Gaming Computer w/ Budget of $900

Overall a good build. Good choice of CPU, MOBO, and GPU.

I would definitely get a better PSU. Corsair or Antec are very reputable, and worth the extra few bucks. A 750W goes a long way.

That memory is decent, but the G. Skill RIPJAWS 1600 CL7 is better. See if you can squeeze that in the budget.

For case, you cant beat the HAF 922. It's a little more than yours, but very well suited for crossfiring, overclocking, etc.

Do not skimp on the GPU. If anything, drop down to an X3 440 CPU and upgrade the GPU as much as you can. 5850 is great for 1680 x 1050, 5870 for 1920 x 1080, etc.

$898AR 955BE + 5870 single GPU config

Batuchka's second build is consistent with the budgetary constraint. That one trims the fat out of the case very nicely.
Given the budget, however, your friend will likely choose a 1680x1050 or even a 1440x900 monitor; in that case a HD5770 is all the GPU he needs for solid gaming.

As another alternative, here's a GTX 470 based build.

Optical $20
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Case
Antec 300 $49.50 w/ promo code
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

HD
Spinpoint F3 500GB $55
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

RAM
G Skill Ripjaw 1600 Cas 7 $100 w/ promo code, ends today
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

GPU/PSU
GTX 470 and Thermaltake Toughpower XT 775 $395 w/ $20 MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...

CPU/MOBO
Phenom II x4 955 and GA-770-UD3 $225 w/ $10 MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...

Total $814.38 After Rebates

edit: Just beware can't sli on that board though.

Wow, thanks for the replies. Especially Batuchka and Banthracis, those combos look great. I really appreciate it, hope you guys don't mind if I ask a few more questions.

Batuchka's second post is pretty close to my goal, but he just told me yesterday he'd pay a bit extra for a cheap bluray combo + the 1TB. Although, I haven't checked out the benchmarks of Banthracis's system to compare it yet.

I've got a build for $885 AR atm w/ BR Drive and 1TB HD.



1. Would you strongly recommend the 870 chipset in batuchka's configs over the 790X chipset here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... Again, I'm not a pro in motherboards, so any advice would help.

2. I went with the combo HD + 650W PSU because it's a great deal, but will 650W be sufficient for an OC'd 955 + Crossfire? It doesn't have to be, but I'd really like the option to.

3. I went with the cheapest 5850 on Newegg (+ because of XFX's warranty). Is there any reason why I should fork over $30 more for one? Or can I run crossfire with the XFX one at a reasonable temp.

4. Is this a good monitor to suggest for $170? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...


If I needed to, I could probably cut a little bit of the budget on the case and RAM, but those both look like great options for the combo. And the freebies don't really matter to me; the included STALKER in my combo is worth about $10 to me, mainly because it's a great game to test the system with.

Thanks so much.

Bad ram choice. Stick with the cas 7 kits.

At 1920 x1080 the 470 is about 8% faster than the 5850. For the normal $50-$70 price diff it isn't worth it. However, for a $11.50 difference, it is. Also, the better PSU alone is worth the $11.50 difference.

Chipset doesn't really matter much. No real difference btwn 790 and 870.

Xfire 5850's + 955 is ok. If you OC CPU and GPU's, you're pushing it.

Combo that 5850 with the powerstrip. It ends up $3 cheaper than the GPu alone and nets you a free power strip.

Monitor is fine.

HardwareSecrets gave that particular Thermaltake PSU a good rating. That's an excellent combo price too.

Yeah, mistake on my RAM selection, thanks for picking up on that. Even though that HD + PSU combo is pretty good; the combo price with the 470 is even harder to pass up + the PSU it should give enough power to SLI and OC.

Can anyone recommend a good mobo that supports a 955 + SLI + DDR3 1600?
Maybe this one? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Or should I stick with my original config instead of trying for SLI compatibility?

Edit: When trying for SLI, this is my current setup. I'm heading out the door, so I didn't have time to look for better RAM combos (that's 8 latency) or a good HD + case combo.



Is it worth the extra $13 like it is? Or am I sacrificing too much with motherboard/ram for a slightly better gfx card + PSU? I think it's worth it, but checking in.

I've read a lot of comments from people more knowledgeable than I on the subject that say the SLI chipsets for AMD are plagued with stability issues. That may not be everyone, or all the time, but it's a chance I wouldn't care to take myself, so I wouldn't recommend it for others.

Thermaltake Toughpowers are actually made by Channel Wells, same guy's who make the Corsair 750TX, 850TX and a buncha other Corsairs PSU's I can't remember.

SLI on AMD hardware is not supported by AMD. So if trouble occurs, there's no one around to officially solve it. For that reason alone, I'd avoid SLI.

I would say stick to an 800 series mobo and HD 5850: the other details like power consumption, noise and temps at load is what made reviewers across the board conclude it is a better buy than GTX 470

Best answer selected by Laxo.