I NEED HELP BUILDING AN $800 GAMING RIG

[rambo117]

hello, i am going to be selling my current rig and building a new one but i need help, should i go dual core, or quiad? sli, crossfrie, dual gpu, single? what should i add in my rig for 800 dollars?? please offer your suggejestions=)

thanks!!!

 

[hopkiller]

ok first off all what kinda of monitor do you have. Secondly do some research and come back with a list of parts and we will comment on it and help you out. If your using this computer for gaming go with duo core quad core is not needed. If your monitor is an LCD and it is larger than 24" than you should use a dual GPU. Crossfire is better than SLI and if you want single mid ranger card go with HD 4850 if you want single hi end card go with HD 4870.

 

[Proximon]

You can't afford SLI or crossfire for 800 dollars.

Here is the best I can do for you:
https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=10444048

it includes an E7200
ATI 4850
4 gigs RAM
640Gig HD
P35 MB
Vista 64bit.

 

[shadowthor]

Well, how long do you plan to keep this new rig? If it is for a long time, consider going quad, as thats where everything is headed nowadays.

 

[Proximon]

The OP is selling his old system, so he will need a case, PSU, etc.

Best I could do. he still has no keyboard or mouse, etc.

 

[aevm]

Give us a URL where you will buy the parts, so we can see what's available in your country and what the prices are.

Will you play games? Which games? Will you do anything else with this PC?

Do you already have Windows?
Do you already have a monitor?

 

[aevm]

You can't afford SLI or crossfire for 800 dollars.

Here is the best I can do for you:
https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=10444048

it includes an E7200
ATI 4850
4 gigs RAM
640Gig HD
P35 MB
Vista 64bit.

LOL, the list is private and we can't read it. Also, the guy is in Lebanon, where Newegg won't ship. I bet prices in his country are higher than at Newegg.

 

[Proximon]

Must have been the name, it was shared but I named it "basic" and the DB probably didn't like that.

I always forget to check the country as long as the English is good

 

[rambo117]

ok, my monitor is a 17in 1280x1024 but i also game on my 42in HDTV from time to time and my 3870 just isnt doin the trick for crysis
heres a list of games i play: crysis bioshock shadowrun halo 2 halflife 2 deathmatch S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
and im keeping my keyboard and mouse. i have a copy of windows XP home edition but i kinda want windows vista so i dont have to do those "hacks" to get some directx 10 features. i want to keep this rig for at least a year and a half to 2 years.. i like to keep up to date

oh yeh and btw, i always order from newegg so i dont know what aevm is talking about cause newegg ships right to my doorstep

thanks for ur replys!!!

 

[aevm]

I clicked your name and saw your location was "Lebanon". That's a country in Africa. OK, now I figured out there are a few cities with that name in the USA too. I am geographically challenged, I guess

 

[aevm]

Is your 42" TV an 1080i or 1080p? That is, if it supports 1366x768 it's not that much different from 1280x1024, but if it supports 1920x1080 you need some serious GPU power.

 

[rambo117]

lol, its ok, yehhh there are a few differant lebanons i supose. my HDTV is full 1080p and whenever i run crysis on all high full resolution it chokes and dies, sooo yehhh i do need more graphics muscle. any suggestions people?

 

[aevm]

He he, Crysis at 1920x1200 makes every video card in the world cry and beg for mercy. Here are some benchmarks showing 20 fps for HD 4850, 15 fps for 9800GTX, 13 fps for HD 3870.
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2320908,00.asp

This one shows HD 4850 Crossfire getting 44 fps in Crysis at 1600x1200. I'm guessing it would get between 30 and 40 fps at 1920x1080.
http://www.guru3d.com/article/amd-ati-radeon-hd-4850-review-force-3d--powercolor/17

You could get a HD 4850 now and add another whenever you can. Make sure your case/motherboard/PSU support that.
For example P5Q Pro $140, Antec 900 $80, 750TX $100 at newegg.

Or you could try a combination like GA-EP45-DS3L ($110) + 9800GX2 ($290). I think this would be a bit better for Crysis but a bit worse in other games. TBH I don't pay much attention to 1920x1080 benchmarks and they're rare too. Do some research.

 

[rambo117]

mmm, sounds like throwing in a 4850 for now then crossfire for later is the way to go=) i could live with one 4850 for a few months then once prices start fallng, save up and buy a second for crossfire or...a 4870=D
i like the P5Q Pro, lots of future upgrades with that mobo, im considering that board. i did a little reasearch on the power supply and that seems like a sturdy psu for future upgrades. dont wanna be low on power
idk if id want to go with the 9800gx2 cause for a little bit more, 2 4850's would kick the 9800gx2's @$$
what about CPU's? should i go dual for now? or go for the quad?

thanks for ur suggestions!!! helped me out=)

 

[aevm]

CPU? How much money do you have left for a CPU after everything else?

If you can afford $215, get a $180 Q6600 OEM and a $35 HDT-S1283 cooler. That should solve your problem for a few years.

If you've got only $170, get an E8400 retail (and add a better cooler later, if you want to overclock).

If you're closer to $120, E7200.

In games, a quad (Q6600) and a slightly higher-clocked dual (E8400) will be very close. There are exceptions, like FSX where the quad kicks a$$, but in general the dual wins. Of course, if you run things in the background while playing, the quad may win again. And most times the HDD or GPU will be the limiting factor and you'd get exactly the same fps with either CPU.
If it's a long term thing get the quad, it will be better once more games start using 4 cores.