

sumalatha said:
Here goes your best bet:

AMD FX 8350 -11000,
Asus M5A97 R2.0 -6000,
Sapphire HD7950 3GB Vapor-X -22500,
WD Black 1TB -6000,
Corsair GS600 -4500,
Corsair Vengeance 8GB 1600MHz -3000,
Corsair H60 Cooler -3700,
Corsair 300R -3900,
Dell 2240L 22" LED IPS -8600,
APC 1.1Kva UPS -5500,
Microsoft Sidewinder X6 -2200,
Logitech G400 -1500,
Logitech Z313 2.1 Speakers -1650,
CM 140mm 4 BLUE LED fans -2200,
Asus 24B5ST DVDRW -1000.
TOTAL -98,100.

Really confused about the MOBO stuff now.

I've searched for many Motherboard Buying Guides but can't decide now. I mean, how and how much would the 6k valued MOBO affect my gaming over the 15k one!

Paras Lehana said:
Really confused about the MOBO stuff now.

I've searched for many Motherboard Buying Guides but can't decide now. I mean, how and how much would the 6k valued MOBO affect my gaming over the 15k one!

Because you are not going for Crossfire or SLI, you can go for Asus M5A97 R2.0 @ 6k with HD7950 GPU. If you are going for Crossfire then Asus M5A99FX Pro R2.0 @ 10.3k is best suited because it has PCI-E X16 x2 Slots. You only need to change your GPU 8000 Series or CPU even if Steamroller(AM3+) comes into the market if you are using Asus M5A97 R2.0 or Asus M5A97 Evo R2.0 MB's(Single GPU Setup's).

Paras Lehana said:
Really confused about the MOBO stuff now.

I've searched for many Motherboard Buying Guides but can't decide now. I mean, how and how much would the 6k valued MOBO affect my gaming over the 15k one!

> If you go with any k series (such as i5 3570k or i7 3770k) Intel CPU, then you should go with a motherboard with Z77 chipset to allow full CPU overclocking. In case of Amd's FX series, you should choose a 990FX chipset motherboard.

> A cheaper motherboard is designed to work, provide moderate overclocking without providing anything especial.

> In case of z77 motherboards, a good quality one will typically cost over 7-5 k while a good 990FX mobo will come from 7k and upwards.

> Cheaper mobos have lower quality prts as compared to high end mobos, thus providing not-so-good overclock, crossfire/SLI support ar multiple x16 pcie slots.

> A >15-17k mobo will typically allow you to break world records while a sub 13k mobi will easily allow you to break your home's overclocking records.

> In case of Intel, a mobo such as MSI Z77a GD65 priced at ~9k is okay even for decent overclocking. Anything above 14k is suggested ONLY because you can afford it, not necessarily because you should get it.

Asus M5A97 or any other AMD 970 Chipset based Motherboards provide two PCI-E X16 slots, one running @ X16 and other running at X4 speed. As a result only Crossfire is possible with that chipset and SLI is not possible as It needs minimum X8-X8 configuration. Also, if you are going for card like HD 7850/HD 7870 for Crossfire in the 970 based boards, the card positioned in the X16 slot running at X4 speed will be bottlenecked severely by the low memory bandwidth of X4 speed.

Only 990X and 990FX chipset based Motherboards support both SLI and Crossfire.

The choice of Motherboard does not directly affect the gaming performance as it depends more on CPU and GPU but affects the tweaking and overclocking capabilities of the other components like CPU and Ram.

Paras Lehana, unless you are not planning for Multi-GPU setup in future, get the Asus M5A97 EVO R2.0 Motherboard around 7K. It is only 1K costlier than the normal M5A97, comes with 6+2 VRM design, better heat sink and overall slightly better build quality.

P

sumalatha said:
Because you are going for Crossfire or SLI you can go for Asus M5A97 R2.0 @ 6k with HD7950 GPU. You only need to change your GPU 8000 Series or CPU even if Steamroller(AM3+) comes into the market.

Oh... you mean, I should go for 2x 7950!??

Cilus said:
Asus M5A97 or any other AMD 970 Chipset based Mothervoards provide two PCI-E X16 slots, one running @ X16 and other running at X4 speed. As a result only Crossfire is possible with that chipset and SLI is not possible as It needs minimum X8-X8 configuration. Also, if you are going for card like HD 7850/HD 7870 for Crossfire in the 970 based boards, the card positioned in the X16 slot running at X4 speed will be bottlenecked severely by the low memory bandwidth of X4 speed.

Only 990X and 990FX chipset based Motherboards support both SLI and Crossfire.

The choice of Motherboard does not directly affect the gaming performance as it depends more on CPU and GPU but affects the tweaking and overclocking capabilities of the other components like CPU and Ram.

Paras Lehana, unless you are not planning for Multi-GPU setup in future, get the Asus M5A97 EVO R2.0 Motherboard around 7K. It is only 1K costlier than the normal M5A97, comes with 6+2 VRM design, better heat sink and overall slightly better build quality.

Okay... Considering it below! Thanks mate!

harshilsharma63 said:
> If you go with any k series (such as i5 3570k or i7 3770k) Intel CPU, then you should go with a motherboard with Z77 chipset to allow full CPU overclocking. In case of Amd's FX series, you should choose a 990FX chipset motherboard.

> A cheaper motherboard is designed to work, provide moderate overclocking without providing anything especial.

> In case of z77 motherboards, a good quality one will typically cost over 7-5 k while a good 990FX mobo will come from 7k and upwards.

> Cheaper mobos have lower quality prts as compared to high end mobos, thus providing not-so-good overclock, crossfire/SLI support ar multiple x16 pcie slots.

> A >15-17k mobo will typically allow you to break world records while a sub 13k mobi will easily allow you to break your home's overclocking records.

> In case of Intel, a mobo such as MSI Z77a GD65 priced at ~9k is okay even for decent overclocking. Anything above 14k is suggested ONLY because you can afford it, not necessarily because you should get it.

Mate, as recommended by Cilus, if I'm not going for a Multi-GPU setup, then, would the Asus M5A97 EVO be the best choice for me? Also, I won't be getting too much inside the overclocking stuff.

Again, Thanks to everyone here.

It is the best one for ur purpose. 6 + 2 VRM is great at 6.8K.

Paras Lehana said:
Mate, as recommended by Cilus, if I'm not going for a Multi-GPU setup, then, would the Asus M5A97 EVO be the best choice for me? Also, I won't be getting too much inside the overclocking stuff.

Again, Thanks to everyone here.

Yes, it would be perfect as said by Cilus.

harshilsharma63 said:
Please use quotes to avoid confusion.

