# Cheap gaming rig advice



## BrooksyX (Jul 24, 2011)

So I am slowly building a new rig over the next month as I can gather up the cash and want some of your guys thoughts on the build. I would like to eventually upgrade to a bulldozer chip if my motherboard supports it. If not I would pick up a second hand thuban x6 chip down the road.

Mainly what I will be using this rig for is playing starcraft 2, elders scrolls v: skyrm, and half 2 ep3/half life 3 (if it ever comes out). I also do some microsoft sql and visual basic programs for my college classes. 

Here is what I have so far:

-Amd Phenom II x3 720 BE (unlocks to x4 and overclocks): AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz 3 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB...

-MSI MSI 870-G45: MSI 870-G45 AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard (just bought on ebay for $47 shipped)

-OCZ StealthXStream 500w PSU: Recertified: OCZ StealthXStream OCZ500SXS-B 500W A... (bought for $26 shipped on directron)

-Xigmatek Basic Cpu Cooler (have from old build will eventually upgrade when I have the cash.)

-Old Pioneer ide dvd-rw drive. I have a blue ray on my htpc. I don't need one in this rig right now.


What I need:

-Video card: I was leaning towards a 4890/5770/6770 maybe if a 6850 if I could find an amazing deal. Thoughts?

-Case: I really don't care just want a decent black box that I can throw my stuff in. This seems decent: Xigmatek ASGARD II B/B CPC-T45UC-U01 Black / Black...

-Ram: was thinking either this gskill 4gb set:G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333... or the 8gb set: G.SKILL Value Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SD.... 
Eventually I would like to buy both for 12gb total but 4 or 8 would be enough to start with.

-HDD/SDD: not sure, maybe get a cheap 30gb ssd for windows/os drive and pull a 1tb green hdd out of my htpc?


So what do you guys think? Did I forget anything. Also if possible I would like to keep this build to under $300 and maybe upgrade a little while after bulldozer comes out. So far I have spent about $75. 

Thanks


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## Hotobu (Jul 24, 2011)

A few point of note:

That motherboard will not support Bulldozer. It's got to be an AM3+ board. Both 8 and 9 series support BD, but of course 9 is preferred.

A 30 GB SSD isn't much overhead. A W7 install is ~ 8GB so that doesn't leave much room.

I don't know what you consider an "amazing deal" but the 6850 goes for around $150, but it's got enough kick to run all of those games well enough especially at sub 1080p resolutions.


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## BrooksyX (Jul 24, 2011)

Hotobu said:


> A few point of note:
> 
> That motherboard will not support Bulldozer. It's got to be an AM3+ board. Both 8 and 9 series support BD, but of course 9 is preferred.
> 
> ...



Well I guess if it doesnt support it then I would probably go with a thuban chip when everyone is trying to dump their old ones for bulldozer. As for the ssd its just for a windows drive and most played games. Ill have a second drive for all my programs and stuff.


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## erocker (Jul 24, 2011)

Hotobu said:


> That motherboard will not support Bulldozer. It's got to be an AM3  board. Both 8 and 9 series support BD, but of course 9 is preferred.



It has to be an AM3+ board for *AMD* to support it. That is not saying a BD chip won't work in an AM3 board. Asus for example has said that some of its AM3 boards will work with Bulldozer. The Crosshair IV with the AM3 socket has a beta bios for BD.

Here's a video with an Asus rep claiming that it indeed will work: (@ 1:18 mark)


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## BrooksyX (Jul 24, 2011)

erocker said:


> It has to be an AM3+ board for *AMD* to support it. That is not saying a BD chip won't work in an AM3 board. Asus for example has said that some of its AM3 boards will work with Bulldozer. The Crosshair IV with the AM3 socket has a beta bios for BD.
> 
> Here's a video with an Asus rep claiming that it indeed will work:



Well hopefully MSI will add support for this board. Either way I will be happy with a thuban or bulldozer upgrade down the road.


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## erocker (Jul 24, 2011)

BrooksyX said:


> Well hopefully MSI will add support for this board.



Probablly not. It doesn't meet the power requirements for BD. But who knows...


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## Zen_ (Jul 24, 2011)

I'd probably avoid that case. It looks ok but has no front intake. Not good for ventilation or keeping your mechanical hard drives cool. With so many good options for cases at just a few dollars more (HAF 912, Antec 300, some of the Rosewill cases, Thermaltake v3, NZXT gamma / beta, Lian-Li Lancool) just spend the extra so you don't throw away a case down the road.

