New gaming rig

[jason612]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Last week of June/ First week of July
BUDGET RANGE: $800~ish, Can't be more than $1,000

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Games, Movies, Music

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Keyboard, Mice, Speakers, Monitor

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Newegg only

PARTS PREFERENCES: no preference but I do want to stick with AMD cause of my budget

OVERCLOCKING: Maybe
SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Yes


$190 CPU AMD Phenom II X4 940 Deneb 3.0GHz Socket AM2+ 125W Quad-Core Black Edition Processor Model HDZ940XCGIBOX - Retail
$110 MOBO GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD4P AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
$55 RAM G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK - Retail
$220 GFX CARD SAPPHIRE 100270SR Radeon HD 4850 X2 2GB 512-bit (256-bit x 2) GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video ... - Retail
$75 HDDRIVE Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM
$30 CD/DVD DRIVE Sony Optiarc DVD/CD Rewritable Drive Black SATA Model - OEM
$60 CASE Sunbeam Silent Storm IC-SS-SVBK Black/Silver Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
$80 PSU OCZ StealthXStream OCZ700SXS 700W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply - Retail
$5 MIC Cyber Acoustics ACM-1B Black Monitor/Lapel Microphone
============
TOTAL: $825


So what do you guys think of this build, think i can go better with the budget?

 

[Guest]

Even if you were OCing I would only get DDR2-800 memory. Unless you plan on OCing past 3.6Ghz, there's no need whatsoever for DDR2-1066.

Other than that, if you're set on AMD it appears to be a solid build. Quality PSU. You seem to have a grasp of what you're after. If you can save $10-$20 on getting DDR2-800, go for it. Otherwise, I'd say you're fine.

 

[hunter315]

What resolution is the monitor you already have, the 4850 is pretty powerful and may be overkill depending on your needs.

 

[kufan64]

Sure looks like a nice build to me. The video card looks a little iffy. People on newegg are complaining that the drivers are terrible, and that the card has a host of other probelms. If it were me, I'd look at a different card, or at least a different manufacturer.

 

[jason612]

Well about the video card, pricewise, the other choice of mine was the 4890 but reading the toms hardware article on 4850x2, it seems like that would be the best 'bang for your buck'. Or should I just get 2 seperate 4850s?
Is there a negligible difference in DDR2-800 vs DDR2 1066? If im only saving a few bucks, I'd rather not downgrade.

 

[kevin1212]

How about the ModXStream series instead of the StealthXStream, they are more efficient, and better suited for gaming PC's. I agree with the DDR2 800, no real performance gain with the 1066, and is enough to overclock. You can take the extra $10-$20 and get a 600W or 700W ModXStream.

The 4850X2 is questionable... If it works the way its supposed to, then its a great choice... could even be overkill depending on your resolution. Then there is the case where some games will only use one of those gpu's. Single gpu cards can sometimes be the safer choice, but they will also sometimes be beaten by the dual gpu cards at the same price point. If you're worried about the 4850X2, the next choice under that price range is the 4890.

 

[jason612]

Is the ModXStream much better? It seems to get 700W ModXStream, its $20 more. Do you think its worth the extra 20? I also took a look at DDR2 800 but the price is generally the same as the 1066 +-$5 so I think I will keep the 1066.

Just wondering, why is the 4850x2 so questionable? Are most cards like that more prone to error?
And what resolution should I be at for my rig not to be overkill, on the work pc so don't know yet what resolution I use.

 

[Guest]

If your resolution is 1440x900, that card may be overkill. If your resolution is 1900x1200, that card is fine.

If that card is lower than 1440x900, buy a new monitor or buy a 9800GT.