# Midrange Gaming Build



## Chosen Juan (Mar 27, 2011)

Hey there,

I'm going to build a new system soon, but I can't solidly decide on what parts to get. My budget is going to be around $1000 (give or take, but the less the better). As of right now, I'm thinking about getting an i5-2500k and a Radeon 6950, along with 4GB of RAM. With just those 3, the cost is around $530. I still need a motherboard, case, HD, optical drive, etc.

I would like some recommendations on other parts. Also, would it be worth it to go i7 2600k instead, and maybe a cheaper graphics card (6850?).

Thanks, this computer will mainly be used for gaming and programming, along with the usual school work.

By the way, I'm almost 100% sure on an NZXT Phantom as a case, unless someone can recommend a cheaper case that could result in the money being spent to better the CPU or graphics.

Thanks in advance!


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## PSPianist (Mar 27, 2011)

Are you going to be overclocking?


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## Chosen Juan (Mar 27, 2011)

PSPianist said:


> Are you going to be overclocking?



Of course  I can't resist that, especially when I read reviews of Sandy Bridge i5's and i7's going 4.4ghz+


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## micropage7 (Mar 27, 2011)

if you are on budget i guess buy normal processor and buy faster graphic card, most off game just utilize dual core than triple or quad cores and processor with dual core is pretty cheap now, pair it with faster graphic card with big memory


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## CrAsHnBuRnXp (Mar 27, 2011)

Chosen Juan said:


> I would like some recommendations on other parts. Also, would it be worth it to go i7 2600k instead, and maybe a cheaper graphics card (6850?).



Unless you plan to run a high overclock the non k version will suit you just fine. However, if you're just going to be doing some gaming and programming along with homework, then the i5 2500 will suit you just fine. Use the money you save to buy a better graphics card. How much are you wanting to spend? Are you in the US?

EDIT: Nevermind after rereading your post i see the $1000 budget. 

EDIT 2: Are you going to need new hard drives? If so what size are you looking for? Do you need any optical drives?


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## Chosen Juan (Mar 27, 2011)

How does this look so far?

Intel Core i5-2500K  - $224.99

MSI P67A-GD53 (B3) - $149.99


G Skill Rip Jaws 4GB (2x2GB) - $49.99

Gigabyte Radeon HD 6950 - $244.99

Samsung Spinpoint 1TB Hard Drive - $64.99

ASUS DVD Drive - $18.99

Corsair CMPSU-650TX - $89.99

Zalman CNPS10X Performa

NZXT Phantom - $119.99

The total after coupons/discounts/mail in rebates are: $1013.91

The price seems to be alright, it would be nice to chip a few dollars off of it, especially since a few of those dollars will be from rebates, so the intial price is $1100 or so.

How does this look?


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## CrAsHnBuRnXp (Mar 27, 2011)

Heres what I was looking at. I also used some parts from your list:

Intel Core i5-2500 Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Tur...

ASUS P8P67 (REV 3.0) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s...

G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR...

CORSAIR HX Series CMPSU-750HX 750W ATX12V 2.3 / EP...

XFX HD-695X-ZNFC Radeon HD 6950 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 ...

NZXT Phantom PHAN-001WT White Steel / Plastic ATX ...

ASUS Black 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DV...

XIGMATEK LOKI SD963 92mm HYPRO Bearing CPU Cooler ...

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cac...

Price is $1,133.34 with ($1,115.91 exluding shipping) UPS 3 day shipping. With rebates its about $1070.

Your build is pretty good too.


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## Chosen Juan (Mar 27, 2011)

Thanks! That's actually really nice. If I was to stay with the i5-2500k and the MSI P67A motherboard that I listed above but with everything else as you listed, how far do you think I could get with overclocking it if I used the Xigmatek Loki as a CPU cooler?

I really like the Corsair 750W PSU and the cheaper 6950 too. Also, is 8GB worth it over 4GB? It's always upgradeable down the road.

Thanks again


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## CrAsHnBuRnXp (Mar 27, 2011)

Well with the sandy bridge cpu's (the k versions) theyve been known to hit 4.4ghz+ and even 5ghz on air so its really hard to say and all boards/cpus overclock differently. 

