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Any mistakes in this build, or good cost cutting options?

M

mayleth

Junior Member
Am I making any mistakes with this build? And what (if any) are the best places to cut costs.
I would like to OC, but it’ll be my first.

1. INTENDED USE - World of Warcraft, Starcraft 2….no video/graphic editing
2. BUDGET – Looks to be around $850. I would love it to be less than that if there’s good spots to cut costs.
3. COUNTRY -USA (Southern California)
4. BRAND-FANGIRL - Nope. Sometimes I’ll use brand as a tie breaker.
5. PARTS NOT REQUIRED - GPU: Sapphire 4870 512MB 256-bit; Monitor/Keyboard/Mouse/Speakers/OS
6. RESEARCH DONE - Yeah, for a week… helped assemble this list.
7. OC: CPU – Never done it, but want to try; Memory: Not at this time; GPU: Not at this time.
8. RESOLUTION – 1600x1200 Crossfire: No; SLI: Reusing my vid card… Sapphire 4870 512MB 256-bit;
9. WHEN - February or March

Old System being replaced:
CPU: (2005) AMD X2 3800
Mobo: (2005) MSI K8N NEO4-F NF4 PCI-E
RAM: (2005 &2008) 512MB PC3200 PC400 DDR x1, Corsair 1GB PC 3200 DDR 400 x2
Case: (2008) BLACK X-CRUISER (I hate the door on it)
PSU: (2006?) 500W Antec BP500U <-- pretty sure that's it
GPU: (2008) Sapphire 4870 512MB 256-bit

New System Shopping List
CPU : $ 199.99 - i5-750
Mobo: $ 134.99 Gigabyte GA-P55a-ud3
GPU: $ 0 - Sapphire 4870 512MB 256-bit (already have it)
RAM: $ 104.99 G.Skill F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL DDR3 1600
Case: $ 139.99 &#8211; Lian Li PC-7FN
PSU: $ 119.99/159.99 Corsair 650HX 650W/SeaSonic X650 650W
HS: $ 29.99 CM Hyper 212 RR-B10-212P-G1
Case Fan: $ 0 - Stock fans
HDD $ 49.99 &#8211; Samsung F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200RPM
DVD $ 0 - Will use one of the ones in my current system to save $
____________________________________
Total: $ 779.93/$ 819.93 (prices are newegg and don&#8217;t include shipping/tax)

I will probably upgrade the graphics card & get more RAM in a year or so&#8230; and maybe get a fan controller a bit later as well.

I'll probably hold off on SSD for now, but what would be the best SSD for around $200?
 
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Apparently the X58 chipset is better for crossfire or sli.

The i7 920 can be bought at MicroCenter for 199$
The AsRock Extreme is free shipping @ 159$ and is a great overclocking board.
But 3 sticks will run up the price for memory to ~ 169$ for a decent kit.
The Samsung Spinpoint F3 (dual 500g platters HD103SJ model) 1Tb is 89$ free shipping
 
What is it that you're looking for in a HDD, speed or capacity? You have options listed ranging from $38.99 - $199.99. If you're willing to spend $200.00 I'd recommend a cheap SSD just for your OS coupled with a 750GB 7200rpm drive for fast storage. The $200 300GB Raptor seems like and odd choice to me.

As for the PSU, I've never heard of Sunbeam so I can't comment on their quality/support. I'd probably go with a name brand though if the price difference is only $10.00. I think you're wise for squeezing out some more life from your current video card.
 
I'd pick the Antec or Corsair PSUs for known reliability. You shouldn't go for just wattage ratings. A PSU should be selected based upon quality and its power distribution. Many cheap PSUs boast high power ratings for the 5V rail (and thus overall power rating for the PSU), which is rather pointless since most components require 12V.

I personally wouldn't pay over $10 for a fan....

For a bit more than $200, you could certainly get a 40GB SSD + 1TB HDD. Performance + high data capacity.

As for mobo, I think the difference between the UD3 and UD4P is xfire/sli support, though I could be wrong.
 
mayleth said:
$84.99 G.Skill F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL (9-9-9-24)
$119.99 Corsair CMX4GX3M2A1600C7 (7-8-7-20)
$114.99 G.Skill F3-10666CL7D-4GBRH (7-7-7-21)
Would this be a good spot to save $30-$35? Or is the lower latency RAM be worth it?
Click to expand...
Ugh, I didn't bother looking up the model numbers at first, but I got bored and did. Just not used to those PC-xxxxx numbers.

