# Newbie looking to build ~$800 Gaming Rig



## Jayrod0428 (Jun 19, 2009)

*Newbie looking to build ~$800 Gaming Rig *updated 6/23**

Note: Please disregard a majority of the commentary in this topic as it will make no sense since I've edited 75% of my original post.

Hello techPowerUp! community!

I've been wanting to upgrade from my god-awful notebook computer for three years now and I finally have the money to do so. I've decided to build rather than buy pre-built for the obvious savings and exact part specifications. However, I'm still a newbie, but I've done a lot of research over the past week.

I would be building this rig sometime this summer, probably near the end of July. I would like to keep this rig under $1000, so I've set $800 as a cap, and will only raise it if something is just unstoppably bad-ass (as in high priceerformance ratio, not all-out raw power) and worth the price increase. I'd vastly appreciate any tech-savvy individuals keeping a wizened eye over my build as I plan it.

Edited 6/23:

Part:	Motherboard	 $79.99 	 $7.93 shipping		
Item:	GIGABYTE GA-MA770T-UD3P AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail				
URL:	http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128392 

Part:	Graphics Card	 $114.99 		 $10.00 	rebate
Item:	HIS Hightech H485FN1GP Radeon HD 4850 1GB 256-bit GDDR3 CrossFire 				
URL:	http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161275 

Part:	Processor/CPU	 $119.99 			
Item:	AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz 3 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 				
URL:	http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103649 

Part:	Memory	 $57.99 	 $2.99 shipping
Item:	Crucial 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 		
URL:	http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148262 

Part:	Power Supply	 $60.49 
Item:	BFG Tech 550 Watt ATX12V Power Supply 	
URL:	http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341016 

Part:	Hard Drive	 $69.89 	
Item:	WESTERN DIGITAL Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB SATA II 7200 RPM 		
URL:	http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10010082 

Part:	Optical Drive	 $29.99 			
Item:	LITE-ON Black 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW				
URL:	http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106291 

Part:	Cooling Fan	 $34.98 	 $7.00 shipping	 $10.00 rebate
Item:	XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler - Retail 			
URL:	http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233003 

Part:	Computer Case	 $49.99 			
Item:	NZXT Beta Series CS-NT-BETA-B Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 				
URL:	http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146055 

Part:	LCD Monitor	 $189.99 			
Item:	Acer X233Hbid Black 23" 5ms HDMI Full 1080P Widescreen LCD Monitor				
URL:	http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009163 

Part:	Operating System	 $-   			
Item:	Windows 7 RC

Total = $806.81

So what do you guys think of this build?

This is the best possible build I can get for around $800, including the monitor. I like having the Phenom II X3 720 for additional computing power over similarly priced Intel duo processors. Also, I think the 4850 is a good choice. If the 4870 1 GB gets marked down before the end of July I'll swap it in.

It took me a while to get out of CrossFire mode, after hearing how it tended to make rigs unstable. I'll be happy with one good card. Do you think this rig will be able to run Spore, and any of the upcoming games by Blizzard (Diablo III, Starcraft 2)?


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## Darren (Jun 19, 2009)

$167.99 for an E8400, 


you can get a Phenom II quadcore for cheaper.



Apart from the extortionate prices the build is solid.


I didn't see a dedicated video card, I'm presuming that this is a office system? But the lack of dedicated video card is negated by a crossfire motherboard. Makes no sense.


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 19, 2009)

Darren said:


> $167.99 for an E8400,
> 
> 
> you can get a Phenom II quadcore for cheaper.
> ...



Graphics Card $114.99 - free shipping - $10.00 rebate
HIS Hightech H485FN1GP Radeon HD 4850 1GB 256-bit GDDR3 CrossFire
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161275 

^--- Is this not a dedicated video card? It's also CrossFire capable... I'm sure you might have missed it.

And what do you mean by extortionate prices? Is the Phenom II Quadcore that much better for the price? I'm concerned with heating a quadcore as well. Doesn't it require substantially more wattage as well?


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## hv43082 (Jun 19, 2009)

Looks good.  You need CPU cooler.

LCD for $200

Total $1000.


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## LittleLizard (Jun 19, 2009)

The build is pretty good but you may have to do some changes.

