AMD or Intel gaming build

[derrickbogan]

Im looking to build a new machine for around $1200

This machine will be used extensively for video games, and web surfing

I have narrowed down my choices to 2 builds, one an amd phenom with 2 gtx460 in sli
the other an intel i5 with a radeon hd 6950

What build will be the best overall gaming machine.

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BASE PACKAGE

EXTENSION CABLE--APEVIA 9 1/2" Cable Model CVTP8E ---$4.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812201020

MOBO SPEAKER--APEVIA 2" Case speaker cable for computer cases that connects to the motherboard Model CVTCSPK---$4.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812201032

HDD--Seagate Barracuda ST31000524AS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive---$54.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148697

Optical Drive:LG 24x DVD Burner---$19.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136177

OS--Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Full---$179.99 (will not buy an OEM)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116716

SSD--Crucial RealSSD C300 CTFDDAC064MAG-1G1 2.5" 64GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)---$134.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148357


TOTAL PRICE---$399.94



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INTEL BUILD


CASE--Antec Nine Hundred Two V3 Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case---$109.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129097

GPU--HIS H695F2G2M Radeon HD 6950 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16---$254.99--$20 MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161355

PSU--OCZ Fatal1ty OCZ550FTY 550W ATX12V v2.2 / EPS12V SLI Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular---$59.99--$20 MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341022

RAM--G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333---$69.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231311

MOBO--MSI P67A-C43 (B3) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard---$124.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130571

CPU--Intel Core i5-2500 Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost)---$209.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115073

TOTAL BEFORE MIR---$829.94
TOTAL AFTER MIR---$789.94

******************************************************************************************************************************************************

AMD Build


CASE--Antec Three Hundred Illusion Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case---$54.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066

MOBO--GIGABYTE GA-880GA-UD3H AM3 AMD 880G HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard---$102.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128444

GPUx2--EVGA 01G-P3-1366-TR GeForce GTX 460 SE (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16---$319.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130591

RAM--Crucial 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333---$44.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148262

CPU--AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz---$158.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103727

PSU--RAIDMAX HYBRID 2 RX-730SS 730W ATX12V V2.2/ EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Modular---$49.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817152036

TOTAL PRICE BEFORE MIR---$731.93
TOTAL PRICE AFTER MIR---$691.93

 

[derrickbogan]

would that PSU be enough power in the Intel build?
Or would i want to go with
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207002

 

[cpatel1987]

Intel build. SLI is nice and all, but according to the mobo you chose, when both PCI express x16's (one of which only operates at x4) are taken, all the PCI express x1 slots supposedly become unavailable. Which to me is sad pants. With your intel build, you got better expandability in the future, I always say one awesome card is better than 2 good cards. Who knows, what if you want to add an awesome sound card in the future?

However, if your thinking raw power right now, and could care less about what I said, then go for the AMD build.

 

[finfrocka]

I like the intel build better, but if you do go for the amd don't get the SE version of the 460, get a true 460 or better yet a 6870 for relatively same price.

 

[cpatel1987]

Also, the card specs confuse me. It recommends 500w or higher, yet...also wants two 750w 6 pin PCI express connectors? Maybe someone else can answer that, how could you recommend a low watt power, yet also recommend a connector at a wattage higher than the power supply?

Anyway, you will need more juice.

Xion PSU's typically suck in the low end 430w or lower, but on high end they are decent: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817190024. Just not modular. Although I'm a little confused, why not use the PSU you used for the AMD build for this build also?

 

[derrickbogan]

I believe the card spec means that it requires 750w for a crossfire setup

 

[aznshinobi]

Are you building this yourself?

Some of the budget is allocated in the wrong areas. Looking at it that's just about a 1100-1200 budget. You should be able to get SLI 560 Ti's or CF 6870/6950 if you dropped the SSD.

Check out my build guide for 1200-1500 in the siggy. It'll help a bit I hope. If you don't plan to overclock drop the 2500K to a 2400. You don't need the 2500, that's 20$ more than a 2400 for barely any more performance.

 

[derrickbogan]

But i really want the ssd, i can always crossfire later

 

[aznshinobi]

Then your decision.

The current SATA 3's aren't even optimized. If you did a little research/digging. The next gen SATA III SSDs woop the current ones. Fact they can kill them,
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/vertex-3-sandforce-ssd,2869.html

Also, what makes you get a 2500 then? If your not OCing at all, might as well save some dough and get the 2400. That's 20$ right there. And Why that motherboard? It'll restrict any upgrade path since you only get 1 PCI Express 16x 2.0, Get the G45 or G53.

 

[derrickbogan]

Alright if i hold out on the SSD for now and put in a Sapphire 6850 going in now, another when i can afford it, and get this MOBO because it supports crossfire at 8x,8x instead of 16x4x

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131707
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102908

 

[aznshinobi]

Where did you see (16x/4x) for the G45?

Better 6850
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121419&cm_re=6850-_-14-121-419-_-Product

 

[derrickbogan]

oh ok sorry i was looking at the wrong mobo, found the right one now, looks pretty beast, think id go with that.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130582&cm_re=G45-_-13-130-582-_-Product

 

[derrickbogan]

I could still go with the 6950 and crossfire it later couldn't I?

 

[aznshinobi]

Yes you could if you wanted to.

 

[derrickbogan]

Well which would you recommend, seeing as I wouldn't have the money to Crossfire for awhile anyway wouldn't i get better performance out of the 6950?

 

[derrickbogan]

and if i did crossfire 6950's it would be super bad ass

 

[aznshinobi]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121437&cm_re=6950-_-14-121-437-_-Product

 

[megamanx00]

That AMD motherboard DOESN'T SUPPORT SLI!!! Go with the Intel build, but get a 2500K instead, and a better PSU so that you can crossfire the 6950 latter on. You can go with the Antec 300 case case to save money which is better than going cheap on the PSU.

 

[chmcke01]

I would recommend the Cooler Master HAF 912 case instead. Here is my build and you can change out parts as needed (upgrading GPU and PSU):


Case: Cooler Master HAF 912
PSU: OCZ Fatal1ty 550W
Motherboard: ASRock P67 Extreme4 B3
Processor: Intel i5 2500k
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212+
RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 1600
HDD: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 1TB
Disk drive: Asus Black 24X SATA DVD burner
GPU: SAPPHIRE Vapor-X Radeon HD 5770