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Quiet build for moderate gaming torrenting under $700 w/o video card

Forum Homebuilt Systems : New System Build - Quiet build for moderate gaming torrenting under $700 w/o video card

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washoutr6   05-13-2009 at 02:07:26 AM

I am getting a HD3870X2 for free from my friend and don't plan on doing SLI or crossfire. I do moderate gaming but want to run uTorrent in the background and antivirus etc. without getting stuttering when I play Fallout or TF2.

Since I leave it on all time time I don't plan to overclock and want it to run quietly since it's in the bedroom. I use dual monitors one of them being my 72" tv at 1280x1024 but I always run games windowed when I can.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811103010
1XCLIO A380BK Fully Black Computer Case With Side Panel Window
Item #:N82E16811103010
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy-$20.00 Instant
$129.99
$109.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817151034
1SeaSonic S12 II SS-500GB 500W Power Supply
Item #:N82E16817151034
Return Policy: 30 Day Return Policy
$85.39

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822136317
2Western Digital Caviar Green 1TB 3.5" SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
Item #:N82E16822136317
Return Policy: 30 Day Return Policy-$5.00 Instant
$189.98
$179.98

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820145184
1CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory
Item #:N82E16820145184
Return Policy: Limited Non-Refundable 30-Day Return Policy
$46.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.190734
1GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD4P ATX AMD Motherboard
Item #: N82E16813128387
Return Policy: 30 Day Return Policy

AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Black Processor
$218 for the combo

Total price with shipping is $641

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xthekidx   05-13-2009 at 02:20:54 AM
- 0 +

Do you have an OS? DVD Drive? You will most likely want to OC the CPU to get the best results, so consider getting something like this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835233003

I would get this memory instead, AMD chips see a benefit from faster ram:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820231166

------------------------------ Asus P6T & i7 920 @ 3.6ghz
GTX 260 Core 216
6gb 1443MHZ 7-7-7-18 1T OCZ Platinum
CM RC-690, CM V8 HSF
Reply to xthekidx
washoutr6   05-13-2009 at 09:15:32 AM
- 0 +

Yep, have a DVD and am going to run windows 7 rc2 since my friend works at microsoft. Good call on the ram, I'll switch to that. I'm not so sure about that cooler though. Looks like it would be a lot louder than stock. If you can suggest a quiet one I'd probably go with that.

Message quoted 1 times
Reply to washoutr6
Bronze Home Brew badge gkay09   05-13-2009 at 11:05:57 AM
- 0 +

Get this PSU...Should be as good as the Seasonic and has a single 12V Rail...
PC Power & Cooling Silencer PPCS500
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817703015

And about the HDD...
It would run comparitively slower than a WD Black...

And +1 for the RAM...

Message quoted 1 times
Reply to gkay09
Bronze Home Brew badge gkay09   05-13-2009 at 11:09:48 AM
- 0 +

Found this PSU ...
Same 500W from Seasonic for $66...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817151069

Reply to gkay09
mtyermom   05-13-2009 at 05:43:45 PM
- 0 +

That case you have chosen does not have free shipping, you will pay somewhere around ~$30 to have it shipped. (Newegg shows it as $28.99 shipping to my location in Houston, TX). You should look at the full size towers with free shipping.

 

(for reference, the xClio case you chose is $109.99 + $28.99s&h = $138.98)

 

ENERMAX Uber Chakra ECA5001B Black Aluminum / Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail $114.99 w/ free shipping

 

or

 

GIGABYTE GZ-FA2CA-AJB Black Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail $139.99 w/ free shipping

 

You can spend the same or less as the xClio w/ shipping, and get a better case.

 


Also, regarding the noise level of coolers, that Xigmatek cooler that thekid linked will produce less noise than the stock cooler, while providing much improved cooling performance.

 


EDIT:

 

Same issue with the power supplies chosen, none have free shipping. Shipping charges for each of those power supplies is ~$9-10

 

Here are my picks for PSUs w/ free shipping:

 

OCZ StealthXStream OCZ600SXS 600W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready Active PFC Power Supply - Retail $79.99 w/ free shipping

 

PC Power & Cooling S61EPS 610W Continuous @ 40°C EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Retail $114.99 w/ free shipping
$10 off w/ promo code EMCLSLW34, ends 5/14
This is my top pick, I own this PSU and am extremely impressed with it. It is very quiet, stays cool and provides rock solid, stable power.