1 - High oc mobo + High oc cpu + Stock cooling = FAIL. You should get a decent cooler like this one.
2 - Dont buy a new os now. Download Windows 7 RC. It will work for almost a year from here and then u can choose which os u can buy.
3 - Get a higher wattage psu just for have room to spare in case u go crossfire soon.

Otherwise astounding rig.


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## hv43082 (Jun 19, 2009)

Or use this guide if you want it as cheap as possible and then add the CPU cooler and LCD I recommended earlier.


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 19, 2009)

LittleLizard said:


> The build is pretty good but you may have to do some changes.
> 
> 1 - High oc mobo + High oc cpu + Stock cooling = FAIL. You should get a decent cooler like this one.
> 2 - Dont buy a new os now. Download Windows 7 RC. It will work for almost a year from here and then u can choose which os u can buy.
> ...



I actually _don't_ know how to or plan on OCing. I'm not very familiar with the process. I'd be glad to get a low-down on it, but I'm afraid I'd break something. Is it really worth my while with the mobo and cpu I've selected? Thanks for the cooler suggestion - I'm all for wanting my parts to be at a good temperature since that's where the root of most problems can begin.

I don't want to dish out for an OS before W7, just like your suggestion. However, how am I to install it without an OS? Do I download it and burn it onto a CD now? Sorry just not familiar with installing OSes - I've been using stock PCs forever...

How much higher wattage should my PSU be? I don't intend on going CrossFire immediately (within the next year), but I'd like the performance boost if needed.

Thanks everyone for the advice!


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## Darren (Jun 19, 2009)

Jayrod0428 said:


> Graphics Card $114.99 - free shipping - $10.00 rebate
> HIS Hightech H485FN1GP Radeon HD 4850 1GB 256-bit GDDR3 CrossFire
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161275
> 
> ...



Nice choice in video cards, the 4850 will serve you well.  I'd probably drop the crossfire motherboard for a regular one and just pick up a single better solution such as the 4890 or 4870 X2.  Heck a single 4850 is overkill.

For the price the Phenom X3 720, 810 and 920 are cheaper and faster than the E8400, it will be enormously faster in a year or two when more multithreaded applications appear.

Power consumption I can not comment on, Phenom IIs have better power consumptions than the i7, not sure about dual cores, I doubt it.


Edit:



Jayrod0428 said:


> Why is one 4850 overkill? I plan to use the rig for gaming, not for the office-PC you alluded to in your first post. Also, I like the mobo I've selected quite a bit, and the Phenom is incompatible with it.





The 4850 actually isn't overkill. But my point is that its more than enough for gaming, even a single 4850 is enough for today’s games. It makes little sense buying a crossfire board with the hope to crossfire in a year or so, because when you decide to find a secondary 4850 they might not be in demand, they are even becoming hard to find now. In a year there will be a one card solution faster or as fast as two 4850s (most probably with DX11) for cheaper.


If you are going to crossfire do it straight away or do not bother at all.

Edit 2:


Also a non-crossfire motherboard would mean that you can put more money into a much single card solution now, crossfire is great when it works.


Edit 3:


You can crossfire any ATI 48xx series together.

For example the 4870 with the 4850 or the 4850 with the 4870 X2

So yes, the 4850 can be crossfired with the 4850 X2. 


You have to trust us on this one, drop this crossfire idea. two 4850s and a crossfire ready motherboard will cost way more than a 4890. The 4890 would be faster 90% of the time. - actually performance is about the same, but from a price/performance ratio a single 4890 is the better choice.

The 4890 is only $200

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161277

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161276

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127427

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150359

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102831


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## phanbuey (Jun 19, 2009)

hv43082 said:


> Or use this guide if you want it as cheap as possible and then add the CPU cooler and LCD I recommended earlier.



w0w... that is retarded... the $2500 enthusiast rig which couldn't overclock more than 3.2Ghz????   Who puts those components in a crappy Micro-Atx case?... lol Thermal Shutoff FTW!!!  At least a mini-p180 or something.

90C load temps on the processor of the enthusiast system? jehusus. idiots.


