AMD Ultimate Gaming Build. Your thoughts?

Hi, I have a couple thoughts.

1. The PSU is way, way way more powerful than it needs to be.

2. It doesn't make sense to run 3 7850s. My advice would be to use 2 7970s, and use a cheaper motherboard, the Asus Crosshair Vs are, really stupid expensive for what they do.

3. I would suggest the FX-8120, the 8150s cost more and are just clocked higher. The justification for paying more for the 8150 has been that they're binned better to allow higher overclocks. I have not seen any evidence that the 8150 has a higher overclocking ceiling than the 8120s.

4. Ye don't need 16GB of RAM for a gaming build, 8GB is plenty, yes I have 16GB of RAM, that was stupid on my part.

5. Now for actual part replacement suggestions:

Mobo- Asus Sabertooth 990FX, better warranty than Crosshair V, just as good
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Video card- Sapphire 7970 GHZ edition
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

My advice is to start with one, add a 2nd one later if you insist.

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PSU- Corsair TX850v2- Plenty of power for double barrel of 7970
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

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CPU- FX-8120
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

I'd also have another suggestion, might you consider waiting for PileDriver? Honestly, if they were still available from reputable sites, I'd suggest a Phenom II 1100T over the Bulldozer. PileDriver is looking like a more suitable replacement for Phenom IIs than Bulldozer, and PD is only a couple months away. Up to you.

I still don't think Piledriver is going to be worth waiting for. AMD fanboys are arguing that Windows 8 will greatly improve performance but with Steam becoming available on Ubuntu later this year that's all going to be a huge moot point. The bad thing is that the AMD socket AM3 has been around for years and they haven't done anything to improve on it other than releasing some mild chipset improvements.

On a $2K build you're seriously wasting your money with the FX-8150: http://www.cpu-world.com/Compare/442/AMD_FX-Series_FX-8...

Lol, you said that already about PileDriver. PD has already been benched in Windows7 by Tom's, I gave you a link to it.

As far as Steam on Ubuntu, what does that really have to do with anything?

I bring that up because of what I said earlier about AMD fanboys arguing that Windows 8 is going to improve the performance of the CPUs. It isn't. Either you have a CPU that performs like it should or you don't. You can't introduce entire new sets of instructions to a socket and chipset that can't handle them - and no OS on the planet will fix that.

I'm still confused at what that has to do with anything. Did I personally say anything about Windows8 to you? I don't recall doing so. PileDriver has a benchmarkable 10-15 percent improvement over Bulldozer in Windows 7.....not 8. Drop the straw-man argument, my friend.. Its unbecoming of you.

Edit.. well thats actually more a red herring than a straw man.. meh..

He was talking in general, not to what you said.

Yea, but hes said it to me twice in different threads worded the same way, complete with the "Fanboy" I almost feel like hes saying I made that argument lol. I'm just kinda like, *confusedface*.  

At any rate, the OP has made it quite clear he wants a purely AMD system. I'm not going to sit here and try and talk the guy out of it- especially is there really isn't a substantial reason to, it ain't my money. Yes, the i5 is a better gaming processor in a handful of games, but most games simply don't give a f... what CPU you're using. But if G-unit wants to exert the effort, far be it from me to stop him.

I'd do it too, but two experts are already replying, so adding someone else who may or may not know as much is kind of stupid if you ask me.

Lol, I've come to a realization, yes you can point people in the right direction, but when its all said and done, this is a web forum and you don't really *know* these people, and in the end, its their money. If they start a thread with an idea already of what they want, and articulate it, as the OP did here, I assume he already knows what hes getting into with the Bulldozer's Dr. Jeckel and Mr. Hyde nature. If he doesn't he should, if he doesn't care, no problem from me.

I'd stick an 1100T in it, or wait for PileDriver. It should at least match the 1100T, if not slightly outperform it. And 1100Ts are still viable CPUs even if they're not quite as powerful as Intel's offerings. The only "glaring" problem I see with the OPs proposed build is the 3 way crossfire 7850. Not good efficiency to start out with right out of the gate.

Not to mention overkill if he games on 1200p and below.

No no I'm not calling you a fanboy directly...   I'm saying fanboys in general.

