Simple gaming rig

[Wailord31]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: On or shortly after Black Friday

BUDGET RANGE: $900 max, after rebates

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Gaming

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard, mouse

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Newegg

PARTS PREFERENCES: Monitor w/ speakers + Radeon HD 4890

OVERCLOCKING: Minimal, if at all

SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Not if the cost differential is substantial...

MONITOR RESOLUTION: Your call

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Really, I'll be playing CoD4, MW2, TF2, L4D2, and HL2 *only* for the next year or so, so I don't need the world's best PC (though, I don't want to build just for those and prohibit every future game!). I'd like a quad-core and I'd prefer AMD. I've posted here before with an Intel build, but lately I've been leaning towards an AMD 965BE quad-core. Below is the build I have, sans the monitor. Hopefully you guys can come up with something awesome! I don't intend on buying until BF, though. Thank you (again)!


XFX HD-489X-ZSFC Radeon HD 4890 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card + AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz Socket AM3 140W Quad-Core Processor Model HDZ965FBGIBOX - $370

OCZ Obsidian 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model OCZ3OB1600LV4GK - $74

RAIDMAX HYBRID 2 RX-730SS 730W ATX12V V2.2/ EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Modular Modular LED Power Supply - $70

GIGABYTE GA-MA785GMT-UD2H AM3 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - $90

Antec Nine Hundred Two Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - $85

LG DVD Burner Black SATA Model GH22NS50 - OEM - $127

Shipping is $8, so my total is $768. All above prices include mail-in-rebates.

 

[hunter315]

I would suggest the 955 rather than the 965, they are the same physical processor but the 965 has the multiplier increased by one for an extra $20, the 955 has an unlocked multiplier so you can do it yourself for free.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103674&cm_re=955-_-19-103-674-_-Product

In general red switches on the back of a PSU are considered bad, its a sign of a less advanced PSU that doesnt have active PFC. A raidmax is also generally considered a nono, so a raidmax with a red switch is very bad. The corsair 550VX will be enough power for any single card and will be far more reliable for you than the raidmax.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004&Tpk=550VX

 

[Wailord31]

I switched out the PSU to the Corsair 750w for $20 more than the one you linked. Is that overkill, or just good foresight?

As for the processor, the combo with the GPU I want negates the price difference (as far as I can see). Thanks for your input!

Edit: Yikes. Forgot about the HDD and just added that in... got me up to $893. Guess I'll have to make some other cuts. I guess I'll just have to go up to $1000 now that I realized I want a new case. With the monitor I wanted, I got it to $997. Anyone that can do better, be my guest!

 

[hunter315]

What hard drive did you just add that bumped you up in price by that much? The 785G chipset can only support 1 card so a 750W psu is excessive. If you want the option for crossfire in the future consider the board in this combo, im a little upset that they arent offering the 790X comboed with the 955 anymore but oh well.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.296118

 

[Wailord31]

Thanks for the link! I guess I should've mentioned that I added a monitor as well? The HDD *and* the monitor brought it to $1000. That combo looks real nice, and it lets me try to bundle something else with the gpu. Thanks again.

What do you think of this 4890? With it, I got it all down to $925, post-rebates, with monitor.

 

[hunter315]

Its actually supposed to be a very nice 4890.

Can you post a link to your HDD? A $100 price jump from a HDD seems like a lot.

 

[Wailord31]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/NewProduct.aspx?Item=N82E16822148433 - $85 w/ coupon

Is a TB overkill? I figure if I drop lower that the savings won't be worth the drop in space.

 

[hunter315]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185&Tpk=F3%201TB
$85 without a coupon, currently the fastest HDD that tom's has tested when it comes to sequential reads and writes which is what counts for most people.

Depending on how big the files you tend to work with it might not be over kill, in 3 months i already have 60GB of programs installed, and i havent even done any major web projects on this machine yet. If your sound work ends up leading to 4 or 5GB of data files for each project then it will add up pretty quickly, if its only 300MB usually then you can probably get away with using the 500GB F3 drive which is $55.

 

[Wailord31]

I won't fill up 500GB for awhile, and at that point, I'll probably be ready to upgrade my system. Guess it makes sense to just go with the 500 over the TB.

Edit: It's also out of stock. Phooey.