Thanks for reminding man :razz:

Here is a balanced Config which includes AOC 27 inch monitor on your requirement.
Intel Core i5 i5 3570k -16k
Asus P8Z77-M PRO- 11k
GSkill 8GB DDR3-3.7k
Seagate 1tb- 3.4k
Sapphire 7950- 26k
LG DVD RW- 950
AOC E2795Vh 27 inch LED MONITOR-19.5k
CM HAF 912- 4.2k
Corsair TX 750v2-6.5k
Logitech gaming combo G100-1.8K
F&D Speaker-1.8k

Total 100k

Recheck your prices :

101gamzer said:
Thanks for reminding man

Here is a balanced Config which includes AOC 27 inch monitor on your requirement.
Intel Core i5 i5 3570k -16k <- 13.5 or so.
Asus P8Z77-M PRO- 11k <- 10.5k
GSkill 8GB DDR3-3.7k
Seagate 1tb- 3.4k <- 3.8k was the last I heard.
Sapphire 7950- 26k <- 21.5k or do you mean the 7970 which is 28-29k
LG DVD RW- 950
AOC E2795Vh 27 inch LED MONITOR-19.5k
CM HAF 912- 4.2k
Corsair TX 750v2-6.5k <- 600w is enough. 750 is excess and too much cables. Options: tx650v2, gs600, seasonic 620
Logitech gaming combo G100-1.8K
F&D Speaker-1.8k

Total 100k

Good config.
Add CM Hyper 212 Evo @ 2.2k at the minimum.

101gamzer said:
Thanks for reminding man

Here is a balanced Config which includes AOC 27 inch monitor on your requirement.

Intel Core i5 i5 3570k -16k
Asus P8Z77-M PRO- 11k
GSkill 8GB DDR3-3.7k
Seagate 1tb- 3.4k
Sapphire 7950- 26k
LG DVD RW- 950
AOC E2795Vh 27 inch LED MONITOR-19.5k
CM HAF 912- 4.2k
Corsair TX 750v2-6.5k
Logitech gaming combo G100-1.8K
F&D Speaker-1.8k

Total 100k

One suggestion here, Reading or browsing becomes pita if you opt for a 27incher for 1920 x 1080p, i would say don't go for it. You are just stretching the font size, but nothing else.

Dell Ultrasharp U2412H would be better or S series will be more of VFM here.

i would seriously suggest you to go for a 7790 crossfire

and do not force your dad to obtain the 100k mark.....1)for your requirement its absolutely not neccessary........the 72k rig suggested earlier is more than enough...is an overkill.......besides money is tough to earn i am sure your dad work's hard for every penny.......

Godoftheforbiddenlight said:
i would seriously suggest you to go for a 7790 crossfire

and do not force your dad to obtain the 100k mark.....1)for your requirement its absolutely not neccessary........the 72k rig suggested earlier is more than enough...is an overkill.......besides money is tough to earn i am sure your dad work's hard for every penny.......

Godoftheforbiddenlight said:
i would seriously suggest you to go for a 7790 crossfire

and do not force your dad to obtain the 100k mark.....1)for your requirement its absolutely not neccessary........the 72k rig suggested earlier is more than enough...is an overkill.......besides money is tough to earn i am sure your dad work's hard for every penny.......

You are our consciousness. :-D

P

Godoftheforbiddenlight said:
i would seriously suggest you to go for a 7790 crossfire

and do not force your dad to obtain the 100k mark.....1)for your requirement its absolutely not neccessary........the 72k rig suggested earlier is more than enough...is an overkill.......besides money is tough to earn i am sure your dad work's hard for every penny.......

Hehe... Yeah mate... Actually, my dad needs a pc for the University office and thus, is gonna take my old rig. Besides the UPS, he just wants all the components it has. So, I was able to convince him to get a good one now which can fulfill my gaming requirement (I said him that it's not too important

) and his research work for what he's not thinking below the i7 3770k mark. I mean i can have a low range gpu but 3G i7 is a must. That's why he's ready to invest some more money on the components so that nothing bottlenecks the CPU.

And for everyone who helped me here, really thanks buddies. I'm really grateful to you. I just got up from the bed at the moment and now reading your replies. I'll be replying soon.

Thanks!!

harshilsharma63 said:
>
> In case of Intel, a mobo such as MSI Z77a GD65 priced at ~9k is okay even for decent overclocking. Anything above 14k is suggested ONLY because you can afford it, not necessarily because you should get it.

The z77a gd65 is 14k on fk,please tell me where you got this rate as I am also looking for a sub 10k board for my i7-3770k.

NiGHtfUrY said:
The z77a gd65 is 14k on fk,please tell me where you got this rate as I am also looking for a sub 10k board for my i7-3770k.

Sorry for the error. MSI Z77a GD65 is available for 13k. The board I wanted to mention is MSI Z77A G45 which is available for ~9k.

P

d3p said:
One suggestion here, Reading or browsing becomes pita if you opt for a 27incher for 1920 x 1080p, i would say don't go for it. You are just stretching the font size, but nothing else.

Dell Ultrasharp U2412H would be better or S series will be more of VFM here.

I was viewing the review of Dell Ultrasharp U2312HM and found it on the top here.
i couldn't find Dell Ultrasharp U2412H but Dell Ultrasharp U2412M. Did you mean that? Any one got reviews for either?

Well, MSI Z77A-GD65 MOBO is great. I liked it. I need another recommendation about the multi-gpu setup. Shall I go for one 7970 or do you have any other suggestion regarding crossfire? Also, are the MSI Z77A-GD65 and asus Maximus V Gene the best in their range? What about Asus P8Z77-M PRO? I'm really confused among the MOBO stuff.

Note that my dad's gonna buy the i7 3770k.

Paras Lehana said:
I was viewing the review of Dell Ultrasharp U2412HM and found it on the top here.
i couldn't find Dell Ultrasharp U2412H but Dell Ultrasharp U2412M. Did you mean that? Any one got reviews for either?

Well, MSI Z77A-GD65 MOBO is great. I liked it. I need another recommendation about the multi-gpu setup. Shall I go for one 7970 or do you have any other suggestion regarding crossfire? Also, are the MSI Z77A-GD65 and asus Maximus V Gene the best in their range? What about Asus P8Z77-M PRO? I'm really confused among the MOBO stuff.

Note that my dad's gonna buy the i7 3770k.

Sir, its Dell U2312HM in the Review, which i have suggested is Dell U2412M [also i own three of them]

P

d3p said:
Sir, its Dell U2312HM in the Review, which i have suggested is Dell U2412M [also i own three of them]

Yeah, got messed up with models. You told me about the U2412H for which I'd a doubt. So, what do you recommend me? Here, they say U2312HM to be better for the gamers.

Paras Lehana said:
Yeah, got messed up with models. You told me about the U2412H for which I'd a doubt. So, what do you recommend me? Here, they say U2312HM to be better for the gamers.

Let me ask you one thing. Between Dell U2312HM & U2412M : other than Size, Resolution & Price, what other difference did you notice ???

If you didn't notice, then how come someone can recommend u2312HM over U2412M by concluding its meant for Gamer.... :rofl:

For Dell U2312HM you pay 13k+ & Dell u2412M cost 17.5k+. Its your call now.

P

d3p said:
Let me ask you one thing. Between Dell U2312HM & U2412M : other than Size, Resolution & Price, what other difference did you notice ???

