Moxio's Summer Project: Build a New PC

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Well, it's been a while since I last got to do this, but the time has come again to build a new desktop tower as my main computer. I know there's a ton of these types of threads, and for that I apologize.

I'll begin with a little background information on what I want to do with this PC.

  • Want to play up-to-date games with strong framerates
  • Want to be able to play high quality movies with little/no hiccup
  • I'll use Windows 7 beta for my main OS for now, then upgrade to the full version when it comes out, so no need for an OS atm
  • I have no plan in the future to use two cards in any CrossFire/SLI configuration
  • I already have speakers, keyboard, monitor, mouse, and sound card
  • My budget is around $700-$900. If I can save some money I'd definitely like to keep it low, but I don't want to exclude quality so I could scrounge up some dollars for that upper limit price


Now, I don't expect everyone to do all the work for me, :lol:. I've gotten some things picked out. I'd just like some feedback; I'd definitely like recommendations or maybe if you've built a tower recently, your "roster" of equipment. Here's what I have right now.


Motherboard+Processor
This is a tricky area for me. I haven't been "on the scene" for a while, so this age-old question thrives: AMD or Intel? I've heard that AMD Phenom II has good performance for the price, but I've also heard that Intel's got a good game, so I'd like your opinions. I was checking out AMD and I see what I like, so here's what I have:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128378

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103472

Graphics card
Hoo, GPUs are so important now, huh? I've heard to build your computer AROUND your GPU nowadays. Thus, I'd like a strong card to accompany it. I like this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102801

Memory
Simple enough, right?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231166

Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218

However I'm not too worried about the HD, I can easily find a good deal so I can pick that up whenever.

Power Supply
I've heard not to skimp on these, but I have poor knowledge about what constitutes a good PSU, so I just went by ratings. :lol:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006

--

Well, if I add those up it comes out to roughly $750, which puts me in great shape. Please, let me know if some components mismatch or are poor together, I'd really appreciate it. Thank you again for helping out. :cool:
 
Core i7 processors are the best, mang...buuuut, they're kinda expensive.
From what I understand, Intel is the king at the moment, and the Core 2 Quads are really affordable nowadays: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...6&bop=And&ActiveSearchResult=True&Order=PRICE
I don't know too much about mobos, but these seems to match up to your choice, outside the socket and some other tiny details: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128371

GPU looks good. The HD4870 is a rockin' card.

Since memory is so cheap, why not get more? Either way, you're going to be running an x64 system, right? You won't be able to use more than ~3.5 gb of RAM if you don't.

As for the HDD, how much space do you have already? It might be worth it to get a smaller capacity one that runs at 10,000 RPMs to run your OS(s) and programs on and to use your existing space for media Bollywood movies/storage/whatever. Or even an SSD. :hot:

The PSU looks good too. I have a Corsair 520HX and it's treated me very well. The important thing about yours is that it has 60 A over the 12 V rails.
 
I can vouch for that graphics card, it works like a charm for me. Not a bad set up.

As for the processors, Intel is usually one step ahead of AMD but for that you pay extra. AMD is more bang for your buck.
 
I own that exact same card, and while I do like it, there are many "odd" things that happen concerning my graphics that I have not yet identified the source of, so I tend to blame it on my video card. When I plug in my lesser 8800gts 320mb, in some games it actually looks better due to the glitches.

Don't let that put you off because who knows whats causing my issues, but my personal feelings after owning one myself is that I would have been better off with an Nvidia card so I wouldn't have to deal with the control panel/ati drivers.

If you buy AMD, you will get many more features for your money. I haven't looked into the i7's much as currently the C2D and quads are still more than enough for 99% of what people use them for. I think after the shrink of the i7's, the model after that will be the one to watch, so I personally feel that a C2D or quad is the way to go provided you are willing to overclock, for at least a few years. If you don't want to mess with that, AMD will give you more for less.

Concerning the board, you're going to have to pick whether or not you want potential crossfire or sli support. If not, you can pick up a nice board for cheap. An Asus P5Q-E is a popular choice to pair with a quad or c2d.