I personally would just put in 8GB of ram just so I wouldnt be running out any time soon. Im sure in the next few years it will start to become more common but for now its a bit overkill. But if you plan on keeping the computer for quite a while, it woudlnt hurt. 

Another reason I suggested the 8GB kit is because there is a 4GB kit that looks exactly like that for $99 and it has slightly worse timings but the speed is faster. (1600mhz compared to the 1333mhz kit) However the 8GB kit i linked above has better timings at 1333mhz so its slightly better. (but thats not to say that if you got the 4GB kit you wouldnt be able to match the timings of the 8GB kit. sort of confusing i know sorry)


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## Chosen Juan (Mar 28, 2011)

Yeah that makes sense.

Just to make sure I'm exploring all of my options here, the build(s) listed above would they be better than any AMD build? 

Thanks

EDIT: If I was to cut back on something to change the i5-2500k into an i7-2600k what should it be? PSU? Memory?


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## Zen_ (Mar 29, 2011)

Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, L...
ASRock P67 EXTREME4 (B3) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6... (of of stock)
GIGABYTE GV-R695D5-2GD-B Radeon HD 6950 2GB 256-bi...
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR...
LIAN LI Lancool PC-K57 Black Steel ATX Mid Tower C...
Antec NEO ECO 620C 620W Continuous Power ATX12V v2... (out of stock)
ASUS Black 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DV...

That's what I'd get if I were building something right now...leaves you $100 give or take to get a hard drive (no idea what size you want). If you get the Hyper 212 heatsink I'd also recommend a better fan, like a Scythe Kama Flow PWM.


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## Thassodar (Mar 29, 2011)

Are you 100% set on Intel? You could save quite a few bucks going with an AMD processor and motherboard. A nice quad core AMD could save you $50 easy. My motherboard is rock solid at $75. On top of that you get the "advantage" (debatable) of running all AMD products with the 6950. I've also heard that AMD processor overclocks very well too but I don't see any reason why you'd need to go more than 3.8 Ghz in the next year or so. Even then the six core AMD processors are cheaper than anything Intel has and you can nab one of those.

Long story short unless you have something against AMD you can save some money, so take a look at both sides of the tracks. Add to all that the fact that most of the 870-XXX AM3 motherboards will be compatible with the new Bulldozer chips (AM3+) that will be released in the coming months via a BIOS update and you have a future of scalability.

Just my .02


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## Chosen Juan (Mar 30, 2011)

My budget is actually up to around $1200 or less right now, so would the parts listed above be fine, but with an i7 2600k instead?

Thanks


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## CrAsHnBuRnXp (Mar 30, 2011)

Short answer, yes. However, unless you plan on doing things like video editing or something that requires a lot of multi processing power, the i7 isnt really the best for games as really no game right now (maybe aside from BF:BC2 since it uses a lot of CPU power) will take advantage of the i7's hyper threading. Youd be better off with the i5 2500(k) since it doesnt have hyper-threading.

If your budget is $1200 or less, id go for a corsair Hx0 CPU watercooler. Doesnt require any maintenance or even a new monitor if you need one.


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## TheLaughingMan (Mar 30, 2011)

PSU: NZXT HALE 90 HALE90-650-M 650W ATX 12V v2.2, EPS 1...

The Cosair is just fine, but I like to keep that case and the Hal90's together as they were literally made for each other.

If you are just gaming the i7 2600k is complete overkill.  You should stick with your i5 2500k as this is a semi-budget rig.  White not as powerful, it is overall more power efficient.

Stick with the 4GB of memory.  8GB is overkill and will not be needed in any game like people seem to thing.  As long as games have DX9 as an option, 4GB is more than enough.  Besides, RAM will go up and drop in price again come christmas and you can get a matching set then.


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## Chosen Juan (Mar 30, 2011)

The reason why I was asking about the i7 2600k is because I've decided to put a little bit more into my budget now. I know that the i7 2600k isn't exactly needed, same with the 8GB of ram since the main thing I'll be doing is gaming and programming (C++, Java, C#, etc.), but being a college student I rarely have this amount of money to spend all on a pc, so I doubt I will be upgrading anytime soon. 

So even if it doesn't exactly make a difference right now, if it means I can hold on to it a little bit longer that would help. I hope that makes sense.

