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Need advice on possible build

Post Date: 2014-03-17
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tworattle View Drop Down
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Posts: 80 		  Quote tworattle Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Topic: Need advice on possible build
    Posted: 17 Mar 2014 at 1:30pm
Budget:
$2000

Expectations:
Be able to run well for my uses for the next 5 years reasonably with much upgrading

Usage:
Gaming(mostly strategy games like crusader kings 2 and other Paradox games, Total War:Rome 2 etc), web browsing, MS Office(word,excel,etc)

Specifications:
Currently have 5 year old machine from DS. i7 920 with 6gigs of ram with two GTX 275 SLI


My old rig finally decided to stop working so I'm looking for something that can handle the types of games that I'm playing well. I've been out of the loop for awhile so I'm coming to the forum for some assistance! I don't want to have to spend the full amount if I don't have to and can get something for less that works for me. I had looked at the Vanquish and virtue models since they are both mid towers, the last computer is a full tower but I was a bachelor then and the wife hates how big it is so a mid tower would be preferred.

Thanks in advance for any help!
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Counsel View Drop Down
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Joined: 29 Sep 2013
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Posts: 125 		  Quote Counsel Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 17 Mar 2014 at 1:50pm
Originally posted by tworattle

Budget:
$2000

Expectations:
Be able to run well for my uses for the next 5 years reasonably with much upgrading

Usage:
Gaming(mostly strategy games like crusader kings 2 and other Paradox games, Total War:Rome 2 etc), web browsing, MS Office(word,excel,etc)

Specifications:
Currently have 5 year old machine from DS. i7 920 with 6gigs of ram with two GTX 275 SLI


My old rig finally decided to stop working so I'm looking for something that can handle the types of games that I'm playing well. I've been out of the loop for awhile so I'm coming to the forum for some assistance! I don't want to have to spend the full amount if I don't have to and can get something for less that works for me. I had looked at the Vanquish and virtue models since they are both mid towers, the last computer is a full tower but I was a bachelor then and the wife hates how big it is so a mid tower would be preferred.

Thanks in advance for any help!

For a $2000 budget, you probably want to go with an i5+GTX 770 build. Strategy games tend to like a fairly balanced blend of CPU and GPU power, as opposed to heavy GPU specs like cutting edge FPS games. You can save some money by starting out with 8GB of RAM, which is enough for most modern games, and then upgrading later. (RAM is easy and cheap to upgrade compared to most components).

You can handle this a couple of ways, depending on your preferences. If you'd like a quiet, professional-looking midtower, the Slade is an excellent choice. Here's a quick example:
http://www.digitalstormonline.com/compload550d.asp?id=937657

Alternately, you could shave down the space even further with a Bolt II. It's just as powerful, so you're basically trading near-silent running for a smaller footprint. Here's the standard Bolt II Level 2 configuration:
http://www.digitalstormonline.com/comploadboltii.asp?id=937653

I have a new Slade myself, and am very happy with it.
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danjw1 View Drop Down
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Posts: 667 		  Quote danjw1 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 17 Mar 2014 at 7:38pm
Or he could just go with a Vanquish Level 4 and spend a bit more then half with the current $100 off sale ;-). The main issue with gaming performance is going to be the GPU, with at least an i5 he should be fine. Sure you won't have an overclockable CPU, but if you are looking for the best deal from DS, go with the Vanquish.

Edited by danjw1 - 18 Mar 2014 at 8:47am
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Snaike View Drop Down
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Email address used to purchase matched with forums account email.

Joined: 23 Jan 2014
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Posts: 9462 		  Quote Snaike Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 17 Mar 2014 at 9:22pm
Vanquish II ultimate will run around 1300 with shipping / taxes... Take the other 700 and get one kick-(bottom) monitor and high end headset.

You'll be gaming like a pro for years.   
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Counsel View Drop Down
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Posts: 125 		  Quote Counsel Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 18 Mar 2014 at 12:47pm
danjw1 and Snaike are of course correct - a Level 4 Vanquish II will give you great game performance, and considerably cheaper than either the Bolt II or the Slade. Performance-wise, all you're really losing is the overclocked i5. You also lose either the small-footprint design (of the Bolt II) or the silent performance (of the Slade), but you're saving a LOT of money.

I would note that, while the GPU is still important for strategy gaming, the CPU is more important for strategy gaming than it is for FPS gaming. The Vanquish should have zero issues with most Paradox titles like Crusader Kings 2, but it probably won't be able to max out more intensive games like Total War II, which really do hammer your CPU. (To be fair, even a top-of-the-line overclocked 4770K will struggle with a maxed out Total War II. )
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