Need PC @ 40K. (Lower if possible)

[Golu]

Hello every one from digit. This is my very 1st post. I'm planning to buy a new computer soon. I thought maybe I'd ask someone here at Digit before going forward and buying all the components. I filled up this form so you guys could understand me better.
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: Mostly gaming, I'd be playing mostly post 2009 games on either low or mid res, and little bit of Graphic designing work.

2. What is your overall budget? If you can extend a bit for a more balanced configuration, then mention this too.
Ans: I can spend 40K at Max, It'd be better if it is low than this.

3. Planning to overclock?
Ans: Processor: No; Graphic Card: Maybe.

4. Which Operating System are you planning to use?
Ans: Win7 x64.

5. How much hard drive space is needed?
Ans: I have old 500GB so that is not required.

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: I have old LG LCD, 19" with 1440x900res

7. Which components you DON'T want to buy or which components you already have and plan on reusing?
Ans: I don't want to buy Monitor, UPS and DVD RAM as I already have them.

8. When are you planning to buy the system?
Ans: Within 2-3 months.

9. Have you ever built a desktop before or will this be done by an assembler?
Ans: This is my third so I'm gonna build it.

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: I stay in Pune and I'm going to go to Mumbai to buy these as vendors here fleece the customers and you don't get the specific goods which you want.

11. Anything else which you would like to say?
Ans: Read below.

I'm planning to buy i3 2100 and don't want to buy 955BE or any other AMD as they are power hungry(need more UPS backup and low electricity bills), moreover if I overclock the processor I'd need to buy a custom cooler, which I dont want.
I also plan to buy MSI 6850 Cyclone, 4 GB RAM, Corsair GS 500, Razer Carcharias and Asus Xonar DG.
I was initially planning to get a HD6870 but looking at it's price and performance difference I think I might go with HD6850, what do you think? Should I stick with 6850 or is 6870 worth my money. Do you think overclocked 6850 will come close to 6870? And should I get a controller?
Plz suggest me a Motherboard, Cabinet, Keyboard and Mouse or anything else I need to change in my current config.

 

[SunE]

Here you go :

Component Make Price
CPU Core i3-2100 6355
Motherboard Intel DH67CL 5628
GPU Radeon HD 7850 15300
RAM G.Skill RipjawsX DDR3 4GB 1471
KB Logitech K200 473
MOUSE Logitech G400 1699
MOUSEPAD Razer Goliathus Fragged Omega(Control edition) 557
Case CoolerMaster Elite 430 3000
PSU Seasonic S12 II 520 4054
Total 38797

I personally think that KB and Mouse are better than a controller, mainly the mouse. Buy the system I suggested. Don't spend too much money on the Headset and Sound Card. You can buy that later too but CPU+MoBo+GPU stays the same for a long time right?
Just get any decent sub-500Rs headset for now

 

[d3p]

Component | Make | Price Processor |Intel Core i5 2400|10500 [A Quad Core is Today's Basic Gaming Rig]
Motherboard |GIGABYTE H67M D2 B3|5200
RAM |Corsair Vengeance LP 8GB (4GB x 2) |2500
Graphic Card |SAPPHIRE HD7850 2GB GDDR5|15500
PSU |Corsair GS600|4000
Case |CM Elite 310|1600
Keyboard & Mouse |Logitech MK200|700
UPS |APC 800VA|2800
| Total |42800

Most of the prices were referred from MD Computers.

 

[Golu]

Thanks for your input guys but Headphones and Sound Card are compulsory. This rig is supposed to be basic gaming rig so I think I don't really need a 2400 Quad. And there are very few games currently that completely support Quad, like BF3 and GTA-IV. And I don't think Game developers gonna completely shift to Quad support in next 3 years. Plz correct me on this one if I'm wrong.

 

[RiGOD]

^^A 1600MHz performance RAM like Vengeance/RijawsX on H67 motherboard is nothing but waste of money. It'll only support 1333MHz.

 

[whitestar_999]

intel DH67CLB3 is the best H67 board in terms of features & good reviews & it only costs ~5400 in markets like nehru place,delhi & lamington road,mumbai.

 

[desiJATT]

Spoiler

Here you go :

Component Make Price
CPU Core i3-2100 6355
Motherboard Intel DH67CL 5628
GPU Radeon HD 7850 15300
RAM G.Skill RipjawsX DDR3 4GB 1471
KB Logitech K200 473
MOUSE Logitech G400 1699
MOUSEPAD Razer Goliathus Fragged Omega(Control edition) 557
Case CoolerMaster Elite 430 3000
PSU Seasonic S12 II 520 4054
Total 38797

I personally think that KB and Mouse are better than a controller, mainly the mouse. Buy the system I suggested. Don't spend too much money on the Headset and Sound Card. You can buy that later too but CPU+MoBo+GPU stays the same for a long time right?
Just get any decent sub-500Rs headset for now

Very unbalanced rig suggestion. -1
Why waste money on Keyboard and overkill Mouse+Mouse pad rather than investing in a good Processor+Motherboard combo? These things are additional and can be bought later on.

