New Game Rig - After 8 YEARS!!!

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archanum

archanum

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Hi All,

So its been almost 8 years since I last built a machine, and I felt I needed to try again. I am looking for a system that will last me at least another 3-5yr(with minor upgrades). Here is the info based on the form:

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Not for at least another couple months.
BUDGET RANGE: Definitely less then 2k (before and after rebates)

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: 80% Gaming, 20% everything else.

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: None, as I am redoing everything.

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Newegg, but am flexible.
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: US

OVERCLOCKING: Willing to give it a go, given how mainstream it has become.
SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Yes, eventually. Willing to start with one card and upgrade later.

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1920x1200

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
- Would like it to be relatively quiet, but doesn't have to be silent
- Play mostly FPS, some strategy FPS, and other less intense games
- Looking for a machine that will perform well, and have longevity. But would like to save where its acceptable.
- Will be running on Windows 7.



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

Based on the stickies and some other posts, this is what I have come up with so far. Obviously prices will change in a few months, but it gives me an idea. Any and all feedback will be welcome.

OCZ Vertex Series OCZSSD2-1VTX30GXXX 2.5" 30GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid state disk (SSD)
Link Price: $129.99
- Added based on suggestion, and wow factor.

COOLER MASTER HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP Black Steel + Plastic and Mesh Bezel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Link Price: $99.98
- Kinda settled on this box.

GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD4P LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard w/ USB 3.0 & SATA 6 Gb/s
Link Price: $184.99
- Updated based on suggestion.

Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80605I5750
Link Price: $199.99

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL7D-4GBRH
Link Price: $99.99

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Link Price: $54.99

CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power ...
Link Price: $109.99

SAPPHIRE 100282SR Radeon HD 5850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card w/ATI Eyefinity
Link Price: $309.99

PLEXTOR 24X DVD/CD Writer Black SATA Model PX-880SA LightScribe Support
Link Price: $46.99
- updated per suggestion

1ST PC CORP. 12" 8-pin EPS extension cable Model CB-8M-8F
Link Price: $8.99

Saitek PZ30AU Black USB Standard Eclipse Keyboard
Link Price: $49.99

ASUS VW246H Glossy Black 24" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor
Link Price: $219.99
- Updated based on suggestions.

Logitech MX518 8 Buttons 1 x Wheel USB Wired Optical Gaming Mouse
Link Price: $39.99
- Updated based on suggestions.

SENNHEISER PC166 USB 3.5mm/ USB Circumaural Headset
Link Price: $139.95

COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus Intel Core i5 & Intel Core i7 compatible RR-B10-212P-G1 120mm
Link Price: $29.98

ICY DOCK MB882SP-1S-1B 2.5" to 3.5" SSD & SATA Hard Drive Converter
Link Price: $24.99
- Added to house the SSD.


Total: ~$1740(not including mail-in rebates.)
 
Solution
Niklas_13
You could save some money by going with

1. 24" monitor http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010190020%2050001315%201309821328&name=24%22

2. A OEM DVD http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151193

3. Ram DDR3 1333 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231276 ( but if OCing i would use 1600 ) i would say a safe OC for that CPU would be 3.6

4. Like the OP said buy the CPU @ microcenter if you live by one

5. Look into differnt / Headset / Mouse / KB would save you some

6. As the OP said onboard sound should be fine its alot better then 8 years ago

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archanum

archanum

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Ok, some further questions:

- Is there a good way to trim a little bit more money without sacrificing performance and longevity? Or would I just be jeopardizing my asks if I did that?

- With that cooler, how much can I safely overclock that rig?

- Is the built-in sound card sufficient if I am just using headphones?

- Given my timeline, is there any reason to buy sooner or later given possible sales post holidays, or new chips coming out making prices go down?

- Will the video card fit well on the motherboard?

- Will the cpu cooler fit in the case with a side mounted fan?

Really, thanks for the replies.
 
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MadAdmiral

MadAdmiral

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You can trim a little out of the cost with the RAM. 1333 mhz DDR3 will perform as well as 1600 mhz (or higher) and is generally cheaper. Here's a good set of G.Skill Eco DDR3 1333 CAS Latency 7 sticks for $98. Another option is if you have a Microcenter near you. You can get the i5 for $150 from them. Also, if you're not buying for a while, prices will come down anyway.

Sound cards are completely unnecessary as long as you're not an audiophile.

Ifyou're buying in a couple of months, I'd wait on the video card. nVidia is supposed to be releasing their new DirectX 11 line Q1 2010, which should lower the cost of the new ATI 5xxx series.

The GPU will fit.

The HSF will fit with a side fan. The HAF is huge.

