New Gaming Rig

[Knickerless]

ello!

I've been trying to configure a new rig for the past week and I was wondering if you guys could give me some help on deciding on a suitable PSU and the compatibility of all components; This is going to be my first self-built PC!


Mobo: ASUS Crosshair IV Formula - AMD 890FX
CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition
GPU: Sapphire 11179-09-20G HD 6870 1GB GDDR5
HDD: WD Caviar 1TB SATAII 64MB
RAM: Corsair CMX8GX3M2A1333C​9 XMS3 8GB (2x4GB)

Thanks!

 

[Motopsychojdn]

Not the most uptodate build but a good solid one nonetheless
Cant seem to find any reviews with power requirements mentioned but a decent branded 500w unit should suffice, barring any overclocking you may or may not intend
look for one with a decent amount on the 12v rail 35A or more and a 80+ Efficiency label
plus if you add your budget for it, it may help
but corsair, antec and some others are options for reasonable quality
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139027
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371035
but if you find a particular psu and want to know more about it, look for it on johnnyguru or a similar hardware testing site, see what they say about it

Moto

 

[geekapproved]

Id go with DDR3-1600. It may not help you now but it will when you upgrade to bulldozer.

$45 after $10 rebate and $5 promo code.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371035

 

[Knickerless]

Thanks for the advice, guys! I added the Corsair PSU to the build, and I might get the DDR3-1600 RAM sticks since they're not that much more expensive. I adjusted the initial build again since I'm working on a tight budget, so this is how the full PC is looking now:

GPU: Sapphire 11180-00-40R HD 6850 1GB
Mobo: ASUS M4A88TD-V EVO/USB3 - AMD 880G - Socket AM3
CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Quad-Core Processor
PSU: Corsair CMPSU-500CX Builder Series 500W
DVD: LG GH22NS50.AUAA 22x SATA DVDRW
HDD: WD Caviar 1TB SATAII 64MB
RAM: Corsair CMX8GX3M2A1333C​9 XMS3 8GB (2x4GB)
Case: Antec 300 Midi Case

All of these components fit well into my budget and would let me get all the peripherals I'm after. Think there'll be any complications?

 

[geekapproved]

Woah woah waoh boy. If you don't buy a AM3+ motherboard, you'll never be able to upgrade it.

The Antec psu I linked is only $5 more and overall a better psu.

 

[Knickerless]

Oh woops. I completely glazed over the link, sorry! Thing is, I only have access to UK stores. I was tempted to buy components from the US and then ship them over through tigerdirect but I wouldn't dare risk the possibility of heavy import fees. Most of the sites I've been directed to here have been pretty pricey as well, so at the moment I'm looking up on amazon for a general price idea.

Would you recommend the Gigabyte SKT-AM3+ 990XA-UD3 as an alternative then? It's only slightly more expensive than the mobo listed above.

 

[geekapproved]

That's why it's a good idea to tell us what country your from when you post so we don't waste our time.

If you filled out the new build form in the new build section we already would have known what country you were in.

Yes that's a decent AM3+ mobo.

 

[iam2thecrowe]

why spend so much on a motherboard, and an OLD motherboard. spend less on a motherboard and get a good cpu like an i5 2500k. I never get why people spend so much on motherboards????

 

[Knickerless]

Sorry geekapproved!
The links you guys gave me followed the same pattern here, so the PSU you recommended is still only a few pounds more expensive. I'll make sure to specify next time.

 

[Motopsychojdn]

UK sites:
Dabs.co.uk
Ebuyer.co.uk
specialtech.co.uk
Pixmania.co.uk
Overclockers.co.uk
scan.co.uk
aria.co.uk
there are other of course but those are one I trust and use personally
there are a large majority of american or other nationalities on here, Toms is a worldwide group of sites, if you are after buying advice it helps to know what country you're in
Moto