I'm being called away for games atm so I'll reread my own post and yours and give you some more feedback later.
 
i disagree with everything liquid said.. no offense liquid.

phenoms rule, nvidia's GPUs are a better value right now, 4gb ram is plenty (unless you have specific high-memory uses in mind, like running a couple virtual machines), that hard drive rules (and 10k drives are too loud/hot to be worth it), but the PSU is overkill you can get away spending half that.

i haven't read ck's post (sorta tigh on time, just wanted to dissent above) but he always gives solid advice. also, that dude with the spaceship avatar offered a very solid build in another thread recently. coffeeedge? i think him. look it up.

most ppl go overboard on parts that don't matter so much (case, psu, mobo, ram, hdd).. fact is 90% of the performance difference you're gonna see is from cpu/gpu, differences in memory/hdd are negligible, and the reliability difference in psu/mobo is almost nonexistent (unless you're a crazy OCer).
 
nVidia's GPUs are NOT a better value, at best, they are on par with ATI's. The 4800 series from ATI offers just about anything people need at a great price. The 4870's are dropping in price like crazy, grab two of those and you're set.

Have you considered getting an SSD for your OS and using a regular HDD for everything else (media and games)? I'm currently looking into getting a 32GB SSD for my OS/Programs, and then running games, music, and videos off of a regular HDD.
 
A 32 GB SSD is too small, I'd say, Syngamer. Windows 7 is 10 GB on its own, and I (not sure how close to average this is; it's honestly probably over) have 40 GB worth of programs alone (18 GB of which are Steam games).
 
You're going to want to pick a different motherboard if you intend to use the memory and CPU you have picked out. That board only supports AM3 processors and the Phenom II 920 that you picked out is AM2+. This board is almost the same, but will support the 920 and memory. And on the subject of the CPU, I'd suggest looking at picking up this one instead since right now its the same price as the 920 at Newegg and there's this nice combo deal going on right now that includes the CPU and mobo.

I think your PSU might be a bit overkill if you don't plan on running multiple video cards in SLI/Crossfire. You could save a few bucks going down to this one here. For the case, the Antec 300 seems to be rather popular for cheap, quality case. As for the video card, right now I'd probably go with a GTX 260 for since they cost around the same price as the 4870s and in the benchmarks I've seen they tend to perform a little better in more games. You can't go wrong with either one at current prices though.
 
[quote name='Liquid 2']A 32 GB SSD is too small, I'd say, Syngamer. Windows 7 is 10 GB on its own, and I (not sure how close to average this is; it's honestly probably over) have 40 GB worth of programs alone (18 GB of which are Steam games).[/QUOTE]
As I said, i would use it just for the OS and programs. Everything else would be on a regular 7200RPM HDD, including Steam.
 
[quote name='SynGamer']As I said, i would use it just for the OS and programs. Everything else would be on a regular 7200RPM HDD, including Steam.[/QUOTE]

I have to disagree. A cheap Super Talent 32GB SSD will still tag on an extra $120 or so. It is true that the performance increase is phenomenal, but it isn't what the OP is looking for. He wants to play the latest and greatest games at high frame rates, having a $120 SSD would not help his cause. That $120 could be used to get an even better video card instead, like the GTX 285; now that will really boost his games over the 4870 he had originally picked out. So in short, it is a waste of money to get the SSD for what he wants to achieve. The WD 640GB Black is perfectly fine for what he wants to do.

The AM3 motherboard picked out looks to be a pretty solid board, but as someone already said before, it needs an AM3 processor to utilize the DDR3 memory controller. And of course, DDR3 is required. Getting socket 775 and AM2+ motherboards and CPUs is still a viable choice right now, but don't expect them to be upgrade-proof. Both sockets are nearing the end of their respective lives, being replaced by i7 and AM3. Still, at your price range, socket 775 CPUs such as Q9400 or e8500 coupled with Asus P5Q or Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P are still great choices. Or you can stick with your original pic of AM3 board and pick out an AM3 X4 processor and affordable DDR3 memory will give you some headroom for future upgrades.
 
[quote name='SOSTrooper']I have to disagree. A cheap Super Talent 32GB SSD will still tag on an extra $120 or so. It is true that the performance increase is phenomenal, but it isn't what the OP is looking for. He wants to play the latest and greatest games at high frame rates, having a $120 SSD would not help his cause. That $120 could be used to get an even better video card instead, like the GTX 285; now that will really boost his games over the 4870 he had originally picked out. So in short, it is a waste of money to get the SSD for what he wants to achieve. The WD 640GB Black is perfectly fine for what he wants to do.

