Hey is this a good gaming PC?

[Amakir]

Well a new year and a new series of Intel-processors means a simple update for most people (PC-gamers) but since my computer is starting to get old, really old, i am buying a completion new computer.

Here is the computer: http://www.inet.se/kundvagn/visa/127457/gaming-pc

The website is in Swedish but i think you guys can figure out what the different parts is. Thanks in advance.

EDIT: 8,592.00 Swedish Kronor = 1,279.58 US DOllars and 962.585 Euro

[gamer0004]

Looks fine, though the CPU is a K model, which means it has an unlocked multiplier (which is necessary to be able to overclock the new core i* 2 processors), but if you're not thinking about overclocking it anyway it's cheaper to get a normal model.
Also, it might be a good idea to spend less on the CPU (buy an i5 2500 for instance) and more on the GPU (unless you're planning to unlock the 6950 to a 6970) and get an Nvidia GTX 570 (or a GTX 560 which will be released on January 25).
And you need RAM - at least 4GB DDR3.
I don't know much about PSUs, but one review I found wasn't terribly positive, so you might want to choose another one (for instance the Antec TruePower 650W).
Also, those Samsung F3 HDDs are great, you might want to buy two of those and put them in Raid 0 for more speed.

Do you want to assemble the computer yourself or let someone else do it?

[Amakir]

Looks fine, though the CPU is a K model, which means it has an unlocked multiplier (which is necessary to be able to overclock the new core i* 2 processors), but if you're not thinking about overclocking it anyway it's cheaper to get a normal model.
Also, it might be a good idea to spend less on the CPU (buy an i5 2500 for instance) and more on the GPU (unless you're planning to unlock the 6950 to a 6970) and get an Nvidia GTX 570 (or a GTX 560 which will be released on January 25).
And you need RAM - at least 4GB DDR3.
I don't know much about PSUs, but one review I found wasn't terribly positive, so you might want to choose another one (for instance the Antec TruePower 650W).
Also, those Samsung F3 HDDs are great, you might want to buy two of those and put them in Raid 0 for more speed.

Do you want to assemble the computer yourself or let someone else do it?

Well i seem to have forgotten the RAM. Silly me.

On Inet (the website which i am buying my computer from) the K models is cheaper for some utterly arbitrary reason. I was planing to unlock the 6950 and i see no real reason to buy a 570 except possibly for the PhysX effects which wont really be a problem with a good CPU.

[justanotherfan]

Good PC. I like the case, good choice. Their PSUs are unavailable here, but 80+ is a good choice, as is a large fan.

The CPU appears too expensive, which is an indicator that it'll run hot and loud. If they have a lower-end i7, I suggest saving money there without losing features. Consider it as a down payment on a new videocard in a couple years.

I suggest adding a slow 140mm case fan, and a large CPU heatsink (eg. a Thermalright or Prolimatech tower). An aftermarket GPU cooler could also help for silence or overclocking.

[justanotherfan]

Actually, check that, sorry. I was quite wrong. I was a few weeks out of date, and had read briefings about the architecture changes, but hadn't seen benchmarks or prices.

The sandy bridge 2600k appears to be the best processor available even for price. It's midrange, new, and a top performer. Nearly a billion transistors, UEFI finally enabled, and it should go above 4ghz overclocked. I just looked hopefully toward AMD, and found their top processor is put to shame by Intel's i5, let alone the sandy bridge processor. Intel is really putting it to AMD now, even making other i7 processors look bad. Horrible to an old AMD fan and I hope they'll do better, but they're focusing on the lowend, and that processor appears to be what I would choose. ASUS Intel motherboards are significantly more expensive, but AMD ones appear to have fewer features.

I may actually choose it. One of my computers (OSX86) started freezing about USB, and then stopped booting. Letting it sit unplugged fixed it for a while (which is so archaic), and now memtest86 is actually crashing instead of finding errors. That had me looking at new hardware on this PC in the mean time.

You could consider waiting for the next high-end socket to come from Intel, since this sandy bridge processor is on the midrange socket (Intel is evil for doing this), and the P67 chipset is lackluster and buggy, but performance per dollar or watt would have me choose the 2600k at the moment.

