Prospective AMD midrange build for 650...

[ryanonfire54]

So I'm looking for a midrange gaming rig (WoW, some steam games, SWToR, Diablo3, etc). I'd like *at least* high settings (possibly ultra?). Looking for some advice on this combo for getting off the ground. My budget is the 600-700 range.



All products can be found on newegg, I'm from the US as well.



CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition 3.4GHz Socket AM3 Quad-Core Processor
Mobo: MSI 890GXM-G65 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
GPU: EVGA GeForce GTX 550 Ti (Fermi) FPB 01G-P3-1556-KR Video Card
RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory
PSU: OCZ ModXStream Pro 600W Modular High Performance Power Supply compatible with Intel Sandybridge Core i3 i5 i7 and AMD Phenom
HDD: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" SATA 6.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Disc Drive: ASUS 24X DVD Burner - Bulk Black SATA Model DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS
Case: Antec Three Hundred Black Computer Case


All this totals up to 645.94 before shipping. I plan on adding a SSD, aftermarket heat sink for cpu (would like to OC up 400mhz), and maybe a graphics upgrade in the winter. i have an OS to use (Windows 7 Ultimate).

Let me know what you think! Thanks.

 

[Dangi]

I would drop 4Gb of ram and switch to a Caviar Green/Blue and get the SSD

Also if you are planning to upgrade graphics in winter, before radon-uk gets here, get a GTX480 and then in winter you can go SLI, but I'm not too sure if 600W will be enough to fed 2 GTX480.

 

[bgrt]

You're probably overspending on the PSU unless you're going to get a top of the line graphics card or doing SLI/Xfire. Save money on the PSU and WD Black HDD and get an SSD boot drive.

Also consider whether you really need to upgrade your GPU or not. If your res is 1680x1050 you might find that the 550 Ti is good enough for you, especially for the games you mentioned.

 

[ryanonfire54]

I have a 23" asus monitor that goes up to full 1080p (I believe that makes it 1920x1080).

Is the SSD boot drive *really* necessary? If so, how small of one could I get for exclusively booting purposes? 40gb?

 

[bgrt]

A boot drive is not necessary, but consider that game/level load times, Windows bootup, application start times are all part of the computing experience. If waiting is irritating, then an SSD can do a lot to alleviate the pain. I'd go with min 60GB. These should sell for $60-70 now typically.

I see now why you'd like to upgrade your GPU. 550 Ti might still be fine with those games at 1080p, I'd just try it and see.

 

[ryanonfire54]

So I swapped the card out and added a 480gtx. Also slapped on a 32gb SSD (Kingston S50). Is that mobo I have listed good enough for all these performance parts? Also, definitely keep the 600w psu now?

 

[cin19]

If you build the game PC, check out the link "Picking A Sub-$200 Gaming CPU: FX, An APU, Or A Pentium? "
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-fx-pentium-apu-benchmark,3120.html

If you don't like the Intel just forget about it.

So I will put this PC w/ SSD for you about $600-700

Core i3-2120/H61/8GB/1.5TB HDMI SuperCombo $366
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.956695

SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 6850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 $120 after MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102908

Take one of them PSU (I recommend OCZ ZS Series 550W 80PLUS Bronze)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007657%204801&IsNodeId=1&page=3&bop=And&CompareItemList=58|17-371-030^17-371-030-TS%2C17-341-047^17-341-047-TS

SSD http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100008120%20600038478&IsNodeId=1&bop=And&CompareItemList=636%7C20%2D227%2D726%5E20%2D227%2D726%2DTS%2C20%2D171%2D567%5E20%2D171%2D567%2DTS%2C20%2D227%2D791%5E20%2D227%2D791%2DTS

For the price $70 (OCZ Agility 3 AGT3-25SAT3-120G 2.5" 120GB ) you hard to pass, even it is not a real SATAIII but you can't feel the different in the real life and you only can see in the benchmark.

If you want to feel good to get the OCZ Vertex 4 VTX4-25SAT3-128G which is the fastest SSD.

 

[Wisecracker]

Gigabyte GA-970A-D3 AM3+: $90

(future upgrade path)

 

[bgrt]

So I swapped the card out and added a 480gtx. Also slapped on a 32gb SSD (Kingston S50). Is that mobo I have listed good enough for all these performance parts? Also, definitely keep the 600w psu now?

Yes, now you need that PSU, only because the 480 is a power hog If you could find a 560 Ti for the same price I would go for that instead of the 480, but you might not be able to.

32GB will let you install Windows but not much else. It'll be fine for now though. Everything looks good to me.

 

[Wisecracker]

\XFX Double D HD-695X-CDFC Radeon HD 6950 2GB: $199
with code EMCYTZT1810 after $30 rebate -- ends 6/26

OCZ Agility 3 90GB SSD: $70

Corsair TX650: $60 after rebate with code EMCNDHH27

 

[Outlander_04]

That is a terrible AMD build for the price .

Only use AM3+ motherboards with a 970 or 990 series chipset .
No point in using an m-ATX board in an ATX case

Use the FX 4100 . It games as well or better than the 965 phenom, and as is on par with the intel i3 someone suggested in all DX 11 games .
It will overclock spectacularly , and is cheaper .

If you are gaming at 1080p resolution then a radeon 6870 is really your minimum graphics choice

EDIT:
You might find useful information in this older thread
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/351343-31-gaming-build

What is most informing is the sheer lack of understanding by most posters of the architecture and performance of the FX 4100.
Even if you decide to go with phenom which is stronger in some applications still use AM3+ mb or your system is a dead end and cant be upgraded .

 

[EchoOne]

So I'm looking for a midrange gaming rig (WoW, some steam games, SWToR, Diablo3, etc). I'd like *at least* high settings (possibly ultra?). Looking for some advice on this combo for getting off the ground. My budget is the 600-700 range.



All products can be found on newegg, I'm from the US as well.



CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition 3.4GHz Socket AM3 Quad-Core Processor
Mobo: MSI 890GXM-G65 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
GPU: EVGA GeForce GTX 550 Ti (Fermi) FPB 01G-P3-1556-KR Video Card
RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory
PSU: OCZ ModXStream Pro 600W Modular High Performance Power Supply compatible with Intel Sandybridge Core i3 i5 i7 and AMD Phenom
HDD: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" SATA 6.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Disc Drive: ASUS 24X DVD Burner - Bulk Black SATA Model DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS
Case: Antec Three Hundred Black Computer Case


All this totals up to 645.94 before shipping. I plan on adding a SSD, aftermarket heat sink for cpu (would like to OC up 400mhz), and maybe a graphics upgrade in the winter. i have an OS to use (Windows 7 Ultimate).

Let me know what you think! Thanks.

From expirience with that same exact setup (Video card,hard drive,ram and cpu) UPGRADE 4100 or 4170 cpu,Asus M5A97 mobo and for a video card,Your 550ti will die on 1080p go with a 6850 or 6870. trust me spend a little extra now and not regret it later...Dont listen to people pushing you to buy intel...4170 is Just as good...Hell my 6100 is as good a 2500k when it comes to gaming.

 

[Outlander_04]

This link
http://www.techspot.com/review/458-battlefield-3-performance/page7.html
is also very informative

Notice that at 1080p the FX 4100 gives 1 FPS less than the intel 2500k . Not bad at all for a processor that costs half as much when you wouldnt even be able to tell the difference .