Video card you should be able to find a cheap used 5770...like $80. Much as I like my 6850 I don't think it's really worth twice as much if you're price sensitive. 

Ram you should probably just get a 4x2GB 1600 kit for more lifespan since memory is cheap. Bulldozer will support 1866 but I doubt it will really be much better than 1600. 

Hard drive I'd probably just get a 1TB WD Black or Samsung F3 and partition part for windows. 

ok so...

COOLER MASTER HAF 912 RC-912-KKN1 Black SECC/ ABS ...
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cac...
G.SKILL Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DD...

+ 5770 from feebay or the classifieds for ~$80 = ~$270.


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## BrooksyX (Jul 24, 2011)

Zen_ said:


> I'd probably avoid that case. It looks ok but has no front intake. Not good for ventilation or keeping your mechanical hard drives cool. With so many good options for cases at just a few dollars more (HAF 912, Antec 300, some of the Rosewill cases, Thermaltake v3, NZXT gamma / beta, Lian-Li Lancool) just spend the extra so you don't throw away a case down the road.
> 
> Video card you should be able to find a cheap used 5770...like $80. Much as I like my 6850 I don't think it's really worth twice as much if you're price sensitive.
> 
> ...



Any suggestions on a case and ram?


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## BrooksyX (Jul 24, 2011)

What do you guys think about this case?

HEC Blitz Black Steel Edition ATX Mid Tower Comput...


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## Anarchy0110 (Jul 24, 2011)

Yeah pretty good build coming off so far.
I'd go with Core i3 LGA1155 + GTX 460 for a budget gaming system. But hey, you go budget then why would you have an SSD? Just a regular SATA3 HDD is good enough. For video card, go with an HD6850 like the MSI Cyclone OC Power Edition 1Gb GDDR5 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127566 That would work well a lot. That case right there is good.
P/S: Washington St. Cougars ?


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## Syuzeren (Jul 24, 2011)

Faith[ROG].Anarchy said:


> But hey, you go budget then why would you have an SSD? Just a regular SATA3 HDD is good enough



i agree, i don't have a SSD and boot times are around the 30 secs. You can get something to drink while the PC is booting. And you will be more happy with a better GPU or motherboard then with a SSD.


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## Jetster (Jul 24, 2011)

Your PSU is borderline. the 5770 would work but the 4890 or 6850 would be pushing it. You only have 18A to work with and one 6-pin. You would need an adapter for the second 6 -pin.  If you want to run the 6850/4890 I would spend a little more on a PSU


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## BrooksyX (Jul 24, 2011)

Faith[ROG].Anarchy said:


> Yeah pretty good build coming off so far.
> I'd go with Core i3 LGA1155 + GTX 460 for a budget gaming system. But hey, you go budget then why would you have an SSD? Just a regular SATA3 HDD is good enough. For video card, go with an HD6850 like the MSI Cyclone OC Power Edition 1Gb GDDR5 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127566 That would work well a lot. That case right there is good.
> P/S: Washington St. Cougars ?



Yeah its the Washington state cougars. Its where I go to college. 



Jetster said:


> Your PSU is borderline. the 5770 would work but the 4890 or 6850 would be pushing it. You only have 18A to work with and one 6-pin. You would need an adapter for the second 6 -pin.  If you want to run the 6850/4890 I would spend a little more on a PSU



There are plenty of 6850s that only need one 6 pin


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## Robert-The-Rambler (Jul 24, 2011)

*I think this case is better to start with*



BrooksyX said:


> What do you guys think about this case?
> 
> HEC Blitz Black Steel Edition ATX Mid Tower Comput...



It already has 3 fans and should work well.

Rosewill CHALLENGER Black Gaming ATX Mid Tower Com...

And if you need extra cooling Rosewill offers very cost effective 120mm fans in a 4 pack for about $14 after shipping.

Rosewill RCA-1204BK 120mm Sleeve Black Case Fan, 4...


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## Robert-The-Rambler (Jul 24, 2011)

*Power supply is not strong enough*



BrooksyX said:


> So I am slowly building a new rig over the next month as I can gather up the cash and want some of your guys thoughts on the build. I would like to eventually upgrade to a bulldozer chip if my motherboard supports it. If not I would pick up a second hand thuban x6 chip down the road.
> 
> Mainly what I will be using this rig for is playing starcraft 2, elders scrolls v: skyrm, and half 2 ep3/half life 3 (if it ever comes out). I also do some microsoft sql and visual basic programs for my college classes.
> 
> ...



