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New gaming rig advice

Z

zul

Weaksauce
Joined
May 29, 2010
Messages
86
Hi! It is finally time for a new rig. My current one was built to play HL2... before it was released, so its way past time for an upgrade!

I'm going to build almost totally from scratch, using only my current display (24in, 1920x1200 native res), speakers, and sound card - granted the new mobo i get has a legacy pci port.

It will be primarily for gaming. Secondary uses may or may not include surfing the web, watching movies, playing music and the occasional 3d mapping/level design. I do like lots of windows open at once :)

I trust newegg and prefer to buy parts online from them. I may also run into my local Fry's for some stuff... its easier to return if something is DOA that way. I'm in the US, Oregon BTW.

My budget is between $1000 and $1500. I'm trying to stay top-end, without going crazy. Lower is always better ;)

I'd like to have it all bought and put together in no more than two weeks. Preferably DONE next week as I have lots of time off to tinker before going back to work on the 7th.

So what do i need? well, almost everything! Luckily I have already picked out a case, CPU, and mouse:

Antec nine hundred two
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129058
I chose this because it looks roomy and stylish and has tons of fans (including that massive top exhaust!) with variable speeds.

Phenom II X4 965
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103727
I would get the X6, but this is faster (3.4ghz as opposed to 3.2) and the extra two cores wont help my gaming much (from what i've read anyway). Probably wont overclock, but who knows?

Logitech G500
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104318
I like the look of this. I use an ancient MX510 (I got it when they were brand new, that's how old this thing is!) and this seems to be the gaming evolution of it.


Now that you know where i'm starting, here is where i want to go:

Video: I want a Geforce GTX 480. It will not be in SLI. But i dont know what brand! I would PREFER to go with BFG as i have had good luck with them in the past, but they dont seem to have a 480 out on the market yet. I am not considering an ATI card, as i have had nothing but bad experiences with them.

Motherboard: No idea. Must be an AM3 socket to fit the X4 965 - other than that i dont know. What is standard nowadays for slot configurations? And ram configurations? A PCI slot for my sound card is a plus so i wont have to buy a new one. (do they still come with old PCI?) What is standard form factor nowadays?

RAM: I'm thinking 4 to 6GB. What kind? i dunno. Is 4GB enough? Can I get away with more than 6G and not pay an arm & a leg?

HDD: 1TB or 1.5TB. 7200RPM. Just need to know what brand. I used to love seagates, but i have read their 1TB+ drives are not great. What is recommended? (note: I would go with a SSD for OS installation if it wasnt so damn expensive! I will upgrade that when prices drop. Unless you guys can convince me that I can get something practical with my budget.)

DVD drive: These are backwards compatible with all CD's right? I dont need anything special. Wont get used much.

Keyboard: I would like volume controls and a standard layout. Black. Lighted keys would be a plus! Anything noteworthy in this area?

Power supply: I dont know where to start here. What wattage do I need? What brands are good? More importantly, what brands should I stay away from? Any cool features I should keep my eye out for? I want to keep this for a while, so I want MORE than enough power.

OS: I'm going with Windows 7 Pro 64. Will the OEM version work just as well as full? It will be a clean install. What is the difference between full retail and OEM anyway??


I think that about covers it. Everything must mesh together well. I dont want any bottlenecks when gaming. If you have any suggestions, please post!

Thanks for looking!
 
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1920 x 1200 a GTX 470 would be fine.

x6 1055t is better overclocker than x4 965 and some games help with the min framerate. Any 3d work would be greatly help by the those extra cores.

Can't suggest getting BFG cards at this stage as the company has stop making video cards, so you choice is pretty much lock to Evga since you don't want any ATI (which is beyond me, paying extra $50 for sub par performance).

OEM Windows can only be install on one computer, where as retail copy can be reinstall on your next build.

Parts suggestions

GIGABYTE GA-890GPA-UD3H AM3 AMD 890GX SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard
AMD Phenom II X6 1055T Thuban 2.8GHz Socket AM3 125W Six-Core Desktop Processor Model HDT55TFBGRBOX $320

CORSAIR TX Series CMPSU-950TX 950W ATX12V v2.3/EPS12V v2.91 SLI Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply $150 10% off w/ promo code maysave10, ends 5/31

Cooler Master RR-B10-212P-G1 Hyper 212 Plus 775/1156/1366/AMD/AM... Universal Direct Contact Heat-Pipe 120mm Fan CPU Cooler $30

EVGA 012-P3-1470-AR GeForce GTX 470 (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card $350


G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL $110

Western Digital Caviar Blue WD10EALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive $85 $15 off w/ promo code MEMORIAL3, ends 5/30
 
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If I go with the X6 1055T I will overclock it. With that in mind, will the stock cooling unit work? If not, what is an ideal one for that chip?

