600$ Gaming Build Input

[harrow47]

Approximate Purchase Date: Couple weeks.


Budget Range: 500-600 (Before Rebates)


System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, Movies, Schoolwork


Parts Not Required: Monitor, Mouse, Keyboard, OS


Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg


Country of Origin: United States


Parts Preferences: AMD CPU and ATI Graphics Card


Overclocking: Maybe


SLI or Crossfire: No


Monitor Resolution: 1680x1050


Additional Comments: The main thing I'm a little oblivious to is how strong a PSU needs to be, for the current build and likely GPU upgrade later on. Suppose I'm content buying a less quality of a GPU because they're always getting better and changing prices, and ease of upgrade versus swapping a processor or something.




Processor + Video Card Combo
AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor HDZ965FBGMBOX
XFX HD-577A-ZNFC Radeon HD 5770 (Juniper XT) 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.619616


RAM + PSU Combo
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
Thermaltake TR2 W0070RUC 430W ATX12V V2.2 Intel Core i7 Compliant Dual 80mm Fans
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.612809


Motherboard
ASRock 870 EXTREME3 AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157198&cm_re=870_extreme3-_-13-157-198-_-Product


HDD
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152181&cm_re=samsung_f3-_-22-152-181-_-Product


Case
Antec Three Hundred Illusion Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066


Optical Drive
LITE-ON 24X DVD Writer Black SATA Model iHAS-324-98B
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106334


Total: $620 after tax + shipping

 

[harrow47]

Forgot the price, it's $580 after shipping and tax(stupid California).

 

[sadams04]

Looks good. You are in good shape, but IMHO upgrading the MB to the ASROCK 870 Extreme 3 is a good option to get SATA 3 and USB 3.0 for little money more. Also, swap the WD hard drive to a Samsung F3.

870 Extreme 3 -> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157198&cm_re=870_extreme3-_-13-157-198-_-Product

Samsung F3 500GB => http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152181&cm_re=samsung_f3-_-22-152-181-_-Product

 

[springhalo]

Mobo/CPU: MSI 870A-G54 :$230 :http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.614610

SLI ready Mobo/CPU combo :$230 :http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.614609

This is what I was looking at before choosing to upgrade to an i3, but it seems to be a good combo. The phenom 955 is a much better deal, and you can easily overclock it to the 965 levels. It depends on if you want to crossfire too.

 

[springhalo]

Mobo/CPU: MSI 870A-G54 :$230 :http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.614610

SLI ready Mobo/CPU combo :$230 :http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.614609

This is what I was looking at before choosing to upgrade to an i3, but it seems to be a good combo. The phenom 955 is a much better deal, and you can easily overclock it to the 965 levels. It depends on if you want to crossfire too.

 

[harrow47]

@sadams04
I changed both of those to your suggestion. I had seen the 870 Extreme recommended on another thread but chose the cheaper one from looking at the $500 March build. Figure $25 for a more future-proof mobo is worth it though. Read some reviews on Samsung F3 vs Caviar Blue and realized why you recommended that as well. Thanks!

Do you think the PSU is good enough? I know it can handle crossfired 5770's according to it's comments on Newegg, so it should be fine for my build, but I'm wondering if it will be adequate for future video card upgrades. I usually get a new video card every year or so.


@SpringHalo
I did see those deals at one point, but I don't want to drop the 965/5770 combo. The 965 is priced the same as 955 right now, and the combo is -$30 so seems like a really good deal.

 

[sadams04]

PSU - No... that probably won't cut it. The HD 5770 needs roughly 110w per card. The rest of the components will come in under 300w. While the numbers say 430w is enough, that assumes that power supply is 100% effecient... which it is not. A good 650w PSU should be good for now and have enough power to run dual GPUs (or a single high power card) down the road if you so desire. I would stick with Corsair or Antec...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139020&cm_re=corsair_power_supply-_-17-139-020-_-Product

EDIT: Sorry... I should have noted the small PSU in my first post.

 

[harrow47]

Any info on whether MSI 870A-G54 AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard or ASRock 870 Exreme3 is better?

 

[sadams04]

The MSI board has a single 16x slot for a single GPU, and the second slot will run at 4x if occupied (see 16x/4x in the description). The ASRock is 16x for a single card, or 8x/8x for dual cards. If you don't see yourself running more than one GPU then either board will do you well. If possibly running dual down the road, the MSI board running the second GPU @ 4x will be a killer putting the better value on the ASROCK.

 

[harrow47]

Yea that's about the only difference I had noticed earlier, along with the onboard audio but people are saying ASRock's does have 8channels rather than the 6 it lists. I only plan to ever use one GPU so will go with the MSI board, it's part of a combo with a 965 that makes it cheaper than the ASRock. Thanks for your help.

 

[harrow47]

Best answer selected by harrow47.