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New Build Help (Sub $1000)

B

B3looga

n00b
Joined
Oct 14, 2009
Messages
26
Hey guys, been doing a lot of research for my build. I plan on going AMD.

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
This build will be based on gaming. I want to play SC2 and FPS games on high settings.
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
Around $1000 ($1200 max). This is including tax and shipping
3) Where do you live?
California (Near Frys and Microcenter)
4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. "Everything" is not a valid answer. Please list out all the parts you'll need.
Case, Motherboard, CPU, RAM, GPU, Power Supply, Hard Drive, Optical Drive, heatsink
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
Monitor, mouse, keyboard, and speakers
6) Will you be overclocking?
For now, no. But will consider it in the future.
7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
Currently have a 17" but planning on upgrading to 24"
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Within the month.
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? etc.
Would like to have crossfire because I will be buying another GPU in the future. I am looking for USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s.
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If so, what OS? 32bit or 64bit?
Yes, Win7 Professional 64 bit

This is my intial parts list. Though I am really unsure about the Motherboard and GPU atm. I chose the 5770 because of the price. Are there any other GPU's or combination of GPU's more suitable? Please suggest an appropriate MB and GPU for this build.

Case: CM Storm Sniper $99 at Frys
Motherboard: ASUS M4A89GTD AMD 890GX $140
CPU: AMD Phenom II x4 965 BE $180
RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws 4GB $100
GPU: Sapphire Vapor-x 5770 $195
PSU: Corsair CMPSU-750TX $109
HD: Caviar Black 650GB $75
OD: Sony Optiarc Black $25
HS: Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro $34

Total+Tax = 1050 ish
 
Last edited:
Thanks Shiro, i'll check out your suggestions. For an extra $5, I might as well get the 5830 huh?
 
good motherboard but i just notice u have x4 965, either drop to x4 955 or step up too x6 1055t
 
instead of the 5830 get a 768 GTX460, about the same price but much better
 
in this case... gtx 460 wouldn't be the better card to get as he plans to get a second video card in the future.
 
Wait until after you get the 24" monitor before you grab the second card. There's a good chance that new cards will arrive by then that could end up persuading you to sell your old card and get one of those instead.
 
Do you mean GPU? If so, I would agree, $200 for a HD5770 is a HUGE ripoff. Spend $200 on an EVGA GTX460 or HD5830, both of which are much faster than the 5770.
 
B3looga said:
Shiro, any reason for the change in CPU?
Click to expand...

performance per dollar is just not there...law of diminishing returns after a while you will be spending money with no appreciable or discernible gain in performance.
 
Shiro. I see you have the 4870. Do you think that card will play games like SC2 on highest setting?
 
B3looga said:
Shiro. I see you have the 4870. Do you think that card will play games like SC2 on highest setting?
Click to expand...

even at 1080p 4870 should give you about 40 fps+ with 16x fsaa

but these days new games it is starting to show its age, hence why i am selling mine to get a GTX 460 next saturday.
 
Been doing a little more research and I was looking at the QVL for the ASUS M4A89GTD and some of the parts I chose were not on the list. For example:

The Caviar Black HD
G.Skill Ripjaws 4gb
EVGA 460 768mhz card

If its not on the QVL list, does that mean the items will not work with the motherboard?
 
I've never heard of a motherboard having specific GPU's and HDD's that is supports so don't worry about those two. Sometimes a motherboard won't specifically say it supports RAM but I haven't heard anything about G.Skill not being compatible on any motherboard I've suggested.
 
A motherboard's QVL won't list everything that it's compatible with because the motherboard vendor don't have time to test every single component that gets released. That said, those parts will work with the board you're considering, as they've worked with various other Asus boards in the past.
 
thanks tiraides.

any suggestion on a better board or is my board good? Im still on the fence about the motherboard.
 
B3looga said:
Any advantages the gigabyte MB has over the ASUS MB I chose?
Click to expand...

It's $38 cheaper if you buy the Gigabyte from that combo link deal. Besides that, the Gigabyte offers most of the same features as the Asus mobo you chose.
 
Anybody know if my setup will fit in an Antec 300 case. Planning on getting the EVGA 460 or a sapphire 5830 card.
 
Ok this is my modified parts list (most likely my final parts list) I will be getting everything from Newegg, except for the CPU and Motherboard.

Case: Lian Li Lancool PC-K62 ( Combo with the xfx PSU)
PSU: XFX 750W
CPU: AMD Phenom II x4 955 BE
Heatsink: CoolerMaster Hyper 212
Motherboard: ASUS M4A89GTD
Memory: G.Skills Ripjaws 4GB DDR3
Videocard: EVGA GTX 460 768 MHz (wish the 1ghz was available)
Hard Drive: Caviar Black WD6401AALS
DVD: ASUS DRW-24B1ST

Good list??
 
Ditch the 640GB Black HDD as it's significantly slower than this drive:
$56 - Western Digital WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

Any particular reason why you think the extra $38 for the Asus mobo is justified?

Also note that since you're using a Nvidia card, having Crossfire support is pretty much moot as most major AMD mobos do not support SLI.
 
would suggest against getting pre-overclock card. Almost every GTX 460 will overclock to 825 GHz on standard cooler.

1GB model would be value at $230.
 
@ Danny: I've been reading that the Asus is built better. Any truth to that?
@ Shiro. I was just going to get the regular 460 768mhz. Which one were you going to get?
 
I want to get the 1ghz version but sold out at newegg and b&m frys and microcenter.
 
@shadow : I read on tomshardware and the website suggested the Asus over the Gigabyte. It's a toss up.
 
@ shadow: read on tomshardware and it suggested the Asus 890 over the Gigabyte 890. I changed to the 955.
 
@B3looga Gigabyte boards are Solid boards. in my opinion I will choose a gigabyte over an asus board anyday. just as Reliable & they come with almost all the same features. Its your 38 dollars extra but there is going to be no real difference
 
I've gone with Gigabyte 3 times now.

No issues.

(just update your BIOS when you first setup the rig)
 
horrorshow said:
(just update your BIOS when you first setup the rig)
Click to expand...

& This is especially true with asus as well..

Honestly I have never owned a Gigabyte board.. But I Dont think Asus is any better then Gigabyte & I have had several Asus boards.
 
One last question.. hopefully. Any experience on the lian Li I posted. Is this a solid case. Or should I spend the extra for the sniper storm? Thanks for all your help. I certainly appreciate it.
 
It is one of Lian Li's lower end offerings. That being said, I've only heard good things about it and Lian Li makes quite good cases.
 
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