Appreciate advice on well researched new build

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chuccck

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OK, after two weeks straight of reading your other rec's here (and getting nothing done at work) and other links I think I have put together a really good build for the price and want to know what you guys think. I spent a lot of time researching cause things get a little complicated with the budget. I want to spend around $400 after rebates. However, I can ask for some pieces for Christmas from my family but I want them to be the cheaper pieces as they are on a budget as well.

My current computer is aging fast and can't handle the games I want to play and is just slow in general. Games in mind are C&C Red Alert 3, Fallout 3, and maybe Far Cry 2 and Mirror's Edge early next year.

I currently have a Samsung 920bw monitor, 19" 1440 X 900. I also have the Samsung LN40A550 40" 1080p LCD TV that I would like to be able to hook up to this new build and play games on. But we will have to see...

Ok, on with the build. (The stars below denote the beginning of the xmas list)

E8400
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037

Asus P5Q
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131299

Sapphire HD 4850
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102770&Tpk=N82E16814102770

ThermalTake 650W Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153040

NEWEGG COMBO TIME! (links will add to shopping cart, but they have given me trouble before so just view the combos on one of the items and go to view all combos)

E8400 + Asus P5Q = $259.37 shipped - $15 MIR = $244.37.
http://secure.newegg.com/Shopping/AddToCart.aspx?Submit=ADD&ItemList=Combo.138376

HD 4850 + ThermalTake 650W = $229.98 - $13.50 Promo Code NOVTT10 = $216.98 - $70 MIR = 146.48
http://secure.newegg.com/Shopping/AddToCart.aspx?Submit=ADD&ItemList=Combo.142611

Subtotal = $390.85 after rebates. That's $90 off with combos!

***

Western Digital 640GB = $69.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218&Tpk=Western%20Digital%20Caviar%20SE16%20WD6400AAKS%20640GB

4GB (2 X 2GB) Corsair Ram = $54.99 - $30 MIR = $24.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145184

NZXT Alpha Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Case = $59.99 - $20 MIR = $39.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146041

XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 & Retention Bracket = $31.99 + $8.49 - $10 MIR = $30.48
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233003
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233019


Couple of things I am curious to find out from you guys:

If you comment on one thing, be it the HD 4850 + ThermalTake 650W. I think its an amazing deal and I JUST found that promo code today when the combo was posted on slickdeals, which is an amazing site if you don't know about it yet. When stuff gets posted there, it usually goes out of stock fast so please let me know what you think.

Its almost an annual tradition that I ask my dad to get me a hard drive for xmas. Only this time, I don't really know what kind of budget he is thinking. To make it easy on him, can you point out good $70, $90, and $110 drives for me? Thanks.

In general, any things you would change/add? Will I be able to rock anything on my 40" or is that hopeless on this budget?

Please do not recommend anything significantly more expensive then what I have listed here without good reason. I don't want this to get out of control.

Thanks guys. You guys have been a big help already, big up to Proximon and everyone else I have been reading lately!

And if anyone is interested, I build a big excel spreadsheet with prices of the parts I liked and uploaded it here: link

*note i think my dad may have already bought the Ram as I sent it to him already, but he may be slow with it.



 
Proximon

Proximon

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I don't like Thermaltake. I don't trust them to deliver what they promise. Some of their PSUs are very bad.

This 650W Toughpower has the same name as a PSU that got a very good review only 4 months ago... but then I see a different model number. Not good.

The 700W with the same combo deal looks to be at least a slightly better deal, if that's all you can afford.
 
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chuccck

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The 700W ones is nearly $50 more after rebates. Newegg reviews seem pretty good. Or am i stretching to make this work? This combo deal was really the only way i thought I could bring in the 4850 at budget.
 
Proximon

Proximon

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If there was one part on newegg where user reviews meant nothing, it would be PSUs.

There is absolutely no way for anyone to know if they got a bad PSU or not, because they have no equipment to accurately measure the stability of power being generated.

Understood about the rebates, I missed that.

