Gaming / CFD Build $1400 USD

[rxneng]

Morning everyone,


APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: 1-2 weeks

BUDGET RANGE: $1400 USD after rebates

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Gaming, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Movies, Folding

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Keyboard, Mouse, Speakers, Sound Card

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg, tigerdirect

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA

PARTS PREFERENCES: Thinking I'll go AMD / ATI this time around

OVERCLOCKING: Yes

SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Yes

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1920x1080

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: I'm after performance at a price. Would like it if the machine held up for a couple of years and then offered good upgradability.

-----Proposed Build-----

Case: Cooler Master HAF 922

Motherboard/PSU: ASUS Crosshair IV and CORSAIR TX Series 950W
This PSU offers a bit more oomph than I really need, but it's basically the same price as an 850W and is a nice combo deal.

CPU/GPU: AMD Phenom II X6 1055T and XFX Radeon HD 5870 (Cyprus XT)
Any thoughts on CFX 5870 vs SLI GTX 470? I've read until my eyes have bled about the GTX460 SLI, but I haven't seen much on the 470. I suppose I'm a bit hesitant to get a 5870 with the intention of CFX down the road because of the poor CFX performance (due to the poor drivers ATI have put out lately, a problem which may be remedied soon?).

Ram: G.SKILL 4gb (2x2gb) Ripjaws DDR3 1600
I'm not entirely certain of my ram choice.

CPU Cooler: Tuniq Tower 120 Extreme

HD: Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB

OD: Lite-on DVD Writer

Monitor: Asus 23" 1080p 2ms(GTG)

Total: $1414 before rebates, $1404 after.

 

[batuchka]

Hmm an ardent exponent of single GPU DIY systems:

Tower @ $948AR

Your LCD of choice @ $158AR
$1106AR Grand Total
At the rate tech moves, just upgrade to the next gen bang for buck single GPU solution for the games of tomorrow ^^ Just look at how Metro 2033 makes a mockery of very decent GPUs just a few months ago hehe

 

[rxneng]

Batuchka, I'm not completely sold on just replacing my 5870 with the best single card solution at the time. By the time I need to get that extra oomph out of my system the price of a 5870 will most likely have dropped and should give me a nice boost in performance (provided ATI produces some quality drivers). Want to try and convince me?

I've also played around with the system a bit, cutting the total cost AR to $1300+ 20 shipping. I switched out my case and ram from my original post to the combo you proposed. Also, I'm not sure what combo you've selected with your 5870, but my 5870+1055t comes out to $534.99 ($20 less than yours).

+158 for LCD Monitor AR = ~$1307

Factoring in the cheaper combo I've selected, my build comes out to $200 more than yours. I'm trying to outline the benefits to see if it's worth it at all, so please correct me if I make a mistake.

Motherboard +$120
+ Updated North Bridge
+ Slightly better onboard audio
+ Slightly better connectivity
+ Supports 3-way CFX (never going to use)
+ Avoid issues with I/O shield on the M4A87td EVO
+ ROG Connect would allow easy overclocking of my netbook
+ Looks cooler through my case's window (not really that important but, come on, it looks cool )

Verdict: Not worth it

PSU ~+60 (accounting for MIR)
+ 300 more watts, more future proof
+ Can support 2x 5870

Verdict: Worth it

CPU Cooler +30
+ Approx. double the air flow --> little bit less than double effectiveness

Verdict: Worth it

 

[rxneng]

I'm going to go ahead and assume that the lack of replies means that we're on the right track here!

I managed to shave another $50 off the build, so if anyone would like to double check to make sure everything looks good that'd be sweet. For the price of my motherboard I'm tempted to go i7-930 ($200 at the local micro center), but I think sticking to AM3 and upgrading to a new Bulldozer chip in a year or two is a better move.

Cheers,
Chris

 

[mosox]

I wouldn't bother with SLI/CF on a system that has such a powerful GPU.

Say you bought a GTX275 a year ago and a SLI mobo. That DX10 card is still going strong in the newer games so by the time you'll need a second one it will be completely obsolete compared to the ATI 6 series and NVidia 5 series that will be available. Probably that card will even be out of production by then.

Non CF mobo, GIGABYTE GA-870A-UD3:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128443

Or a cheaper CF mobo, GIGABYTE GA-890XA-UD3:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128438


850w is overkill even for CF but that combo comes with big discounts.