$1400-$1500 Gaming/General Usage Build (Intel)

[ultimabeam]

Hi all,

I'm building a computer for a friend of mine for gaming and general use. I don't need an OS, mouse, or keyboard. Wanted to get a final check on choices/compatibility/value before I go ahead with the purchase.

It's worth mentioning that I have a preference for nVidia cards after struggling endlessly with driver issues on my current 5870. FU ATI.

CPU/Mobo: i7-950 and GIGABYTE GA-X58-USB3
RAM: G.SKILL PI 6GB DDR3 1600 CL6
GPUs: 2x Galaxy GTX 460 1GB (SLI)
PSU/HD: Corsair CMPSU-650TX and Spinpoint F3 1TB
Monitor: ASUS VH236H 23" LCD
Case: Antec Three Hundred
DVD-R: LITE-ON 24x DVD-R
HSF: COOLER MASTER Hyper 212+

It comes out to about $1435 after rebates.

My two concerns:

1) From what I've read, a 650W power supply should be more than sufficient to power SLI 460s, but if that's not the case I'd rather be safe than sorry.
2) Will everything fit in the case?

Thanks!

 

[vindictive]

if its just gaming then go i5 760 p55.
unless "general usage" means video encoding/editing/photoshop.

CPU: i5 760 2.8ghz - $209

Mobo: ASUS P7P55D-E LX - $120 (after MIR)

HD: Spinpoint f3 1tb - $70

Case: Same - $60

GPU: Evga GTX 580 Black Ops Edition - $520

PSU: XFX black edition 750W - $130

RAM: Mushkin Enhanced 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1333 Cas 8 - $80

OP: same - $25

Monitor: Same - $190

Cooler: Same - $30

total = $1434 before any combo's. (all off newegg.)

GTX 580 will own sli 460's.

 

[ultimabeam]

GTX 580 will own sli 460's.

Benchmarks seem pretty close: http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2118943
Plus does that card even fit in this case?

RAM: Mushkin Enhanced 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1333 Cas 8 - $80

Why DDR3 1333 over DDR3 1600?

PSU: XFX black edition 750W - $130

Can you explain your choice of PSU the cheaper Corsair CMPSU-750TX?


Just curious, thanks for your feedback.

 

[vindictive]

Benchmarks seem pretty close: http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2118943
Plus does that card even fit in this case?


Why DDR3 1333 over DDR3 1600?


Can you explain your choice of PSU the cheaper Corsair CMPSU-750TX?


Just curious, thanks for your feedback.

Case Spec: "Maximum video card size: 11"/279mm (Note: some video cards may block access to the adjacent hard drive bay)" 580 is 10.5"

Theres not much of a noticeable difference between 1333 and 1600. I'd rather get tighter timings. There is the exact same model DDR3 1600 Cas 8 for the same price, but the timings are a little slower.

Not modular.. I like modular, less mess in the case + improved airflow. the XFX Black Edition 750W got a 9.7 on jonnyguru and 10 on performance, only 4 psu's ever have gotten 10 on performance from him. http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story5&reid=184

As for the 580, its close.
here's a guy that went from SLI 460's to a 580.
"Alright so i got the card today had a busy day, just now got home i install the card didnt run into any problems first thing i did was to set the fan level to 100% im impress even at 100% is not that loud. So i ran 3D mark vantage my previous score with the SLI GTX 460 was 17,247 no i ran it with the GTX 580 new score is 21,671.. thats a very good increase the video card score by it self score is 20501, all i can say so far is that this card is worth every penny. i havent try any high end games yet i will do that tmw and post the result "

I highly recommend reading this thread, then making your decision based on your thougts http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/302487-33-tomshardware

 

[ultimabeam]

Thanks for the explanations.

New development: I can get an i7-950 from MicroCenter for $199. I can't pass that deal up.

Do you think the single 580 is worth the extra $140 over SLI 460's? If it's a question of value instead of budget, I mean. I think I can fit a 580 in on a $1500 budget, but if I can go $1360 and get 95% of the graphics performance I'm not sure a 580 is worth it.

 

[graemevermeulen]

Thanks for the explanations.

New development: I can get an i7-950 from MicroCenter for $199. I can't pass that deal up.

Do you think the single 580 is worth the extra $140 over SLI 460's? If it's a question of value instead of budget, I mean. I think I can fit a 580 in on a $1500 budget, but if I can go $1360 and get 95% of the graphics performance I'm not sure a 580 is worth it.

If I was you bud, I'd go for the GTX 460's because it's a better price/performance ratio.

The GTX 580 will perform better, but not by much. Not enough to justify a $140 premium.

 

[vindictive]

nah i've been looking around more, get the 460's.

Since the latest price drop on 6870's to $255 from $300 this would be my order of preference.
SLI 460's > CF 6870's > GTX 580
I Don't understand how the 460's sli are beating 6870's CF. >_<

 

[ultimabeam]

nah i've been looking around more, get the 460's.
http://benchmarkreviews.com/images/...TX580/Battlefield-Bad-Company-2_Benchmark.jpg
Since the latest price drop on 6870's to $255 from $300 this would be my order of preference.
SLI 460's > CF 6870's > GTX 580
I Don't understand how the 460's sli are beating 6870's CF. >_<

That's weird as hell -- in the anandtech link a few posts up, CF 6870s are beating SLI 460s in BFBC2 by 35FPS at 1920x1200...

 

[vindictive]

This was more what I was expecting I guess, even tho it doesn't show 460's SLI
http://www.guru3d.com/article/geforce-gtx-580-review/16

okay there we go, they have 1 review for sli gtx 580's. I flipped between the 2 reviews (same settings and games)
The 6870's CF get 79fps compared to one GTX 580 that gets 62 fps.

so buying to 6870's is the better deal unless you plan to SLI GTX 580's (which I can't afford haha)

I def don't trust that review from benchmarksreview.com

 

[vindictive]

here we go: this one was what I was expecting and shows all 3 in one place.

 

[ultimabeam]

Here's where I'm at:

$1345 after rebates.

For another $50, I can go with CF 6850s, which show about a 10% FPS improvement across 1920x1200 benchmarks. But I'm so meh on ATI cards after wrangling with drivers and BIOS on my GIGABYTE 5870 for so long. Thoughts?

SLI 470s or Crossfire 6870s take me just enough over budget that I'm ruling them out.

 

[vindictive]

heres a mobo/ram combo, Idk what the timings were on you ram.
But i like this mobo bettter, $35 combo discount. (just a preference I guess)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.558011

10% improvement seems like a good chunk to me.. the 6850 and 460 both OC very well too.
and ATI's driver were supposed to be better but its up to you, I havent had any of the new cards yet. I'm doing my build in December.

everything else looks good. but you want to get shin-etsu TIM for $5 for the hyper 212+

 

[ultimabeam]

heres a mobo/ram combo, Idk what the timings were on you ram.
But i like this mobo bettter, $35 combo discount. (just a preference I guess)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.558011

10% improvement seems like a good chunk to me.. the 6850 and 460 both OC very well too.
and ATI's driver were supposed to be better but its up to you, I havent had any of the new cards yet. I'm doing my build in December.

everything else looks good. but you want to get shin-etsu TIM for $5 for the hyper 212+

the G.SKILL PI I have picked out is 6-8-6-20(!)

I'm a little leery of 12% 1-egg reviews on the mobo.

I've heard good things about Shin-Etsu, thanks for reminding me i need thermal compound!

 

[vindictive]

very nice, keep your setup and add the shin-etsu then.
Goodluck with your build.