First build(4850 crossfire) Critique....

granomeir

July 26, 2008 4:45:04 AM

This is my first attempt at a system, so let me know what you think.

Now, I'll let you in my brain for a second. This rig's primary function will be gaming. I'm not much on OCing...may try later when I'm more confident in the what my system can handle and research more on the topic. I want something that can stand on its own without OCing for about 2-3 years. I'd like to stay below $1500, which I have done with this unit as I already own a 22" moniter and a wireless keyboard and mouse.

Comments or suggestions are welcome concerning any component. However, I do have a few specific concerns:

Do I really need ...well, SHOULD I purchase the raptor(sure there will be mixed reviews here)?
What are your suggestions for extra cooling(no water cooling :kaola:

)?

Here she is!

COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UW Black Aluminum Bezel , SECC Chassis ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

ASUS RAMPAGE FORMULA LGA 775 Intel X48 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

ASUS EAH4850/HTDI/512M Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... X2

CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply 100 - 240 V UL, CE, CB, TUV, FCC, CCC - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Western Digital Raptor WD1500ADFD 150GB 10000 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 1.5Gb/s Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... (I have an external for music, movies, etc)

Pioneer Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 10X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 40X CD-R 32X CD-RW 40X CD-ROM 2MB Cache IDE 20X DVD±R DVD Burner - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit English for System Builders 1pk DSP OEI DVD - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Well, there you have it. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

More about : build 4850 crossfire critique

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groo

July 26, 2008 5:04:14 AM

new egg does lots of different deals w/ the 4850. 2 different cards will give 2 different freebies. as all the hd4800 are still reference card, thry are all identical.

get a
SATA burner

if your expecting a long life out of the system, I'd get a quad core.

Xigmata rifle cooler seams to be the current favorite.

raptor is old tech, a 7200.11 is about as fast, and gives loads more storage per $, and will probably last longer

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Physicz

July 26, 2008 5:28:06 AM

dont buy a rampage forumula.

get someting like the asus maximus II formula instead.

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Noya

July 26, 2008 6:00:03 AM

I would get two WD 640gb AAKS. Put Vista on one and games on the other. Load times will be lightning quick.

Also I would get one 4870 to start with instead of two 4850's. The 4870 can already be had for $245-250 with promo code and rebate (check slickdeals.net). Especially since your native res is only 1680x1050.

I would also spend a few more bucks and get a Lian Li aluminum case. The case you picked is $70 w/shipping. For $115-120 it's well worth the extra $40-50.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
A Lian Li will last you through new builds as long as you want to keep it, not to mention if you wanted to sell the PC it's a classy looking high quality case.

Also, is the Rampage really worth $70 more than this DFI x48?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
No.

This is the cooler you want:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
Better mounting bracket:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

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shadowthor

July 26, 2008 6:24:00 AM

Get the rampage since you are going to crossfire. The maximus 2 formula is a p45 chipset and can only crossfire x8/x8 whereas the rampage can crossfire x16/x16. Rampage overclocks well according to reviews about 485 or almost 500 fsb with a quad.

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granomeir

July 26, 2008 3:58:59 PM

groo said:

new egg does lots of different deals w/ the 4850. 2 different cards will give 2 different freebies. as all the hd4800 are still reference card, thry are all identical.

get a
SATA burner

if your expecting a long life out of the system, I'd get a quad core.

Xigmata rifle cooler seams to be the current favorite.

raptor is old tech, a 7200.11 is about as fast, and gives loads more storage per $, and will probably last longer

Yeah, I'll probably end up going w/ another 2 4850 cards. These were just on sale when I put them on my wish list.

I have thought about quad core for longevity, but performance now is definitely in favor of dual...I'm conflicted about that.

I'm aware that the raptor I have selected has an older sata. However, I don't wanna go with the other option, which is a Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000GLFS 300GB 10000 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s ...I just can't personally justify paying $300 for a single HD. Perhaps I will just go w/ a 7200...It's not a key component for gaming, necessarily.

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granomeir

July 26, 2008 4:10:03 PM

Noya said:

I would get two WD 640gb AAKS. Put Vista on one and games on the other. Load times will be lightning quick.

Also I would get one 4870 to start with instead of two 4850's. The 4870 can already be had for $245-250 with promo code and rebate (check slickdeals.net). Especially since your native res is only 1680x1050.

I would also spend a few more bucks and get a Lian Li aluminum case. The case you picked is $70 w/shipping. For $115-120 it's well worth the extra $40-50.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
A Lian Li will last you through new builds as long as you want to keep it, not to mention if you wanted to sell the PC it's a classy looking high quality case.

Also, is the Rampage really worth $70 more than this DFI x48?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
No.