If you didn't notice, then how come someone can recommend u2312HM over U2412M by concluding its meant for Gamer....

For Dell U2312HM you pay 13k+ & Dell u2412M cost 17.5k+. Its your call now.

Yeah, that's what I meant. But check the link - they also differentiate among the display type.
And mate, look at the resolution - It's the same!!!

Paras Lehana said:
Yeah, that's what I meant. But check the link - they also differentiate among the display type.
And mate, look at the resolution - It's the same!!!

The Resolutions are not same Sir.

U2312HM = 1920 x 1080p

U2412M = 1920 x 1200p

Check Dell India Site..

P

d3p said:
The Resolutions are not same Sir.

U2312HM = 1920 x 1080p

U2412M = 1920 x 1200p

Check Dell India Site..

Yeah!

The site is really crap. They are displaying the CNET reviews of Dell UltraSharp U2711 in U2412M section.

Both are excellent monitors, you may choose anyone which suits your budget. U2312HM has an aspect ratio of 16:9, which i believe is more apt for gaming, whereas U2412M is a 16:10 monitor, more suited for professional apps.

P

summers said:
Both are excellent monitors, you may choose anyone which suits your budget. U2312HM has an aspect ratio of 16:9, which i believe is more apt for gaming, whereas U2412M is a 16:10 monitor, more suited for professional apps.

Yeah that's what the discussions say.
@d3p, you don't agree now? :rofl:

Well, MSI Z77A-GD65 MOBO is great. I liked it. I need another recommendation about the multi-gpu setup. Shall I go for one 7970 or do you have any other suggestion regarding crossfire? Also, are the MSI Z77A-GD65 and asus Maximus V Gene the best in their range? What about Asus P8Z77-M PRO? I'm really confused among the MOBO stuff.

Note that my dad's gonna buy the i7 3770k.

anyone?

Msi z77a -GD 65 is great but did you see msi z77a g 45,it is 2k cheaper and has a thunderbolt port.

I am also looking for a mobo for my i7-3770k and confused between these tw

Paras Lehana said:
anyone?

If you are planning for a multi GPU setup, then you should leave the idea of a micro-ATX board. Please give an exact budget for the mobo, as there is notable price difference in the mobos you have mentioned.

P

summers said:
If you are planning for a multi GPU setup, then you should leave the idea of a micro-ATX board. Please give an exact budget for the mobo, as there is notable price difference in the mobos you have mentioned.

Yeah, I know about the prices. Actually, I'm confused about the multi-gpu stuff. Are the multi-gpu setup and the 15k range MOBO worth the price or shall I just go for 7970 and gd45?
And also may you give me the alternatives to Asus Maximus V Gene or it's just the best in its range? This way I'll be able to prepare a list of 3-5 best MOBO's in different ranges for my dad.
I've these ones in the list. Suggest me for better (if any):

around 7,000 - Asus M5A97 EVO
around 9,000 - MSI Z77A GD45
around 13,000 - MSI Z77A GD65
around 15,000 - Asus Maximus V Gene

Thanks.

Paras Lehana said:
Yeah that's what the discussions say.
@d3p, you don't agree now?

anyone?

Dude, 16:9 or 1920 x 1080p is a Standard HD format, which is basically supported by your HD Movies. Nowhere its mentioned that you can't game on 16:10 monitor or watch a movie. That additional 120px gives nice feel specially when you game Racing & FPS.

Do some homework like reading GPU reviews, most of sites also use 1200p monitors for bench.

P

d3p said:
Dude, 16:9 or 1920 x 1080p is a Standard HD format, which is basically supported by your HD Movies. Nowhere its mentioned that you can't game on 16:10 monitor or watch a movie. That additional 120px gives nice feel specially when you game Racing & FPS.

Do some homework like reading GPU reviews, most of sites also use 1200p monitors for bench.

Mate, be clear! You had told me that no one could decide which is meant for gamers among them. Then, I'd another post saying that 16:9 is better. And now, you're for 16:10.

I'm ready to do the homework but don't you think I should know about the subject?

Buddy, if i would have been in your place, i would have gone for U2312HM instead of U2412M. Reasons are :

> U2312HM has a lower input lag compared to U2412M.

> The 16:9 aspect ratio is more suited for movies / gaming than 16:10 aspect ratio of U2412M.

> U2412M is 4K costlier than U2312HM just for 1 Inch more.

@d3P : Yes, no one mentioned that you can't game on 16:10 monitor, but the additional 120 pixel you are talking about does not makes sense. what you forgot is that its U2412M is a 24" inch display whereas U2312HM is 23" display. You get more or less same pixel density on both panels.

Paras Lehana said:
Mate, be clear! You had told me that no one could decide which is meant for gamers among them. Then, I'd another post saying that 16:9 is better. And now, you're for 16:10.

I'm ready to do the homework but don't you think I should know about the subject?

Its again very simple to understand. When hitting at lower res the objects become larger withing a limited area, which is like zooming and you loose the detail aspect when it comes to the visuals. At higher resolutions (ie: 1080p & above) the details are more crisp and the depth of the field is much larger.

Playing at anything lower than 1680x 1050 is useless, unless the GPU that you are using is low end.

I play at 3600x 1920, I find it to be the sweet spot for my configuration. So its completely your choice which resolution is best bet for you.

summers said:
Buddy, if i would have been in your place, i would have gone for U2312HM instead of U2412M. Reasons are :

> U2312HM has a lower input lag compared to U2412M.

> The 16:9 aspect ratio is more suited for movies / gaming than 16:10 aspect ratio of U2412M.

> U2412M is 4K costlier than U2312HM just for 1 Inch more.

@d3P : Yes, no one mentioned that you can't game on 16:10 monitor, but the additional 120 pixel you are talking about does not makes sense. what you forgot is that its U2412M is a 24" inch display whereas U2312HM is 23" display. You get more or less same pixel density on both panels.

Well i agree to the point about the Price vs Performance. But not with that extra 120pixels. If you play games you can understand, what i'm really taking about other than reading reviews.

Lastly the input lag is never noticeable until unless you got some super eyes / mega eyes like transformers.

One thing to keep in mind if you are about to buy one between Dell u2312HM or U2412M. Both don't have HDMI's. Which means, connecting additional components like PS3 or X Box or Digital TV Setup box won't be possible without proper converter, which never comes cheap in india if available.

d3p said:
Dude, 16:9 or 1920 x 1080p is a Standard HD format, which is basically supported by your HD Movies. Nowhere its mentioned that you can't game on 16:10 monitor or watch a movie. That additional 120px gives nice feel specially when you game Racing & FPS.

Do some homework like reading GPU reviews, most of sites also use 1200p monitors for bench.

+1 , 1440x900 is 16:10

if you have the gfx horsepower to max out the screen res then every extra pixel counts.

input lag is noticeable. no you dont need to have transformer eyes lol.

d3p said:
Its again very simple to understand. When hitting at lower res the objects become larger withing a limited area, which is like zooming and you loose the detail aspect when it comes to the visuals. At higher resolutions (ie: 1080p & above) the details are more crisp and the depth of the field is much larger.

