~450 $ gaming OC PC

iokmjo

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Apr 12, 2011
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Approximate Purchase Date: probably the end of the month(04.2011)


Budget Range: before debate ~450 $/after rebate 500$ tops


System Usage from Most to Least Important: games,internet, movies


Parts Not Required: keyboard,monitor,mouse,cd/dvd reader/writer,


Preferred Website(s) for Parts: none


Country of Origin: Bulgaria


Parts Preferences: So far I've found:

Processor: phenom II x4 955 BE for 174 $ OR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103674
athlon II x4 645 for 139$


GPU: Radeon HD 5570 for 87.5$ OR
http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/graphics/ati-radeon-hd-5000/hd-5570/Pages/hd-5570-overview.aspx#3
Radeon HD 5670 for 101$
http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/graphics/ati-radeon-hd-5000/ati-radeon-hd-5670-overview/Pages/ati-radeon-hd-5670-overview.aspx#3

Motherboard: Asrock 880GM-LE for 85$
http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?model=880gm-le

HDD there are a few 500GB ones on promotion @ about 51$

Power supply @40$

RAM 2x2GB @60$

Overclocking: Yes!


SLI or Crossfire: Yes if possible


Monitor Resolution: 1280x1024)


Additional Comments: Since its a budget PC, AMD and ATI would be my first choices. Overclocking is a must! Oh and will someone tell me if the MB and GPU would run Crossfire?
 

tmax

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Aug 24, 2007
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Stick with the phenom II x4 955 BE processor.

The motherboard you have chosen ( Asrock 880GM-LE for 85$) will not support crossfire.

I recommend MSI 870A-G55 AM3 for just $15 more at $99. It supports crossfire.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130558

Make sure that you have at least a 700W power supply if you are going to attempt crossfire. Below is a link to a unit that will work for $60.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817152036

The HD 5670 will support Crossfire. If you can, bump up to a HD 5770 or, even better, HD 6790.

Have fun.
 

axipher

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Mar 2, 2010
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+1 to a single 6850. Always better to get a more powerful single card now. If you get two lower level cards, then when you want to upgrade you have to get rid of both of them. Definitely stick with the 955, with a cheap cooler like a Cooler Master 212+, you can easily get 3.6 GHz without changing the voltage.
 

iokmjo

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Apr 12, 2011
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I thought I can crossfire the Integrated AMD Radeon HD 4250 graphics on the motherboard with the 5670 or 5570. But seeing as you write about crossfiring two 5770, can I? Probably not.

Since I'm going to use a monitor with a max resolution of 1280x1024, will it really matter which one of the 5570 or 5670 GPU's I use?

The 6850 GPU is too pricey here - 330$!!!!

I guess buying a cooler will be an option in the near future, but not initially.
 
I would get a cheaper Athlon II X3 and at least a HD 5670.
http://www.pazaruvaj.com/video-karti-c3142/sapphire/radeon-hd5670-512mb-128bit-ddr5-pci-e-sph-ehd5670512g128b-p39998311/
http://www.pazaruvaj.com/video-karti-c3142/sapphire/radeon-hd5670-1gb-128bit-ddr5-pci-e-sph-ehd56701g128b-p39998312/

Then, better is a HD 5750
http://www.pazaruvaj.com/video-karti-c3142/sapphire/radeon-hd5750-512mb-128bit-ddr5-pci-e-sphehd5750hd512-p39028368/


 
Any PSU with a little voltage switch (e.g. that Chokemax) should be avoided if at all possible. A quality modern PSU has full range active PFC (no little voltage switch) and at least 80+ certification for efficiency. Antec, Seasonic, Corsair, Enermax, and XFX are among the better brands. FSP probably is too. If it has "max" in its name and isn't Enermax, the "max" is a reference to the number and expense of the parts it will take with it when it dies, or the size of the pyrotechnic display.
A single HD5670 will work well for your resolution, and not require a big PSU; 300W would be enough.
 

iokmjo

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Apr 12, 2011
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So far:

Phenom II x4 955 BE
Asrock 880 GM-LE(says it supports Crossfire and has a built in GPU Radeon HD 4250 graphics, can I crossfire it with the 5570 or 5670?)
Radeon HD 5570 or 5670 if I have the money, if not I'll buy it after a few months when I have it
HDD 500GB WD
2x2 GB RAM
500W PSU
 

haxfar

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May 23, 2010
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You can only crossfire/SLI with two of the same cards!
Trying to CF with on-board GPU and dedicated will not work.
 

axipher

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The onboard 4250 can only crossfire with a very limited anount of low end cards, and most of the time, performance actually went down in games. I'm running a 5670 with a Intel Q6600 stock speeds and it plays everything at 1080p at least medium settings with no Anti-aliasing. But getting a 5770 if you could would be a huge increase over the 5670.
 

iokmjo

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Apr 12, 2011
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I don't really know, any suggestions in the low price sector? Would a 400W ,460 W or 500W one make any difference?


Thanks for your answers guys!
 
A quality modern PSU will have full range active PFC (no little voltage switch) and be at least 80+ certified for efficiency. Antec, Seasonic, Corsair, and Enermax are among the better brands that have products in the 380W-450W range that would be sufficient for you. FSP would also be decent. Sunbeam, Apevia, Coolermaster, and anything with "max" in its name other than Enermax will be junk. Antec Earthwatts models in particular are often sold around here for very good prices. I do not have access to the site mosox linked from work, so I don't know what brands are available to you.
 
Cheaper decent PSUs
Corsair 430W
http://www.pazaruvaj.com/zahranvawi-blokove-c3158/corsair/zahranvane-za-kutija-corsair-430w-atx-p46621000/
Corsair 500 W Builder Series
http://www.pazaruvaj.com/zahranvawi-blokove-c3158/corsair/zahranvane-corsair-500-w-builder-series-atx-cmpsu-500cxeu-p47214707/
http://www.pazaruvaj.com/zahranvawi-blokove-c3158/corsair/cmpsu-500cx-p44205659/
Rasurbo EAP550
http://www.pazaruvaj.com/zahranvawi-blokove-c3158/rasurbo/eap550-p44293015/
Fortron SAGAII-500
http://www.pazaruvaj.com/zahranvawi-blokove-c3158/fortron/sagaii-500-p39215769/
 

dominnater

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Feb 28, 2010
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Antec is making a gamer series of PSU, I'm getting one with 520 watts and a 48v amp. It would seem like a good choice for you too as its not to pricey and future proof for more power hungry vid cards
 

iokmjo

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Apr 12, 2011
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Will buying more RAM be worth it, performance and money wise? For instance buying a single 4GB initially, then adding another 4GB.