New Gaming Rig, need suggestions / tips

yourusername — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 00:03:35 +0800

Hi sifus,

I will probably be heading to Low Yat Plaza soon to get a new gaming rig. I don't have a firm budget but I don't want to go overboard (let's say around 5k without monitor/accessories), so I'd like some recommendations. Not thinking of overclocking.

CPU: I did some research, I have some basic idea of what processor to get (looking at i5 2500 at the moment).

MOBO:: What I'm not sure is what makes a good motherboard? The brand? What makes a motherboard expensive? What features should I get or will I need in the near future?

GPU: I'm thinking of getting GTX570, but I can save quite a bit by going 560OC (I'm assuming it's factory OC?). Is the difference in performance big? Also, what manufacturer is good? Should I go for the branded ones like ASUS or the lesser known ones? I'm not set on which GPU to get, any suggestion is welcomed.

SSD: There are quite a few different brands with substantial disparity in prices. What's a good one, and if I take the cheaper ones what are the drawbacks? I'm mainly booting windows and some games from it.

HDD: Should I invest in a 'performance' HDD? What's the difference? For example, WD Caviar Black vs WD Sata 2 Green.

Casing: I don't need a good looking one, what should I consider when buying a casing? (aside from fitting all the components inside)

I do web development for work, but I don't think I need a lot out of the system for it. Aside from running some local servers and virtual machines.

Other questions I have:
# Do I need any separate fans? Like a better heatsink fan for CPU?
# How reliable is the build quality of those shops in Low Yat?
# If something breaks, do I take the item back to the shop I buy from, or the manufacturer?
# Should I get i7 2600 instead?

Any other tips are appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

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New Gaming Rig, need suggestions / tips