Help pop my first build cherry

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Motubu

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Sep 28, 2013
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Hey guys, I'm a complete and utter nub when it comes to computers, and for that reason, I'm leaning towards a lot of the parts mentioned in the "System Builder Marathon, Q3 2013: $650 Gaming PC" article ( http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/build-a-pc-fx-6300-overclocking,3617.html), but would like some advice as my situation requires some different accomodations.

Original build from article

CPU- AMD FX-6300- $120
CPU Cooler- AMD boxed heatsink/fan- $0
Motherboard- MSI 970A-G43 ATX- $70
RAM-Kingston HyperX XMP Blu Red Series KHX16C9B1RK2/8X 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR3-1600-
$57
Graphics- EVGA GeForce GTX 760 2 GB 02G-P4-2760-KR- $250
Hard Drive- WD Blue WD10EZEX 1 TB-$57
Case- NZXT Tempest 210 CA-TP210-01- $40
Power- Antec VP-450 450 W ATX12V v2.3- $40
Optical- Samsung 24x DVD Burner SATA Model SH-224DB/RSBS- $16
Total Price- $650

Some info about my situation based off a template from another forum

Approximate Purchase Date: this month
Budget Range: less than $800 including all the tax/shipping/etc.
System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, video editing, music editing, movie watching
Are you buying a monitor: Maybe (I have a 47 inch lglm4600 3d tv that I could use)
Do you need to buy OS: Yes (Windows 8?)
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: amazon.com if possible, though other websites such as newegg are fine if the prices are lower.
Location: Stafford, Virginia
Parts Preferences: None as it is my first built computer
Overclocking: Maybe? I don't wanna reduce the lifespan
SLI or Crossfire: Maybe? Not too sure how it affects it
Your Monitor Resolution: The tv is 1080p, so I'm guessing in monitor terms, 1920x1080.
Reason for upgrade: old laptop is trash, going to college next year, want a good gaming rig, getting into music/video editing
Additional Comments: I would like whatever my build ends up being to:

  • play current, graphically intense games at max or near max settings
    possibly (though not necessary) have 3d capabilities to take advantage of my tv
    have surround sound capabilities
    Have highly compatible parts that can be easily upgraded in the future
    An hmdi connection to hook up to my tv

Any suggested modifications to the build to better suit my needs? Any help is deeply appreciated.
 
Solution
M
I would, except for one issue in particular with the idea. An i5, depending on which one, is much more expensive. Switching to an i5, whether you get a CPU with an unlocked multiplier or not, will almost necessitate a lower-grade graphics card. However, if you don't mind not being able to overclock, or being able to really upgrade the CPU to newer varieties in the future (I'd recommend an i5-3350P, honestly), then let's see what can happen. You wouldn't need the CPU cooler, fortunately, so that does help. Removing the optical drive as well helps a bit also, which lands you pretty close to your budget while retaining the GPU as well.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU:...
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M

macgreen

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Well, because you have to add the OS, that's roughly $100 right there out of the extra $150 you've decided for your build. If you use the same $650 system for a base, all I could really recommend is a CPU cooler (probably a Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO) and a somewhat more powerful PSU. And here's what I put together. It's pretty much the same as above, with the slight changes I've suggested already.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($99.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock 970 EXTREME4 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($89.98 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($67.50 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 760 2GB Video Card ($249.99 @ Amazon)
Case: NZXT Source 210 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($38.99 @ Microcenter)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NS95 DVD/CD Writer ($14.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($90.88 @ Amazon)
Total: $792.27
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-09-29 00:48 EDT-0400)
 
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Motubu

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Thanks for the reply man. I can stretch my budget some, and can probably take away the optical drive to help, so would you recommend switching the 6300 to an i5? And maybe the 760 to the raedon 7950? I'd like to be able to run max settings as long as possible before upgrading again.
 
