This computer build that much better than current

fex905fex905 Join Date: 2009-12-21 Member: 69744Members
edited April 2013 in Off-Topic
I have a laptop that is supposed to be decent but I don't get that great of frame rate when it comes to intense action or lots of particle effects. My current laptop only gets 40-30fps with BF3. Playable but not smooth. I might wait a month to build one if I do.

Current Laptop:
Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
System Model: Dell System XPS L502X
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2670QM CPU @ 2.20GHz (8 CPUs), ~2.2GHz
Memory: 8192MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 7084MB RAM
Page File: 4443MB used, 10023MB available
Display Devices
Card name: NVIDIA GeForce GT 525M
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce GT 525M
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0DF5&SUBSYS_04B61028&REV_A1
Display Memory: 4050 MB
Dedicated Memory: 978 MB
Shared Memory: 3071 MB
Current Mode: 1920 x 1080 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Model: ASUS VS247
Monitor Id: ACI249A
Output Type: HDMI
HD Model: WDC WD7500BPKT-75PK4T0 ATA Device
System Devices
Name: Intel(R) 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 6 - 1C1A
Name: 2nd generation Intel(R) Core(TM) processor family PCI Express Controller - 0101

Dream Build? Looking to keep it under 1,200 usd. Improvements would be much appreciated. I don't know how much is propaganda or real but would a build with a I7 3770k compared to an Amd 8350.
A expermental build that I made: http://pcpartpicker.com/user/fex/saved/1uS0

A amd/ati build recommended by a friend:

<img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/5019629/uploads/FileUpload/cc/85f6d66d93aa141a8df719559467a9.jpg&quot; />

Would I notice an hugely noticeable difference if I did the upgrade? I plan to use the computer for programs like Autodesk Maya and Photoshop as well as games.
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Comments

  • |DFA| Havoc|DFA| Havoc Join Date: 2009-08-07 Member: 68375Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    That GT 525 mobile integrated graphics is definitely going to cripple your game performance, but even with a better graphics chip your mobile CPU won't do you any favors either in a heavily processor-bound game like NS2.

    Your first build actually looks pretty good, the AMD build much less so. I can offer some pointers and explanations in both instances, but we need to answer another question first: Can you hold off on the new build until Haswell gets introduced some time around June? These new intel chips should offer something like a 10% performance increase over Ivy Bridge at the same price points, and it's looking like they might be a bit more OC-friendly.

    There are also some rumors that nvidia will be launching its 700 series cards some time in the next few months, so I'd say it's worth waiting on both counts.
  • fex905fex905 Join Date: 2009-12-21 Member: 69744Members
    edited April 2013
    Interesting! I was trying to look up stuff from CES but I haven't really been that informed of the newer tech. Do most of the graphics card makers(I don't know what they would be called I don't really know that much other than super basics). Would be my laptop be a level of tech below Ivy bridge? Waiting is possible. Would you say that the larger numbers of the AMD is almost like how they say megapixels in camera does not matter if they are poop? The mobo part seems to be the hardest. I know its in a couple of months but would you agree to the notes that this site has? (their chose of brands? or anything else) Are there things that seem a wrong fit for the builds? Is is really better to fit AMD with ATI cards and Intel with Nvida? Excuse me if this post is incoherent in any way much less thought out that the first. More like free writing.

    http://www.logicalincrements.com/

    Thanks Much!