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 19, 2009)

Darren said:


> Nice choice in video cards, the 4850 will serve you well.  I'd probably drop the crossfire motherboard for a regular one and just pick up a single better solution such as the 4890 or 4870 X2.  Heck a single 4850 is overkill.
> 
> For the price the Phenom X3 720, 810 and 920 are cheaper and faster than the E8400, it will be enormously faster in a year or two when more multithreaded applications appear.
> 
> Power consumption I can not comment on, Phenom IIs have better power consumptions than the i7, not sure about dual cores, I doubt it.



Why is one 4850 overkill? I plan to use the rig for gaming, not for the office-PC you alluded to in your first post. Also, I like the mobo I've selected quite a bit, and the Phenom is incompatible with it.


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 19, 2009)

Darren said:


> The 4850 actually isn't overkill. But my point is that its more than enough for gaming, even a single 4850 is enough for todays games. It makes little sense buying a crossfire board with the hope to crossfire in a year or so, because when you decide to find a secondary 4850 they might not be in demmand, they are even becoming hard to find now. In a year there will be a one card solution faster or as fast as two 4850s (most probably with DX11) for cheaper.
> 
> 
> If you are going to crossfire to it straight away or do not bother at all.



I might - I won't know until the computer is built and I have tested it out. A year was a bit of an exaggeration, I apologize. But tech will always advance, that is inevitable. All I can do now is buy bargain and hope that I'm making a good investment.

One question with CrossFire: Do you need to have an identical card to use it? For instance, could I add a 4850 X2 to it?


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 19, 2009)

Darren said:


> You can crossfire any ATI 48xx series together.
> 
> For example the 4870 with the 4850 or the 4850 with the 4870 X2
> 
> ...



I like the idea of getting one really good card, but I'm concerned about heat and size. Some of the reviews complain about both. All the reviews I read about the 4850 say that it runs cool and is of a modest size.

Sorry to shoot down whatever you have to say, I should be agreeing with you because of my newbishness, I'm just attached to the mobo. I don't think the CF capability increases the price all that much. I could get another 4850 for just $100, and the 4890 is just twice as much, so not much savings there.


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 19, 2009)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182191

Would this be a better PSU?


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## Darren (Jun 19, 2009)

Jayrod0428 said:


> I could get another 4850 for just $100, and the 4890 is just twice as much, so not much savings there.



If you keep the crossfire motherboard you'd be better off with the two 4850s, you'd only save money with the 4890 if you abandon the crossfire motherboard.




Jayrod0428 said:


> I like the idea of getting one really good card, but I'm concerned about heat and size. Some of the reviews complain about both. All the reviews I read about the 4850 say that it runs cool and is of a modest size.



Also consider the 4770, it performs the same as the 4850 as a single card, its cheaper (usually) and scales better and hence it usually outperforms the 4850 when in crossfire! 

The 4770 also runs cooler too.

Edit:

Also consider the 4830s in crossfire, they'll perform about the same as the 4850s and 4770s in crossfire, whilst saving you a lot of money.

Edit 2:



Jayrod0428 said:


> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182191
> 
> Would this be a better PSU?



The PSU is good. I'm not a PSU person so I couldn't offer you a better and cheaper alternative.


Edit 3:




Jayrod0428 said:


> How about these 4830s in crossfire? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102822 Priced at $90 each I could get them for $180, being around $75 pricier than one 4850 but running a hell of a lot better. Also, it fills the $50 gap that I updated in my first post, leaving me with about $780 if I don't buy Vista and use W7 RC instead. Is that good?



Sounds like a plan,


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 19, 2009)

Darren said:


> Edit:
> 
> Also consider the 4830s in crossfire, they'll perform about the same as the 4850s and 4770s in crossfire, whilst saving you a lot of money.



How about these 4830s in crossfire? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102822 Priced at $90 each I could get them for $180, being around $75 pricier than one 4850 but running a hell of a lot better. Also, it fills the $50 gap that I updated in my first post, leaving me with about $780 if I don't buy Vista and use W7 RC instead. Is that good?


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 19, 2009)

I have edited my original post to include the revised build. Thanks!