The $85 ram set is the DDR3-1600 G.Skill Ripjaws (1.5V, 9-9-9-24).
Interestingly, the other $115 G.Skill ram set is another Ripjaws, DDR3-1333 (1.5V, 7-7-7-21), but why is this set so expensive? 😵

I'd get the $85 set. It might seem like it has higher latency, but that's somewhat compensated by the higher clockspeed. AFAIK, latency isn't detrimental to overall performance anyways.
 
I don't want to run 2 video cards, which is one of the reasons I went with the 1156 rather than the X58.

Can anyone confirm that the difference between the UD3 and UD4P mobos is crossfire/sli? Since I don't want to run a crossfire/sli, that would be a great spot to knock off a $50. I thought the main difference was the memory standard.
UD3: DDR3 2200/1333/1066/800
UD4P: DDR3 2200/1600/1333/1066/80

BTRY B 529th FA BN said:
A good place to start for PSUs is http://www.jonnyguru.com/index.php
Click to expand...

Thank you very much for that link.
I went with Antec True Power New TP-750 Blue. With the $25 rebate it comes to $104.95 w/ free shipping. (The cheaper one w/o the Blue LEDs didn't have the $25 rebate.)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817371022

Good call on my HDD really lacking direction. I'm fine on storage right now, and just looking for a fast drive to install my OS/applications and a game or two. I looked at the SSD drives and I don't think that tech is really in my budget range yet. I'll look for ~120-160 GB drives... probably stick with 7200RPM since there seems to be a pretty huge price break there.
Probably something like:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148511
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136075

Thanks for the tips on the RAM.
 
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For CPU fans, Scythe Gentle Typhoon = hands-down. I just picked one up to replace my Panaflo U1BX (It's the Rexus NMB-MAT, that thing blows more air than my desk fan, and it's blistering loud). I wouldn't replace any of the fans that come on the case. They're usually enough for what you need. Unless you're having serious airflow issues with fans that feel like toys from Disneyland, they will do fine. The only one you should consider is adding intake fans in the front and MAYBE replacing the exhaust fan, if the fan on your heatsink is pushing a lot more air than the exhaust it. Pick quiet over CFM ratings, you'll be much happier (My panaflo never runs @ max RPM. I have it on a Rheobus).

I would pick up the 1600 Ripjaw. At 85 bucks, that thing is a snag. Why only 160gb on the hard drive (I didn't read every post thoroughly, so ignore if it's been answered on)? Pick up the 640gb Caviar Black for only like 37 more dollars.

How heavy of an OC are you looking at? Unless you're planning to push the chip to its brink, top air coolers aren't necessary. They end up costing a lot for the heatsink + fans (especially push/pull). If you're doing a moderate OC (for gaming, anything else is honestly unnecessary), something like a Scythe Mugen 2 would hold up very, very well for only 40 bucks or so (My TRUE setup cost like 70 or 80 bucks). The CNPS10X Flex/Quiet/Extreme is also a cool HSF to look at.

If you don't plan on adding any video cards, A ~500w PSU would hold up just fine. Could even support higher GPU's if you plan to get one.
 
Lian-Li's fans are pretty good, they're quiet fans that still move a decent amount of air. Going down your list, it seems like your overbuying and underbuying in the wrong places. Unless you really plan on pushing the i5 750 chip (4GHz+), you don't need the UD4P. The UD3 is more than sufficient if you're going to stay single card, save your money. These G.Skill sticks: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231193 I believe are the same price as the DDR3-1333 ones you listed, but they also have free shipping, so you'll be paying less for more speed 🙂.

You're really overbuying your PSU. A quality 500W unit is more than sufficient to run your system. Your system won't break 300W under full load even with a decent overclock. You want to buy a PSU that will operate in it's 40-70% range with normal usage - if you overbuy, it'll just run inefficiently. One thing you should consider is whether or not you want a modular PSU (attach only the cable you want, as opposed to having to hide all the spaghetti of a normal PSU). Look through Corsair's HX line or Seasonic's offerings for some nice modular units.

Again, if you aren't planning on squeezing every last MHz from the CPU, you don't need that beefy of a cooler. I just built an i5 750-based system (running at 3.6GHz) using a Hyper 212 last weekend: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-065-_-Product . It's a fantastic heatsink, especially for the money, and also comes with a nice fan.

You do need a better hard drive though. Even if you don't need the space, larger capacity drives are much faster because their platters have a much higher density. For another $10 you can pick up this bad boy: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822152181 , which will probably feel twice as fast as the 160GB WD.

