~$1200 Gaming Rig

[mithrandir726]

I could really use some input on the components I've selected for my new build. My current gaming machine is nearly 5 years old, and really needs to be replaced. Comments would be greatly appreciated, and thanks in advance

APPROXIM]ATE PURCHASE DATE: early May BUDGET RANGE: ~$1200 Before Rebates

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Gaming will be the primary use of this machine, but I also do a good amount of video transcoding, mostly for my iPod.

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard, mouse, speakers, OS, maybe a monitor (but don't include monitor in budget)

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA

PARTS PREFERENCES: as long as they're good quality parts, doesn't much matter to me

OVERCLOCKING: Maybe - I've never been real enthused about overclocking, but I'm not absolutely opposed to it SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Eventually, hopefully, once prices drop

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1920x1200

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: I mostly play RPGs, such as Dragon Age, Mass Effect 2, etc. But I do enjoy the occasional FPS, mostly HL2.

Here are the parts I've selected so far:

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

PSU:
CORSAIR CMPSU-850TX 850W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply

MOTHERBOARD:
Thinking 890FX, but haven't looked at any yet since they just came out.

CPU:
AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor Model HDZ965FBGMBOX
Was really looking forward to the Phenom II X6, but after reading the reviews, I don't think that's the best option. Thoughts?

VGA:
XFX HD-585X-ZAFC Radeon HD 5850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card w/ Eyefinity

RAM:
Patriot G Series ‘Sector 5’ Edition 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model PGV34G1333ELK

SYSTEM DRIVE:
Intel X25-V SSDSA2MP040G2R5 2.5" 40GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

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

Also looking at getting Dell U2410 Ultrasharp for a monitor.

Again, thanks in advance!

 

[MadAdmiral]

Not a great gaming build. I would definitely ditch the SSD. It's expensive and you'll only be able to fit the OS and maybe 2-3 games on a 40 GB drive. Here's a much better one:

CPU/Mobo: i5-750 and Asus P7P55D-E Pro $375. A better CPU and a great board.
RAM/GPU: G.Skill Ripjaws 2x2 GB 1600 mhz CAS Latency 7 and HD 5870 $495. Faster RAM and a more powerful GPU.
HDD: Seagate 7200.12 1 TB $80. Just as fast as the Samsung, but slightly cheaper.
PSU: Corsair 750W $90 after rebate. 850W is a tad overkill, and modular PSUs are unnecessary in bottom mounted cases (the cables are already out of the way).
Case: HAF 922 $90. A bigger case to accomadate the 5870. This is easily one of the best (if not THE best) cases ever made.
Optical (if needed): Cheap SATA DVD burner $22
HSF (if/when OC): Coolermaster Hyper 212 Plus $35 (with free card reader)

Total: $1,192

 

[mithrandir726]

The reason I went with AMD is because I want SATA III and USB 3.0 and still be able to use Crossfire. Plus (not a major factor, but a nice possible plus) much greater potential for upgrade path.

Yeah, just noticed I forgot an optical drive. Thanks.

Also, I'd rather go with the 5850, I think, unless you have a compelling reason to upgrade. If I can spend less than $1200, I'd like to (I'm in college, and funds aren't exactly plentiful), and from what I can tell, the 5850 is sufficient at 1920x1200, and I am planning to CF it when the prices come down in the future.

 

[MadAdmiral]

You get that with Intel as well, just not Gigabyte's P55 boards.

As for the upgrade path, it doesn't matter for gamers. The next step is a six core CPU, and games aren't even fully using two cores yet. They certainly won't be using six within the next 3-4 years (which is how long the build will last with the 5850).

 

[mithrandir726]

Thanks for the info. I wasn't aware of that (the SATA III and USB 3.0 stuff).

Why would you recommend the HAF 922 over the CM 690 II?

 

[MadAdmiral]

It's bigger, and generally better overall. It's got more/bigger fans, better cable management, and some very nice extras. The CM 690 II is a good case, but it's a bit small for it's price. If you're getting anything above the 5850, it's going to be a squeeze to fit it.

 

[mithrandir726]

Ok, I'll definitely consider it.

You said you think 750w is enough for the PSU. Would it still be enough if I add a second 5850?

 

[MadAdmiral]

Definitely. 650W is enough for two 5850s, just you generally would have to use adapters to get enough PCIe connectors, which turns some people off to that.

 

[mithrandir726]

Interesting.

I really appreciate the help. Thanks!