Monitor is a 24" with native resolution of 1920x1200. (Samsung T240 - got it over a year ago but its still beautiful and works great!)
 
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lt_shiro said:
stock? no

hyper 212+ will get you to 4 GHz.
Click to expand...

That would be great. I'm wondering why you recommend the 470 over 480 - I know ATI has the leg-up right now but i'd like the best Nvidia i can get - i usually keep systems for a LONG time. Probably wont be upgraded for 4 or more years.
 
its very easy to change video cards... with in 2 years these $500 cards are out perform by $150 budget cards. Buy what will serve your needs now and upgrade later.
 
Perhaps you're right. It may come down to price at the end of the day - if I can get away with the 480 and still have a decent end price, i'll go with that. Otherwise i guess it's the 470! That would free up some money for more memory? hmmm so many choices...
 
How much space does win 7 64 bit need to run? Would 50gb be enough for an OS -only drive? If I got the 80 gig, would it have enough space for the OS plus vital application/game installs?
 
After adding everything up i decided to save the SSD for a future date/build.

Ok here is my new list:

Case: Antec nine hundred two $120
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129058


Mouse: Logitech G500 $55
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104318


Keyboard: I would like volume controls and a standard layout. Black. Lighted keys would be a plus! Anything noteworthy in this area?


CPU & Motherboard Phenom II X6 1055T; GIGABYTE GA-890GPA-UD3H $320
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.382692
Sold in combo. Seems to get decent reviews.
I plan to overclock. I'll use the CM Hyper 212 Plus $50
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065


Video: EVGA Geforce GTX 470 $370
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130549


RAM: I'm still unsure of this. I think I want 6+ gigs. But should I get 3x2g? or 2x4g? maybe 4x2g? You tell me... G skill seems to get good reviews. Any other brands with good performance/price?


HDD: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB $100
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136533


Optical drive: Just need a DVD/CD reader that works. Ideas?


Power supply: I'm thinking 900W+ but dont know which brand is the best choice. What would work best with my CPU/GPU/mobo? Ideas?

OS: Windows 7 64bit OEM $140
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116758

Total costs after shipping/rebates: $1084

And I still need a keyboard, PSU, optical drive and memory. Any thoughts are appreciated.
 
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zul said:
Keyboard: I would like volume controls and a standard layout. Black. Lighted keys would be a plus! Anything noteworthy in this area?.
Click to expand...
Programs like sharpkeys can reassign media functions to any key you like, so don't let a lack of volume controls deter you from any given kb.

The Saitek Eclipse is a low-end gaming kb that meets your criteria: it's on the cheap side of things. Personally, I like mechanical switch kbs.

zul said:
RAM: I'm still unsure of this. I think I want 6+ gigs. But should I get 3x2g? or 2x4g? maybe 4x2g? You tell me... G skill seems to get good reviews. Any other brands with good performance/price?
Click to expand...

4 gigs should be fine for your needs - you can add more later if necessary. The RAM It_Shiro suggested will work well.

zul said:
Optical drive: Just need a DVD/CD reader that works. Ideas?
Click to expand...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106289

zul said:
Power supply: I'm thinking 900W+ but dont know which brand is the best choice. What would work best with my CPU/GPU/mobo? Ideas?
Click to expand...
That's probably overkill, but big psu's are sweet. Again, the Corsair It_Shiro linked to is quality: you might browse similarly priced Antecs, like the Truepower.