EDIT: These upgrade suggestions probably save you ~$100, I recommend pocketing the cash and putting it towards your next GPU upgrade.
 
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MrK6 said:
You're really overbuying your PSU. A quality 500W unit is more than sufficient to run your system. Your system won't break 300W under full load even with a decent overclock. You want to buy a PSU that will operate in it's 40-70&#37; range with normal usage - if you overbuy, it'll just run inefficiently. One thing you should consider is whether or not you want a modular PSU (attach only the cable you want, as opposed to having to hide all the spaghetti of a normal PSU). Look through Corsair's HX line or Seasonic's offerings for some nice modular units.
Click to expand...

Thats a laugh...he is buying a crappy PSU and he is trying to get the cheapest PSU...when he needs to understand that the PSU is the single most important part of his PSU!!
 
JEDIYoda said:
Thats a laugh...he is buying a crappy PSU and he is trying to get the cheapest PSU...when he needs to understand that the PSU is the single most important part of his PSU!!
Click to expand...
Well, I mean he's overbuying wattage. The Sunbeam isn't the best PSU out there, but based on specs alone it's decent (can't say more as I haven't seen a review). That said, I agree, the PSU is the most important component in the system and should not be skimped out on.
 
Yeah, he's really skimpping in the wrong areas. You were considering $200 hard drives, but an SSD is too much? You really should reconsider an SSD, even if its the tiny 40GB one.
 
Thank you all for the input.

I definitely scrapped the Sunbeam PSU. Cany anyone say if the SeaSonic x650 is worth the $40 ($50 w/ rebate) over the Corsair 650HX? Or is there a better recomendation?

New System Shopping List
CPU : $ 199.99 - i5-750
Mobo: $ 134.99 Gigabyte GA-P55a-ud3
GPU: $ 0 - Sapphire 4870 512MB 256-bit (already have it)
RAM: $ 104.99 G.Skill F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL DDR3 1600
Case: $ 139.99 – Lian Li PC-7FN
PSU: $ 119.99/159.99 Corsair 650HX 650W/SeaSonic X650 650W
HS: $ 29.99 CM Hyper 212 RR-B10-212P-G1
Case Fan: $ 0 - Stock fans
HDD $ 49.99 – Samsung F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200RPM
DVD $ 0 - Will use one of the ones in my current system to save $
 
mayleth said:
Am I making any mistakes with this build? And what (if any) are the best places to cut costs.
I would like to OC, but it’ll be my first.

1. INTENDED USE - World of Warcraft, Starcraft 2….no video/graphic editing
2. BUDGET – Looks to be around $850. I would love it to be less than that if there’s good spots to cut costs.
3. COUNTRY -USA (Southern California)
4. BRAND-FANGIRL - Nope. Sometimes I’ll use brand as a tie breaker.
5. PARTS NOT REQUIRED - GPU: Sapphire 4870 512MB 256-bit; Monitor/Keyboard/Mouse/Speakers/OS
6. RESEARCH DONE - Yeah, for a week… helped assemble this list.
7. OC: CPU – Never done it, but want to try; Memory: Not at this time; GPU: Not at this time.
8. RESOLUTION – 1600x1200 Crossfire: No; SLI: Reusing my vid card… Sapphire 4870 512MB 256-bit;
9. WHEN - February or March

Old System being replaced:
CPU: (2005) AMD X2 3800
Mobo: (2005) MSI K8N NEO4-F NF4 PCI-E
RAM: (2005 &2008) 512MB PC3200 PC400 DDR x1, Corsair 1GB PC 3200 DDR 400 x2
Case: (2008) BLACK X-CRUISER (I hate the door on it)
PSU: (2006?) 500W Antec BP500U <-- pretty sure that's it
GPU: (2008) Sapphire 4870 512MB 256-bit

New System Shopping List
CPU : $ 199.99 - i5-750
Mobo: $ 134.99 Gigabyte GA-P55a-ud3
GPU: $ 0 - Sapphire 4870 512MB 256-bit (already have it)
RAM: $ 104.99 G.Skill F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL DDR3 1600
Case: $ 139.99 – Lian Li PC-7FN
PSU: $ 119.99/159.99 Corsair 650HX 650W/SeaSonic X650 650W
HS: $ 29.99 CM Hyper 212 RR-B10-212P-G1
Case Fan: $ 0 - Stock fans
HDD $ 49.99 – Samsung F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200RPM
DVD $ 0 - Will use one of the ones in my current system to save $
____________________________________
Total: $ 779.93/$ 819.93 (prices are newegg and don’t include shipping/tax)

I will probably upgrade the graphics card & get more RAM in a year or so… and maybe get a fan controller a bit later as well.