You are better off with this model or a similar model with much more power on the 12V rail.

 Computer Hardware, Power Supplies, Power Supplies...

Oh, and a good choice right now for a video card is a GTX 465. You can't do much better for the price. I have this Galaxy model.

Galaxy 60XGH3HS3CUD GeForce GTX 465 (Fermi) 1GB 25...


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## Robert-The-Rambler (Jul 24, 2011)

*This 5400rpm drive is awesome*



BrooksyX said:


> Well I guess if it doesnt support it then I would probably go with a thuban chip when everyone is trying to dump their old ones for bulldozer. As for the ssd its just for a windows drive and most played games. Ill have a second drive for all my programs and stuff.



Despite its 5400rpm speed it manages great scores that match older 7200rpm drives. I ran Atto and got a peak read and write around 120 mb/sec. That could easily be a boot or a gaming drive. In fact I'm using one as my Steam drive in an I7 rig.

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F4EG HD155UI 1.5TB 5400 RPM 32MB...


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## Zen_ (Jul 25, 2011)

BrooksyX said:


> Any suggestions on a case and ram?



I haven't used all the cases mentioned obviously, but if you like the style the HAF 912 offers quite a bit for $60. The Lian-Li Lancool PC-K57 also looks really good for $60 if you can live with only 3x 3.5" bays and newegg ever gets it back in stock. 

Ram, just get the least expensive 4x2GB 1600 kit. This Patriot kit looks decent if you do mail rebates.


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## BrooksyX (Jul 25, 2011)

Zen_ said:


> I haven't used all the cases mentioned obviously, but if you like the style the HAF 912 offers quite a bit for $60. The Lian-Li Lancool PC-K57 also looks really good for $60 if you can live with only 3x 3.5" bays and newegg ever gets it back in stock.
> 
> Ram, just get the least expensive 4x2GB 1600 kit. This Patriot kit looks decent if you do mail rebates.



Those are all good suggestions I am just not trying to spend that much. Trying to make this build as cheap as possible with the option to upgrade down the line.


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## kciaccio (Jul 25, 2011)

Too bad you bought your motherboard already, if you have a micro center near, they usually have bundles that give you a free motherboard with CPU purchase.


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## BrooksyX (Jul 25, 2011)

kciaccio said:


> Too bad you bought your motherboard already, if you have a micro center near, they usually have bundles that give you a free motherboard with CPU purchase.



Closest microcenter is at least 500 miles away 

Plus I already had the cpu from old rig im gonna recycle it until I can get a cheap thuban chip second hand.


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## JrRacinFan (Jul 25, 2011)

EVGA B Stock for GPU(last i looked GTX460 1GB for 109) & Newegg Open Box deals on Gigabyte boards are pretty damn good (then again you already got a board).

Here's some inexpensive ram.
Kingston HyperX Blu 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDR...

My take on the case
NZXT Beta Series CS-NT-BETA-B Black Steel / Plasti...


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## Sir B. Fannybottom (Jul 25, 2011)

If that mobo is good, can you tell me? I was thinking of getting it if the next one I get doesn't work.


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## crazyeyesreaper (Jul 25, 2011)

Asgard II case is perfectly fine used them a bunch of builds with any mid range gpu it makes no difference only high end 480 570 580 6950 6970 will heat be an issue

Bogmali has 2x GTX 460s for sale check with him. on the GPU front

Asgard II case is fine will handle a mid range build without issue.


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## BrooksyX (Jul 25, 2011)

Kevinheraiz said:


> If that mobo is good, can you tell me? I was thinking of getting it if the next one I get doesn't work.



sure thing. ill post here how everything is running once its done.



crazyeyesreaper said:


> Asgard II case is perfectly fine used them a bunch of builds with any mid range gpu it makes no difference only high end 480 570 580 6950 6970 will heat be an issue
> 
> Bogmali has 2x GTX 460s for sale check with him. on the GPU front
> 
> Asgard II case is fine will handle a mid range build without issue.



hmm ill have to talk to bogmali. We have done a lot of business and he usually gives me a good deal.


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## Funtoss (Jul 25, 2011)

Go with GTX 560 for graphics card


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## xenocide (Jul 25, 2011)

I second the Rosewill Challenger, best mid-tower case I've ever used.


