[Solved] $800 gaming system

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: this week

BUDGET RANGE: $800 After Rebates

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: gaming, surfing the internet, watching movies

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard, mouse, speakers, OS, Case

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

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA

PARTS PREFERENCES: Hoping to work in an i5 if budget allows. also 22"-24" monitor

OVERCLOCKING: Yes

SLI OR CROSSFIRE: No

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1920x1080,

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: case is an antec sonata. also, live locally to a microcenter, i5 can be purchased for $150.

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With your $800 budget, you can divert around $150 for a decent 22-incher. For the remaining money, try the $650 build of any recent System Builder's Marathon feature.

Dont use Septembers experimental system builders. Worst idea ever to restrict builds to AMD and crossfire. So many people misled by that month.

Look at the builds by usage sticky to get an idea of where you stand. It looks to me like you need a decent graphics card (at least a 5770) which is going to leave you looking at probably a Phenom II x3 720 CPU/AM3 Motherboard given your budget needing to include a monitor. In the $150 dollar range you are probably going to get a 1380x1050 monitor, not a 1920x1080.

What games do you play? That might help deciding what graphics card is necessary.

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to dndhatcher

dndhatcher wrote :

Dont use Septembers experimental system builders. Worst idea ever to restrict builds to AMD and crossfire. So many people misled by that month.

Look at the builds by usage sticky to get an idea of where you stand. It looks to me like you need a decent graphics card (at least a 5770) which is going to leave you looking at probably a Phenom II x3 720 CPU/AM3 Motherboard given your budget needing to include a monitor. In the $150 dollar range you are probably going to get a 1380x1050 monitor, not a 1920x1080.

What games do you play? That might help deciding what graphics card is necessary.

games include unreal 3, tf2, l4d. And you are right about the x3 720, sounds like it would free up funds for the bigger monitor

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to nep

22" LCD 1680x1050 159
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product

Reply to Sonic-Boom

Best answer

nep wrote :

games include unreal 3, tf2, l4d. And you are right about the x3 720, sounds like it would free up funds for the bigger monitor

Those are real games, you need a real graphics card. A 5770 will not quite max out those games (ultra high) at 1380x1050, but should play them at high-very high. That acer monitor linked above is what I have and it is quite nice with a 5770 ($160). Going up a step in resolution to 1920x1080 would mean you would need a 5850 ($300) to play at ultra high. I think thats beyond your budget. 1920x1080 is more for $1500 price range systems.

Gigabyte Motherboard and Phenom II x3 720 ($220-$15MIR)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.291508
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813128398

GSkill DDR3-1333 CL8 RAM (2x2GB kit) ($90)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820231189

Coolermaster Hyper 212 CPU Cooler ($30)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835103065

XFX Radeon 5770 (lifetime warranty) ($175)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814150447

Monitor (per above) ($160)

OCZ Fatal1ty Modular 550W PSU ($65)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817341022

(Total $740-$15MIR) will be some shipping and maybe tax
The motherboard and power supply will let you add a second 5770 in crossfire to get speed up above a single 5850 for ultra high gaming or supporting a larger monitor in the future if you want.

Message quoted 1 times
Message edited by dndhatcher on 11-06-2009 at 02:38:06 AM

Reply to dndhatcher

^u mean 1920x1080. not 1920x1050

Message quoted 1 times

------------------------------ You can select me as Best Answer
e6400 oc'd 3.2ghz,CCF cooler
3870x2, p5k/epu
750watts psu, antec 900
Reply to overshocks

overshocks wrote :

^u mean 1920x1080. not 1920x1050

What are you talking about? :whistle:

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to dndhatcher

dndhatcher wrote :

What are you talking about? :whistle:

you just changed it, nice try

Message edited by overshocks on 11-06-2009 at 02:26:02 AM

------------------------------ You can select me as Best Answer
e6400 oc'd 3.2ghz,CCF cooler
3870x2, p5k/epu
750watts psu, antec 900
Reply to overshocks

dndhatcher wrote :

Those are real games, you need a real graphics card. A 5770 will not quite max out those games (ultra high) at 1380x1050, but should play them at high-very high. That acer monitor linked above is what I have and it is quite nice with a 5770 ($160). Going up a step in resolution to 1920x1080 would mean you would need a 5850 ($300) to play at ultra high. I think thats beyond your budget. 1920x1080 is more for $1500 price range systems.

Gigabyte Motherboard and Phenom II x3 720 ($220-$15MIR)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.291508
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813128398

GSkill DDR3-1333 CL8 RAM (2x2GB kit) ($90)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820231189

Coolermaster Hyper 212 CPU Cooler ($30)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835103065

XFX Radeon 5770 (lifetime warranty) ($175)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814150447

Monitor (per above) ($160)

OCZ Fatal1ty Modular 550W PSU ($65)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817341022

(Total $740-$15MIR) will be some shipping and maybe tax
The motherboard and power supply will let you add a second 5770 in crossfire to get speed up above a single 5850 for ultra high gaming or supporting a larger monitor in the future if you want.

This is on the right track. Drop down to 21.5 inch to get 1920x1080 if you have to (I have the X213H which was on sale for $149.99 when I got it), the extra resolution is worth the inch or two you lose on the size. Nothing is worse than a huge monitor with a low resolution. The Phenom II X3 720 is a fantastic choice at your system price point and I wouldn't recommend anything else.

One thing I'll say: The HD 4890 is a good choice as well if you're not looking at DirectX 11. It performs exceptionally at 1080p or lower (especially in comparison to the 5770), but will require more power and run hotter. If you get the 5770, it won't handle some games at such a high resolution. If you choose the HD 4890, you'll be fine.

I spent about $750 on my build (you can see it in my member configuration under my avatar there) including the monitor which is 1920x1080 after rebates and a new keyboard and mouse combo. The computer /peripherals cost about $600 plus $150 for the monitor. The key is taking advantage of the Newegg combos; It saves loads of money if you do it right with a little luck matching components you need. Sometimes you can find better components at lower prices with the combos -- it is worth it to spend some time looking around at them.

Message quoted 1 times
Message edited by brockh on 11-06-2009 at 02:50:44 AM

Reply to brockh

brockh wrote :

This is on the right track. Drop down to 21.5 inch to get 1920x1080 if you have to (I have the X213H which was on sale for $149.99 when I got it), the extra resolution is worth the inch or two you lose on the size. Nothing is worse than a huge monitor with a low resolution. The Phenom II X3 720 is a fantastic choice at your system price point and I wouldn't recommend anything else.

One thing I'll say: The HD 4890 is a good choice as well if you're not looking at DirectX 11. It performs exceptionally at 1080p or lower (especially in comparison to the 5770), but will require more power and run hotter. If you get the 5770, it won't handle some games at such a high resolution. If you choose the HD 4890, you'll be fine.

I spent about $750 on my build (you can see it in my member configuration under my avatar there) including the monitor which is 1920x1080 after rebates and a new keyboard and mouse combo. The computer /peripherals cost about $600 plus $150 for the monitor. The key is taking advantage of the Newegg combos; It saves loads of money if you do it right with a little luck
matching components you need. Sometimes you can find better components at
lower prices with the combos -- it is worth it to spend some time looking
around at them.

your build looks just right. I'll be using it as a guide while I surf around for some combos to save some cash. Thanks for the help!

Reply to nep

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