Building a Gaming / Multimedia PC. (Maybe video editing too)

[lehtv]

Yeah, they have lifetime warranty.

 

[Crow550]

Yeah, they have lifetime warranty.

Done & done.

So for a video card the Sapphire 6950 looks to be the best bang for the buck.

So yeah I should try one then if I need a boost get another later....

I think I am done with this build.

 

[coolpurplefan]

I'm not an expert on hard drives but I thought 6GB/s HDs would be faster.

On the topic of AMD vs Nvidia on graphics chips, I read sometimes AMD and Nvidia will work with certain game creators so their games are optimized for their GPUs. In any case, I know I compared an HD4670 to a 8800GS and found the Nvidia 8800GS smoother in some games.

But, what do I know, maybe I just started a fan war here. lol

 

[mfenn]

Done & done.

So for a video card the Sapphire 6950 looks to be the best bang for the buck.

So yeah I should try one then if I need a boost get another later....

I think I am done with this build.

Yep, the Sapphire 6950 2GB is an excellent choice. Once you unlock it, I think that you'll find that the need for CFX quickly drifts to the back of your mind.

I'm not an expert on hard drives but I thought 6GB/s HDs would be faster.

Newer hard drives are faster, but that's because they have denser platters, not because the are SATA 6Gb/s.

 

[Crow550]

I'm gonna get this stuff ordered and wait for the G.Skills to come back in stock. *Cusses to self*

So 750watts if I wanna OC and run crossfire.

Lower for single card solution.

Or should the 650w XFX one sufficient enough? Rebate has to be post marked by the 15th. I am using the 30 day trial of the 2 day shipping. So it might get here by the 15th....


Should I get any additional fans or should the case provide sufficient cooling?

 

[Crow550]

Let me look around....

 

[lehtv]

They'll most likely provide a new rebate form for the 16th-31st period. XFX 650W is sufficient for stock 6950 crossfire

 

[Crow550]

So far I've ordered....

Case: NZXT Crafted Series ATX Full Tower Steel Chassis - Phantom White Computer Case $125 NEWEGG

Mobo: ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard $125 with mail in rebate: $115 NEWEGG

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K $200 NCIX

Video Card: SAPPHIRE 100312-3L Radeon HD 6950 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 $260 with mail in rebate: $240

DVD burner: ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM $20

Except the Ram (waiting for the G.Skill to come back in stock) & the Power Supply (Don't think I will make XFXs postage by the 15th.)

:/

Luckly I signed up with that 2 day shipping for 30 days on New Egg.

If anyone has any alternatives for Ram & the Power Suplly at Newegg, NCIX, Amazon or somewhere else. Let me know.

Thanks for all your help thus far.

 

[Crow550]

*Update*

Ram ordered.... With 10% off code.

 

[Crow550]

Any difference between that Sapphire card and the 6950 Toxic one that's out of stock?

 

[lehtv]

Toxic is single-fan and pre-overclocked to 880MHz. According to benches it's as fast as a 6970 at stock

 

[Crow550]

Alright.... Still on the hunt for the right Power Supply.

Asking NCIX more about the rebate on the XFX 650w too.

 

[Crow550]

LMAO!

OMG!

It must be postmarked by 1/15/12

WTF was I thinking?

Okay so NCIX is out of the XFX 650W for $50 after Rebate. NewEgg has it for $60 after rebate.

NCIX also has a 750W for $70 after rebate: http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=596...X&promoid=1311

so should I just pay $10 more for the 750w? It's the same as the 650w right? Just more watts of course.

Still looking.... Know of anything better?

 

[mfenn]

I highly doubt that you will upgrade to 6950 2GB CFX, so I would go with the 650W myself. The XFX is the best deal IMHO, there are other good power supplies out there. The $70 AR AP Corsair 650TXV2 for example.

 

[Crow550]

I highly doubt that you will upgrade to 6950 2GB CFX, so I would go with the 650W myself. The XFX is the best deal IMHO, there are other good power supplies out there. The $70 AR AP Corsair 650TXV2 for example.

$70 would be silly for a 650w when I can get a 750w for the same price.

It's ordered & shipped though.

 

[Crow550]

By Monday I should have have everything.

Then it's build time.