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## zipper17 (Jul 26, 2011)

so u already bought AMD mobo?
if u can get more budget,,go with Phenom ii x4 955 BE + HD 6850 'SOC' or GTX 460 1 GB 'SOC'
SOC means= GPU that already Factory Super Overclocked ,,
still seems a decent mainstream build, 
but should good enough for gaming nowadays(good 1920x1080 performance with lowered detail), 
be sure use OS 64bit for 4 GB RAM,,


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## xenocide (Jul 26, 2011)

zipper17 said:


> so u already bought AMD mobo?
> if u can get more budget,,go with Phenom ii x4 955 BE + HD 6850 'SOC' or GTX 460 1 GB 'SOC'
> SOC means= GPU that already Factory Super Overclocked ,,



That also usually adds $20+ to the price for roughly the same thing.  Trying to get a non-reference version of either of those cards and OCing it yourself is a much more cost-effective solution.


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## BrooksyX (Jul 26, 2011)

I bit on the xigmatec asgard ii case: Xigmatek ASGARD II B/B CPC-T45UC-U01 Black / Black...

its going for $30 shipped right now. I know the air flow isnt the best but price was awesome and it does have a spot for the fan in front. Might just require a little modding, which i am willing to do.

Also I got a xigmatek dark knight for a steal on ebay. $15 shipped and it includes the amd crossbow mounting.


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## crazyeyesreaper (Jul 26, 2011)

telling you right now xigmatek case is fine

last build i used it for was a 955BE +785g with a 4850 1gig and temps were fine stock cooling on everything, even with a mild overclock, a fan in front will make it better by a good bit, but isnt neccesary.


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## brandonwh64 (Jul 26, 2011)

Get a cheap GTX 460. I had one in my old crunching rig and it would play BFBC2 on everything high no HAOB 4X AA 4x AF 1920x1080 at around 60FPS


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## BrooksyX (Jul 28, 2011)

brandonwh64 said:


> Get a cheap GTX 460. I had one in my old crunching rig and it would play BFBC2 on everything high no HAOB 4X AA 4x AF 1920x1080 at around 60FPS



I might look into doing that but im kind of an ati fan boy but I could always give the green team a try.

Picked up a used OCZ vertex 1 30gb for $45 shipped. Thinking about getting a second one in a month or two for a cheap ssd raid setup.

edit: but evga does have to 2 gtx 460s for about $110 each. Should I go with one of those?


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## JrRacinFan (Jul 28, 2011)

BrooksyX said:


> I might look into doing that but im kind of an ati fan boy but I could always give the green team a try.
> 
> Picked up a used OCZ vertex 30gb for $45 shipped. Thinking about getting a second one in a month or two for a cheap ssd raid setup.



hd5830=gtx460 if it helps any


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## BrooksyX (Jul 28, 2011)

JrRacinFan said:


> hd5830=gtx460 if it helps any



Yeah I think im gonna get a 6770 because of its lower price and power usage but if i can find a good deal on 5830/6850 I will definitely have to go with one of those instead.


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## crazyeyesreaper (Jul 28, 2011)

try looking for a 5830 extreme from sapphire they tend to be in the $120 range usually

you could also look into the 6790 since it replaces the 5830 in terms of performance


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## JrRacinFan (Jul 28, 2011)

BrooksyX said:


> Yeah I think im gonna get a 6770 because of its lower price and power usage but if i can find a good deal on 5830/6850 I will definitely have to go with one of those instead.



at that rate I would just crossfire your existing 5670.  Hell, why not just think of that as an option also.


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## MilkyWay (Jul 28, 2011)

How about a 6870 or something? I know the gtx460 is a decent card my mate has one and you can overclock it a little bit, these cards will play everything you throw at them its just when you play Metro 2033 it gets a bit choppy.

I would have gotten a corsair 650w TX V2 doesn't really matter now you bought a PSU.


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## brandonwh64 (Jul 28, 2011)

used 5850 would be nice as well and if its a reference design then WINNING!


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## MilkyWay (Jul 28, 2011)

brandonwh64 said:


> used 5850 would be nice as well and if its a reference design then WINNING!



Good idea those have dropped in price


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## BrooksyX (Jul 28, 2011)

Those are all great suggestions but I'm looking for the best card for about 100-120.

Also I only game at 1440x900 as well and I no longer have the 5670.


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## crazyeyesreaper (Jul 28, 2011)

HIS H679F1GD Radeon HD 6790 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI ...

$129 after MIR with Dirt 3 sell the Dirt 3 coupon = done and done.


