$900 Build advice needed ( Wall of Text!!)

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Truecrude

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BUDGET IS NOW $1k
Looking for a better PSU to later on to xfire the 5770s

wow....I forgot to select a Sub-cat so I have to type up everyting all over again, but its not gonna be a wall of text, lucky you.
I'm just gonna list the parts i've choosen excluding monitar, keyboard/mouse.
Don't want to get a new monitar cuz I'm in California and the tax is gonna kill my budget Though later on I plan to get a 16XX by 10XX or 19XX or 10XX monitar.
I DO NOT PLAN ON OVERCLOCKING FOR NOW!

CASE
COOLER MASTER HAF 932 RC-932-KKN1-GP Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119160
Great Case, High Air flow. Great Price with the promo

Processor and GPU
AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor - Retail
XFX HD-577A-ZNFC Radeon HD 5770 (Juniper XT) 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.300823
Just not sure if XFX is the good company compared to the other brands

Motherboard
GIGABYTE GA-MA790XT-UD4P AM3 DDR3 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128378
Cheap, think it'll get the job done

Ram
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL8D-4GBHK - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231189
Again cheap but it's good enough for me.

Hard Drive
Western Digital Caviar Black WD5001AALS 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136320
Don't need any more memory, but does it matter if its just a bare drive?

DVD Drive
LITE-ON Black 24X DVD+R 24X DVD-R SATA Black 24X DVD Writer - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106334
Good enough for me.

PSU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341016

Sub-Total=887
Tax=73
Shipping=0
Total=961

My biggest concern is if this parts are all compatible with each other because I had orginally planned to get the ASUS EVO AM3 but its not compatible with the AMD 965 125W processor and I don't know that if its compatible with the gigabyte board.



 
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Silvune

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You can save yourself about $40/$20 by going for the HAF 922. It is actually better than the 932, and seeing as you aren't filling it up with hdds or massive vid cards, don't need a full tower case.
I actually like that Gigabyte mobo more than either of the Asus' you might have been thinking about getting, which are compatible with that processor btw. I trust that you will add another 5770 later when you have some more money as that Gigabyte mobo is made for it, and it will offer much better performance. And this PSU will be able to handle it. XFX is fine.
This is a good PSU, quite cheap as well: Mushkin Enhanced 580W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready Modular Active PFC $70
No it doesnt matter if it is a bare drive. Which is just another way of saying OEM for newegg. You can also get an OEM DVD drive, because mobos come with 2 SATA cables, so those will cover both those devices.
 
rockyjohn

rockyjohn

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PSU - Size depends on whether you want to Crossfire later or not. If yes - you want 700w minimum, if not 500w seems to be the sweet spot. These would be excellent PSUs at moderate prices:

OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ500MXSP 500W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply compatible with core i7 - Retail - $40AR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341016

OCZ StealthXStream OCZ700SXS 700W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply - Retail - $55R
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341019
Note that this has only two PCIe connectors, which is fine for two of the cards you list above as each only requires one PCIe connector. If you get two larger cards that each require two connectors, then you will need to combine the molex connectors or get a different power supply with 4 PCIe connectors.

XFX has a reputation of being one of the better graphics cards and the one you selected carries a lifetime warranty which is better than most.

I also prefer Gigabyte UD - ultra durable - mobos like the one you selected. If you have not, you might want to read this article on the UD technology:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gigabyte-ultra-durable,2094.html

You might also find this review of 790GX boards informative, although they use a higher priced models with more features than the one you selected - but still good background information on the series:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/790fx-socket-am3,2277.html

This compares your board with the Gigabyte board reviewed in the article above - the big difference being additional PCIe slots and I beleive some stronger heatsinks for higher overclocking (although the latter is not shown on the comparison:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2%2050001314%2040000022&Manufactory=1314&bop=And&SpeTabStoreType=1&ActiveSearchResult=True&CompareItemList=N82E16813128378%2CN82E16813128377

