Tom's Hardware > Forum > Homebuilt Systems > General Homebuilt > $750 Gaming PC Mobo Ram suggestions plz

$750 Gaming PC Mobo Ram suggestions plz

Forum Homebuilt Systems : General Homebuilt - $750 Gaming PC Mobo Ram suggestions plz

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APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: First Week of August.
BUDGET RANGE: $500-750.

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: gaming, watching movies, video encoding, music streaming, surfing the internet

PARTS NOT REQUIRED:
Currently have:

Logitech DiNovo Edge keyboard

Logitech G7 mouse

19" 1280x1024 monitor

Z5500 Logitech speakers (need digital audio input on the motherboard)

Windows 7 RC

Ultra Wizard Black Mid Tower Case
[url=http://ultraproducts.com/product_details.php?cPath=13&pPath=250&productID=250][/url]

Antec Earthwatts 430W PSU
[url=http://www.antec.com/Believe_it/product.php?id=NjQ=][/url]

Maxtor 500GB Serial ATA/300 16MB Buffer

Western Digital 500GB
[url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136073][/url]

EVGA 9600GT
[url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130328][/url]

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg.com, mwave.com, buy.com,
frys.com, amazon.com, tigerdirect.com (in that order)

PARTS PREFERENCES: I need recommendations for a motherboard and RAM for the i7 920 CPU.

PLEASE DON'T INCLUDE REBATES IN YOUR PRICING. I DON'T PLAN ON SENDING ANY IN.

CPU:
Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz - $280
[url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202][/url]

Motherboard:
GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD4P - $260
[url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128374][/url]
I'm open to suggestions. All I require is that It has six ram slots and at least 2-way SLI.

RAM:
CORSAIR XMS3 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333
[url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145220][/url]
I'm open to suggestions.

OVERCLOCKING: Yes Maybe SLI PLUS physics.

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1280x1024

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: My last machine was a Dell Dimension 5100 that I just kept upgrading until I couldn't stand it anymore. It is a P4 3Ghz machine, 2.5 GB ram. I primarily play WC3, COD4, Demigod, L4d, TF2, HL2. I would like to be able to play games at something above low or medium settings.

Games I am looking at purchasing when they come out:
COD4 Advanced Warfighter 2
Operation Flashpoint 2
Arma 2

I also plan on replacing my video card before December and will use the 9600GT as a physics card. Possibly a GTX 275 or 285 (with a new PSU of course).

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It looks like all you're planning to upgrade right now (August) is the CPU, Mobo, and RAM. That correct?

 

If so, those look like very good choices. You may need to consider an upgraded cooling option for the i7 CPU though. In fact, I'll just say you definitely want to. Stock CPU coolers generally suck. And if you plan to do any OC at all, you'll want something better.

 

Other than that, definitely stick with your plans to update the PSU and GPU in the future.

 

I'd personally love to upgrade to the i7 920, however with the i3 and i5 units on the horizon, I'm waiting to see what's going to happen with prices. My current system games pretty hard for me, and I have no qualms with it at all. So the upgrade to the i7 is more of an impulse thing for me anyhow.

 

For you however, going from an P4 to the i7 should be a big leap. :)


Message edited by jerreece on 07-08-2009 at 10:08:52 PM
------------------------------ i5-750 4Ghz @ 1.32V / Gigabyte GA-P55-UD4P / Xigmatek HDT-S1283
2 x MSI GTX 260 Core 216 SLI (655Mhz) / 4GB GSkill DDR3 1600 9-9-9-24 @1.5v
2 x WD Caviar Black 1TB / Thermaltake Armor BWS8003
Win 7 64bit / Antec TPQ-850 / 3dMark06 24621
Reply to jerreece

OCZ Platinum 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Voltage Desktop Memory Model OCZ3P1600LV6GK - Retail $120

Combo of the motherboard you were looking at and an i7 920 $515

or

i7 920 and Asus P6T $490

In the future put something between the url tags so that it actually displays at a link. The combo with the Asus board is significantly cheaper and should do what you need it to just fine.

Reply to hunter315

I don't plan on overclocking the processor right away so I will probably just stick with the stock cooler until I get a new GPU. Would you recommend going to 6 GB of $100-$150 ram or getting 3 GB of $100- 150 ram and getting more a year or so down the road.

Reply to dvanholland
Tom's Hardware > Forum > Homebuilt Systems > General Homebuilt > $750 Gaming PC Mobo Ram suggestions plz
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