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## lilkiduno (Jun 19, 2009)

this is my suggestion 
https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=11000392
almost everything has free shipping leaning a bump towards $1000, no OS because i would download Windows 7


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 19, 2009)

lilkiduno said:


> this is my suggestion
> https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=11000392
> almost everything has free shipping leaning a bump towards $1000, no OS because i would download Windows 7



Sorry, that does not link to your wish list :/ I think Newegg changing something on their end to disallow people from linking directly.


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## phanbuey (Jun 19, 2009)

Start with the GFX cards... then skimp everything else.

4870 1gb's are pretty cheap these days... get 2 of those...


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 19, 2009)

phanbuey said:


> Start with the GFX cards... then skimp everything else.
> 
> 4870 1gb's are pretty cheap these days... get 2 of those...



Two 4870 1GBs are about $120 more than two 4830 512MBs. Do you think the difference could be that substantial? How do you think two 4870s would fare with my cooler and case?

I could drop the LCD monitor and save $40 from where I was originally, bringing me to about $910. I can do this since my 19" LCD HDTV has an HDMI port and gets resolutions up to 1920x1080.


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## reverze (Jun 19, 2009)

Are you dumping the proc for a Phenom II?


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 19, 2009)

reverze said:


> Are you dumping the proc for a Phenom II?



No, I don't plan to... Why? That would require changing the entire build.


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## phanbuey (Jun 19, 2009)

Jayrod0428 said:


> Two 4870 1GBs are about $120 more than two 4830 512MBs. Do you think the difference could be that substantial? How do you think two 4870s would fare with my cooler and case?
> 
> I could drop the LCD monitor and save $40 from where I was originally, bringing me to about $910. I can do this since my 19" LCD HDTV has an HDMI port and gets resolutions up to 1920x1080.



The difference in games is very substantial at 1920x1080.  Do not drop the monitor, for 179 you can get the 23" version, do that.  - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009176

Drop the MB - you don't need something that expensive - get open box if you have sata cables and such. - just make sure it has 2x PCI-e 16x slots 8x if 2.0...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131299R

Drop the Proc.  An e7400 at 4Ghz is enough, no need to dump $200 into a dual core... or buy my e8500 for $100 (does 4ghz at 1.373) either way, no need to spend too much mula on a proc if you're gaming at 1080P.

now you save $59 on the MB and $48 on the proc... $107... get a burner +$10 its worth it, trust me... for those "free" video games you may or may not be torrenting..

So for $30 more over the old system, you get HUGE perf gain 2x4870 1gb, and 2 more inches on the screen to 23"... totally worth it.  It really will seem like a higher-end build, and for $30 more? You get more framebuffer, which means more AA and more fluid FPS.... /rant


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## LittleLizard (Jun 19, 2009)

phanbuey said:


> The difference in games is very substantial at 1920x1080.  Do not drop the monitor, for 179 you can get the 23" version, do that.  - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009176
> 
> Drop the MB - you don't need something that expensive - get open box if you have sata cables and such. - just make sure it has 2x PCI-e 16x slots 8x if 2.0...
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131299R
> ...



remember that he has not plans about oc.


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 19, 2009)

phanbuey said:


> The difference in games is very substantial at 1920x1080.  Do not drop the monitor, for 179 you can get the 23" version, do that.  - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009176
> 
> Drop the MB - you don't need something that expensive - get open box if you have sata cables and such. - just make sure it has 2x PCI-e 16x slots 8x if 2.0...
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131299R
> ...



Would this MB be better then? (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813135093) same components but for $35 cheaper. Also, this processor (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115206) the E7400, which is about $50 cheaper for just a 0.2GHz drop. Thanks!

Edit: Sorry, didn't see your new post.


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## phanbuey (Jun 19, 2009)

Jayrod0428 said:


> Would this MB be better then? (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813135093) same components but for $35 cheaper. Also, this processor (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115206) the E7400, which is about $50 cheaper for just a 0.2GHz drop. Thanks!
> 
> Edit: Sorry, didn't see your new post.



I would still go for the ASUS open-box, but yeah... if not OCing, then that board is good.


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 19, 2009)

phanbuey said:


> I would still go for the ASUS open-box, but yeah... if not OCing, then that board is good.



OK, because I'm not sure what you mean by 'open-box'. Does this mean certain parts are omitted, like the SATA cables? Remember, I'm a newbie and I have no tools on hand to assist myself in building this computer in any way.

