800$ gaming PC...tell me what you think

[australopithepunx]

Hello all,

Its my birthday and I have decided I need a kick ass gaming computer because I deserve it. I want this thing to play lots of awesome high end games such as Crysis, Bioshock, fallout 3, and far cry 2.

I am confident that if if this computer can do a decent job with these games it should be able to handle anything else I could ask of it.

I currently have a monitor with a native resolution of 1920X1080.

Here's a shopping list I put together on newegg. |Please let me know what you think.



Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale 3.16GHz LGA 775 65W
ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler - Retail combo 208.99$

SAPPHIRE 100259-1GL Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card 189.99 $

GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard $134.99

Crucial Ballistix 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory 51.99$

Rosewill Wind Ryder RZLS142A-P YE Dual 120mm Cooling Fans and Mesh Design Front Panel Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
Rosewill RG530-2 530W 80Plus Bronze Certified, ATX12V v2.3/EPS12V v2.91, SLI Ready, Active-PFC Power combo price 74.98


total price with shipping 782.33$

thanks!

 

[foolycooly]

What motherboard?

Get rid of the rosewill PSU...it's trash. Don't skimp on this component...I would suggest something like corsair -

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005&Tpk=corsair%20650w

You might have some trouble maxing all games out w/ smooth gameplay on a 1900x monitor with just the 4870 1gb. It's an outstanding card and will play any of today's games, but if you want maxed out graphics on everything you're looking at a 4870x2 or a gtx295

 

[caniba]

Looks great but dump the crappy PSU for a high quality one like the Corsair 550.

Hard drive?

 

[australopithepunx]

Oops...forgot the hard drive.

Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST3500418AS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM 59.99$

and the upgrade to a corsair will cost me 45$

CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W ATX12V V2.2 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail 89.99

what do people think about a downgrade in processor to a E7400? Will I notice the difference in the games mentioned?

 

[foolycooly]

You really should not get the rosewill PSU. You will regret it if it fries your other components. If you plan on overclocking, the E7400 is a great choice.

 

[Tech-Boy]

I say downgrade to a e7400 and get a xigmateck cooler (with back plate), or get the e8400 with the stock cooler (if over budget). Then with the money saved, get the gtx 260 core 216 from xfx or evga; 55nm or 65nm doesn't matter too much with the gtx 260, as nvidia cheapened the cooler of the gtx 260 core 216 55nm cooler.

You will get much better performance from the gtx 260 core 216 than the 4870 1gb, and I believe that the gtx 260 core 216 is alot cheaper now. Based on the current prices, do not get the 4870 especially the 1gb version, unless you need to go crossfire or are buying the cheaper 512mb because of budget purposes.

One more thing, don't get the seagate, get a western digital black 640gb instead.

Other than that, looks like a nice build.

 

[MykC]

Common Parts
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827129032 LG DVD Drive $22
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218 WD 640GD HD $75
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042 Antec 300 $60
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341010 OCZ 600W $70 - $20MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102822 512MB 4830 $90 - $15MIR
Total $362 - $35MIR

AMD based system

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.165025 Phenom II 720BE $147
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138130 Biostar 790GX $110 - $45COMBO - $10MIR (xfire)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145590 4GB DDR2 800 $45 - $25 MIR
CPU/Mobo/RAM Total $257 - $55MIR
Box Total $574 - $70MIR

Intel LLG 775 based system
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037 LGA 775 E8400 $165
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128357 Giga G31 mATX $53
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145590 4GB DDR2 800 $45 - $25 MIR
CPU/Mobo/RAM Total $263 - $25MIR
Box Total $580 - $60MIR

Recommended Common Upgrades
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102801 1GB 4870 $115
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233003 Upgrade to a Xigma CPU Cooler $36 - $10MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186020 Upgrade to Artic MX-2 Thermal Compound $7
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119137 Upgrade to a CM 690 Case $20
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341011 Upgrade to PCP&C 750W Red $45 (if you want to Xfire)

AMD Specific Recommended Upgrades
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103471 AM2+ X4 940 $48
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128384 GIGA 790GX UD4H $40
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231209 G.Skill PI Black DDR2 800 $25

Intel LGA 775 Specific Recommended Upgrades
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128358 Giga P45 $80 - $20MIR (xfire)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231209 G.Skill PI Black DDR2 800 $25
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115017 LGA 775 Q6600 $35

The base unit system are the same.
For the price of a E8500 you can take a 940BE for only $10 more.
For the cost to upgrade to both AMD and Intel to gigabyte xfire motherboards the Intel costs $50 more.
So for $40 less, you get a Phenom II quad core. In my opinion, the AMD is a more futureproff system and with todays games, there is noticable real world (the difference you feel and see in a game) advantage the E8500 can provide.

 

[Tech-Boy]

^Nice List, Just change the price on the 4870 1gb to $194.

australopithep> Just to enforce to you how much faster the gtx 260 core 216 is over the 4870 1gb.

Here are some benchmarks:
http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=1414&pageID=5827
http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=1414&pageID=5837

The gtx 260 core 216 beats the 4870 1gb in every game tested!

 

[MykC]

Wow, thats impressive results on the GTX 260, playing at a framerate thats a little low in some of the benchmarks but... the GTX 260 can be had for $160 after MIR.