I'm trying to build a good gaming rig on a budget of $800-900 dollars. I have gathered as much information as I can from reading just about a million threads on 100 different forums. This is what I have on my list so far:
Case: Antec 900 Steel ATX Ultimate Gamer PC Case
or
NZXT Apollo Black SECC Steel Chassis ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
PSU: CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W ATX12V V2.2 Power Supply 90
Video Card: VisionTek 900241 Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card
Other stuff aren't that important. Maybe a CPU cooler and thermal compound stuff.
My biggest question is this. This system right now costs about $870 (including MIR) without taxes or any of the accessories like a mouse and a keyboard. Right now, I am going to start college, and I am just going to play not too processor burdening games like WoW and Orange Box games. So, should I build a cheaper build with less powerful parts and wait until later to constantly upgrade it so I can play Diablo III and StarCraft2? Or should I just do this build and save time and money (if it does save money). I'm going to keep this machine for a looong time, until I absolutely have to make a new PC, which I hope isn't in less than 6 years. Please help?
Message edited by Viridis25 on 07-16-2008 at 04:31:36 AM
it's 750w continuous only $129 after $30 rebate well worth it especially if you plan to overclock
most pc's are obsolete for new games after 3 years without any upgrades
max out your ram oc the cpu to 3.0ghz (or upgrade when prices drop) and add a new video card every couple of years and you might get 5 years out it. goodluck
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Foxconn C51XEM2AA-8EKRS2H
AM2 X2 6000+ 3.0 ghz vcore 1.375 29c-55c
AC Freezer 64 Pro
4 gig ocz ddr2 800 with epp at 4-5-4-15 2t
Yeah that PC&POWER COOLING is a very good choice (the Corsair model is good too)but the PC&POWER model is better,u may want to consider OCZ GAMEXSTREAM 700W too,thats another solid PSU.
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Q6600@3.0,SAPPHIRE HD 4870X2,OCZ 4GB DDR2 800 RAM 4-4-4-15,ASUS MAXIMUS FORMULA X38,SEAGATE 500GB 7200RPM 32MB,TT V1 CPU Cooler,TT ARMOR SILVER ALUMNIUM With 25cm FAN,OCZ MODXSTREAM 900W,LG 2284F 1680x1050
I try to build my machines with upgrades in mind, for example, start with a $50 CPU, then upgrade that. after the CPU, a better video card. then its a new mobo and CPU, but keep the vidcard, then replace the vidcard.
maybe add some more memory in there someware, but the next mobo will be DDR3, so you'll need to then.
never get top of the line, and you'll keep you prices down, but still always have up to date stuff that perform better on average than the guy who buys a $3k machine and figures he never has to upgrade.
your 6 year plan is an absolute pipe dream.
6 years ago, a s939 single core was the top of the line CPU (I think costing about $1000), and now its hopelessly out of date.
I purchased a P4 at the time, upgrade graphics and memory. my mom need a new computer, so instead of building her a cheap one, she got mine and I built a system that was comperable, but much more upgradable.
I started fresh with PCIe and DDR2 based system with a $40 CPU and OBG. I got a 7900gs after a few months. when dual cores dropped down under $70 I got one. somewere along the way, I upgraded to 4 gigs of faster ram for $100 (the 2 gigs or DDR2 cost me over $200 initialy). I've been picking up HDDs the whole time. I just placed an order for a 4850. I should get it tomarrow or the next day. I also ordered a new motherboard to build a HTPC. It will use OBG (the best availiable), the old single core $40 cheapy, the $200 ram, and 2 or 3 of my 4 HDDs and an old XP MCE license. my "good" CPU is out of date (not drasticly), but I'll wait to see whats the best upgrade path with between Intel's new socket and whatever AMD manages to come up with. for now my "computer bucks" are spent
my 7900gs will be sold, or I will hold onto it and put it with my current MoBo, the cheap CPU and the $200 ram (basicly my current system after the first upgrade) to give to some family member.
