Critique my gaming build

[olender]

Hey all,

I was just looking some feedback for my gaming build. As of this moment I've already bought the CPU, Motherboard, HSF and HDD from eWiz. I've got the PSU, case, and RAM in my shopping cart. Haven't found a decent deal for an XFX Radeon HD 5850 since newegg is currently sold out, I've got to check other sites for a good deal. Let me know what you think.

Case: Antec 300 Illusion - $59.99

PSU: Corsair CMPSU-750HX 750W - $149.99 ($139.99 after $10 MIR)

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-790FXTA-UD5 (rev. 1.0) - $348.99 w/ CPU

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition - combo with above

HSF: Cooler Master Hyper 212+ (with some AS5) - $29.99

RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3 1600 F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL - $109.99

GPU: XFX Radeon HD 5850 - unknown

HDD: Samsung Spinpoint F3 500GB - $49.99

Total = $748.94* without shipping, $10 coupon on eWiz, $10 MIR from newegg

*Doesn't include GPU so factor in $300-$330 more

Final total with GPU comes to around $1050

 

[antisyzygy]

You could save money on a different PSU and by dropping down to a 955 BE with C3 stepping. The 955 BE with C3 will overclock very, very easily to a 965 level.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371025&cm_re=750_power_supply-_-17-371-025-_-Product

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103808&cm_re=955-_-19-103-808-_-Product


You can combo a 955 BE with C3 with a 5850 and save some money as well.

 

[Somebody_007]

ram could be better

 

[ohiou_grad_06]

This the card you want?

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6078264&CatId=3669


Also, a lot of guys here will probably tell you if you want to save money, check out the Phenom 2 955 BE as you should be able to overclock that close to the same.

 

[ohiou_grad_06]

Check this out.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5838452&CatId=4297

Looks like close to the same board, but i noticed in your post the Gigabyte board you list ends in UD5, this one ends with UD4, so not sure what the exact difference is, but worth a look. Chip, 5850 and board for 629, shaves about 30 bucks on the combo.


Edit...too late..

 

[olender]

You could save money on a different PSU and by dropping down to a 955 BE with C3 stepping. The 955 BE with C3 will overclock very, very easily to a 965 level.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371025&cm_re=750_power_supply-_-17-371-025-_-Product

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103808&cm_re=955-_-19-103-808-_-Product


You can combo a 955 BE with C3 with a 5850 and save some money as well.

I've already have the 965 purchased, for 20 dollars more it wasn't a big deal to me. Although some people can OC their 955BE C3 close to a 965, I tend to see the 965's overclock a little higher. In either case a 100 Mhz difference isn't anything to brag about, but 20 dollars wasn't a big deal to me.

I got a 750W PSU because I plan on crossfiring the 5850's in the future.

 

[antisyzygy]

I've already have the 965 purchased, for 20 dollars more it wasn't a big deal to me. Although some people can OC their 955BE C3 close to a 965, I tend to see the 965's overclock a little higher. In either case a 100 Mhz difference isn't anything to brag about, but 20 dollars wasn't a big deal to me.

I got a 750W PSU because I plan on crossfiring the 5850's in the future.

The PSU I Recommended is 750 watt I believe and its super high quality

 

[olender]

ram could be better

If you know any please suggest, because I've spent literally the last 3 days on multiple forums and websites trying to figure out the best quality and compatible RAM that will be stable at 1600 (rather than the 1333 most AMD boards default to).

The reason I had so much problem is because many people had problems with G.Skill/OCZ/Mushkin/etc and their timings (G.Skill had most of the problems that I saw though).

So if you can recommend a different set of quality/stable/OC'able RAM that isn't any different in price and guaranteed 100% to work with the motherboard I specified..be my guest

 

[antisyzygy]

If you know any please suggest, because I've spent literally the last 3 days on multiple forums and websites trying to figure out the best quality and compatible RAM that will be stable at 1600 (rather than the 1333 most AMD boards default to).

The reason I had so much problem is because many people had problems with G.Skill/OCZ/Mushkin/etc and their timings (G.Skill had most of the problems that I saw though).

So if you can recommend a different set of quality/stable/OC'able RAM that isn't any different in price and guaranteed 100% to work with the motherboard I specified..be my guest

I had the most trouble with OCZ. The 2 x 2gb Corsair DDR3 1600 XMS3 stayed at 1600 for me though.

This is my motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131402&cm_re=asus_evo_am3-_-13-131-402-_-Product

 

[olender]

This the card you want?

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6078264&CatId=3669


Also, a lot of guys here will probably tell you if you want to save money, check out the Phenom 2 955 BE as you should be able to overclock that close to the same.

Yea I've heard that too about the 955BE C3, but I've already purchased the 965 as part of a combo deal so it's too late to go back. Although I generally see the 965's clock slightly higher even if it is a minmal 100-200 MHz more. And yet I've also seen 955BE C3's clock just as high. It all comes down to how lucky you got with a particular chip.