[Amakir]

Actually, check that, sorry. I was quite wrong. I was a few weeks out of date, and had read briefings about the architecture changes, but hadn't seen benchmarks or prices.

The sandy bridge 2600k appears to be the best processor available even for price. It's midrange, new, and a top performer. Nearly a billion transistors, UEFI finally enabled, and it should go above 4ghz overclocked. I just looked hopefully toward AMD, and found their top processor is put to shame by Intel's i5, let alone the sandy bridge processor. Intel is really putting it to AMD now, even making other i7 processors look bad. Horrible to an old AMD fan and I hope they'll do better, but they're focusing on the lowend, and that processor appears to be what I would choose. ASUS Intel motherboards are significantly more expensive, but AMD ones appear to have fewer features.

I may actually choose it. One of my computers (OSX86) started freezing about USB, and then stopped booting. Letting it sit unplugged fixed it for a while (which is so archaic), and now memtest86 is actually crashing instead of finding errors. That had me looking at new hardware on this PC in the mean time.

You could consider waiting for the next high-end socket to come from Intel, since this sandy bridge processor is on the midrange socket (Intel is evil for doing this), and the P67 chipset is lackluster and buggy, but performance per dollar or watt would have me choose the 2600k at the moment.

Or you cloud wait for the AMD Bulldozer.

[justanotherfan]

Heh, I have been waiting

AFAICT, it will be a huge improvement over the Phenom II. From rumours, it looks like it will be competitive with the original i7 processors, and possibly at the price the PhenomIIs are at now, but not with Sandy Bridge. I think that's why Intel undercut their other processor offerings with the midrange 2600k in price and performance, to prevent an AMD revival. Intel is generally known for releasing high-end chips first at a price premium.

I'll look deeper into chipsets later. I've been a fan of the P-chipset line, but I'm hearing of cold-boot issues and disabled performance features with the p67. X-chipsets have been good to me, so I'll see what they'll be coming out with.

My computer is running memtest86 again, and it's passing. Not sure what would cause RAM to decide it wasn't seated properly after a couple weeks of working fine. If it works, I can wait on new hardware.

[Amakir]

Well the Sandybridge-processors looks promising.

[gamer0004]

Just get the i5, the only difference in "functionality" you will lose is hyperthreading, which might in some cases improve performance but the difference isn't very big and it saves you a lot of money.
Also, I would wait for the 6950 with 1GB of RAM to get released. It will be much cheaper, though it probably can't be unlocked to a 6970.
And the boxed fans Intel (and AMD) provide these days are quite good, if you don't do any overclocking. A third party cooler for your GPU is definitely not recommendable, they are quite expensive and you will void the warranty. If you want a cooler that is more silent than the boxed one (which is fine) get an MSI GPU with the Twin Frozr II cooler (Hawks).

[Amakir]

I will probably get a i5 then and i will overclock it slightly. Does anyone know of the Zalman CPU-coolers is any good?

[gamer0004]

Their reputation is okay, but nothing more than that. The best value for money cooler is the scythe mugen 2 (I got that one as well), but that is a pain in the ass to attach to the motherboard, and in some cases it blocks two RAM lanes. But if it works it's a very good cooler.

[Amakir]

Well then i have made some changes to the computer.

http://www.inet.se/kundvagn/visa/127473/dator

Ignore the "Fraktfritt Sweclockers vid köp över 500kr Fraktfritt Sweclockers vid köp över 500kr" thing. It gives me free shipping.

[gamer0004]

About the PSU: review
If available I would go for the Antec TruePower 650W.
Also, that Gigabyte motherboard doesn't have an EFI (sort of like a BIOS only it has a GUI and can boot faster; another important problem is that a BIOS doesn't support HDDs of more than 2,2TB, though I think Gigabyte have created a work-around).

[Amakir]

New motherboard and a new PSU:

http://www.inet.se/kundvagn/visa/131139/-

It's starting to get expensive.

[gamer0004]

The Mugen 2 is really expensive on that site... Anyway, you might want to wait until the GTX 560 and 6950 1GB are released.