Playing at anything lower than 1680x 1050 is useless, unless the GPU that you are using is low end.

I play at 3600x 1920, I find it to be the sweet spot for my configuration. So its completely your choice which resolution is best bet for you.

Well i agree to the point about the Price vs Performance. But not with that extra 120pixels. If you play games you can understand, what i'm really taking about other than reading reviews.

Lastly the input lag is never noticeable until unless you got some super eyes / mega eyes like transformers.

d3p has explained everything clearly, agree with him.

I played cod 4 @ 1440x900 and then 1280x800... things blur out.... and having a higher depth of field always helps to increase realism

Cilus said:
If gaming is the main purpose, then OP should go with either i5 3570K or FX-8350 and invest the rest of the money for a better GPU.

I Totally agree with this.
FX 8350 is HELL OF A Good Pros. I am having fx 8150 which i would say , fabulous .

Isnt it Cilus?

Investing on PSU is really necesarry if you are opting a Vaporx 7970 and AMD Pros.
Go for a Corssair PSU 850W

Arnab said:
Investing on PSU is really necesarry if you are opting a Vaporx 7970 and AMD Pros.
Go for a Corssair PSU 850W

850 W will not be required. Corsair TX750 v2 at 6500 will be enough.

850w is simply an overkill . At Max 700W will be perfect.

if op wants to go dual 7870 a 700w else a 650w is okay (for no oc)

harshilsharma63 said:
850 W will not be required. Corsair TX750 v2 at 6500 will be enough.

850w is simply an overkill . At Max 700W will be perfect.

if op wants to go dual 7870 a 700w else a 650w is okay (for no oc)

So, If I go for a HD 7970 in my RIG , tx 850 ts will not be required?
I have AMD FX 8150 , Think and tell !

Arnab said:
So, If I go for a HD 7970 in my RIG , tx 850 ts will not be required?
I have AMD FX 8150 , Think and tell !

If you go with a single HD 7970, then mostly TX650 v2 like wise is sufficient. In case you want to Crossfire, TX950 or HX 850 & even AX850 will be better. Take one among these.

Arnab said:
So, If I go for a HD 7970 in my RIG , tx 850 ts will not be required?
I have AMD FX 8150 , Think and tell !

For a sngle HD7970, a 600 W PSU such as TX 650 v2 will be enough. However, for dual HD7970, an 800 W PSU will be required.

Arnab said:
So, If I go for a HD 7970 in my RIG , tx 850 ts will not be required?
I have AMD FX 8150 , Think and tell !

is that a threat? lol

NoasArcAngel said:
is that a threat? lol

LOL, Absolutely no.

SO , OP you can go fo the PSU suggested just above with a GOOD GPU.
I woul SUggest You SOLID - HD 7970 vapor X

P

Thanks everyone here.

You help others like you're going to buy the rig yourself not the others.

Well, if I go for a dual gpu setup (budget is 30k), would you recommend me that over HD 7970 Vapor X? If yes, may you please tell me the GPUs I should get? HD 7850?

If you are fixed on dual gpu setup, 660 sli might be better.
Keep in might the additional heat generated inside the cabinet. Will need good airflow.

Post your finalized /updated config as of now.

P

Config Decided as of Now

Myth said:
If you are fixed on dual gpu setup, 660 sli might be better.
Keep in might the additional heat generated inside the cabinet. Will need good airflow.

Post your finalized /updated config as of now.

I ain't fixed on it - I'm taking suggestions!

Till now, here's my config for different ranges:

NEED SUGGESTIONS!!!

-----------------------------------------------------------

MONITOR

Dell U2312HM
Dell U2412M

GPU

Sapphire HD 7970 Vapor X
Sapphire HD 7950 Vapor X
Sapphire HD 7870 XT
2 x Sapphire HD 7850

HDD

Seagate Barracuda 1/2/3 TB

CPU

Intel Core i7 3770k
AMD FX 8350

RAM

Corsair Vengeance DDR3 (2 x 4 = 8 GB) @ 1600 MHz
GSkill RipjawsX (2 x 4 = 8 GB) @ 1600 MHz

MOBO

Asus M5A97 EVO
MSI Z77A GD45
MSI Z77A GD65
Asus Maximus V Gene

KEYBOARD/MOUSE

Logitech Gaming Combo G100

Re: Config Decided as of Now

If you r going play games, then here is vote.

Dell U2412M

Any Stock HD 7970 will do as it cost less than 28k. If you want a factory oc card then pay 30K+ & Get the MSI Lightning HD7970.

Get an intel i7 3770k + maximus V gene. If you are on budget then get AMD FX 8350.

Psu : corsair tx850 v2. Leave some headroom for another hd7970.

Get the ripjaws x kits or corsair vengeance lp kits.

Spend atleast 2k for a decent after market cooler.

Decent cabinet like NZXT source elite 211 or corsair carbide 300r will do the most.

P

d3p said:
If you r going play games, then here is vote.

Dell U2412M

Any Stock HD 7970 will do as it cost less than 28k. If you want a factory oc card then pay 30K+ & Get the MSI Lightning HD7970.

Get an intel i7 3770k + maximus V gene. If you are on budget then get AMD FX 8350.

Psu : corsair tx850 v2. Leave some headroom for another hd7970.

Get the ripjaws x kits or corsair vengeance lp kits.

Spend atleast 2k for a decent after market cooler.

Decent cabinet like NZXT source elite 211 or corsair carbide 300r will do the most.

Grateful to you mate.

Is the factory oc different in any way than the other one? I can Overclock it also.

Paras Lehana said:
Grateful to you mate.

Is the factory oc different in any way than the other one? I can Overclock it also.

As in the name, A factory OC card comes with a another 100 or more MHz, than a stock one. But for a factory one you pay more as you don't void any warranty. But if you go with a stock card, then you can OC by your own, but your going to VOID the warranty in case something goes wrong.

Since you are under tight budget, i suggest you to get a stock card & OC within safe limits like 1150 or 1200 in case with HD 7970.

Factory OCed cards have better cooling tech.

P

Re: Config Decided as of Now

d3p said:
If you r going play games, then here is vote.

Get the ripjaws x kits or corsair vengeance lp kits.

And friend this one. Kits? You mean set of RAM, right?

Myth said:
Factory OCed cards have better cooling tech.

Thanks for the info mate.

Re: Config Decided as of Now

RipjawX and Corsair Vengeance are Ram modules, you guessed it right.

Myth said:
Factory OCed cards have better cooling tech.

yup very important factor, if you are going to consider overclocking the gpu in the future.

P

d3p said:
If you r going play games, then here is vote.

Any Stock HD 7970 will do as it cost less than 28k. If you want a factory oc card then pay 30K+ & Get the MSI Lightning HD7970.

Get an intel i7 3770k + maximus V gene. If you are on budget then get AMD FX 8350.

Psu : corsair tx850 v2. Leave some headroom for another hd7970.

