$1500-$1600 gaming/programming PC

[Celcius]

Approximate Purchase Date: next week (as soon as possible)


Budget Range: 1500 - 1600


System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, internet, compiling software


Parts Not Required: Monitor, keyboard, mouse, OS, hdd (1tb western digital SATA I bought a couple months ago), dvd drive


Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg.com, microcenter.com, amazon.com, etc


Country of Origin: United States


Overclocking: Maybe


SLI or Crossfire: Maybe


Monitor Resolution: 1600x900


Additional Comments: I'll be sleeping with this computer near me and I am a verrry light sleeper(so very quiet). I have a bad habit of opening 100+ tabs in firefox. I want to play high end graphic games as good as my budget will let me. I currently have an inspiron 530s and something is going on with the graphics card(a really crappy one) as the screen goes to black and the colors go weird, so I'll be needing a new PC ASAP. I'm a programmer/gamer/college student so this computer may be left on 24/7. My operating system is Windows 7 64-bit.

These are the parts I've been looking at:


I5 2500k $179.99
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0354589

2x SAPHIRE ATI 6950 2gb $529.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102945

GIGABYTE GA-Z68X $159.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128498

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB $59.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231314

Silverstone raven RV02 $160
http://www.amazon.com/SILVERSTONE-RV02B-W-Steel-Tower-Computer/dp/B002M78KZG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312695211&sr=8-1

Corsair H60 $69.88
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181015&Tpk=Corsair%20H60

850w LEPA PSU $99.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817194093&Tpk=850w%20LEPA%20PSU

Total: $1259.82 (with no shipping fees, etc)


Is this good enough to support new or soon future PC games on highest graphics settings?

Anything that could help enhance my experience a bit?

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask, but would anyone happen to know if it would be safe to to take the hard drive out of the inspiron 530s and put it into a new system, without formatting? It's setup right now to duel boot with XP on a different drive as well, but I haven't needed XP so I can remove the duel booting if needed. I have a decent amount of expensive programs on my computer with little chance of finding the CDs so formatting would be a problem, though I might be able to live with it.

*realizes my little knowledge in hardware*

 

[jerreddredd]

nice parts. the 2 x HD 6950's are way overkill for 1600x900, but if you are upgrading that in the future it might make sense.

I my advice is always get the single fastest GPU you can afford when you build and then CF/SLI it later when you need the performance boost. not all games play better in CF/SLI and there are still some bugs in CF/SLI, but not as much as there used to be. That being said I would get a single HD6970 or GTX 580 SC, though just a single HD 6950 will rock on 1600x900.

I never tried moving a WIN7 HD to a new system. I've done it with XP, so it should be possible. did you try to Google it?

 

[Celcius]

Thanks for the help!

Yea looking more into moving a win 7 hard drive into another system, it seems like its "kind of" possible, but it can end up real messy, so I guess I'll try moving it first, if it fails I'll just wipe it.

 

[mjmjpfaff]

just get 2 more 1600x900 monitors for eyefinity. that should use all of the 6950's power.

also everything looks great maybe get these gpu's though save a little money- http://www.amazon.com/PowerColor-DisplayPort-PCI-Express-AX6950-1GBD5-2DH/dp/B004LXBG9G/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1312735362&sr=8-18

and change the motherboard to this- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128494 (really great deal)

 

[Celcius]

Hmm, using several monitors for eyefinity would be quite an experience, however I just don't have the room for them.

Hmm guess I need to start seriously considering a newer monitor, but does higher resolution then 1600x900 look good enough for me to get a new monitor when I bought this one not two months ago? I've never really watched someone play with a decent monitor and system unless it was on youtube lol

Right now I'm thinking of doing what jerreddredd suggested and going with HD 6970 if I don't get a monitor and if I do I'll have to look into more video cards(or maybe do the 2x 6950). There seems to be a lot of dispute between HD 6970 and GTX 580, HD 6970 seems to be the best deal for the price though.

*bangs head on desk* probably shouldn't have typed this all up when I haven't been sleeping very well

Which makes me realize, a full tower probably wouldn't be too good on my table, so I'll need to look into mid towers.

sorry for all the troubles, I felt a lot more prepared at the beginning, I really need to start getting more into hardware lol

 

[mjmjpfaff]

im running a single 1600x900 monitor and i went to my friends and payed at full 1080p. i really coudnt tell a difference. you may be able to have 3 monitors if you put them portrait (on their sides). but you need a stand.....

 

[mjmjpfaff]

the case can go under your table. it was really made to do that.

 

[jerreddredd]

the Raven is a sweet Tower - excellent cooling and is very quiet. but it probably does need to go on the floor (not carpet) I'd find room somewhere.

 

[Celcius]

Alright, after a slight nap, I thought about it and I'm pretty sure I could put the tower on the floor somewhere (I was hesitant because I'm right in the corner of the room and the desk that I keep calling a table doesn't have very much leg room).

On top of that I've looked more into it and there's talk about how 6950s are unlockable to 6970s and see little downside to doing so (doesn't seem like they can brick and you can even reset it).

Also, looking into having multiple monitors, it actually does seem like I could set some up, however I'm a slight bit hesitant on it because I'm not 100% sure I'll like doing it, plus it saves me quite a lot of cash which I could spend on other things, such as actual games to enjoy.

Anyway, thinking about the future; Is there any real downside to getting two 6950s other then the cash for the second one? I mean if I decide to get new monitors I'll be set, even without the new monitor there will be a decent boost in a lot of games.

 

[jerreddredd]

Alright, after a slight nap, I thought about it and I'm pretty sure I could put the tower on the floor somewhere (I was hesitant because I'm right in the corner of the room and the desk that I keep calling a table doesn't have very much leg room).

On top of that I've looked more into it and there's talk about how 6950s are unlockable to 6970s and see little downside to doing so (doesn't seem like they can brick and you can even reset it).

Also, looking into having multiple monitors, it actually does seem like I could set some up, however I'm a slight bit hesitant on it because I'm not 100% sure I'll like doing it, plus it saves me quite a lot of cash which I could spend on other things, such as actual games to enjoy.

Anyway, thinking about the future; Is there any real downside to getting two 6950s other then the cash for the second one? I mean if I decide to get new monitors I'll be set, even without the new monitor there will be a decent boost in a lot of games.

no down side I can think of.

 

[Jds515]

I thought it was getting extremely difficult to find an unlockable reference 6950 nowadays? And OP, it sounds like you're assuming you need two video cards to run eyefinity...