 
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Truecrude

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Is the second power supply you listed 80+. It does say typically 86% Efficiency but I'm guessing that doesn't make it 80+ certifyed like the first one you listed.
 
rockyjohn

rockyjohn

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Responding to Silvune's note above, there are several reasons for the 700w:

1. With the current rebate, the 700w costs less then the 600w.
2. Its always good to have room for later upgrades, whether that be a larger graphics card, more drives, card readers, etc.
3. The sweet spot for operating a PSU is around 60%, above that efficiency usually declines, you have more heat, fans run faster, and the fan noise increases.
4. Its good to have a capable PSU, and perhaps error a little on the safe side, to prevent damage to other components or just be able to generally rule that out as an issue when problems of unknown origin arise.
5. Power supply capacity and efficiency decline over time due to normal wear of components, albeit very slowly.
6. PSUs have a lot longer life then parts with technological obsolesence, so you can carry the investment into a later build - or support an upgrade -and reap future benefits.
 
rockyjohn

rockyjohn

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No, it is my understanding that it is not certified. All power supplies have lower efficiency at the top and bottom ends of its capacity. The 80+ certification required that the unit equals or exceeds 80% over a very large range and this unit, I read, failed over one end of the test range, although for the most part it operates above 80%. I am very power conscious and would have no problem using it in any unit. For myself, I try to size a PSU to be at about 60% - the sweet spot - in terms of efficiency. Once you get over that the efficiency in all PSU's is declining, heat builds faster, the fans speed up, and consequently the fans get louder.

If that is still a concern, just move up to its brother, also the big brother of the 500w unit I lised, which is 80+ certified for $15 more :

OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ700MXSP 700W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply compatible with core i7 - Retail - $70AR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341018

This one has a larger $30 rebate right now, making the relative price very good, and also has the additional advantage of modular cables. At this price I would take it just for the modular cables.

 
rockyjohn

rockyjohn

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The 500w ModXStream listed above now has a larger rebate bringing the price down to $35 - only $5 more than the one you are looking at. The shipping cost on the one you are looking at - for the cheapest rate - is $17 - making the total cost $47. The ModXSteam has free shipping so the total cost is $35. Why pay $12 or almost a third more for a PSU of lower quality? In addition, the ModXStream is modular, making it much easier to use in the sense that you only put in the your case the cables you need and don't have to stuff all the others somewhere.

Further, the ModXStream is 80+ certified for efficiency, the other is not. The better PSUs deliver power where it is needed on the 12 volt circuit which powers the mobo and video card - the big power users. The Mod has 36 amps on this circuit, the other only 30 amps.

But yes it has all the connectors needed and will power your system with a single graphics card. Since the monitor is powered directly from household current, it does not place any demands on the PSU.
 
rockyjohn

rockyjohn

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On the other hand, if you are sure you will not Crossfire and want to save money, there is no reason to get the mobo with the 790 chipset and two video card slots. You can save $15 by getting its little brother:

GIGABYTE GA-MA785GMT-UD2H AM3 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard – Retail - $90
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128397

And if you really want to be economical and save another $20 or $35 total, you can get the still cheaper one:

GIGABYTE GA-MA770T-UD3P AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard – Retail - $70AR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128392

The latter will be a little slower than the other two but you might not even notice the difference. It is a good board – Winner of the Newegg Customer Choice Award – had has the same UD – ultra durable – construction as the other two. It has an older model chipset that is just a little slower.

I hate to see you give up the opportunity to Crossfire later because it means you can almost double your performance on games just for the cost of adding another graphics card – the cheapest way to upgrade. Who knows what games you may grow into – or what additional requirements the current games you play will grow into. But that said, only you know your budget and with a single card – and the 5770 your looking at, you can get very good game play in most games today.

What size monitor are you thinking you might move up to? . The 5770 will support reasonably sized gaming monitors – even multiple monitors – but not the real large ones. I did not see them maximum size listed on their specifications. If you do step up to a larger monitor – while it won’t directly affect PSU demands – it might necessitate a larger graphics card If so, the easiest way to accommodate that would be Crossfire rather than buying a new, larger card.
 