CrAsHnBuRnXp, you said in your post up there that 8GB is a little overkill for most of the things out now, but if I plan on keeping the computer for a while it would help. I was just thinking that exact same thing for the i7 with the reasons stated above.

Thanks again. I really wish I wasn't stuck to such a small budget.


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## TheLaughingMan (Mar 30, 2011)

Aren't you going to need a copy of Windows for this new system as well.


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## Chosen Juan (Mar 30, 2011)

TheLaughingMan said:


> Aren't you going to need a copy of Windows for this new system as well.



I can download Windows 7 Professional x64 free through my university. I love that perk along with other stuff.


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## TheLaughingMan (Mar 30, 2011)

Nice.  I know what that is like.

Here.  My version:

 Once You Know, You Newegg

Take out the Win7 copy and it comes it around $1150.


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## Fitseries3 (Mar 30, 2011)

2500k is only 179$ at microcenter. there are several people here on the forums that will be happy to pick you one up if you arent close by one. 

i just built a machine similar to what you are wanting.

check my system specs if you want.... it plays every game in my collection pretty smooth using 3 24" lcds in eyefinity for a res of 6144x1152.... even when i had a 6870 in the machine.

i cannot comment on price as i obtained much of my hardware from manufacturers and trading so not much money spent out of pocket.


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## Thassodar (Mar 30, 2011)

*Completely* ignored my post...

Is AMD so bad? Especially for a "midrange" machine? This is getting out of midrange territory now to be quite honest....


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## ASRockIQ (Mar 30, 2011)

Thassodar said:


> *Completely* ignored my post...
> 
> Is AMD so bad? Especially for a "midrange" machine? This is getting out of midrange territory now to be quite honest....


chill man chill. he has 1k to spend so heck why not go Intel? Intel is all worth it in the end. AMD may be cheaper but the performance just can't compete with Intel 'In some cases' that is


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## JrRacinFan (Mar 30, 2011)

ASRockIQ said:


> chill man chill. he has 1k to spend so heck why not go Intel? Intel is all worth it in the end. AMD may be cheaper but the performance just can't compete with Intel 'In some cases' that is



But if it means the difference for a better graphics card, power supply, or motherboard(more features), I know I myself would do it.

GIGABYTE GA-870A-USB3 AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3...
G.SKILL PI 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1...
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cac...
XFX Core Edition PRO650W (P1-650S-CAB9) 650W ATX12...
Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, L...

Case is more personal preference altho go with the NZXT Phantom.

EDIT:

Almost forgot ....
XIGMATEK Intel Core i7 compatible Dark Knight-S128...


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## TheLaughingMan (Mar 30, 2011)

Thassodar said:


> *Completely* ignored my post...
> 
> Is AMD so bad? Especially for a "midrange" machine? This is getting out of midrange territory now to be quite honest....



I fit my suggestions to match the person's requirements.  The first think he said he wanted seemed to be AMD graphics and Intel 2k series.  I could honestly recommend an AMD system that will do everything he wants for well under $1000 and he would lose very little power.  Hell with AMD, I could improve the graphics by going up anything notch in power and still come in under budget.

And everyone likes the 6950 because you can unlock the shaders in most, if not all, first generation cards like the new 1GB version.  That gives a nice boost in performance for free.  I think you have to leave the memory OC along though because it can burn up the card or something.

And no one is stopping you or I or anyone (like JR) from tossing up a Wishlist center around AMD.


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## CrAsHnBuRnXp (Mar 30, 2011)

Thassodar said:


> Is AMD so bad? Especially for a "midrange" machine?




Midrange, no, but if the OP's budget is $1k+, that really isnt "midrange". Midrange is like $5-700. 

Well if you dont plan on upgrading for say 3+ years and you got the budget then I say, hell yeah go the i7 2600k+ with 8GB ram.


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## Chosen Juan (Mar 31, 2011)

Thassodar said:


> *Completely* ignored my post...
> 
> Is AMD so bad? Especially for a "midrange" machine? This is getting out of midrange territory now to be quite honest....