The AM3 motherboard picked out looks to be a pretty solid board, but as someone already said before, it needs an AM3 processor to utilize the DDR3 memory controller. And of course, DDR3 is required. Getting socket 775 and AM2+ motherboards and CPUs is still a viable choice right now, but don't expect them to be upgrade-proof. Both sockets are nearing the end of their respective lives, being replaced by i7 and AM3. Still, at your price range, socket 775 CPUs such as Q9400 or e8500 coupled with Asus P5Q or Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P are still great choices. Or you can stick with your original pic of AM3 board and pick out an AM3 X4 processor and affordable DDR3 memory will give you some headroom for future upgrades.[/QUOTE]
Check Newegg.com. I saw a couple of 32GB SSD's in the $70's. As for graphics, he could get 2 4870's for the same price of 1 GTX 285.
 
[quote name='SynGamer']Check Newegg.com. I saw a couple of 32GB SSD's in the $70's. As for graphics, he could get 2 4870's for the same price of 1 GTX 285.[/QUOTE]

There is no SATA SSD in the $70's range, take a look again, those miniPCIe SSDs at your said price are even slower than a typical 7200RPM hard drive. SSD is not a way to go for the OP, period. And yes, maybe the OP can get two 4870 for the price of 1 GTX 285, but I don't see how that contributes to the discussion, as I only merely gave a better reason to use that $120 that you recommended to spend on the SSD.

Whatever parts he picked out, video card, hard drive, power supply (a bit overkill as others have said, but good brand choice nonetheless) are great for his price range, he doesn't need any gimmick like SSD or Crossfire.
 
[quote name='Koggit']also, that dude with the spaceship avatar offered a very solid build in another thread recently. coffeeedge? i think him. look it up.[/QUOTE]

it's this post i was referring to: http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5870649&postcount=4

[quote name='CoffeeEdge']Check this out:


Total cost: $421.88 after rebates, all shipped free. And that is everything you need (see footnote two posts down, however).

Buy these parts. Assemble the computer. Be amazed that you managed to get a computer this powerful, this cheap. Enjoy. Thank me later.[/QUOTE]



he (smartly) avoids overspending on mobo, case and PSU, and avoids the other pitfall most people sink into: he doesn't go for an overpriced CPU that the GPU wouldn't be able to keep up with anyway. it's a balanced build. you'd be hard pressed for a better budget machine (and imo, unless you hate having money for other things, budget is the way to go -- high end systems are an epic ripoff).
 
Thanks for the insight, guys. So do you think I should go for AM3 then?

--

I saw Coffee's post earlier, and am impressed. However, my budget is roughly twice that so I was unsure if I should base my build off that one's. I don't think I'll need any SSD, and I don't think I want to do CrossFire because another card will add another $170ish and I can't afford that right now.
 
i dunno if they are still on sale, but Dell was having a deal on Galaxy vid cards - i grabbed two 9600GT's for $97 ($57 after rebates)
 
AM3 setup will put you close to your $900 limit:

CPU: Phenom II X4 810 - $170
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-MA790XT-UD4P - $125 (the one you picked out)
Memory: G.SKILL 4GB DDR3 1333 - $60

That'll put you at around $355 for the combo. Adding $180 for video card, $100 for power supply, $50 or so for the case, $60 for HD, perhaps $25 for DVD burner (if you need it), it'll bring you to just below $800 (rough calculation). Which when you factor in shipping and tax, it'll be closer to the upper $800's. I think you'll do good with the AM3 setup.
 
I don't think you really need to go AM3 right now. AM2+ boards are cheaper, DDR2 is cheaper and an AM2+ board can support AM3 processors. AM3 boards just can't support AM2 processors.
 
 
[quote name='Koggit']he (smartly) avoids overspending on mobo, case and PSU, and avoids the other pitfall most people sink into: he doesn't go for an overpriced CPU that the GPU wouldn't be able to keep up with anyway. it's a balanced build. you'd be hard pressed for a better budget machine (and imo, unless you hate having money for other things, budget is the way to go -- high end systems are an epic ripoff).[/QUOTE]

Moxio isn't even thinking of overspending though. :whistle2:?
He has his budget and wants to build a system that will last him for the next few years. That PSU only has 36 A over the 12 V rails, which isn't good, the mobo doesn't support DDR3 RAM and has only 2 RAM slots.

Yeah, CoffeeEdge's build is certainly cheaper, but isn't future proof at all.

The Corsair PSU that Moxio picked out will be good for his next 10 PCs. He won't have to keep buying a new one as GPUs demand more and more power.
 