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macgreen

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I would, except for one issue in particular with the idea. An i5, depending on which one, is much more expensive. Switching to an i5, whether you get a CPU with an unlocked multiplier or not, will almost necessitate a lower-grade graphics card. However, if you don't mind not being able to overclock, or being able to really upgrade the CPU to newer varieties in the future (I'd recommend an i5-3350P, honestly), then let's see what can happen. You wouldn't need the CPU cooler, fortunately, so that does help. Removing the optical drive as well helps a bit also, which lands you pretty close to your budget while retaining the GPU as well.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3350P 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($175.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H77 Pro4/MVP ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($82.55 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($66.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 760 2GB Video Card ($238.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: NZXT Source 210 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($38.99 @ Microcenter)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 500W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($55.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($90.88 @ Amazon)
Total: $810.34
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-09-29 21:14 EDT-0400)

Go figure, we didn't really have to cut out or change the budget nearly as much as I thought we would. Not bad at all.
 
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Motubu

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I'm a little confused (being the noob that I am), would the i5 be more "future proof" than the 6300? As in, I could focus on upgrading solely the graphics card in the near future? I'd rather spend more money now, so I can spend less later.
 
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Marcopolo123

Marcopolo123

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PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4430 3.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.29 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B85-HD3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($89.98 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($67.50 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Asus Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card ($309.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($54.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NS95 DVD/CD Writer ($15.00 @ Newegg)
Total: $856.73
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-09-30 16:40 EDT-0400)
 
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Motubu

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K, so I guess I'll settle for one of the i5 CPU's, but for the graphics cards, I have a few questions. I'd like to be able to mod my games with high graphics enabled. I realize that I'll probably need more vram in order to accommodate that. Would getting two 2gb 760's= 4gb of ram? Also, Marco, I see you recommended the 7970, which is a bit more expensive than the 760 that the original article and mac suggested, and also more than the 7950, which alot of other people suggested. If I were to get a 7970 (or 7950) now, would I be able to do crossfire with the newer cards that will release later this year?
 
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macgreen

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To answer the question, the i5 I recommended is not future proof, because the Socket of the CPU has been discontinued, and the motherboard itself wouldn't work well with an i5-3570k (which has an unlocked multiplier, allowing you to overclock in the future). The i5 that Marcopolo is of the Haswell variety, which just came out this year and should be supported for a few years, I'd hope. So, no, the FX-6300 is actually more 'future-proof' than the Sandy Bridge or Ivy Bridge CPUs (of which the 3350P I suggested is the latter of the two generations).

When it comes to crossfire/SLI, I believe that basically requires the same model of GPU as the first one. I haven't heard of anyone using two different model GTX or Radeons to SLI or crossfire. You'd want to do more research there. Plus, if you decide to do that, you'd want a 800w (or more) power supply instead of a 550w. If I were to recommend a GPU to you, it'd either be the 760 or a 7950 (7870 LE XT, maybe, if you want to save a little cash), but I'd probably prefer the 760 at this point myself.

Unfortunately, though Marcopolo has a pretty good build there, there's an essential ingredient missing from it: the operating system. Considering Marco's build includes a CPU and a motherboard that is roughly $10 more than the CPU & mobo in my build, let's just merge the two to better fit your budget while maintaining an OS and the GTX 760.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4430 3.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.28 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B85-HD3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($89.98 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($67.50 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 760 2GB Video Card ($238.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: NZXT Source 210 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($37.99 @ Microcenter)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 500W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($49.99 @ Microcenter)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($90.88 @ Amazon)
Total: $814.58
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-09-30 21:04 EDT-0400)

A cheap DVD drive is usually 'round $15, or if you have one from another old computer you can use, use that instead. If you want to, anyway.
 
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Motubu

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Ugh, I really hate to do this guys, as I was pretty set on macs build, but there was news recently that the game "watch dogs" would be better optimized with 8 cores. That's not that big of a deal, as I could just get it for the xbox one, but I kinda think that games will start to use it more often in the future, as the ps4 is 8 cores I think, and maybe the xbox one? What do you guys think of using the Fx-8350 for this purpose and the hd 7970 as the gpu? Or would the poor energy consumption of it, along with its hotter temperature necessitating a cooler make an i7 with 8 cores more cheap in the long run? If the latter is the case, I'll probably stick with an i5 and upgrade later.
 
