Sudden Replacement - Lower Mid-Range with Upgradability

[Leyic]

First, my current setup:

OS: Windows XP Home (32-bit)
Case: CoolerMaster ATC-201
PSU: Enermax 550W EG651P-VE PS
Mboard: MSI K7N420
CPU: AMD AthlonXP 2200+
CPU Cooler: CoolerMaster Socket A HSF
Memory: 3x 512MB PC2100 DDR 266MHz (Manufacturer unknown)
HD 1: 40GB Maxtor 740X ATA133 7200RPM Liquid Bearing
HD 2: 80GB Maxtor 740X ATA133 7200RPM Liquid Bearing
Video: XFX GeForce 6600GT 256MB DDR3 (AGP 4x)
Sound: Creative Labs Audigy Platinum
Additionally, optical and floppy drives, a FireWire expansion card, and a modem.

The graphics card recently died, and since I don't have any backup option I had to get a new card from a B&M store without doing any pre-purchase research. I wound up with a Radeon X1050 which gives me essential functionality, but I find its performance in games and DVD playback unacceptable. Given the system in six years old, I figure it's better to get a new system rather than hunt for one of the few remaining AGP 4x cards that'd be at least equivalent to my 6600GT. However, since this isn't really a planned purchase I'd like to keep cost down but leave room for upgrades as I can save up for them. I've come up with the following build after doing some brief research:

OS: Windows Vista Ultimate (64-bit)
Case: NZXT LEXA-NP
PSU: ???
Mboard: ASUS M3A78-T 790GX
CPU: AMD Phenom 9950 Black Edition
CPU Cooler: ???
Memory: OCZ Platinum (2 x 2GB) DDR2 1066
HD 1: Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000GLFS 300GB 10000RPM
Additionally, an optical drive.

For upgrades, I could add:
Video: Radeon HD 4850 (possibly two for CrossFire or a 4870 X2 as my budget allows)
Sound: Creative Labs X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Champion
HD 2: Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200RPM
Additionally, I could double the RAM.

I want a motherboard with integrated graphics so I won't have to purchase a graphics card if the IGP is adequate for my needs (replicating my current computer before its breakdown), and the stated board has an integrated Radeon 3300. Additionally, the IGP would be my backup in case this new graphics card dies.

According to the "Best Video Cards For The Money: Sept '08" article on this site, I'd get the best bang-for-the-buck with 4850's (as I don't play any really modern games and am fine with medium settings, I could probably get by with just one card), so I would like to use this card and make use of Hybrid CrossFire once I get it. Thus an Intel/nVidia chipset isn't acceptable, though I'm open to a full Intel/nVidia setup should it meet my needs and be cheaper.

I'm aware that the "CPU Buyers' Guide" in these forums lists the quad-core Phenoms as "Buy at your own risk", but as that was last updated four months ago and I haven't come across any significant warnings in my limited research, I'll assume that the risk is minimal. I am determined to get a quad-core CPU as I will be using the computer to run numerical simulations and want at least two other cores free while these are running (one for whatever I'm actively working on, one for all other background tasks). A three-core solution could work, but I found little info on them in my research.

I'm not really sure what to go with for a PSU, though I think I should need a 1000W unit in case I ever get a second graphics card. I'm even less certain as to what to get for a CPU cooler. As for the case, I picked the first thing on newegg that wasn't too large, met my requirements, and looked at least half-way decent, so I may have overlooked airflow issues or better/cheaper options.

Since I'm not getting a new monitor, keyboard, or mouse, I'll need a KVM switch. Unfortunately, I can't find anything comprehensive about compatibilites and would hate to find that something in my setup isn't supported. My monitor is a ViewSonic PF775 (VGA only), while my keyboard/mouse combo is a Logitech Cordless Desktop LX700.

Finally, I'm not really interested in overclocking. Although my current setup was slightly overclocked by the manufacturer, I've never overclocked anything myself, and would prefer to have a stable system for at least five years rather than a performance system at the cost of longevity. I should also point out I practically have only two weeks to get the system running, after which I'll have very little free time, so I can't wait for any technologies that might be released soon.

I'll admit that my research is limited, and I didn't really look into an Intel/nVidia solution, so I may be overlooking flaws in my proposed setup or cheaper alternatives that would still meet my requirements. Thus why I'm posting here, in hopes that those of you who know better can point out said flaws and alternatives, as well as fill holes in my knowledge.

Unrelated note: I haven't received the account registration confirmation e-mail yet despite having re-requested it twice (I've checked my spam filter; yes, I provided the correct e-mail address), so this account may disappear in a couple of days.

 

[Proximon]

You should start out with a budget.

Also, you do not need a 1000W PSU for crossfire of 4850s, that would be overkill.

You would likely do better to skip the onboard graphics setup and just get a MB with more options for future upgrades and better stability.

