My first build--opinions needed

Yerocimmy

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Oct 19, 2008
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Here's what I'm looking at right now for a build--I want to create a quality gaming rig, but not one that will empty my bank account. These are my picks, based on my belief that they are quality products that aren't too pricey. Please let me know what you think!

Case: $110
Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021

CPU: $170 (less $50 when combined with case = $120. Note that this bargain is the main reason I went with AMD)
AMD Phenom 9850 BLACK EDITION 2.5GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 2MB L3 Cache Socket AM2+ 125W Quad-Core Processor - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103249

Motherboard: $150
MSI K9A2 Platinum AM2+/AM2 AMD 790FX ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130136


Graphics Card:
Will not be purchasing as of yet. I have a nVidia 7900(GT?) series cards, and I plan to upgrade to a 9800 GTX when I can find a bargain.

Edit: I found the EVGA 512-P3-N975-AR GeForce 9800 GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130380) that I would purchase if I can get the combo deal to work out. It's not the GTX, but it's quite a bit cheaper and the performance is still acceptable to me.


RAM: $120 (less $40 from rebate = $80)
CORSAIR DOMINATOR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145197

Hard Drive: $75
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218

Power Supply: $120 (less $20 from rebate = $100)
CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006



 
Well, if this is a gaming rig you should really consider going with Intel at the moment. I think this build comes out close to the same price and would be a lot faster.

SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD+R 22X DVD-R 16X DVD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151173 $26.99

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037 $164.99

GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128358&cm_sp=DailyDeal-_-13-128-358-_-Homepage&guid=28e23a828ae049b990b0a9ec48cbc426 $136.99 -$20.00 MIR

Corsair TX CMPSU-650TX ATX12V & EPS12V Power Supply - CMPSU-650TX
http://www.buy.com/prod/corsair-650w-tx-series-80-plus-certified-power-supply-corsair-tx-cmpsu/q/loc/101/206178324.html $92.74 -$20.00 MIR

mushkin 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146731 $69.99 -$20.00 MIR

HIS Hightech H485F512P 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=N82E16814161235 $164.99 -$30.00 MIR

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218 $74.99

Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.buy.com/prod/antec-nine-hundred-steel-atx-mid-tower-computer-case-900-antec-nine/q/loc/101/202997579.html $99.24


Total = $830.92 -$90.00 MIR = $740.92 after MIR

Throw in 64-bit Vista Home Premium for $100 and you'll be set.

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=N82E16832116488 $99.99
 

Yerocimmy

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Oct 19, 2008
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What is the benefit of choosing....
-the E8400 Wolfdale over the 9850 Phenom?
-ATI over nVidia?
-the SB750 over the SB600 Motherboard?
-mushkin 800 DDR2 over corsair 800 DDR2 (which is less expensive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145184) over the corsiar1066 DDR2


also,
Would it be better to just pay the extra $20 for the additional 100 W power supply that I originally listed?
Does the Samsung optical drive read/write CDs (along with the DVDs)? I was looking at purchasing that model but I couldn't figure out if it did
 

groo

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the Core2 has a better architecture than the Phenom. the 45nm Intel manufacuting is better than 65nm AMD processes .
Intels tend to overclock better too, but you never know what you'll get when trying to OC.

but In all honety, I think the price for performance is about right between the 2 of them.
just like AMD/ATI is doing a better job with video cards at the moment. nVidias top performers are monsterously powerhungery and expensive, the ATI 4 series is a better bet IMHO

Graphics will get you lots further than a screaming CPU in games.

the 750 southbridge is supose to overclock the CPU better (I'm not sure how, it isn't supose to be directly connect the the CPU) Its also suposed to have better Raid controle. not sure about anything else.

no sense getting a 790fx if you aren't going to crossfire. crossfire is like SLI for ATI. you need a crossfire board to use multiple ATIs together. you need a SLI to use multiple nVidias together.

anything that can read a DVD can read a CD.
 

Yerocimmy

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Here's a new build that I drew up based around the Inteld Core 2 Duo E8500. What do you think?

SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD+R 22X DVD-R 16X DVD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe - OEM

Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail

Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3500320AS 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Retail

GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale 3.16GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail

EVGA 512-P3-N980-AR GeForce 9800 GT Hybrid Power 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail

CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

With rebates etc this runs about $750.


Thanks to everyone who has given me their thoughts, and thanks to those who will do so!
 
Is there a reason you're avoiding the ATI GPU? The 4850 is considerably faster than the 9800GT. The WD6400AAKS drive is also faster than the 500GB drive you added. The Corsair RAM you linked to is fine, but the Mushkin RAM in my build runs at tighter timings and lower voltage.

The difference between the E8400 and E8500 is minimal as they both overclock to about the same level.


This is a step backwards IMO. Your build and mine are about the same price.
 

Yerocimmy

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It's not that I'm avoiding the ATi, it's that the 9800GT was such a good deal. After rebates and a combo deal, it comes out to about $85.

I changed the hard drive because I thought the charts showed it as faster, but apparently not, I'll change it back.

I was went with the Corsair ram because it was paired with the 9800 in a Newegg combo.

Also, on Newegg, buying the E8500 for an extra $15 gets me a combo with the motherboard worth $25 off.

Thanks for your input. What do you think about the revised build?

Also, what additional components would I need to overclock? A non-stock thermal paste/fan? Please let me know what you recommend.