Spoiler

Component | Make | Price Processor |Intel Core i5 2400|10500 [A Quad Core is Today's Basic Gaming Rig]
Motherboard |GIGABYTE H67M D2 B3|5200
RAM |Corsair Vengeance LP 8GB (4GB x 2) |2500
Graphic Card |SAPPHIRE HD7850 2GB GDDR5|15500
PSU |Corsair GS600|4000
Case |CM Elite 310|1600
Keyboard & Mouse |Logitech MK200|700
UPS |APC 800VA|2800
| Total |42800

Most of the prices were referred from MD Computers.

This looks good. But even i would suggest the Intel DH67CLB3 board as whitestar_999 said.

Also, 1600 MHz is a waste on an H67 as it doesnt support more than 1333 Mhz
Otherwise it's a nice suggestion.

Here's my suggestion. OP stated that he won't game much. Also, most probably the extra eye candy won't fancy him. SO the following config will be overall the best performer out of any of the above specified configs in terms of basic usage, video editing, office work and graphic designing.

Component | Make | Price Processor |Intel Core i5 2500K|12300 [A Quad Core is Today's Basic Gaming Rig]
Motherboard |Biostar TZ68K+|7235
RAM |GSkill RipjawzZ 4GB 1600MHz|1600
Graphic Card |SAPPHIRE HD6870 1GB GDDR5|11000
PSU |Corsair GS600|4000
Case |CM Elite 310|1600
Keyboard & Mouse |Logitech MK200|700
UPS |APC 800VA|2800
| Total |41235

The processor is K-series, so is overclockable, the Motherboard chipset is Z68 and is from Biostar (good reviews) and also supports overclocking CPU+RAM+GPU. So this config will be more future proof as it can be overclocked in future to get an extra performance gain.
Perfectly fits in budget. Now OP's wish

 

[Skud]

Here's my suggestion. OP stated that he won't game much.

Really? Here's OP's requirement from 1st post:-

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: Mostly gaming, I'd be playing mostly post 2009 games on either low or mid res, and little bit of Graphic designing work.

Rather he has said he is not planning to overclock the CPU, so point spending more on that 2500k.

@OP: d3p's suggestion is very good. You may get a HD6870 or a GTX560 at around 11k to fit the config within your budget. These cards good enough for HD gaming at high settings, so at your monitor resolution, they won't be having any problem.

 

[Golu]

Looking at configs you guys suggested, I created my own one. What do you think?

Core i3-2100
Intel DH67CL
G.Skill RipjawsX DDR3 4GB
SAPPHIRE HD6870 1GB GDDR5
Corsair GS500
CM Elite 310
Gigabyte GM-M6800
"Sasta wala" Keyboard
Razer Carcharias
Asus Xonar DG

 

[desiJATT]

Sorry somewhat overlooked the 1st post. But still, isn't HD7850 an overkill for a resolution like 1440x900? Also, it was quite clear from his post that he was not a serious gamer as he stated he would play post 2009 games at low or mid res and settings. So I changed some priorities and suggested an overall good config. Still I will hold strong to my suggestion as sometimes mind changes and one will regret for not buying an unlocked processor to satisfy a geeks inner overclock desires No offence to anyone Correct me if i am wrong.

 

[Skud]

Looking at configs you guys suggested, I created my own one. What do you think?

Core i3-2100
Intel DH67CL
G.Skill RipjawsX DDR3 4GB
SAPPHIRE HD6870 1GB GDDR5
Corsair GS500
CM Elite 310
Gigabyte GM-M6800
"Sasta wala" Keyboard
Razer Carcharias
Asus Xonar DG

Pretty good IMO. You may increase the RAM to 8gb. An alternative SMPS is Seasonic SII 520W.

And you need that sound card and headset for sure?

 

[SunE]

^^ desiJATT bro today's overkill is tomorrow's bare minimum. Plus at that res OP can pretty much max out any game with 60+ FPS for years to come so why not go for it?

Also the game developers work very hard for such nice eye-popping graphics so we should make their efforts worthwhile and play every thing at the maximum possible settings

@OP Dude what has been said about getting a quad core i5 is absolutely true. If you can then you should get it.
Also when you're gaming what's the use of crystal clear audio if you can't place those precise headshots??? (for which you require a good gaming mouse and mousepad)

 

[Skud]

Yeah, getting a i5 2400 is wise.

