Help assembling new desktop computer

N

Naif

Recruit
Two months back I was looking to get a new computer assembled for myself but I thought I'd wait for the sandy bridge and now that it's here, I am looking for a config.

My budget is 25 to 50k and I'll be using this computer for programming, web development, music and movies. Basically I'm looking for an all rounder.

I'd like to know if whether I should go for an i5 2400 or 2500k? At the moment I don't have plans of overclocking the system but I might consider in the future.

If I don't plan on overclocking the system, is it worth going for a P67 motherboard or should I stick to a H67 motherboard?

The largest monitor I have ever used is a 17" monitor and now I am thinking if I should buy a 24" screen? I am thinking about purchasing a BenQ G2420HD. Would it be a good buy? And is a 24" monitor worth it? Like I said, I have never used a large monitor so I don't know much about size.

As far as the PSU is concerned, I am considering a Corsair VX550. I want a PSU which is reliable and keep the components safe.

Then there is the RAM. I was hoping to purchase 2x2 GB RAM with the lowest latency but I don't know if whether low latency RAMs are readily available or not in the market (I live in Hyderabad). And I am hoping they won't be too expensive or else I'd prefer sticking to CL9 sticks. Also should I go for 1333 or 1600 MHz RAM? And do sandy bridge processors/motherboards support 1600 RAM natively or would the sticks need to be overclocked?

I hope I'll be able to find enough help to build a desktop that I can use for atleast 4 years. The one I currently have, I assembled it in 2004.
 
2500K has a much better IGP compared to the 2400. That said sadly you can't make use of the IGP with a P67 and u cant overclock the proccy with a H67 board. There are rumours that Intel might release a Z67/68 that will be capable of doing both :)
 
If you are going the P67 way, you will need a GPU. Have you thought of anything yet? The budget itself is a constraint IMO. A decent P67 board and the cheapest unlocked processor (the i2500k i.e) will itself set you back by almost 24k. A pair of 2GB 1600MHz CL9 sticks will set you back by almost 2.6k. The 24" display for another 12k. Leaving you around 12k for a GPU, chassis, power supply and the input devices.

You have vaguely listed out your requirements. Could you be a bit more detailed on this aspect? If you are planning to game, what resolution, what level of eye candy are you looking for. Viewing HD content, programming and development hardly requires a Sandy Bridge setup.

DarkAngel said:
2500K has a much better IGP compared to the 2400. That said sadly you can't make use of the IGP with a P67 and u cant overclock the proccy with a H67 board. There are rumours that Intel might release a Z67/68 that will be capable of doing both :)
Click to expand...
Fixed! :p
 
Sorry about being vague. I won't be playing any games but I'd still like to stick to an Intel processor. I'll drop the idea of 2500k and instead go for a 2400 or if that too would be overkill for my requirements I am also willing to settle for an i3. But like I said, this system needs to be future proof for 4 years or more :)

Desecrator said:
If you are going the P67 way, you will need a GPU. Have you thought of anything yet? The budget itself is a constraint IMO. A decent P67 board and the cheapest unlocked processor (the i2500k i.e) will itself set you back by almost 24k. A pair of 2GB 1600MHz CL9 sticks will set you back by almost 2.6k. The 24" display for another 12k. Leaving you around 12k for a GPU, chassis, power supply and the input devices.

You have vaguely listed out your requirements. Could you be a bit more detailed on this aspect? If you are planning to game, what resolution, what level of eye candy are you looking for. Viewing HD content, programming and development hardly requires a Sandy Bridge setup.
Fixed! :p
Click to expand...
 
This AMD rig wud b more than enough for ur requirements... i suggested BE CPU coz u look a bit interested in overclocking... so a CPU with unlocked multiplier wud help u to do this wid ease

Processor AMD Phenom II X4 955BE 6750

Motherboard MSI 880GMA-E45(Sata3+USB3) 5200

RAM Corsair Value RAM 1333MHz 2x2GB 2000

HDD Seagate 7200.12 1TB 2750

GPU Onboard HD4250

Monitor BenQ G2220HD 7700

Cabinet NZXT Gamma 2100

PSU Sesonic S12II 430 2600

Keyboard Logitech Combo 700

Mouse

ODD Samsung/Sony/LG 950

Speakers Altec Lansing BXR1121 950

Total 31700


But if u still want an intel rig then i wud suggest u to wait a month or so coz the prices of sandy bridge motherboards are ridiculously high right now...
 
Components Description Price (INR)
Processor Core i5 2400(3.1Ghz, 4 cores) 9500
Motherboard Asus P8H67-M LE 6100
RAM Corsair XMS3 4GB 1600MHz single stick 2400
HDD 1 TB Seagate 7200.12 2750
GPU On Board GMA HD2000 -
Monitor Samsung B2230/Benq G2420HD 8000/11000
Cabinet NZXT Gamma 2200
PSU/SMPS Corsair VX450 3500
Key Board Logitech SET - Optical Blk Mouse+ MMKB 700
Mouse NA -
ODD L.G./Samung/ SOny OEM SATA DVD-Writer 900
Speakers Altec Lansing 2.1 VS2621 1650
Total 37700/40700

This would make a good Intel rig for your requirements. The mobo has USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gbps ports too. It has only 2 RAM slots. So get a 4GB single stick so that you 4GB more when required.

A VX450 would be enough for such a rig and once again it has 5 years warranty.
 
I am very confused at the moment, I can't decide what I should do. I'll try giving a better insight on my requirements. The applications I use the most are Adobe Photoshop and Dreamweaver. I sometimes open PSD files which are over 50 MB in size. These files take a considerable amount of time to load, sometimes upto 3 minutes or more. I have a P4 2.8 GHz with 2 GB RAM.

What does the loading time of such files depend up on? Also I usually keep a bunch of PSD files open together. I am under the impression I'd need high performance RAM and a high end processor?

And on occasions I create scripts to process data stored in plain text files and convert them into database records. In one instance, it took a 2 MB file with around 100k records over 12 hours to finish processing. The time it took for this to complete, was it dependent on the processor, amount of RAM or both?
 
The files which used to take hours to get processed will get processed within minutes with current generation of cpus... If u r gonna do much image editing stuff then even i wud suggest u to go with an intel based rig coz amd processors performs very badly in photoshop...
 
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