Gaming Build with Crossfire

[typpeo]

Hi All,

I'm finally upgrading my 4 year old rig and I'm trying to keep some components from my old machine. This will be used primarily for gaming and under the 1k range. After doing some research I just don't feel like i7s are worth the price when you compare with the i5s. In any case I have a HD 5770 that isn't very old and has worked fine for me. My thought was to pick up another an do crossfire.

Anyway, I had a few questions about if crossfire is actually worth it, if the RAM I picked was right and if the mobo looks decent. Any suggestions or criticism would be great!

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=21457228


Crucial RealSSD C300 CTFDDAC064MAG-1G1 2.5" 64GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I52500K

MSI P67A-G43 (B3) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL

OCZ ModXStream Pro 700W Modular High Performance Power Supply compatible with Intel Sandybridge Core i3 i5 i7 and AMD Phenom


ZALMAN CNPS9500 AT 2 Ball CPU Cooling Fan/Heatsink

COOLER MASTER Elite 430 RC-430-KWN1 Black Steel / Plastic Computer Case

ASUS CuCore Series EAH5770 CuCore/2DI/1GD5 Radeon HD 5770 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support ...

Already owned XFM HD 5770

Around $760 with all the rebates.

Thanks!

 

[typpeo]

Well I never got a response here but I'm going to ditch the old card and I'm looking at something like this.

CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V v2.2 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 ...
$139.99 -$25.00 Instant $114.99

ASUS P8P67 LE (REV 3.0) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
$139.99 $139.99

COOLER MASTER Elite 430 RC-430-KWN1 Black Steel / Plastic Computer Case
$54.99 -$5.00 Instant $49.99

MSI R6950-2PM2D2GD5 Radeon HD 6950 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
$279.99 $279.99

Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I52500K
$219.99 $219.99

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL
$84.99 $84.99

ZALMAN CNPS9500 AT 2 Ball CPU Cooling Fan/Heatsink
$54.99 -$12.00 Instant $42.99

 

[Motopsychojdn]

Hi there, sorry you've not had any responses yet,
Thats a solid looking Rig, you can probably find a better cooler for the money but otherwise good mate,
Moto

 

[typpeo]

Thanks Moto, I actually changed the board to the MSI P67A after checking out the budget builds on the site. The asus board didn't have great OCing since it was the LE version and it also didn't have 8x/8x. I also changed the cooler to XIGMATEK Gaia. So, I think I'm good to go now. Thanks for looking the build over.

 

[Motopsychojdn]

No probs man, good luck with the build and shout up with any issues, also read over sections three and four for some guidance http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/288241-13-read-posting-buyer-guides-troubleshooting
Moto

 

[typpeo]

Well of course the 6950s are now out of stock since I waited to long. In any case do I really need a 2gb card? It sounds like they are good for multiple monitors. I sometimes game on my 42inch LCD when playing with a controller. I can do it right now with my 5770, it can get a little choppy but not bad. I'm not trying to decide what different card I should get maybe a 560 ti?

 

[Motopsychojdn]

I would either look for another brand 6950 2Gb or gor for one of the 1Gb ones but if you play on a 42" I'd consider crossfiring two 1Gb versions, easier/cheaper to just straight out get the 2Gb (I love the Asus tripleslot cuII version )
Moto

 

[typpeo]

I would either look for another brand 6950 2Gb or gor for one of the 1Gb ones but if you play on a 42" I'd consider crossfiring two 1Gb versions, easier/cheaper to just straight out get the 2Gb (I love the Asus tripleslot cuII version )
Moto

Thanks Moto. So would you say the 6950 over the 560 TI? If that's the case I'll just get one of the 6950s that you can't unlock. It sounds like you can still OC them if needed.

 

[Motopsychojdn]

You cant Oc them much as I understand it, but google 6950 vs 560ti to see some benchmarks, I'm not sure how they would match up tbh,
I seem to favour amd although I'm not an avid fanboi, if intel/nvidia is the better product I say as much and recommend that as the better option
Moto

 

[obsidian86]

well according to this

 

[ps3hacker12]

I would either look for another brand 6950 2Gb or gor for one of the 1Gb ones but if you play on a 42" I'd consider crossfiring two 1Gb versions, easier/cheaper to just straight out get the 2Gb (I love the Asus tripleslot cuII version )
Moto

BTW if you Crossfire 2 cards you dont get double the memory both cards still use memory from only one card, so if you crossfire 2 1gb cards you will still have 1gb GDDR ram. so i would definitely say if you can afford it, then go for a 2gb card.

 

[Motopsychojdn]

But I'd look at Obsid's graph, and stand by my earlier post, the 560ti seems to have the edge on that test
Moto

 

[obsidian86]

its listed worst to best and the 6950 seems to have the edge by bout 10%

 

[Motopsychojdn]

stupid highlighted card lol, its the 6850 I was comparing to the 560ti lol,
/relaxes in my personal choice of card, and the advice I give to get them
Moto