EDIT: Added the link.
 
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A

adwillingham

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Unless you have already done the measurements, I'm not sure that you would need the 8 pin extension with the TX750 power supply.

I just completed a build using that supply and the Cooler Master 690 (also midtower) case, and I did not have any issue with the length of the 8 pin cord, even with running the cord behind the MB tray.

I haven't done the research on the HAF case, so please ignore if you already know you need that. :D

Also, don't forget that if you are within driving distance of one, Microcenter has the i5 processor for $149.99.
 
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wnysupport

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Since I have the same setup pretty much the built in sound on that board is actually quite good.

The card fits find in the HAF922 - make sure though that you give it enough pressure when you seat it.

Now or later, things will change - so buy the PC when you want to buy the PC, if you wait for upgrades or discounts etc, you will be in a never ending cycle.
 
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Niklas_13

Niklas_13

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You could save some money by going with

1. 24" monitor http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010190020%2050001315%201309821328&name=24%22

2. A OEM DVD http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151193

3. Ram DDR3 1333 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231276 ( but if OCing i would use 1600 ) i would say a safe OC for that CPU would be 3.6

4. Like the OP said buy the CPU @ microcenter if you live by one

5. Look into differnt / Headset / Mouse / KB would save you some

6. As the OP said onboard sound should be fine its alot better then 8 years ago

 
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Solution
banthracis

banthracis

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Don't need the extension cable. Save $9.

There's a combo for the MOBO + i5 for $20 off.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.309193

g9 is great, but honestly the MX518 for $39.99 is just as good w/o the extra fluff.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104178&Tpk=mx518

Also stick with the Eco Ram Mad suggested. The difference btwn DDR3 1066 and DDR3 1600 is negligible only only noticeable in benchmarks. Save $25.

Use the ~$105 in savings and put it towards an SSD.

I'd recommend the Intel X25-M
$249.99 free shipping.
http://www.mwave.com/mwave/skusearch_v3.asp?scriteria=BA36252

With my savings + SSD suggestion your build will be ~$1950.


Mad will probably yell at me again for suggesting a SSD, but honestly, it's the future, and orders of magnitude better than a conventional drive.

Don't listen to me, read this from Anand Lai Shimpi, probably the most respected and well-known person in the hardware review scene.

http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3631&p=20

If you do grab a SSD might wanna consider an Element G instead of the HAF 922. The G has mounting for SSD's so no need to duct tape it to the bottom of your case =D Also has filters, is a bit quieter and has a fan controller/light off switch.

$99.99 after MIR, and has free shipping.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4675290&Sku=T925-1321

I've got both cases though, and neither will disappoint.


Edit: oh and for OS grab Win 7 pro for $30 off win741.com. It'll put your total cost at $1980, though if you live near a microcenter cut $50 off that.
 
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banthracis

banthracis

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Oh regards to your PSU question, the 750TX will run 2 5870's easily, in fact a 650TX will run em. You can probably even run 2 5970's off a 750TX, though I dunno if anyone has tried it yet, or managed to find a place with 2 for sale for that mater....
 
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archanum

archanum

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Made quite a few updates based on all the suggestions. Unless there is some glaring mistake I have made, this is going to be the general setup I will go with.

Thank you all for your help.
 
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blackhawk1928

blackhawk1928

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So, based on your system usage, lets some tweaking to optimize the machine around giving good gaming performance. Firstly, cut the SSD drive, it will not affect gaming performane what-so-ever, it will only decrease load times but not FPS in games. Instead get a 500GB Spinpoint which will have more then enough speed for your system. That money saved can be well spent by upgrading your GPU to a 5870/90 for a real performance boost. Also you can get an HAF 932 which is a tiny bit larger. other than that.
 
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E

epkfaile

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unless you're down sizing, the next option is a 30" monitor, which costs 1k+. way to expensive.
 
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epkfaile

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also, its not the 5890. its the 5970. :D
 
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banthracis

banthracis

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Building a good gaming PC is more than just maximizing FPS. A SSD makes load times boot times and overall system responsiveness MUCH faster. In fact, most benchmarks SSD's are an ORDER OF MAGNITUDE faster than even Velociraptors. Chief amongst these is random read/write, which is the key benchmark of how quick and snappy a system responds to you.

SSD is 10,000% faster....

http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3631&p=22

In the words of Anand Lai Shimpi, probably the best known and most respected hardware reviewer, when comparing a SSD to a velociraptor

In every major article I’ve written about SSDs I’ve provided at least one benchmark that sums up exactly why you’d want an SSD over even a RAID array of HDDs. ...I don’t know how else to say this: it’s an order of magnitude faster than a hard drive. It’s the difference between a hang glider and the space shuttle; both will fly, it’s just that one takes you to space. And I don’t care that you can buy a super fast or high flying hang glider either.
Click to expand...