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The Q6660 Inside

The Q6660 Inside

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This will do. The 8320\8350 actually runs cooler most of the time, a Hyper 212 EVO will do just fine for the build. You could go 6300 and stick a 8320 or Steamroller FX 8XXX (Should it come out) CPU in there. Unless you run the 8350 under full load almost 24/7 for ~5 years, then no, it will never make a difference.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($119.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus M5A99FX PRO R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($124.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($76.49 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($44.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24F1ST DVD/CD Writer ($19.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($85.87 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $782.26
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-10-02 21:00 EDT-0400)
or
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-8320 3.5GHz 8-Core Processor ($159.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus SABERTOOTH 990FX R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($174.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card ($289.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 750D ATX Full Tower Case ($175.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Professional 750W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24F1ST DVD/CD Writer ($22.98 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 Full (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1223.88
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-10-02 21:01 EDT-0400)
 
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Motubu

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Thanks for the reply Q6660. I can afford more than the first build, as I've expanded my budget to at most $900, so I'd like to get more powerful parts. The second build has alot of parts that have been recommended in other threads, but is way over budget for me. Could the motherboard, case, power supply be switched out for something significantly cheaper? If not, would you guys suggest sticking with an i5, even if it wouldn't be too future proof, then going i7 when I can afford it?
 
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The Q6660 Inside

The Q6660 Inside

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The 8320 is the best value out there, games are becoming optimized for the FX 8XXX. I managed to bring it down to $900.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-8320 3.5GHz 8-Core Processor ($144.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus M5A99FX PRO R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($124.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($76.49 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 650W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24F1ST DVD/CD Writer ($19.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 Full (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $911.37
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-10-02 21:51 EDT-0400)
 
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macgreen

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Let's try this. At $900, you probably don't need ASUS Sabertooth, or the expensive case. Or a 750w PSU, though it would leave you open to SLI/Crossfire in the future. Here's that last build with a more modest case, PSU, mobo, and the GTX 760 instead of a Radeon 7970. If you need to save a bit more cash to make sure it's all under $900 when you order it, switch out the 760 with a Radeon 7950 instead, and just overclock that one. You should be able to get it to match a 7970 with little effort.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-8320 3.5GHz 8-Core Processor ($144.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock 970 EXTREME4 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($76.49 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 760 2GB Video Card ($255.66 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 300R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 Full (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $885.07
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-10-02 21:55 EDT-0400)
 
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Marcopolo123

Marcopolo123

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Wait for hawaii


PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($99.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-970A-D3P ATX AM3+/AM3 Motherboard ($77.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($62.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Asus Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card ($309.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Corsair 300R ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 620W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 Full (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $903.89
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-10-03 03:28 EDT-0400)
 
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Motubu

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K, I think this will probably be basically the final build. Is the 8320 alot different than the 8350 though? It's like 20$ difference I think. Also, apparently the new amd cards are coming out on the 15th. I really wanna get the 7970 as that 3gb of ram seems really appealing for the amount of mods I'm gonna put on my games. How long do you think before the price drops for these older cards after the new one's come out?

 
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The Q6660 Inside

The Q6660 Inside

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The 8320 is literally the same. The 7950 has 3GB too and OCing it is easy. For a bit more, you can get a better motherboard and PSU.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-8320 3.5GHz 8-Core Processor ($153.61 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus M5A99FX PRO R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($124.97 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($84.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 650W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24F1ST DVD/CD Writer ($19.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 Full (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $938.48
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-10-03 20:40 EDT-0400)
 
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macgreen

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Almost immediately, honestly. Maybe a week or two at most before nVidia responds to any listed AMD prices. That said, Marco does have the right idea- wait for the new AMD cards to come out. If they have something between $200-$250 with 3GB of RAM on it, you might want to consider it. At the very least, you could get the other parts first, and have a PC built and ready for the GPU when you make a decision on which one to get. I did that myself, actually.

As for the difference between the 8320 and 8350, there's only a few hundred megahertz difference between the two with their base clock speeds. You could probably OC the 8320 to match and surpass an 8350 at stock settings. If you want some additional airflow in the case, you might want to consider adding an additional fan on the top of the case (there's vents on the top as well), pushing the air out from the case. I actually have the same case myself, it's rather nice. The extra airflow can only help keep things cool, which in turn will help you push an overclock a bit higher as well. Up to you, though.
 
