# Building my new system.



## eeps (Jul 18, 2011)

Hello!

With some help with the guys in the memory and psu forum, I've gotten a lot of advice on some new hardware for "upgrading" my PC. However, considering I would be buying practically a new PC all together, I thought why not go the full 10 yards so to speak and get myself a new motherboard and CPU. 

Power Supply: Scan.co.uk: Corsair Enthusiast TX V2 CMPSU-850TXV2UK 850W Power Supply (PSU)

Memory: Scan.co.uk: Corsair Memory Vengeance Black 6GB DDR3 1600 MHz CAS 8 XMP Triple Channel Desktop - CMZ6GX3M3A1600C8

Graphics card: Scan.co.uk: XFX HD 6950 ATI AMD Radeon Graphics Card - 2GB - HD-695A-CNFC

*or*

Scan.co.uk: XFX HD 6950 XXX Dual Fan ATI - AMD Radeon Graphics Card - 1GB - HD-695X-ZDDC

*or*

Sapphire ATI Radeon HD 6950 1024MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card with FREE DIRT3 Game [11188-01-40G ]

Hard drive: Scan.co.uk: Hitachi 0F12115 2TB Hard Drive - HDD

Thats what I have on the table at the moment if I was to go ahead and order. However I'm still in need of a motherboard/CPU. I'm not sure if it's worth buying a new one, or using my existing one. My current CPU is an Intel Core i7 920 quad core 2.67ghz and my motherboard is a standard alienware model: 04VWF2. - I have not tried to overclock my machine up to this point so Im not sure on its maximum potential if any.

With all the parts I've listed at the moment, it's a fair amount of money I need to invest to upgrade. My questions are the following- 

-Is there much point in me upgrading to a new motherboard and CPU and will my current ones do fine with the new parts I have listed

-Which of the three gfx cards would you reccommend for this build?

-Do you think these upgrades are decent and will provide me with a powerful machine I wont need to upgrade for say another 1 or 2 years.

I live in the UK so I don't think it's feasable for me to order from say Newegg, which is why I use popular sites in this country such as Scan and Overclockers.

On a final note I need to add I have never built a computer before and this will be my first time if that makes a difference on the Motherboard and CPU front, there isn't exactly a place near by I can have it built.

Sorry for the long read and I thank you for any advice you can give me.
Regards-


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## eeps (Jul 18, 2011)

Just wanted to add to this - Will my current system support the new RAM I want to include at 1600 mhz?


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## cl0udedth0ught (Sep 29, 2004)

Here's my two cents...


First off, very few games or utilities use more than 3GB of memory so your probably fine with just getting 4GB's. That mobo will support 1600mhz memory according to this site:

4VWF2 04VWF2 MS-7591 | Dell 4vwf2 Ms-7591 Motherboard

That processor you have should be good for most games. (Video card is much more important for gaming.) If you want to upgrade it though, the link I provided shows the supported processors.

*I would probably let the motherboard alone if it were mine.*


The corsair power supply is a good choice. 


Hope that helps


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## eeps (Jul 18, 2011)

Thanks for your input, I'll stick to my current CPU and board for the next year or two now . 

Would you reccommend one of three cards are is there pretty much nothing that seperates them?

Thanks again.


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## cl0udedth0ught (Sep 29, 2004)

I am more familiar with Nvida based cards but I suppose if I had to choose, I would go with the first 2GB 6950 that you linked.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

I would be inclined to use the Sapphire GPU.
How much RAM is installed now?


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## eeps (Jul 18, 2011)

Tyree said:


> I would be inclined to use the Sapphire GPU.
> How much RAM is installed now?


at the moment, I only have 3gb of ram (ddr3), but they are very low mhz, according to CPU-Z each stick of ram is only running at like 550hz


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

What is the configuration and specs of the RAM? 
Are you seeing 550MHz in the DRAM Frequency block? If so, you need to double that number for the actual speed.
Mixing RAM forces the RAM to run at the slowest stick's speed.


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