You're right, AM2+ boards and DDR2 memory are cheaper. But the OP has a solid budget that allows him to get AM3 parts comfortably, and AM3 may give him better options for upgrading in the future. So I say, why not? There are times to cut corners because of budget, but I think this time this OP can up a notch in terms of parts.
 
[quote name='Moxio']I saw this on SD: http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?sduid=16655&t=1373553 :drool:

How about this build with that processor+mobo?

Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042
HD (changeable): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218
GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102801
PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005
RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231189

AR, ~$818. Don't need a DVD burner (already have one).[/QUOTE]
That CPU/mobo combo rocks. GPU is solid, as is the PSU. Case isn't ugly.

Do you need the HDD? If you could keep what you have already, you could get more RAM. :cool:

Looks good to me. :)
 
I'm using x64 on my laptop (the Lenovo X61 I picked up last year), and I haven't had any real issues.
I'm going to install it on my desktop once I get around to replacing build 7000 with 7100, xo I can let you know then.

I'm pretty sure zewone has been using x64 for a long while now, so maybe you can ask him.
 
I'm kind of in the same boat, though I'm only looking for a motherboard, cpu, ram, and cpu cooler. Not sure whether I should wait a little longer for cheaper AM3/i7 stuff or go for the current AM2+/775 things. I probably do plan on overclocking, still not sure since I've never done it before. It seems to me Intel chips are a bit overpriced now, though they do beat AMD in performance, but no longer in the Performance/Price ratio.

I've been thinking about getting this CPU:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103471

along with this mobo, the Asus M4A79 Deluxe:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131361

or this motherboard, the Gigabyte GA-MA790X-UD4P:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128387

There is a big price differences but I trust Asus more as I've never used Gigabyte products. I also don't need crossfire or SLi so I'm probably leaning more towards the Gigabyte board if it can overclock decently. I think these boards also support AM3 chips so in the future if I were to upgrade I could just drop in a new processor.

For ram, I was going to go with these:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231166

And for my cooler I was either looking at the Sunbeam Core contact or the Xigmatek Dark Knight, though I've heard both are big so I'm not sure if they might fit in my case. I have a Antec Sonata III. So any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
 
One point that should be mentioned is to check Amazon's pricing (if they have the item) because when i bought my new stuff a month ago everything was cheaper there compared to newegg.
 
[quote name='Liquid 2']Moxio isn't even thinking of overspending though. :whistle2:?
He has his budget and wants to build a system that will last him for the next few years. That PSU only has 36 A over the 12 V rails, which isn't good, the mobo doesn't support DDR3 RAM and has only 2 RAM slots.

Yeah, CoffeeEdge's build is certainly cheaper, but isn't future proof at all.

The Corsair PSU that Moxio picked out will be good for his next 10 PCs. He won't have to keep buying a new one as GPUs demand more and more power.[/QUOTE]

Man no way is that PSU anything short of what he needs... the need for these big PSUs is probably the worst myth in computer hardware. Without going SLi/Crossfire there's absolutely no need for a bigger/beefier PSU. 36 A over 12 V is 432W (P=IV) and even the highest end machines under full load rarely crack 350W. There's a reason the big boys (HP, Dell, Alienware) use relatively low power PSUs even in their highest machines.. there's no need for more. And if you ARE burning that much power, the big concern should instead be heat.. even burning 300 watts, it's really tough to get all that heat out of the case (that's about 1/3 a space heater)... if you're above 450 you better be liquid cooled.

But anyway, that's a little off topic. You're right: if he wants to blow his money on overkill parts, he should. :p
 
[quote name='Moxio']Well, no tax for NewEgg here in WA, so at least that's a plus. :)

--

I saw this on SD: http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?sduid=16655&t=1373553 :drool:

How about this build with that processor+mobo?

Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042
HD (changeable): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218
GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102801
PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005
RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231189

AR, ~$818. Don't need a DVD burner (already have one).[/QUOTE]

The only problem I see is, if you're gonna go for the i7 and X58 motherboard, you might as well go for this OCZ triple channel of 6GB DDR3 memory for around $12 more. Other than that, everything looks good, the i7 is a monster of a processor, it will serve you well for your gaming purpose for the next couple of years.
 
I'm running the following with a 430 watt Antec Earthwatts PSU;

  • Intel E7200 @ 3.0GHz (overclocked from 2.53GHz)
  • 2GB PC6400 (DDR2 800)
  • 2 160GB 7200 RPM Western Digital HDD
  • VisionTek 4850 512MB (overclocked to 650/1075)
  • 3 120mm fans
  • 4 USB peripherals
No problems what-so-ever.
 
