Rate My Budget Gaming Build Please

[Brodie]

Hey guys, trying to come up with a decent build that has some decent futureproofing upgrade paths. I only completely rebuild about once every 5 years. I would like to keep it under $700 not including the case. I have overclocked in the past and will OC this box also. This box will be almost completely used for gaming (MMORPGs and FPSs). Heres what I have come up with so far. Also, would I be better off spending an extra $50 or so and going with a DDR3 mobo and RAM?

LG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model GH22LS30 LightScribe Support - OEM $27.99

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK - Retail $59.99

XFX HD-487A-ZHFC Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail $149.99

AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Black Processor Model HDZ720WFGIBOX - Retail $119.00

CORSAIR CMPSU-850TX 850W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply - Retail $139.99

GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD4P AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail $239.98 $109.99

-$20 for Combos
Total = $586.95

Edit: Relinked

 

[hunter315]

Get the ASUS 790GX, with the amount saved on the cost of the Gigabyte 790X you can easily move up to DDR3 ram. What resolution monitor are you using? That determines if you need the 4870 or a 4850 or 4890.

 

[Brodie]

I run a 23" CRT so I'm not limited to any resolutions but I have been giving the idea of getting a 22" LCD some thought.

Edit- That ASUS board costs more than the one I have listed?

 

[hunter315]

Oh okay, you hadnt had them listed as the combo before thats what screwed me up, i thought that was alot for an AMD board.

What is the max support resolution on your CRT? 1680x1050? If so then the 4870 is what you need, but you dont need anywhere near that much power, but the combo deals make it so that there really arent any better options that dont significantly increase the price, especially with that $30 MIR on the 850TX, that is pretty amazing.

 

[gkay09]

EDIT: dint refresh before posting ^+1

^ You wont need 850W PSU...Drop to 750W...It is more than suffice even for HD 4890 crossfire...

And DDR3 RAM + X3 combo...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.237831

 

[Brodie]

Yea I figured it was a pretty beefy power supply, but I may crossfire in the future if I feel I need it. And that's the power supply I put in my fiances box and it's been going strong for quite a while now so I trust them.

Should I go with the TX750 instead?

 

[gkay09]

Yes it would be better...

But I feel this setup with this combo offers better value...
- Quad-core CPU
- Faster more powerful graphics card
- AM3 Platform

Only limitation - Some what harder to overclock because of the locked multiplier, but the chip is certainly capable of 3.4-3.6GHz on good air-cooling...

X4 945 + MSI 790GX-G65 AM3 AMD 790GX + HIS HD 4890
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.216170

RAM -
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231193

Corsair 750TX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006

DVD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136153

Total - $628 | $608 with rebates

 

[Brodie]

I like the combo except the motherboard seems to kind of be a junker according to reviews.

 

[hunter315]

Nice build gkay +1

That quad will beat the triple in everything and the benefit of DDR3 boards are that they will last alot longer so this build will cost you less in the long run, especially since you may be able to just drop a future AMD processor into the board for a quick cheap upgrade.

edit: Wow, even for newegg reviews that seems to be a massively high failure rate, i wonder if newegg is doing the combo to get rid of the boards because the 790GX chipset has been around for a while the boards should be solid.

 

[Brodie]

Nice build gkay +1

That quad will beat the triple in everything and the benefit of DDR3 boards are that they will last alot longer so this build will cost you less in the long run, especially since you may be able to just drop a future AMD processor into the board for a quick cheap upgrade.

edit: Wow, even for newegg reviews that seems to be a massively high failure rate, i wonder if newegg is doing the combo to get rid of the boards because the 790GX chipset has been around for a while the boards should be solid.

Yea that's what I thought too. Would I be that much better off spending more on a quad core Phenom II and DDR3 board?

 

[imrul]

good, psu seems large

 

[gkay09]

EDIT: About the MSI mobo
^True...even I just read the reviews...

That too the recent ones seem to be failing more than normal...