    Edit: Do computer parts have releases almost like the once a year like photoshop and other programs?
  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    If you don't plan on overclocking, this is what I would go with: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/SFhU

    Corsair PSU's have become the defacto for PC builders, but there are quite a few alternatives that are better/cheaper: http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/thread/323050.aspx

    I'm also fond of doing a SSD = OS/Frequently used programs, HDD = All other programs/General data setup, as the SSD loading times are fantastic. However, its something you can forgo if that's not a big concern for you.
  • fex905fex905 Join Date: 2009-12-21 Member: 69744Members
    edited April 2013
    I'm kinda afraid of SSD because my primary partition is at 17gb out of 105. For my 750gb drive. ha ha It was pre-partitioned when I got it, I don't really see the purpose of that. If I do get an ssd doesn't windows and lots of programs love to save files on the primary drive?
  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    fex905 wrote: »
    I'm kinda afraid of SSD because my primary partition is at 17gb out of 105. For my 750gb drive. ha ha It was pre-partitioned when I got it, I don't really see the purpose of that. If I do get an ssd doesn't windows and lots of programs love to save files on the primary drive?
    Yes, Windows and many other programs use your users\name\appdata folder to save things like saved data, configs, stuff on your desktop, etc. However, as long as your careful and make sure to customize those programs such that the really huge file types (typically games, video/music files, etc) are saved to your HDD it shouldn't be a problem. It requires a bit more file management, but well worth it for the speed improvements imo.
  • |DFA| Havoc|DFA| Havoc Join Date: 2009-08-07 Member: 68375Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    fex905 wrote: »
    Do most of the graphics card makers(I don't know what they would be called I don't really know that much other than super basics).

    I think I'm confused as to what the question is here. >.>

    fex905 wrote: »
    Would be my laptop be a level of tech below Ivy bridge?

    That's correct, your laptop CPU is from the Sandy Bridge generation, which isn't too far behind. The biggest thing hurting you there is that it's the mobile variant, which is clocked much lower than its desktop counterpart by default, and further cannot really be overclocked. Even for the faster desktop chips, NS2 is so demanding on the CPU that you pretty much have to overclock to not be bottlenecked in performance by your processor. You don't have to OC to play it, but it's going to limit what your graphics card is capable of otherwise.

    fex905 wrote: »
    Would you say that the larger numbers of the AMD is almost like how they say megapixels in camera does not matter if they are poop?

    Are you talking about the Radeon part designations, like 7xxx compared to the Nvidia 6xx cards? If so, then it's not even a specification like a megapixel is for a camera, it's really just the name of the card and doesn't denote anything except where it falls in each manufacturer's product stack. In both cases, the first number is for the company's current 'generation', and then the following digits tell you where it falls in the scale, from entry level to high end enthusiast hardware. There is no relevant comparison of names between manufacturers though. An AMD 7970 is slightly faster than a nvidia 670, which is faster than an AMD 7870, which is faster than an nvidia 560 Ti, which is faster than an AMD 6850, and so on. A good general point of reference you can use to see where these cards fall in relation to eachother is here:

    http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-7.html

    fex905 wrote: »
    The mobo part seems to be the hardest. I know its in a couple of months but would you agree to the notes that this site has? (their chose of brands? or anything else) Are there things that seem a wrong fit for the builds?

    http://www.logicalincrements.com/

    Motherboard choice can indeed be tricky. If you're going to wait til Haswell and you're planning to overclock (as mentioned before, you'll probably want to if you play a lot of NS2), then you're going to be looking at the Z87 chipset motherboards. A lot of motherboard choice at that point will come down to extra features, most of which will likely be irrelevant to you. You ought to be able to get a fairly basic Z87 board to suit your needs for ~$100 or so. ASUS and Gigabyte are my brands of choice, but Asrock is becoming popular as well.

    I'd actually never seen that website before, but it looks to me like a really good reference actually. You'd want to tweak your part selections in individual categories by shifting up or down the chart in order to suit your needs - for example, at the 'Outstanding' tier you might want to shift your CPU and HSF choices to higher up the chain in order to cover your productivity suite and overclocking needs, but you could shift your motherboard choice much farther down to compensate - but at a glance, I'm not seeing any bad suggestions anywhere, and overall looks like a great guide to follow.

    fex905 wrote: »
    Is is really better to fit AMD with ATI cards and Intel with Nvida?

