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$700 Build - Feedback Appreciated!

Forum Homebuilt Systems : New System Build - $700 Build - Feedback Appreciated!

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APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: within a month

BUDGET RANGE: $700-$800

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: web surfing / multitasking, occasional gaming (want to be able to play the latest games, but that's about it)

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard, mouse, monitor, Windows 7 Pro

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: none

PARTS PREFERENCES: none

OVERCLOCKING: Maybe

SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Maybe

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 19in @ 1280x1024, 22in @ 1920x1080

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: quieter the better, any recommedations for 22 inch monitor?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Case + Power Supply: $110 - Antec Sonata III with 500W EarthWatts PSU
CPU: $120 - AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz 3 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 95W Triple Core
Motherboard: $120 - ASUS M4A78T-E AM3 AMD 790GX HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard
Memory: $80 - G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL8D-4GBHK
Video Card: $145 - XFX HD-487A-ZHFC Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card
Hard Drive: $95 - Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives - OEM
DVD Burner: $30 - SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223B - OEM

Total: $700

What do people think? Is this video card too much for either cooling or the 500W PSU? Should I just get a 4850? Is that CPU and mobo the best bang for the buck? Is that my best bet for RAM, or does anyone have a better suggestion?

Thanks!

Edit: Updated

Message edited by RoyalMaster on 08-26-2009 at 07:48:32 AM

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What 1TB drive are you getting? Also which gskill ram kit as timings are important.

Assuming you are buying from newegg i would swap the visiontek card out for an XFX card for $5 more, it comes with a cooler that exhausts the heat and a double lifetime warranty.

Be aware the sonata 3 doesnt provide much in the way of additional cooling, if you intend to overclock you are going to want better cooling from a case like an antec 300 and an aftermarket heatsink.

Reply to hunter315

What do you consider "occasional gaming"? And what games? The 4870 could be overkill. What PSU is in that case?

Reply to AMDThunder

The sonata III has an antec EA500, one of the few good cases with a preinstalled PSU.

Reply to hunter315

Thanks for the feedback so far! I've updated my original post. As far as gaming, I haven't played any of the newer games (I have a core duo laptop...), but I think I just want something that can play the latest games, but I don't need max resolution or anything...

Reply to RoyalMaster

updated...

Reply to RoyalMaster

Looks good! Unfortunately there dont seem to be ANY good combos this week but you should be able to play modern games quiet well on that system.

Reply to hunter315

ok, thanks. I'm not in a big rush so maybe I'll wait a week or two and see if any combos come up

Reply to RoyalMaster

Is the DDR3 worth it?

Reply to RoyalMaster

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$700 Build - Feedback Appreciated!

Forum Homebuilt Systems : New System Build - $700 Build - Feedback Appreciated!