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Motubu

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[/quotemsg]
The 8320 is literally the same. The 7950 has 3GB too and OCing it is easy. For a bit more, you can get a better motherboard and PSU.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-8320 3.5GHz 8-Core Processor ($153.61 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus M5A99FX PRO R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($124.97 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($84.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 650W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24F1ST DVD/CD Writer ($19.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 Full (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $938.48
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-10-03 20:40 EDT-0400)
[/quotemsg]
Thanks for the recommendations Q6660, but I don't plan on doing any major overclocking until I have a more stable income. At most I think I'll just try to overclock the 8320 to an 8350. That means I probably don't the more expensive motherboard/ power supply, right?
Anyways, guys, I think I will use Macgreen's last build as mine. But I do want to get a 7970 instead of the 760, as I expect the price to drop with the new generation of cards in 9 days, especially with one of them (the r9 280x) seeming to be just a slightly faster version of the 7970. Will this build be able to accommodate it now and possibly a second 7970 in the future to crossfire, as long as I get a stronger supply with the second card?
 
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Marcopolo123

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PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-8320 3.5GHz 8-Core Processor ($153.61 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: ASRock 990FX Extreme3 ATX AM3+/AM3 Motherboard ($104.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($62.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card ($209.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($54.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NS95 DVD/CD Writer ($15.99 @ Microcenter)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($94.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $852.52
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-10-06 05:15 EDT-0400)
 
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The Q6660 Inside

The Q6660 Inside

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Better mobo and a bit better looking card.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-8320 3.5GHz 8-Core Processor ($153.61 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: Asus M5A99FX PRO R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($124.97 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($62.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: XFX Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card ($194.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($44.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NS95 DVD/CD Writer ($15.99 @ Microcenter)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($94.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $847.48
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-10-06 10:53 EDT-0400)
 
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M

macgreen

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Jun 27, 2012
307
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10,810
One thing about the more expensive motherboards is that they are often better when you're overclocking. That said, you may not necessarily need a really expensive one. If you want a good performance to price ratio, ASRock and Gigabyte are typically better choices. There's nothing wrong with ASUS mobos, they just tend to be pricey compared to any additional performance they can potentially provide.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-8320 3.5GHz 8-Core Processor ($149.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: Asus M5A97 R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($93.98 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($73.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: Asus Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card ($272.29 @ Newegg)
Case: Antec One ATX Mid Tower Case ($46.24 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($44.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($14.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($85.87 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $872.29
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-10-08 15:32 EDT-0400)

Looks like now's a good time to get Windows 7 cheaper than I've seen it before. Plus, a slightly cheaper mobo, a budget case that I've heard is pretty decent, and we can get you a Radeon HD 7970 after all. And after rebates 'n such, you're still well below $900 (though it'll be a little over $930 up front despite that). Granted, the CPU is from Microcenter, but with the same one being about $5 more from Amazon, you should be fine to switch where you get it from.
 
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Motubu

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Sep 28, 2013
10
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10,510
Hey guys, sorry for not updating on my build progress. I was waiting for the sales to come around, as they are now. Anyways, I was set on a 8320/8350 build, but then I saw amazon had an i7 4770k (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CO8TBQ0/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) on sale for about 300. I haven't opened it yet, so I can still return it, but do you guys think that was a wise decision for my needs? (gaming, video editing, music editing, uploading, etc). I think it can do 8 threads like the 8320/8350 with hyperthreading. Anyways, please tell me what you think, and if you approve, could you help me build something around that for about $700 more, that includes and is compatible with a hd 7970? If you don't like the choice, feel free to recommend me other CPU's. Thanks for any help, I really appreciate it.
 
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The Q6660 Inside

The Q6660 Inside

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Jan 25, 2013
1,889
5
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It will work with a 7970 just fine, the 4770K is a good processor for 50$ less than retail, it should do quite good and beats the 8320 a lot TBH.
 
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Motubu

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Sep 28, 2013
10
0
10,510

Thanks for the reply Q. Do you think motherboard http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D12OBEU/?tag=pcpapi-20 be ok, along with the rest of one of the builds above? Also, I've been seeing SSD's going on sale recently, should I get one now, or do you think it could be a supplemental piece in the future so I can spend more on the other parts now?

 
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