Personally I've got an i7 system w/o a SSD and a i5 system w/ one. Every time I used the i7 system ( theoretically better on paper), I keep wondering if there's something wrong because it feels so damn slow.
 
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blackhawk1928

blackhawk1928

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So you are saying if your budget is limited you would rather spend an extra couple hundred bucks for a 1-2second faster game load time and cut a massive amount of fps?...makes a whole lot of sense to me...
If you have a large budget than an SSD is the way to go but if not than not.
 
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archanum

archanum

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So I would be better advised to ditch the SSD, and spend the money on an even better video card?

What card would I be advised to get? And would I need to increase the PS if I went with that video card?
 
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notty22

notty22

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+1 for the ssd, single most notable upgrade you can make (its true)
You set aside 140 dollars and get the ocz ssd mentioned or the new Kingston vnow 40 gig boot drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820139081&cm_re=kinston_ssd-_-20-139-081-_-Product
Windows loads in 15 seconds after bios screen, shuts down in 2 seconds. It makes your machine feel MUCH faster. I have a internal hd as well, it seems to speed the whole system up, because any interaction with Windows is instantaneous.
 
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Niklas_13

Niklas_13

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I would have to go with black on this +1 ^

Sure a SSD will load a game faster but it wont play it faster like going with a HD 5870 over a HD 5850 for a 15 to 20 % gain



 
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archanum

archanum

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Yeah, you make a good point. And as tempting as it is to get a SSD for the wow factor now, I can always get one down the line once the technology is cheaper and a bit more perfected.

As for actual storage size, would I be better getting multiple 500G drives or maybe a 1T drive?
 
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banthracis

banthracis

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1. A SSD is not several hundred bucks. You can get a kingston 30gb based off Intel's controller for $84.99, or a vertex for $140.

2. Read the article I linked. There's much more to a SSD than just game load times. Do you guys talking even have a SSD? or are you just theorycrafting? Trust me, spend a month using an SSD and try going back to a comp w/o one. You won't be able to stand how slow the system is.

3. Are you guys seriously gonna argue that Anand Lai Shimpi, a guy who's life's work is hardware reviews, and is one of the most respected guys in that area is wrong? [strike]You guys sound like congress claiming they can run a war better than generals, and the economy better than economists.[/strike]

4. He's getting a 5850 already. That can run any game at max settings at 1920 x 1200 at smooth frame rates. Telling him go spend more on a GPU above that is silly. Spending an extra $120 on a 5870 to game at 69 FPS instead of 60FPS is not noticeable. Spending the same amount of money on a SSD is.

Edit: Ok that part was uncalled for. But I honestly think that people who reject SSD's w/o having used one just equate it to lots of $$ for a few seconds off load times. A SSD is honestly like driving a Ferarri vs a Camry. The difference isn't just in speed, the entire experience is just better.
 
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Niklas_13

Niklas_13

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I don't know about you but my system starts in 18 sec without a SSD most of my programs open on the fly a few take a sec or 2 ( This works for me fine ) Games will take a bit longer to load

Anyways the HD 5850 will max out ( MOST GAMES ) not all

You have good points so do others

A 30 gigs SSD wont be enough to put a OS and games on so some will have to go to the storage driver rendering the SSD useless for them on that drive

Anyways i guess its up to the OP what he wants to do, take a day or 2 and do some reserch and make your own sense out of it
 
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blackhawk1928

blackhawk1928

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As a matter a fact buddy, I do have an SSD, infact I have an Intel X-25M 80GB SSD. So don't say i am like congress...etc. I have been using this SSD and I completely agree, everything pretty much is faster and your PC expirience is better...HOWEVER, if you read the OP's post carefully you would see that he said he wants his computer usage to be 80% GAMING and 20% for the rest of the stuff. He is clearly showing he is building his PC to revolve around and being excelled at gaming. Moreover, he clearly pointed out that his budget does have a limit. Now based on this clearly stated information, you can conclude that a more powerful videocard will be better for him than an SSD in any case. An SSD doesn't affect your framerate in games and hopefully you understand this and a GPU does. Moreover, newer games coming out are going to require more GPU power so if he buys a more powerful GPU he will be able to play games in the far future at still very good settings and when the time comes to sell the GPU it will be worth a higher value so either way getting a more powerful video card vs an SSD for some faster app loading times and a better boot time is better in every capacity. Even if an SSD will increase your expirience of PC, in the OP's case a GPU will do that better.
 
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