$520 Computer Build [Help Request]

[eddie12390]

I'm currently working on purchasing new computer parts and would like some advice. I'm not very experienced at all and this is my first time doing a custom build in about 6 years. (I'm still using the computer I build the first time around) I've started to look at parts that I want a defined a strict budget for myself. I'd like to know whether or not the parts I have will conflict or "bottleneck" each other and what a good graphics card and hard drive that I could purchase are.

Approximate Purchase Date: Tomorrow/Today (Whenever I'm satisfied with what I have)

Budget Range: $520 before rebates

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Mild Gaming, Image Editing (Photoshop CS5), Possibly LIGHT video editing, Web Browsing (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), Watching Movies

Parts Not Required: Keyboard, Mouse, OS, Monitor, Antec 500W Power Supply, Speakers

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg.com

Country of Origin: United States

Parts Preferences: I don't have much of a preference

Overclocking: Yes

SLI or Crossfire: Maybe

Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080

Additional Comments: Quiet, my current PC is EXTREMELY loud and drives me absolutely insane. (Fans run at a constant speed of 5400RPM. Wires are blocking airflow which doesn't help.)

Below are the parts that I have been looking at: (I'm terribly sorry about the formatting, this was created in Notepad)

Spoiler

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.679668

$304.98 for motherboard and processor, $10 mail in rebate

-AMD Phenom II Six Core Processor Black Edition Thuban
-3.3GHz, 3.7GHz "Turbo"
-125W
-Heatsink and Fan Included

-MSI Motherboard
-4 RAM Slots, supports up to 16GB DDR3
-2 PCI express slots at x16/x0 or x8/x8
-"Onboard" ATI Radeon HD 4290
-1 PS/2 Port, 4 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0
-Support for 8 more USB ports?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231445&nm_mc=EMC-IGNEFL072811&cm_mmc=EMC-IGNEFL072811-_-EMC-072811-Index-_-DesktopMemory-_-20231445-L01D&AID=10521304&PID=4176827&SID=16sfmr58y4qt5

G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL8D-8GBXM

^ Currently on "sale" for $59.99 with free shipping ^

The above adds up to $364.97 (prior to taxes and shipping fees) leaving ~$155. I realize that $155 isn't much to work with but for the price I'd like a new HDD with at least 250GB of space (I don't install much.) and a "good" graphics card. (The best I can get with the money left over after purchasing the hard drive.)

Any help on this would be extremely appreciated.

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[rolli59]

Just get 2 x 4GB ram http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231311
HDD 500GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136769
GTX550Ti http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121435
Or its older sibling the GTS450 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500183 which will allow you to go to 1TB HDD

 

[eddie12390]

Just get 2 x 4GB ram http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231311
HDD 500GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136769
GTX550Ti http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121435
Or its older sibling the GTS450 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500183 which will allow you to go to 1TB HDD

The RAM is very similar to what I currently have on my parts list. You may not have seen it, it was a recent edit.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=20-231-445&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=10&PurchaseMark=&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=true&IsFeedbackTab=true&chkVendorMark=on&Keywords=%28keywords%29&Page=1#scrollFullInfo

^ is currently on sale for $60 and is 2x4GB DDR3 1600

 

[sadams04]

An AM3+ motherboard is a better investment with future upgrades, and the X6 may be overkill for what you plan on doing. An X4 will most likely do the same job and bring the costs down a little. What do you think of a build like the one below?


Processor: AMD Phenom II X4 955 - $120

Motherboard: MSI 970A-G45 AM3+ 970 - $105

Graphics Card: XFX HD 6850 - $130 after MIR

RAM: G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1600 1.5v CL9 - $37

Hard Drive: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 1TB - $60

Case: Use the one you already have.

Power Supply: Use the one you already have. If you upgrade any further you will need more than 500w.

$513

 

[eddie12390]

An AM3+ motherboard is a better investment with future upgrades, and the X6 may be overkill for what you plan on doing. An X4 will most likely do the same job and bring the costs down a little. What do you think of a build like the one below?


Processor: AMD Phenom II X4 955 - $120

Motherboard: MSI 970A-G45 AM3+ 970 - $105

Graphics Card: XFX HD 6850 - $130 after MIR

RAM: G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1600 1.5v CL9 - $37

Hard Drive: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 1TB - $60

Case: Use the one you already have.

Power Supply: Use the one you already have. If you upgrade any further you will need more than 500w.

$513

The original intent for the X6 was that I would gradually upgrade everything but wouldn't need to worry much about the processor. (Changing the processor out always seems to spook me due to the horror stories of bending one pin and making it very difficult to install) How long do you feel that the X4 will last and still be useful?

