700$ Gaming PC

[nielnield]

Hi,

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: ASAP

BUDGET RANGE: Max $710

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: 1080P MW2, CSS, Gaming.

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

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Any in the US/ the chepest.

PARTS PREFERENCES: The best bang for the buck

OVERCLOCKING: Maybe.

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1920x1200

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: I need the best gaming performance possible. I believe 2 cores are enough? 3 or 4 cores only makes the game to load faster? i don't mind waiting and I am not going to open multiple programs at the same time. I was thinking Athlon x2 3.0 + 5850 ? the Athlon bottlenecks the 5850? 4850x2 better? 5770x2?

thanks

 

[gkay09]

^ Not a good idea to club Athlon X2 with HD 5850 and also HD 5850 Crossfire ? Would drive the cost of the PC higher - Costly mobo and high power PSU...
So first decide on the budget, and your requirements...
And also the X3 is a very good choice for gaming as many games or I should say most of the current releases play better on Tri-Core than Dual...

 

[MadAdmiral]

Dual cores would be a terrible idea. I should also point out that gaming at that resolution with high details will be impossible with your budget. If that's extremely important to you, consider saving up an additional $100+ before you build.

Here's the best bang for the buck build at $700:

CPU: X3 425 $70
Mobo: Gigabyte GA-790XTA-UD4 $125 after rebate
RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws 2x2 GB 1600 mhz CAS Latency 7 $120
GPU: HD 5770 $150
HDD: Seagate 7200.12 500 GB $55
Case: Coolermaster Elite $40
PSU: Antec Earthwatts 650W $80
Optical: Cheap SATA DVD burner $22
HSF (if OC): Coolermaster Hyper 212 Plus $35

Total: $697

 

[mosox]

Can't get a HD5850 in that budget but close:

http://i.imgur.com/lh92H.jpg

 

[MadAdmiral]

Except the PSU in that would be close to not powering the 5850.

 

[nielnield]

Ty you both.

btw...is this combo deal good?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.358515

is the psu enough for a 5850?

 

[MadAdmiral]

No. That is a low quality PSU. Stick to units made by Antec, Corsair, SeaSonic, Silverstone and PC Power & Cooling. If you buy a low cost/low quality unit, you will regret it later. You want to make sure the PSU is high quality, as a bad PSU can quickly destroy your build. When bad PSUs fail, they tend to take other parts with them. The parts they usually take are the motherboard, CPU, and GPU, otherwise known as the most important parts of your build. Don't skimp on the PSU.

 

[nielnield]

ty madadmiral for ur advice. what about this psu/combo:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.360246

 

[mosox]

Should be fine, the HD 5850's maximum is 170 watts (151 on load)+ 95 watts the CPU that's 265 watts. With all the rest, the power draw is around 300 watts.

I run a HD5850, 125W AMD CPU, 3HDD, DVD-RW, 3 fans, tuner, soundcard on a 450 watt PSU.

But here's two 500W combos:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.359965

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.360005

 

[MadAdmiral]

Now that combos better. I'm not a huge fan of XFX PSUs, as the company is brand new to making PSUs. However, their units have gotten very good reviews. That said, I don't like the 5830. It's a little too expensive for what you get. If they have a combo with either the 5770 or 5850, that would be the way to go.

You can run a 5850 on a smaller unit. However, it's not advisable. As the PSU ages, it provides less power. That means that you will need to replace the unit just to keep the status quo. I would just pay out the extra $10-20 for a larger unit now than the $80-100 for a new one later. Also, using the smaller unit doesn't leave much room for expansion and overclocking. It's just a bad idea to get the bare minimum PSU if you want the build to last and be upgradeable in the future.

 

[nielnield]

Best answer selected by nielnield.

 

[nielnield]

Ty very much. I guess i better wait a little and save 200$ more.