If You Want To Brutally Criticize Someone's Gaming Rig, I'm Your Man!

[klinkklink]

Here it is, guys! My new gaming rig. I want you to search the deepest, darkest depths of your shriveled black hearts and pull put the most mean-spirited words you can conjure up. Ruin my night! Show no mercy!

CPU: AMD FX-8350 Vishera ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113284 )

Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-990FXA-UD5 AM3+ http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128509

RAM: CORSAIR Vengeance 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3 1866 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233281

Storage: SAMSUNG 840 Series 2.5" 250GB SATA III TLC SSD ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147189 )

Video Card: EVGA Superclocked Signature 2 GeForce GTX 680 2GB ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130797 )

Power Supply: COOLER MASTER Real Power Pro 550W ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=17-171-025&SortField=3&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=10&PurchaseMark=&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=&IsFeedbackTab=true&Keywords=%28keywords%29&Page=1 ) (I pulled this artifact from my old rig. Sue Me.)

 

[manofchalk]

On the whole its fairly good, but some bad points.

Why a 680? Its $100 more than a 670 for 5% more performance (which can be gained by overclocking the 670). Also not EVGA, reference design cooling runs hot and loud.
Gigabyte GTX670. $350 ($20 rebate)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125423

Unless you want a set of new hair-combs, you have to swap the RAM out if your going to put a big heatsink on that CPU. Also 8GB of 1600Mhz CL9 RAM is plenty for a gaming rig.
G.Skill Ares 8GB (2x4GB) 1600Mhz CL9 1.5v. $38
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231544

Get rid of that awful PSU. Coolermaster are not a good manufacturer for PSU's and this one is already (im guessing) 3yrs old, around the time it should be replaced.
Corsair 750W, 80+ Bronze. $85 ($25 rebate) <-- That be a big rebate, jump on it.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139021

You gong to overclock this thing?

EDIT: Accidentally put a $200 rebate on the 670 instead of $20. Wouldn't that be great?.

 

[cutebeans]

Hi, Don't get an AMD for gaming.

An i5-3570k would mash that thing to bits! You might want to get a 7950 which is better bang for buck.

 

[klinkklink]

On the whole its fairly good, but some bad points.

Why a 680? Its $100 more than a 670 for 5% more performance (which can be gained by overclocking the 670). Also not EVGA, reference design cooling runs hot and loud.
Gigabyte GTX670. $350 ($200 rebate)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125423

Unless you want a set of new hair-combs, you have to swap the RAM out if your going to put a big heatsink on that CPU. Also 8GB of 1600Mhz CL9 RAM is plenty for a gaming rig.
G.Skill Ares 8GB (2x4GB) 1600Mhz CL9 1.5v. $38
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231544

Get rid of that awful PSU. Coolermaster are not a good manufacturer for PSU's and this one is already (im guessing) 3yrs old, around the time it should be replaced.
Corsair 750W, 80+ Bronze. $85 ($25 rebate) <-- That be a big rebate, jump on it.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139021

You gong to overclock this thing?

In the future, most likely. As of now, my wallet is still dealing with PTSD.

 

[bignastyid]

Don't use that power supply. Using that psu with a GTX680(or a 670 or even a 7950) will be disastrous, if you are lucky it just wont power on at all, if you are not lucky it will fry everything when it dies in a spectacular show of sparks and smoke.

 

[klinkklink]

Don't use that power supply. Using that psu with a GTX680(or a 670 or even a 7950) will be disastrous, if you are lucky it just wont power on at all, if you are not lucky it will fry everything when it dies in a spectacular show of sparks and smoke.

Ehhhh... you're gonna have to clarify on that one. The required wattage on the graphics card is 550, and so, the PSU is 550W. What's the problem?

 

[bignastyid]

Just because the manufacture rated it at 550w doesn't mean it capable of running there very long. There is no standard rating system. With a quality power supply you can trust it to be able to deliver its rated wattage but less reliable(usually cheaper) brands can't do this and when they run at those wattage's they usually fail and they can fail catastrophically and will often take many to all of the hardware connected to them when they go. When you build a computer the power supply is the most critical and unfortunately overlooked alot. Your cooler master is a steaming pile, the 3(19a) 12v rails are only capable of 432w max output, a 550w Corsair has a single 41a 12v rail capable of 492w. Given Cooler Master track record I'd bet it wouldn't hold that 432w max for very long before it released its magic smoke.

 

[manofchalk]

Issue isn't wattage here (though it is with this particular unit only being able to give 432W), but reliability. Coolermaster (especially their low end units) are not known for making good PSU's.
Theres also the fact a PSU will degrade over time and shouldn't be used beyond 3yrs.