Mate, if now I'm gonna get 850 W PSU and a high end Maximus V Gene MOBO, shan't I go for a dual gpu setup for around 30k? Would it be better than one 7970?

And if I opt for one 7970, is the 850 W PSU price worth its future proof stuff?

P.S: I'm also thinking to wait till next month's digit comes into the market.

Paras Lehana said:
Mate, if now I'm gonna get 850 W PSU and a high end Maximus V Gene MOBO, shan't I go for a dual gpu setup for around 30k? Would it be better than one 7970?

And if I opt for one 7970, is the 850 W PSU price worth its future proof stuff?

P.S: I'm also thinking to wait till next month's digit comes into the market.

You won't get substantial gains from a dual GPU setup compared to single HD 7970. An 850 W PSU is an overkill and simply waste of money. For futureproofing, a decent 750W PSU would do for your rig.

IMO, you should leave the concept of dual gpu setup fro now and go with HD7970.

P

summers said:
You won't get substantial gains from a dual GPU setup compared to single HD 7970. An 850 W PSU is an overkill and simply waste of money. For futureproofing, a decent 750W PSU would do for your rig.

IMO, you should leave the concept of dual gpu setup fro now and go with HD7970.

Okay mate!

HD 7970 Vapor X??

You can go wid vapor x

if you want a 7970 get the vapor x though

7870 set up for more performance, 7970 setup for more quality . period

Regarding, dual GPU setup, if you Crossfire or SLI two middle end GPU like HD 7870 or GTX 660 Ti then the performance gain over a single powerful GPU like HD 7970 or GTX 680 is pretty higher. If OP is willing to take the initial hassles of installing a dual GPU solution, then it provides better VFM and long lasting solution than a single very powerful card. Games like Crysis 3, Tomb Raider 2013, Far Cry3 etc are already stressing the highest end GPU and within 6 months, I am sure, these cards won't be able to run the upcoming demanding games with highest settings enabled, even at 1080P resolution. On that time, you can see the true power of a Multi-GPU solution.

Cilus said:
Regarding, dual GPU setup, if you Crossfire or SLI two middle end GPU like HD 7870 or GTX 660 Ti then the performance gain over a single powerful GPU like HD 7970 or GTX 680 is pretty higher. If OP is willing to take the initial hassles of installing a dual GPU solution, then it provides better VFM and long lasting solution than a single very powerful card. Games like Crysis 3, Tomb Raider 2013, Far Cry3 etc are already stressing the highest end GPU and within 6 months, I am sure, these cards won't be able to run the upcoming demanding games with highest settings enabled, even at 1080P resolution. On that time, you can see the true power of a Multi-GPU solution.

performance gains are serious. almost 100% in some cases... but this is not a future proof solution.... for games releasing this yera its pretty good but later if OP is confident he will get another 7970 then he should go for a 7970 single set-up now and a year later add another 7970

Dual mid range cards are doing better than the high end ones. Even a 7850cf / 660 sli can beat a 7970ghz / 680 with a decent lead. Both setups have almost same cost and power consumption.

In the link below, the min fps for a 7850 cf is the same as the avg fps for 7970ghz and 680 attained in BF3. (Do correct me if I misread the data. :razz:

)
A Trio from HIS: 7970 IceQ X² GHz Edition, 7950 IceQ X² Boost Clock and 7850 IceQ Turbo X Graphics Cards Review. Page 10 - X-bit labs

IMO, the 7870 cf is still the sweet spot followed by the 660ti sli.
While the 7870cf is a little costlier @ 32k compared to 7970ghz/680, the performance/cost and longevity is unmatched and guaranteed.
660ti sli is great performer backed by the smoothness of sli, but cost is a bit high at almost 40k.

Myth said:
Dual mid range cards are doing better than the high end ones. Even a 7850cf / 660 sli can beat a 7970ghz / 680 with a decent lead. Both setups have almost same cost and power consumption.
View attachment 9655

In the link below, the min fps for a 7850 cf is the same as the avg fps for 7970ghz and 680 attained in BF3. (Do correct me if I misread the data. )
A Trio from HIS: 7970 IceQ X² GHz Edition, 7950 IceQ X² Boost Clock and 7850 IceQ Turbo X Graphics Cards Review. Page 10 - X-bit labs

IMO, the 7870 cf is still the sweet spot followed by the 660ti sli.
While the 7870cf is a little costlier @ 32k compared to 7970ghz/680, the performance/cost and longevity is unmatched and guaranteed.
660ti sli is great performer backed by the smoothness of sli, but cost is a bit high at almost 40k.

but with a dual 7970 we are looking at 2x that range. + increasing the longevity of the system at a minimal cost .... if the OP decides to add another 7970 even 2 years down the line it will have enough gfx power to run games.

summers said:
You won't get substantial gains from a dual GPU setup compared to single HD 7970. An 850 W PSU is an overkill and simply waste of money. For futureproofing, a decent 750W PSU would do for your rig.

IMO, you should leave the concept of dual gpu setup fro now and go with HD7970.

Wtf !!..Dual Gpus like 7870 CF can beat the hell out of HD7970 at price point of view and performance wise too. Get your fact correct onboard. Also the reason behind suggesting you 850w is, later you can opt for another HD7970 for CF.

Not a single 750w psu is built till date to handle 7970CF.

The only problem here is HD7870 CF not being a futureproof solution than a single HD7970.

P

Oh! I was just looking at your discussions and didn't get one thing:

d3p said:
They only problem here is HD7870 CF not being a futureproof solution than a single HD7970.

Mate, can you please explain me that?

Paras Lehana said:
Oh! I was just looking at your discussions and didn't get one thing:

Mate, can you please explain me that?

Lets say, if you opt for Two HD 7870's now & later after a year you realized its not sufficient for gaming, you won't have a option left to add another GPU into your existing Config ?? Either you would have ran out of PCIe slots or PSU can't handle the Power requirements. Worst your cabinet might not allow you for Tri-Fire.

But you get a single HD 7970 & later you can add another into this setup & you are good to go. That's why 850w is minimum.

d3p said:
Lets say, if you opt for Two HD 7870's now & later after a year you realized its not sufficient for gaming, you won't have a option left to add another GPU into your existing Config ??

But you get a single HD 7970 & later you can add another into this setup & you are good to go. That's why 850w is minimum.

yup thats what i also said

P

d3p said:
Lets say, if you opt for Two HD 7870's now & later after a year you realized its not sufficient for gaming, you won't have a option left to add another GPU into your existing Config ?? Either you would have ran out of PCIe slots or PSU can't handle the Power requirements. Worst your cabinet might not allow you for Tri-Fire.

But you get a single HD 7970 & later you can add another into this setup & you are good to go. That's why 850w is minimum.

Thanks mate!!

I want to add one thing. My XII standard classes are gonna start from this April. You know, I've only one year or lil bit more to stay here at my home. After that, my dad's gonna get me a lappie. Well, I'd try to take this box to my hostel.

So, for about two years after that, my brother would operate it. He's not into much high-end gaming.

Any suggestions? Hope you get me.