You should def get a SSD. I would get an Intel X-25 80 gb. Also, you could save 30 bucks or so by going with a Samsung f3 - they're as fast and reliable as the WD black, and a bit quieter. http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1522273
 
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Ditch the ANtec 902 case. There are significantly roomier and better quality cases for less or equal price:
$70 - Cooler Master RC-590-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$80 - Cooler Master RC-690-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$80 - Cooler Master CM690 II ATX Case
$90 - Cooler Master HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$100 - Lian Li PC-7B Plus II ATX Case
$100 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K7B ATX Case
$100 - Cooler Master HAF 922M RC-922M-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$110 - Lian Li PC-E8B ATX Case
$110 - Lian Li PC-7FN ATX Case
$120 - Velocity Micro GX2-W Silver Classic Aluminum Case with Side Window
$120 - Thermaltake ElementS VK60001N2Z ATX Case
$130 - Cooler Master Storm Sniper ATX Case

At $50, the Hyper 212 Plus is a stupid buy considering that its usual price is $30. Pick up that HSF from Amazon.com where it's $30. Don't be stupid and get it for $50 from newegg.

Don't spend the extra $40 for that GTX 470. The factory overclock is not worth the extra $30 in any way.

Well since you're going for an AMD setup, your best bet is 4 x 2GB. The Corsair RAM that costs about $10 more than G.Skill are a decent enough alternative over G.Skill. Still recommend the G.Skill as well.

DVD burner wise, just get this:
$20 - LG GH22NSS50 DVD Burner

PSU wise, you'll be fine with a quality 750W:
$120 - Antec Truepower New TP750 Blue 750W PSU

Though if you really really want to go overkill with the PSU, then I recommend the Corsair 950W PSU that lt_shiro posted.
 
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The reason I went with the WD is because it has SATA 6.0gb rather than 3.0, and it is only $10 more anyway (after the $10 off promo code).

That EVGA has a $20 MIR, so i figured it wouldnt hurt. After it's all said and done it'll be $352 shipped.

I hadn't noticed the amazon price was lower for the 212. I'll get it from them!

Ok I'll go with it_shiro's PSU and RAM ;) But 4gb or 8? I suppose i could just get the 4 now and always add 2 more sticks later - the mobo has 4 slots.

Danny Bui - thanks for the case ideas, i will take a look! I also noticed the 902 is $23 off for the next week so it's actually just under $100.
 
zul said:
Danny Bui - thanks for the case ideas, i will take a look! I also noticed the 902 is $23 off for the next week so it's actually just under $100.
Click to expand...

The biggest reason why I don't currently recommend the 902 even at $80, let alone the $100 that Newegg currently sells it for: That case looks big on the outside but is actually cramped on the inside. I have the similar but older 900, and getting at the internal SATA ports on the front edge of many newer X58 motherboards proved very difficult (I had to remove the mobo completely just to get at the freaking ports!). Worse, the internal cables that cover the power and reset switches and the HDD light are too short to reach the corresponding sockets of some of the motherboards on the market - and when the cables can't reach, I end up with a non-working system until I get a new case.
 
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lt_shiro said:
I would spend the extra funds on a SSD, standard hard drives are painful slow by today's standards.
Click to expand...
I'm going to have to disagree. A Samsung F3 or WD Black is fast enough. Saying that modern HDD's are painfully slow is a stretch. Top the OP: for the HD, I would go with a 1tb wd black or sammy f3.
 
zul said:
Ok I'll go with it_shiro's PSU and RAM ;) But 4gb or 8? I suppose i could just get the 4 now and always add 2 more sticks later - the mobo has 4 slots.

Danny Bui - thanks for the case ideas, i will take a look! I also noticed the 902 is $23 off for the next week so it's actually just under $100.
Click to expand...

Start with 4GB.

As E4g1e said, even at $80, the Antec 902 is a hard sell due to how cramped it is. Here's a good comparison of the room difference between the Coolermaster RC-690 case and the Antec 900-2 case:
http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1034082083&postcount=53

So yeah, the Antec 900-2 case is not a good buy.
 
Ok final list, please critique!

Case: COOLER MASTER Storm Sniper $140
Bought this locally after inspecting several, including the CM HAF 932, CM 690, and Antec 900 2. It was more expensive but had more of the features I wanted.


Mouse: Logitech G500 $35
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104318


Keyboard: Logitech Illuminated Keyboard $67 (local)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126043


CPU & Motherboard Phenom II X6 1055T; GIGABYTE GA-890GPA-UD3H $320
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.382692
Sold in combo. Seems to get decent reviews.
I plan to overclock. I'll use the CM Hyper 212 Plus $30 (Bought locally)


Video: EVGA Geforce GTX 470 $352
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130549


RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) $110
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277&cm_re=ripjaws-_-20-231-277-_-Product


HDD: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 1TB $80
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185
I was convinced to go with the F3 after learning the WD black's advantages didnt really equal any performance boost.