Well, your chances are a lot better with that PSU than most. It's not likely to blow up or anything. In fact, at worst it's maybe a "tier 3" model. Just be aware that any mysterious system instability may be the PSU.

And who knows? It could be a great PSU... TK make some occasionally. You are basically getting it for free though, and that is scary.

 
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chuccck

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ok, ok. you have scared me away. What about this one though? A OCZ 600w, its the ModXstream version, not the Stealth Extreme version you rec'd.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341017

I read the reviews I found on google and they all seem positive. The good news is it is bundled nicely with some hard drives? The least amount of storage I need is the 640 GB but what do you think about some of the bigger hard drive bundles, specifically the two WD 1 tb drives???

Any other advice from you Proximon or anyone else on the build overall?
 
slomo4sho

slomo4sho

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Sapphire is also notorious for not honoring their rebates and proving very poor service. Thermaltake's record isn't that hot either. It is somewhat of a gamble expecting those rebates to come in on that GPU and PSU combo. I would recommend looking for alternatives.

The OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ600MXSP 600W is currently bundled with your hard drive of choice with $40 in instant savings is a good choice in my opinion :).
 
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chuccck

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@Proximon: I think you linked to the one I mentioned...

Thanks guys. I appreciate the votes of confidence in OCZ + WD HD deal.

Now which of the lower priced HD 4850's is the best choice now that I can afford a $130 - $150 card (banking on DAD flipping for the whole PSU combo [/crossing fingers]. The Sapphire rebate horror stories have turned me off completely and I have had a bad experience with Diamond before. What about the Asus version?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121272

 
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chuccck

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cool, thanks.

Will I regret opting for the Freezer 7 Pro over the Xigmatek? If i am going to ask someone like my sister to get it for me I want to make it easy as possible, i.e. no rebates, good price and only ONE item.

And anybody have that case? Or any better ideas in that price range?
 
Proximon

Proximon

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Yeah, the Sunbeam is a really great price now, and comes with thermal paste. Easier to install than a Xigmatek, probably, and actually rated slightly higher for cooling.

It doesn't exactly bolt down like the Xig, but the way it attaches is better than stock.
 
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chuccck

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Alright so heres where we ended up:

E8400
Asus P5Q Pro
Corsair 4 GB Ram
Asus 4850
WD 640 GB
NZXT Alpha Black Case
Sunbeam Cooler
OCZ 600W PSU

As of today, that would be $604.7 shipped after $125 worth of MIR's. $400 I will be spending on Cpu+mobo combo and gfx card and the other parts asking for Xmas. I think this build is going to be great, thanks guys.

I saw a lot of crazy PSU sales on Newegg today, btw. 2 of the ones you recommend Proximon...
 
K

kubes

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Proximon is totaly correct that newegg reviews on psu's are hard to find as valid. They do not have the equipment needed to throughly test them. I actually do, do to my background and you will find that you get what you pay for when compairing power supplies. A lot of people try to skim on the PSU and get burned because of it. Looking at your setup though OCZ 600w should run everything you have. Even the Antec EarthWatts would be a good deal which was mentioned above.
 
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chuccck

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+1 dirtmountain

Alright people, I think the Antec Earthwatts is a better deal then the combo deal on new egg with the Hard Drive cause, there are no rebates for my dad to fill out, and he won't feel like he is wasting his money on shipping.

Can anyone beat the Antec Eartwatts 650W that Dirtmountain found for $50? That looks like a steal cause it is ranked as a Tier 2 brand on the most recently updated PSU tiered list i could find here on eggxpert. Remember I building this rig with a just in case I can crossfire much later on mentality.

I used Evongugg's list of PSU references to check it out and the OCZ modxstream is a tier 4 on most.
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/258207-31-power-supply-question#t1870875
 
Proximon

Proximon

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It depends on the exact ModXStream. That's the problem with the tiered list, as sometimes PSUs in the same series are made by different OEMs.

However, there is no question about the EA650 and it's a steal at that price. Snap it up before they realize their mistake.
 
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