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Critique Budget Build

B

bruins004

Weaksauce
Joined
Apr 26, 2006
Messages
119
Hey all,

I am going to order this this week.
The following components I already have:
Xtasy X800 (This will be replace once R600 comes out)
Creative LIVE soundcard
2 x 1GB of DDR2-800 Buffalo Firestix (5-5-5-15)
250GB WD HD (IDE)
DVD RW Driver
DVD / CD Combo Driver
NZXT Nemesis Case (w/ 3 120mm fans and Temp Sensor)

Now this is what I am going to buy:
AMD AM2 X2 3600+ OEM ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103036 )
Biostar TF550 ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138026 )
Combo Price: $150

OCZ GameXStream 700W PSU ( http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=316505 )
Price: $104.99 AR
--------------------------------------------
TOTAL : $255

I am looking to spend as little as possible on the CPU / Mobo.
Would another one serve a better purpose.

Also, please note that I have 2 IDE devices, my DVD Drive and my HD.
The Biostar mobo only has 1 IDE connector.
Could I plug both into this?
 
the cpu/mobo combo is the best bang for the buck as far as I'm concerned, actually I just ordered the same combo yesterday. Sure C2D is better but not when $ is a primary concern.
 
you dont need such a high wattage psu. i have a corsair hx520 and it works just fine. you can get it at zzf for like 110 bucks shipped outside of california
 
The reason for the high wattage PSU is bc I am going with one of the high end GPUs later on like the R600 and I want a lot of head room to OC. If I get a 500W PSU I dont have much head room.
Plus the OCZ Gamexstream is cheaper than your PSU :)
 
Both drives will fit on one connector. Use an 80-wire cable, put the drive at the end as master.
 
Kewl.
So I make the HD the master and the DVD Drive the slave?

Also, I heard that AMD will drop prices on April 9th.
Will it be worth it to wait then to get my X2 3600+ (Is it suppose to drop in price as well)?
 
bruins004 said:
The reason for the high wattage PSU is bc I am going with one of the high end GPUs later on like the R600 and I want a lot of head room to OC. If I get a 500W PSU I dont have much head room.
Plus the OCZ Gamexstream is cheaper than your PSU :)
Click to expand...


So your plan is to take a low end CPU and stuff a high end GPU into the system and enjoy the bottleneck performance?
 
Nope.
I just need this CPU/Mobo to get by until Q3 when Barcelona and some new C2Ds come out.
I am then going to get a nice highend CPU/Mobo (I will prob. wait till then to get an R600 or 8800GTX or Ultra).

Are the X2 3600+ suppose to come down in price in April?
 
bruins004 said:
Nope.
I just need this CPU/Mobo to get by until Q3 when Barcelona and some new C2Ds come out.
I am then going to get a nice highend CPU/Mobo (I will prob. wait till then to get an R600 or 8800GTX or Ultra).

Are the X2 3600+ suppose to come down in price in April?
Click to expand...

Ah, excellent choice. For the money you're looking to spend you can't beat that CPU/Motherboard combo. especially if it's a filler untill you upgrade.
 
Thanks :)
Yea I heard some promising things about this combo.
Also, thats why I am getting a beast of a PSU since GPUs are pretty demanding these days.

Does anyone have any info on the price cuts though?
I am curious if I should pull the trigger this week or wait and see.
 
[V]ad[H]atte(r);1030794267 said:
So your plan is to take a low end CPU and stuff a high end GPU into the system and enjoy the bottleneck performance?
Click to expand...

If he isn't overclocking, you'd be correct. But who buys a 3600+ and doesn't overclock? Dual core A64 with motherboard for $150? 2.8-3.1Ghz potential? Hell, my biggest complaint with this build (barring any relatively small changes in part selection) is that you don't have a decent aftermarket HSF to strap onto that proc! Oh, and make sure to update the BIOS on that motherboard; I hear its all but required to enjoy some high HTT speeds.

AMD's price cuts don't seem official, but there is a thread discussing it here.
 
That's true but it would have to be a really nice overclock from the 3600+'s stock speed to not bottleneck a next gen video card. But as he said it's just a pit stop to the next upgrade, so I hope he grabs either an aftermarket cooler with multiple mounts now, or a specific one for the future upgrade.
 
[V]ad[H]atte(r);1030794861 said:
That's true but it would have to be a really nice overclock from the 3600+'s stock speed to not bottleneck a next gen video card. But as he said it's just a pit stop to the next upgrade, so I hope he grabs either an aftermarket cooler with multiple mounts now, or a specific one for the future upgrade.
Click to expand...