I'll probably hold off on SSD for now, but what would be the best SSD for around $200?
Click to expand...

It's funny, you've picked out almost the exact same components I have for my new build. Same motherboard, RAM, PSU, case, slightly different CPU. I already have the case and PSU, nice combo IMO.
 
mayleth said:
I definitely scrapped the Sunbeam PSU. Cany anyone say if the SeaSonic x650 is worth the $40 ($50 w/ rebate) over the Corsair 650HX? Or is there a better recomendation?
Click to expand...
The Seasonic is 80 Plus Gold certified, which mean it has an average of 90% operating efficiency, where as the Corsair is Bronze which I believe is 85% efficient (correct me if I'm wrong). Either one is still very efficient and you wouldn't make up the price difference in energy savings. You're actually still overbuying wattage (really you only need a 450W PSU, 500W max), but if you want to stay modular those are great units. There doesn't seem to be many low wattage modular units available now.
 
MrK6 said:
The Seasonic is 80 Plus Gold certified, which mean it has an average of 90% operating efficiency, where as the Corsair is Bronze which I believe is 85% efficient (correct me if I'm wrong). Either one is still very efficient and you wouldn't make up the price difference in energy savings. You're actually still overbuying wattage (really you only need a 450W PSU, 500W max), but if you want to stay modular those are great units. There doesn't seem to be many low wattage modular units available now.
Click to expand...

I think I do want to overbuy on wattage a bit as I'm sure I'll be adding stuff and upgrading in the years to come. I was looking for 550W units, but I didn't find any modular units that seemed to be as thourally reviewed and as well accepted as the Corsair 650HX or Seasonic X650.
 
mayleth said:
I think I do want to overbuy on wattage a bit as I'm sure I'll be adding stuff and upgrading in the years to come. I was looking for 550W units, but I didn't find any modular units that seemed to be as thourally reviewed and as well accepted as the Corsair 650HX or Seasonic X650.
Click to expand...

I must jump in here...
There is no such thing as over buying wattage.
Your PSU will only use what`s required to run the system no more and no less.
Sure you could use a PSU with less watts.
But why? There is NO good reason to buy a PSU that has low watts....just like their is no good reason to say purchase a 1,000watt PSU to run that system.
But with that said; get a name brand PSU with a good track record and you will not be disappointed!!

Peace!!
 
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what about all this usb3 sata 3.. i agree get a 750gb black and a 40gb ssd.. cant beat that combo.. 500gb f3 are actually slow drives.. (well not terrible but 1tb black beats it in every aspect but noise output)
 
If you're looking to save money, I don't think a $140 case is a necessity. Unless I'm missing some features you're looking for, you'd probably be just as happy with a LIAN LI Lancool PC-K58 Black for $80 shipped. Unless you're dead set on aluminum for some reason.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811112237

Edit: I'd also stick with your current PSU if it indeed is a 500W Antec. I don't believe you need another PSU at this point, you might as well get your moneys worth out of what you got until you need more power.
 
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I would also advocate moving to the K-58, or at least a K-62 ($100 + S&H) if you want a window and black interior. You could also save a $30 or $50 (if you count MIR) on the PSU by going with the Corsair 650 TX instead of the HX. Looks like the only real difference is modular cables. Maybe someone else has an opinion on the differences.
 
M0RPH said:
You're paying too much for a power supply. If you want modular then get this 600W OCZ for $50 AR. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341017
Click to expand...

i wouldnt spend 50 on a psu if you paid me 25.. id stick with something 85% efficient like new enermax (i used to hate enermax but new ones are nice and ugly!)

also f3 500gb is slower not slow but slower than other hds.. what am i smoking? im smoking benchmarks and people using f3's hehe if you want quiet ya get samsung if you want speed get black edition wd..

also id get Lian Li PC-A77B or something similar.. i own two of these and two antec 1200's (i love them both)
 
JEDIYoda said:
I must jump in here...
There is no such thing as over buying wattage.
Your PSU will only use what`s required to run the system no more and no less.
Sure you could use a PSU with less watts.
But why? There is NO good reason to buy a PSU that has low watts....just like their is no good reason to say purchase a 1,000watt PSU to run that system.
But with that said; get a name brand PSU with a good track record and you will not be disappointed!!

Peace!!
Click to expand...

Come back when you comprehend this graph. (1000W, keep in mind that the system here will probably draw ~100-150W idle).

eff-1000.png
 
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