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Building New Computer

R

RoGuE1230

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 25, 2006
Messages
464
As you can see in my signature, my current computer is WAY overdue for replacement. I'm planning to order things between now and the end of the year (when there are the most sales). If I can pick up pieces here and there by the end of the year to get the best deal that would be fine. Also, I have no preference between Intel and AMD (however I did get burned by AMD not including SSE2 in the AthlonXPs which kept me from playing some games), or Nvidia and ATI. Whatever I can get the best deal on that will perform well is best.

Overall my main focus is to get the best parts than can last me another 6-ish years.

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Gaming and Web Browsing

2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
$700-800 (preferably closer to the lower end) including tax and shipping and it also has to include the OS. I want to try to get what I can from Amazon to cut down on tax and shipping. I also live very close to a Mirocenter and Fry's.
3) Where do you live?
Atlanta, GA

4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. The word "Everything" is not a valid answer. Please list out all the parts you'll need.
Case (nothing flashy with lights, simple is better), Power Supply, RAM, Motherboard, CPU, Video Card, Hard Drive, Optical Drive

5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
No

6) Will you be overclocking?
No, but having a motherboard and CPU that can handle it in the future would be preferable

7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
Already have a 23" 1920x1080

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Between now and the end of the year.

9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? etc.
USB 3.0 (To future proof it), mild overclocking abilities

10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
No. I do have access to the student upgrade for $30 or whatever it was, however I have no OS to upgrade from. Is there any way around that by installing a trial version first, or Windows Server 2008 (which I have access to for free)?
 
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Just to let you know: whatever parts we recommend today won't necessarily be the best buys in December as a result of the very deals you mention.

So keep that in mind with the following recommendations:
$170 - Intel Core i5 760 CPU from Microcenter
$114 - Asus P7P55D-E LX Intel P55 ATX Motherboard
$70 - Corsair XMS CMX4GX3M1A1333C9 4GB DDR3 1333 RAM
$285 - XFX HD-585X-ZAFC Radeon HD 5850 1GB PCI-E Video Card + XFX P1-650X-CAG9 650W PSU Combo
$75 - Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
$80 - Cooler Master CM690 II Advance ATX Case
------
Total: $794 shipped.

Also note that all those combo deals ends on November 31st and/or subject to availability.
 
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That doesn't include Windows 7 unfortunately...

Would going AMD get me a better processor/motherboard for cheaper? I see at Microcenter they have the Phenom X6 for $180 but are the AMD motherboards cheaper?
 
RoGuE1230 said:
That doesn't include Windows 7 unfortunately...

Would going AMD get me a better processor/motherboard for cheaper? I see at Microcenter they have the Phenom X6 for $180 but are the AMD motherboards cheaper?
Click to expand...

Ahh that's right. Ok in order to fit in the OS, you are gonna have to go with AMD. You can get the AMD Phenom II 955 CPU for $140 from Microcenter last I checked. AMD motherboards are cheaper but your requirement for USB 3.0 pretty much only means a savings of about $15 or so. I recommend these motherboards:
$90 - Gigabyte GA-880GM-UD2H AMD 880G HDMI mATX Motherboard
$100 - Gigabyte GA-870A-UD3 AM3 AMD 870 ATX Motherboard

Then get the $30 Windows 7 that you have acess to. Follow these instructions here on how to do a clean install using the upgrade disc:
http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/clean_install_upgrade_media.asp
 
If you had the option of going for Intel i5 or Phenom II x6, would feel it would be a good decision either way?

USB 3.0 isn't very important if the price difference is that big. Besides, I could always get a USB 3.0 expansion card down the line if I need it.

I read through that guide on using the upgrade disc for a clean install. Basically, it says I just need to install it once, then upgrade from the non-activated version of Windows 7 to finally activate it. That seems way too simple...

Also, it the student upgrade went up in price to $65. Still a good deal but not as good as $30 was.
 
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Go with either the Intel Core i5 7xx or the AMD Phenom II X4 9xx as you'll see no noticeable performance boost compared to a Core i7 or an AMD hex-core processor. Grab the Core i5 if you can afford it, or the Phenom II X4 otherwise. The money that you "save" on the processor (or motherboard) could be used towards a better video card.

If you can, look at the AMD Radeon HD 6870, or wait for the new HD 69xx cards to arrive next month.
 
RoGuE1230 said:
If you had the option of going for Intel i5 or Phenom II x6, would feel it would be a good decision either way?