For the price, there is no remotely comparable performer with mroe potential. Heck, at 2.8-3ish Ghz he'll be about equivalent to an E6600 in terms of performance.

Anyway, when Barcelona and its derivatives arrive he'll be able to drop it in for an upgrade. He won't need different mounts unless he buys a different socket motherboard.
 
In Q3 when Barcelona and the new C2Ds come out I am going to get a new CPU and mobo so it doesnt matter the socket.

Yea I have been looking around for a good aftermarket heatsink.
I have a few AMD heatsinks lying around that are compatable with AM2 but dont want to use them.
Anyone have a good, but relatively cheap heatsink that is good for OCing.
The best bang for the buck :)
 
bruins004 said:
Anyone have a good, but relatively cheap heatsink that is good for OCing.
The best bang for the buck :)
Click to expand...

heh...it used to be that the AC Freezer was the best bang v buck, but now that the Scythe Ninja is so damn cheap ($39, which is $5 more than the freezer) it makes the most sense to go with that. That way if the brisbane has 3 in it, and your motherboard has the HTT, you'll get there. Oh, and quietly too.
 
quadnad said:
For the price, there is no remotely comparable performer with mroe potential. Heck, at 2.8-3ish Ghz he'll be about equivalent to an E6600 in terms of performance.

Anyway, when Barcelona and its derivatives arrive he'll be able to drop it in for an upgrade. He won't need different mounts unless he buys a different socket motherboard.
Click to expand...

I don't remember anyone arguing against "For the price, there is no remotely comparable performer with mroe potential. Heck, at 2.8-3ish Ghz he'll be about equivalent to an E6600 in terms of performance." But even then it would still be a limiting factor for a next gen video card. As for the heatsink I was reffering to if he went with Intel obviously, since he stated he is not looking at only AMD for his future upgrade.
 
Nice.
So I will go forward with this.
I am just going to wait for the first week in April to see if there are any price drops.
If not then I am ordering since my Firestix are arriving next week :)
 
Thank you and I appreciate the help.

I was just looking around at the Sythe Ninja, why are there so many different versions out there.
Some come with the fan assembled, some comes with the fan (not assembled) and others dont come with the fan.
LOL. I gues they like to make things just a little confusing.
 
bruins004 said:
Thank you and I appreciate the help.

I was just looking around at the Sythe Ninja, why are there so many different versions out there.
Some come with the fan assembled, some comes with the fan (not assembled) and others dont come with the fan.
LOL. I gues they like to make things just a little confusing.
Click to expand...

"assembly" consists of using two glorified paper clips to strap any 120mm fan to the heatsink. The plus just comes with a Scythe 120mm fan.
 
Don't get the OCZ GameXstream. Excessive ripple problems at higher outputs = poo poo.

deadeyedata.com has the Silverstone Olympia 650, which has more Usable power (single rail, 54a), plus it's not much more, no rebate, and coupon code jonnyguru = win
 
Bbq said:
Don't get the OCZ GameXstream. Excessive ripple problems at higher outputs = poo poo.

deadeyedata.com has the Silverstone Olympia 650, which has more Usable power (single rail, 54a), plus it's not much more, no rebate, and coupon code jonnyguru = win
Click to expand...

qft
 
I am not going to order from that site.
As I said before I have never heard of them.
So since I will not order from them, that PSU is out of my price range.

Also, if the GameXstream was such a horrible PSU then the reviews wouldnt be as good as they were and also, Nvidia wouldnt recommend their PSU on their SLI website for 2 8800GTS SLIED.
So is there another good PSU around the $100 mark that can easily handle an 8800GTX and OCing.
 
bruins004 said:
I am not going to order from that site.
As I said before I have never heard of them.
So since I will not order from them, that PSU is out of my price range.

Also, if the GameXstream was such a horrible PSU then the reviews wouldnt be as good as they were and also, Nvidia wouldnt recommend their PSU on their SLI website for 2 8800GTS SLIED.
So is there another good PSU around the $100 mark that can easily handle an 8800GTX and OCing.
Click to expand...

Check reseller ratings for DeadEye Data. They look new, but have a great score.

Check the jonnyguru.com review of the GXS 700W... thats the only review that matters, lol. It has ripple (not much, but its there). Ripple kills your components over time (would probably take a LONG TIME for them to die). Sure, NVIDIA would recommend it... if it kills components over time, you end up with two dead GTX's, and if they're not covered under warranty, you'll buy new ones... so more money for NVIDIA, lol.

Yes, the Corsair 520W could handle a single GTX and overclocking. Check jonnyguru.com forums for more recommendations. Its not just about the power rating... its about the quality of power being delivered, and how efficiently it is being delivered.
 
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