As far as the AM3+ suggestion, thank you. I hadn't known that there was much of a difference between the different AM#s.

Do you feel that the hard drive could be swapped out with something cheaper and have at least 250GB of space?

 

[sadams04]

The original intent for the X6 was that I would gradually upgrade everything but wouldn't need to worry much about the processor. (Changing the processor out always seems to spook me due to the horror stories of bending one pin and making it very difficult to install)

As far as the AM3+ suggestion, thank you. I hadn't known that there was much of a difference between the different AM#s.

The AM3+ motherboard supports all current AM3 processors, and will also support the AM3+ CPUs being released later this year (Bulldozer). The X6 probably won't exend the life of your PC any more than the Phenom X4. Just not that much of a difference in enough apps to justify the additional two cores. Image / video editing CAN take advantage, but you would need to do some serious work there to get the payoff.

Do you feel that the hard drive could be swapped out with something cheaper and have at least 250GB of space?

Yes, but you are sacraficing a lot of storage for a little amount of money. A 500GB hard drive will run you about $45. For $15 more you are getting double the storage. The F3 1TB is the "standard" choice for its speed and reliablity.

 

[eddie12390]

The AM3+ motherboard supports all current AM3 processors, and will also support the AM3+ CPUs being released later this year (Bulldozer). The X6 probably won't exend the life of your PC any more than the Phenom X4. Just not that much of a difference in enough apps to justify the additional two cores. Image / video editing CAN take advantage, but you would need to do some serious work there to get the payoff.



Yes, but you are sacraficing a lot of storage for a little amount of money. A 500GB hard drive will run you about $45. For $15 more you are getting double the storage. The F3 1TB is the "standard" choice for its speed and reliablity.

Thank you for your help and patience. I've come up with this (if necessary it can be revised)

Spoiler

Motherboard: MSI 970A-G45 AM3+ AMD 970 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Deneb 3.2GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor HDZ955FBGMBOX

HDD: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

Graphics Card: XFX HD-685X-ZNDC Radeon HD 6850 1GB 256-bit DDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity

RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL8D-8GBXM

The above should put me at about $545. (Which is more than I originally intended to spend, but oh well.)

I have two more questions, when I was using the Newegg Power Supply Wattage Calculator, why is it that 2x4GB uses two less watts (in the build I entered in) then the 2x2GB? I was under the impression that it was the opposite. Also, as far as the CPU and motherboard combination go, is it easily overclockable? (Unlocked multiplier, etc.)

 

[sadams04]

The Newegg PSU calculator seems a bit self serving as it is always estimating high. Don't worry about the 2w for the memory differences... I tend to use the PSU calculator at the link below. Your PC, with the HD 6850, should consume around / less than 350w. I have NO IDEA how newegg gets to 460w.

http://extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp

 

[eddie12390]

The Newegg PSU calculator seems a bit self serving as it is always estimating high. Don't worry about the 2w for the memory differences... I tend to use the PSU calculator at the link below. Your PC, with the HD 6850, should consume around / less than 350w. I have NO IDEA how newegg gets to 460w.

http://extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp

Oh, alright. I was under the impression that it was correct. Thanks again.

Something that I noticed was that the power supply I have is an "Antec Basiq Power 500W" PSU (BP500U). From what I can see, there is only one 6 pin PCI Express connector and no other PCI express connectors. Is this sufficient for the GFX card?

 

[eddie12390]

Best answer selected by eddie12390.

 

[rolli59]

Oh, alright. I was under the impression that it was correct. Thanks again.

Something that I noticed was that the power supply I have is an "Antec Basiq Power 500W" PSU (BP500U). From what I can see, there is only one 6 pin PCI Express connector and no other PCI express connectors. Is this sufficient for the GFX card?

Yes the PSU is enough for the graphics card it only takes one connector. Photoshop and video editing would have benefited from the X6.

 

[sadams04]

Something that I noticed was that the power supply I have is an "Antec Basiq Power 500W" PSU (BP500U). From what I can see, there is only one 6 pin PCI Express connector and no other PCI express connectors. Is this sufficient for the GFX card?

Yep! The HD 6850 only requires one 6-pin so you are good to go.

 

[gammerx]

I am building something similar but wouldnt the asus m5a97 be a better choice? Or spend $15 more for the EVO but besides DIGI+ VRM and a IEEE port I think they are the same

 

[eddie12390]

Yes the PSU is enough for the graphics card it only takes one connector. Photoshop and video editing would have benefited from the X6.

As far as Photoshop goes I use it once in a blue moon.

Thanks for all the help, everyone. Just finalized the order with Newegg and it should be here in 3 days.