1st gaming PC build - comment/critique

timmybazza · Jul 21, 2010

Hi guys,

Im building a brand new pc from scratch for gaming. I just want critique/suggestions on it:

GPU: Gigabyte Radeon 5850 $369 (Going to Xfire later)

HARD DRIVE: WD Green 500GB SATA II $59

RAM: G-Skill Ripjaws F3-12800 DDR3 (2X2GB) $145

PSU: Coolermaster GX 750 $129

CPU COOLER: Zalman CNPS10X Performa $49

CASE: NZXT Tempest Case $99

OPTICAL DRIVE: Samsung SH-S223C SATA DVDRW Drive $29

OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit OEM $135

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 955 BE $189

MOBO: AsRock 890FX Deluxe3 $209

TOTAL: $1412

These prices are all in Aussie dollars and the site im getting them from is pccasegear.com If anyone can suggest a cheaper alternative/better site then i would appreciate it.

Thanks

ssddx · Jul 21, 2010

Please read the sticky about posting for build advice at the top of this section and include the missing details in your post. You left out links, budget information, what type of games you want to play and what else you will use the computer for.

Without this information.. a few things off the top of my head:

Personally I would use a different hard drive. I've heard samsung spinpoints recommended but I prefer westerndigital caviar blacks.

Check the power consumption on 2x 5850 cards. Is 750w on your power supply going to be enough? Search google for a calculator.

Do you need an aftermarket cpu cooler to start? AMD chips tend to run cooler than intel ones especially if you aren't planning on overclocking. You could put that money into the build if you want.

If you're spending almost $200 why go AMD at all? I used to be a fan except the i7 chips seem to be a better buy currently. If i remember correctly the i7-920 was around that price point.

Silvune · Jul 21, 2010

I would not recommend using a 'green' drive as a boot drive, as it is much slower than a performance drive, while only saving ~2 watts compared to a performance drive.

A system with two 5850s will barely use 500 watts under maximum furmark load, so a good 650w PSU will give plenty of headroom. The GX 750 is not the best choice as it cannot provide 600 watts or more when operating in 45C temps. As I've already said you're unlikely to be putting this PSU under that kind of strain, especially with a bottom mounted case, but I would go with something else, such as this: Silverstone Element ST75EF 750W, this would even be enough for two OCed 5850s. Here's a review of the PSU I'm recommending http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/840

Everything else looks fine to me and doesn't need changing or reconsidering. Obviously a decent i7-920 gaming system would not be in your budget.

ssddx · Jul 21, 2010

If he can get prices similar to what newegg offers (x1.1335 conv. to AUD) then an i7 based build could be arranged for the same budget if he chose to pursue that path. As long as the case isnt extravagant you could easily fit an i7-920 build with 4-6gb ram and a good video card into the build. This could include usb3.0, sataIII and triple channel ddr3 as well.

If he wants to just stick with an amd solution then yes it looks ok minus the slow hard drive.

Silvune · Jul 21, 2010

An i7-930 would cost him $70 more, the cheapest 1366 would be $30 more - $60 if he went for a quality one with USB3.0/SATA 6G, and $35 for the cheapest tri-channel set available on that website. $135 extra for absolutely no noticeable improvement in gaming performance, the i7-930 might be justified if he was going things that were processor dependant. It's not worth the extra expense in a gaming system, he'd be better off getting a 5870 which if he was actually going to spend $135 more he could afford: http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_933&products_id=14801

BTW OP get this RAM set instead: http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=186_538_913&products_id=13597 It has lower voltage, which means it'll run cooler, use less energy or you could tighten the timings to CAS7. And a bit cheaper, bonus.

timmybazza · Jul 22, 2010

I changed the PSU to a Corsair TX750, and im also going to OC the processor to ~4ghz. I chose AMD for the future, as they will hopefully make bulldozer AM3+ and the 1366 and 1156 boards are dead as the new intel boards etc are being released next year (?) I also changed the Hard drive to a sumsung F3 spinpoint 500gb at the same price. About the links i couldnt get them to work properly, and thats why they arent there. Thanks

Silvune · Jul 22, 2010

The TX750 is a good PSU, but not worth the extra cost over either the Silverstone I recommened earlier, or this one: Antec Truepower New TP750 80Plus Bronze Modular $150

You could also get the Corsair HX 650 as the 500watts mentioned above includes an OC on the CPU.

timmybazza · Jul 22, 2010

Heres the whole update (after reading the sticky

)

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: mid-late August

BUDGET RANGE: $1400 AUD

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: gaming

, surfing the net

, folding@home :l, work

timmybazza · Jul 22, 2010

also i intend to play COD MW2, TF2, Metro 2033 and BF BC2

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1st gaming PC build - comment/critique

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