And yes that's the card I want, I do have a question though. There are many models of the same card from XFX..such as this one ends in the ZAFC and others ZNFC, is there anything different performances wise between these different serial numbers?

 

[olender]

The PSU I Recommended is 750 watt I believe and its super high quality

I was kinda going for the modular PSU as it would let me tuck cables easier and have a neater set up (I'm a little OCD about appearance, but whether that appearance is worth it with the extra 20-30? eh oh well ). Will probably help a little with air flow as well.

 

[olender]

I had the most trouble with OCZ. The 2 x 2gb Corsair DDR3 1600 XMS3 stayed at 1600 for me though.

This is my motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131402&cm_re=asus_evo_am3-_-13-131-402-_-Product

Nice. Yea I used an ASUS A7N8X Deluxe for my first build a long time ago. I was satisfied and can't complain, but I went with the Gigabyte this time due to the good reputation I've heard Gigabyte has as well as the ease of overclocking with this board

I read most of the reviews on the G.Skill RAM I posted and specifically found someone with the exact same board as me who said they had no problems such as cold-boot issues or anything, so works for me. I'm sure a number of the people who are having problems are morons, while at the same time a number genuinely are stuck with crappy sticks that need to be replaced (as I've seen that's often the issue).

 

[antisyzygy]

I was kinda going for the modular PSU as it would let me tuck cables easier and have a neater set up (I'm a little OCD about appearance, but whether that appearance is worth it with the extra 20-30? eh oh well ). Will probably help a little with air flow as well.

There are cheaper modular power supplies at 750 watt that have similar ratings of that one.

Also, for your ram question. 2 x 2 gb Corsair 1600 XMS3 DDR3 stayed at 1600 for me on an Asus EVO 790X Motherboard.

 

[goatsword]

That Corsair is probably the best 750W PSU out. I only grabbed the Antec because of a combo deal with a 5870 I couldn't pass up. This is great low voltage 1600 memory:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231321&cm_re=g.skill_ddr3_1600-_-20-231-321-_-Product

 

[Somebody_007]

Ooh I'm sorry you have apperently done quite some resaerch. I don't know about compatibility issues so I can't really help you out with amd boards srry for underestimating you

 

[olender]

That Corsair is probably the best 750W PSU out. I only grabbed the Antec because of a combo deal with a 5870 I couldn't pass up. This is great low voltage 1600 memory:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231321&cm_re=g.skill_ddr3_1600-_-20-231-321-_-Product

To get those sticks to run proper and stable on my motherboard I'm going to have to change timings to 8-8-8-24, and for almost a 20 dollar difference I don't think it's worth the very small difference as opposed to the 9-9-9-24 I'd have to change timings to on the ripjaws.

 

[olender]

Ooh I'm sorry you have apperently done quite some resaerch. I don't know about compatibility issues so I can't really help you out with amd boards srry for underestimating you

Haha, no harm. I just read everything and anything if I suspect theres an issuse such as compatability with RAM and Mobo. Don't worry I'm still very noob when it comes to some of the things people here know, I encourage any and all information/suggestions as it only widens my knowledge base. This will be my second build by myself so I'm nowhere near a tech guru but thanks for the response anyway.

 

[antisyzygy]

To get those sticks to run proper and stable on my motherboard I'm going to have to change timings to 8-8-8-24, and for almost a 20 dollar difference I don't think it's worth the very small difference as opposed to the 9-9-9-24 I'd have to change timings to on the ripjaws.

It sounds to me like your build is pretty much handled. From what I read you have what you want. I was only suggesting cost cutting to further optimize something that appears to be optimized for performance already. You cant go wrong with the hardware you picked.

 

[olender]

It sounds to me like your build is pretty much handled. From what I read you have what you want. I was only suggesting cost cutting to further optimize something that appears to be optimized for performance already. You cant go wrong with the hardware you picked.

Thanks for the feedback. I was mainly just looking to see if anyone could spot any obvious or not so obvious compatibility issues with any of the components. In terms of the 50-100 I could save, I guess its not too big of a deal for me, as this is going to be a graduation present from my parents . So by no means am I not a broke college student haha. Too bad I made the wise decision to do pharmacy and still have 2 more years following graduation.. . Oh well, I guess that just means I get a second graduation present the next time around haha.

 

[antisyzygy]

Thanks for the feedback. I was mainly just looking to see if anyone could spot any obvious or not so obvious compatibility issues with any of the components. In terms of the 50-100 I could save, I guess its not too big of a deal for me, as this is going to be a graduation present from my parents . So by no means am I not a broke college student haha. Too bad I made the wise decision to do pharmacy and still have 2 more years following graduation.. . Oh well, I guess that just means I get a second graduation present the next time around haha.

Thats what my brother is doing, Pharmacy. Tough to get into. Unfortunately for me Im a math grad student and still poor! It will pay off one day I guess. Good luck on the build.

 

[goatsword]

Yeah I had a tough time getting Mushkin Blacklines (996782) to run @ 1600 on my 790XTA-UD4. I ended up getting better performance / stability in SuperPI @ 1333 7-9-7-24. Good luck on the build!