Please look at my gaming rig

Hello Everybody!

This is my first time posting on Tom's hardware and my first gaming rig build. If you guys have any suggestions of what I should do please let me know. So far this is what I got -vvv-. Things I don't need are the monitor, dvd burner, and keyboard/mouse.

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor

Motherboard: EVGA LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 780i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard

Video Card: EVGA 896-P3-1170-AR GeForce GTX 275 896MB 448-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported

CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC compatible with i7..

RAM: OCZ Fatal1ty Edition 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory

Case: Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

CPU cooler: Sunbeam CR-CCTF 120 mm Core-Contact Freezer CPU Cooler W/TX-2

Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive

Please tell what I should change or what to do. Thanks!

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swap the HDD for the Western Digital Black 640GB

Reply to mindless728

I've heard many bad things about the Nvidia chipsets. You would be better off going for a CrossFire setup (P43/P45). HD4890s perform about the same as GTX275s stock, and beat them while both are overclocked (assuming you get good chips on both) according to Anandtech's article.

And swap the HD for the Caviar Black 640.

Reply to Fortunex

can you link me the p45?

Reply to revorc

Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R LGA 775 Motherboard ; $104

A few things:

Great choice of PSU, but if you don't plan to SLI, feel free to get the 650W version.
Get a XIGMATEK Dark Knight 120mm CPU Cooler
Stay with the GTX 275, namely the EVGA 896-P3-1170-AR
Save money on OCZ Platinum, rather than the Fata1ty
Get the WD Black 640, or for just ~$25 more, the 1TB, which is also much faster. Also, if you value speed over reliability, consider a Samsung Spinpoint F1 1T

Message edited by raybob95 on 06-07-2009 at 12:04:59 AM

Reply to raybob95

P45 is good chipset.
WD black is good
DDR2-800 ram FPS will be the same as with faster ram. Save your $
I suspect that you can do better on the cpu cooler. Check Xigmatek and the reviews.

Reply to geofelt

I would not buy a 780i chipset. Ever. They OC like excrement, and are glitchy as hell. In your price range, I would have to recommend a Phenom II 720, they are equal to superior in gaming for less, and the ASUS 980a is a decent chipset. +1 for the GTX275, it's good, if you must have the e8400, though, switch to Crossfire 4770s.
Apparently, the 790i chipset resloved many issues, but it requires DDR3 and doesn't do a damn thing with it.

------------------------------ Phenom II X2 unlocked to four cores @ 3.8gHz,1.45V. 4GB DDR3-1600 Gigabyte 785g ATi Radeon HD4870 1GB
Run Folding@Home! Support Toms Hardware Guide, Team 40051!
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Reply to smithereen

Alright guys sounds good. Anyone wanna make me a setup for a $900 rig? I think I my go crossfire, but not rightaway. Thanks alot!!!

Reply to revorc

Also it can be AMD or Intel. I really don't no what to do!!

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to revorc

revorc wrote :

Also it can be AMD or Intel. I really don't no what to do!!

I would recommend Intel, and NVIDIA. If not, then Intel/ ATI. Just not AMD, let alone AMD/ NVIDIA.

Reply to raybob95

The choices the choices

Reply to revorc

Alright, if I were to get 4870, what model would I get? and what would be best for crossfire? Thanks.

Reply to revorc

Builds coming right up. You probably should't take raybob to seriously. He was asking for help just a while ago in another thread. But we all have to start somewhere.

------------------------------ Phenom II X2 unlocked to four cores @ 3.8gHz,1.45V. 4GB DDR3-1600 Gigabyte 785g ATi Radeon HD4870 1GB
Run Folding@Home! Support Toms Hardware Guide, Team 40051!
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Reply to smithereen

P5Q Pro, e8400 $270, $15 MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.197499

4GB OCZ Platinum, fan (wow *eyeroll*) $60, $20 MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820227409

Sapphire HD4890, $230, $15 MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814102830
OR XFX HD4890, $270, $20 MIR, HAWX, if you want HAWX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814150360

PC Power and Cooling 750W $110, $20 MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817341011

Antec 900 $100
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811129021

CD Drive <$30

Caviar Black 1TB $100

$900, $70 MIR

Right on the money.

