Looking for a prebuilt rig with Intel Core i7 & two GTX 590s in sli

guitarjanitor · Apr 6, 2011

Hey all.

I've been wanting to build a PC for a long time, and my plans have changed again and again as new hardware has become available, the newest being the Nvidia GeForce GTX 590. I thought to myself, "with that much juice, I could stave off future-outdatedness for at least a few years".

Well, as it turns out, running two GTX 590s at a time takes something of a specific build to work properly. So I figured, since my options are severely limited anyways, I might as well get a prebuilt system and enjoy stuff like RMA repair and customer support.

So my question to you guys is: do you know of any reliable prebuilt rigs on the market for this setup? I'll be playing at 1920x1080 (I don't plan on using any 3D technology, and I'm only using one monitor). I figure a Core i7 and two GTX 590s will have more than enough power to max out every game on the market (at my resolution, anyways).

It'd be a big help if you could point me in the direction of a reputable seller. I know these GPUs are really new, so I'm not sure if anybody is mass producing prebuilt systems just for a 590 sli setup yet, but if you know of anybody, I'd really appreciate it if you'd point me in the right direction.

This is mostly a pipe dream right now, so the sky is the limit for price. I just want to check out who's selling readymade sli GTX 590 rigs and see if it's worth the extra bit of cash to have it made for me as opposed to searching out parts and building my own.

Thanks a lot for your time, I appreciate it!

cpatel1987 · Apr 6, 2011

guitarjanitor :

Lol shameless plug time! I work at Best Buy, however, they don't have computer building services. BUT, I use to work for Microcenter, and they do. Pick your build with a knowledgeable salesman and your good to go: http://www.microcenter.com. If you want, have one of us reccomend the build and you can get a list going. Be wary though, not all Microcenters are equal, as they are on commission based sales. The one I use to work at were honest people. But if price is no object, they'll definitely give you the best of the best, but still within reason. I don't remember the labor costs of assembling the builds, I think $199.99 for a gaming rig like that. You can even add an all inclusive replacement plan for your rig if things go wrong.

Proximon · Apr 6, 2011

guitarjanitor :

Here's the way computer technology works. Every two years your GPU(s) become obsolete.

If you buy one GTX 590 it will play any game you need at max settings (at a res of 1920x1080) for the next two years, at which point it becomes obsolete.
If you buy two GTX 590s they will play any game you need at max settings for two years, at which point they become obsolete. The only difference is you are out an extra $8-900. (Because you had to pay extra for the PSU and MB)

Now, that $800 would buy a whole new processor, RAM, and MB in two years. Think I'm full of it? Not many people left that bought triple GTX 280s are still using them. 2 years. And don't get me started on GTX 295s.

So if you want to have a computer for bragging rights go for it. But realize in two years a computer that costs half as much will bury it in all benchmarks.

That's the way it works. You buy a reasonable system now, and another one in two years, and at the end of 4 years you not only still have a better machine but you probably spent less money.

guitarjanitor · Apr 6, 2011

Proximon :

Wow, that stings, but it sounds about right. I would love to have a PC worth bragging about, but in the end it's best to just have something that functions well as opposed to having the all-powerful jacked-up version (which will inevitably go out of style just like everything else).

You've made a lot of sense, Proximon. I think I'll take your advice and go for the single GPU (I mean, it's still made up of basically two other cards, right?). I'm playing on a Geforce 9500 GT (or some mobile with power equivalent to one). Anything would be a huge step up, but I just thought it would be cool to go all out (which is easy to do when you're just imagining the possibilities) -- however, when it comes time to put the money on the table I'll be looking to pinch every penny I can.

As for you, cpatel1987, no shame in a plug when the it's the answer to the question XD However, $200 is a bit steep for connecting some wires and spreading some thermal paste. I've never done it, personally, but it can't be that bad right? (With my luck I may fry something though XD)

Anyways, I guess I'll see how things go. It might be two years before I can scrape together enough cash to afford a gaming rig, so I won't hold my breath on the GTX 590. However, I'll keep your idea's in mind, Proximon. I think it's a good philosophy to have, plus I can unload my used components while they're relatively new to help offset the price of upgrades.

Thanks for the help, all. I guess I'll just have to wait on it a while. Besides, every month I wait sees new graphics technology and an overall lowering of the price of what's "top-notch" right now.

Thanks for the help

cpatel1987 · Apr 6, 2011

Lol $200 may seem steep, but its not just how you described it. Proper wiring management, standing off the motherboard, troubleshooting the build if not all your components actually work. My first build took me literally a whole day because of some of the mistakes I made. Order is important too, don't install the PSU for example before putting in the motherboard and the optical drives, etc. Now I'll be honest, I wouldn't pay $200 either, but you did say money is no object ;-).

