Gaming PC, AMD based

bigcanoe · Nov 16, 2009

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: This Week
BUDGET RANGE: 600-800 After Rebates
SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Games, 3D Modeling, Software Development
PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Keyboard, Mouse, Monitor, Speakers, OS
PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg.com
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
PARTS PREFERENCES: AMD cpu
OVERCLOCKING: Maybe
SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Maybe
MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1680x1050, 1920x1080
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Looking for something reliable, cool running, and not too flashy. Fallout3, WoW, L4D2

Antec P183 Black Aluminum / Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129061

Antec CP-850 850W Continuous Power CPX SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC "compatible with Core i7" Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371024

AMD Phenom II X4 940 Deneb 3.0GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM2+ 125W Quad-Core Black Edition Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103471

ASUS EAH5750/2DIS/1GD5 Radeon HD 5750 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121351&cm_re=5750-_-14-121-351-_-Product

Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136284

SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 16X DVD+R DL 22X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache IDE 22X DVD±R DVD Burner - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151175

hoog78 · Nov 16, 2009

not sure if i am missing something but you havent listed a motherboard or memory. that might be important

as for comments...i dunno i am a newb. sorry

bigcanoe · Nov 16, 2009

Ya, I am totally dumbfounded on a motherboard choice

masterasia · Nov 16, 2009

You should get an AM3 motherboard, with an AM3 CPU like the Phenom II X4 955 or 965, and DDR3 ram. I wouldn't buy anything AM2+ anymore. You're just throwing your money away at old technology. At least throw it away at newer technology so you won't have too bad of buyer's remorse.

nekko · Nov 16, 2009

Here go with this build: http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=14956128

Take off the case (haf 922) and replace it with an Antec 300
If not over clocking remove thermal paste and cpu cooler from list, and also if you want a better gpu go for the 4890.

batuchka · Nov 17, 2009

An AM3 socket chip on an AM2+ mobo ain't the end of the world but ya no point going AM2+ socket for the chip ^^ Also am favouring single GPU options so a GPU upgrade down the road perhaps for the suggested config below

bigcanoe · Nov 17, 2009

Great suggestions, thanks! This is my first build, do I need to buy any additional internal cabling?

batuchka · Nov 17, 2009

You are welcomed ^^

roborabbit · Nov 17, 2009

You should have all the cabling you need coming with your components. The only thing that would be iffy would be 6 pin pcie connectors but the 650 EA comes with 2 a 6 pin and a 6+2 pin connector which works with either 8 or 6 pin connections. Only thing you may wish to add is 2-3 120mm x 120mm x25 mm fans. The antec 300 has 2 spots for intake fans on front which you would be foolish not to take advantage of (esp since it will be cheaper to order them with your PC build order, they discount shipping when you bundle orders normally) and another one for exhaust on the side which helps keep your vid card from blowing hot air all over you mobo/cpu. Other than that you're set. Just remember if you plan on replacing your stock heat sink later on, scape off that thermal pad with a plastic knife / wipe it down with some high % rubbing alcohol and use some thermal paste instead. Thermal pads are ... ok for normal use but they tend to bond and harden(they use a form of wax to fill the micro valleys in the metal) which makes removing them from the cpu both hard and dangerous. The only thing is, removing the thermal pad and using a non-amd supported TIM (Thermal Interface Material) will void the warranty. So if you don't plan to OC in the future and dont mind your CPU being 3-5 ~ degrees warmer just use the thermal pad. But if you do plan to OC and switch out the stock cooler for a better one in the future, run the pc with the thermal pad for a week or so to make sure its good and not a DOA and then just scrape / clean the HSF and use a good thermal paste.

small cheese · Nov 17, 2009

You Should get the ati hd 5770(http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102864&cm_re=hd_5770-_-14-102-864-_-Product). Because if your doing 3d modeling you need a good graphics card.

small cheese · Nov 17, 2009

Are you a Heavy Duty 3d Modeller?What Program do you use

bigcanoe · Nov 17, 2009

No, I am just getting into the hobby. I use Modo.

bigcanoe · Nov 17, 2009

Some tweaks:

LG 22X DVD Burner - Bulk Black SATA Model GH22LS50 LightScribe Support - OEM
Item #: N82E16827136168

Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives -Bare Drive
Item #: N82E16822136284

AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Deneb 3.2GHz Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor Model HDZ955FBGIBOX - Retail
Item #: N82E16819103674

Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
Item #: N82E16811129021

OCZ Reaper HPC 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ3RPR16004GK - Retail
Item #: N82E16820227320

ASUS M4A79XTD EVO AM3 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
Item #: N82E16813131402

SAPPHIRE Vapor-X 100269VXLE Radeon HD 4890 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
Item #: N82E16814102848

Antec EarthWatts EA750 750W Continuous Power ATX12V version 2.3 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC ... - Retail
Item #: N82E16817371026

$869 before rebates...

