Entry Level Gaming Rig Needs Suggestions

Hello Sabrin;

For the same price as the open box MB you can get this Asrock with the preferred CrossfireX x8/x8 capability.
ASRock 870 EXTREME3 AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard $90 & free shipping CrossfireX mode: x8/x8
open box: ASUS M4A88T-V EVO/USB3 880G MB $83 & $7.87 shipping. CrossfireX mode: x16/x4

COOLER MASTER HAF 912 Mid Tower Computer Case & RAM combo deal $105 & $20 rebate
CORSAIR XMS3 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3 1600 RAM Model CMX4GX3M2A1600C9

Instead of your Diamond HD 6870 @ $220 a/r
I'd suggest this HIS HD 6870 $190 a/r & free shipping or XFX Radeon HD 5870 $200 a/r & free shipping

The HD 5870 is the better performer.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/3987/amds-radeon-6870-685...

Wait a few days and grab a SB based build. Asus boards started arriving on newegg today. This one is $897 based upon previous price offerings on newegg and provided huge performance increase over original build. It's also sized for addition of 2nd card in SLI (+ Case Fan) at a later date

Item Price Component

Case - $100 - Coolermaster HAF-922 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
Case Fans - Later - CM Red 200 mm http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
PSU - $100 - XFX 750 W Black Edition PSU http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
MoBo - $395 - ASUS P8P67 Pro http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...
CPU - incl above - Intel Core i5-2500K http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
Cooler - - Scythe SCMG 2100 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
TIM - - Shin Etsu http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
RAM - $40 - (2 x 2GB) Corsair CAS 9 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
GFX - $240 - Asus GTX 560 Ti http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
GFX - Later - Same
Game Free Just Cause 2 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
Game Free Mafia II As above
HD - - Spinpoint F3 1TB 7200 rpm http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...
DVD Writer - $22 - Asus 24X DRW-24B3L w/ LS http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Double up on the RAM if ya can squeeze another $37 .... The two free game coupons are worth $60 if ya wanna sell them.

Thanks guys!!

@WR2 - I will go ahead and switch that mobo and probably step down to the HIS 6870. Seeing as how Im only going to be running at 1440x900. That should be plenty of power for me.

@Jack - I can't tell if I want that SB build or not, it looks good, but the mobo/cpu combo isn't available anymore.

@ Sabrin
The CPUs are out and the motherboards are starting to come in.
There are some options out now. And we can work with you to make sure you don't bust your budget too.

Look over this THG article: Who's Got Game? Twelve Sub-$200 CPUs Compared

I'd love to know why these new Sandy Bridge cpu's that intel has released are going to be so much faster than the standard ones now   Because I would love one. Due to circumstances, I would love to be able to get everything but the gpu, for under 600$ (going to barrow my friends unused gts250 until i get more $$$)

Is it really going to be worth it just to wait for sandy bridge? Its that much faster?

Here is a CPU/MB/RAM core components for $340 available tonight:

Core i5-2400 Sandy Bridge 3.1GHz (3.4GHz Turbo Boost) Quad-Core CPU $195
BIOSTAR TH67+ H67 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Motherboard & RAM combo $145
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 4GB DDR3 1333 RAM

The unlocked and highly overclockable K models aren't included, and that H67 MB isn't intended for unlocked CPUs either.
But it helps keep the costs down and can be used to meet your $600 goal.
So go back and look at where the i5 2400 fell in that THG article

Theres too much thought that goes into a build   if its going to be to the likeing. Im not an enthusiast so im not going to be looking to overclock, BUT I would like the option to add another gpu in later. I may wait around and see if another ATX mobo comes out in the next two weeks that I can afford  

Thanks WR2

Best answer selected by Sabrin.

Actually..that Biostar H67 does have a 2nd video card slot.

The first slot runs @ x16 and the 2nd @ x4.
If you were to run a CFX or SLI setup with 2 cards you'd be sacrificing 10-15% in performance over the other most common option of x8/x8.

And the Biostar H67 would let you run HTPC type actions from your smart phone.

Eh, I guess I failed to mention earlier that I will not be buying this rig until the end of this month (stupid monthly salary.) I've just had that rig in mind since I got my job. Didn't mean to come off harsh (if I did)   Alot of help here, don't want to ruin it!!

No problem at all with that. It's a good chunk of change and you want to get it right.

Chances are they'll be other sales and combos to keep the prices really close.
And you'll have a better selection of MB choices.
I wasn't trying to rush you - just saying you could have ordered tonight.

Eh, Ive spent a good month looking up builds. I want to get performance. I want to get affordable. I want to get it upgradable. Lastly, I want to get it right the first time  

Its my first real build. Yea Ive made computers out of old parts laying around the house, but not off the market.

My rig as of now is as follows

Dell Optiplex gx620
Dell mobo w/ 1 pci-e slot
Nvidia 9500gt
Pentium 4 @ 3.0ghz (hyperthreaded)
4 gig of ddr2 ram
305w psu

Needless to say, I want an upgrade!!  

How much did that cost you, back in the day?

Oddly enough, got it all but the 9500gt out of the "junk pile" at work about a year ago. It was going to Atlanta to be recycled. I dug through it, came up with working parts   All but one of my rigs in the last 10 years have been that way. Time for a change    

But yes, Thanks to all who replied. I will be refreshing this thread right before I plan to buy the rig. Still thinking about the 560 or the 6870s!! Also about the SB combo's. Will keep a look out!!

Here is what I have. I went with the AMD/ATI build because of budget. Looks stout to me. Remember I have the OS and HD already  

ASRock 870 EXTREME3 AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard 89.99$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Deneb 3.2GHz 139.99$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

MASSCOOL G751 Shin-Etsu Thermal Interface Material
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Coolermaster Storm Scout 89.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Corsair 4gb (2 x 2gb) RAM 49.99$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Asus Dvd burner 17.99$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

XFX P1-650X-CAG9 650W ATX12V 2.2 / ESP12V 2.91 SLI 95.00$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

XFX Radeon HD 6870 HD-687A-ZNFC Video Card with Eyefinity 214.00$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Later--XFX Radeon HD 6870 HD-687A-ZNFC Video Card with Eyefinity 214.00$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Shin-Etsu Thermal Interface Material but no CPU cooler?
What's your plan for using that?

Thought it was like thermal compound, I suppose that already comes on the cpu. What cooler do you suggest?

That's solid.
I had to check that RAM in an AMD build but it's doing good for a lot of AMD owners.

It is high performance thermal compound. We usually see that with high performance coolers.
The stock AMD cooler has it's own thermal compound.

CM Hyper 212 Plus $30 is a great price for a good cooler.
It has it's own thermal compound in the accessory pack. That little tube in the lower left.

Thank you WR2, This build is excellent for the price!! Does everything I expected and more!!


Will someone please close this thread