I did not ignore your post, even though I might not have replied to it in this thread. Trust me, I researched an AMD system as well in my budget and I believe you're right, for the things I want to do it might not make a difference if I went with either an i7 2600k or a Phenom X6 1100T. The only thing is, like I said above, I rarely have this kind of money available all at once to spend on a PC for me being a college student. I know right now AMD or Intel might give me similar performance for what I want to use it, but what about 2-3 years from now? That's where I'm going with this.

And yea, I guess this isn't "midrange" anymore, sorry.


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## Chosen Juan (Mar 31, 2011)

Well, after looking around, reading reviews, etc. this is what I believe I will be ordering in the coming days/weeks:

Intel Core i7 2600k - $328.99

MSI P67A G45 (B3) - $139.99

G.Skill RipJaws X Series 4GB (2x2GB) - $64.99

Corsair CMPSU-750TX - $109.99

Gigabyte Radeon HD 6950 2GB - $264.99

Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB - $64.99

ASUS DVD Burner - $19.99

Corsair Hydro H50 - $71.36

NZXT Phantom - $139.99

The total of everything before rebates and shipping is $1205.28. Not too shabby I hope haha. I ended up going with 4GB instead of 8GB, so I could spend the money saved on an H50 (I personally like it, I know some will tell me to go with air instead). Later down the road I can just add 2 more sticks for 4GB easily. Easy to add, and $64 isn't too expensive I think, just another game (and the way games are right now memory might be a good alternative haha). I also decided to save some money by getting a non-modular PSU, and that Corsair got great reviews.

Well, I hope this build is decent, unless someone really convinces me to change something here (Crash?) I believe I'll be ordering this within the next few days/weeks.


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## CrAsHnBuRnXp (Mar 31, 2011)

I personally would get the modular PSU so that way cable management would be a bit cleaner but to each their own. Good looking build nonetheless and it makes me jealous.


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## cever89 (Mar 31, 2011)

Do you really need something as large as a full tower for this build? Maybe you could get a nice mid-tower and add more RAM with the money you saved? Just an idea.


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## n-ster (Mar 31, 2011)

where are you at? Microcenter nearby perhaps?


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## HookeyStreet (Mar 31, 2011)

For that kind of cash I bet you could build a top end AMD rig  (6 core AMD + 6970 = )


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## n-ster (Mar 31, 2011)

HookeyStreet said:


> For that kind of cash I bet you could build a top end AMD rig  (6 core AMD + 6970 = )



6950 2GB is a better bang/buck

Perhaps an SSD would be nice though.


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## HookeyStreet (Mar 31, 2011)

n-ster said:


> 6950 2GB is a better bang/buck
> 
> Perhaps an SSD would be nice though.



Yeah, I was just using the 6970 as an example.  He can build an high-end X6 AMD rig with the cash that he has available


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## n-ster (Mar 31, 2011)

HookeyStreet said:


> Yeah, I was just using the 6970 as an example.  He can build an high-end X6 AMD rig with the cash that he has available



but a 2600K would be better


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## JrRacinFan (Mar 31, 2011)

n-ster said:


> but a 2600K would be better



Even for the proposed/planned extra $200 over the build I posted previously?

EDIT:

What the heck happenned to my AM3+ link?  The board I posted was the AM3+ version of the 870a USB3 "??"


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## 20mmrain (Mar 31, 2011)

You know if you are planning on upgrading you Computer to a little higher end latter on and also want to go modular on the PSU. You could pick up a Cooler master Silent Pro 1000 watt Modular PSU for about $35 or $40 bucks more. Plus a rebate involved. at most places. Even though I am a big fan of Corsair PSU's... it is what I did recently. But I do have the need for the extra power a little more then you do.

Also Just my opinion.....I would get rid of the G.Skill Ripjaws (I have owned a few pairs of that ram and had more problems then good with it)
I would pick up some Corsair XMS 3 it is probably about the same price but IMO better quality.

I would also go for the XFX 6950 2gb Card while about 10$ more expensive it also has the double life time warranty. 

I would also go for a different brand on the Motherboard. Not because MSI is not a good brand as long as you get a good one. But if it dies past the New egg 30 day return.... it is really hard to get a hold of them for a return. But this point I can also see you over looking because of the specs on that board are better then most in that price range. So I wouldn't say for sure change the Motherboard... just giving you something else to think about it on.