Thanks a lot for your advice though. One thing: the 23" LCD you suggested has no free shipping.  I'm not willing to pay much for shipping.


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## phanbuey (Jun 19, 2009)

Jayrod0428 said:


> OK, because I'm not sure what you mean by 'open-box'. Does this mean certain parts are omitted, like the SATA cables? Remember, I'm a newbie and I have no tools on hand to assist myself in building this computer in any way.
> 
> Thanks a lot for your advice though. One thing: the 23" LCD you suggested has no free shipping.  I'm not willing to pay much for shipping.



ahh i see...

Yeah basically open box means that someone sent it back, newegg tested it, and is now reselling it, because the board is fine.  Open-box boards are great, of the 6 i've ordered, not one has failed to post (bc they basically make sure it posts and works before re-selling it)... although one asus did have a busted IDE port (not a biggie the other one worked)...

Sometimes it means that it comes with no cables, sometimes it means that someone F*cked up, and got the wrong socket, and its a new board with all the cables...

if you're worried about it, then get the new board. for sure.. 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157143 <<< that one is a nice one for $10 less no MIR...


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## LittleLizard (Jun 19, 2009)

phanbuey said:


> I would still go for the ASUS open-box, but yeah... if not OCing, then that board is good.



i would still go for a retail box as it includes the manual and the cables and as he is a newbie, he could actually put some use to them.


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## phanbuey (Jun 19, 2009)

LittleLizard said:


> i would still go for a retail box as it includes the manual and the cables and as he is a newbie, he could actually put some use to them.



right... because the manual isnt a free download PDF and the SATA cables are not $3 a pop...

The only downside to open box is the chance that the backplate is missing.  But yes, he should get BNIB if he;s not sure.


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 19, 2009)

phanbuey said:


> ahh i see...
> 
> Yeah basically open box means that someone sent it back, newegg tested it, and is now reselling it, because the board is fine.  Open-box boards are great, of the 6 i've ordered, not one has failed to post (bc they basically make sure it posts and works before re-selling it)... although one asus did have a busted IDE port (not a biggie the other one worked)...
> 
> ...



I see.

That MB has pretty meh reviews. I don't usually like to hop the bandwagon but it makes me a little more wary, especially for just $10... I'm not that desperate to save some bucks. There's probably somewhere else in my build that I could clip instead of the MB at this point.

Edit: Thanks everybody! I'm off to bed now: I'll check back tomorrow at work.


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## phanbuey (Jun 19, 2009)

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?p=XF...339f54a76e5c4a4eff299927c70bb90b56c3b4f76cc86


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## Darren (Jun 19, 2009)

reverze said:


> Are you dumping the proc for a Phenom II?





Jayrod0428 said:


> No, I don't plan to... Why? That would require changing the entire build.



It would require one to change the processor and motherboard. You can still find a socket AM2+ motherboard that supports crossfire ready if you want. 

As far as the processor goes, if it means changing the entire build I would definitely consider it because as it stands you are knowingly buying a slower dual core processor when there are alternative tri-core and quad core AMD alternatives which are cheaper and faster.


E8400 - more expensive and slower
Phenom II 720 BE, 810, 920 - cheaper and faster

its a no brainer.


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## Rage_3k_Moiz (Jun 19, 2009)

I would also recommend an AMD build, specifically this one:

AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 Triple-Core Black Edition Processor - Retail - $139.99 + free shipping
Gigabyte GA-MA770-UD3 AM2+ AMD 770 Chipset Motherboard - Retail - $69.99 + free shipping
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) CL5 Dual Channel Kit - Retail - $54.99 + free shipping
BFG Tech GeForce GTX 275 OC 896MB GDDR3 648MHz 448-bit PCI-E 2.0 DirectX 10 Video Card - Retail - $244.49 + free shipping
Western Digital Caviar Black 750GB WD7501AALS 7200RPM SATA HDD - OEM - $79.99 + free shipping
LITE-ON Black 2MB Cache SATA CD/DVD Burner - Retail - $29.99 + free shipping
Acer X233Hbid Black 23" 5ms HDMI Full 1080P Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 40000:1 (ACM) - Retail - $189.99 + free shipping
COOLER MASTER Mystique RC-632S-KKN1-GP Black Aluminum/ SECC ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail - $69.99 + free shipping
Corsair CMPSU-650TX 650W PSU with Active PFC - Retail - $89.99 ($79.99 after $10 rebate) + free shipping
Grand Total = $970 approximately, not counting rebates.

