Building my own Computer, need help and advice

mattj7 · Apr 30, 2009

Hey, I'm building my own computer, and I need some help and your opinion
Heres the cheap (under 700) rig I'm planning to big

1. intel core 2 quad Q9550: $270 2.83GHz 12MB L2 Cache (idk if its worth it)
or
intel core 2 duo e8500 $185 3.16 ghz, 6mb l2 cache (thinking this one)
or
intel core 2 duo e7400 $120 2.8GHz 3MB L2 Cache (maybe)
or
intel pentium e5200 $70 (probly not) 2.5GHz 2MB L2 Cache

2. 4gb (2x2gb) crucial 800mhz ram $44.00 (probably)
or
4gb (2x2gb) crucial 1066mhz ram $73
or
8gb (2x4gb) crucial 800mhz ram $195 (holy *** thats alot for ram)
3. Computer case + power supply $75 (definitely)
4. Motherboard (msi p43 neo3) $90 (is this compatible with everything?)
5. Western Digital 320 hard drive $50 (definitely)
6. Powercolor 512 graphics card $175 (is this good enough for hardcore gaming (crysis))
or
nvidia geforce 9800?
7. samsung optical drive $24 (definitely)

so yea, basically I need to know if the graphics card will handle anything I throw at it,
and I need to know if the motherboard is fast and will be compatible with everything else
also, is that a good choice on a processer?
also, I'm totally considering submerging the whole thing in mineral water!

I'm basing this rig off of this little gem I found on stumble:
http://kotaku.com/5223590/a-500-pc-that-can-kick-crysis-ass

I'm using these specs and greater, so will this rig really be able to play any game I throw at it, even crysis?

mattj7 · Apr 30, 2009

mindless728 · Apr 30, 2009

Whaldo · Apr 30, 2009

I also built a budget rig like urs but still with enough kick to handle anything i throw at it.
Im running the E8500. Best bang for buck CPU 6months ago and it still is. Specially since i have heat issues in my room during summer. Its a brilliant CPU and has plenty of OC headroom even with just the stock air cooler.

I went with the DDR2 1066 RAM but not much differnce there. Just more for OC if i need it. I would stick with DDR2 less you have motherboard restrictions.

Graphics wise 9800GTX+ is the way to go. Try and get a hold of the doubkle slot version that has the complete fan and sink casing so that blows the air out the back of the case. Also mite be worth considering a newer version card than the one you picked. But bang for buck the 9800GTX+ will deliver.

MB selection is up to you. Couple things you have to look out for tho is North bridge location and cooling. A large graphics card can be a problem if the North bridge sits too close to the card. Also for OC headroom its best to have a fan cooled North bridge or atleast have enough space to ad your own fan and heat sink. Increasing your FSB speeds when overclocking tends to cook your NB chip long before the CPU shows any signs of heat stress. The other thing is just to check what type of RAM slots the MB has. Most boards will have a DDR2 and a DDR3 version but something look out for.

Only other thing to check is your PSU. 500W nothing less. You can probly get away with less but the 9800GTX+ is a hungry card. PSU is bout the only thing where you cannot be cheap on. Get a cheapy PSU and your dream rig ends up nothing but headaches.

Thats bout it. Hope this helps and gl with your new rig

mattj7 · Apr 30, 2009

mindless728 :

whats the difference between our motherboards?
is the saphire gpu better than the one I plan on buying?
tooo much hard drive space, i dont think i need that much
thanks for showing me that ram, its faster and only $1 more!
dont care about power, waste of money imo
nice case but I like mine better
and optical drive? who cares same stuff
so thanks you just helped me out
the post is kinda late, so i dont know if you'll get around to anwering my questions, but id appreciate it if you could

jsc · Apr 30, 2009

Computer case and power supply - what brand were you considering? Makes a big difference with respect to the power supply. At any given power output, the difference between a generic or low quality PSU and a good brand is not a waste of money.

Hard drive space is like closet space in a house. No matter how much you have, sooner or later, you are going to fill it all. 320 GB -> 640 GB is double the storage for less that 50% more money.

Wisecracker · Apr 30, 2009

Phenom II 720BE / Gigabyte 790x AM3: $245 AR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.182106

G.Skill 2x2Gb DDR3 1333: $60
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231190

OCZ 700w Power Supply: $70 AR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341019

If you are gaming at 16x10 and up you may want to consider the HD4870 1Gb.

And if you are into short-term instant gratification for around $170 you could crossfire 2 HD4830s (and dream about what it may have been like to Crossfire 2 HD4870s ...).

hundredislandsboy · Apr 30, 2009

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130432

You'll have smoother refresh rates on Crysis with this 9800 GTX+ and it costs less than a new 9800 GT.

You don't need the quadcore, the e8500 is more than enough for Crysis, Far Cry 2 and will overclock easier than the quad core.

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Building my own Computer, need help and advice

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