OR that build with a Phenom II 720

As above, but
Phenom II 720, $140
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819103649

ASUS 790GX, $130
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813131368

Same price, (arguably) better performance. Many benchmarks show the 720 performing at the e8400's level in dual-threaded apps, but bear in mind benchmarks are done on a clean system with nothing in the background. A triple-core will excell even more when you are running a more busy system. Your call.

As above, but
Phenom II 720 and ASUS 980a, $290
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.198677

EVGA GTX 275 $240, $20 MIR, Cryostasis
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814130475

For ten more dollars, you can have an nVidia system. Again, pretty much the same performance for the same price. I do not recommend an nVidia/Intel system, the motherboards are very... poor.

------------------------------ Phenom II X2 unlocked to four cores @ 3.8gHz,1.45V. 4GB DDR3-1600 Gigabyte 785g ATi Radeon HD4870 1GB
Run Folding@Home! Support Toms Hardware Guide, Team 40051!
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Reply to smithereen

Hmm... I think I'm gonna go with AMD, but not sure if I want to go with the HD4890 or the GTX 275..

Any help?

Reply to revorc

I'd go with the HD4890, but you know my opinion already.

------------------------------ Phenom II X2 unlocked to four cores @ 3.8gHz,1.45V. 4GB DDR3-1600 Gigabyte 785g ATi Radeon HD4870 1GB
Run Folding@Home! Support Toms Hardware Guide, Team 40051!
CPU Buyer's Guide
Reply to smithereen

Alright, I think I'm going to go with the HD4890, but not sure which manufacture. Are they all the same? Should I go with cheapest?

Reply to revorc

Oh and one more thing, if I get the ASUS M4A78T-E AM3 AMD 790GX HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard will i be able to unlock the 4th core on the Phenom II x3 720?

Reply to revorc

lol

Reply to sharken

I've always used Sapphire, their prices tend to be the best, but XFX has a double lifetime warranty that even covers damage due to overclocking.

And no. AMD has stepped up their laser cutting, very few if any can be unlocked now, and as far as i know, that motherboard doesn't support it, even if you got a lucky processor.

Message edited by Fortunex on 06-08-2009 at 11:17:15 AM

Reply to Fortunex

+1 for the AMD X3 720...It would offer very good gaming performance as the E8400 and better in other applications...

I would lean slightly towards the AMD/ ATI setup for you as for that budget, it would be the best value...

For $900, you can build even more powerful PC...

CPU + Mobo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.198614

RAM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820146873

HDD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822136319

Graphics card - 2x4850 in crossfire, would cost about $190 and would easily perform as good as or better than the $230 HD 4890...
10% off with promo code VGA661, ends 6/12
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814161259

Case + PSU
650W PSU is more than suffice for 4850 crossfire...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.198951

DVD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827151173

Total - $884 without counting in Mail-In-Rebates and shipping...

Reply to gkay09

And by the time you would need more graphics performance, there would be newer cards with DirectX11 support, then you can change to that...

Reply to gkay09

Get the Diamond, or if you want HAWX, the XFX one.

------------------------------ Phenom II X2 unlocked to four cores @ 3.8gHz,1.45V. 4GB DDR3-1600 Gigabyte 785g ATi Radeon HD4870 1GB
Run Folding@Home! Support Toms Hardware Guide, Team 40051!
CPU Buyer's Guide
Reply to smithereen

Would this be a good card? Thought it was quite cheap.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814125276

Message edited by revorc on 06-09-2009 at 07:34:36 AM

Reply to revorc

Should be.

------------------------------ Phenom II X2 unlocked to four cores @ 3.8gHz,1.45V. 4GB DDR3-1600 Gigabyte 785g ATi Radeon HD4870 1GB
Run Folding@Home! Support Toms Hardware Guide, Team 40051!
CPU Buyer's Guide
Reply to smithereen

Focus On

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