5870 with SSD or 6950 with out SSD or 5870 with X4 955 phenom

[belezeebub]

I am helping my buddy finalize a build and with the 70 bucks price difference he could go with a 5870 with an SSD or a 6950 with out one, he wants to be under 850 after rebates with shipping.
Could also go 5870 with X4 955

I am posting for him because his computer went belly up two weeks ago, like me he Plays Eq2 and might play Surpreme Commander and Diable 3 when it comes out.





Finalized parts list to be ordered Friday please could use your input before then..anyone one have issues with the parts speak now, or I will forever hear him whine.


Qty. Product Description Savings Total Price

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory
$84.99

ASUS 24X DVD Burner - Bulk Black SATA Model DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS

Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" SATA 6.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

AMD Athlon II X3 455 3.3GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Desktop Processor

Asus ML228H 21.5" Full HD LED BackLight LED Monitor Slim Design
$159.99

SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 6950 100312SR Video Card with Eyefinity
$276.99

ASRock ATX AMD Motherboard
$79.99

OCZ StealthXstream II OCZ600SXS2 600W Power Supply
NZXT M59 - 001BK Black Computer Case
$98.98
Grand Total: $823 with Shipping after all rebates

 

[WR2]

Does he have any parts he can bring forward in the the new build?

 

[belezeebub]

Nada he just moved out of his parents house is working as C jr. and this will be his first computer he purcchased he used to use his parents. what he was using was something he got free on Craigslist. nothing in it worth moving over.

 

[rvd89]

5870 with SSD.

 

[dalauder]

Do you have a Micro Center nearby? Also, but the hard drive I recommend immediately (or even by 3 of them) because it's on sale on Newegg now until Thursday. Leave the 2GB flash drive off of the build--it's not part of it. And 6.99 is a 4GB flash drive price.

CPU: $140 PII x4 955BE
Mobo: $90 ASRock 870 Extreme 3
RAM: $75 G.Skill 8 (2x4GB) DDR3
HDD: $55 Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB
Graphics: $260 Radeon HD 6950 2GB (or save $20 with a 5870)
Case: $70 Antec 300 Illusion (or something $30 cheaper)
PSU: $80 750W something (Corsair, Antec, Silverstone, Seasonic, XFX, or more expensive. You can check johnnyguru reviews)
DVD: $17 cheapest SATA DVD burner on Newegg.com
Monitor: $130 Whatever 22" LCD Tiger Direct has.

There, $917 and it has all the parts (your build left a few off). You'll have to double check that the case can fit the graphics card though.

Use his old DVD drive and save $17. And the G.Skill's: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231314
Antec 750W PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371025
XFX 6950: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150518&cm_re=6950_2gb-_-14-150-518-_-Product

In case you were wondering...
Don't get a Phenom II x6 unless you do hardcore video editing.
Skip the SSD. At your budget, it's not worth it. Wait until Black Friday.

 

[belezeebub]

The Thumb drive is free with purchase of that combo, and after rebates my build is 823 with shipping which is un his budget range of 850MAX, I am surprised with all the buzz about SSD only one person has suggested to step down one video card level and get one. I am confused I don't see my build leaving anything out maybe I need new glassess.

 

[banscare]

5870 with SSD.

 

[Wisecracker]

The Asus M4A79XTD EVO 790X deserves consideration at your mobo price point.

 

[belezeebub]

http://i716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/Back_at_the_Ranch/AMD Overlords/hd6950-powerup.jpg

The Asus M4A79XTD EVO 790X deserves consideration at your mobo price point.

the 790X doesn't support core unlocking and it 10 bucks more but I will ask him to consider it.

 

[xerxces]

Here is my newest build and it was about 900.

AMD 955
Biostar 890 FXE
Sapphire 5750, ALso just bought a 5770 and CF it.
Azza 850w PSU
4 GB Tracer Ballistix
NZXT Mid Case
Coolmaster Fan x 1

I already had an old HD and DVD Drive but you can get them pretty cheap now a days.

 

[dalauder]

DO NOT get a 5750--it is pretty weak--especially for a 955 and an 850W PSU. Also, get a PSU from a reputable manufactuer, not Azza--unless it's Johnnyguru recommended.

I didn't suggest a Solid State Drive because it is not worth skimping on graphics for one if you plan on playing games. And quite frankly, if you have the hardware, you will play the games.

And in case you missed it--my build is $850 if you reuse the DVD, get the Radeon 5870, and get a $40 case instead of a fancy one.

Not to mention that your build left off a case, I think used a 1GB 6950, got a WD Black to throw money away, didn't specify the motherboard, and got a mediocre PSU. Considering he's including a monitor, we're should not even talk about SSD's in a $700 build. It's ludicrous.