Paras Lehana said:
Thanks mate!!

I want to add one thing. My XII standard classes are gonna start from this April. You know, I've only one year or lil bit more to stay here at my home. After that, my dad's gonna get me a lappie. Well, I'd try to take this box to my hostel. So, for about two years after that, my brother would operate it. He's not into much high-end gaming.

Any suggestions? Hope you get me.

In that case, it would be waste of money, no offence.

P

harshilsharma63 said:
In that case, it would be waste of money, no offence.

You mean crossfire? Or the whole rig. I'm not insisting my dad to get it. He's getting the i7 for his own. I'm just adding a better GPU to it. He just wants the best when getting something new. That post just implied IMO may be I won't care much about future proofiness. I just want your suggestions - you're experienced to this, I'm new. That's why I added it.

Paras Lehana said:
You mean crossfire? Or the whole rig. I'm not insisting my dad to get it. He's getting the i7 for his own. I'm just adding a better GPU to it. He just wants the best when getting something new. That post just implied IMO may be I won't care much about future proofiness. I just want your suggestions - you're experienced to this, I'm new. That's why I added it.

I mean it's a wasate of money IF you are getting it for yourself for some gaming; as you'll be able to use it for one year only. If that's for your dad, then it's okay.

d3p said:
Lets say, if you opt for Two HD 7870's now & later after a year you realized its not sufficient for gaming, you won't have a option left to add another GPU into your existing Config ?? Either you would have ran out of PCIe slots or PSU can't handle the Power requirements. Worst your cabinet might not allow you for Tri-Fire.

But you get a single HD 7970 & later you can add another into this setup & you are good to go. That's why 850w is minimum.

NoasArcAngel said:
yup thats what i also said

I had the same line of thought as you guys. Cilus explained the flip side to that notion very nicely with convincing examples.
*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/graphic-cards/171421-need-some-advice-new-gpu.html#post1862579

Performance wise, the 7870cf is decently ahead of a 7970 (AMD Radeon HD 7870 2GB Reference Video Cards in CrossFire - Benchmarks - 3DMark 11 :: TweakTown). Relative to a 7970, the 7870 cf setup will last in the same proportion.
By the time, the 7870 cf is expiring, the single 7970 has long expired. The market then will have new cards, more powerful, less power consuming. One is going to opt for a new set of cards, rather than add another which is 1-2 generation older.

PS: I dont know where exactly this thread is headed. Looks more like a multi gpu performance\longevity discussion than a config setup.
@OP: Post the latest config that you have finalized.

P

Myth said:
I had the same line of thought as you guys. Cilus explained the flip side to that notion very nicely with convincing examples.
*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/graphic-cards/171421-need-some-advice-new-gpu.html#post1862579

Performance wise, the 7870cf is decently ahead of a 7970 (AMD Radeon HD 7870 2GB Reference Video Cards in CrossFire - Benchmarks - 3DMark 11 :: TweakTown). Relative to a 7970, the 7870 cf setup will last in the same proportion.
By the time, the 7870 cf is expiring, the single 7970 has long expired. The market then will have new cards, more powerful, less power consuming. One is going to opt for a new set of cards, rather than add another which is 1-2 generation older.

PS: I dont know where exactly this thread is headed. Looks more like a multi gpu performance\longevity discussion than a config setup.
@OP: Post the latest config that you have finalized.

Thanks, mate! I'm reading the thread, *www.thinkdigit.com/forum/graphic-cards/171421-need-some-advice-new-gpu.html#post1862579 - will post the config soon.

Myth said:
I had the same line of thought as you guys. Cilus explained the flip side to that notion very nicely with convincing examples.
*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/graphic-cards/171421-need-some-advice-new-gpu.html#post1862579

Performance wise, the 7870cf is decently ahead of a 7970 (AMD Radeon HD 7870 2GB Reference Video Cards in CrossFire - Benchmarks - 3DMark 11 :: TweakTown). Relative to a 7970, the 7870 cf setup will last in the same proportion.
By the time, the 7870 cf is expiring, the single 7970 has long expired. The market then will have new cards, more powerful, less power consuming. One is going to opt for a new set of cards, rather than add another which is 1-2 generation older.

PS: I dont know where exactly this thread is headed. Looks more like a multi gpu performance\longevity discussion than a config setup.
@OP: Post the latest config that you have finalized.

In fact I was searching that post of mine...thanks for taking your time to find it and post it here. Lets not go to CF/SLI vs single GPU performance discussion again. In simple term, if you get a CF or SLI setup of mid range cards, they will cost you almost same as the current highest end cards but will last reasonable amount longer than a single powerful GPU solution. But getting the higher end card now and plan to go for multi-gpu after 1 year is not going to work. That is the reason I suggested GamerAnand to get a HD 7870 CF instead of a single HD 7970 Matrix Platinum which is costlier than the 7870 CF setup. Now he can max out the most demanding games like Crysis 3 with higher AA setting than any single GPU cards like 680 or 7970 GHz edition.

And regarding smoothness and Micro Stuttering of CF setup, with the latest drivers, AMD has addressed them mostly. Check the latest review of Tomb Raider 2013 in Hardocp where there was no visible lag or choppiness while using HD 7970 GHz edition or HD 7870 CF setup.

P

The post by Cilus really cleared out the doubts I had. Thanks, Cilus and Myth.

Here's my latest config as of now. I'm not including GPU config as I just need a last suggestion for the GPUs I should get. I'm considering 7870 and 7850 (depends on the cost of either I get here in Jammu). You may recommend me the variant I should go for.

NEED SUGGESTIONS!!!

-----------------------------------------------------------

MONITOR

Dell U2412M

HDD

Seagate Barracuda 1/2/3 TB

CPU

Intel Core i7 3770k

RAM

Corsair Vengeance DDR3 (2 x 4 = 8 GB) @ 1600 MHz
GSkill RipjawsX (2 x 4 = 8 GB) @ 1600 MHz

MOBO

Asus Maximus V Gene

KEYBOARD/MOUSE

Logitech Gaming Combo G100

^ for RAM, get G.Skill ripjawsX. They have smaller heat spreaders which don't interfere if you plan to install an aftermarket cpu cooler.

P

harshilsharma63 said:
^ for RAM, get G.Skill ripjawsX. They have smaller heat spreaders which don't interfere if you plan to install an aftermarket cpu cooler.

Done!

Paras Lehana said:
Done!

And what about cpu cooler? You didn't mention than in the list? Get CM hyper 212 evo.

P

harshilsharma63 said:
And what about cpu cooler? You didn't mention than in the list? Get CM hyper 212 evo.

Yeah, I was waiting for replies. I want recommendations on the dual-GPUs and the PSU according to it.
CM hyper 212 evo accepted!!

Paras Lehana said:
Yeah, I was waiting for replies. I want recommendations on the dual-GPUs and the PSU according to it.
CM hyper 212 evo accepted!!

Imo, dual GPUs is better than a high end single GPU. And for PSU Corsair TX750 will be good.

