$700 PC Build Advice

[1298ty]

So I've decided to build a PC to handle my video editing/gaming needs, my budget was $700 and this is what I came up with:

AMD Phenom II x6 1090t BE- $170
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103849

GIGABYTE GA-990-FXA-UD3 AM3Plus Motherboard- $140
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128514

HIS IceQ X Turbo HD Radeon 6850- $180
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161363

G-Skill Ripjaws DDR3 1600 Memory- $60
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231314

Raidmax Hybrid 2 630W Crossfire Ready PSU- $50
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817152035

Rosewill Challenger ATX Mid Tower- $50
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147153

WD Caviar Blue 7200RPM 6.0Gb/s Hard Drive- $40
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136770

ASUS 24x DVD Burner- $20
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204

So, what do you think? If you notice any issues, have any suggestions, or see anyway I can get the same performance for a lower price (I love saving money), please let me know. I'd hate to screw this up on my first try..

 

[Zero_]

$700 could be spent on a i5 2500k + GTX560Ti, but with only 4GB of RAM (check my sig). I figure you will need more RAM for your video editing, so dropping down to a GTX560 would give you the allowance you need.

 

[siege_templar]

gonna have to say intel is better for video editing.

 

[danraies]

Your build is pretty good. If you're interested, this is about what an i5-2500K build would look like in that price range (I just used the same gpu that you listed):

Intel i5-2500K - $220
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072

Biostar TZ68A - $100
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138319

HIS IceQ X Turbo 1GB Radeon 6850 - $175
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161363

G. Skill Ripjaw 4GB 1600 RAM - $33
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277

Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB - $60
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185

Rosewill 600W - $50
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182039

ASUS DVD burner - $21
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204

Rosewill Challenger - $50
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147153

Total: $709 before mir and shipping

As a side note, even with you're build you'll want to go with the Hard Drive I recommended. The Spinpoint is very quiet and the platter size on a 1TB drive along with the 32mb cache will perform better.

Some quick upgrades to the above machine if you can afford them would be:

ASRock Z68 gen3 extreme3 - additional $25
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157271

Corsair Vengance 8GB 1600 RAM - additional $20
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233196

Antec Earthwatts 650W - additional $10
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371044

 

[1298ty]

Sorry about the thread lag, I had a few morning lectures to go to. I just realised I forgot to explain my decisions! I put this together to last as long as possible, since the new line of processors is pretty close and GPUs come out pretty often. I chose AMD because realistically, I'm much more likely to upgrade to the new Bulldozer than the new Ivy Bridge; and AMD is definitely more affordable. The mobo I picked out leaves me room for CrossfireX in the future and will be Bulldozer compatible. Also, 6 Cores at 3.4Gh is pretty impressive (to me, anyway).

Your build is pretty good. If you're interested, this is about what an i5-2500K build would look like in that price range (I just used the same gpu that you listed): snip

As a side note, even with you're build you'll want to go with the Hard Drive I recommended. The Spinpoint is very quiet and the platter size on a 1TB drive along with the 32mb cache will perform better.

Some quick upgrades to the above:
Corsair Vengance 8GB 1600 RAM - additional $20
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233196
Antec Earthwatts 650W - additional $10
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371044

I definitely agree on the Spinpoint! I wasn't too excited about the WD, and this one has more space and a larger cache for only $15 more!

Additional Questions:
What's the difference between the 8GB G-Skill RAM and the 8GB Corsair RAM?
The specs on the Challenger case say USB 2.0, but the mobo says USB 3.0. Is this a problem?
While putting this together I completely forgot I'll need an OS. I'm thinking Windows 7 Pro, where can I get it without paying through the nose?

 

[danraies]

There is no difference between the ram you picked and the ram I picked - they're both fine. Mine is just a bit cheaper. I have G. Skill myself and I like it.

Your mobo has USB 2.0 headers on it so you'll be able to run the front ports on the Challenger to those headers. The mobo has USB 3.0 but only in the port cluster - there are no USB 3.0 headers on the mobo (that I can see). Basically there will be a cable that runs from the top of your case to the motherboard.

Your amd build is perfectly fine. I'm partial to intel and ivy bridge over and bulldozer myself, but you'll like the hex core.

The best you're going to do on Windows is an OEM copy of Home Premium for $100.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986
If you also need to fit that into your $700 budget then that will change the build.

 

[Outlander_04]

why is everyone including a gaming graphics card in a video editing computer?
You definitely dont need that , and wont get any benefit from doing so .

Also checking here
http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/desktop-cpu-charts-2010/Cinebench-11.5-Multi-threaded,2407.html
Shows a reasonable lead of the Phenom X6 over the 2500k
But the OP needs to be sure that his applications are similar, and multithread


Id go back to the first build
change the graphics card to
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125360

Ditch the raidmax psu , and replace it with a good quality seasonic 4- 500 watt unit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151074

and since the motherboard is a gamer unit with potential to run in sli or crossfire that will never be needed he can save another $20 with
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131757

 

[danraies]

I guess we've run into a question of which is more important to this build: video editing or gaming.

why is everyone including a gaming graphics card in a video editing computer?

"So I've decided to build a PC to handle my video editing/gaming needs." The 5670 is a good mid-range card but it's pretty low on the gaming totem pole.

Also checking here
http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/desktop-cpu-charts-2010/Cinebench-11.5-Multi-threaded,2407.html
Shows a reasonable lead of the Phenom X6 over the 2500k

The Phenom X6 beats the 2500K in video editing and other multithreaded applications, but the 2500K wins in gaming.

 

[1298ty]

why is everyone including a gaming graphics card in a video editing computer?
You definitely dont need that , and wont get any benefit from doing so .

Also checking here
http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/desktop-cpu-charts-2010/Cinebench-11.5-Multi-threaded,2407.html
Shows a reasonable lead of the Phenom X6 over the 2500k
But the OP needs to be sure that his applications are similar, and multithread


Id go back to the first build
change the graphics card to
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125360

Ditch the raidmax psu , and replace it with a good quality seasonic 4- 500 watt unit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151074

and since the motherboard is a gamer unit with potential to run in sli or crossfire that will never be needed he can save another $20 with
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131757

Actually, I will be gaming just as much as I'll be editing, and I will definitely use Crossfire when the time comes. And why the SeaSonic over the Raidmax?

 

[Outlander_04]

I missed the gaming bit of the question ...damn

Ok Back to the 6850
But he still wont need more than a 500 watt psu unless you crossfire

 

[danraies]

If you're willing to give up on future crossfire you can save a little money on your psu and mobo...help defer the cost of Win7.

But he still wont need more than a 500 watt psu unless you crossfire

 

[1298ty]

So I wont need more than 500 watts? Newegg's PSU Calculator clocked me at 573, and that's supposed to be "minimum". I suppose I could get a 630 Watt just to stay on the safe side, or would that raise some other issues?

And future Crossfire's pretty important here, I think I'll just bite the bullet on Windows 7..

 

[danraies]

So I wont need more than 500 watts? Newegg's PSU Calculator clocked me at 573, and that's supposed to be "minimum". I suppose I could get a 630 Watt just to stay on the safe side, or would that raise some other issues?

And future Crossfire's pretty important here, I think I'll just bite the bullet on Windows 7..

If you can afford it there's no problem with using more watts than you need.

 

[1298ty]

Best answer selected by 1298ty.