Other then that.... nothing else. I believe I give good reason for my changes....it's not just brand loyalty it is also looking at things like warranty and return-ability in case needed. But the changes I made will maybe give you a price tag of anywhere of $30 to $50 dollar more expensive (Depending if you shop around or not) But I think it might be worth it. Good luck


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## Chosen Juan (Apr 2, 2011)

Well, I think I'll switch out the PSU for a modular one, the one suggested earlier. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139010

Apart from that, I might switch the graphics card for an XFX brand just for better warranty. A few of my friends actually suggested it to me as well.

That should be it, I'll jut pick up another set of 4GB sticks down the road, which should be really easy.


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## n-ster (Apr 2, 2011)

JrRacinFan said:


> Even for the proposed/planned extra $200 over the build I posted previously?
> 
> EDIT:
> 
> What the heck happenned to my AM3+ link?  The board I posted was the AM3+ version of the 870a USB3 "??"



I can't see the combo listed but your build does look good.

Thing is that with his budget, he can AFFORD a 2600K, so even if what you propose is cheaper and better bang/buck, the 2600K (or 2500K) is still better for his max budget.

AM3+?  did I read wrong?


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## JrRacinFan (Apr 2, 2011)

n-ster said:


> AM3+?  did I read wrong?



Didn't read that wrong.  There was a Gigabyte 870 board listed on NewEgg. Even gigabyte pulled the board off there site so I can't even link you. Let me see if I can find a cached page through google.

EDIT:

Ahhh here we go. http://www.costcentral.com/proddeta...byte_GA_870A_USB3_rev_31/GA870AUSB3/11324744/ and here's a cached google page http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&source=www.google.com#ov  ... I do agree but .. 

$200 is $200.


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## Chosen Juan (Apr 3, 2011)

Hey guys, instead of the Corsair H50 I was thinking about getting the Noctua NH-D14 instead. Will I get any clearance issues with the G Skill Ripjaws X? Or even the case, will I have issues with the case?

Thanks


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## theeldest (Apr 5, 2011)

My 2 cents:

I'd recommend 8GB now depending on 'homework'. I actually hit the mem limit with Excel and a particularly large dataset from one of my labs. Never thought excel would need more than a gig or two of memory but once they got rid of that 65k row limitation things just exploded (I'm sitting at 450k rows right now ...)


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## n-ster (Apr 5, 2011)

theeldest said:


> My 2 cents:
> 
> I'd recommend 8GB now depending on 'homework'. I actually hit the mem limit with Excel and a particularly large dataset from one of my labs. Never thought excel would need more than a gig or two of memory but once they got rid of that 65k row limitation things just exploded (I'm sitting at 450k rows right now ...)



that seems unlikely... what Excel version was that? I have 2010, so many that is why my mem usage for excel is much lower but still


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## theeldest (Apr 5, 2011)

n-ster said:


> that seems unlikely... what Excel version was that? I have 2010, so many that is why my mem usage for excel is much lower but still



Getting a bit offtopic but I'm running 2010. It's a pretty large dataset with formulas in about 3 million cells. The resources error comes up when I'm trying to rearrange a pivot.

As an aside: array formulas will just refuse to work with this amount of data. Ridiculous.


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## Chosen Juan (Apr 5, 2011)

I think I'm going to use OpenOffice on this new comp since essays are the only thing I use Office Suites for.

And I know I increased my budget earlier but I think I'm going to be increasing it one last time. Instead of the MSI P67A G45, I think I'm going to get the ASUS Sabertooth P67. I'm also going to change the cooler from the Corsair H50 to the Noctua NH-D14. The case is going to change too I believe, from the NZXT Phantom to the Cooler Master HAF-X.

These changes should all be positive, right?

Thanks again haha


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## JrRacinFan (Apr 5, 2011)

Not many will agree with me but the Phantom is the nicer case.


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## Chosen Juan (Apr 5, 2011)

JrRacinFan said:


> Not many will agree with me but the Phantom is the nicer case.



I do like the looks of the Phantom better, but when I started looking into it there were some small things like the 200mm fans up top being specific to NZXT (I think they were off compared to standard 200mm fans). Also my whole setup (monitor, deskt, etc.) is black/silver so I thought the CM HAF X would be better.