But hey, that's up to you. If you do it on your own, I will say its a great learning experience that's worth the time. As one customer told me once, building your own computer builds a lot of self character, and I couldn't agree more with that :-D.

geekapproved · Apr 6, 2011

You don't want 590's. They are junk and I hear about one failing just about every day now.

ScrewySqrl · Apr 6, 2011

if you are only going to be gaming a 1920x1080, you don't need even a single 590, much less a pair of them. two 590s is a render farm, or for gaming on 3 or 4 monitors at once.

I'd go with an i5-2500K build, and a SINGLE GTX 560 for about $750 (asdd $100 for windows, $20 for mouse/.keyboard and $30 for a decent 2.1 speaker set, and $150 for a decent 1920x1080 monitor), so for about $1000 total. You'll be happy with it gaming for 2-3 years, then build another one for around $800 in 2013-2014, and you won't need to get the monitor or keyboard/speaker for a couple builds.

guitarjanitor · Apr 6, 2011

In my time I've fried my share of electronics, but never inside my computer (then again, I've never straight up built one from scratch). As for stuff like cable/airflow management and testing all of the components, I'm most definitely gonna have to get one of my techie friends to help me out, otherwise my inexperience may make a mess of the inside of that case XD

This "don't need a 590" idea intrigues me. That would save me a bundle in the end, I think, but is it necessarily futureproof? I just figured getting the newest card would keep me up to date for that much longer. I'm no pro though, so I appreciate your advice. My question is, at 1920x1080 can the GTX 560/i5-2500K rig max out games? My main goal is getting me some of that eye candy that I've been missing out on all these years. If this rig of yours is just fine for 1920x1080 gaming, that might save me something like $1500 (awesome!!).

Also, I've heard rumors of 590s dying left and right, but I don't know what to make of that. I've just been brushing it off saying "wait for the drivers to mature a bit", but I dunno. Maybe they're just all fated to die.

Proximon · Apr 6, 2011

Yes and no. There's a collective agreement here that I've never subscribed to regarding CPUs and GPUs. Recommendations tend to be based on what will work today, and not take into account future advances.

Having said that there are other factors that make my friends here more right than wrong. Game development is stagnating because devs want to write games for consoles as well as PCs. They are also afraid to push the hardware limits because of the recession and the need to make games that will run on hardware that is in use by a large number of people.

Should you get more GPU power than you need? Yes. Do you want a LOT more GPU power than you currently need? Probably not.

My personal ceiling would be a pair of 6950s:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102928
Less cost than a single GTX 590, about the same performance.

ScrewySqrl · Apr 6, 2011

Proximon: I make my suggestions based on whats around now, and what's likely to change in the next 2 years. I do't see anything coming down the pike that'll challenge 1920x1080 resolution that a 560ti won't handle at 50fps or better (usually much better)

Proximon · Apr 7, 2011

Some of it is subjective, and I think you have to look at minimum frame rates as well.

GTX 560ti is actually similar to a 5870 in some ways, and that's what I'm using now. I certainly don't have to worry about video settings much or have many noticeable dips in frame rates. But that purchase was a while ago now, and if I were buying new I would look for a bit more.

ScrewySqrl · Apr 7, 2011

Proxi: all depends on budget, too. Take a look at my Pc in my Sig. It was $600 including shipping for me, far below many of the $1000-2000 budgets. I love the little thing, but many here might consider it barely adequate, but it CRUSHES games on high/ultra settings already.

TheTech214 · Apr 7, 2011

This is a very tall demand. If you are looking for a system that is already built for example at Best Buy, it just will not happen. I think that you should go to a computer shop, which makes and fixes Computers. Research the parts that you want, and then take it to the shop and ask the people there if they would build it. To build a computer with 2 big cards in sli you will need a huge power supply. Make sure that the mother board that you want can support sli. Even though this is a little "off topic" I think that you should put a blu-ray drive in the build also.

guitarjanitor · Apr 7, 2011

Well, I think this discussion deserves a narrowing of sorts... some specificity. How about this:

1) I'll build my own PC, using the help of the internet and some advice from local shops/friends (no paying someone to do it for me).

2) I would really like to spend about $1000 on it, but I can go all the way to $3000 if the extra juice is worth the time (I've got student loans, so saving up for a build will take a while, but I'm not in much of a hurry).

3) I want one thing: maxed out graphics at 1920x1080 on demanding games (including a good amount of AF and AA, I'm sick of staring at jaggies and murky textures)

4) The lowest framerate I'd like to encounter is 30 fps. As it is, I play games at about 25-40 fps with constant dips to 5-10 fps.

Now this may be asking a lot, but I'd like you guys' opinions on whether or not it's possible. I'm very curious as to whether these goals are reasonable for a ~ $1000 rig.

