Shashman

The higher the better, both in terms of image fluidity and the effect on your eyes.

Go for the GTX 560Ti 448 Core Version. It's got a stupid name and should really be called "GTX 565", as it performs almost as well as the 570. If you're looking to save money, forget the i7 and go for the IvyBridge i5 3570K. That HSF is a top choice by the way. It's winning awards left, right and centre.

I got Sniper Elite for £2.24 last week. 75% price reduction on Steam :p

Don't forget that a dedicated sound card not only gives you better quality sound, but takes a load off your CPU too. That's a factor to take into account.

JdB, go for an ASUS Xonar DG sound card. It only costs around 15E, or just settle with the onboard sound, which nowadays is more than decent, and nearly always HD. Ah thanks PuFu I'll have a look at the EVGA cards, as that sounds very attractive. So basically, when the new GPU comes out, I get a free upgrade? Sounds too good to be true! That's quite a pricey build collossus :P

So I'll go for an Asus motherboard, i5 2500K (I've read that the Ivybridge CPUs overheat more than Sandybridge) as most people agree that it's the most futureproof CPU, and the 560Ti. I have to get everything in one go as I will be buying on finance, so can't wait for the new GPUs to be released

Cool, thanks for the advice! Yep, fully aware of the importance of quality PSU's. I want a BeQuiet Darkpower one like I had 2 years ago, but seems they're quite hard to come by these days, at least on the online retailer sites I usually use (ebuyer, overclockers). If I can't get my hands on one, I'm guessing the Corsair Professional series would be a good bet. As for the CPU, what about the Ivybridge i5 3570K? It costs the same as the i5 2500K. 560Ti is looking very tempting, and it seems to outperform the AMD equivalents so I'll probably go for that. As for motherboard, I'm leaning towards ASUS but that's just because I've used their stuff a lot in the past. Gigabyte is also looking decent and being recommended. Which motherboard would you recommend? Sorry for all the questions!

Well, thanks for the suggestions so far. I've had a slight change of heart. (copy-pasted from another forum) Hi guys! I'm currently running the following system: CPU: AMD Phenom II X2 250 Motherboard: Gigabyte M68M-S2P RAM: Corsair XMS2 2GB DDR2 Graphics: 8800GTX I'm after an upgrade, sooner rather than later (hence the 'low' budget), as both the CPU and mobo are borrowed from a mate, who'll be wanting them back soon. Now I've done a bit of research, and after originally wanting to go down the AMD (Phenom II X4 965) route, I've come to the conclusion that I'd be better off going down the Intel route, specifically the i5 2500K CPU, as it's supposedly the best in terms of bang for buck for gaming. Am I correct or is there another suitable option? I mention gaming, as that's what the upgrade is mainly to cater for. I play ArmA 2 and will be getting ArmA 3 when that's out. To be fair to my current rig, it runs ArmA 2 at a playable level. I suppose I have the 8800GTX to thank for that. I'll also be reinstalling FSX soon. I'm back in the tech game after an absence of 2 years (last build is the one in my sig), and therefore, very much out of my depth and confused, so if you could spec me up a few options, explaining your choices, that'd be appreciated. I don't need a case, don't think I'll need a new PSU (currently have a Hiper Type R 500w, I think, not sure of the wattage off the top of my head, but it's no lower than that), I have a copy of Win 7 64Bit so no OS needed, will need a new HDD (if I can get an SSD included in the spec then great, otherwise not too fussed), and will need a GPU which is a good performer and relatively future-proof (no preference, either AMD or nVidia, whatever runs best) Think that just about covers it, otherwise ask away, and cheers! ( Sorry, I know that's cheeky but hey, it's 01:16! :P )

Went to the Bovington Tank Museum today, and saw quite a lot of the hardware you get in W:EE up close and personal :D Kurze M60A1 Rise T-72M BRDM-2 Leopard 1A5 Leopard 1A2 BMP-1 Chieftain Mk2 Chieftain Mk12 Challenger 1 T-62 T-55 T-34 Stryker

Don't get me wrong, I've always been a massive admirer of Pact hardware, but in Wargame, I have ZERO experience with them so I stick to what I know :D Challenge gladly accepted. Bring it ;)

Thanks for the reply. My 8800GTX will have to hold out for a few more months, as motherboard and cpu are top priorities at the moment. I say 'hold out', but considering its age, it's still a very capable GPU. I've decided to go down the AMD route as the value for money aspect just can't be ignored. I've been using a Phenom II X2 250 for the past couple of months and it seems fine. I'd actually keep it for longer and save up for an even better CPU than the Phenom II X4 965, but I'm using a mate's motherboard and CPU and he'll be needing them back soon

Ewww Warsaw Pact! :p I only play NATO

Definitely, a good quality case is important, for good airflow, cable management, build quality, durability, but the most I've ever spent on a case was £100 for my old Antec Twelve Hundred (which was excellent, and an award winner). I'm a bit out of the loop for PC hardware, it's been over 2 years since my last build, but I remember the Antec 300 being a good quality and value for money choice. Speaking of being out of the loop, I'm currently on the hunt for a new motherboard and processor. I've decided to go with AMD and will probably be getting a Phenom II X4 965 or 960T, but I just can't choose which motherboard to go for. My budget this month is quite low, no more than £45, and I've got a few shortlisted. What are your opinions on the following: Gigabyte GA-M68MT-S2-FX-3.1 GeForce 7025 Socket AM3+ 7.1 Channel HD Audio mATX Motherboard: £31.81 Biostar A960G+ 760G Socket AM3+ VGA 6 Channel Audio mATX Motherboard: £33.80 MSI 760GM-P23 (FX) Socket AM3+ VGA DVI 7.1 Channel Audio mATX Motherboard: £35.49 Asus M5A78L-M LE Socket AM3+ 760G Onboard VGA DVI 8 Channel Audio mATX Motherboard: £42.06

Yes, if concealed well in treelines, especially when armed with good ATGMs (Milan 2, Dragon II), they're pretty decent for defense, but very vulnerable.

£329 for a case... :j: My whole system is worth less than that, and ArmA2 runs fine, as well as every other game I play.