$1500 Gaming PC from the latest SBM

[Daddoo]

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APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Around April 27th

BUDGET RANGE: between $1480 to $1540 Before Rebates

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Gaming, I prefer FPS's, surfing the internet, general computer use, i.e. word processing, storing photos

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard, mouse, monitor (see additional comments), speakers, DVD burner

PREFERRED WEBSITE FOR PARTS: newegg.com

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA

PARTS PREFERENCES: see my list

OVERCLOCKING: probably

SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Yes

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1920x1080 or whatever is best for Radeon HD 5850

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: I will be installing Windows 7 64-bit; recommendations of any other helpful software is requested. My current monitor is an LG Flatron W2252TQ. I like LG’s products because they have worked very well for me. I would consider delaying one video card for a monitor recommendation of around $240.

Also, I have experience with upgrading but I'm a noob to a complete build. Any additional advice would be welcome. I'll look at the sticky's before I ask (dumb) questions while I put it together.
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Intel Core i7-930 Bloomfield 2.8GHz 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor $289.99

ASRock X58 Extreme LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard $169.99

CPU Cooler: I had planned on the Rosewill FORT120 120mm Direct Touch CPU Cooler w/ 775&1366 Retention Brackets - Retail, but it is Currently Unavailable, so I really need a recommendation for a cooler around $40

Two POWERCOLOR PCS+ AX5850 1GBD5-PPDHG2 Radeon HD 5850 (Cypress Pro) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card 2@ $299.99 = $599.98

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

COOLER MASTER RC-690-KKN1-GP Black SECC/ ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case $79.99

Crucial Ballistix 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Desktop Memory Model BL3KIT25664BN1337 $171.99

Western Digital Caviar Black WD7501AALS 750GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive -Bare Drive $79.99

Total = $1541.92 no monitor, 2 video cards

Total = $1481.93 monitor, 1 video card


Thanks in advance for you help,

Daddoo

 

[Niklas_13]

I would go with a HD 5870 and add a new monitor latter



COOLER MASTER HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP Black Steel + Plastic and Mesh Bezel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Item #: N82E16811119197
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$20.00 Instant
$10.00 Mail-in Rebate
$109.98
$89.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119197

Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST31000528AS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Item #: N82E16822148433
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
Service Net Replacement Extended Warranty
The product will be replaced and shipped directly to you at no charge(more info)
• 1 year: $10.99
• 2 year: $18.99
$89.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148433

SAPPHIRE 100281-3SR Radeon HD 5870 (Cypress XT) 1GB 256-bit DDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video ...
Item #: N82E16814102883
Return Policy: VGA Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
Service Net Replacement Extended Warranty Plan
The product will be replaced and shipped directly to you at no charge(more info)
• 1 year: $39.99
• 2 year: $79.99
-$15.00 Instant
$429.99
$414.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102883

CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power ...
Item #: N82E16817139006
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$30.00 Instant
$20.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
$139.99
$109.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006

G.SKILL PI Series 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL7T-6GBPI
Item #: N82E16820231335
Return Policy: Memory Standard Return Policy
$189.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231335

COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus Intel Core i5 & Intel Core i7 compatible RR-B10-212P-G1 120mm "heatpipe direct contact" Long ...
Item #: N82E16835103065
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
Service Net Replacement Extended Warranty Plan
The product will be replaced and shipped directly to you at no charge(more info)
• 1 year: $6.99
• 2 year: $11.99
$34.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065


• ASUS P6X58D Premium LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
Item #: N82E16813131614
Return Policy: Limited Replacement Only Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
Service Net Replacement Extended Warranty
The product will be replaced and shipped directly to you at no charge(more info)
o 1 year: $29.99
o 2 year: $59.99
• Intel Core i7-930 Bloomfield 2.8GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Model BX80601930
Item #: N82E16819115225
Return Policy: CPU Replacement Only Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
Service Net Replacement Extended Warranty
The product will be replaced and shipped directly to you at no charge(more info)
o 1 year: $29.99
o 2 year: $59.99
-$15.00 Instant
-$20.00 Combo
$604.98
$569.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.369319
Subtotal: $1,499.91


Monitor down the road http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236082

 

[cmcghee358]

If you are looking to spend 600 bucks on Xfire 5850s I personally would go for a 5970 and be satisfied knowing I had the best Gfx card on the market, that is "future-resistant" for at least 2 years.