    ATI actually no longer exists as a company, AMD bought them up and now produces all the Radeon graphics cards. I assume you mean AMD GPUs with AMD CPUs though, and the answer is no. You can mix and match between the three manufacturers without issue, but right now Intel just flat out makes better CPUs for gaming. Funnily enough, AMD graphics cards are actually a little more finicky about their host platform, so if you wanted to go with an AMD CPU, you're better off pairing it with an nvidia GPU than a Radeon:

    http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/crossfire-sli-scaling-bottleneck,3471.html

    fex905 wrote: »
    Do computer parts have releases almost like the once a year like photoshop and other programs?

    Short answer, yes. There are some exceptions though, things like cases and power supplies tend to follow a much slower revision process.



    Some other general thoughts:

    In your first build you have a 750W power supply selected, which is overkill for any system with a single graphics card. I don't recommend SLI except in rare usage cases, so a quality 500-600W unit would be more than enough.

    I'd also echo Scardybob's recommendation for picking up an SSD. It does take some management, particularly depending on what capacity you get, but it makes a huge difference in the general responsiveness of your PC. If the budget is really tight though, you can skip it in the short term without affecting your in-game FPS, and plan on adding one later as an upgrade.

    Depending on how much you're planning to use things like Autodesk and other productivity software will determine whether you need an i5 or a more expensive i7 CPU. They're functionally equivalent for gaming, but the i7 handles the heavily multithreaded productivity stuff better. As a compromise, if the multithreading is pretty important to you and there just isn't room in the budget to fit everything you want, the AMD FX 8350 fits right into that very specific niche, but otherwise I'd stick with Intel.

    If money is tight trying to get everything you want into the build, you can start with 8GB of RAM and simply add more later on. 8GB should be sufficient for the time being, and it's one of the easiest things to upgrade after the fact. You could also start with just the SSD for storage initially (and skipping the HDD at first might let you get a bigger SSD anyway) and then add more secondary storage down the road. Extra drives are also very easy to install at a later date.

    Hope all this helps. Feel free to ask if you have any more questions or need clarification on anything. :)
  • fex905fex905 Join Date: 2009-12-21 Member: 69744Members
    edited April 2013
    I guess theres still a couple months from now but might similar builds still work. Or the only parts to maybe change are the mobo, the 700 nvidia, and the new intel? I heard of friend of a friend that had to get a 1st gen mobo for a new processor slot that didn't work out so good, but since they are using the same port as the previous version I guess there are less sketchy mobos to get.

    I think I might consider the ssd as the new ram upgrade that would happened in the past. I see so many articles on extreme tech that are about new ways to store data I forget the specific examples but something about a biological something or other drive. ha ha

    I have some guesstimate prices for parts if you have an opinion on them. + or - 30$ to 40$ per part

    Processor: 200$
    Ram: 80-90$
    Graphics: 300$
    Power Supply:80-90$
    Hard Drive: 70-80$
    Motherboard: 70-80$
    Case:40-60$

    The processor and graphics are swapable. Seems that a dvd drive does not require that much thought. I'll probably go for the Asus Drw-24, unless blu ray magically goes down to that price.
    :))
    PS: Was there that much of an improvement of the UEFI over the traditional DOS/ish bios for misc performance with computers?
  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    fex905 wrote: »
    PS: Was there that much of an improvement of the UEFI over the traditional DOS/ish bios for misc performance with computers?
    No, but it looks prettier and can use your mouse to navigate.
  • fex905fex905 Join Date: 2009-12-21 Member: 69744Members
    edited April 2013
    I just saw this article today: http://www.extremetech.com/computing/154192-haswell-cpu-pricing-leaks-suggests-intel-is-shifting-focus-to-low-and-mid-range?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed:+ziffdavis/extremetech+(Extremetech)&amp;utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