[quote name='Moxio']Well, no tax for NewEgg here in WA, so at least that's a plus. :)

--

I saw this on SD: http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?sduid=16655&t=1373553 :drool:

How about this build with that processor+mobo?

Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042
HD (changeable): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218
GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102801
PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005
RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231189

AR, ~$818. Don't need a DVD burner (already have one).[/QUOTE]


Looks good to me. Only thing I'd change is the RAM to a triple channel kit like the one SOSTrooper suggested.
 
Well, Koggit, what PSU do you recommend then? I just don't want to get caught with an insufficient PSU and then have to deal with the return process. :oops:
 
[quote name='Moxio']How about this case? Is the PSU sufficient?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811156062[/QUOTE]

I'm not sure why you're reconsidering your case & power supply selection. Your original choices were much better even though you may have to pay a bit more. This Raidmax case + PSU has no free shipping, so expect to tag $25 - $30 on top of the price for it (to total of about $85 - $90 after rebate). At the time of this writing, this CoolerMaster case and this OCZ 600W or this Corsair 550W PSU's have free shipping and totaling about $110 after rebates. But I suppose at this point, your case selection is all about which looks good to you. As for PSU, I would recommend paying a bit more for a more reliable quality unit. Your new setup will probably be good with 500W at the minimum.
 
Hm, you're probably right then. Okay, well here's my "almost-final" build.

Processor: http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10010063 $169
Mobo: http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10010088 $125
PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139002&Tpk=Corsair 620HX Can get it for $70 (thx SD)
GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130434 $170 AR
(I think I like the GTX260 over the HD4870. It's about the same, performs slightly better, and I'm more comfortable with nVidia drivers+interface)
Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119077 $60 AR
HDD: http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10009440 $70
RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231189 $60

Total: ~$725. Any tips on cooling? Fans, paste, etc?
 
[quote name='Moxio']
Total: ~$725. Any tips on cooling? Fans, paste, etc?[/QUOTE]

If you don't overclock, the stock CPU fan will be sufficient. It comes with its own thermal padding too.
 
Liquid tells me I should wait for another i7 deal. SOSTrooper, if I did so, should I just go ahead and order the HDD, case, psu, gpu right now and then wait for a cpu+mobo deal?
 
As far as paste goes, I hear Arctic Silve 5 paste is top of the line. It's only like $5 for a tube, and that'll last you forever, if you want to just tack it onto your order.
 
Arctic Silver 5 is great if you get a 3rd party CPU fan as well. Unless you want to get a razor blade and scrape the thermal pad off of the stock fan, AS5 is probably not a necessary buy.

I don't see any current i7 combo deal on slickdeals anymore, so maybe hold off for a few days to see if any good deals come up again. As far as buying parts separately now, unless the deal is super great, I would just wait and buy 'em all at the same time. Though the $60 for the WD 640GB Black is almost a steal, I would jump on that now if it's still live.
 
The cheapest i7 920 I've seen on a regular basis is $230 at Microcenter. If there is a location near you, I would consider getting it there. Otherwise, the CPU alone will cost 1/3 of your budget. But as it stands, I would wait a few days to see if new i7 combo deals will come up like Liquid had suggested to you. I suppose you're not entirely in a hurry to buy the parts. If there is still no dice in a few days, we can come up with other alternatives/options.
 
Unfortunately, there is no MicroCenter around here. The $378 deal on SD a couple days ago was great IMO, but I missed it. :whistle2:/ Now I kinda feel if I get anything less than an i7 it'll just be a waste. :lol:

Thanks for your help again, guys. I really appreciate it.
 
Looking at what you want out of this build I don't think you're going to be missing much by NOT going with i7. If you're going to be doing a lot of video encoding or running virtual machines or something it might be worth it. If you're mainly looking for a gaming rig that you'll also use to watch videos and browse the internet on, then I don't think you're going to be losing a lot if you go with the Phenom II instead.
 
Remember most games today cannot take advantage of even a Quad Core Processor. I actually still just have my E2160 Core 2 Duo Overclocked to 3.2 GHz and I can play even the latest games with 30-50 FPS, even with an older video card - ATI x1950 Pro. Granted I'm using 4 Gig of RAM (it's so cheap) and Windows 2008 Server, but I'd say you aren't going to miss that much at all not going to an i7.

Btw, the cheapest I've seen an i7 is $199 at Microcenter, so I'd say pretty soon you should see that price online.
 
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