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Truecrude

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well I've decieded to keep the Xfire mobo for the future and I'm gonna go with the http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341016
Don't think i'll be xfiring anytime soon i'm gonna go lower on the power and later on I'll just get a another 5770 with a new PS unit along with it. As for the monitar I'm gonna go the 21" monitor before I go xfire.

I've also decieded to go foro Windows 7 ultimate edition and I'm wondering if I'll have any problems with the parts when it comes to compatablility.
 
rockyjohn

rockyjohn

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Nope, everything should work fine.

However if it were my purchase, I would go with a different model of G.Skill memory only because it is specifically listed on the mobo compatibility list. It lists the exact same speed, timings, and voltage as the one you listed at the top - and might be the same memory only with some different heat spreader. Both list working for the same categories of mobos including AM3 boards. The new one costs $3 more and both come with free shipping. I have no reason to beleive that the one at the top won't work just as well, I just would be inclined, when they are so close, to go with the one on the manufacturer's compatibility list.

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL8D-4GBHK - Retail - $95
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231189&Tpk=F3-10666CL8D-4GBHK

Mobo compatibility list
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/FileList/MemorySupport/motherboard_memroy_ga-ma790xt-ud4p.pdf

The 5770 should have no problems with a 21" monitor when you decide to get it - it most likely could handle two of them.

Here's a review on the PSU you selected that you might like to read:

http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews.php?/power_supply/ocz_modxstream_pro_500w/1

Their bottom line: "Therefore, we can whole heartedly recommend this PSU, which is simply perfect for all but the most advanced gaming rigs."

You should have a very nice system.
 
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Truecrude

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I've decided to get the ram rockyjohn suggested and I've been looking around the web about the parts i'm gonna buy and it turns out a lot of ppl are having problems with ATI drivers and installing Windows 7 ( i'm gonna intall win 7 ultimate) and getting problems after or during installation. In general, having problems with drivers seems to be the big issue.
In fact, my cousin tried to update vista to win 7 because gateway sent him a free win 7 cd and it messed up his computer and now there is a error before he gets to the login screen and Geek Squad said its a problem with the registry and its been corrupted. Basically I want to avoid these problems and I wanted to know what I should do to avoid them. Should I get Vista ultimate instead to WIin 7 ultimate?

EDIT: Is this ram comptiable with the mobo http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231193
I don't understand the compatablity sheet. And if it is compatible is it better than the other one you recommened rockyjohn?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231189&Tpk=F3-10666CL8D-4GBHK
 
daggs

daggs

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you've decided not to oc but you're buying a overclocked 955, my advice, get the 955, save the money and either keep it like this or mildly oc it in about 200mhz more
 
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Truecrude

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The differnce is only $20 between the 955 and 965 and if I'm going to spend $900+ then why not spend and extra $20 for a little bit better performence. And the reason I said I wasn't going to overclock was because at this point I dont need to since my monitar is only 17" running at 1080x1024 but later I'm getting a 21" so I may overclock in the future.
 
rockyjohn

rockyjohn

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I agree with you truecode, deciding not to OC right now is a rational reason to get the faster CPU not to avoid it.

The 1600 MHz you listed above is on the memory compatibility list so it should work fine. It also might be little faster, probably not enought to notice. But the problem is it will only work in one channel. If you look on the specifications list you will see "(O.C.)" after that memory speed. You can then not add memory to the other two slots. If you wanted to go to 8 GB of memory at the speed you would have to replace those two with 2 new 4 GB sticks. With the one I selected, you simply add 2 x 2GB in the two open memory slots to double your bandwidth.
 
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Truecrude

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I just came across this great deal on newegg...but I'm not sure if its worth picking over the current GPU and PSU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.310962
thats basically getting a free PSU but it seems like its has horrbile quality with it only performing at 72% effiency and its not modular but thats not big deal since HAF 932 has good cable management. I'm gonna try to google some reviews on that PSU. Let me know what you think.
 
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