Besides the case though, are the Sabertooth P67 and Noctua NH-D14 good additions?


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## JrRacinFan (Apr 5, 2011)

From those you picked out, either pair will treat you well.


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## Goodman (Apr 5, 2011)

JrRacinFan said:


> Didn't read that wrong.  There was a Gigabyte 870 board listed on NewEgg. Even gigabyte pulled the board off there site so I can't even link you. Let me see if I can find a cached page through google.
> 
> EDIT:
> 
> ...



Your link shows a AM3 not AM3+ 
Anyhow looks like AM3+ boards are here now...
Look at that---> http://www.gigabyte.com/products/list.aspx?s=42&jid=10&p=2&v=26 

BTW: If i would have a $1000 or more i would go Intel I7 & 6950 also , even with only $700-800 i would go intel
But than again i would probably wait till mid summer & see what bulldozer will bring to the table...


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## CrAsHnBuRnXp (Apr 5, 2011)

I personally would go the Corsair water cooling solution over that abomination of a CPU cooler (Noctua). But thats just me. It looks hideous and I would never purchase anything like that no matter how well it cools. Im a big fan of looks/performance (in that order).



Goodman said:


> But than again i would probably wait till mid summer & see what bulldozer will bring to the table...



If the rumors are true, it looks like AMD is going to be making a comeback. I heard they are going with lower speeds (think 1.8GHz) and its kicking the shit out of Intel i7's. Again this *ISNT* official.


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## JrRacinFan (Apr 5, 2011)

JrRacinFan said:


> GIGABYTE GA-870A-USB3 AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3...[/url]
> 
> EDIT:
> 
> What the heck happenned to my AM3+ link?  The board I posted was the AM3+ version of the 870a USB3 "??"





Goodman said:


> Your link shows a AM3 not AM3+
> Anyhow looks like AM3+ boards are here now...
> Look at that---> http://www.gigabyte.com/products/list.aspx?s=42&jid=10&p=2&v=26
> 
> ...



I agree but please reread the thread/my posts. Also this link
http://www.costcentral.com/proddeta...byte_GA_870A_USB3_rev_31/GA870AUSB3/11324744/

Is to revision 3.1 with an am3+ socket.


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## Chosen Juan (Apr 6, 2011)

CrAsHnBuRnXp said:


> I personally would go the Corsair water cooling solution over that abomination of a CPU cooler (Noctua). But thats just me. It looks hideous and I would never purchase anything like that no matter how well it cools. Im a big fan of looks/performance (in that order).
> 
> 
> 
> If the rumors are true, it looks like AMD is going to be making a comeback. I heard they are going with lower speeds (think 1.8GHz) and its kicking the shit out of Intel i7's. Again this *ISNT* official.



I know what you mean haha. But the ASUS Sabertooth P67 isn't a looker either. I'm not a fan of the olive green/bone white slots and heatsinks. But they both perform well though.

As for the Corsair H50, from the reviews that I've read it has to be set as an intake, and if I was to set it as exhaust then I'd have to get an extra fan for push-pull so the temps are cool. That would only be a few dollars away from an NH-D14 which cools better.

I could always get the Antec H2O 620...


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## Funtoss (Apr 6, 2011)

lmao this looks better than my rig :\

anyways if your gonna be overclocking better invest in some good cooling as well


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## Chosen Juan (Apr 7, 2011)

Hey guys, just wondering, have you guys heard anything (good) about the Asrock Fatal1ty P67? The color scheme is too sick (I'm a sucker for anything Red/Black combo) hehe it would match the ram, case, and graphics card


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## JrRacinFan (Apr 7, 2011)

Didn't hear anything about that board particular but I do know that the Asrock brand is decent.


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## Chosen Juan (Apr 7, 2011)

JrRacinFan said:


> Didn't hear anything about that board particular but I do know that the Asrock brand is decent.



I was reading reviews and it seems like an excellent board...but I couldn't find much info on forums as for user experience.


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## Chosen Juan (Apr 10, 2011)

One more question guys, all of this waiting is making me do some research.

HAF X or Silverstone Raven 2? I'm stuck between these two, and the Raven looks ridiculously nice compared to the HAF X, and the airflow seems great as well. But the HAF X is much bigger.


