$500 AMD Gaming Rig

[des74]

Approximate Purchase Date: ASAP

Budget Range: $500


System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, Youtube


Parts Not Required: Keyboard, Mouse, Monitor, OS


Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg


Country of Origin: United States

Parts Preferences: Antec, Corsair PSU.


Overclocking: To 3.2/3.4 Ghz


SLI or Crossfire: No


Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080

Well the money i had to go for a nice i5-2500k rig is gone, and now I have to settle for an AMD machine because of budget, and my current desktop is dead.

Here's the AMD side of things

AMD Phenom II X4 960T Zosma 3.0GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103995

ASUS M4A87T AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s ATX AMD Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131699

MSI N460GTX Hawk GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127518


Western Digital Caviar Blue WD5000AAKX 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136769

Antec NEO ECO 520C 520W Continuous Power ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371030

NZXT Source 210 S210-001 Black “Aluminum Brush / Plastic” ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146075

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-10600CL9D-4GBNT
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231253

Optical Drive: Whatever has free shipping at the time.

That's the AMD build, you guys think you can find a cheaper board with core unlocking capabilities ? Or should i just scrap the Zosma and go Deneb?

 

[des74]

Also is the mobo a good choice? I'm not too familiar with AMD

 

[ultimabeam]

-I'd rather go with a 955 Black Edition for $20 cheaper after rebate. If you're building a gaming rig, a 5th and 6th core don't really buy you all that much even if you manage to unlock them.

-Don't like the look of that board at all -- I'd recommend the ASRock 770 Extreme for $20 cheaper, since you're not SLI/CF.

-A solid option on par/slightly above the 460's performance is this ASUS 6850 for $10 cheaper than your current option.

-You may want to bump up to a 1TB HDD like the Spinpoint F3 ($20 more), but your call there.

-The reviews on that particular Antec PSU worry me -- here's a really well-reviewed (and $10 cheaper!) 500W Antec option.

-Case looks fine

-RAM is so cheap these days, and you're building for gaming -- I'd really recommend bumping up to DDR3-1600 speed, and would honestly also recommend getting a CL7 kit. I have a G.SKILL Ripjaws 4GB DDR3-1600 CL7 kit running in my AMD build and it has performed admirably. $19 more than your current choice, but worth it in my opinion.

Just my two cents -- you save $40 with what I've suggested, or $20 if you go with a Spinpoint F3.

 

[zooted]

-I'd rather go with a 955 Black Edition for $20 cheaper after rebate. If you're building a gaming rig, a 5th and 6th core don't really buy you all that much even if you manage to unlock them.

-Don't like the look of that board at all -- I'd recommend the ASRock 770 Extreme for $20 cheaper, since you're not SLI/CF.

-A solid option on par/slightly above the 460's performance is this ASUS 6850 for $10 cheaper than your current option.

-You may want to bump up to a 1TB HDD like the Spinpoint F3 ($20 more), but your call there.

-The reviews on that particular Antec PSU worry me -- here's a really well-reviewed (and $10 cheaper!) 500W Antec option.

-Case looks fine

-RAM is so cheap these days, and you're building for gaming -- I'd really recommend bumping up to DDR3-1600 speed, and would honestly also recommend getting a CL7 kit. I have a G.SKILL Ripjaws 4GB DDR3-1600 CL7 kit running in my AMD build and it has performed admirably. $19 more than your current choice, but worth it in my opinion.

Just my two cents -- you save $40 with what I've suggested, or $20 if you go with a Spinpoint F3.

+1, although I would stick with the ram you got and bump the gpu up to a 6870 to get more framerates.

 

[cutebeans]

Yeah, I'd go with the 955 Black Edition. cheaper by $30 because of the promo.

Get at least the 6870. :O

I'd get this Haf 912 + Dvd drive combo. It's like getting a great case just $67

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.743728

I'd get this corsair 500w + HDD combo save $15
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.743513

Get this AMD Phenom II x4 + 6870 combo save $17 remember to use the promo code ok.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.748583

Get this Asrock motherboard $65
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157176

 

[ajaat]

Also is the mobo a good choice? I'm not too familiar with AMD

I think this mobohttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128519

 

[des74]

Yeah, I'll just go with the 955 plus that mobo. Does that mobo have UEFI, is it a good overclocker? Also, I wanna reduce the price, that psu is not cheaper, it's more expensive. I do not deal with rebates.

 

[cutebeans]

I'd get this Haf 912 + Dvd drive combo. It's like getting a great case just $67

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.743728

I'd get this corsair 500w + HDD combo save $15
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.743513

Get this AMD Phenom II x4 + 6870 combo save $17 remember to use the promo code ok.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.748583

Get this Asrock motherboard $65
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157176

 

[lp231]

Your very own 2500K build may still be a reality.

You don't have notebook or netbook that you can use while you save up?

 

[des74]

Nah that thing is scrapped, i NEED a computer now because i am using Asus's Express Gate thing because my laptop os is also unusable, even safe mode is done. I made a thread in Windows 7 if you wanna see that. I can't install anything on this. Pretty much all i can do with Express gate is watch youtube and browse the web. Thank god for express gate or i wouldn't be able to order online!


I was looking at these mobos:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131767

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157272

Or

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157195

I really like that Asus one but if it comes down to it i'll get the ASRock (assuming it's still $70 by the time i get it)

 

[cutebeans]

I'd get the cheapest. Since you won't notice the difference much.

 

[lp231]

I believe it's AMD boards running on AM3+ with 9 series chipset that has UEFI.

 

[des74]

No, there was an Asus 8xx board with uefi

 

[Outlander_04]

If you are building with phenom make sure your motherboard is AM3+
That gives you a chance to upgrade processors in the future .

It might cost you $30 now but its worth every cent .

AM3+ boards have black sockets , instead of white .

The best of the cheaper boards is the
Asus M5A97 IMO

 

[des74]

i listed that mobo already and thinking about getting it. I am an intel fan at heart so i don't really think i see myself upgrading this rig later, just gonna get ivy bridge or whatever is out at the time!

 

[des74]

Well...I haven't decided on the mobo.

Here's the choices I have:

ASRock 770 EXTREME3 AM3
MSI 870S-G54
ASUS M5A97
GIGABYTE GA-970A-UD3

Can the 770 unlock cores and does it have UEFI BIOS? Or should i just go with the MSI one? And is the UD3 or M5 worth the money? Is there a cheaper 870 non AM3+ with the same features?