Hope I helped.


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 19, 2009)

Darren said:


> It would require one to change the processor and motherboard. You can still find a socket AM2+ motherboard that supports crossfire ready if you want.
> 
> As far as the processor goes, if it means changing the entire build I would definitely consider it because as it stands you are knowingly buying a slower dual core processor when there are alternative tri-core and quad core AMD alternatives which are cheaper and faster.
> 
> ...



I'm interested in the E7400 though, which is $20 cheaper than the Phenom II 720.



Rage_3k_Moiz said:


> I would also recommend an AMD build, specifically this one:
> 
> AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 Triple-Core Black Edition Processor - Retail - $139.99 + free shipping
> Gigabyte GA-MA770-UD3 AM2+ AMD 770 Chipset Motherboard - Retail - $69.99 + free shipping
> ...



wow that's a hell of a rig. Thanks! I'll definitely keep this alternate build in mind!


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## kurosagi01 (Jun 19, 2009)

for case i would reconmend a NZXT Beta over apollo.
bang for the buck design with good cooling
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146055


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 19, 2009)

kurosagi01 said:


> for case i would reconmend a NZXT Beta over apollo.
> bang for the buck design with good cooling
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146055



That's definitely a higher quality and cheaper (free shipping yay!) case than Apollo, you're right. But I'm so attracted to the lights on the Apollo case, they're so sexy....

Would there be a design that cheap that would look that awesome? Without sacrificing cooling of course. Such a thing probably doesn't exist >_>


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 19, 2009)

phanbuey said:


> So for $30 more over the old system, you get HUGE perf gain 2x4870 1gb, and 2 more inches on the screen to 23"... totally worth it.  It really will seem like a higher-end build, and for $30 more? You get more framebuffer, which means more AA and more fluid FPS.... /rant



I'm checking the size of the 4870 1GB, and it seems unlikely that one will be able to fit in my Mid-Tower, let alone two. A lot of the reviews also complain about heat. I might want to retreat back to dual 4830 because of this alone.


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## Darren (Jun 19, 2009)

Jayrod0428 said:


> I'm interested in the E7400 though, which is $20 cheaper than the Phenom II 720.
> 
> 
> 
> wow that's a hell of a rig. Thanks! I'll definitely keep this alternate build in mind!



The Phenom II 720 BE is worth the extra $20, for games its not just a bit faster its quite substantially faster at times. You'd save more than $20 anyways moving from socket 775 to AM2+ anyways.

The E7400 is $119.99, the Phenom II X2 550 is $102.99, its a bit cheaper and yet faster.

I'm not trying to turn you into a AMD person but AMD has the budget range on lock right now.


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 19, 2009)

Rage_3k_Moiz said:


> I would also recommend an AMD build, specifically this one:
> 
> AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 Triple-Core Black Edition Processor - Retail - $139.99 + free shipping
> Gigabyte GA-MA770-UD3 AM2+ AMD 770 Chipset Motherboard - Retail - $69.99 + free shipping
> ...



One small note: The GTX 275 doesn't come with an HDMI adapter  How else are you supposed to use the monitor to its full potential? Although I wouldn't mind using my current HDTV and holding out on the monitor until later.



Darren said:


> The Phenom II 720 BE is worth the extra $20, for games its not just a bit faster its quite substantially faster at times. You'd save more than $20 anyways moving from socket 775 to AM2+ anyways.
> 
> The E7400 is $119.99, the Phenom II X2 550 is $102.99, its a bit cheaper and yet faster.
> 
> I'm not trying to turn you into a AMD person but AMD has the budget range on lock right now.



Hey, I'm all for budget, and I'm not an AMD or an Intel person. I'm a newb. That's what I am 

Would it be more worth it to get the Phenom II 720 BE for $139.99 rather than the Phenom II X2 550 for $102.99?


