First Gaming Build Feedback

[HunterB1488]

I use this site alot, but just now made an account to post this question about my first build.

I have a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, but I'm starting from scratch with everything else.

My original plan was to shoot for right around $1000, and get a nice gaming PC that will last me a little while, but this ended up being around $1100 which is ok because I decided to go a little extra on a few components

Before spendin all that dough though I thought I'd get some feedback on the parts I chose, things to change, things that could be cheaper, things that I should probably spend a little more on to get a better value, whatever.

Alright here's what I ended up with



CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 955 (planning on overclocking at least moderately)

Motherboard: Biostar TA890fxe AM3

Decided to try and save some money by skipping the USB 3.0, I'm not in that much of a rush to get it but thoughts on that would be appreciated

Also NewEgg has a nice combo deal on that Mobo and Processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.430451 for $270

GPU: ATI Radeon 5850 (probably XFX)
Just 1 for now, maybe Crossfire in a couple years

Combo deal with this and Windows 7 Home Premium for $385, save a little bit wherever I can
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.437534.14-150-477

Case: Cooler Master HAF 922 $90

Memory: 4GB Ripjaw DDR3 $100

PSU: XFX P1-650X-CAG9 650W $100 (this is one of the parts I'm least sure about)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207002

HDD: Western Digital Caviar Green 500GB $55
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136358

Heatsink and CPU Fan: Xigmatek Dark Knight CPU Cooler $45 (for overclocking the 955)

I'm looking into a wireless card too, but haven't settled on anything yet

This puts me around 1050-1100, so hit me with any thoughts you might have!



Also, all of these prices were from today on NewEgg, if you have any suggestions on where I could get something cheaper feel free to share

 

[hunter315]

Get the Samsung F3 rather than the Caviar green, it will be a lot faster for the same price
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152181&Tpk=F3%20500gb

If you want to crossfire down the line i suggest going for the 750W version, the XFX PSUs are all seasonic made and are all quite good so dont worry about that too much. I suggest this combo, it saves you a bit more and makes up for the price difference between the 650 and 750, and you can combo windows with your case.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.440276
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.437504.11-119-197

Which ripjaws kit are you considering?

 

[HunterB1488]

hmmm thanks for the suggestions, I'll definitely go with the Samsung

As for the PSU, ya I was wondering if 650 would be enough, thanks for finding those combos for me that'll help alot

The ripjaw is the G.SKILL Ripjaws Series, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277, but I haven't bought RAM in a long time so I'm not very familiar with brands anymore. I was mostly looking at specs and reading reviews

Looking at that version of the 5850 I had a question, some have the clock speed at 4GHZ while some say 4.0 Gbps

I'm sure it doesn't matter because it's all the same card but I was curious as to why they would write it differently

 

[ares1214]

this is a bit better, and a bit cheaper:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.441333

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.432131

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.437534.14-150-494

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.435630

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103046

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185

final price after mir's is 1025.90$ (60$ in mir's) several of the parts are just a bit better, and it is overall cheaper. heres a good adapter:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833166025

hope all this helped!

 

[asteldian]

XFX 5850 and AMD 955 - $424.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.432367

G Skill 1600mhz CL7 and Corsair 850W PSU - $199.98 (after rebate)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.432133

Samsung Spinpoint F3 500gb - $54.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152181&cm_re=samsung_spinpoint_f3-_-22-152-181-_-Product

Windows 7 and HAF 922 - $179.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.437504.11-119-197&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10446076&PID=3899435&SID=skim1402X558040

DVD Drive - $22 (any will do)


ASUS M4A89GTD PRO - $139.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131631&cm_re=ASUS_M4A89GTD_PRO-_-13-131-631-_-Product

Total: $1021.93

Plus the Dark Knight Cooler for $45 brings total to: $1066.93.

The mobo is USB3 and Sata 6gb/s, it has Crossfire at x8/x8 I believe (which is perfectly fine, any performance loss is negligable. The Biostar mobo you had picked I could not actually tell whether it ran at x16/x16 or x8/x8 the description was not very detailed.

You have a PSU with PLENTY of power so you can XFire and Overclock everything and still be all good.

 

[HunterB1488]

hey ares that first combo link won't work for me, so I'm not sure which MoBo you chose
same with the 5850 and 955 combo asteldian

Ares I like alot of those choices, but I'm not sure I like the thermaltake case as much as the 922,

And Astel, I was looking at that board before and opted to go with the biostar because it had 16/16 (I looked it up elsewhere and I think it's 16/4/16/1), but in any case ignoring that why'd you go with the ASUS over it? Just because of the USB 3.0 or other factors?

Also is 850W a bit overkill?

 

[ares1214]

the v9 is just as good as the HAF in most respects. better in some, worse in others. and the first combo was a shell shocker deal, it went away, pity, 50$ off combo. it might cost a bit more, but id get this combo instead:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.430450

or get a 890gx one.

 

[HunterB1488]

ahhh sad I missed it, ya I was hoping to stay a little lower for the motherboard, but I do really like that MSI because it has 16/16 usb 3.0 and SATA 6gb so I might throw in the extra $40 for it.

Only downside I read was there are a bunch of bios updates, which I suppose isn't too big of a deal

 

[HunterB1488]

and as for the haf 922 it's also partly an aesthetic thing, don't really like the look of the thermaltake as much

 

[HunterB1488]

Oh and I forgot to ask ares, why'd you choose that heatsink over the dark knight? It's only $5 cheaper and doesn't seem to be as good, unless I'm missing something

 

[ares1214]

based off what you have said, hows this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.430431

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.433224

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.437504.11-119-197

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.435630

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233029

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185

final price would be 1069.86$. imo, the other is better, but they are pretty much even.

 

[HunterB1488]

Thanks so much for all your help

Would you recommend that gigabyte over the msi? with the mail in rebate and the other combos it's a $40 difference overall, so if they're pretty much even I'd go with the Giga but if the difference is worth $40 I'd be happy to get the MSI

 

[ares1214]

MSI FTW! especially that board. yeah, if ur willing to spend it, get the MSI all the way lol, i have the 790fx version, and i LOVE it.

 

[HunterB1488]

I was kind of hoping you'd say that haha, it looks like an awesome board, but sometimes it's just not worth the price

Alright then I think I'll go with that setup using most of the combos you found, last question I have would be about the RAM that comes with the 5850 combo, should be good for my setup right?

 

[ares1214]

yeah, perfectly fine.

 

[HunterB1488]

Alright great, thanks alot