Here is a recent list I made up. It's a public wishlist from newegg:

https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=8343351

Includes everything you need, although the PSU is just a bit light for CF. Here's a better one for two 4850s:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006&Tpk=750TX

 

[Leyic]

There isn't a firm budget as this is an unexpected purchase, but the setup I was looking at would cost ~$1500 + ~$150 to ~$800 in upgrades, while yours would cost ~$900 + ~$150 to ~$650 in upgrades (ignoring the KVM switch in both cases). Cheaper is better in my situation, so I'm interested in your recommendations. That said, I'm curious about your choice of motherboard.

For reference, here is the one I picked (M3A78): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131331

Here is the one you picked (P5Q): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131299

You say I should forgo onboard graphics for more options and better stability, but the P5Q only seems to offer all solid capacitors, Express Gate, and a few more internal SATA connectors over the M3A78 at the cost of said onboard graphics and an eSATA connector. Though I can see where the all solid caps would improve reliability, I was under the impression that the 'exploding' capacitor issue has been resolved in newer hardware. The other features aren't really of use to me. There's only a $10 price difference between the two boards ($20 if I consider relevant combo discounts), so I have to wonder if all solid caps would make that much of a difference in the long run to justify not having an IGP for backup purposes. There's also whatever boost a Hybrid CrossFire system would provide, though that's not of any particular importance. Or maybe I'm missing something entirely.

Thanks for the recommendations and for the advice regarding the PSU. I'll wait a day or two before purchasing anything so I can read through some more stuff and in case there's any other advice. Otherwise, I just need a KVM switch that'll work with my wireless keyboard and mouse.

Small correction regarding my initial post: My current setup actually has 3x 512MB RAM modules.

 

[Proximon]

The P45 chipset is more stable than the 790 AMD chipset. There already exist faster CPUs that could provide an upgrade for an Intel build, while AM2+ is coming to an end and you won't see much speed improvement for that board in the future.

Phenom does not compete with Intel quads for performance.

Why do you think you need a KVM switch? Video cards come with DVI to VGA adapters. The board I listed comes with two PS2 sockets and many USB ports.

 

[Leyic]

Thanks for the chipset advice. After some consideration, I can do without an IGP so long as I have my current machine to fall back on in case the new graphics card dies early. So, it looks like I'll be going with a P45. That said, I wonder if I should spend a little extra on the motherboard. It's not that easy of a part to upgrade, and you've already saved me a few hundred dollars as is. I notice that the ASUS PQ5-E is only $20 more but has support for 16GB of RAM at the cost of its third PCIe x16 slot. Since I have some RAM intensive simulation software (MATLAB primarily, but some custom stuff as well), I could probably benefit from that extra potential in the future. The Maximus II certainly looks nice and has an integrated X-Fi, but also seems like overkill.

In regards to the KVM switch: Since I plan on keeping my current computer for backup purposes, I may as well also use it for menial tasks and productivity issues as well. However, I don't have the desk space for a second monitor, keyboard, and mouse, nor would I want to spend money on them, so the only way I know of to use both computers at the same time would be with a KVM switch, aside from manually changing which computer the cables are plugged into which seems like a major hassle.

 

[B-Unit]

I agree that 1000W is overkill unless you plan to load this thing up with 4+ hard drives as well as dual vid cards. 750W from Corsair has been a favorite and very reasonably priced.

Any non-solid capacitor can(and given enuf time, will) pop. Based on how long you stretched your last system out, it may well be worth the investment to get a board with solids.

 

[Proximon]

My recommendation would be to not depend on any non-server motherboard being compatible with 16Gb. The P5Q Pro used to say 16Gb, as did every single P45 board. I think they had some difficulties getting it to work.

Having said that, you do have a better chance with the P5Q -E (which I'm using right now) or the Deluxe. The main selling points for me on the P5Q -E were the ports (eSATA, etc.) and the NB cooling.

 

[Leyic]

The Deluxe doesn't seem to offer anything for the non-overclocker besides DDR3, and I've yet to read anything that suggests DDR3 is worthwhile. So, I'll go with the P5Q-E. I'll also probably get the 10,000 rpm hard drive I mentioned earlier for an extra $215 since this isn't a part I'd like to upgrade. All of my long-term storage is on external drives, anyhow. The KVM switch is still an open question, but I suppose if whatever I get doesn't like my keyboard/mouse combo, I could get a cheap wired set or dust off an old one from one of my earlier computers, and use the switch just for the monitor.

I'll sleep on this and shop around tomorrow to see if I can't get parts cheaper locally, but it looks like my setup is decided. Thanks for all the advice.

 

[Proximon]

Yes good choice, although there are two different P5Q Deluxe, and the one I was thinking of is DDR2:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131297

KVM switches are good if you need one. They do eventually wear out, although you would think a switch would last forever.