I believe 5970s are 650-700ish (if you can find it in stock)

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Scour the boards and you will find quite a few ASRock issues. I'd recommend the new Asus P6X58D Combo for $515
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.378938

GFX- The 5850's are a great board but as time goes on, I find myself favoring the twin 470's.....at least when the target is 1920 x 1200 w/ DX11 and high settings. Same price as a 5970 but more oomph, more detail, plus PhysX, CUDA, and no 2D Graphics issues (2D problem supposed to eb fixed in ATI's next major driver release) . If the target is DX10 gaming, then I'd do twin 5850's. Of course, the 470 means a bigger PSU and I wouldn't put them in a small case. From a power consumption standpoint, at 20 hours a week at 100% load, the 470 will cost you about $0.88 a month over the 5850.

http://www.softsailor.com/news/22371-nvidia-geforce-gtx-480470-benchmarks-review-roundup.html

Either way though, I can't find fault with choosing either twin 5850's or twin 470's. The "dollars per frame" on both cards (average of 10 DX11 game tests at 1920 x 1200, high settings) is within 1 % of $9.00 making them extremely competitive on that price / performance scale; $8.89 for the 5850 and $9.08 for the 470. The 5870 is still in the ballpark at $10.41 but it would be $9.68 if vendors started selling it at MSRP; The 480 BTW, works out at $9.62 per frame. The 5970 is at $11.78 which is a bit of a jump. At MSRP it would be a very competitive $9.75 but as long as vendors keep selling it at $100 over MSRP, I'm not jumping into that pond.

I'd get one now and add another comes XMas time.

Case / PSU - For twin GFX and OC'ing, I prefer to use a full tower case. The best price / performance combo is the Antec 1200 w/ CP-850 PSU. Case trades pluses and minuses with the other consensus favorite, the HAF 932 and the CP-850 PSU is matched rarely electrically (Antec SG-850, Corsair HX850 and XFX Black Edition 850 also get 10 performance ratings on jobbyguru.com) but never been topped acoustically. AT $230, it's an unbelievable deal .... $310 for the HAF 932 / HX850 combo

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.359977

RAM - If you wanna OC to 4 GHz, I'd get PC3-1600 RAM .... cheapest quality brand available. Be careful of tall heatsinks (Dominator, Ripjaws for example) which may interfere with heat sinks. Grab lowest CAS # ya can afford.

Hard Drives - Check out the performance charts and pick whatever 500 GB per platter drive performs best under your usage patterns. The 2 TB WD Black and XT from Seagate are good choice but at smaller capacities, you are limited to the Seagate 7200.12 or the Spinpoint F3. The 7200.12 excels in gaming, multimedia and pictures whereas the F3 wins at music and movie maker. See the comparisons here (copy past link in manually, link won't work in forum):

(http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/2009-3.5-desktop-hard-drive-charts/compare,1006.html?prod[2371]=on&prod[2770]=on)

Look at the tests that reflect your usage and choose accordingly. Given your stated gaming and photo preference, I'd go with the 1 TB 7200.12 which would increase your storage by 33% for just $10

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148433

CPU Cooler .... At $40 I'd grab the Xigmatec S1283 .... at $65 the Megahalems.

http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=492&Itemid=62&limit=1&limitstart=4

Knowing that this would stir some controversy, many of these heatsinks were tested seven or more times each, with the highest and lowest results thrown out with the remainder averaged. Benchmark Reviews reveals the results of our Intel LGA1366 CPU-cooler performance tests using high-output cooling fans in the chart below:

Intel-LGA1366 CPU Cooler Thermal Difference Advantage

ProlimaTech Megahalems 24.29°C over ambient -4°C
Thermalright Venomous-X 24.47°C over ambient -4°C
Scythe Mugen-2 SCMG-2000 26.03°C over ambient -3°C
Cogage Arrow 26.53°C over ambient -3°C
Titan FENRIR TTC-NK85TZ 27.92°C over ambient -1°C
Zalman CNPS10X-Performa 28.08°C over ambient -1°C
Coolink Corator-DS 28.38°C over ambient -1°C
Cogage TRUE Spirit 28.39°C over ambient -1°C
Noctual NH-D14 (2x 140) 29.10°C over ambient
ProlimaTech Armageddon 29.26°C over ambient
Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme 29.40°C over ambient
CyberPowerPC XtremeGear HP-1216B 29.42°C over ambient
3R-System IceAge Prima Boss-II IA-120B2 29.46°C over ambient
Tuniq Tower-120 Extreme 29.52°C over ambient
Intel DBX-B ATS (Performance) 29.65°C over ambient
Xigmatek Balder SD1283 CAC-SXHH3-U06 30.00°C over ambient +1°C
Xigmatek Thor's Hammer S126384 30.76°C over ambient +1°C
Noctua NH-U12P 31.68°C over ambient +2°C
Thermaltake Contac-29 CLP0568 32.60°C over ambient +3°C

