Best Configs - High-End Intel Gaming PC

[jpishgar]

Our editorial team has selected the top builds submitted by users for our Best Configs feature. Please vote on your favorite of the following builds:

Ksampanna
Processor: Intel Core i7-950
Motherboard: ASUS P6T6 WS Revolution with NF200 3xPCIe true x16
Memory: Crucial Ballistix 6GB DDR3 1333 Cas 9
Graphics: 3 X Palit NE5TX470F10DA GeForce GTX 470
Storage: Samsung Spinpoint F3 1 TB
Power Supply: Thermaltake Black Widow W0319RU 850W
Case: Antec 300
Optical Drive:Asus Black CD/DVD Burner
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper N520

Link to Build

calguyhunk
CPU: Intel Core i7-950
Mobo: ASRock X58 Extreme
RAM: Mushkin Enhanced Silverline 6GB (3 x 2GB)
HDD: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 1TB
GPU: 2 X HIS Radeon HD 5970
PSU: CORSAIR 950TX
ODD: LG SATA DVD Burner with LightScribe Support
HSF: COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus
Case: COOLER MASTER HAF 922

Link to Build

eloric
CPU: Core i7-930
Motherboard: Gigabyte X58 UD3R
GPU: 2 X GTX 480s in SLI for $880. They are hot. They draw more power than they should, but they sure do scale nicely in SLI.
Storage, HDD: Spinpoint F3, 1 TB
Storage, SSD: OCZ Agility 2 60 GB
RAM: Corsair 1600 DDR3, triple channel, 3 X 2 GB for 6GB total. 8-8-8-24
PSU: Corsair 1000W HX series.
Heatsink: CoolerMaster Hyper 212
Case: Antec Dark Fleet DF 30

Link to Build

brennon7
CPU: Intel i7 930 1366
Mobo: EVGA 131-GT-E767-TR LGA 1366 Intel X58 SLI 3 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
Ram: Mushkin CAS7 1600mhz 6gb ram Blackline
GPU: 2x GTX 480s Gigabyte
PSU: 1000w SilverStone
Hdd:1tb Samsung F3 Spinpoint
SSD: 40gb boot Drive OCZ vertex
Case: Haf 922
Drive: Lite-On

Link to Build

stlnation
CPU: Intel i7 930
MB: Asus P6X58D-E
Case: Corsair 600T
Video: 2 x EVGA GTX 460
Power Supply - Corsair 750TX
Memory: CORSAIR DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
SSD: Crucial RealSSD C300 128GB
HDD: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB
Optical: Samsung
Radiator: Black Ice Xtreme 2 X-Flow
CPU Block - EK-Supreme HF
Pump/Res: X2O 750 Dual 5.25” Bay Reservoir Pump

Link to Build

 

[wolfram23]

I'm a bit surprised none of the P55 builds made it on to the voting. Why is the i7/X58 necessary for an "enthusiast" build? With the cheaper i5/P55 you can fit a useful sized SSD along with big GPUs and still get very near equal gaming performance.... but anyway...

 

[Proximon]

I think the two GTX 480s trump the others, but choosing between those two builds is hard.

 

[fjiekie]

no build for heavy-on-the-RAM RTS games, so a no go for me...

 

[Tamz_msc]

Even though this is going to be a gaming PC, how can you select a config has 2 5970s?They scale pretty bad in Crossfire.

 

[phenom90]

i think the context of best high end intel gaming pc is not only looking at the raw performance standpoint only... but need to look at all areas such as power consumption.... money.... and when you see it this way... i can't see why The stlnation Build doesn't deserve the vote.... and yes it is not feature the the most powerful hardware in the world but 2 gtx 460? its definitely enough to be considered as high end....

 

[davehcyj]

The results don't show up unless you go view things through the forums. Getting at these pages from the tomshardware main page will Not let you view the results. It just presents you with the voting options again and again even after voting.

 

[billj214]

I really like the calguyhunk build except for the use of 5970's in crossfire and not using a SSD drive over a Spinpoint.
As for stlnation I prefer the combination of SSD and WD Black and with the use of dual 460's over 480's which makes sense for still getting similar performance and saving some on cooling and power consumption. Also the i7 930 over 950 for same reasoning.
Nice build for brennon7, dual 480's and 1000w PS cooled on air just sounds like it runs very HOT!

 

[K2N hater]

I'm surprised no-one picked the EVGA Classified SR-2 to overclock Xeons.

 

[blackened144]

I'm a bit surprised none of the P55 builds made it on to the voting. Why is the i7/X58 necessary for an "enthusiast" build? With the cheaper i5/P55 you can fit a useful sized SSD along with big GPUs and still get very near equal gaming performance.... but anyway...

These are "High-End" builds, all using SLi or Crossfire. They need the extra bandwidth offered by the X58 chipset, especially the Tri-SLI and Quadfire builds, therefore no one chose the cheaper p55 chipsets.

 

[wolfram23]

These are "High-End" builds, all using SLi or Crossfire. They need the extra bandwidth offered by the X58 chipset, especially the Tri-SLI and Quadfire builds, therefore no one chose the cheaper p55 chipsets.

Not true. 2 card crossfire/sli are fine in any P55 board, but if you want tri SLI or CF, you just need a P55 board with the NF200 chipset, which allows 16/16 or 16/8/8 lanes PLUS USB 3 and SATA 6gb/s all at the same time. The mobo is as much as an X58 mobo, but the cheaper CPU and RAM = a good SSD. That, IMO, would take the cake. If going 2 card, then regular P55 is fine and then there's more cash for other components.
Behold:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/p55-crossfire-nf200,2537-3.html

 

[fruees]

Quite right Wolfram - an i5 750 will even outperform a 930 clock-for-clock in some games (as proven in a Tom's review) and draw substantially less power and radiate less heat. Not only will you save on RAM and MOBO, but on a cooler too. Bear in mind that to get 4.2ghz on a 930 will make even the best air cooler loud - really need watercooling for this chip.
Strange how the majority immediately choose the beefiest media chip for a High end Gaming pc, when few games use 4 cores - let alone 8 virtual ones. Only the Quad-fire/tri sli could make a valid claim, due to the x58 bandwidth

 

[wolfram23]

Quite right Wolfram - an i5 750 will even outperform a 930 clock-for-clock in some games (as proven in a Tom's review) and draw substantially less power and radiate less heat. Not only will you save on RAM and MOBO, but on a cooler too. Bear in mind that to get 4.2ghz on a 930 will make even the best air cooler loud - really need watercooling for this chip.
Strange how the majority immediately choose the beefiest media chip for a High end Gaming pc, when few games use 4 cores - let alone 8 virtual ones. Only the Quad-fire/tri sli could make a valid claim, due to the x58 bandwidth

My feelings exactly. And as I just posted, there is a mobo to satisfy that need on the P55 platform. Sure, it costs as much as an X58 mobo but you're still saving a couple hundred on CPU and RAM. But in the end, if someone needs a big epeen then power to them and their i7/X58 PC 😀

 

[rockitman]

don't you guys care about the great heat generated by 2 480's?

I'm sorry, for all it's performance benefits, I'll pass on the 480 line and wait for Nvidia to make something that runs much cooler.

 

[wolfram23]

^If you're me, that heat isn't a bad thing (living in Canada). Although definitely heat generated = wasted power but power isn't that expensive.

 

[mrhoshos96]

wow the forum changed a bit since i last visited welcome me back 😛 .

 

[brennon7]

Given the release of the GTX 580 I hereby withdraw my entry...

 

[jpishgar]

This topic has been desticky in top of the forum by Jpishgar