 

Antec EA650 650W Continuous Power ATX12V Ver.2.2 / EPS12V version 2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Retail $99.99 w/ free shipping

 

There are several other excellent power supplies w/ free shipping on newegg, this is just a small sample, but all are very good deals.


Message edited by mtyermom on 05-13-2009 at 06:02:52 PM
Reply to mtyermom
xthekidx   05-13-2009 at 09:17:47 PM
- 0 +

washoutr6 wrote :

Yep, have a DVD and am going to run windows 7 rc2 since my friend works at microsoft. Good call on the ram, I'll switch to that. I'm not so sure about that cooler though. Looks like it would be a lot louder than stock. If you can suggest a quiet one I'd probably go with that.


That cooler isn't very loud, its actually quieter than the stock heatsink that you would use. If you want a really quiet cooler, you have to pay a little extra for that, but the Noctua NH-U12P is top of the line for quiet coolers.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835608002

Some other options that are cheaper and pretty quiet, but don't cool as well:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835118019
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835118223

Message quoted 1 times
------------------------------ Asus P6T & i7 920 @ 3.6ghz
GTX 260 Core 216
6gb 1443MHZ 7-7-7-18 1T OCZ Platinum
CM RC-690, CM V8 HSF
Reply to xthekidx
washoutr6   05-13-2009 at 10:34:37 PM
- 0 +

gkay09 wrote :

Get this PSU...Should be as good as the Seasonic and has a single 12V Rail...
PC Power & Cooling Silencer PPCS500
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817703015

And about the HDD...
It would run comparitively slower than a WD Black...

And +1 for the RAM...


Well the blacks are a lot more expensive and louder right? But I don't have direct experience with them so can't say for sure. But since I am buying two the lower cost is pretty attractive.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811124121
1 ENERMAX Uber Chakra ECA5001B Black Aluminum / Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail

$114.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822136317
2 Western Digital Caviar Green WD10EADS 1TB SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM

$179.98
($89.99each)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820231166
1 G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK - Retail

$58.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835233003
1 XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler - Retail

$29.00

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.190734
AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Black Processor Model HDZ720WFGIBOX - Retail

GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD4P AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
Item #: N82E16813128387

$218.99

Subtotal: $609.94

Shipping: $8.55

Free Ati HD3870X2

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817341002 OCZ PS NIB for $30 from a friend at work.

Total: $648.49


Message edited by washoutr6 on 05-13-2009 at 10:37:38 PM
Reply to washoutr6
washoutr6   05-13-2009 at 10:36:41 PM
- 0 +

xthekidx wrote :

That cooler isn't very loud, its actually quieter than the stock heatsink that you would use. If you want a really quiet cooler, you have to pay a little extra for that, but the Noctua NH-U12P is top of the line for quiet coolers.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835608002

Some other options that are cheaper and pretty quiet, but don't cool as well:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835118019
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835118223



Thanks for the links, I'll go with your first suggestion from earlier on in the thread. I want to do it quiet but I have a feeling if I try too hard I'll go way over budget.

Reply to washoutr6
Bronze Home Brew badge gkay09   05-14-2009 at 06:15:26 AM
- 0 +

^Well I would have to agree that the WD Blacks are noisy compared to the other drives...but they are about $10 more...
Even the ones you have chosen are good...
Well there is an another option though...
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST31000528AS 1TB ...
These seagates are very good this 1TB has just 2 Platters so noise would be less and runs pretty cool...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822148433

Well as for the CASE, am sure you should get the Antec 900...It also has free shipping and is far better case than that Enermax...(this everyone would agree)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811129021

And just a suggestion about the mobo...
You can get a AM3 mobo + DDR3 RAM ...though the performance difference is not significant but is a better platform than that AM2+ board...And the DDR3 RAM prices are nearly the same as DDR2...though the mobo would cost about $30 more...

CPU + Mobo...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.190879
RAM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820144266

But finally its your choice...

Reply to gkay09
washoutr6   05-14-2009 at 04:48:30 PM
- 0 +

Alright, went with the other case and the different cpu+mobo and ddr3 ram. I prefer ASUS motherboards is more the reason I switched mobo than anything. I'll stick with the Green HD's though.

Reply to washoutr6
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