BohleyK · Nov 17, 2009

bigcanoe :

Those are some nice tweaks for the most part. I would seriously reconsider the RAM. Those heatsinks are incredibly large and will interfere with a HSF. OCZ is a good RAM brand choice. Take a look at the OCZ Golds.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227448&cm_re=ocz_gold-_-20-227-448-_-Product

Also your PSU is decent. Its an EarthWatts which will put out 750W tops. The Antec TruePower series have been known to go the extra mile, going over 750W and still remaining stable. That comes at a price though.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371025&cm_re=750_tp-_-17-371-025-_-Product

As for the case. If you can catch the Antec 902 on free shipping I highly recommend it. Newegg is also having a $25 rebate on the 902 if you purchase before 11/19/09. The improvements over the original 900 are well worth the extra cost which won't be an extra cost but a savings if you act in time. [:bohleyk:1]

sonic-boom · Nov 17, 2009

Why does everyone suggest Caviar HDDs, They are expensive and slower than others.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185&cm_re=spinpoint_f3-_-22-152-185-_-Product
1tb for $10 more and faster. 500gb for $55

nekko · Nov 17, 2009

^Agreed... The best HDD to me is the Samsung F3... CHEAP and FAST

EXT64 · Nov 17, 2009

The 500GB is and has been out of stock (for the past couple days), so if in no rush, that would be an excellent choice.

nekko · Nov 17, 2009

Yep, I have 4 of the 500's and have yet to have a problem with any (They were all used for clean installs)

bigcanoe · Nov 17, 2009

BohleyK :

Those are some nice tweaks for the most part. I would seriously reconsider the RAM. Those heatsinks are incredibly large and will interfere with a HSF. OCZ is a good RAM brand choice. Take a look at the OCZ Golds.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227448&cm_re=ocz_gold-_-20-227-448-_-Product

Also your PSU is decent. Its an EarthWatts which will put out 750W tops. The Antec TruePower series have been known to go the extra mile, going over 750W and still remaining stable. That comes at a price though.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371025&cm_re=750_tp-_-17-371-025-_-Product

As for the case. If you can catch the Antec 902 on free shipping I highly recommend it. Newegg is also having a $25 rebate on the 902 if you purchase before 11/19/09. The improvements over the original 900 are well worth the extra cost which won't be an extra cost but a savings if you act in time. [:bohleyk:1]

The 902 has free shipping right now, why do you prefer that over the 900?

masterasia · Nov 17, 2009

nekko :

I have 4 of them in Raid-0.
I'm getting blistering speeds.
Zip Zoom Fly has them in stock again.

bigcanoe · Nov 18, 2009

SAMSUNG CD/DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223C - OEM
Item #: N82E16827151192

Antec Nine Hundred Two Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
Item #: N82E16811129058

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Item #: N82E16822152185

OCZ Gold AMD Edition 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model OCZ3G1600LVAM4GK - Retail
Item #: N82E16820227448

AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz Socket AM3 140W Quad-Core Processor Model HDZ965FBGIBOX - Retail
Item #: N82E16819103692

ASUS M4A79XTD EVO AM3 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
Item #: N82E16813131402

SAPPHIRE Vapor-X 100269VXLE Radeon HD 4890 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
Item #: N82E16814102848

Antec EarthWatts EA750 750W Continuous Power ATX12V version 2.3 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC ... - Retail
Item #: N82E16817371026

$886 before rebates, does this look good? Slightly faster CPU, HD and OCZ Gold

sonic-boom · Nov 18, 2009

Thats looks good, GL with your build.

BohleyK · Nov 18, 2009

bigcanoe :

Chassis looks better, dust filters, on board fan controllers, black interior, anti-vibration pads, need I go on?

YouTube Antec 902 review if you really must compare.

Gaming PC, AMD based

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