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## CrAsHnBuRnXp (Apr 10, 2011)

That boils down to personal preference. Make a list of pros and cons for each if you have to and weigh your decision based on that.


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## Chosen Juan (Apr 19, 2011)

Well, I just pulled the trigger on CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM...

It's the only thing I've ordered since the deal was great. It's gonna be staring at me for a few weeks  until I order the rest


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## gpost3 (Apr 19, 2011)

I would have suggested to save $50 on RAM and go with 4 GB. Crysis runs smoothly on 4 GB maxed out without a hint of I/O paging.

For graphics, I would recommend Geforce GTX 460 for mid range gaming. If you were thinking to get 6950 then I guess that isn't exactly "mid range". 

http://ncix.com/products/?sku=54626.../OC&manufacture=MSI/MicroStar#CustomerReviews


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## Iceni (Apr 19, 2011)

looks like I've just orderd Pretty much your rig LOL.

Make sure the Hd6950 is a referance card. That way you should be able to unlock the 6970 shaders. This will give you a 6970 in effect as you can use trixx or similar to run the card at 6970 speeds. Unless you get a shocking deal on a non referance gesign then this is the best way to gain more for less on the rig. I got the sapphire standard model and it works perfectly at 6970 speeds, others apparently are equally good. Avoid a full flash to the 6970 bios tho as i've seen a few cards die in forum threads. A quick google search will lead you down the shader unlock route. 

I wen't for the Msi p67a - GD45 - rev 3.0. If you want to know how well it performs I'll be building and testing in the next few days with an i5 2500K and a coolermaster 212+. The noctua's are better i think, probably on a par with the closed loop water coolers. But the closed loop water coolers will be quieter still. Personally i got the 212+ with a mind to buying a full custom loop in summer. Means i can get the rig running and work out the niggles before i start to mess with the wet stuff. Your blue vengence would also sit nice in this mobo since it has blue dimm slots and black ones. And corsair do a black dimm set as well. I plan to get 4Gb blue and 4GB black to match the slots. Only black orderd atm. I know the mobo also comes with black sata cables as well so thats something you don't have to worry about. 


Once it arrives I'm going to build and start to overclock it. The results will be poor to begin with! I very much doubt i'll break 4Ghz till i've had chance to digest the mobo options and then correlate them back to options other people have and start my tweaks. 


Also buy yours fast! If we have almost identical rigs and you clock 1Ghz faster then me i want your settings


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## Deleted member 74752 (Apr 19, 2011)

I have tried the AsRock P67 Extreme 6 mb and found it needs a buttload of vcore just to boot into Windows compared to my Asus WR Revolution or Biostar TP67B+...


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## gpost3 (Apr 19, 2011)

I would strongly advise against ATI cards for now (here comes ATI fanboy) because you get physX if you go the nvidia route - Dirt 2 uses it and Dirt 3 will be using it too. Get a 460 GTX or a 480 GTX if you have the money.


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## Chosen Juan (Apr 20, 2011)

gpost3 said:


> I would have suggested to save $50 on RAM and go with 4 GB. Crysis runs smoothly on 4 GB maxed out without a hint of I/O paging.
> 
> For graphics, I would recommend Geforce GTX 460 for mid range gaming. If you were thinking to get 6950 then I guess that isn't exactly "mid range".
> 
> http://ncix.com/products/?sku=54626.../OC&manufacture=MSI/MicroStar#CustomerReviews



It was only $74.99 during the Shell Shocker deal so I jumped on it, or else I would have just gone with 4GB.



Iceni said:


> looks like I've just orderd Pretty much your rig LOL.
> 
> Make sure the Hd6950 is a referance card. That way you should be able to unlock the 6970 shaders. This will give you a 6970 in effect as you can use trixx or similar to run the card at 6970 speeds. Unless you get a shocking deal on a non referance gesign then this is the best way to gain more for less on the rig. I got the sapphire standard model and it works perfectly at 6970 speeds, others apparently are equally good. Avoid a full flash to the 6970 bios tho as i've seen a few cards die in forum threads. A quick google search will lead you down the shader unlock route.
> 
> ...



