[Under $800] Budget Gaming Rig

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Hexamony

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Approximate Purchase Date: No rush, next couple months, unless prices exceed budget

Budget Range: Under $800

System Usage: Gaming. Gaming. Maybe some Gaming. :D

Parts Not Required: Keyboard, MX518 Mouse, Speakers, Monitor, SATA HD

Preferred Websites: Newegg.com or Frys.com (Maybe Xoxide.com for a case)

Parts Preference: I wanted to go AMD CPU with nVidia GPU, but realizing Radeon is the GPU King right now. Preference would be budget and quality over performance.

Overclocking: No

SLI or Crossfire: Dunno, what is it?

Monitor Resolution: Currently, 1680x1050 native, 22". Hope to upgrade, again, in a year or so to 1920x1080)

Additional Comments: At this moment, I think I like the HD 5770 so want to build a stable computer around that. My goal is to reach 30-45 framerate for the popular games I've missed in the last couple years, Crysis included. However, I have no need to max every option and turn on all the bling. I'm still using a GeForce 7600 GS so my tastes aren't refined, medium settings will likely be used. Whatever looks good without bogging things down.

If you reply with links, it'll help me if you mention what they are to. Looked at other threads and a post of just links wasn't helpful if I wanted to, maybe, specifically look at suggested motherboards or CPUs. Thanks.
 
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jbakerlent

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Well a nice non-crossfire - which is having two AMD graphics cards installed at the same time build is just over $800.

Phenom II x4 955
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103808

Gigabyte 785G
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128432

G.Skill Ripjaws 1333MHz
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231276

Asus HD 5770
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121363

Spinpoint F3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152181

Seasonic 520W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151094

Antec 300
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066

Hyper 212+
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065

If you need to cut it back, my first recommendation would be to drop down the processor... Maybe a Athlon II x4 635
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103702&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-RSSDailyDeals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=3463938&SID=

As for your Nvidia preference, they really have no answer for the 5770. If you insist, the 260 would be your best bet.
 
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SHANEMARINES

SHANEMARINES

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Graphics card and Motherboard Combo 250.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.382714

CPU and PSU Combo 245.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.382750

Hard Drive and Case Combo 130.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.387117

Memory 109.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231275

DVD Burner 20.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151192

All done ENJOY!

The Total is = $754.00
 
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jbakerlent

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The quad core will outperform the hexa in gaming, but that's a nice collection of combos, good work. Remember you can look for combos with the quad a well :)

CPU + GPU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.383421

HDD + Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.387114

Mobo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128431

RAM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231276

PSU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151094

HSF
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065

It comes down to your uses... Have a look at this chart and decide.
http://anandtech.com/show/3674/amds-sixcore-phenom-ii-x6-1090t-1055t-reviewed/9

The x6 has it's fair share of wins, but they're not in gaming.
 
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Hexamony

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The information has been helpful so far. Especially the one with charts of framerates for different CPUs under different games and conditions. I was wondering why I wouldn't want the top i7 965 till I managed to find a price. Whew. :eek:

Though I couldn't find what the rest of the hardware was for those tests.

The consensus seems that the AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition is a strong chip for a gaming rig, and so much more affordable. Knowing that, it'll be easier to look at motherboards and RAM on my own.

For now, I have three questions.

What's the difference in these products? http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=40000343&Description=x4%20955&name=Processors%20-%20Desktops

And I was planning on taking the HD out of this computer and put into the new one, but is there a significant boost in performance if I upgrade to a 3.0Gbs SATA drive? This one is only 1.5Gbs.

During my initial foray into piecing together a new rig, I read something about computer cases and these new (to me), double-slot video cards, though I think the comment was outdated, but what would I want to look for in a case to make sure the video card fits in it?
 
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Hexamony

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I was talking with a friend and he said that I would do quite well with even just a tri-core Phenom. The Phenom II X3 720 to be precise. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103652

This would also save me money, and if I get an AM3 motherboard, it'll leave room to grow if I ever discover a need for more cores. Though still having a little trouble narrowing down what motherboard to actually go for.
 
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Hexamony

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With the help provided, I think I have a shopping list now. There might be some room for improvement, either on cost or quality.

CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103652

Heatsink: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118019

Motherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131398

RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277

GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102864

HD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319

Optical Drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106335

Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119106

And all for $678.92.
 
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SHANEMARINES

SHANEMARINES

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Did you forget a PSU lol?

So far all those parts look good to me and I couldn't really find you any better Combo's that would beat that build and the price of those parts look good. *Good Job*
 
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Hexamony

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D'oh. I did forget a PSU. It's been a long time since I built a computer from pieces and even then my case had come with a PSU. I'll have to look at the links after school.

For now, got another question. Was talking with another friend and he was saying the HD 5770 might not have much of a future in it, that within a year or two, it'll be outdated for games coming out. Instead, he's suggesting I look at the HD 5830. Is he right? And if I do go over my budget to get a video card with more of a future in it, would the HD 5830 be the right choice?

Part of my goal is to play games from recent years that I missed, but I don't want to have to turn around and buy a new video card next year to keep up with new stuff.
 
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jbakerlent

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Well, since you are not getting a crossfire capable PSU, the 5770 is a little on the low end (you could crossfire if you got a larger one). At 1680x1050 it will perform quite well, but if you plan on keeping it for a few years and upgrading the monitor then you may want to go higher. If you were to go higher, I would jump up to a 5850.
 
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SHANEMARINES

SHANEMARINES

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ATI Radeon HD 5850, ATI Radeon HD 5870 and ATI Radeon HD 5970. To warn you though nothing is really worth the money except the ATI Radeon HD 5850!

As for Nvidia:
GTX 470 Fermi
GTX 480 Fermi

I hope this helps as you can tell the higher the last numbers the newer the series.
 
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Hexamony

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I've been thinking about it all day and decided that I can't really afford a better video card at this point. However, the motherboard I picked has room to grow later, doesn't it? If I wanted, I could buy a better video card later and actually for cheaper then it would be today. Plus, the AM3 slot can fit up to a six-core, if I really needed to go that route.

So my question now is, what's the difference in the Heatsinks? The one I picked and the one suggested?

And, oh, since I've never shopped for a PSU, how would I make sure I got one that provided enough power for my current or future needs? One calculator I found suggested around 280w which seems mighty low for a tri-core and powerful GPU, even low-end.
 
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jbakerlent

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Did you use this calculator?
http://extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp

For a single 5770 with a 125W CPU you'd be fine with a 500W, for two you'd be looking more at the 650W range.

Your board only supports on GPU, but yes it will support Thuban CPUs.

There's this combo with a X4 for very cheap... It supports crossfire. If you want to stick to the X3, then just grab the mobo and GPU by themselves.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.381162&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-RSSDailyDeals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=3463938&SID=
 
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