ScrewySqrl · Apr 7, 2011

absolutely. Should be doable in $1000, even buying speakers, keyboard, mouse, and a Student copy of Windows 7.

guitarjanitor · Apr 7, 2011

I've got a nice monitor and a good 2.1 system. Also I've got the keyboard/mouse. None of my stuff is "gamer" equipment with extra buttons and features and all, but I've never found a need for that kind of thing (but I am looking for a comfier mouse for my large hands, if you had any advice about that

)

My graphic design class forced me into Vista Business and told me to avoid Windows 7... Which means the whole time that I was a student and could have got a couple of copies of 7 on the cheap, I stayed away from them XD

Fun thing is that I'll be playing older games at first because i missed a lot of power-hungry games when they first hit the shelves. I still haven't even played Crysis 1 and everyone's already moved on to complaining about Crysis 2... but I digress.

Tell me, Sqrl, what is the main difference from a gaming standpoint between the Intel Core series, namely between the i5 and i7 series? The i7, which boldly proclaims "gamers!" on the box costs like $500 more than the nearest step down. Will this change anything? I've heard the factory-overclocked version of the i5 is more than powerful enough for all current games.

ScrewySqrl · Apr 7, 2011

guitarjanitor · Apr 7, 2011

Sounds like it would be a decent build, but would a medium sized case and a 550 watt PSU leave much room for upgrading in the future?

ScrewySqrl · Apr 7, 2011

the destoyer will hold 2 GPUs, that 550W has 44 amps on the 12v rail. enough to SLI your 560, or crossfire 6850s

Proximon · Apr 7, 2011

So it's a 1K challenge eh? I think I might do that differently... let's see.

■ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM
■COOLER MASTER RC-692-KKN3 CM690 II Basic Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
■Seagate Barracuda ST31000524AS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
■2x GIGABYTE Ultra Durable VGA Series GV-R685OC-1GD Radeon HD 6850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX ...
■Antec NEO ECO 620C 620W Continuous Power ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply
■MASSCOOL G751 Shin-Etsu Thermal Interface Material
■G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL8D-4GBXM
■Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM
■XIGMATEK Gaia SD1283 120mm Long Life Bearing CPU Cooler bracket included I7 i5 775 1155 AMD and dual fan push pull compatible
■Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I52500K
■ASUS P8P67 PRO (REV 3.0) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
TOTAL: $1,185.94

The final price there is what it would be with shipping, to me, so your price will vary.

Included in my build is a better case, stronger PSU by a small amount, and two 6850s on a good MB. Also included is a decent CPU cooler and very good thermal paste.

I clearly went over but thought the value of the build worth the extra.

guitarjanitor · Apr 7, 2011

So, the Core i5-2500K seems to be really popular around here -- I've had many TH forumgoers tell me to go with one instead of an i7 or a comparable AMD CPU.

Has anybody ever mapped out the performance gain of different GPUs on a simple curve before? I'd love to see how performance scales with extra cash. I want to say that you start to throw away money into something like 3% increases per upgrade, but I dunno...

Anyways, these are some great builds for the cost (especially because many retailers advertise similar computers for $1500+). I just don't know how I feel about non-Nvidia graphics cards, though. I've never used non-Nvidia cards before -- is anything different about using Radion cards? Do I just install them and forget about them (sort of what I've been doing so far with Nvidia)? Also, how useful is PhysX? I don't want to miss out on it if it's some simply-die-without-it feature, but if it doesn't have too great of an overall effect in games that utilize it, I'll be fine without it.

EDIT: Wow, I took a look at Don Woligroski's monthly CPU buyer's update, and I gotta say it's staggering how little performance increases after spending over $250. It's a good thing I looked over this before putting $500+ down on a super high-end CPU.

Proximon · Apr 7, 2011

I once made a spreadsheet. I chose a couple games from Anandtech reviews and based on those did a straight dollars to frames comparison.

We have the monthly GPU article you know:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-gaming-graphics-card-geforce-gtx-590-radeon-hd-6990,2879-5.html
That's usually excellent although you have to keep in mind prices change, and sometimes there are great transient deals.

For instance, right at the moment there is a huge sale on 5850s at newegg.... oops it's over already.

guitarjanitor · Apr 7, 2011

Wow, this really shows how new I am to TH XD I'll be sure to check out the GPU article as well. As I will probably be buying components through the coming months, having an ever-changing guide will be very useful.

I think I've heard everything I need to for now. You've all been extremely helpful, and I am grateful for the time you've devoted to helping a noob out. Now, the hardest part: who gets the honor of "best answer" XD

Thanks all! I can guarantee I'll be back with more noob questions when it comes to the "purchase the parts" phase of my build. 'Till then, good sirs!

guitarjanitor · Apr 7, 2011

Best answer selected by guitarjanitor.

firebld · May 11, 2011

Ive just got single GTX 590 on my i5-2400. The way I look at it it will go long way before you can find games that you can't max-out.. As for 1080p,, well Ive started on single 24" 1080, then apple cinema 27" come along and I couldn't resist it.. yup I'ii go for i7 soon when the price drop,,..

Looking for a prebuilt rig with Intel Core i7 & two GTX 590s in sli

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