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## brandonwh64 (Jul 28, 2011)

crazyeyesreaper said:


> HIS H679F1GD Radeon HD 6790 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI ...
> 
> $129 after MIR with Dirt 3 sell the Dirt 3 coupon = done and done.



I see your point but GTX 460 beats the 6790?


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## Crap Daddy (Jul 28, 2011)

JrRacinFan said:


> hd5830=gtx460 if it helps any



Not quite. In fact not at all. Throw in some OC and the 460 is astill a godd card for the money.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Zotac/GeForce_GTX_460_1_GB/31.html

Same with 6790, way below the 460


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## Hayder_Master (Jul 28, 2011)

Forget to unlock phenom X3 don't be sure so much, i am try 4 chipes only one unlocked, so i you want see some used one of phenom II X4 or got athelon II X4 like 640. For graphic card i see 5770 is good but if you spare more money for GTX 460 it will great.


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## Crap Daddy (Jul 28, 2011)

Look here, GTX460 120$ after MIR

ZOTAC ZT-40408-10P GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) 1GB 256...


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## BrooksyX (Jul 28, 2011)

What about a evga b stock gtx 460 se 1gb ddr5 for 90 shipped.


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## MilkyWay (Jul 28, 2011)

If you can get a GTX460 for around $120 do it as thats a great card and it will oc nicely. I dunno but i would say it was similar to my 6850 in some ways.

Sorry now i see the above post! Definitely great card to get for $90


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## Cybrnook (Jul 28, 2011)

For MB/CPU dont forget about Microcenter combos, I'm sure someone here would be willing to pick it up and mail it. I pass by MC on my way home from work everyday...

http://www.microcenter.com/specials/promotions/AMDbundlePROMO.html


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## BrooksyX (Jul 28, 2011)

Cybrnook said:


> For MB/CPU dont forget about Microcenter combos, I'm sure someone here would be willing to pick it up and mail it. I pass by MC on my way home from work everyday...
> 
> http://www.microcenter.com/specials/promotions/AMDbundlePROMO.html



Thanks but I'm good on the CPU/mono end right now.


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## crazyeyesreaper (Jul 29, 2011)

6790 yea but the 6790 comes with a $50 game he can sell putting the 6790 at $139- $10 = $129 - $30 for a quick sale = $100 for a 6790 more if he charges more for the game which if you up it to $40 puts you at $90  but take whatever you can get for the price

just stay away from the 460 SE there utter shit a 6790 IS better then a 460 SE

but it should be pointed out

IN DX11 games at around 1440x900 both a 6790 and gtx 460 are so close that niether card will offer a large enough performance benefit to matter, so it comes down to the best deal you can find, and for around $90 i dont think your going to find a new GPU that rivals that performance,

EVGA B stock is a good place to check, and maybe post a specific WTB thread.


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## BrooksyX (Jul 29, 2011)

What about this card: EVGA 01G-P3-1556-KR GeForce GTX 550 Ti (Fermi) FPB...
Evga b stock price is 100. 

I noticed my psu only has one 6pin connector. A gtx 460 needs two.


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## crazyeyesreaper (Jul 29, 2011)

you can just use a molex to PCIe adaptor wont make a difference most of the time the gpus dont draw more then 100w-120w 75 slot 75 6pin = 150 the 2 6pin + slot allows for 225w something these gpus wont hit.

550ti gets beat by the 460, in most situations and a 6790 is faster as well,

not to mention 550ti if you do get it id just buy new $114 after rebate it has free shipping and a $50 game, send in the rebate sell the game, card costs you $80 give or take.


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## Hayder_Master (Jul 29, 2011)

BrooksyX said:


> What about a evga b stock gtx 460 se 1gb ddr5 for 90 shipped.



se is a decent version of gtx460, better stick with reguler version.


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## BrooksyX (Jul 29, 2011)

crazyeyesreaper said:


> you can just use a molex to PCIe adaptor wont make a difference most of the time the gpus dont draw more then 100w-120w 75 slot 75 6pin = 150 the 2 6pin + slot allows for 225w something these gpus wont hit.
> 
> 550ti gets beat by the 460, in most situations and a 6790 is faster as well,
> 
> not to mention 550ti if you do get it id just buy new $114 after rebate it has free shipping and a $50 game, send in the rebate sell the game, card costs you $80 give or take.



i dont count on evga rebates. Been burned both times I applied for them. I think im gonna go with the 550 ti. Yes its not as strong as a 460 but it uses a lot less power and its still cheaper than a 5790 (which also uses more power) by about $40.


