New AMD Gaming Build $750

[atypicallemon]

Would like some advice on my new build old comp just quit now trying to game on a laptop.

Approximate Purchase Date: February 4th, 2011

Budget Range: 750- 800 max

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming wow, fpsers, dc universe, crysis

Parts Not Required: Keyboard, mouse, OS, Monitor (considering upgrade though)

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg, but will consider any others if I can beat their prices

Country of Origin: United States

Parts Preferences: AMD processor, Nvidia graphics (not too solid on this though just what I have always used, not sure what the big differences other than price there are)

Overclocking: Maybe depends on if I need to or feel the urge to see what it will do

SLI or Crossfire: Yes would like the board at least to be x8x8 will be buying another vid card in March

Monitor Resolution: 1280x1024 can run currently but want higher with new build after I get new monitor. Currentlyh ave an ACER 19in standard not widescreen

Additional Comments: Needs to last, can't sound like a jet engine but a moderate hum is acceptable i can turn the volume up.

Case/PSU: Thermaltake Armor A90 Black Steel / Plastic Gaming ATX Mid-Tower Computer Case VL98521W2U w/ 850W W0319RU Modular Power Supply $149.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133177

MOBO: ASUS M4N98TD EVO AM3 NVIDIA nForce 980a SLI ATX AMD Motherboard $139.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131636

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Deneb 3.2GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor HDZ955FBGMBOX $144.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103808

GPU:EVGA 01G-P3-1366-TR GeForce GTX 460 SE (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card. $159.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130591

RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL9D-8GBRL $89.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231311

HDD: Western Digital Caviar Black WD5002AALX 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136795
Total before shipping: $744.94

Any help on either lowering the price or getting better quality would be greatly appreciated. Ran into a brick wall making this thing any better for the price point. Also am going to get a CM Hyper 212+ but don't put it in the price.

 

[atypicallemon]

Don't know much about intel but if I could get something better for the price I guess I'll build it instead.Keep reading good reviews about sandy bridges but don't want to blow the budget either. Was also looking at ATI radeon how comparable are they to the geforces? Can't find benchmarks for the 6000 series on this website to see what Tom shows for their stats.

 

[Hastibe]

AnandTech (www.anandtech.com/tag/gpus) is a pretty good site to check out for benchmarks, when Tom's doesn't have what you need, so you might check there.

My first build had a GeForce Ti 4200, which I loved, and I just put together a new budget gaming rig about 11 months ago, and was pretty set on Nvidia, but ended up going with a Radeon HD 5770, because it seemed ATI's prices for performance were just better. So, I definitely would try to find some benchmarks/reviews of the ATI GPUs in your price-range, and see how they stack up to Nvidia's.

 

[Hastibe]

Also, you link for your HDD links to RAM... I presume that you aren't actually going to try to buy 8GB of RAM for your hard drive, right?

 

[atypicallemon]

I was looking and am currently thinking of getting the 6850 after seeing benchmarks against the 460 i think im going to go with it ASUS EAH6850 DC/2DIS/1GD5/V2 Radeon HD 6850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121419&cm_re=radeon_6850-_-14-121-419-_-Product $179.99 . but now my question is am i going to have compatability issues with is being sli mode board running in the future crossfire?

 

[Outlander_04]

Right now Intels sandybridge chips are so far ahead its worth seeing if you can work a build around the 2500K processor .

AMD have bulldozer replacing Phenom in a few months as well so you are buying the last of the phenoms

Also the board you linked to does not support SLI . No AMD chipset boards do

 

[atypicallemon]

Hastibe fixed hdd link Outlander any links to decent SB builds?

 

[atypicallemon]

Is there going to be a major difference if i just put a 6850 in it between http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115073 and http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072 besides the $20???

 

[Hastibe]

The 2005K allows for:

Fully Unlocked Flexibility and Freedom
With its fully unlocked multiplier, the Intel Core i5-2500K processor allows full control over the processor core/turbo and DDR3 ratios as well as power and current limits for the best possible overclocking results. It also allows for processor graphics overclocking for improved 3D performance. Intel’s cutting-edge 32nm micro-architecture with 2nd gen Hi-K+ metal gate process delivers the 2nd generation Intel Core processors with higher performance at lower power, thus better overclocking capability. (Intel P67 Express Chipset required for core and memory overclocking, and Intel H67 Express Chipset required for graphics overclocking.)

So, do you want to tweak and overclock things? If that's something you're into or that makes you excited, I'd get this one, if it's something you'd rather or normally never bother with, I'd probably get the other.

Hope that's helpful...!

 

[atypicallemon]

The only thing i can tell differently between the two is its onboard graphics between the 2000 and 3000 series but if i am running a 6850 is it going to matter which onboard vid chip it has in it?

NVM I see the diff 2500 vs 2500k didnt see that the first time

 

[Hastibe]

Wait, are you talking about the motherboard or the CPU? I'm confused...

 

[atypicallemon]

cpus that i linked above dont think that there is a mobo listed

 

[Why_Me]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.585992 Combo Discount: -$20.00 Combo Price: $129.98 $20.00 Mail-In Rebate Price After Mail-In Rebate(s): $109.98
COOLER MASTER HAF 912 RC-912-KKN1 Black SECC/ ABS Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
COOLER MASTER GX Series RS750-ACAAE3-US 750W ATX12V v2.31 SLI Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.589701 Combo Discount: -$10.00 Combo Price: $329.98 $10.00 Mail-In Rebate Price After Mail-In Rebate(s): $319.98
MSI P67A-GD53 LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
MSI N460GTX -M2D1GD5/OC GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072 $224.99 FREE SHIPPING
Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231274 $42.99 FREE SHIPPING
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL9D-4GBRL

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185 $69.99 $15 off with promo code HARDOCP112C, ends 1/19 FREE SHIPPING
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106335 $21.99 FREE SHIPPING
LITE-ON 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 Writer LightScribe Support

Total: $789.92 *not including rebates, shipping, etc..

 

[atypicallemon]

Best answer selected by atypicallemon.