AMD Based Gaming Machine Feedback (Sub $1000)

[the123guy]

Approximate Purchase Date: Mid December
Budget: $1000 (this includes the monitor)
System usage: Gaming
Parts not required: keyboard, mouse, speakers, OS
Preferred website for parts: Newegg
Parts preference: AMD CPU
Overclocking: No
Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080
Additional Comments: The entire build was based off the CPU. It was cheaper and had a higher base clock speed than the i5-750. This PC will be primarily used for gaming. I want to keep the build under $1000 (including the monitor). Please suggest changes that will either improve performance and/or reduce price (also if there might be compatibility issues with each other).

 

[Outlander_04]

You dont need a 750 watt psu for that computer . 650 is overkill so if one is cheaper then get it

the 5770 is marginal for a 1080p monitor .
And the cpu more powerful than you need

Id probably use a 740 X3 processor and a mb based on an 880g or 870 chipset . That combined with the savings from a cheaper PSU will probably give you enough to install a much more powerful 6850 or possibly 6870
That will be a better gaming experience since the graphics card will be the limit to your gaming , not the cpu

The samsung F3 1gig hard drive is faster

I like your case , but its an older design with smaller fans .
Modern pc's make heat and a case like the antec 300 is a better option IMO

 

[Niklas_13]

maybe a build like this one.




SAMSUNG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner Black IDE Model SH-S222L LightScribe Support - OEM
Item #: N82E16827151176
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
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$19.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151176


Antec Three Hundred Illusion Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Item #: N82E16811129066
Return Policy: Limited Replacement Only Return Policy
$69.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066


ASUS VE246H Black 24" Full HD HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor w/Speakers
Item #: N82E16824236082
Return Policy: Monitor Standard Return Policy
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-$30.00 Instant $239.99
$209.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236082


SAPPHIRE Toxic 100315TXSR Radeon HD 6850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with ...
Item #: N82E16814102912
Return Policy: VGA Standard Return Policy
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$209.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102912


G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL7D-4GBRM
Item #: N82E16820231303
Return Policy: Memory Standard Return Policy
$84.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231303



AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Deneb 3.2GHz Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor HDZ955FBGMBOX
Item #: N82E16819103808
Return Policy: CPU Replacement Only Return Policy
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ASUS M4A89GTD PRO AM3 AMD 890GX SATA 6Gb/s HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard
Item #: N82E16813131633
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
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-$5.00 Instant
-$35.00 Combo $293.98
$253.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.552990



CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 ...
Item #: N82E16817139005
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Item #: N82E16822152185
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
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-$30.00 Instant
-$10.00 Combo
$10.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
$189.98
$149.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.556746
Subtotal: $998.91

Or the EVGA 460 1 gig FTW looks good in benchmarks @ 1080

 

[brandoncatz]

If it's for gaming, I would do like both other replies mentioned and get the Samsung F3 1tb. Newegg has it for almost 20 dollars cheaper than the WD Black 1tb. Save $12 by going with the 955. Only difference, I believe, is about 200mhz, which you should be able to recover by upping the multiplier. If you can save a few dollars on the psu, I would put the savings from that, the hdd and the cpu toward a better video card... maybe a 460, 5850 or one of the 6000 series cards. Since this rig is for gaming, it would be worth it. I've got the 23" version of that monitor (VH232H) and it is nice. Good choice, good price.

 

[the123guy]

I made some changes. I went with the Phenom II X3 and mobo suggestion from the 1st reply. Also took the case and graphics card advice and went with the Antec 300 and Radeon HD 6850. I am only unsure about the HD and the power supply.

AMD Phenom II X3 740 Black Edition Heka 3.0GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Desktop Processor HDZ740WFK3DGI
Price: $88.99

ASUS M4A88TD-V EVO/USB3 AM3 AMD 880G SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard
Price: $119.99

MSI R6850-PM2D1GD5 Radeon HD 6850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
Price: $204.99

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3
Price: $69.99

Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
Price: $89.99

ASUS Black 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 24X DVD Burner
Price: $19.99

Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower
Price: $59.95

CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC
Price: $89.99

Total: $954.85 (heat sink and thermal paste not shown)

The price itself is not much different from the original cost. Please review again and make suggestions.

 

[aznshinobi]

^ Great choice. You may want to rethink the mother board though and might I add a PSU suggestion. As well as a hard drive suggestion.

In benchmarks and all real life apps. SATA 6 vs SATA 3, there really is no huge difference, noticeable to the human eye. The WD Black SATA 6's got the revised WD 500gb platter size and other cache size changes. But the best budget oriented HDD is the Samsung F3 1TB. At 70$ you can't go wrong. It has everything the new WD Blacks have cept SATA 6 (which really doesn't matter) the read/writes are great, in RAID even better. Plus the Platter size is already 500gb. You should look into that.

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

Love the CPU choice by the way, might consider unlocking, here's a guide: http://www.overclock.net/amd-cpus/535501-amd-phenom-ii-core-unlocking-guide.html

 

[aznshinobi]

Split it into 2 posts for easier read. Umm as for the MOBO, as good as Asus is, they overprice things. Alot. That mobo if you ever CF only runs 16x/4x. Which isn't terrible. But 8x/8x or 16x/8x would be faster. Also that motherboard offers all the functions of a 100$ mobo for 20$ more. Here is a suggestion.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157198&cm_re=Asrock_870_extreme3-_-13-157-198-_-Product

The other thing I mentioned is PSU. Yes yours is good, but the Antec 300 doesn't have cable management holes. You may want to invest in a modular PSU. Cooler Master has the Silent Pro series that is great. Modular, quiet, and I got the rebate Umm The 700w ver. is 80+ certified like your corsair, but modular and at the same price.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171037&Tpk=700%20silent%20pro

EDIT: Another thing is, if you want to save 15$. I suggest you change your GPU choice. The 6850 is good, but the model you chose is kind of expensive. Plus it doesn't even perform as well as the DirectCu model which is 15$ cheaper than it. Great OCer, great cooler, plus voltage tweaking!

Asus 6850 DirectCu: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121399
Review: http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ASUS/Radeon_HD_6850_Direct_Cu/31.html

 

[the123guy]

Best answer selected by the123guy.