Gaming Rig Compatability Check

[Heir]

Hey, I'm buying my new gaming rig this week so I have come up with 2 builds and now I wonder if the parts I have chosen are compatible with each other. My budget is $1500.

My first pick was
Intel Core i7 860 Quad-Core Socket LGA1156, 2.80Ghz, 8MB L3 Cache, 45nm (Retail Boxed)
(BX80605I7860)
and
Asus P7P55D-E PRO Socket 1156 Intel P55 Chipset CrossFireX & SLI Dual-Channel DDR3 2200/1600/1333/1066Mhz GigaLAN 8-Ch HD Audio 2 x PCI Express 2.0 x16 Slots 2x SATA 6.0 Gb/s+7xSATA 3.0 Gb/s Ports 2x USB 3.0+12x USB 2.0 Ports ATX
and
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series DDR3 1600MHz (PC3-12800) 4GB (2x2GB) Dual Channel Kit (F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL)

These = 589

My second was
Intel Core i7 930 Quad-Core Socket LGA1366, 2.8Ghz, 4.8GT/s QPI, 8MB L3 Cache, 45nm (Retail Boxed) (BX80601930)
and
Asus P6T Socket 1366 Intel X58 + ICH10R Chipset CrossfireX / 3-Way SLI Triple-Channel DDR3 2000/1800/1600(O.C,)/1333/1066Mhz 3x PCI-Express 2.0 x16 Dual GigaLAN 8-CH HD Audio 6x SATA 3.0Gb/s
and
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series DDR3 1600MHz (PC3-12800) 6GB (3x2GB) Triple Channel Kit (F3-12800CL8T-6GBRM)
These = 685


The two builds share all these parts

XFX ATI Radeon HD 5870 Black (HD-587X-ZNFV) ATI Radeon HD 5870 Chipset (850Mhz) 1GB (4800Mhz) DDR5 HDMI/Dual-Link DVI/Display Port PCI-Express 2.1 Graphics Card
Corsair TX Series CMPSU-850TX 850W ATX 12V 60A 24PIN ATX Power Supply Active PFC 120MM Fan
ooler Master HAF 922 Mid Tower ATX Case (RC-922M-KKN1-GP)
Western Digital Caviar Black (WD1002FAEX) 1000GB (1TB) SATA3 7200RPM 64MB Cache (OEM)
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (OEM)

Total = 860


Can someone please tell me if theyre both compatible. If they are I think I would go with the i7 930. Thanks.

 

[MadAdmiral]

Compatible: Yes. Good choices: No. The i7s aren't the best choices for gaming, the i7-860 in particular. You spend a lot more money on the CPU, which won't help in game, which means a smaller GPU, which does matter.

You can get a much better gaming build for the money if you ditched Intel altogether. Here's what I would build with $1,500:


CPU/Mobo: X4 955 and Gigabyte GA-790XTA-UD4 $285 after rebate (with free game)
RAM/PSU: G.Skill Ripjaws 2x2 GB 1600 mhz CAS Latency 7 and Corsair 850W $190 after rebate
GPU: HD 5970 $700
HDD: Samung Spinpoint F3 1 TB $75. Just as fast as the WD, but much cheaper.
Case/OS: HAF 922 and Windows 7 $180
Optical: Cheap SATA DVD burner $19

Total: $1,449

If you absolutely won't ditch Intel, this would be better than either of the two builds you posted because it's cheaper and offers the same performance:

CPU/Mobo: i5-750 and Asus P7P55D-E Pro $360
RAM/PSU: G.Skill Ripjaws 2x2 GB 1600 mhz CAS Latency 7 and Corsair 850W $190 after rebate
GPU: HD 5870 $385 after rebate (with free game)
Rest is the same.

Total: $1,209

 

[Deleted member 217926]

Why did you give the i5 750 build a less powerful graphics card? Even with that MB/CPU combo the same GPU would only run him $50 more and there are always cheaper motherboards to save that $50.
We all know that if you overclock it the i5 750 destroys every chip AMD makes...and the i7 930 is a step above that! I am not sure how you reach the conclusion that AMD is better at a $1500 price point. I do agree that for a cheaper build AMD is the only way to go.

 

[MadAdmiral]

Because you can't afford the HD 5970 and the i5-750 for under $1,500 with Windows 7. Or at least doing that an maintaining quality.

I'm not saying AMD is better at a $1,500 price range. I'm saying it's better at a the $1,400 price range (the OS is $100).