 

[coldsleep]

Jack, you really need to update that cut & paste for the drives to include the WD1002FAEX. (Even if it is $30 more than the 1 TB Spinpoint & 7200.12.)

 

[MadAdmiral]

For $1,500 you cannot beat this in terms of actual gaming performance:

CPU/Mobo: i5-750 and Asus P7P55D-E Pro $375
RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws 2x2 GB 1600 mhz CAS Latency 7 $120
GPU: HD 5970 $700
HDD: Seagate 7200.12 1 TB $90
PSU: Antec Earthwatts 750W $85 after rebate
Case: HAF 922 $80 after rebate
HSF (if OC): Coolermaster Hyper 212 Plus $35 (with free card reader)

Total: $1,485

The CPU is a little lower powered than the i7-930, but it's also about $300 cheaper with the cost of the X58 boards and triple channel RAM figured in. This savings is then transferred to the GPU, allowing you to buy the 5970. The 5970 is overkill for everything, and I have no trouble saying that it will not need to be upgraded during the life of this build.

 

[Daddoo]

Wow, thanks for the responses. It will take me a little bit to digest all of the suggestions.

 

[ScoobyJooby-Jew]

+1 MadAdmiral. Buy the 5970. One super mega card> two amazing cards

 

[banthracis]

Go with Mad's build. Absolutely no need to go 1366 for gaming. i5-750 is as high as you'll wanna go. Anything more is better spent on GPU.

 

[Daddoo]

Thank you one and all. I have been convinced to go with the i5-750 and the HD 5970. I am going with MadAdmiral's CPU/Mobo combo, CPU Cooler and Memory suggestions. However, I think I'm going with the WD Caviar Black 1TB HDD. Call me a fanboy, but I have had extremely good service with all of my WD drives.

I have additional questions, and let me say up front that these questions will help me learn and in no way are meant to call into question anyone's choices for my build. You are all vastly more knowledgeable than me.

1) Newegg has 3 5970s at the $699.99, Sapphire (in stock), PowerColor (out of stock) and Diamond (out of stock, reccommended by MadAdmiral). Is one brand better than the others?

2) Is the Earthwatts PS better than Corsair PS?

3) Is the HAF 922 case bigger/better able to handle the 5970 than the CM 690?

Again thank you one and all,

Daddoo

 

[MadAdmiral]

That WD is a lot slower than the Seagate 7200.12 or Samsung Spinpoint F3, not to mention that it's more expensive...

1) The best 5970 is the one that's in stock. I just link to the cheapest one. I usually don't even think to look what's in stock, as I just assume they're all out of stock.

2) They're about equal in terms of performance and quality. The Antec is just a tad cheaper.

3) The 690 will not be able to fit the 5970. The HAF will. I'd be comfortable saying that the HAF is the only quality case under $150 that can fit the 5970.

 

[Daddoo]

Excellent. Seagate it is.

1) I love the answer, works for me.

2) Antec it is.

3) HAF it is.

Two more quick questions:

1) Should I get Arctic Silver thermal compound?

2) I'm planning on keeping my old desktop. Any recommendations on a KVM switch? Good but inexpensive.

Thanks for the quick reply MadAdmiral.

 

[MadAdmiral]

1) I don't think so. Special thermal compound usually only gives a couple of degrees after applying a massive overclock. Unless you're trying to break an overclocking record, I don't think it's worth it.

2) No idea.

 

[Daddoo]

Well there you have it folks. Daddoo is going to place his order tonight or tomorrow. I'm going with MadAdmirals recommendation.

Thank you one and all.

I'll let you know if I have any problems with the build, after I check the Build Guide sticky of course.

 

[Daddoo]

Best answer selected by Daddoo.