$800 Value Gaming Rig - Help Needed

[shawshank152]

Guys,

I planned to build a rig with i7 but now i'm sort of short of budget and only has $800. I need it for gaming and general office use. Do you think the list below is okay? Is GTX275 an over-kill here? Do you think this set up can handel most of the games in the next 1-2 years? Thanks very much indeed!!

CPU E8400
Mainboard ASUS P5Q-Pro
Memory [2GBx2] Corsair RM-T24GD8 XMS2 5-5-5-18 1.9V (D2-800)
Graphics Inno3D 896MB iChill GTX275 D-DVI
Hard drive 640GB W.D. 6401aaLS Caviar Black (3GB/s/SATA2/32M)
DVD Writer LG GH-22NS40 22X SMulti DVD Writer SATA
Case Cooler master (Elite 335)
Power OCZ PPCS500 Silencer 500W ATX
Fan Cooler Master CF-R4S12AK 12CM Case Fan 

I plan to use the 1920 x 1200 Samsung T260 monitor. Any advices will be highly appreciated!!!!

 

[fullmetall]

Get a 650tx instead and at a high res. i'd go with the sapphire 4890.

That's a pretty small case you got posted, could go with a centurion 590 or a antec 300....

 

[smithereen]

+1 for Antec 300.

Check out this build instead I put together for someone else. Credit goes to Why_me for his excellent observation about the original PSU.

Open-Box MSI 790FX $110 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 813130136R
4GB DDR2-1066 $67 -$25 MIR http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820220315
Phenom II 940 $190 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819103471
HD4870 1gb $190 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814102801
Corsair 750W $120 -$20 MIR http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006&Tpk=corsair%20750W
Antec 300 $55 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811129042
Dark Knight $40 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835233029
TX-2 $5 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835154003
DVD Drive $18 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827118031

$695 - $45 MIR = $650

Anyways, bottom line is that the CPU is leaps and bounds better than the e8400, almost twice the theoretical performance-per-clock (it's a quad-core), and it OCs not as well, but well enough, and the video card has 1gb of memory for your high-res gaming. If you want to take it to the next level swap the video card there for this 4850X2, at $280 -$10 MIR.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102809

$795 - $55 MIR = $740

 

[shawshank152]

Thank both!!

smithereen, your list is mindblowing as i wasnt aware the AMD list could save that much $$ with even better performance. i'm just curious why the hell do so many ppl still stick to Intel builds?

for the Ram, do you think i should go with 6G RAM if i have spare $s? Thanks!!

 

[fullmetall]

Actually, it oc's better, performs better in games.. the E8400 will out perform the x4 940/x3 720.

the x3 720 is not far behind the Dual e85xx family but, it competes just fine.

Theres not much upgrade to future path for both sides. am3 will be am3 till a new chip comes out and it will be a totally different socket.

the dual core will last you a great while then you will need to upgrade mostly everything.

I think your Intel build will be just fine for gaming on a 4890, gigabyte ud3p/asus pro p5q. e8400/e8500.

 

[shawshank152]

Actually, it oc's better, performs better in games.. the E8400 will out perform the x4 940/x3 720.

the x3 720 is not far behind the Dual e85xx family but, it competes just fine.

Theres not much upgrade to future path for both sides. am3 will be am3 till a new chip comes out and it will be a totally different socket.

the dual core will last you a great while then you will need to upgrade mostly everything.

I think your Intel build will be just fine for gaming on a 4890, gigabyte ud3p/asus pro p5q. e8400/e8500.

Thanks a lot Fullmetal. So you think i should still stick to E8400? If I need to do some multi tasking stuff (like downloading while gaming), will X4 940 be a better choice? Thanks!!

 

[fullmetall]

Either way your going to get a great performance, most games rely on the gfx card.

but, if its left for dead, gta 4, fsx, etc., games like that utilize 4 cores due to multi threads, then the x4 940 is the way to go.

Dual core E8400/E8500 is awesome for the games that only use 1 to 2 cores and is the best way to go.

So, depends on which games you really play.

 

[shawshank152]

I see. I probably will go with the x4 940 set in this case.
Thanks again for all the help!!!

 

[fullmetall]

yep, but, defenatly not an open box msi.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.190732

x4 940 + Ud4P gigabyte am3/am2+ motherboard.

G.skills 1066 CL: 5.


PC Power&cooling 750w psu


Sapphire 4890.

 

[shawshank152]

Last question, as i need to fit the case under my desk and i dont have much room that cooler master 335 is the largest i can get. do you think that'll be a problem for me to fit in the CPU cooler and hence limit the OC ability? Thanks very much!!!

 

[fullmetall]

Oh yes. that elite 335 has a huge air duct on it and i dont even think the gfx card will be safe with how far that thing goes inwards.

The antec 300/ centurion 590 cases arent that tall at all, just have some width, i have the centurion 590 and i was able to put a s1283 + a fan on the side door in it and a gtx 285.

 

[Fortunex]

You can just unscrew the air duct.

I have the CM 335 myself, after taking some measurements, I'm not sure if it will fit my cooler that I plan on getting. I'd definitely take something bigger like an Antec 300.

 

[fullmetall]

yea, if you were going to get a cooler for that, it would be a small stock cooler.

 

[shawshank152]

Thanks again guys. This really solves my problem!

 

[fullmetall]

Yep, you need a bigger desk. hah, if your going to get one, get one where the tower sits on a raised step on the side of the desk instead of on the floor, the psu's sit on the bottom of the case for the centurion and blowing air out through the bottom. It has pegs but, they sink into the floor. If its a wooden floor nevermind the help.

 

[shawshank152]

Thanks man!!
One word on the graphics card, how do you guys compare the HIS HD4890 Turbo to Sapphire 4890?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161278

I heard the noise of both cards fan is an issue which limits their ability for OC. Is there a version of 4890 which better fans?

Thanks!!

 

[fullmetall]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102830

Should be fine.

if you can run a card at 60% and still here the game going then your fine.

 

[smithereen]

The HD4890 is a good choice, if you want it, definately get the Sapphire, but I would definitely up it to a HD4850X2 or dual HD4770s. The open box Platinums are sold out, go with the combo Fullmetall posted.

 

[shawshank152]

Thanks guys!

 

[ryanb213]

whatever you do dont get a daul core. i got an e8400 and had to upgrade to a quad

 

[shawshank152]

Thanks Ryan! I'm getting the X4 940....

Oh, btw, do you guys think 4770 cross fire is a better choice than 4890?
How much power do i need for this? does Giga's MA790X-UD4P [AMD790X+SB750] AM3 good enough for crossfire?

Thank you!!!

 

[smithereen]

Yes and yes. I encourage you to get yourself a pair.

 

[fullmetall]

You get a pair of 4770's, then what??...you get your self a 4890, you got room to cf later on..The 4770's will be as good as the 4890, but, at higher resolutions im sure the 4890 will take off.

Surely he's going with the x4 940 but, @ryanb213, theres nothing wrong with a dual core unless you want to play multi-threaded games.

I have a E8500(2years) and it is flawless.

 

[smithereen]

Speaking of "And then what"...

That's his call, I suppose. It's not like it's just a 'little' more value, though.

 

[fullmetall]

Noise value will be pretty high with both those cards and so will heat. 1 4890 will be just fine for $209 after rebate against $220 for 4770's