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## crazyeyesreaper (Jul 29, 2011)

well 6790 is $130 with a $50 game so id say its a toss up and the 550ti actually uses more power so your aware, the 6790 is faster and uses less power, its also a single 6pin, 

but if the 550ti is really that much cheaper then grab that.


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## JrRacinFan (Jul 29, 2011)

I wouldn't bother with the 550ti. 6850 would be perfect if you could afford it. you might have to settle on the 6790


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## BrooksyX (Jul 29, 2011)

crazyeyesreaper said:


> well 6790 is $130 with a $50 game so id say its a toss up and the 550ti actually uses more power so your aware, the 6790 is faster and uses less power, its also a single 6pin,
> 
> but if the 550ti is really that much cheaper then grab that.



oh i guess only some of the 6790 have 2 pin connectors. Not all of them

edit and the 6790 does use more power: http://www.hwcompare.com/9964/geforce-gtx-550-ti-vs-radeon-hd-6790/ and is only marginally better. 550 ti has better AA support too. 



JrRacinFan said:


> I wouldn't bother with the 550ti. 6850 would be perfect if you could afford it. you might have to settle on the 6790



Well if you can find me a 6850 for $100 im in


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## crazyeyesreaper (Jul 29, 2011)

sorry seems the 6790 does need 2x 6pins but just use a single molex to 6pin and youll be fine
125w TDP in furmark, again PCIe slot gives 75w single 6pin gives 75w thats 150 so the molex power plug will never have to really be used, it just needs to be plugged in so the gpu does freak out.

average power used when gaming is around 80-100w, so nowhere near the 150w limit of slot + single 6pin let alone taxing a molex to 6pin adaptor.

also if your able to get the GPU up to around 950 core it will be on par with a stock 6850 roughly.

Guru 3d managed to get the reference no name card to do 949 core
TPU got a stock card to do 920
His ICE Q turbo did 975 core

lowest OC ive seen was 915 highest was 1000 on the core.


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## BrooksyX (Jul 30, 2011)

I ended up going the gtx 550 ti for $100. I think at 1440 x 900 I will be very happy with the performance and I plan on overclocking the core to at least 1ghz. If its not enough card for me looks like I can sell it on ebay and get most if not all the money back, maybe even make a little off of it. 

As for ram I bought 2x sets of these today: Kingston HyperX Blu 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDR...

Couldnt pass up 4x 2gb sticks of ddr3 1600mhz ram for $50.


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## BrooksyX (Aug 1, 2011)

Most of the rig gets in tomorrow. Its been a couple years since ive done a build from scratch. Pretty excited!


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## BrooksyX (Aug 3, 2011)

Here is some pics of the rig (sorry about bad pics, camera phone with no flash  ):


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## BrooksyX (Aug 3, 2011)

Still waiting on the 8gb of kingston 1600 ram (4x2gb) and the evga gtx 550 ti.

Today I ordered a second ocz 30gb ssd to put into raid 0 for my windows drive plus a few games. I also decided that I am going to sell/return the gtx 550ti in a couple weeks and get a B stock evga gtx 560 for $150. I got a lot of extra hours at work this week so Ill have the cash to spend. And when bulldozer comes out I am gonna try to get a cheap thuban x6 1035t. And finally gonna steal a 1tb WD Green drive out of HTPC for storage. 

Anyways my overall thoughts so far: Like the motherboard and psu. Case is a little on the small end though, my xigmatek dark barely fits (actually kind of pushes on side panel.) The cable management wasnt the best but I fixed that right up. If you couldn't tell I am kind of a cable management whore and will probably try to make even more improvements. I think the ram should OC nice according to the reviews and hopefully the cpu too. PSU actually has 2x 8pin video card plugs so that should be fine for powering a more high end video card. 

What do you guys think?


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## crazyeyesreaper (Aug 3, 2011)

not bad as far as the case goes it isnt the best but for $30 with free shipping theres nothing in its price range that competes  as they say you get what you pay for, and for a budget build it looks good


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## BrooksyX (Aug 3, 2011)

How about a gtx 560 at $150. I feel like thats a better deal than a 6850/6870?


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## xenocide (Aug 3, 2011)

BrooksyX said:


> How about a gtx 560 at $150. I feel like thats a better deal than a 6850/6870?



