400-600 Gaming machine

[airtaz]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: (Now to 3 weeks)

BUDGET RANGE: (400-600) Before Rebates

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Gaming (Aion), surfing net, some movies

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: (keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, OS, hard drive, dvd drive)

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: (newegg.com)

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: (US)

PARTS PREFERENCES: (Have always had AMD, but heard alot on this forum of Intel)

OVERCLOCKING: Maybe (have never attempted it, but willing to try)

SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Maybe

MONITOR RESOLUTION: (1680x1050)

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: (Monitor and OS will come at a later date. I Plan on getting Win7 and replacing my flickering Samsung 226BW monitor)

Currently run: AMD Athlong 64 x 2 4400+ dual core, socket 939, EPOX 9npa+Ultra board, 4g of Patriot ram, BFG OC 8800gt, Seagate Barricuda 750).

Would love to run Aion full detail as smooth as I can. Would like the system to be upgradable too. I have been looking alot on this forum and seem to be getting more and more confused on which way to go. I would appreciate some assistance on where to start, again. Thanks.

 

[kylo]

so all you need is....

CASE - $50 - $100
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021

CPU - $90 - $200
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115215

MOBO - $100
pick one of these..
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010200280%201070549182%201388027176%204027&name=$75%20-%20$100

RAM - $50 - $100
At least 4GBs of DDR3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231193

PSU - $70 - $100
600W or 700W name brand would be fine
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005

GPU - $80 - $160
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102858

With about that much put into each of those categories you could have VERY decent computer system....

I have put links of certain things i think would be the best choice..

 

[airtaz]

Thanks. I am checking all of your links.

What do you feel about this combo vs the board you mentioned?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.273251

If I decided to go SLI (and keep the gpu I have and add another) would this provide for a smooth gaming? This board has the 2 @ x8 or 1 @ x16. I believe the ASrock didn't offer it that way. Or, even doing this combo and getting your linked GPU, and possibly get the other about a month later.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

That Asus board would be much better than any of the ones posted above. It's best to try to stick with either Asus or Gigabyte for the motherboard.

I would also get this RAM instead:

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL7D-4GBRH - Retail $89.99

The RAM linked above is rated at 1.5v - 1.8v. The highest you can safely set the RAM voltage with an i5 chip is 1.65v.

I wouldn't spend $100 on a case for your build, especially when it doesn't have free shipping. The Antec 300 Illusion is only $60 and has free shipping.

Antec Three Hundred Illusion Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail $59.95

 

[airtaz]

SAPPHIRE 100283L Radeon HD 5770 (Juniper XT) 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
159.99

CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 ... - Retail
159.99
-60.00 instant
-20.00 mail in rebate
99.99

Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - OEM
6.99

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL7D-4GBRH - Retail
89.99

Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80605I5750 - Retail and ASUS P7P55D PRO LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
369.98
-20.00 combo

All = 706.94 + 8.13 shipping


OK. The price is getting up there pretty good. I didn't list the case here in case I need to simply drop it and use my old one....in case there is other input here. How is this looking so far? The retail box CPU doesn't come with a fan? Anyone know if the listed fan will having any issues fitting onto this cpu with this mother board? Will games like Aion use all 4 cores? Or would that AMD 3 core one better? I look the name up here in a bit when I can. Thanks.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

Your CPU will come with a heat sink and fan with thermal paste already applied. You don't need to buy a HSF or thermal paste. You can save some money by going with a lower output PSU. The 650TX is nice, but you could save $20 by going with the 550VX for a single GPU setup.

CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W ATX12V V2.2 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail $79.99 - $20 MIR

I know you said "maybe" to Crossfire, but I would just stick with a single GPU setup so you can save even more money on the motherboard with this combo.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.270438 (i5 750 + Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD2 combo)

 

[airtaz]

Thanks. I showed the first price to my wife, she didn't laugh so it isn't a bad thing.

I'm still interested in assuring this will last a few years. Currently my main reason to rebuild is to play Aion at high detail. Then, the usual photo editing type of stuff.

During gameplay, dropping the detail will be fine when a fight of over 200+ chars are running all over. Of course, I guess that could be from my current cpu as well. I'm thinking a couple months from now, the option to add another card vs upgrading anything else, entices me. Going to a non Asus board somewhat worries me now that I think about it. I used to have one and loved how easy it is to keep the drivers updated. My current Epox was a good hunt to get things done like that.

 

[airtaz]

Time has been updated to order this as soon as a decision is made. I am at work, so replies will be somewhat limited until I get home. Thanks for the help! I hope to order tonight


This combo seems to be pretty good.
Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80605I5750 - Retail and ASUS P7P55D PRO LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

It sounds like this may be the video card needed at this level of build. I haven't seen anyone contradict the recommendations. So with that, there are actually several combos with this video card and power supply, or this card and RAM. I read on a post from a newegg customer that says the video card should be ran with a processor at min 3.0 to get the full performance from it. Comments?


I now know two things I am going to do that I didn't know earlier. I will be using 2 video cards sooner than expected, but only one for this purchase. I also will like to dip into Over clocking...nothing extreme. but enough to get my feet wet.

I won't bury this post with links all over the place for the ram and card. But I will show the ones with the power supply. Just looking to cut some places and/or raise at others. <700.00 US is mandatory.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.274500

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.274493

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.275101

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.275106

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.275438

If anyone has played Aion or a game with similar graphics and population crowdness, please weigh in.


edit* Can't seem to fix the urls to properly link all of a sudden

 

[shortstuff_mt]

I would use the 750W combo since you plan on using two cards in the near future.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.274500

 

[airtaz]

I would use the 750W combo since you plan on using two cards in the near future.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.274500

I was hoping you would chime in. I appreciate all the help you have given me!!!

I am correct to assume that all my "worry-some" questions are just that.... worrying over nothing? Like Aion performance and such.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

I've never played Aion before, but this is a nice machine that should play any modern game at playable levels, especially at your resolution.