AMD gaming PC 500$ Mid range gaming

kalydo

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Approximate Purchase Date: this week

Budget Range: 500/550 (not counting taxes)

System Usage from Most to Least Important: gaming. internet.

Parts Not Required: keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, OS, HDD.

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg.ca/directcanada.ca/tigerdirect.ca

Country: canada

Parts Preferences: by amd and asrock (willing to not use asrock if theres a better overclocking board for better price range) I favor micro atx boards.

Overclocking: Yes

SLI or Crossfire: no

Monitor Resolution: 1600x900 to 1900x1200

Additional Comments: i would like the motherboard to have at least 4 pins for ram. any case will do, cheaper the better. I play many old pc games, but still would like to at least play skyrim on reasonable settings, maybe even high, or mid high. (I can also reuse an old case and power supply) The power supply is 530 watts and i've used it for my radeon 5770 for the past year) so builds with and without the psu and case are welcome.
 

4eyed

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I don't know much about cheap/good hdds and am3+ mobos, but i suggest you base your system on phenom ii x4 955 and radeon hd 6770, 6850 if it can fit in your budget.
 

kalydo

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deciding to reuse my case, power supply, cd/dvd drive, hdd etc. I have come up with this.

mobo:ASRock M3A770DE AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157176

GPU:MSI N560GTX-M2D1GD5 GeForce GTX 560 (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127592

CPU:AMD Phenom II X4 960T Zosma 3.0GHz Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor HD96ZTWFGRBOX
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103995

Memory:G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231314

Sits at 434$ canadian
 

That_Guy88

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CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103995&cm_mmc=2011YearEndClearance-_-343-_-N82E16819103995&nm_mc=2011YearEndClearance
$109 AMD 960t 3ghz, runs cooler than a 955, and can unlock to 6 cores

MOBO: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157176
$60 ASrock, will unlock the 960t cores, overclocking, am3, can also crossfire later on. dont need am3+ because bulldoser is garbage

Video Card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131378
$139 after rebate. AMD 6870 is the best bang for the buck right now. Also get 90+% efficiency when crossfiring

Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147023
$40 good solid case, comes with 2 fans

Ram:
$23. 4gb at ddr3 1600. Add another stick later if you need more ram and have 64x os

PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371031&cm_mmc=2011YearEndClearance-_-58-_-N82E16817371031&nm_mc=2011YearEndClearance
$60 620w antec made by seasonic (both awesome brands) more power than you will need, even later on plus really reliable. You will need your own power cord though but you can steal that from an old computer

DVD Drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151243
$20


total: 452

Hurry though because a lot of these are on sale now, and may not last long. These prices also don't include tax and shipping. If you want you could upgrade the mobo to am3+ and also get a 6 core processor that doesn't require unlocking.
 

kalydo

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@That_Guy.

As much as I'd love those sales going on over in the USA, I can't get them in Canada sadly... And thanks for the GPU information. That'll save me money.
 

Headspin_69

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He cant use a six core CPU the 955 is better for OP.
 

Headspin_69

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OP can't use a six core CPU 955 is better for him.
 

Headspin_69

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You want the BE because it is higher Binned meaning basically it is of higher quality and it is super easy to Overclock even a complete noob can do it because it has an Unlocked Multiplier which is what makes the OCing simple and easy.
 

That_Guy88

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The 960t is a quad core that can be unlocked to a 6 core. It is also cheaper than the 955 right now, runs cooler, And oC's just as well, plus is newer And has a better memory controller (it's thuban rather than deneb.) Plus the 6 core will help to future proof. No downsides to a 960t when compared to a 955.
 

kalydo

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Well I can't find the black edition anywheres online. Is it even still possible to buy? the one you listed there was the OEM edition. And I'm not sure if I'm missing something but the total build comes to 514$ (yours is 470). Also the GPU you listed there is a 6850 when I can get a 6870 for 2$ more, whats the difference in that?

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102948
 

Headspin_69

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Ya just get the 960t then if there all sold out of 955 CPUs and the reasoning why I recommend the msi 6850 Cyclone in my build for you is because I run it and am pleased with it it is premium GPU best of the best highest binned parts and can overclock higher than any OEM 6870 and is dead silent even under max load and OverClocked to 1GHZ on the core plus it is the most efficient GPU rated with Very high acclaim and hiest PRICE/Performance by many many publications including Tom's Hardware and really it is the same power as 6870 plus more.
 

Headspin_69

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Generic 6870 is not faster or any better than the highest Binned msi 6850 Cyclone that OCs to over 1Ghz on the core the better card for a 6870 over the 6850 Cyclone would be the msi HAWK edition but that is Well over $200.
 

DelroyMonjo

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Newegg.ca shipping is outrageous!
ASUS M4A88T-M AM3 AMD 880G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
$89.99 Save: $10.00 $11.49 Shipping
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131657

AMD Phenom II X4 960T Zosma 3.0GHz Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor HD96ZTWFGRBOX
$129.99 $6.99 Shipping
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103995

G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL9D-8GBXL
$41.49 $9.99 Shipping
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231426


HIS IceQ X Turbo H685QNT1GD Radeon HD 6850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
Dirt3 game included, limited offer
$174.99 $11.49 Shipping
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161363

Seagate Barracuda ST3250312AS 250GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive $89.99 $10.74 Shipping
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148699

$579.65.

 

kalydo

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Okay so, I have all my parts decided and picked out. The only difference Is the processor. I can't decide on the 960t or the 955. Surely the 960t is newer, but does that make it any better? That being said NCIX has the 955 in stock.

http://ncix.com/products/?sku=47459

And I know the shipping is utterly outrageous, and not only that but us canadians have a 13% tax hit. So if I went with a 740$ intel i5 2500k build, I'd buy 940$ total with shipping and taxes. Reason why I'm switching to AMD.
 

Headspin_69

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This is why I am recommending you the Msi Cyclone Power Edition 6850 over just a run of the mill 6870 please look at all the benchmarks graphs on the link I provided. http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/msi_r6850_cyclone/5.htm
 

That_Guy88

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the 960t is definitly worth it. also if you go to new egg is is 109 (US), cheaper than the 955 (115 US) bc it is on sale right now. Like I said, it has the ability to unlock more cores, and over clocks the same as a 955, but runs cooler and has a better memory controller
 
@Headspin_69: i don't think your recommended motherboard supports 125w tdp cpus. check your recommended motherbaord's cpu support list.
@That_Guy88: your motherboard supports only x16+x4 cfx - not really good proposition for good cfx performance. since OP isn't looking for cfx...that's okay.. i guess...