$1100 Sandy Bridge Gaming

March 28, 2011 8:05:54 PM

First time builder here! Found this forum the other day and thought I'd post my build so far. I'd like to build it in April. The parts with no cost are parts I own. Gaming > Web > Office > Other. Thanks for looking!

Will the video card fit in the case?
Would the case be too cramped for a future crossfire setup with the same GPU?
Is it worth buying the 2G version of the GPU to flash it to a 6970?
Are the 64MB Cache and SATA 6.0Gb/s specs on the HDD going to have any noticeable performance gains over a cheaper HDD?

Approximate Purchase Date: April

Budget Range: up to $1100

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming > Web > Office > Other

Parts Not Required: Listed below @ $0

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: no preference

Country of Origin: USA

Parts Preferences: built around a sandy bridge CPU

Overclocking: Compatible; In the future

SLI or Crossfire: Compatible; In the future

RAID: Compatible; In the future

Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080, maybe higher

Additional Comments: don't want it to sound like a lawn mower

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K
$225
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

GPU: 6950 2GB
$275
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

PSU: Antec 850W
$0
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Mobo: MSI P67A-GD53
$150
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

RAM: Mushkin Blackline 4GB (2 x 2GB) 1600
$60
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

HDD: 640GB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s
$70
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Optical: DVD Burner
$20
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Case: Cooler Master Storm Scout
$90
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64 Bit
$0
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Mouse: Logitech G9
$0
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Keyboard: Logitech Ultra-thin
$0
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Monitor: ASUS 23" HD
$190
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Total: $1080

More about : 1100 sandy bridge gaming

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mosox

March 29, 2011 11:01:37 AM

Looks good but get a bigger case, that one is too small. Here's a nice one
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4XCT9yibwQ

I wouldn't flash the BIOS on a video card but that's up to each of us to decide. Personally I would get the 1GB version with custom cooling, say,
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

I would get the Samsung Spinpoint F3 500 or 1T.

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Loggerhead87

April 1, 2011 11:23:48 PM

Thanks, mosox.

That case looks nice, and it's about the same price. The video card they installed in the demonstration video looks like a tight fit. I couldn't tell which card they used. It'd be nice to compare the size with a 6950 to get an idea of how much space there is. A few addition questions below for anyone who'll share their expertise!

Does the 2GB version of the 6950 scale better in crossfire than the 1GB version?

Would the 64MB cache and 6.00GB/s HDD scale better in RAID than a drive with weaker specs?

Is there anything I should be paying attention to with the mobo I picked?

Are there any other mobos I should consider?

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Loggerhead87

April 1, 2011 11:30:13 PM

Added sticky questions to OP.

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mosox

April 2, 2011 1:17:47 AM

That case can take any single card and two cards up to 290mm long (11.41").
http://www.lancoolpc.com/en/product/product06.php?pr_in...

No, they don't scale better but the reference 2GB HD 6950s can be flashed into 6970s only they run hotter and are noisier. Here's the reference one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=14-150-...

The 2GB version is useful if you want to run multiple monitors, that's where the extra memory counts, otherwise it doesn't.

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/257965-14-black-wd6...

For the mobo I would get one of those, I trust more those producers but that MSI shouldn't be bad either.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

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Loggerhead87

April 2, 2011 2:10:46 AM

Thanks for the links. Here's another one about storage density for any other newbies reading through this thread. Price check on electron quantum holography drive? J/K!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory_storage_density#Eff...

Two 1GB versions of the HD 6950 below with a $25 difference in price. Is it worth paying more to have the one that's clocked at 830/1300 out of the box vs. 800/1250? That's the only major difference I can see. The brand too, of course. Also, the more expensive 1GB versions of the card are essentially the same price as the 2GB versions, so where's the incentive to get the 1GB version?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

It seems like RPM and storage density are the biggest factors in HDD performance. Is a 500GB platter still high-end? It's been almost a year since the post you linked. Do you know of any good website listing HDDs by storage density? Anything else regarding HDD performance I should be brainstorming?

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