My $1300 Build

[Ragnorok64]

I've been forming a progressive potenial gaming PC build. It's price has grown but i think it's about as High as I want to allow it, maybe $10-20 more leeway. Here's what it looks like right now. It will be running dual monitors an HDTV running at 1920x1080 and an LCD running at 1608x1050, though for gaming I'll switch off the secondary monitor so i only need to push out 1080p for gaming.

DFI LANPARTY DK X48-T2RS LGA 775 Intel X48 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Model #:LANPARTY DK X48-T2RS
Item #:N82E16813136047
$219.99

SAPPHIRE 100251SR Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB 512-bit (256-bit x 2) GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
Model #:100251SR
Item #:N82E16814102768
$559.99

OCZ GameXStream OCZ700GXSSLI 700W ATX12V Power Supply - Retail
Model #: OCZ700GXSSLI
Item #:N82E16817341002
$114.99


Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775 Quad-Core Processor Model HH80562PH0568M - OEM
Model #:HH80562PH0568M
Item #:N82E16819115018
$184.99



G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1000 (PC2 8000) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8000CL5D-4GBPQ - Retail
Model #:F2-8000CL5D-4GBPQ
Item #:N82E16820231145
$84.99

Western Digital Caviar SE WD5000AAJS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
Model #:WD5000AAJS
Item #:N82E16822136178
$74.99

LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black IDE Model DH-20A4P-04 - OEM
Model #H-20A4P-04
Item #: N82E16827106228
$23.99

COOLER MASTER RR-CCH-L9U1-GP 92mm Hyper TX2 CPU Cooler - Retail
Model #:RR-CCH-L9U1-GP
Item #:N82E16835103031
$29.99

OCZ OCZTFRZTC Freeze Extreme Thermal Conductivity Compound - Retail
Model #: OCZTFRZTC
Item #:N82E16835202006
$6.99

Subtotal: $1,300.91

What can be done to improve or cheapen this build?

 

[l_ght]

well besides needing a case, keyboard and other stuff like that,

i would just go for a 4870, and get a much more powerful cpu, such as the q5500.

the 4870x2 is really overkill for everything, even with your two monitor set up

 

[Physicz]

or get a q 9450.

and 2 4850's.

a better cooler.

and change the psu toa pc&p silencer 610 watt.

 

[cal8949]

if you really wanna game off an hdtv get the 4870x2 will kill at the highest revolutions. unlike a 4870 or 2 4850.

how big is your hdtv?

if you really want to have the best gaming performance get a c2d 8500 because it can oc better then the q6600. but if you want a quad get something better then a q6600 that can oc better because you'll need it so it doesn't bottleneck your video cards

 

[Ragnorok64]

if you really wanna game off an hdtv get the 4870x2 will kill at the highest revolutions. unlike a 4870 or 2 4850.

how big is your hdtv?

I've got a 40" Samsung.

I've specifically waited for the 4870X2 and it turned out to be jsut as good as I'd hoped. I've got a ton of cases, and extra peripherals. I'll run 32bit windows XP Pro to start off but will probably eventually dual-boot into 64 bit vista.

 

[legendsn3verdie]

rig looks like sex to me, i say throw in one of those new raptor 3.0gb/s sataII's ftw!

 

[cal8949]

i would just go right into vista 64 unless you already have a xp key. vista is really stable by now and its great for gaming. 40 inch samsung stay with the 4870x2 you wont be disappointed.

but again try to save up a little more money for a better processor like the 9550. so you dont have any bottle necking. but i would keep all the other parts

i don't know if you can save any money anywhere for the better processor i wouldn't want anything less for those video cards. look it over for combo deals and rebates

just make sure your case can fit that monster card or take out the power tools

 

[Ragnorok64]

Well my projected build date is still in the fall, so I've got extra time to save though I'll need to get new tires for my car and stuff before winter So I don't plan on going too for above that price. Though, by then the prices should have gone down.

 

[chris312]

I'd replace the X48 mobo with perhaps a P45 or P35 one if I weren't going Crossfire immediately. By the time you find yourself in a position to want another 4870x2 there will be something much better that uses MUCH less power... that 700W OCZ may not be enough for two of those.