 

[avinandan012]

consider buying a quadcore atleast because some games are utilizing more than 2 cores

 

[Cilus]

As pointed out earlier, there is no need to buy Ripjaw 1600 Mhz ram with H61 or H67 chipset motherboard as they support max 1333 MHz ram speed. Get normal Corsair 1333 Mhz 4GB value ram at 1.1K price.

 

[d3p]

Looking at configs you guys suggested, I created my own one. What do you think?

Core i3-2100
Intel DH67CL
G.Skill RipjawsX DDR3 4GB
SAPPHIRE HD6870 1GB GDDR5
Corsair GS500
CM Elite 310
Gigabyte GM-M6800
"Sasta wala" Keyboard
Razer Carcharias
Asus Xonar DG

Complements from my side regarding the above Config

Spoiler

*josiahcm.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/facepalm_jim_76437.jpg?w=360&h=450

1). Its more wise to go with a quad core atm, as most of the games are getting demanded day by day. Even old games like Crysis is one more example. The moment you start playing Games like Metro 2033 & GTA IV you will realize why we are asking you to buy a quad core.

2). A 6850 will cost you close to 9k, 6870 will be 12k+ & 6950 will be 14k+ & new released 7850 will be 15.5k. Performance of 7850 will be on par compared to the old line up coz its a newly released card & the priced pretty much sweet.

3). That sound card & Headphone will hardly help you to play games. I guess even your onboard will be very much enough for your Headphone. If buying expensive headphone seems to be your hobby then you should looks for Roccat Kave 5.1 Real Surround Heaphones with bare minimum sounds cards like X-Fi or Asus Xonar DX. [Combo will cost you 10k for sure.]

4). I guess your are in india, then you forget to include a UPS, which will help you & your PC to keep your components safe from immediate shutdown during power cuts.

If cutting total cost is your only aim, then get this. Even this Config performs far far better than a i3.

Component | Make | Price Processor |AMD Phenom II X4 970 BE|7000
Motherboard |Gigabyte GA-880GM-D2H (rev. 3.1)|4000
RAM |G-skill F3-10600CL9S-4GBNT(4Gx2)|2100
Graphic Card |MSI R6850 Cyclone PE/OC|8700
PSU |FSP Saga II 500W|2200
Case |CM Elite 310|1600
Keyboard & Mouse |You decide|
UPS |Intex 1KVA|1800
Sound Card |You decide|
Headphones |You decide|
| Total |25600

You still have more than 14k at you hands to get your Sounds Card & Headphone. Your Call Mate.

Sorry somewhat overlooked the 1st post. But still, isn't HD7850 an overkill for a resolution like 1440x900? Also, it was quite clear from his post that he was not a serious gamer as he stated he would play post 2009 games at low or mid res and settings. So I changed some priorities and suggested an overall good config. Still I will hold strong to my suggestion as sometimes mind changes and one will regret for not buying an unlocked processor to satisfy a geeks inner overclock desires No offence to anyone Correct me if i am wrong.

What is Overkill ?? Games are getting both CPU as well as GPU demanding.
Not every gamer or techie pushes his clocks to higher limits in order to satisfy his geekness. I guess that's why its always a user risk !....

 

[Golu]

Thanks for all your inputs guys


Many of you guy say that quad core is todays basic config for gaming but this is supposed be a basic rig not a high end not even a mid config. And after putting a 10K processor in this, does it remain a basic anymore?

Other thing about Headphone.
I want to buy a Headphone bcoz this components rig aint gonna be upgraded/changed/added for 3 years or until they break.

i3 2100 is supposed to be compared with AMD Quad cores and not 2400 or 2500K. Quad cores from Intel are altogether in different league.

People who suggest me processors form AMD plz read this from tomshardware and also check the benchmarks
Picking A Sub-$200 Gaming CPU: FX, An APU, Or A Pentium? : Can FX, APUs, And Pentium Processors All Game?

If you guys still insist me on buying Quad then I can consider i5 2320.
Is this a good processor?

Sorry if that sounds rude, I don't mean to be rude nor do I challenge anybodys knowledge on this forum, but plz try and understand me. All these benchmarks make my head go crazy.

 

[Cilus]

All the tests are done using same GPU there. Now if you go with a Phenom II based quad core you can get a better GPU which is much vital in gaming, espceially at 1080P or higher resolutiom. All you need a powerful GPU and a CPU powerful enough to handle GPU. So a standard processor will do the job.

 

[Tech_Wiz]

If Gaming is Prime importance then just buy a Phenom 960T or 955BE and spend rest on the GFX.
These Processors won't bottleneck any GFX.

i5 10k + Mobo 8k = 18K
Phenom 6K + Mobo 5 k= 11 K

and 7k is difference between a HD6770/550Ti & a HD6950/560Ti.

i5+ HD6770/550Ti or Phenom + HD6950/560Ti

 

[RiGOD]

^^My vote goes to Phenom + HD6950/560Ti.