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## phanbuey (Jun 19, 2009)

If you can't fit the 4870 1gb, then you have a seriously small case, i think the difference between the 4830 and 4870 is .5" maximum... forget about the 275 as its a whole inch longer than the 4870.

but yes they are hot - all high-end cards are... if you go dual 4830's be sure to get 1GB versions, it will help alot at 1920x1080.


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## js01 (Jun 19, 2009)

The fans on those sapphire 4830 are very loud, I use to have one and even at 20% fan speed it was very loud with two of them I'd want to throw my pc out the window. That's if you're a person that's bothered by noise.


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## Darren (Jun 19, 2009)

Jayrod0428 said:


> One small note: The GTX 275 doesn't come with an HDMI adapter  How else are you supposed to use the monitor to its full potential? Although I wouldn't mind using my current HDTV and holding out on the monitor until later.



HDMI is a digital cable just like any other, you wouldn't get any visible benefit from using it opposed to DVI. To get the full potential of ones monitor make sure it can natively display HD resolutions of 1920x1080 for 1080p or 1280x720 for 720p - if your monitor can display that its irrelevant whether is via HDMI or a DVI cable.



Jayrod0428 said:


> Hey, I'm all for budget, and I'm not an AMD or an Intel person. I'm a newb. That's what I am
> 
> 
> Would it be more worth it to get the Phenom II 720 BE for $139.99 rather than the Phenom II X2 550 for $102.99?



It depends on ones circumstances, I'd only advise the X2 550 if one is on a strict budget and can not stretch the cash any further. If the X3 720 BE is within budget it would be the CPU I’d be gunning for (presuming that the X4s are out of your budget)


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## LAN_deRf_HA (Jun 19, 2009)

Don't get the green edition of the 640 drive, it's noticeably slower than the regular edition which is only $2 more. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218

For just $7 more than the green you could even get the Black edition http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319


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## boomstik360 (Jun 19, 2009)

LAN_deRf_HA said:


> Don't get the green edition of the 640 drive, it's noticeably slower than the regular edition which is only $2 more. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218
> 
> For just $7 more than the green you could even get the Black edition http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319



Yes definitely get the black they are very nice drives


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 19, 2009)

phanbuey said:


> If you can't fit the 4870 1gb, then you have a seriously small case, i think the difference between the 4830 and 4870 is .5" maximum... forget about the 275 as its a whole inch longer than the 4870.
> 
> but yes they are hot - all high-end cards are... if you go dual 4830's be sure to get 1GB versions, it will help alot at 1920x1080.



Would I be able to have one 4870 1gb or two 4830s 1gb fit comfortably in a mid-tower case with nothing else but the necessary components? (no extra drives)



js01 said:


> The fans on those sapphire 4830 are very loud, I use to have one and even at 20% fan speed it was very loud with two of them I'd want to throw my pc out the window. That's if you're a person that's bothered by noise.



I'd be getting the HIS Hightech if I get the 4830, and I've been told that the fan is softer on those. It better be, I'll be using my computer for recording


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## lilkiduno (Jun 20, 2009)

here is my suggestion (since newgee link dosn't work)
Screen
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824005124
HDD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152112
Cooler
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233029
Ram
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148212
Keyboard && Mouse
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126041
Speakers
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836121014
Mobo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128384
Videocard && Game
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.194179
Case && CPU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.199764
PSU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182185


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 23, 2009)

I have edited my original post to include my new build.


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## boomstik360 (Jun 23, 2009)

Jayrod0428 said:


> Note: Please disregard a majority of the commentary in this topic as it will make no sense since I've edited 75% of my original post.
> 
> Hello techPowerUp! community!
> 
> ...


Everything looks good other than your ram I would personally go with something like this : 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148262


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## Rage_3k_Moiz (Jun 23, 2009)

I would recommend this PSU instead of the OCZ one. You should also get this HDD instead.

And IMO, you should go for an HD 4870 by getting a DDR2 board and RAM. The GPU is far more important gaming-wise than the CPU.

The rest looks great to me.


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## JrRacinFan (Jun 23, 2009)

Swap out the dark knight:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233003

Oh and here's also a cash saver for you 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227254

EDIT:
You do have a point to an extent Rage BUT he wouldn't save much if anything. The DDR3 build is pretty good.