    I was reading how to unlock a processor from one posting I guess you can bend some pins or something but I'm guessing that might void the warranty. It was posted in 2001 if the tech has changed in the past couple of years. Its kinda funny how having an unlocked one adds another price bracket.
  • fex905fex905 Join Date: 2009-12-21 Member: 69744Members
    edited April 2013
    ScardyBob wrote: »
    If you don't plan on overclocking, this is what I would go with: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/SFhU

    Corsair PSU's have become the defacto for PC builders, but there are quite a few alternatives that are better/cheaper: http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/thread/323050.aspx

    I can't help to notice that phat wad of wires in that I hear that modular PSUs have much less clutter I would think having so many unused chords might restrict some air flow or make it hard to move around in a case. I'm hoping most component manufactures include their own power chords?
  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    Modular is nice, but going without isn't going to screw up your air flow as long as your doing proper cable management. If you want to max out the performance/price of your system, getting a non-modular power supply is a great way to save money without compromising performance.
  • MonkfishMonkfish Sonic-boom-inducing buttcheeks of terrifying speed&#33; Join Date: 2003-06-03 Member: 16972Members
    Has anyone really been far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like?
  • fex905fex905 Join Date: 2009-12-21 Member: 69744Members
    Can you rephrase that I am confused.
  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    Monkfish wrote: »
    Has anyone really been far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like?
    Your english, no sense, makes.
  • AlignAlign Remain Calm Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 5216Forum Moderators, Constellation
    (It's an old meme)
  • deathmongerdeathmonger Join Date: 2012-07-06 Member: 153953Members
    This is a near identical build to what I currently have: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/T75m

    You'll never have to worry about your FPS again. Follow this guide: http://www.overclock.net/t/1198504/complete-overclocking-guide-sandy-bridge-ivy-bridge-asrock-edition and just slide that multiplier over to 45 and call it a day.
  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    Align wrote: »
    (It's an old meme)
    I live in a world in which 4chan meme's don't exist.
  • fex905fex905 Join Date: 2009-12-21 Member: 69744Members
    This is a near identical build to what I currently have: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/T75m

    You'll never have to worry about your FPS again. Follow this guide: http://www.overclock.net/t/1198504/complete-overclocking-guide-sandy-bridge-ivy-bridge-asrock-edition and just slide that multiplier over to 45 and call it a day.

    Thanks for the recommendation! I might hold off for haswell.

  • SquishpokePOOPFACESquishpokePOOPFACE -21,248 posts (ignore below) Join Date: 2012-10-31 Member: 165262Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited April 2013
    ScardyBob wrote: »
    Monkfish wrote: »
    Has anyone really been far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like?
    Your english, no sense, makes.

    He's making fun of fex905's ambiguous title. It was a bit hard to understand!
  • MonkfishMonkfish Sonic-boom-inducing buttcheeks of terrifying speed&#33; Join Date: 2003-06-03 Member: 16972Members
    Someone finally got it!
  • fex905fex905 Join Date: 2009-12-21 Member: 69744Members
    Thank you for the feedback! Too bad it was just as concise.
  • XythXyth Avatar Join Date: 2003-11-04 Member: 22312Members
    Here's my recommendation:

    Smaller HDD
    Add 64 or 128gb SSD (trust me on this one, SSDs will change your life)
    Don't spend more than $60 on RAM
    Don't get a power supply >600watts; 520W at around ~60-70$ is good

    The rest is fine, though I'm prior to cases that are less flamboyant.

    I'd also recommend Intel over AMD. Last I checked Intel still had the best power/$ ratio.









  • fex905fex905 Join Date: 2009-12-21 Member: 69744Members
    edited April 2013
    Do they make less flamboyant cases that can actually hold everything? (If I could I would use one of the 90s yellowing cases since their design is so simple but I think airflow was not so great) I need to know the science of ssd doesn't windows always use writing or is everything really in ram after a certain point? I notice a lot of programs LOVE the Appdata folder Documents and such. I would have no clue what to put in there other than windows itself. I feel we are on the cusp on a new hd tech. MIT and whoever needs to crunch more. This accursed excess energy put out as heat.

