Ok, I've been researching this new build for a while now. I am a graduate student on a budget of around $1000 total, looking for a primarily gaming PC that will last me a bit. I've already purchased the PC&C 750W that was on an outrageous discount at Newegg, as well as Vista 64-bit Home Premium OEM when it went to $79. I already have a monitor (1280x1024 at 17", may upgrade sometime next year, keyboard, etc.)
These are what i am set on:
HD: Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM $84.99
Memory: G.SKILL PI Black 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL4D-4GBPI-B - Retail $49.99 or mushkin 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model 996587 - Retail $53.99
Case: Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail $109.99 (Missed out when it was discounted, is this still a good deal ?) or RAIDMAX SMILODON ATX-612WB Black 1.0mm SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Foldout MB Computer Case - Retail $39.99 after discounts and rebates.
Cooler: ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler - Retail at $26.99 or the XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler - Retail at $26.99 with rebate, + the retention bracket.
I am still torn on CPU, motherboard and video card. My head has been twisted with all that I've read about the dual-core vs. quad-core debate. Simply put, is it foolish of me to want to get a q9300 2.5 GHz at $244.99 when I could get a e8500 3.16 GHz at $174.99? Is "future-proofing" with a quad just misguided?
Deciding the CPU will help with the motherboard. I have been looking at the p45's from Gigabyte, specifically the GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3R LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail. Or should I try the ASUS P5Q Pro LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail with XFire? I would like to overclock to an extent, but I don't have the budget to get a really extravagant MB.
As far as video cards, I have narrowed it down to one really good GPU: either the SAPPHIRE 100259-1GL Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail at $269.99 or the EVGA 896-P3-1267-AR GeForce GTX 260 Core 216 Superclocked Edition 896MB 448-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail at $259.99.
I don't have the scratch to make a jump up to a GTX 280 or the HD 4870x2, or even a 4850x2.
I would really appreciate some last minute advice. I am wanting to get this build done sometime next week, and I would like to order the parts today. Please help out someone less enlightened and knowledgeable. Thanks in advance.
Looks ok. If you can, go with i7. If you're the slightest bit interested in future-proofing, then it doesn't make since to go with last years tech. Even low end i7's compete well with Core procs.
Quad core processors are getting used more in newer games - especially if you are using Vista.
I would not get the 1 GB version of the 4870. Your current monitor cancels out any potential benefit from the added VRAM (it helps with higher resolutions).
With the $70 you save on the graphics card I would go for the q9550. It overclocks much better than the q9300.
Asus p5q pro is a great choice for motherboard. They have all sorts of nice overclocking features.
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Reply to njalterio
Look at it this way, you can get the E8500 today for $174.99 and then buy a quad core in 2 years or so when you need it for around $100 and it will most likely be a better CPU than a Q9300
+1 Slomo4sho - I have this same feeling about Quads now too.
On the idea of 1GB 4870 - if you do get a new monitor soon, I assume it will be bigger. At this point, you may want more memory and this card. Just my 2 cents.
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