Build/Upgrade complete - what to change next?

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1

Hello Tekkers,

I recently completed a build/upgrade (mostly new but several scavenged components from my old rig) to better enable me to perform statistical tests on very large databases from home (using 'R' thus 16Gb of RAM), but have now gotten the build bug again and am looking for input on what I should be changing next. I should point out that I use this sytem for gaming also; primarily for games of the RPG type, Dragon Age series, Mass Effect trilogy, Skyrim, Deus Ex, Fallout, and other such titles as they emerge.

I like to do things on a budget where I can, so without going nuts price-wise, what would you guys recommend that I change out next? I can afford to spend maybe a couple of hundred dollars every few months. I was thinking both the PSU and GPU could use changing in the next six months, but just not sure what to go for. I would also like recommendations for some decent but not too costly speakers, headphones and keyboard and mouse combos (wired please, I hate wireless battery powered stuff).

Current rig:

CPU: FX-8320 (will overclock shortly when I get time)

Cooler: Hyper 212 EVO

Motherboard: ASUS M5A97 EVO R2.0

RAM: G.Skill Sniper 1866 16Gb

GPU: Inno3D GTX 560 Ti 1Gb (scavenged from old rig)

HDD: Western Digital Caviar Blue 7200rpm 1Tb drive 6Gb/s (scavenged from old rig)

PSU: Coolermaster GX650 (scavenged from old rig, I know it's not the greatest, but it works... for now... and has 80% efficiency)

Case: Antec GX700 (fans rearranged, one rear exhast, one top exhaust, one front intake, one GPU intake.

Monitor: Acer 1080p 23" (scavenged from old rig)

Keyboard and mouse: Gigabyte cheap, nasty and functional (scavenged)

Speakers: $20 rubbish speakers, mostly used as an extension lead for plugging in headphones...

Headphones: Cheap office stye headphones with mike.

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8 gigs is plenty for your build, so I'd down it to 8 to save a few bucks and if you need more ram, you can buy more sticks later

If you wanna look into peripherals, a cheap logitech headset is good, forgot the model, but it's around $30-40

and look into cooler master's cm storm series peripherals for mice and keyboards.

Build looks good to me, nothing bad about it

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I have already bought all of the above - on the RAM front however, 16Gb is absolutely necessary as 'R' writes to RAM as it calculates and my data sets are enormous (several million genetic markers across nearly five hundred individuals). On my old 4Gb RAM rig, I could only handle a couple of files (out of twenty two) at a time without maxing the available RAM out.

I'll look into the Logitech headset though, I need a new one as the sound quality on mine is pretty terrible. Ditto on checking out the CM Storm gear.

4

Cooler Master Storm Quick Fire Pro Wired Gaming Keyboard or if you are all for rpg's etc Logitech g11 (if you find it anywhere), it has all customizable macros's and profiles you will ever need, tough key board, I smash it with my fist regularly and its still works like a charm

Cooler Master CM Storm Sentinel Advance II (if you have big hands this is a no brainer) or if you prefer optical mouse Razer DeathAdder 2013, again if you are all for rpg-> Razer Naga 2012 (but you need hands of a woman to use like its meant to be used)

Headset

Audio Technica ATH-AD700 (dont even think about anything else)

You could buy a sound card, but that depends on a budget