 

[belezeebub]

My build didn't leave off a case its a combo PS and Case for 100 bucks, I have been racking my brain trying to get this kid the best can can afford if he jsut had a little more he could get XXX is driving me nutz, I am already giving him my old razor mouse and G9 Keyboard and his old system doesn't have a DVD it is a PATA CD (not even a CDR) hardly worth moving over for 20 bucks

the Video cards on the block as a 5870 or a 6950 hardly ones I would consider junk


OCZ StealthXstream II OCZ600SXS2 600W Power Supply
NZXT M59 - 001BK Black Computer Case
$98.98

 

[dalauder]

I'm sorry, I was too harsh. The only things that really mattered were a 2GB Radeon, the Samsung instead of the WD Black, and the PSU. OCZ PSU's aren't consistent so I don't recommend them. I'd only recommend an OCZ if that model specifically had a good johnnyguru review.

 

[xerxces]

My 5750 and 5770 in CF are producing pretty good scores. 140fps in COD BO and aobut 30 in Metro 2033 maxed out, DX 11, 1080p. As far as the PSU goes, I am very happy with my AZZA. It it is crossfire/sli ready and it has not given me any problems and costs less. $59 after rebate. It has a year warranty so even if it lasts a year, that is not bad.

 

[belezeebub]

All Soap Boxing aside lets get down to brass tacks

6950 2gb with a Rana x3 Vs. 5870 1Gb with X4 955 Vs. 5870 1gb with rana X3 and SSD

its a 1080 Monitor

Total cost WITH shipping can't be more then 900 (850 is better) and there is nothing to be recovered from his OLD PC not even going to have him send it to me to try.

which is going to Play Surpreme Commander Diablo 3 and Eq2 the best

 

[xerxces]

I would not get the SSD. The prices are goig to drop on them in the near future. Right now, they are overpriced unless you get a really good deal. Waiting a few extra seconds for things to load vs a much better GPU is a no brainer for me.

 

[xerxces]

What other CPU would you get with the other card?

 

[belezeebub]

Would the speed increase given by the SSD be better then the over all increase of the faster proc as for 5870 vs 6950 less then 10% difference in most tests its the 2gb that would be important IMHO

 

[belezeebub]

What other CPU would you get with the other card?

Option 1 Rana x3 with 6950

Option 2 X4 945/955 with 5870

Option 3 Rana X3 with 5870 and SSD

basically if he drops back one GPU level he can get a Faster CPU or a SSD he can't get both.

 

[dalauder]

I stand firm on buying an SSD in a $700 build is outrageous and will negatively impact more important components you can afford such as GPU and CPU.

I still think you can get these and meet your budget.
$90 Antec 750W PSU (for future Crossfire): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371025
$140: Phenom II x4 955
$250 AR HIS 6950 2GB: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161355
$90 ASRock 870 Extreme 3
$75 G.Skill 8 (2x4GB) DDR3 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx
$55 Case w/free shipping
DVD: $17 cheapest SATA DVD burner on Newegg.com
Monitor: $130

Total: $847

Use your old hard drive. Then you buy a Hard Drive (Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB) when you can afford it and use Easeus's free Disk Copy (http://www.easeus.com/disk-copy/download.htm) to clone your existing hard drive to the start of the Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB. I did that a couple weeks ago on a build for work. Then your OS is automatically on a new partition at the start of the drive and you keep all your data.

You're trying to upgrade without enough money for a full awesome build--so wait on whatever won't make a difference in the quality of your games.

 

[xerxces]

I would go with the 945/955. Over all increase would be good with ssd, but the capacity of it would hamper things. Also, the increase from the x3 to a 955 would be quite a bit. That is the best route, in my opinion.

 

[mosox]

4G of RAM is enough for gaming, get 2x2G.

 

[dalauder]

4GB is enough, but he won't be able to upgrade to 8GB and still run dual channel if he gets a second 6950 2GB. And you'll want 8GB or RAM if you have two 2GB video cards.

It's 8GB RAM or the HDD. But no one will immediately notice the HDD. In two years or even four, he'll wish he got the good CPU, good RAM, and good GPU. Those won't get swapped out for a newer replacement. The HDD will.

 

[belezeebub]

Maybe I can adjust the parts list and get a 6950 with the X4 945 not sure let me look for coupons and deals, what about the X4 645 its a reasonablly prices chip? he would like to keep the 8gb so it might not be possible

 

[belezeebub]

I stand firm on buying an SSD in a $700 build is outrageous and will negatively impact more important components you can afford such as GPU and CPU.


Use your old hard drive.
You're trying to upgrade without enough money for a full awesome build--so wait on whatever won't make a difference in the quality of your games.

He has no OLD hard drive its a 120Gb PATA Drive and I wouldn't use that if he paid me too