First Build, Need Help - $400 Budget Gaming PC

[tehflyingknee]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Next week; Payday BUDGET RANGE: $500 and under ($400-450 preferable)

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Gaming, Web Browsing, Multimedia

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: OS, Monitor, Speakers, Keyboard, Mouse, Hard Drive, DVD Drive, Aftermarket Cooler

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: None; I chose all my parts from Newegg but I'll buy from anywhere offering the best bang for the buck.

PARTS PREFERENCES: None

OVERCLOCKING: Yes, but not to a serious degree, experimentation mainly SLI OR CROSSFIRE: No

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1024x768

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Is this functional? I'm trying to be as budget as possible and despite what I've heard about getting a good namebrand PSU, will the 585W one that comes with the case be enough for the 4870?

Also, someone told me the RAM is incompatible with the chipset of the mobo's chipset because it's 2.1V and the G31 chipset supports only 1.8V. He recommended:

OCZ Blade Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Desktop Memory - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227453

Despite researching on google, I could find nothing to support what he said, so is this true

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THE BUILD:

CPU/PROCESSOR: Intel Pentium E6300 Wolfdale 2.8GHz 2MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116091

MOTHERBOARD: ASUS P5KPL-CM LGA 775 Intel G31 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131288

GPU/VIDEO CARD: SAPPHIRE 100259L Radeon HD 4870 512MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102810

CASE: HEC 6C28BBX585 Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 585W Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811121002

RAM: OCZ Reaper HPC 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227289

PSU: 585W - See "Case"

Combo Deals: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.196220 - for case/gpu
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.197650 for mobo/cpu
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Grand Total: $415.15 (without rebates)

So my main questions are: Is this build functional? What specs will this build be able to play Crysis at? Should I just buy some higher quality items in the areas of the case and PSU? Also, I only chose the mobo because it came with the CPU in a combo deal, any better suggestions would be great.

Just please, give me any help you can while keeping the price in the $400 to $500 range.

 

[ohiou_grad_06]

The stats on that PSU seem good, I don't know if I'd trust that nice of a card to it. Also, you are playing low res, so you could grab the 4850, and grab a better psu with the leftover.

 

[pous]

Based on your resolution I think the card is overkill.

I recommend going with a 4850 to save cash, then choose a different case/psu.

If you buy a strong name brand PSU now, then in a year or six months or whenever you have the money/desire you can upgrade your monitor/gpu and not have to worry.

 

[Redline24]

Go AMD and save some major cash and use it for the video card.
This rig will take a poop (for games, anyways) on the build you had lined up.

COOLER MASTER ELITE 335 RC-335-KKN1-GP Black ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - $50, $10 MIR, Free Ship
CORSAIR CMPSU-400CX 400W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Power Supply - $60, $10 MIR

ASUS M2A74-AM AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 740G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - $60
AMD Athlon 64 X2 5400 Brisbane 2.8GHz Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core - ADO5400DSWOF - $59, Free Ship
OCZ Blade Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 - OCZ2B800C44GK - $47, $10 MIR

HIS Hightech H489F1GP Radeon HD 4890 1GB Video Card - $220, $20 MIR

Total: $496, $50 MIR

If you're willing to do this MIRs, this rig falls right into the high level of your budget...
Not to mention, this case has free shipping which will lower your shipping costs by $20... at least

Even at lower resolutions like 1024x768, the 4890 is far better than the 4870.
4870: Crysis Warhead - 1024x768 4xAA 8xAF - 34.8 fps
4890: Crysis Warhead - 1024x768 4xAA 8xAF - 41.1 fps

 

[tehflyingknee]

Thanks for input, I think if I did downgrade on the GPU from a 4870 I would choose a 9800GTX+ rather than a 4850 based on reviews I've read on newegg, but idk that build does sound pretty good. And I know Corsair is good but could that 400W power supply really handle a 4890? And the reason I chose an Intel build was because from every source I've read AMD cannot even compete with Intel in the dual-core processor range although their new quad-cores are becoming competitive.

 

[ohiou_grad_06]

The thing is though man, look at pricing. You are only spending 400 bucks, your better off with a slightly slower processor and other components that are better. Balance is the key.

 

[xaira]

my poor uninformed friend let me show you something

amd boards are cheaper
upgrading amd is easier
and "real men use real cores"
observe


isnt it strange this $110 amd x2 250
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103681&Tpk=x2%20250

is so close in performance to this $190 intel e8500
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115036

tell me is .31 frames per second worth $80 , if so then by all means go intel

 

[xaira]

once ur building a budget pc its amd or its a waste of money when you can afford to spend 1000+ for a cpu with 8 threads that only industrial computing apps can take full advantage of then intel is a must. even ill tell you that

 

[not moose]

SILVERSTONE SUGO SG02 - $69.99
Intel Pentium E5200 - $69.99
CORSAIR 550VX / GIGABYTE GA-G31M-ES2L - $142.98
G.SKILL 4GB DDR2 800 - $47.99
XFX GTX 260 Core 216 - $184.99

Total: $515.94 | After Rebates: $455.94

This is getting the most out of your money while only going $15 over budget, which actually won't exist after you get your rebates. Since you are gaming you want a strong graphics card.. The XFX GTX 260 is on sale with rebates and two games, why not? I also found a sweet combo on a 550VX and GA-G31M-ES2L.

The mobo is mATX so naturally I went to find a nice case to fit it, I already had one in mind. The SG02 is a beautiful micro-atx case that fits a regular sized psu and video card.

Last to do was ram, it was easy.. G.SKILL has a strong quality and low prices, if you want some 1066 ram, spend about $10 more for the same brand.

Any objections to this build?

 

[xaira]

dude above me good intel build but just to give op the option, here is me
amd

Gamers case with top exaust $55 5eggs
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042

psu and adapter $83 5eggs
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139003
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812706014

Board $53
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128383

Cpu $55
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103211

Ram $27 5 eggs
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134488

Gcard 5eggs $180
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133270

I didnt add shipping but i didnt minus rebates. total cost
$453

good luck and remember when people say amd cant keep up with intel it dosent mean all intels are better than all amds it just means that amds top dog cant bark as loud as intels top dog but if your buying a dalmatian why the hell would you worry about whose pitbull wins?

i put 2 gigs only because im assuming hes going to be running xp but 4 gigs wont be much more expensive

 

[ohiou_grad_06]

As far as Intel vs AMD, let's say it this way, I've been working on computers for probably 10-11 years, I've got my Bachelor's for IT, and I've got my Apple certification, but I have always used AMD, reason being I can't justify the price differences between the chips, because personally I work hard for my money and can't see throwing say 50 bucks away on the intel chip that may be 5% better. But so far I've not been dissapointed by AMD. As others said, if you have money to spend, thats one thing, but when you are on a budget you want the most balanced system you can, there is no sense in having a gaming system with a faster processor but not have as much memory or have a bad video card. Better to have a worse processor, but have more ram and better video, etc.