If you are willing to go for Dual GPU solution then Sapphire HD 7870 Dual Fan CF is the way to go. Currently it is available around 16.4K in Kolkata including taxes. SAPPHIRE GRAPHICS CARD HD 7870 2GB DDR5 GHz EDITION

I will be reaching Kolkata on Thursday, will check with our favorite Vedant Computer about their offering and let you know. For PSU, a good 750W PSU will do the job just fine as 3770K's power consumption is very low. Seasonic 750JS around 5.6K is the most VFM in my opinion. 7870 consumes lesser power than HD 6870 and as per guru3d recommendation, a 700W PSU will just do fine for the HD 7870 CF setup. Check it out here:-
*www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/amd_radeon_hd_7850_and_7870_review,7.html

P

Cilus said:
If you are willing to go for Dual GPU solution then Sapphire HD 7870 Dual Fan CF is the way to go. Currently it is available around 16.4K in Kolkata including taxes. SAPPHIRE GRAPHICS CARD HD 7870 2GB DDR5 GHz EDITION

I will be reaching Kolkata on Thursday, will check with our favorite Vedant Computer about their offering and let you know. For PSU, a good 750W PSU will do the job just fine as 3770K's power consumption is very low. Seasonic 750JS around 5.6K is the most VFM in my opinion. 7870 consumes lesser power than HD 6870 and as per guru3d recommendation, a 700W PSU will just do fine for the HD 7870 CF setup. Check it out here:-
AMD Radeon HD 7850 and 7870 review - Hardware setup | Power consumption

Finalized Corsair TX 750 v2 and Sapphire HD 7870 GHz Edition. Mate can you assist me with one thing? I've been researching on Multi-GPU setups for hours but didn't get about what they mean by 'a bridge'? Space or something like ports? Here's the link - SLI / CrossFire FAQs - Graphics Cards - Graphics & Displays

It is a connector which attach the Graphics cards working together.
*www.vistax64.com/attachments/graphic-cards/17011d1257599956-crossfire-setup-crossfire-bridge.jpg
*specialtech.co.uk/spshop/files/detail/palit-crossfire.jpg

P

Cilus said:
It is a connector which attach the Graphics cards working together.

Oh! Thank you brother!

That means, I've to buy it separately. I think it'd cost me around 500 bugs. Correct me if I'm wrong.

It will come with your Graphic card, one for each of them and also with the Motherboard if you are buying a 990FX Motherboard.

P

Thanks, Cilus!
Just got my internet connection restored today!

Well, I've provided the dealer with the config. I was looking for the cabinets online and really liked these ones:

Cooler Master Gladiator 600 Mid Tower Cabinet
Corsair 300R

Any suggestions?

You can go with the Corsair Carbide 400R .

+1 for 400r. It's a very spacious, well build cabinet with very good airflow and cable management spaces.

+1 for 400r. It's a very spacious, well build cabinet with very good airflow and cable management spaces.

P

Sainatarajan said:
You can go with the Corsair Carbide 400R .

harshilsharma63 said:
+1 for 400r. It's a very spacious, well build cabinet with very good airflow and cable management spaces.

+1 for 400r. It's a very spacious, well build cabinet with very good airflow and cable management spaces.

Okay!
I'll be getting my pc the following week.

Friends, one thing - I just got the month's digit and have seen a lot of reviews for ASRock Z77 Extreme4. Any comparison for VFM b/w ASRock Z77 Extreme4 and Asus V Maximus Gene?
Adding - I need a good sound card too and think the Gene takes the lead here.

V

Paras Lehana said:
Okay!
I'll be getting my pc the following week.

Friends, one thing - I just got the month's digit and have seen a lot of reviews for ASRock Z77 Extreme4. Any comparison for VFM b/w ASRock Z77 Extreme4 and Asus V Maximus Gene?
Adding - I need a good sound card too and think the Gene takes the lead here.

To me the only thing that counts on mobo upgrade are pcie slots, ram slots, usb 3.0 slots, sata III slots etc.
The phase design of maximus is obviously be better than extreme 4
but its gonna be a difference of only few hundereds of mhz in overclocking at best. A better cooler is much more recommended.

I think of the motherboard as dumbest necessity, it has no on performance whatsoever other than overclocking which is not really needed in an i7 and cant be done on an i3!! What a tragedy :/

But with maximus you are gonna get some freebies too.

And try gigabyte udh3, it too has an excellent repo and is cheaper than maximus

Asrock doesn't have good service in India afaik. Go for maximus v gene.

Asrock doesn't have good service in India afaik. Go for maximus v gene.

It is better to go with a Reputed Brand...

VRM design is not just for overclocking, it has other benefits too. Even when not overclocked, when stressed at 100% for long period of time, say the time of converting a Blue Ray Disk to X264 using very high presents, the CPU power consumption increases very much and if you're in high performance mode, all the 4 (in case of Intel i5 and i7) or 8 (In case of AMD FX 8000 series) cores can run at their maximum Turbo Frequency which is sometimes quite higher than the stock speed, resulting rapid increase of power consumption and thermals. A good digital VRM then can handle the CPU current flow very efficiently to distribute the pressure proportionally and keeping it within its thermal limits. A bad VRM design can cripple the whole system here, if a sudden power surge occurs.

Just search about the Motherboard MSI 970A-GD46 and GD43 and you will find several issues even without any kind of overclocking. So while paying more than 10K for a Motherboard, lets not just concentrate on the features it offers but also to the quality and performance parameters. Asrock Z77 Extreme 6, looks like a premium board but it is just a feature board offering huge number of expansion slots, USB etc. In terms of pure performance, it is behind both Asus and Gigabyte. So while making the pruchase, make sure you are getting a balance between these two factors.

Cilus said:
VRM design is not just for overclocking, it has other benefits too. Even when not overclocked, when stressed at 100% for long period of time, say the time of converting a Blue Ray Disk to X264 using very high presents, the CPU power consumption increases very much and if you're in high performance mode, all the 4 (in case of Intel i5 and i7) or 8 (In case of AMD FX 8000 series) cores can run at their maximum Turbo Frequency which is sometimes quite higher than the stock speed, resulting rapid increase of power consumption and thermals. A good digital VRM then can handle the CPU current flow very efficiently to distribute the pressure proportionally and keeping it within its thermal limits. A bad VRM design can cripple the whole system here, if a sudden power surge occurs.

Just search about the Motherboard MSI 970A-GD46 and GD43 and you will find several issues even without any kind of overclocking. So while paying more than 10K for a Motherboard, lets not just concentrate on the features it offers but also to the quality and performance parameters. Asrock Z77 Extreme 6, looks like a premium board but it is just a feature board offering huge number of expansion slots, USB etc. In terms of pure performance, it is behind both Asus and Gigabyte. So while making the pruchase, make sure you are getting a balance between these two factors.

Voltage ~~ Pressure, not current.