Yeah man I'll definitely get it soon, I'm just going to wait until finals are over or else there goes my GPA. I'm going with the Corsair H60 instead (or maybe Antec Kuhler). I really wanted to match colors this time around, but the blue Corsair memory doesn't exactly go with the red AMD video card. Oh well...



rickss69 said:


> I have tried the AsRock P67 Extreme 6 mb and found it needs a buttload of vcore just to boot into Windows compared to my Asus WR Revolution or Biostar TP67B+...



I'm gonna go with the ASUS Sabertooth P67 instead, great reviews!



gpost3 said:


> I would strongly advise against ATI cards for now (here comes ATI fanboy) because you get physX if you go the nvidia route - Dirt 2 uses it and Dirt 3 will be using it too. Get a 460 GTX or a 480 GTX if you have the money.



I honestly don't care much about PhysX, I'd rather get a 6950 rather than a 460. I don't play any of the games that require hardware PhysX, and if I did then I have an 8800GT waiting.

EDIT:
Well, I'm going to return the Corsair Vengeance 8GB that I just bought and buy GSkill RipJaws X 8GB instead. Pretty much the same exact thing, but it's red instead of blue. Prices are the same too, but I'm losing $11 for restocking fee and $8.50 for shipping


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## Chosen Juan (May 14, 2011)

Hey guys, well it's been a while since I posted in this thread but I'm ready to order now, possibly any minute. Hopefully today. As of right now, this is the build I have with some changes:

Intel Core i5 2500K
After reading more reviews, I didn't see a reason to spend $100 just for HT and slightly more L3 cache. Saved money goes towards SSD 

Xigmatek Aegir
Great reviews, just a few degrees hotter than a Noctua NH-D14, looks better, and can add a second fan.

G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB 2x4GB DDR3 1600
Already bought during the ShellShocker deal!

MSI R6950 Twin Frozr II
Reference cards are pretty much gone from newegg, great cooler.

Corsair HX750 Power Supply
Great reviews, modular, good cables too.

Crucial M4 64GB SSD

New SSD, and $35 coupon.

Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB
Storage drive for media, etc.

ASUS DVD Burner
Cheap reliable DVD burner.

Corsair 600T Special Edition
Great looking case, might not cool as good as a HAF X but looks better.

As for the motherboard, I'm still undecided. I had my minds set on an ASRock Fatal1ty P67, but maybe there's a cheaper motherboard that could do the same features (maybe ASRock Extreme4, I honestly don't know). The reason for that motherboard was because I was going for a red/black theme, but now I'm going with a 600T instead of a HAF X, and the Twin Frozr 6950 isn't red/black like the reference cards.

So any recommendations, preferably a good motherboard with great features and cheap, but doesn't skimp out on the performance?

Thanks again!


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## JrRacinFan (May 15, 2011)

Get this case instead and pickup a 2nd F3.
NZXT LEXA S LEXS - 001BK Black Steel ATX Mid Tower...


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## Chosen Juan (May 15, 2011)

JrRacinFan said:


> Get this case instead and pickup a 2nd F3.
> NZXT LEXA S LEXS - 001BK Black Steel ATX Mid Tower...



And the second F3 would be for...?


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## JrRacinFan (May 15, 2011)

Can never have too much storage space


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## Chosen Juan (May 15, 2011)

Well, I pulled the trigger on the build I posted a few posts up, with the ASRock Fatal1ty P67 for the motherboard. I'm slightly sad that I didn't get an i7 2600k instead, but oh well  , all the reviews I've seen show no significant difference for the stuff I'll be using it for. But I'm sure it'll keep lingering in my head that I didn't get the best that I could've gotten...that SSD better be worth it lol

Well, thanks for the help guys! I'll be posting in the user gallery or something when I'm done with it!


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## Chosen Juan (May 20, 2011)

Well the build is here, and everything went great until I realized that I installed the heatsink with the plastic covering still on it! No wonder I was getting 80 degrees load haha. Well, gotta re install that but hopefully all is well after.


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## n-ster (May 20, 2011)

Chosen Juan said:


> Well the build is here, and everything went great until I realized that I installed the heatsink with the plastic covering still on it! No wonder I was getting 80 degrees load haha. Well, gotta re install that but hopefully all is well after.



 Noob mistake


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