Total before rebates: $931.83 after: $876.83

Part list recap:

Case: NZXT Crafted Series ATX Full Tower Steel Chassis - Phantom White Computer Case

Power Supply: XFX 750W PRO750W Core Edition Single Rail ATX 12V 62A 24PIN ATX Power Supply 80PLUS Bronze PSU

Mobo: ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3

Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K

GPU: SAPPHIRE 100312-3L Radeon HD 6950 2GB 256-bit GDDR5

HDD : SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5"

TV Tuner: DIAMOND ATI Theater HD 750 Tuner Card TVW750PCIE

Optical: ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner

 

[Crow550]

I guess I don't know too much about Power Supplies but for $10 more I could have gotten the Silver one?

Bronze? Silver? Eh? Would it have been worth the extra $10?

 

[mfenn]

Parts list looks fine, though I still would have gone with the 650W. And no, 80Plus Silver is not worth paying extra for (2-3% more efficiency).

 

[Crow550]

Parts list looks fine, though I still would have gone with the 650W. And no, 80Plus Silver is not worth paying extra for (2-3% more efficiency).

Well NCIX had the 650w for $50 and was out of stock. NewEgg for $66 at the time & I had to get it postmarked by the 15th to get the Rebate.

I figured instead of paying $66 for 650w that for $5.90 more the 750w on NCIX would be worth it also comparing prices on Newegg for the same 750w model. Having an extra 150w won't hurt at least: http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=596...anufacture=XFX (Got it for $94 before rebate. $71.90 after. Adding in the currency fee since NCIX is in Canada.)

Then for $10 more I could have gotten the Silver but if all the wiz bang features they advertise aren't worth it I won't worry: http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=622...X&promoid=1314

Plus I can always upgrade in the future if it's worth it. Is that a good price for a 80Plus Modular Power Silver? Or is the difference so minor I should save $10 and keep the Bronze?

I also had a busy day yesterday so I was rushing to get it done so I could get the stupid rebate.

There is so many choices and rushing for a rebate didn't make it any easier.

Eh this is all a learning experience for the future.

I can always sell this on like Craigslist in the future or put it in my old Desktop or something. If some mega deal comes along. *Shrugs*

 

[lehtv]

The PSU is good, strictly speaking not as good value for money as the 650W but what the heck, it's still awesome watt/$ and modular and high efficiency as well. It'll serve you well.

EDIT: Oh sorry, read the post a bit hastily and thought you got the 750W XXX instead of the standard Core 750W. Was a bit confused bit his part though:

Then for $10 more I could have gotten the Silver
[...]
Plus I can always upgrade in the future if it's worth it. Still that's a good price for a 80Plus Modular Power Silver right?

 

[Crow550]

Sorry I was asking if that was a good price for the Modular Silver 750w.

 

[Crow550]

For the case should I get any additional fans? Or maybe later invest in liquid cooling?

 

[lehtv]

The phantom already has 3x 120mm and 1x 200mm. Plenty even for a crossfire setup.

 

[Googer]

I have G.Skill RipJaws and I can say that I am not 100% satisfied with the product. I'm not going to elaborate but this picture says a little bit:

 

[mfenn]

Well NCIX had the 650w for $50 and was out of stock. NewEgg for $66 at the time & I had to get it postmarked by the 15th to get the Rebate.

I figured instead of paying $66 for 650w that for $5.90 more the 750w on NCIX would be worth it also comparing prices on Newegg for the same 750w model. Having an extra 150w won't hurt at least: http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=596...anufacture=XFX (Got it for $94 before rebate. $71.90 after. Adding in the currency fee since NCIX is in Canada.)

Then for $10 more I could have gotten the Silver but if all the wiz bang features they advertise aren't worth it I won't worry: http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=622...X&promoid=1314

Plus I can always upgrade in the future if it's worth it. Is that a good price for a 80Plus Modular Power Silver? Or is the difference so minor I should save $10 and keep the Bronze?

I also had a busy day yesterday so I was rushing to get it done so I could get the stupid rebate.

There is so many choices and rushing for a rebate didn't make it any easier.

Eh this is all a learning experience for the future.

I can always sell this on like Craigslist in the future or put it in my old Desktop or something. If some mega deal comes along. *Shrugs*

OK, I feel ya. It is just that we've been telling you that 650W is enough for a while now. :awe: I agree with lehtv, the XXX is not worth the premium over the Core.