 

[Ragnorok64]

I've swapped out the power supply For a PC Power and Cooling one. It has a $30 rebate that would ultimately make it cheaper, but I'm not likely to be ordering in August so I'm not really counting it.


DFI LANPARTY DK X48-T2RS LGA 775 Intel X48 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Model #:LANPARTY DK X48-T2RS
Item #:N82E16813136047
$219.99

SAPPHIRE 100251SR Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB 512-bit (256-bit x 2) GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
Model #:100251SR
Item #:N82E16814102768
$559.99

PC Power & Cooling S75QB 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply - Retail
Model #:S75QB
Item #:N82E16817703009
$139.99

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775 Quad-Core Processor Model HH80562PH0568M - OEM
Model #:HH80562PH0568M
Item #:N82E16819115018
$184.99

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1000 (PC2 8000) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8000CL5D-4GBPQ - Retail
Model #:F2-8000CL5D-4GBPQ
Item #:N82E16820231145
$84.99

Western Digital Caviar SE WD5000AAJS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
Model #:WD5000AAJS
Item #:N82E16822136178
$74.99

LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black IDE Model DH-20A4P-04 - OEM
Model #H-20A4P-04
Item #: N82E16827106228
$23.99

COOLER MASTER RR-CCH-L9U1-GP 92mm Hyper TX2 CPU Cooler - Retail
Model #:RR-CCH-L9U1-GP
Item #:N82E16835103031
$29.99

OCZ OCZTFRZTC Freeze Extreme Thermal Conductivity Compound - Retail
Model #: OCZTFRZTC
Item #:N82E16835202006
$6.99

Subtotal: $$1,325.91

 

[Ragnorok64]

I'd replace the X48 mobo with perhaps a P45 or P35 one if I weren't going Crossfire immediately. By the time you find yourself in a position to want another 4870x2 there will be something much better that uses MUCH less power... that 700W OCZ may not be enough for two of those.

I wanna keep Crossover capability open. In the future the most cost effective solution may end up being two mid-range cards paired together again.

 

[Ragnorok64]

Also, how many games will be bottle necked by the CPU? I thought most depended heavily on the GPU, how much would I really gain from an upgraded processor? Couldn't I just overclock the 6600 with the setup I have there?

 

[cal8949]

i think the bottle necking would stop at around 3.2 and most q6600's can only get to 3.2. but the q9550 people are getting up to 3.6-3.7.

games are mostly depend on the gpu but they still need a fast cpu.

you might be able to run a q6600 oc'ed enough to not bottleneck but i would just play it on the safe side.

 

[Ragnorok64]

i think the bottle necking would stop at around 3.2 and most q6600's can only get to 3.2. but the q9550 people are getting up to 3.6-3.7.

games are mostly depend on the gpu but they still need a fast cpu.

you might be able to run a q6600 oc'ed enough to not bottleneck but i would just play it on the safe side.

If I was going to spend that much extra it would be on a case, more hard drives, or something. I just don't think the performance gains justify the price increase.

 

[cal8949]

If I was going to spend that much extra it would be on a case, more hard drives, or something. I just don't think the performance gains justify the price increase.

if you wait another month nehalem might be out and i bet there will be more price drops

yeah i understand another $150. i think the cheapest nehalem is gonna be like $330. so im guessing they have to drop the price on the q9550

 

[legendsn3verdie]

yah just pump ur q6600 to 3.2+ghs it should be fine with that motherboard.. i hear most people ha ve problems overclocking the q6600 on 680i motherboards.. not x48's..

 

[Ragnorok64]

if you wait another month nehalem might be out and i bet there will be more price drops

yeah i understand another $150. i think the cheapest nehalem is gonna be like $330. so im guessing they have to drop the price on the q9550

Well if there's a significant drop on the higher processors, I'll look into them. I'm planning on waiting a bit anyway. I expect the 4870x2 to drop in price eventually as the Nvidia 280 seem to be dropping.