That's a good deal.  It's barely edged out by the 6870*, but if you can get it for $70-80 cheaper it's definitely a much better buy.

* - http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Powercolor/HD_6850_SCS3_Passive/27.html


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## JrRacinFan (Aug 3, 2011)

JrRacinFan said:


> I wouldn't bother with the 550ti. 6850 would be perfect if you could afford it. you might have to settle on the 6790





BrooksyX said:


> How about a gtx 560 at $150. I feel like thats a better deal than a 6850/6870?



Again, refer to my input. Only get the 560 if its a *Ti* version.


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## brandonwh64 (Aug 3, 2011)

EVGA B stock has a 560TI for 180$, well worth the extra money!


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## BrooksyX (Aug 3, 2011)

What's the difference between the gtx 560 and the 560 ti?


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## brandonwh64 (Aug 3, 2011)

BrooksyX said:


> What's the difference between the gtx 560 and the 560 ti?



This may help. http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-560-amp-edition-gtx-560-directcu-ii-top,2944-5.html


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## crazyeyesreaper (Aug 3, 2011)

560 non ti is really just a gtx 460 and tends to cost more lol

before someone says the 560 is way faster its just clock speed boost, most 460s will overclock like hell on wheels so its a moot point, 460s are also generally cheaper.


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## BrooksyX (Aug 10, 2011)

Quick update on the build.

Ram was giving me issues so I sold it and just bought a cheap g skill 2x4gb set of 1333. Mobo didnt like the 1600 ram.

Also I returned the 550 ti and picked up a pretty much brand new xfx 6870 on ebay for $140 shipped!


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## crazyeyesreaper (Aug 10, 2011)

awesome deals man glad to see the rig will get some needed pep


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## BrooksyX (Aug 10, 2011)

crazyeyesreaper said:


> awesome deals man glad to see the rig will get some needed pep



thanks. I think also when bulldozer drops I am gonna pick up a thuban x6 1035t and another 4gb/8gb of ram (why not, its so cheap). Anyways I wanna go with this chip because its 95w versus the 125+ of the other ones. Would work good with my cheaper PSU I think.


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## BrooksyX (Aug 11, 2011)

Just ordered 4gb more of ram (2x2gb kit, same kit as the 8gb kit I have one way just less). Probably overkill but I pretty much got them for free. Hope these for sticks work with my motherboard unlike the last ram...


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## BrooksyX (Aug 13, 2011)

grr.. my motherboard doesnt like my current ram either!! Any chance it could be the cpu? The memory controller is on the chip right?


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## Jetster (Aug 13, 2011)

What is it doing?


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## BrooksyX (Aug 13, 2011)

Jetster said:


> What is it doing?



It wont post if ram is put into dual channel mode/all 4 stick of ram are plugged in.


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## crazyeyesreaper (Aug 13, 2011)

use 1 stick,

up the CPU-NB volts and up Ram volts by .5

once thats saved add 1 stick at a time, and boot, enter the bios check the settings rinse repeat till all slots are filled,


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## BrooksyX (Aug 14, 2011)

crazyeyesreaper said:


> use 1 stick,
> 
> up the CPU-NB volts and up Ram volts by .5
> 
> once thats saved add 1 stick at a time, and boot, enter the bios check the settings rinse repeat till all slots are filled,



ill give it a try. Should I just rma the board though. Seems like I shouldnt have to change the voltage just to get the ram to boot at stock speeds...


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## crazyeyesreaper (Aug 14, 2011)

on AMD systems sometimes you do

more ram = more stress on the IMC people always seem to forget this

its why if you remember back in the day AMD recommends if running 4 sticks of 1066 to drop it to 800mhz because you had to increase volts to be stable,

CPU-NB volts + a small memory volt bump should give you the stability you need if it dosent, THEN its time to think about RMA


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## BrooksyX (Aug 14, 2011)

ok ill give a try and report back


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## BrooksyX (Aug 14, 2011)

still no luck. I just requested an RMA from MSI, this board is obviously bad.


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## Rowsol (Aug 14, 2011)

That psu scares me.  And as of now the 6870 for $175 is the best deal on newegg according to the charts here. price/performance obv. Not counting any open box or discounted items.


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## BrooksyX (Aug 14, 2011)

Rowsol said:


> That psu scares me.  And as of now the 6870 for $175 is the best deal on newegg according to the charts here. price/performance obv. Not counting any open box or discounted items.



the psu seems fine so far and i already got a 6870 for $140.


