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Final Thoughts on Budget Gaming Build

P

Patrickz0rs

Senior member
Budget: $600-650
Usage: This will be for gaming purposes on a semi-low resolution. Should have no problems running L4D and L4D2 on max along with COD.

Case: Storm Scout
$89.99

Motherboard: ASUS M4A785TD-V (AM3)
$99.99

GPU: Sapphire 4870 1GB
$144.99
or
Sapphire 4890 1GB
$170 after rebates. Good deal?


Power Supply: OCZ Fatal1ty OCZ550FTY
$69.99 -> $44.99 after rebate

RAM: GSkill 2x2gb DDR3 1600
$85.99

CPU: PhenomII X2 500 BE
$102

Thermal Paste: Arctic Silver 5
$6.99

Total: $611 - $8.00 gift card = $603 shipped

After doing hours of research and reading loads of reviews this seems to be the best setup. Decided to go for a good dual core to get my money out of it and unlock the cores for less. It will easily overclock + unlock 4 cores with the Asus. The graphics card is affordable and benchmarks around the 260gtx mark. AM3 along with the DDR3 1600 allows for future upgrading to a quad core. Storm Scout is roomy and has cable management along with good fans.

I was just looking for an aftermarket CPU cooler that will get the job done to unlock the 4 cores. Needs to be around $40ish.

Thanks for anything you post and for reading
 
The Xigmatek Dark Knight is a good one for around that price. Link here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16835233029.

If at all possible, I'd find a way to stretch your budget a bit and get a better PSU. I researched that model when I was looking at parts and found a lot of people were less than impressed with it. Corsair, Antec, PC Power & Cooling are all decent brands, just pick one that's big enough for you.
 
I can never understand why people on a budget spend $90 on a case. Unless you're actually messing around in the case a lot or have a 4 drive RAID configuration, cable management is kind of a non-issue, and there are always inexpensive cases with some fans. But, to each his own.

Also, you can't count on four cores from the 550 BE. That's a hit or miss thing, depending on the processor. These CPUs were downgraded because AMD's quality control decided that they weren't capable of running four cores. Some of them really can't, others will run fine from your point of view. You won't necessarily get good OC results with four cores unlocked either. With that in mind, you might consider the x3 720 instead. It's more likely to get four cores (since only one was deemed defective), will probably OC better with four cores unlocked, and if you don't get the fourth core, you do have three.

Not sure I endorse getting DDR3 RAM. RAM speed makes so little difference in most cases that this is really a luxury for a budget system. Putting that money in the video card is going to get you far more bang for your buck.
 
Originally posted by: philosofool
I can never understand why people on a budget spend $90 on a case. Unless you're actually messing around in the case a lot or have a 4 drive RAID configuration, cable management is kind of a non-issue, and there are always inexpensive cases with some fans. But, to each his own.

Also, you can't count on four cores from the 550 BE. That's a hit or miss thing, depending on the processor. These CPUs were downgraded because AMD's quality control decided that they weren't capable of running four cores. Some of them really can't, others will run fine from your point of view. You won't necessarily get good OC results with four cores unlocked either. With that in mind, you might consider the x3 720 instead. It's more likely to get four cores (since only one was deemed defective), will probably OC better with four cores unlocked, and if you don't get the fourth core, you do have three.

Not sure I endorse getting DDR3 RAM. RAM speed makes so little difference in most cases that this is really a luxury for a budget system. Putting that money in the video card is going to get you far more bang for your buck.
Click to expand...

Would a triple core 2.8 be better for gaming than a dual core 3.1?
 
no, the higher frequency dual core will still be faster in games, but both processors are capable of a minimum of 3.5 ghz, so as long as you are comfortable overclocking, the clock frequency question is moot.

philosofool is right when he says not all Phenom II X2's unlock to quad-core processors, but there are 400 reviews on newegg and almost every reviewer mentioned whether or not his unlock was successful, and you'll find that successful unlocks are among a vast majority. There are over 700 reviews of the X3 720 and the unlock success rate is the same, somewhere between 60 and 70%. for an extra $20, it sounds reasonable to have a guaranteed third core.
 
Originally posted by: philosofool
I can never understand why people on a budget spend $90 on a case. Unless you're actually messing around in the case a lot or have a 4 drive RAID configuration, cable management is kind of a non-issue, and there are always inexpensive cases with some fans. But, to each his own.
Click to expand...

first thought in my mind as well, maybe because it was the first item listed.
personally, i would either save the money or upgrade another component.

but if u like the case, by all means.
 
Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo
Originally posted by: philosofool
I can never understand why people on a budget spend $90 on a case. Unless you're actually messing around in the case a lot or have a 4 drive RAID configuration, cable management is kind of a non-issue, and there are always inexpensive cases with some fans. But, to each his own.
Click to expand...

first thought in my mind as well, maybe because it was the first item listed.
personally, i would either save the money or upgrade another component.

but if u like the case, by all means.
Click to expand...

Well the case has free shipping so even a $70 case will become a $90 case. I was looking for something with a side window and good fans. I looked the the NZXT Apollo, Raidmax Smilodon, and Antex 900. Apollo and Smilodon seem to be to cheap and not so great with management with larger gfx cards. The 900 is an extra $10 + shipping. After these conclusions I came to the Scout.
 
Originally posted by: alyarb
no, the higher frequency dual core will still be faster in games, but both processors are capable of a minimum of 3.5 ghz, so as long as you are comfortable overclocking, the clock frequency question is moot.

philosofool is right when he says not all Phenom II X2's unlock to quad-core processors, but there are 400 reviews on newegg and almost every reviewer mentioned whether or not his unlock was successful, and you'll find that successful unlocks are among a vast majority. There are over 700 reviews of the X3 720 and the unlock success rate is the same, somewhere between 60 and 70%. for an extra $20, it sounds reasonable to have a guaranteed third core.
Click to expand...

Not really, the 720 would still be faster almost every time. The 300mHz won't make near as much of a difference than a whole third core will. Even in games which only use two cores, windows can move the background junk to the third so you have two full cores dedicated to the game. Not to mention the multitasking and mutlithreaded gains... The 720 is definitely the faster processor
 
Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo
i like the scout too based on pictures. keep this thread updated with your exp on the scout if you end up getting it.
Click to expand...

I just ordered the case =). Since today is the last day of the free shipping.

I am also going with the 720 after reading a nice review on over clocking and unlocking. You can check out the awesome guide here.

Looking around at some more power supplies - I really like the Corsair you posted jdjbuffalo, but I am trying to dodge the rebate system. Since I will not have SLI but will do some overclocking, I came across this one:

COOLER MASTER Silent Pro 600 It has 40A on one 12v rail. Unless there are any other - looking for a modular - that can run this system for under $80ish shipped.
 
Originally posted by: alyarb
cooler master isn't a reputable PSU brand. they don't make the units. have no idea who does.

high-quality modular units are going to cost you, period.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817371016
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817151056

i think i like the antec better. beefer 12v, cheaper.
Click to expand...

I was looking at that Antec and found it somewhere else for $65 shipped. You think 3 12v rails will be fine for trying to unlock + overclock to 3.2? Also, is 550 enough for a 4890?
 
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