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Gaming PC $1000 Budget Please help.

Forum Homebuilt Systems : New System Build - Gaming PC $1000 Budget Please help.

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Spitfire7   11-08-2008 at 06:53:14 PM

So I am building a pretty good to great gaming computer for my dad with a budget of around $1000. Please let me know your opinions, suggestions, and so on with these things. Here's what I want to get. Please let me know if its all compatible and I wont be running into bottlenecking.

780i Mobo
Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz
2x 8800GT's SLI
4 GB Corsair XMS2 DDR2 800 4-4-4-12
OCZ GamerXstreem 700w PSU
Windows XP
320 GB SATA HD

So is that all compatible and will that be a pretty good system for $1100? I dont want to go with Vista, because of all the bugs they are still having and all the patches having to be put out for most software and games. So i will go with XP, but should I get 64 Bit or 32 bit? Will I see a difference in performance between the 32 and 64 bits on games? I know that Vista DX10 has better graphics, but will I see those same results with 64bit XP?

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icyicy   11-08-2008 at 07:11:32 PM
- 2 +

Vista doesn't have any of those bugs anymore, it is actually performing better than XP for systems that have 4gb of RAM or more. People are just stuck with their idea of Vista on the day of release and keep hearing those who bash it who only do it because they heard other people bash it and most of them have never even tried it. Oh well, rant off. But a quick note XP 64 is terrible and much much worse than Vista 64. If you are absolutely sure you don't want the increased benefits of Vista, then use XP 32 bit and waste some RAM than using XP 64.

Anyway, the build looks solid although I would try and find a Corsair/Seasonic/Antec/PC Power & Cooling PSU instead.
You can save some money and get the same performance if you use a P45 chipset motherboard (Asus P5Q Pro) and an HD4870 1GB.
Tom's GPU charts currently only have the HD4870 512mb version, which scores only slightly below the 8800GT SLI, so you can expect the 1GB version to be slightly above. It will come off cheaper in the end though, with the option to add a second one in the future.

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Spitfire7   11-08-2008 at 07:45:12 PM
- 0 +

Hey would the 4870 x2 work with the 780i nVidia board? I have had very good luck with the nVidia mobos and would be venturing out to a new world if i went with a P5Q Pro. Are you still thinking the P5Q would be a better bet especially with the NEW 4870 x 2?

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Slomo4shO   11-08-2008 at 10:28:02 PM
- 0 +

The 4870x2 does work on the nVidia board but you will not be able to crossfire in the future if you decide to. Its better to go with the P5Q Pro for a ATI build since it allows for crossfire.

Reply to Slomo4shO
icyicy   11-08-2008 at 11:44:30 PM
- 0 +

Boards with nforce chipset severely underperform compared to ones with intel chipset. So unless you absolutely must have SLI, you should forget about them for now.

That being said, I'm not sure if the P5Q Pro can run 4870x2 at x16 or only x8 (they are not technically crossfired, but you never know) or if you need X38 or X48 chipset to run them at x16. Anything above the P5Q Pro (P45 chipset) will most likely get you way above the budget if you use an HD4870x2.

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Spitfire7   11-09-2008 at 02:35:53 AM
- 0 +

Hey guys should I just play it safe for my dad and keep the 780i and get two of the new Geforce 9800GX2 in SLI? I know the 4870x2 is a much better card, but what do you guys think and with two 9800GX2's in SLI thats flying fast?

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