Cilus said:
VRM design is not just for overclocking, it has other benefits too. Even when not overclocked, when stressed at 100% for long period of time, say the time of converting a Blue Ray Disk to X264 using very high presents, the CPU power consumption increases very much and if you're in high performance mode, all the 4 (in case of Intel i5 and i7) or 8 (In case of AMD FX 8000 series) cores can run at their maximum Turbo Frequency which is sometimes quite higher than the stock speed, resulting rapid increase of power consumption and thermals. A good digital VRM then can handle the CPU current flow very efficiently to distribute the pressure proportionally and keeping it within its thermal limits. A bad VRM design can cripple the whole system here, if a sudden power surge occurs.

Just search about the Motherboard MSI 970A-GD46 and GD43 and you will find several issues even without any kind of overclocking. So while paying more than 10K for a Motherboard, lets not just concentrate on the features it offers but also to the quality and performance parameters. Asrock Z77 Extreme 6, looks like a premium board but it is just a feature board offering huge number of expansion slots, USB etc. In terms of pure performance, it is behind both Asus and Gigabyte. So while making the pruchase, make sure you are getting a balance between these two factors.

Thanks , very well explained in simple words

V

Extreme 6 and 4 have same vrm design.
I still suggest you to take a look at gigabyte udh3. Its an excellent mobo with good overclocking ability.

V

Extreme6 has much better VRM heatsink MOSFETs than extreme4 which can get better sustained overclocks.
Since Gigabyte z77x ud3h has come down to ~12k,it can be considered,can be said to be bit better built-wise than extreme6.
In 15-16k bracket MSI z77 Mpower and Asus P8Z77 V Pro are good.

P

Cilus said:
VRM design is not just for overclocking, it has other benefits too. Even when not overclocked, when stressed at 100% for long period of time, say the time of converting a Blue Ray Disk to X264 using very high presents, the CPU power consumption increases very much and if you're in high performance mode, all the 4 (in case of Intel i5 and i7) or 8 (In case of AMD FX 8000 series) cores can run at their maximum Turbo Frequency which is sometimes quite higher than the stock speed, resulting rapid increase of power consumption and thermals. A good digital VRM then can handle the CPU current flow very efficiently to distribute the pressure proportionally and keeping it within its thermal limits. A bad VRM design can cripple the whole system here, if a sudden power surge occurs.

Just search about the Motherboard MSI 970A-GD46 and GD43 and you will find several issues even without any kind of overclocking. So while paying more than 10K for a Motherboard, lets not just concentrate on the features it offers but also to the quality and performance parameters. Asrock Z77 Extreme 6, looks like a premium board but it is just a feature board offering huge number of expansion slots, USB etc. In terms of pure performance, it is behind both Asus and Gigabyte. So while making the pruchase, make sure you are getting a balance between these two factors.

Sainatarajan said:
It is better to go with a Reputed Brand...

harshilsharma63 said:
Asrock doesn't have good service in India afaik. Go for maximus v gene.

vaibhavs800 said:
To me the only thing that counts on mobo upgrade are pcie slots, ram slots, usb 3.0 slots, sata III slots etc.
The phase design of maximus is obviously be better than extreme 4
but its gonna be a difference of only few hundereds of mhz in overclocking at best. A better cooler is much more recommended.

I think of the motherboard as dumbest necessity, it has no on performance whatsoever other than overclocking which is not really needed in an i7 and cant be done on an i3!! What a tragedy :/

But with maximus you are gonna get some freebies too.

And try gigabyte udh3, it too has an excellent repo and is cheaper than maximus

vaibhavs800 said:
Extreme 6 and 4 have same vrm design.
I still suggest you to take a look at gigabyte udh3. Its an excellent mobo with good overclocking ability.

vkl said:
Extreme6 has much better VRM heatsink MOSFETs than extreme4 which can get better sustained overclocks.
Since Gigabyte z77x ud3h has come down to ~12k,it can be considered,can be said to be bit better built-wise than extreme6.
In 15-16k bracket MSI z77 Mpower and Asus P8Z77 V Pro are good.

Thanks everyone for clearing out the doubts and discussing about it.

I was comparing the motherboards you've suggested me. Here's the link of the references - anyone else may get help too!

Gigabyte GA-z77x-UD5H (is it better than UDH3?)
Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD5H Gaming Performance | bit-tech.net

Asus P8Z77 V Pro VS Maximus V Gene
P8Z77 V Pro VS Maximus V Gene

So, Asus Maximus or Gigabyte UD5H/UDH3?

dude its gigabyte z77x ud3h ....
ud5h is more costly and IMHO after purchasing and then comparing the difference in price is not worth it........
google a little bit more there is a full review on it comparing other mobos from asus , msi and asrock with same and above price range......

P

Okay! Finalized It!

Gaming Rig - i7, 2x HD 7870 CF (₹ 1,12,000)

Display

Dell UltraSharp U2412M ~ ₹ 18,000

CPU

Intel® Core™ i7-3770K Processor ~ ₹ 20,000

GPU

2 x SAPPHIRE HD 7870 GHz Edition OC 2GB GDDR5 Crossfired ~ ₹ 16,000 x 2 = ₹ 32,000

Motherboard

ASUS MAXIMUS V GENE ~ ₹ 15,000

RAM

2 x 4 GB (= 8 GB) G.SKILL [ RipjawsX ] ~ ₹ 4,000

HDD

Seagate Barracuda 3 TB ~ ₹ 8,000

PSU

CORSAIR TX 750 V2 ~ ₹ 6,500

CPU Cooler

Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO ~ ₹ 2,000

Cabinet

Corsair Carbide Series 400R ~ ₹ 5,000

Keyboard/Mouse

Logitech Gaming Combo G100 ~ ₹ 1,200

Total ~ ₹ 1,12,000

P.S.: Had a great support here on dgt forums. You all were really awesome and supportive to me and assisted me in every possible way. From random suggestion to clear and simple explanations, I've no reason for going against this finalized config now. Thanks everyone here.

Thanks to:

rock2702
RiGOD
summers
harshilsharma63
NoasArcAngel
gta0gagan
Cilus
Sainatarajan
Harsh Pranami
101gamzer
Nerevarine
sumalatha
Myth
d3p
Godoftheforbiddenlight
NiGHtfUrY
Arnab
vaibhavs800
vkl

Will miss ya' guys!!

You are not going to miss us buddy. We can still help you to direct you to a proper online shops or getting a better deal. Also after purchasing, I think you will be requiring some expert suggestions to setup and optimize the performance of your rig.

now even i m considering 7870 cf instead of single 7950 for 1080p ...........

but have to expand budget ......

@op; you won't regret any part. Super config. Enjoy!

@ OP enjoy!!! Its a killer one.

P

Yup, I'd keep posting here. Well, I don't think I'd get to miss you - here's my another query:

I was considering the G100 on flipkart and spotted the wire connected to the mouse. I really want a cordless combo. Have any suggestions for a cordless gaming combo?

Any Cordless mouse will have lag.No matter how expensive and technically advanced. Even the mighty Razer Mamba suffers from lag despite having Dual Sensors / Ultrapoling at 1000hz at 1ms.

Stick to corded for better results.