Well if he tells me what resolution will he play then IF he needed to add second GPU in future then he should go for a better PSU(and that PC&POWER 750 will be fine)
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Q6600@3.0,SAPPHIRE HD 4870X2,OCZ 4GB DDR2 800 RAM 4-4-4-15,ASUS MAXIMUS FORMULA X38,SEAGATE 500GB 7200RPM 32MB,TT V1 CPU Cooler,TT ARMOR SILVER ALUMNIUM With 25cm FAN,OCZ MODXSTREAM 900W,LG 2284F 1680x1050
Haha, wow, I went to sleep early after waiting for people to reply, and now there's so many. Anyways, I guess I wasn't clear in my first post. I meant that I wanted my system to last for 6+ years while I upgraded, so I didn't know if it was worth it to buy top notch stuff right now, when I can easily upgrade for cheaper later. I'm playing on my 19'' widescreen samsung, and I think it's 1440x900. That's the max I'll ever go cuz that's the max this thing goes, lol. Idk if I have some extra to spend...
the 4850 is more than enough for curent games on its own at 1440x900. by the time it isn't, 1 gig will be the "minimum recomended", so you wont be able to crossfire it with a 512mb 4850 anyway. with all this physix/cuda crap going on now, maybe you would be ably to use the 4850 for non-graphicsl stuff and a new card for graphics.
I don't know if the scenario I paint is worth the extra money for a crossfire board, but that really the only one I see for you using one.
I don't know how much longer Intel will keep making 775 chips, and how much longer current board will suport them if they do, just try putting a 9450 on one of the first 775 p4 based boards.
like I said get a cheap CPU now, and make that your next major upgrade, but I wouldn't plan one board lasting more than 1 CPU upgrade but you might get lucky. I think an AM2+ board has more upgrade potential than a 775 board, and as I suggest getting a cheap CPU in the begining, there isn't a performance hit for getting a non-Intel.
I'd planned on unpgrading to a dual core (like I did), then a quad core, only to be stuck with a board whos manufacturer doesn't want to bother upgrading BIOS to let me upgrade to a Quad. otherwise I'd have a quad now. I don't think its worth the expense for me to get a top of the line dual core, but I'm tempted.
that's a lot of stuff that I really don't understand. I mean I follow a lot of computer-related news, but still. So what are you ultimately suggesting? Get dual-core for now?
my college experience tells me there will be lots of guys who show up with "ultimate gaming machines" and then realize they'd rather have pizza and beer money after a few months.
if you go to big school out in the sticks, like my alma mater, Michigan Tech, there isn't a big enough comunity around it suport the market, so prices fall and computers go cheap.
if thats the case, you might want to buy one later.
to your question:
a dual core will be cheaper, but need to be upgraded sooner. a dual core will serve you for now, and by the time you "need" an upgrade quads will be cheap.
can you save money? maybe get a good quad core CPU from ma and pa for christmas 2008 or 9? depend on if you spend $50 or $100 on your dual
if you go the longer upgrade path AMD would be better because a socket's pinical processors stay expensive. look at what s478 P4EEs go for. you could buy a new mobo and a dual core for the price of those old CPUs. same could be said for an Opteron 165.
Its hard to say what you should do. I don't know what money or PCs are to you.
for me, If I were starting fresh, what you have looks good. maybe a P45 and a Q9450 instead. but I'd be planning on a new mobo with the next CPU upgrade.
If I were starting fresh, and going to college in a dorm room. I'd get a gaming laptop. or your desktop with a TV tuner and a UMPC. does your planned school have a laptop requirement?
@groo gaming laptops are way too expensive. my school doesn't have a laptop requirement and i really don't think college students need laptops. i think it's just a widely held misconception. if i really need a laptop, i'm going to buy a Dell E for 300 bucks when it comes out. also, if I had a P45 mobo with a dual-core processor, would I need to upgrade my mobo when I upgrade to a quadcore processor?
You're a lucky one...my college required a $2000+ tablet and that thing hardly runs bf2142 with the latest video drivers, but you can't use the latest video drivers with the software the engineering college requires you to use...
To be perfectly honest, I've found I do a better job of keeping notes with pen/paper and imagine the kind of desktop you could build with that kind of cash (or even half of it!)
Of course there's always the Xbox, but who would rather have sticks when you can have a mouse!?
anyways, i have some more questions. does all my stuff work together well? is my psu enough? (i know some of you said no but someone said it's plenty) Any foreseeable compatibility issues?