I'm saying every argument I've ever seen from people who want to spend that much on an AMD system always makes the same talking points and I'm trying to refute that. It's better to spend the same amount on a CPU that performs way better than to get a CPU that's based on a 6 year old socket and chipset that can't handle it. The biggest problem with AMD is that they haven't introduced a new socket in like a decade - just make minor improvements to the existing one, and that's the biggest flaw with FX / Bulldozer / whatever. And I'm expecting that Piledriver is going to be the same.

Well, it hasn't happened here lol.

The socket isn't the problem with AMD, its the lacking funds for R&D. And like it or not, Intel via their illegal anti-trust activities are largely responsible for it. I know thats neither here nor there, much like the Windows8 argument. AMD had Intel by the balls when they had two back to back lousy CPU designs, Pentium 4s, and Pentium Ds, thats when Intel started blackmailing pre-built companies into using their products exclusively. When Intel got the Core2 generation up and running, they finally got the lead out, and did irreparable damage to AMD.

The problem though with Bulldozer is the architecture. The sockets really don't have anything to do with the fact that Bulldozers shared resources (L2 cache and floating point unit) compete with each other to try to get the workload done. Now, one can argue that AMD should move to a Land Grid Array like Intel, that does allow for more efficient throughput potentially, but that doesn't solve the architecture issues. I don't really like LGAs, of course most people will never change out a CPU on a mobo more than 2 or 3 times, but the fact is LGAs are more fragile than PGAs and will indeed eventually wear out.

Now, being that it is a new design, there is potential AMD can improve it, and like it or not, they have met, and in some cases exceeded their roadmap for this year (remember they said 10% performance increase per year in Bulldozer). Thats more than we can say for Intel's Ivy Bridge which was shooting for 20% and got barely 6%.

As far as anything else, I still stand by my prior argument, its only a handful of games that the difference between pretty much any CPU is really that prevalent. One can look at the 6 CPU intensive games Tom's benched in January, but I can throw out more benches that show that most games just don't care.

Diablo III
http://www.techspot.com/review/532-diablo-3-performance...

Max Payne III
http://www.techspot.com/review/537-max-payne-3-performa...

And many of these:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1210060/fx8120-vs-2500k-benc...

I'm sticking with the Crosshair V and 3 7850's(going to multimonitor eventually). The FX-8150 is just to hold out until PD. I don't mind paying a bit extra for a higher clock speed.

Even 2 7950s will be faster than 3 7850s and use less power.

Like I said, its your money. If you're buying 3 7850s just for the Vram (which for multimonitor is more useful). Then why not just get a 7970 Toxic? It has 6GB VRAM, but other than that its the same as a 7970 GHZ edition. Thats more than enough pixel power to drive tons of monitors.

Ok I've taken everyones thoughts into consideration and here is what I came up with:
FX-8150 $190
Hyper 212 EVO$35
ASUS Crosshair V Formula(LOVE IT STILL ) $220
2x XFX Double D HD 7970 $900
XFX Core Edition PRO850W $116
Seagate Barracuda 3TB $158
G. SKILL Ripjaw X Series 16GB(2x8) $85 (Decided not to get RAM cooler)
Rosewill THOR V2 Gaming $130
ASUS XONAR_DG 5.1 $35
Windows 7 Home Premium $100
LG DVD Burner Black $22
TOTAL OF:$1991 DDDDD MET MY 2K BUDGET!

You don't even really need 2 x 7970 - a single will give you all you need. And the Thor is *MAJOR* overkill - I'd go with something like an NZXT Phantom or Corsair 500R. Just because you have a budget of $2K doesn't always mean you have to meet it.

Hrmm.. a 2k build without an SSD is not worth it in my opinion. It will greatly improve load times and such.

I would for Piledriver

I'd probalby build the machine now with a placeholder cpu . Maybe an FX 4100 , maybe a triple core athlon . October 1 is not that far away

^ Agreed

Ahhh so that's the official release date. well lets do a 4170 till the 1st 

Do a Phenom II 965 lol.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

You mean that acient piece of **** lol just kidding. I may do that.

I got news lol, 1100T Phenom IIs own FX-8150s. FX CPUs have a very Dr. Jeckel and Mr. Hyde nature to them, you might find that PileDrivers (FX-8350s) really won't have a noticeable improvement over Phenom IIs.