Also, don't forget that Intel has announced the EOL dates for the LGA1156 and LGA1366 sockets. They're basically dead right now.

Here's the i5/5970 build

 

[Deleted member 217926]

Intel also just announced new processors/price cuts putting the i7 950 around the $300 level. Also the Gigabyte P55 UDx series with USB 3 and SATA 3 can be had for less than $150. Those boards are just fine unless you plan to Crossfire high end GPUs.
Those sockets are not too dead with new processors being released for them

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/hardware/2010/07/05/new-intel-6-core-cpu-due-mid-july/1

 

[MadAdmiral]

Yes, let's all rush out and buy an Intel chip because the price went down. Why'd the price drop? Because Intel decided to make them obsolete in under a year. I know when I drop $1,500 on a computer, I want it to be obsolete in less than a year...

The problem with Gigabyte's P55 USB 3 boards is that you can't have both USB 3/SATA III and Crossfire/SLI at the same time. That's why people avoid recommending them.

The Asus P7P55D-E Pro is literally the cheapest you can go without sacrificing either Crossfire or USB 3/SATA III. Either way, you lose a lot of future proofing potential.

Trust me, if you could get an i5, 5970, Windows, maintain quality and keep an upgrade path for under $1,500, I'd have recommended it as the most powerful build you could get.

EDIT: There may be A new CPU out for Intel's current sockets, but when you go to upgrade in 4-5 years, do you really want to be confined to technology that is 4-5 years old? If you built with AMD, you'd at least have something that's only a year or so old at that point, possibly something that's brand new, considering AMD's history of making past sockets and current CPUs compatible.

Also, that's an i7 (i.e. LGA1366) CPU. Which means it's completely out of budget. Forget the 5870, you'd be looking at the 5850 at that point.

 

[Deleted member 217926]

Seriously? You have ever upgraded in 4 to 5 years and kept even 1 part of your old computer in the new build? Even the DVD drive? And yes AMD has stayed compatible.....and they still can not build a chip that beats 4 year old Core 2 clock for clock. I am no fan boy either way but damn, saying LGA 1156 or 1366 is obsolete is crazy. They are the fastest things on the market and will be untill Intel introduces whatever their replacement is.......in a year or more. I go for whatever is the best in the budget range.

 

[MadAdmiral]

I'm not saying they're obsolete. I'm saying they will be soon.

As for AMD not going clock for clock, are you kidding me? AMD is consistently the best choice for gaming CPUs under $200. They're great for performance and great for their price.

I also go for what's best in the budget range. And the i5/5970 ISN'T IN THE BUDGET RANGE. It's out of budget. Again, since is the thrid post I've had to say it AN i5-750, HD 5970, WINDOWS, QUALITY PARTS, AND UPGRADE POTENTIAL WILL NOT FIT UNDER $1,500.

I'm not saying the i5/i7 are bad CPUs, I'm just saying they're expensive and unnecessary for a gaming build until you've afforded the best GPU money can buy.

 

[l4d]

Intel is recommended for those few who use mulitple 5970's or need lots of RAM and the strongest CPU to date.

 

[Deleted member 217926]

As for AMD not going clock for clock, are you kidding me

http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/2009-desktop-cpu-charts-update-1/compare,1396.html?prod%5B2607%5D=on&prod%5B2621%5D=on

Q9450 at 2.66 vs Phenom II x4 955 at 3.2 Intel chip has a 600mhz disadvantage.

http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/2009-desktop-cpu-charts-update-1/compare,1396.html?prod%5B2607%5D=on&prod%5B2620%5D=on

Q9550 at 2.8 vs Phenom II x4 955 at 3.2 Intel has only a 400mhz disadvantage.


Not sure where you are getting that the OP wants a 5970 either since he said 5870 in his post.

 

[MadAdmiral]

You realize you're still talking about comparing a $160 CPU to a $300 CPU right? Does it get twice the performance? No. Does it have an upgrade path? No. That makes the 955 vastly superior.

If you're a gamer, why wouldn't you want the best GPU on the market if you could fit it into the budget? OPs come into these forums saying a lot of things, but almost always change their mind once met with informed, logical reasons for changing their minds.

 

[Heir]

Well I'm wavering between the 750 and 930 and since im 13 and that the rig is a graduation gift I dont see myself buying another computer for the next 4-10 years. Later on I can possibly crossfirex my 5870 if I get the money in 2-3 years when I can get a job. And I dont plan on upgrading so the reason im crossfiring later on is so the 5870 will be much more affordable.