This is the cooler you want:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
Better mounting bracket:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

All of your advice is well taken. I would really like to hang on to my 2 4850's, though. Right now crossfire w/ 4850 will outperform a single 4870. Plus, as I'd mentioned in my previous post, I'll probably go with another 2 slightly more inexpensive brands as to save a bit. I suppose for longevity I could purchase one 4870 and add another later...decisions, decisions.

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thepowerofdonuts

July 26, 2008 4:35:12 PM

I like the Gigabyte X48-DS4 more than the Rampage or any of the other X48 boards, it's $50 less and it has more ports. Just a suggestion.

None of the 4850's really have any great games, so I'd probably get the Powercolor with the remote, and the one without it. The one without is $155 after rebate, and the one with it is $15 more.

Your burner was deactivated. I suggest going with the Samsung SATA 22X DVD burner with Lightscribe, it's only $28, and the fastest you'll find.

For the hard drive I'd go with a WD Caviar 640GB. It's almost as fast as the Raptor, SATA 3GB, and way cheaper. If you want higher performance, you can always get two, they're only $90, and set them up in RAID 0. They'll be faster than teh Raptor.

I think the Cooler Master 690 is worth the extra $30. It has better cooling, more room, and a lot of top ports.

If you switch to that one, you can fit the Xigmatek S1283($26 after rebate). With the retention bracket that goes with it, they add up to $32 after rebate. You get a better cooler and a better way to mount it than push pins.

Everything else looks good.

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San Pedro

July 26, 2008 5:11:40 PM

The WD 640s are a great deal and they are good performers, don't bother with the raptor.

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granomeir

July 27, 2008 12:58:26 AM

Thanks for all the suggestions. I've looked at a great deal of tech stuff in the past few days and it's all starting to run together. Most of these suggestions make a great deal of sense and I'll get an updated list soon and see what everyone thinks.

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granomeir

July 28, 2008 7:58:23 PM

After doing some more research and taking suggestions into consideration I have updated the system to the following:

XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

XIGMATEK ACK-I7751 Retention Bracket
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale 3.16GHz
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

LIAN LI PC-65B Black Aluminum ATX Mid Tower
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Microsoft Windows Vista 64-Bit Ultimate for System Builders Single Pack DVD - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

GIGABYTE GA-X48-DS4 LGA 775 Intel X48 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

ASUS EAH4850/HTDI/512M Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply 100 - 240 V UL, CE, CB, TUV, FCC, CCC
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD+R 22X DVD-R 16X DVD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Like the changes? Hate the changes? Discuss and feel free to critique.

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thepowerofdonuts

July 28, 2008 9:33:38 PM

You can save yourself a few bucks if you pick up the Sapphire or Powercolor 4850's instead of the Asus.

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granomeir

July 28, 2008 9:48:30 PM

thepowerofdonuts said:

You can save yourself a few bucks if you pick up the Sapphire or Powercolor 4850's instead of the Asus.

The two ASUS's are basically place holders on my list until I actually order the parts. At that time, I'll probably purchase the most inexpensive brand with a decent rating...which, very well could be Sapphire.

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ExistNY

July 28, 2008 9:53:24 PM

Noya, why not the asus rampage formula? What's wrong with that board? Seems to get great reviews.

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yesiwillwin

July 28, 2008 10:38:13 PM

great build you got going there!! very similar to mine. i just ordered this morning and can't wait to slap it together and make it my own! check this out:

cpu - Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 Yorkfield 2.66GHz

cpu cooler - XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler

XIGMATEK ACK-I7751 Retention Bracket

Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound

mobo - GIGABYTE GA-X48-DS4 LGA

ram - G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2SDRAM DDR2800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit

video - ASUS EAH4850/HTDI/512M Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 x2 for crossfire

hard drives - Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA x2

psu - CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V

case - NZXT TEMPEST Crafted Series CS-NT-TEM-B Black Steel

optical - LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD BurnerWith 12X DVD-RAM Write Black SATA Model LH-20A1S

2nd optical - SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model SH-S203N

os - vista ultimate 64

if i were you i'd look into a quad core. for about the same money you could get a nice Q6600 and over clock. you may not want to oc right now but you have a great board and cooler so you should take advatnage of it.

i was having the same dilema trying to figure out if the raptor was worth it, needless to say i dumped it and got 2 wd 640 gb AAKS and i'm happy with it.

i'm a first time builder myself and will not oc for the first month or so. just wanna get used to the new gear. then i will push everything i can with a clean oc.

go for it, you got good taste my friend!!!

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granomeir

July 29, 2008 11:52:14 PM

ExistNY said:

Noya, why not the asus rampage formula? What's wrong with that board? Seems to get great reviews.

What would justify paying in the neighborhood of $70 more for virtually the same board? In other words, what makes the "rampage" formula worth that much more money? I'm asking a serious question here, don't be afraid to tell me why this is your opinion. I"m more interested in the "why" than simply "this one is better than that one."

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