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## crazyeyesreaper (Aug 14, 2011)

the rig is done he just needs a board thats not broken lol he beat me to it ^


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## BrooksyX (Aug 14, 2011)

crazyeyesreaper said:


> the rig is done he just needs a board thats not broken lol he beat me to it ^



So do you agree that it sounds like the board as well? The psu seems fine, i can game on the rig. The cpu worked fine with my old biostar 790gx ddr2 board (in my htpc now). Worse case scenario ill just rma this board buy another basic am3 board and sell the replacement I get for this current board. I don't need anything fancy like crossfire, usb 3.0, or sata 6.0 speeds. Just something that will support my 12gb of ddr3 1333 ram, a 95w thuban x6 chip, my 6870, and my 2 ocz vertex I 30gb in raid 0.


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## crazyeyesreaper (Aug 14, 2011)

sounds like the mobo is bad, I had the same issues years ago on another MSI board, i had 4 sticks ram just to run it stable took me running my ram at 2.1v vs the default 1.8 just to get it to post, the cheaper MSI boards tend to just be crap

if you go cheap

grab Asrock or Biostar there not great but there lower tier boards seem to be more reliable, they dont OC as well but then again they dont catch fire like the MSI AM3 boards do.

best $100 board
ASRock 970 EXTREME4 AM3+ AMD 970 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3....

Best $80 board
BIOSTAR TA870U3+ AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 AT...

Best $60 board
BIOSTAR A870 AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s ATX AMD Mother...


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## BrooksyX (Aug 14, 2011)

crazyeyesreaper said:


> sounds like the mobo is bad, I had the same issues years ago on another MSI board, i had 4 sticks ram just to run it stable took me running my ram at 2.1v vs the default 1.8 just to get it to post, the cheaper MSI boards tend to just be crap
> 
> if you go cheap
> 
> grab Asrock or Biostar there not great but there lower tier boards seem to be more reliable, they dont OC as well but then again they dont catch fire like the MSI AM3 boards do.



yeah i might just buy this board on payday and sell the msi board when it comes back from rma. Only thing that i don't like about this board is the location of the 24pin mobo psu connector. Its not very cable management friendly... 

BIOSTAR A770E3 AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard


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## crazyeyesreaper (Aug 14, 2011)

ID spend the extra and get the Biostar 870 aka the $60 board. sell off the MSI board when it returns from RMA

just double check there memory support QVL


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## BrooksyX (Aug 14, 2011)

might be worth it but only downside is yes it has the extra pci-e slot but its only 4x like my current board. I would love to pick up a second 6870 someday (and get a better psu as well) but i would have to upgrade the board as well. Does it offer any other benefits over the 770?


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## crazyeyesreaper (Aug 14, 2011)

x4 2.0 is more then enough for a 6870 anything higher then that will become a problem

but if your thinking of dual gpus get the $100 board from Asrock

970 chipset with SLI and Xfire support its the only board at that price point that supports Bulldozer AND has sli and xfire supported  pretty much best bang for buck board on the market.

aka Asrock 970 Extreme 4


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## BrooksyX (Aug 14, 2011)

hmm ill have to look at the deals next payday (the 25th, all of last check went to bills) but I might get my financial aid in like 5-6 days so maybe i can get something sooner. However crossfire/sli isnt a big priority as im sure my single 6870 paired with an oced thuban x6 1035t should be fine for the next year or two. Just want this cheao rig to last until then.


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## crazyeyesreaper (Aug 14, 2011)

that and the asrock board is x8x8

well thats what i mean get a cheap x6 run it till she cant take it then plop in a used bulldozer ???? profit


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## BrooksyX (Aug 14, 2011)

Do you think its worth going from my current x3 720 to a x6 1035t?


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## crazyeyesreaper (Aug 14, 2011)

if you get the 970 AM3 + asrock board no i dont  id wait for bulldozer wait for a price job and grab a BD chip later in the year 

allows for a better mobo and gives you the upgrade path that makes a larger difference. lol


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## BrooksyX (Aug 14, 2011)

crazyeyesreaper said:


> if you get the 970 AM3 + asrock board no i dont  id wait for bulldozer wait for a price job and grab a BD chip later in the year
> 
> allows for a better mobo and gives you the upgrade path that makes a larger difference. lol



ok well I think im gonna try to flip a few things on ebay real quick then I might just buy the open box version of this board for $45 so i can finally get this rig going strong:

Open Box: BIOSTAR A770E3 AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Mothe...


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