    If I were to get ssd should I put photoshop, maya and other heavy programs into it?
    Damn alienware saying 10 lbs of plastic makes things cool.
  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    fex905 wrote: »
    Do they make less flamboyant cases that can actually hold everything? (If I could I would use one of the 90s yellowing cases since their design is so simple but I think airflow was not so great) I need to know the science of ssd doesn't windows always use writing or is everything really in ram after a certain point? I notice a lot of programs LOVE the Appdata folder Documents and such. I would have no clue what to put in there other than windows itself. I feel we are on the cusp on a new hd tech. MIT and whoever needs to crunch more. This accursed excess energy put out as heat.
    I've found the following cases to be well designed but discrete (i.e. doesn't scream gamer case)
    - Corsair 200/300/400r
    - Cooler Master HAF 912/922/932
    - Pretty much anything by Fractal Design
  • draktokdraktok Join Date: 2013-02-18 Member: 183156Members
    edited April 2013
    Load times on this game with a solid state are incredible, and SSD's are only getting cheaper. If you live near a microcenter you can pick up a samsung 840pro 128g for 79.99 right now.

    I am not personally on the intel train. Intel absolutely runs cooler, and their chips beat out amd sure - but amd has the price point and the 8350 really isn't as far off as people pretend. Plus, if you need 8 true cores, that's a plus. http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/fx-8350-core-i7-3770k-gaming-bottleneck,3407-3.html

    Also people are correct, nvidia supposedly is releasing a 700series before the end of the year, from what everyone seems to be hyping up.

    For cases I'm a big fan of the Antec 1100. It looks sleek, usb3.0 on the front, and it doesn't have as much ugly mesh as the HAF 912+ cases have. The Corsair cases are nice, too, though.
  • fex905fex905 Join Date: 2009-12-21 Member: 69744Members
    I think Im gonna miss out on that ssd since the closist Microcenters are at least an hour or two away atm. That Antec 1100 looks pretty cool. Cant help but notice the less flashy cases seem to break 60$+-. I remember years ago when they made the 900, I think I was influenced by that and hating all the plastic "everyone" has. Shit just started the video newegg has that thing is flipping huge almost 2' tall?! I want to get a computer slightly smaller than a small child. But, Thanks for the recommendations!
  • draktokdraktok Join Date: 2013-02-18 Member: 183156Members
    edited April 2013
    You could check out the source 210's by nzxt. Those are slick and clean looking. But they are still big.
  • fex905fex905 Join Date: 2009-12-21 Member: 69744Members
    edited April 2013
    How bout fractal cases? Something like the R4. The noise damping seems like it might make the whole thing run a little warmer.
  • fex905fex905 Join Date: 2009-12-21 Member: 69744Members
    Shoot right after cutting out the barcode on the ram I just got I realized I could of gotten it for 30$ for 8gb of corsair. I think newegg sales with coupons take the cake.
  • Rich_Rich_ Join Date: 2012-11-05 Member: 167152Members
    edited May 2013
    ur laptops running a 535 for gfx, not gonna do well on anything beyond the source engine really. For PC build 8350 is a good CPU, 3770k is also good, cant go wrong with either. Look into the AMD 7800's for best performance->dollar on graphics cards. You could get away with a 3770k+7870GPU build under 1200$ just depends if you wanna go SSD or regular hard drive route, or save on little things like modular or non modular PSU, cheap out on the case, etc. 


    edit, just noticed something on ur pcpartpicker. The 430 elite case you picked has almost zero cablemanagement space behind the motherboard tray, so that excellent modular power supply you picked is gonna be wasted because modular or not, all your cables will be visible through the window, unless they really did something right with the flat black cables and you can squeeze them behind the tray. 
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