[New Build] Looking for opinions

[amousecaledmicky]

So I'm updating my very outdated PC. Currently I have

Case - ENERMAX Uber Chakra ECA5001B

CPU - AMD Athlon 64 X2 7750 Kuma 2.7GHz

GPU - SAPPHIRE 100225L Radeon HD 3870 512MB

RAM - OCZ Gold 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800
+ OCZ Gold GX XTC 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800

Mobo - Foxconn A7DA-S AM2+/AM2 AMD 790GX

PSU - Rosewill Stallion Series RD500-2SB 500W ATX12V v2.2

Windows XP


I do a lot with my PC. I currently run 2 monitors at 1920 * 1080, do a lot of gaming (FFXIV, League of Legends, Bloodline Champions, Assassin's Creed) and plan on buying more newer games. I'm looking to mess around with some animating software as a potential career / hobby. I'd also consider running a 3rd monitor for that fancy new thing they are doing with 3 screens.

I have a Windows 7 disc, but decided to upgrade after buying it, so I've held off installing it till after i'm done upgrading.

I just installed an ATI 6950, so i'll be building my rig around that. I'd really like to keep the same case as it hasn't done me wrong yet =).

The major thing I'm looking for is what CPU to get that won't have any bottlenecks. I tend to be a bit of an AMD fanboy as I've always liked the underdog, but i'm not locked into anything. I'd also like to potentially upgrade to a second 6950 later down the line, so a CPU that's bottle necked a bit for now, but will shine with a second GPU is a possibility.

If possible i'd like to keep my PSU if it won't cause any problems, and then update it with the second GPU, but not a huge deal.

I also don't have a SSD, which is something i'd consider adding with the rig for a performance boost.

Looking to spend around 1000$ for the rest of the build. But if there is an awesome upgrade for an extra 100$ it's something I'd consider.

 

[banthracis]

You can't use MOBO or RAM in a new build.

You really shouldn't use that case in a new build.

And you definitely shouldn't use that PSU in a new build.

If you're gaming with 3 1080p monitors with eyecandy on, you'd need something like 3 GTX 580's before even an Athlon II processor becomes a bottleneck.

That said, AM3 is currently a dead socket, with bulldozer and AM3+ supposedly coming out around aprill.

1156, 1366 are also due to be replaced this year. Technically 1156 was already replaced, but thanks to recall, it's been effectively pushed back to april as well.

My rec is to wait until April and then come back to see what your options are. 3rd gen SSD's should also be out around then.

 

[batuchka]

Hmm Rosewill makes some good PSUs but the stallion series and a HD 6950 i would think that's pushing it so

1. PSU upgrade (your mobo is CFable)
http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/motherboards/detail_spec.aspx?ID=en-us0000402#
2. Update BIOS + $99 Deneb 920 + OC
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7026019
3. CM Hyper 212+ HSF for #2?

 

[MadAdmiral]

I assume you can wait a month or so. That's when Sandy Bridge (Intel's amazingly powerful new series) is due to be re-released. There was an issue with the motherboards' SATA ports degrading over time. I highly recommend waiting for them to come back out, as the new CPUs are easily 50-100% more powerful than anything AMD has.

Here's what I'd look at:

CPU: i7-2600K $330
Mobo: ASRock P67 Extreme4 $150ish (or the equivalent when re-released)
RAM: G.Skill Sniper 2x4 GB 1600 mhz CAS Latency 9 $100
HDD: Samsung Spinpoint F3 1 TB $65
PSU: Corsair 850W $110 after rebate
Case: HAF 932 $120. I know you didn't want another one, but that Enermax one doesn't look like it's the best quality, and the added expense isn't much.
Optical: Cheapest SATA DVD burner you can find. Under $20

Total: $895

A SSD isn't going to do much for you, and they're still really expensive. I wouldn't want anything smaller than 120 GB, and they're still $200+. Also, the next refresh of SSDs is due out somewhat soon, so I'd wait until that happens to consider one.

 

[amousecaledmicky]

Thanks for your help so far guys!

Not sure if it matters or not, but I do a lot of screen capture while playing (replays, fraps etc.) would this be more CPU, RAM, or GPU intensive?

 

[batuchka]

For a mainly gaming rig of course the GPU

The Game Rundown: Finding CPU/GPU Bottlenecks, Part 2
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/game-performance-bottleneck,2738-16.html

Conclusion: A Trend Toward 3+ Cores

The average optimal number of CPU cores suggested by the test results is 2.75, showing a clear trend towards at least three CPU cores.The question of whether the CPU or GPU is most important is easily answered. If you don't have a multi-core CPU, then upgrade it. If you have a dual-core CPU at around 3 GHz, then invest your money into a graphics card, as most games are GPU-limited. This is not something that will change with new DirectX 11 games.

 

[amousecaledmicky]

I upgraded to a 6950 and got no improvement over my 3870. Also only running 3gbs of 800MHZ DDR2 ram.

If the GPU's are that similar i want my money back...

 

[batuchka]

Nope a HD 6950 is vastly more powerful than a 3870 ^^ A Kuma X2 paired with that card and depending on game though......

 

[NuclearShadow]

I upgraded to a 6950 and got no improvement over my 3870. Also only running 3gbs of 800MHZ DDR2 ram.

If the GPU's are that similar i want my money back...

This is 100% not the case. This is likely due to a CPU bottleneck that you are experiencing the new rig you are building will solve that problem.

 

[amousecaledmicky]

my response was in reply to

The average optimal number of CPU cores suggested by the test results is 2.75, showing a clear trend towards at least three CPU cores.The question of whether the CPU or GPU is most important is easily answered. If you don't have a multi-core CPU, then upgrade it. If you have a dual-core CPU at around 3 GHz, then invest your money into a graphics card, as most games are GPU-limited. This is not something that will change with new DirectX 11 games.

 

[AstroTC]

try not to be a smartass when people that clearly know what they are talking about are trying to help you...

 

[amousecaledmicky]

i may have been a bit sarcastic, but i wasn't really trying to be a smart ass...

someone posted that the GPU is the most important to upgrade, i upgraded that to no avail.

someone else posted something, and i explained that my post wasn't to that, but to something else...

I really intended no bad blood, just trying to sort out facts... if my humor came off as "off color" I apologize... i do tend to have a weird sense of humor...

 

[batuchka]

This is CPU scaling real word 1920 x 1080 very high/ultra on somewhat CPU intensive games which leverage on >2 cores on a less powerful GTX 460

The Kuma X2 is merely placed in between the E2140 and Regor 245....

 

[amousecaledmicky]

This is CPU scaling real word 1920 x 1080 very high/ultra on somewhat CPU intensive games which leverage on >2 cores on a less powerful GTX 460

The Kuma X2 is merely placed in between the E2140 and Regor 245....

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q205/batuchka/FC2-1920-497x580.jpg
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q205/batuchka/HawX-1920-484x580.jpg

Seems like the GPU is the bottle neck when paired with higher CPU's.

A chart that showed a higher end GPU with those same CPU's would be a really nice comparison to see how the scores changed when a different GPU is introduced.

 

[batuchka]

Having actually built with Kuma X2s in '07/08 i wouldn't advise peeps running anything higher than HD 4870/GTX 260 back in the day and while a 768M GTX 460 is miles better than those a HD 6950 absolutely murders em lol