USB 3.0 isn't very important if the price difference is that big. Besides, I could always get a USB 3.0 expansion card down the line if I need it.

I read through that guide on using the upgrade disc for a clean install. Basically, it says I just need to install it once, then upgrade from the non-activated version of Windows 7 to finally activate it. That seems way too simple...

Also, it the student upgrade went up in price to $65. Still a good deal but not as good as $30 was.
Click to expand...

Well drop the Corsair RAM I had earlier to this to shave off $10:
$60 - G.Skill F3-10600CL9D-4GBNT 2 x 2GB DDR3 1333 RAM

Drop down to this mobo to shave off additional cash:
$70 - MSI 870-G45 AMD 770 ATX Motherboard

Now you have enough cash to cover Windows 7
 
Thanks for the help. I now know what to watch out for as far as sales go. For example, I'm keeping a close eye on the Spinpoint F3 for it to go down closer to $50 or so.
 
I have a few more questions:

The AMD Phenom II x6 1055T is at $179.99 on Newegg and at Microcenter. How much further might the price come down on this in the coming month? (On another note, Microcenter has the i7-950 at $200 now...)

Is the stock heatsink and fan sufficient for the AMD Phenom II or x6?

What is the difference between RAM at 1.5v and 1.65v?

I've been looking at the Antec Three Hundred (I saw the cooler master Danny recomended but I'm not a fan of the buttons on top) and it seems appealing (also cheaper) but a bit older than others. Is it still a solid case or does anyone have a recommendation for another?
 
The price of the Phenom II X6 1055T won't probably go down any further: The MSRP of that CPU was $200. It only dropped in price about a few weeks ago. Short of a Black Friday sale or something, that CPU is gonna stay around that $180 price range.

Yes the stock HSF should be ok.

1.5V means lower heat generally

The only reason why I ever recommend the Antec 300 is because it's a cheaply priced case. That's the only redeeming factor for me with that case. It's an OK case but I personally wouldn't use one for a HD 5850 card

Other case recommendations:
$60 - NZXT M59 ATX Case
$90 - Cooler Master HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$90 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K56 ATX Case
 
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I really like that Lian Li case, it's just a little bit pricey. It has nice simple, clean lines.

Based on the likelihood that the AMD won't go any lower, I now have to decide if I want to splurge for the x6, go down to an x4, or go for the Intel i5 (though that i7-950 for $200 is still VERY tempting if I'm willing to pay for it)...
 
RoGuE1230 said:
I really like that Lian Li case, it's just a little bit pricey. It has nice simple, clean lines.
Click to expand...
That's actually one of the cheaper Lian Li cases out there. :)
RoGuE1230 said:
Based on the likelihood that the AMD won't go any lower, I now have to decide if I want to splurge for the x6, go down to an x4, or go for the Intel i5 (though that i7-950 for $200 is still VERY tempting if I'm willing to pay for it)...
Click to expand...

Well as shown earlier, your budget is not enough for a Core i5 setup let alone a Core i7 950 where the cheapest but still good quality motherbroard is around $190 to $220. Same goes for the X6 1055T as well. If your budget is that strict, go for the AMD Phenom II X4 955. Besides, as Tiraides noted earlier, the gaming performance between the X4 955 and the X6 1055T is fairly similar. So unless you do a lot multi-tasking, that extra $40 would be a bit of a waste.
 
The Samsung Spinpoint F3's price on Newegg just dropped to $55. Is it going to get any lower than that with upcoming sales or should I jump on that deal?
 
Well, so far my build is looking like this:

$180 AMD Phenom x6 1055T
$145 ASUS M4A89GTD PRO/USB3
$60 G.SKILL 4GB DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ
$60 for case (still undetermined)
$55 Samsung Spinpoint F3
$80 for power supply (still undetermined)
$150 for GTX 460 or GTX 470 (depends on sale price)
$65 for Windows

Total is $795.

Any other recommendations for a PSU since I won't be getting that combo deal you posted earlier?
 
Check out these PSUs:
$86 - Antec NEO ECO 620C 620W PSU
$85 - Seasonic S121II 620 620W PSU

That Antec comes back in stock tomorrow apparently and was found for $75 shipped before it went OOS. For PSUs priced below $90, Amazon.com has pretty crappy pricing. It's only when you go to around $90 for a PSU will buying a PSU from Amazon.com be cost-effective. If buying from Amazon.com, the $90 Corsair 650TX is a pretty decent deal for a PSU.
 
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I just looked up the Corsair 650TX on Newegg and it's actually $90 with a $10 rebate.

