WEIGH IN: $1200 AMD system for Sept. System Builder Marathon

[cleeve]

If you're worried about the fanboys chastising you for bottlenecking a pair of 4890s, some of them might actually show up at your doorstep if you do that to 4870x2s.

If I choose two 4870 X2s, some of them will be there to ask me on a date...

 

[skora]

To each their own!

 

[skora]

Since you're doing a $2.5k AMD system, I'm guessing that will have the 4870x2s in it with a 965 in the 790FX. Take it down a notch for the $1200 system with the x3 and GPUs to budget in a 790GX. Then you have all the parts sitting in front of you to do another article that everyone wants by mixing and matching the parts. See how a Power house GPU setup does with the x3. Then trade out the GPUs to see how much 8x/8x effects both the $1200 system cards and the 4870x2s.

Its way past my bedtime so I'm out. This has been fun. Hope to do this again sometime. Nite all.

 

[freezed1]

Hi, this is my sample system, feel free to change. It does include a quad core, 4gb ram, 1tb HDD, 2x asus 4890 top..1kw powersupply.

 

[the last resort]

another suggestion to try on this SBM. ATI released the new 9.8 Catalyst drivers, and there is supposed 10-50% increase in frames regarding this. Is there the possibility that you guys can include the two different driver sets to prove/debunk this myth? I feel there has been some sort of performance increase with only a single 4850.

As for the aftermarket cooler, i feel the Noctua, as good of a performer it is, you could find something cheaper. The good ole Xigmatek S1283 is $18 cheaper before rebates, another 10 cheaper after (If that really counts, i normally don't count em).

My $0.02.

 

[Shadow703793]

Since you seem to be going for a max OC drop the Noctua. You'd get that if you are going for quietness

Swap out to: S1283 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233003
And get a bigger fan : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185060
Dropped my CPU temps after replacing my S1283 fan by 7C (P95 load) with that 110CFM Slipstream Even with the fan, s1283 is cheaper. This was the first time I have used that Scyth on a air cooler. Usually use that fan on heatercores .

Any chance for upping the budget to say $1400-1500 and going WCing? How about on the high end set up ?

PS: Me thinks Toms should do a testing on a REAL WC loop (No pre built kits ie no BigWater,H50 etc) vs top end air cooling (TRUE, S1283, Core Contact, V8etc) on an i7 OCed. Also where is that PSU review that we voted for? http://feedbacks.tomshardware.com/pages/16334-article-ideas/suggestions/183495-i-believe-toms-need-to-do-a-psu-roundup

 

[Helloworld_98]

since this is a build for September, shouldn't you be including stuff like the 5870's release, the 975 BE, and possibly the 8xx chipset?

 

[DavidTJ]

If anything the AMD processor prices will drop.

 

[snackrifice]

I'm building something for a similar budget ($1200 but flexible). I want to order within 2-3 days tops, and thanks for making it harder .

Just thought I'd drop in hahah...

 

[dirtmountain]

Here's a build, close enough at $1215.

One of the new Rosewill cases with 3x120mm fans and 1x80mm side fan. Save $20 on the Antec300 and it's a new case to be in a review.
case - $40
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147125

Power supply - One of the new 700w Coolermaster UCP 700- gets good reviews at jonnyguru save $20 on the 750w Corsair - $100
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171032

Motherboard - MSI 790FX -GD70 $165
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130223

CPU - AMD PhenomII X4 955BE - $200 maybe you can trade the magazine sub for that $15
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103674

RAM - Patriot Viper 2x2 GB DDR3 1600 7-7-7-20 $85
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220285

GPUs - 2x Sapphire VaporX OC 4890s $400
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102841

hd - your choice - $55
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152181

Burner - the LG SATA - let us know about the damn blubird software $27
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136167

Cooler - Coolermaster - DTHP - the biggest difference i've seen in these type coolers are the fans. $30
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065

OS - $110 although you may get a higher OC with 32bit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116677

 

[cleeve]

since this is a build for September, shouldn't you be including stuff like the 5870's release, the 975 BE, and possibly the 8xx chipset?

Nope. We have to order, ship, test, and write it ASSP to get it ready for September. It takes a while to do an SBM.

 

[cleeve]

If anything the AMD processor prices will drop.

Of course all prices will drop, but we have to try to stay in the parameters when we spec it out.