Optical drive: LITE-ON Black DVD/CD writer $29
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106335


Power supply: CORSAIR TX Series 950W $125
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139013&Tpk=corsair 950w


OS: Windows 7 64bit OEM $140
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116758

Total costs after shipping/rebates: $1428. Yikes! Numbers sure do grow fast when you add them together! :eek: Oh well I already bought the case and HSF so that's 170 down. Only 1258 to go! haha
 
Go with a Samsung optical drive, as Lite-On drives tend to be very loud.

Aside from that, everything looks good.
 
The Corsair HX series PSUs are also modular, but they're considered more powerful than the Antec equivalents. But are you planning on going with a multi-card SLI system within the next year or so? If not, you could save some money by dropping down to a 650 to 750 watt PSU.
 
Well that's the thing. I dont know what the future holds. I'd like this PSU to last through multiple upgrades, or possible total rebuilds. That's 6+ years. I may want to go SLI, or use some other new technology within that time, without upgrading power supplies. So i'm fine with the overpowered PSU. I just want a good one. I like the idea of modular cables - makes for a much cleaner case i'd think. Jonny guru gave the antec TPQ 850 a good review. I think i'll go with that!

I saw the corsair HX850 which looks very nice but the antec is $50 less. Is the corsair worth it? (Newegg is sold out of the HX750 :()
 
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That's the wrong way to think about power supplies, as their overall power and efficiency will degrade over time. Unless you go with a multi-card SLI/CF solution within the next 12 months, there's no guarantee that, say, two or three years from now, your PSU will handle two of the biggest and baddest cards available at the time in CF/SLI mode.

You have to remember that the power supply is arguably the most important component that you can pick for yourself, as when it fails, it has the ability to take all of your parts out along with it. If you really want to play things safe, choose a cheaper, lower powered PSU for now, and get the bigger, badder PSU when you decide to go with a multi-card setup. I have no problems with you going with a modular PSU, as it's mainly a matter of personal preference; but there's no reason to spend money on something "greater" when you aren't going to benefit (much, if at all) from it.
 
Few more updates. I decided to go with windows 7 home OEM because apparently M$ doesnt bloat up the home edition with crappy wizards-for-everything anymore like they used to. And I wont use the pro-specific features directly.

RAM: The ripsaws i chose had a latency of 9 - but i found some identical sticks except the CL and timing is better - 7 - for only $10 more. (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231303) So i'm going to go with that. Unless someone can convince me otherwise.
 
Yeah as lt_shiro said, there's really no real world difference between CL7 and CL9. In addition, the higher voltage of the 1.65V Cl7 RAM does make it harder to OC than the 1.5V G.Skill. RAM.
 
Point taken. Sticking with the CL9 ones.

This is why I ask here ;) Thanks guys!
 
Thank you all for your input!! Everything has been finalized and purchased - if I'm lucky I'll have my new system built and ready to go by next weekend!!

Final specs:


Case: COOLER MASTER Storm Sniper $140 (bought locally)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...194&cm_re=storm_sniper-_-11-119-194-_-Product


Mouse: Logitech G500 $35
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104318


Keyboard: Logitech Illuminated Keyboard $67 (local)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126043


CPU & Motherboard Phenom II X6 1055T; GIGABYTE GA-890GPA-UD3H $320
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.382692
Sold in combo. Seems to get decent reviews.
I plan to overclock. I'll use the CM Hyper 212 Plus $30 (Bought locally)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065&cm_re=212-_-35-103-065-_-Product


Video: EVGA Geforce GTX 470 $352
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130549


RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) $110
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277&cm_re=ripjaws-_-20-231-277-_-Product


HDD: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 1TB $80
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185


Optical drive: LITE-ON Black DVD/CD writer $29
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106335


Power supply: CORSAIR HX Series CMPSU-650HX $110
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139012


OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit OEM $100
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116754

Thanks again!


PS. if anyone has any games to recommend for me to break in the new system, please let me know!
 
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Good luck with the PC!

Oh and definitely try Battlefield Bad Company 2, Fallout 3, Batman: Arkham Asylum, and Mass Effect 2.
 
kevindd992002, reread posts #23 through #27 and then explain why you still believe what you said.
 
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