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 23, 2009)

Rage_3k_Moiz said:


> I would recommend this PSU instead of the OCZ one. You should also get this HDD instead.
> 
> And IMO, you should go for an HD 4870 by getting a DDR2 board and RAM. The GPU is far more important gaming-wise than the CPU.
> 
> The rest looks great to me.



I have been recommended the WD Black before, it does indeed look like a great drive. However, what is specifically better about the PSU? 

Also, are you saying I should down-grade to a DDR2 board and use the savings to get a 4870?



JrRacinFan said:


> Swap out the dark knight:
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233003
> 
> Oh and here's also a cash saver for you
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227254



Although the savings are spectacular, the RAM you selected is incompatible with my mobo :/ I like the fan though.


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## JrRacinFan (Jun 23, 2009)

Jayrod0428 said:


> Although the savings are spectacular, the RAM you selected is incompatible with my mobo :/ I like the fan though.



Show me where its incompatible "??"

Dark knight is purely cosmetic.


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 23, 2009)

JrRacinFan said:


> Show me where its incompatible "??"
> 
> Dark knight is purely cosmetic.



From the newegg specs page:

Memory Standard DDR3 1666(OC)/1333/1066

Oh, and I like the fan you suggested. Sorry for any confusion. I was just recommended the Dark Knight.


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## JrRacinFan (Jun 23, 2009)

Jayrod0428 said:


> From the newegg specs page:
> 
> Memory Standard DDR3 1666(OC)/1333/1066



Yes which means the ram is rated *UP TO 1800MHZ* you would be able to get tighter timings at the lower clock speed. Essentially underclocking the ram BUT the board you chose should be able to obtain 1800mhz dram speeds without issue.

EDIT:

Sorry if I sounded like a jerk  Didn't mean it. I did come out a little harsh.


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 23, 2009)

JrRacinFan said:


> Yes which means the ram is rated *UP TO 1800MHZ* you would be able to get tighter timings at the lower clock speed. Essentially underclocking the ram BUT the board you chose should be able to obtain 1800mhz dram speeds without issue.
> 
> EDIT:
> 
> Sorry if I sounded like a jerk  Didn't mean it. I did come out a little harsh.



Apology accepted  I'm an OC newb as well as a system-building newb so I have a lot to learn.

Edit: So by underclocking to 1666 it should be able to run? That's cool. Is that a common practice for OCers?


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## Rage_3k_Moiz (Jun 23, 2009)

Jayrod0428 said:
			
		

> I have been recommended the WD Black before, it does indeed look like a great drive. However, what is specifically better about the PSU?
> 
> Also, are you saying I should down-grade to a DDR2 board and use the savings to get a 4870?


Yep, that's exactly what I'm saying. The performance increase will be significant. The HD 4870 can be had for as low as $125 for the PowerColor HD 4870 on Newegg.

As for the PSU, the BFG has better specs and build quality, and a 5-year warranty. It is not modular, but that isn't necessary IMO.


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 23, 2009)

Rage_3k_Moiz said:


> Yep, that's exactly what I'm saying. The performance increase will be significant. The HD 4870 can be had for as low as $125 for the PowerColor HD 4870 on Newegg.
> 
> As for the PSU, the BFG has better specs and build quality, and a 5-year warranty. It is not modular, but that isn't necessary IMO.



I've heard it's easier for beginners to build with modular PSUs. Would it be more difficult or no?


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## Jayrod0428 (Jun 23, 2009)

boomstik360 said:


> Everything looks good other than your ram I would personally go with something like this :
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148262



I would actually prefer to get this ram over the 1800s, since the $30 rebate expires 6/31, and I forgot that I can't buy the parts until late July.


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## Rage_3k_Moiz (Jun 23, 2009)

Modular just means you can eliminate the cables you don't need or use, and attach only the ones you do.

Not a big deal. Some cable ties and some organization skills are all that's needed IMO.

The OCZ is also a Sirtec-based unit, not among the best out there. The BFG is made by ATNG, and has gotten excellent reviews on HardOCP and jonnyGURU, who extensively test PSUs.


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