 

[cleeve]

Since you seem to be going for a max OC drop the Noctua. You'd get that if you are going for quietness

Well, we're going for the best cooler we can fit in the budget. Noise is a factor, so is temps. But I'll reconsider the cooler angle...

I have to pick the final components by Monday morning.

 

[mass zero]

Here is my new build, im leaning toaward those ASUS 4890 like the look (i know looks on a GPU) and the fan design very good OCer you could get 2 of them if you drop my extras youll have good pc with 2x4870 for like 1200

AZZA Solano 1000 Black/Black Japanese SECC Steel/Metal mesh in front ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail
Item #: N82E16811517004
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$10.00 Instant
$40.00 Mail-in Rebate
$129.99
$119.99
1

IMC KEM-01 Clear 2 Buttons 1 x Wheel USB Wired Optical Mouse - Retail
Item #: N82E16826717003
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$12.99 Saving
$12.99
$0.00


SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM
Item #: N82E16822152181
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
$54.99


Open Box: MSI 790GX-G65 AM3 AMD 790GX HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard
Item #: N82E16813130224R
Return Policy: Open Box Refund Only Return Policy
-$40.00 Instant
$124.99
$84.99


OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ700MXSP 700W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC ... - Retail
Item #: N82E16817341018
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
-$30.00 Instant
$30.00 Mail-in Rebate
$129.99
$99.99
1

OCZ Diesel 4GB Single Channel Flash Drive (USB2.0 Portable) Model OCZUSBDSL4G - Retail
Item #: N82E16820227331
Return Policy: Limited Replacement Only Return Policy
-$2.00 Instant
-$10.99 Saving
$12.99
$0.00


Tuniq Tower 120 Universal CPU Cooler 120mm Cooling Fan and Fan Controller/Heatsink - Retail
Item #: N82E16835154001
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
$15.00 Mail-in Rebate
$49.99


AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Black Processor Model HDZ720WFGIBOX - Retail
Item #: N82E16819103649
Return Policy: CPU Replacement Only Return Policy
OCZ Gold 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ3G16004GK - Retail
Item #: N82E16820227316
Return Policy: Memory Standard Return Policy
-$20.00 Instant
-$15.00 Combo
$10.00 Mail-in Rebate
$224.99
$189.99
1

CPU Mag Gift - 6 free issues of CPU Magazine - OEM
Item #: N82E16800995076
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$35.94 Saving
$35.94
$0.00
Subtotal: $599.94

 

[mindless728]

Asus M4A78T-E
AMD Phenom II x4 955
Sunbeam Core Contact Freezer
G.Skill 4GB(2x2GB) DDR3-1333 C8
2 x XFX Radeon HD 4870 1GB
Corsair 750TX
Western Digital black 1TB
Antec Three Hundred
Sony Optiarc (Basic Sata DVD Burner)
Vista Home Premium 64bit

$1150 from the egg, no special combos either

 

[Shadow703793]

Well, we're going for the best cooler we can fit in the budget. Noise is a factor, so is temps. But I'll reconsider the cooler angle...

I have to pick the final components by Monday morning.

Noise?? lol, when gaming, I doubt that would make a difference. At idle you can always control fan speed with software like SpeedFan,etc.

 

[Shadow703793]

Open Box: MSI 790GX-G65 AM3 AMD 790GX HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard

Absolutely not. Open Box items can't be used on a SBM as it's limited availability and you don't get PS/2 shield,etc.

 

[dirtmountain]

Here's some really good advice from the Graphic section. I'd take it, this Don Woligrowski guy really knows his stuff. : )

"Best PCIe Card For ~$400: Tie
Two Radeon HD 4890 cards in CrossFire Configuration (Check Prices)

Good 1920x1200 performance, 2560x1600 in most titles with some lowered detail
2 x Radeon HD 4890 in CrossFire Configuration
Codename: 2 x RV770
Process: 55 nm
Universal Shaders: 1,600 (2 x 800)
Texture Units: 80 (2 x 40)
ROPs: 32 (2 x 16)
Memory Bus: 256-bit
Core Speed MHz: 850
Memory Speed MHz: 975 (3,900 effective)
DirectX/Shader Model: DX 10.1/SM 4.1

Two Radeon HD 4890 cards should, on average, perform on par or better than a single GeForce GTX 295, and the Radeons cost less. If you have a CrossFire motherboard and want some serious high-resolution performance, this is the way to go."