The hardest part of this whole process is not picking out the parts, or paying for it, but rather knowing WHEN to buy it. lol. I guess this is a pretty terrible way to buy a computer.

And when did PSU's start using only one fan only? I remember years back a lot had two fans, including the one I am using in my current computer.
 
RoGuE1230 said:
And when did PSU's start using only one fan only? I remember years back a lot had two fans, including the one I am using in my current computer.
Click to expand...

When it became apparent that people wanted a quieter PSU, it's cheaper to build a PSU with only one fan, and one large fan can provide most of the cooling capability of a two fan setup. Hence the switch to one fan.
 
Im not sure if you will see the spinpoint any lower then 55.00. Its very rare that they drop. The 500GB is alwasy 54.99 so if you waited till Friday its not going to hurt anything.
 
Interesting. Is it also made by Seasonic like the Corsair 650TX is? Could it even have the exact same guts as the Corsair does? The only thing that makes me kind of leery of it is that XFX seems to be new to the PSU market and there don't seem to be many review of this particular model...but if its made by a quality company.....

BTW, sorry for all the questions, and I really do appreciate your help. I just like to be thorough.
 
RoGuE1230 said:
Interesting. Is it also made by Seasonic like the Corsair 650TX is? Could it even have the exact same guts as the Corsair does? The only thing that makes me kind of leery of it is that XFX seems to be new to the PSU market...but if its made by a quality company.....
Click to expand...

The latest versions of the Corsair 650TX is actually now made by CWT, not Seasonic anymore. But yes that XFX PSU is made by Seasonic.
 
Is CWT a company with a good reputation as well? The Corsair actually dropped in price JUST as I was about to buy the XFX PSU. It's now cheaper than the XFX by $10. Every time I look the prices just keep dropping. lol
 
RoGuE1230 said:
Is CWT a company with a good reputation as well? The Corsair actually dropped in price JUST as I was about to buy the XFX PSU. It's now cheaper than the XFX by $10. Every time I look the prices just keep dropping. lol
Click to expand...

CWT has a good reputation for making quality PSUs when their customers request one.
 
Between the XFX P1-650X-CAH9 650W and the Corsair CMPSU-650TX 650W, assuming the price was identical, which one would you feel more comfortable with?
 
What is the current build you are going with?

As of right now I am in the same ballpark in terms of price range as you and am just curious to see what you are leaning towards purchasing (which build more specifically).
 
AMD 1055T
4 to 6 GB of RAM
ASUS M4A89GTD PRO/USB3

Anyone else have a preference between the two power supplies?
 
That's pretty much the only difference. The Grey version would be the better choice IMO.
 
Perfect. Thanks a lot! :D

What is your opinion on open box items on Newegg? They have a couple ASUS M4A89GTD PRO/USB3 open box...but my gut tells me I'll probably just be getting someone else's problems for $40 off...
 
RoGuE1230 said:
Perfect. Thanks a lot! :D

What is your opinion on open box items on Newegg? They have a couple ASUS M4A89GTD PRO/USB3 open box...but my gut tells me I'll probably just be getting someone else's problems for $40 off...
Click to expand...

I tend to avoid Open Box hardware.
 
RoGuE1230 said:
What kind of thermal compound is preferred today? Is it still AS5?
Click to expand...

AS5 is still good but there are better thermal paste out there like the following:
$10 - Arctic Cooling MX-2 Thermal Compound
$10 - Noctua NT-H1 Thermal Compound

The main reason why the above thermal paste are better than AS5 is that neither has or requires a curing time. So you don't have to wait 200 hours for proper/good temps like you would with AS5.
 
Much earlier in the thread you said you believed that the 1055T would not drop in price any further than $180. Do you still think this is true?

I was hoping for a Black Friday sale or something, but the best deal right now is that you get a $10 Newegg giftcard. So that essentially makes the 1055T $170.

I've run into an issue I hadn't thought of. If I wait too long to get the rest of my parts in, I won't be able to make sure everything actually works in time before the RMA period to Newegg ends.
 
RoGuE1230 said:
Much earlier in the thread you said you believed that the 1055T would not drop in price any further than $180. Do you still think this is true?
Click to expand...

Well short of an awesome CPU + motherboard combo deal, I still think it's true.

RoGuE1230 said:
I've run into an issue I hadn't thought of. If I wait too long to get the rest of my parts in, I won't be able to make sure everything actually works in time before the RMA period to Newegg ends.
Click to expand...

That's a definite possibility.
 
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