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First time builder, looking for validation on my build

R

Ruwn

Junior Member
So after a long time, I finally mustered the courage to dive into building my own machine. After reading a WHOLE bunch on various parts and options, I arrived at the following build. I'm mainly looking for verification as to whether the parts actually function together. Suggestions for better or alternate parts are appreciated.

General Information
USES: Personal, gaming, multitasking (in the form of dna sequencing), the usual.
BUDGET: I'd like it keep it around $750+-100. (US)


Case
Rosewill CHALLENGER Black Gaming ATX Mid Tower
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811147153
54.99

Hard Drive
Seagate Barracuda 750GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148445
59.99

GPU
HIS H577FK1GD Radeon HD 5770 (Juniper XT) 1GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161338
129.99

PSU
OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ600MXSP 600W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817341017
69.99

RAM
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231277
49.99

Mobo
GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD3 LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard (1600)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128412
139.99

CPU
Intel Core i5-760 Lynnfield 2.8GHz LGA 1156
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115067
204.99

Cooling
COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus RR-B10-212P-G1
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835103065
29.99

TOTAL COST: $739.92 + $10 shipping

--------------------------

Ultimately, I settled on a the i5 760 as a best fit for me amongst Intel processors. From there, I went to the Mobo that was "futureproof" with crossfire capability (though I doubt I'll use it). Perhaps I should consider an AMD? Even after looking them both up, I can't decide which.

RAM seemed straightforward, I chose the 1600, but I'm not sure if it's a better or worse pick over 1333.

I went with a safe 600W since it's just $5 more than the 500W, but I hear Corsair is better but not modular. However, was unsure which to pick, if at all.

With respect to VGA - I don't need the best of the best, and 5770 seemed to be recommended. I'm perhaps the least sure of this choice, any explanation/guidance would be great. Ideally, I'd have a card that runs most games above average/exceptionally.

Picked seagate HDD simply because I have had 'em in the past and was pleased. Is there a better option?

Case seemed like a good "bang-for-your-buck" option.
Is the thermal sync chosen necessary/a good fit?

I may OC in the future... but I'm not sure how tangible the differences would be. I'd like to keep it an option, at the very least.

Thanks ahead of time.
 
Yeah seeing mixed things on the 2500 improvements. I'm trying to fix up a Samsung 220wm, so the monitor is low priority at the moment. However, I was also suggested to look into an AMD build, and came up with this:

AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product

Radeon HD 5850
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814150477

Combo: 339.98 (159.99 + 209.99 - 30)

ASRock 870 EXTREME3 AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813157198
89.99
This mobo looks too good to be true - perhaps I'm missing something?

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 1333
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820231274
44.99
Should I use 1333 or 1600? I chose this one because I think the mobo requires OC for 1600.... should that affect my decision?

CORSAIR CAFA70 120mm Dual-Fan CPU Cooler
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835181011
43.99
Seems like a middle of the road cooler - good choice?

CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W ATX12V V2.2
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817139004
79.99
Corsair's site says that 450+ would be ok with the given GPU/CPU/HDD - I went with 550w to be safe. Do I need the 650w?

Rosewill CHALLENGER Black Gaming ATX Mid Tower
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811147153
54.99
Perhaps I'm missing something, but there weren't really any good combos on which I could capitalize. Plus, unless I add a good $30+, most cases offer about the same deal.

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822152185
69.99

Total Cost: 732.92

How is this build?
 
I liked the i5 better. You did a great job with that except the UD3 mobo and the i5 760 can be comboed. The 5770 isn't great. I'd get a 6850 or 460 these days.
 
i vote 5870 if you can find one for about 230 new. even the 5850 at 170 is a steal. go for the i5 over the phenom and if you cant fit the 5850 or 70 into your budget, im willing to let go of my 5850 🙂 or look for a used in the fs/ft section. people on AT take good care of their stuff. pm if youre interested. save that extra money on the cooler and go with the hyper 212. afaik, its still one of the best bang for buck hsf out there.
 
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Well, here's where I'm struggling now:

AMD
ASRock 870 EXTREME3 AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard
XFX HD-585X-ZAFC Radeon HD 5850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16
AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz Socket AM3 125W
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600

Intel
GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD3 LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
SAPPHIRE 100315L Radeon HD 6850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16
Intel Core i5-760 Lynnfield 2.8GHz LGA 1156 95W
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333

Common
Rosewill CHALLENGER Black Gaming ATX Mid Tower Computer Case (Case)
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" (HDD)
CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V/EPS12V (PSU - 650w)
COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus RR-B10-212P-G1 (HSF)
ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner (need a drive) ($24)

Common
Rosewill CHALLENGER Black Gaming ATX Mid Tower Computer Case (Case)
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" (HDD)
CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V/EPS12V (PSU - 650w)
COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus RR-B10-212P-G1 (HSF)
ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner (need a drive) ($24)

AMD - $776 OTD
Intel - $841 OTD

Question about RAM: Does the GA-P55A-UD3 support 1600 RAM or not? I'm a bit confused by this.
Question about GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102908
Was recommended to go either 5850 or 6850. I still don't quite understand the difference, but just so happens that the AMD build has a good bundle with the 5850. The i5 is bundled with the mobo.

About $70 between the two builds, if the mobo's are good picks. I guess the argument against the i5 is also that Sandy bridge is coming out next month... but will it be in my price range? Or will the improvements be noticeable?

Now the real issue: to AMD or to Intel, that is the question.
 
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just by comparing the two, the i5 is better imo. just use the general rule i follow for ram: 1600 if you are ocing, 1333 if u are not. technically only 1066 is "supported" i think but it doesnt matter. the intel will also be the better oc'er as far as my experience with both goes. ocing deneb was a PITA.
 
MisterDonut said:
just by comparing the two, the i5 is better imo. just use the general rule i follow for ram: 1600 if you are ocing, 1333 if u are not. technically only 1066 is "supported" i think but it doesnt matter. the intel will also be the better oc'er as far as my experience with both goes. ocing deneb was a PITA.
Click to expand...

If you don't mind me asking, what do you make of the Sapphire 6850? Also why do you prefer the i5 over the 965BE?
 
The 6850 and 5850 are fairly close in performance, with the 5850 being slightly faster and the 6850 using slightly less power. I would just get whichever I could get a better deal on.

Both Intel and AMD have the memory controllers integrated into the processor nowadays, so the motherboard doesn't really matter as far as memory support goes. Both motherboards you've chosen will handle anything from DDR3 1066 on up. Overclocking would be required to take advantage of anything higher than DDR3 1333 though, so I wouldn't bother.

Overall, the i5 is a faster processor, but there's nothing wrong with your AMD choice. It just depends on how much the extra performance is worth to you.
 
mfenn said:
Overall, the i5 is a faster processor, but there's nothing wrong with your AMD choice. It just depends on how much the extra performance is worth to you.
Click to expand...

Well I would definitely want to keep OCing an available option, and I hear 1600 makes the process that much smoother.

I guess in the end, I'll be getting the most bang for my buck with the AMD. I mean the real difference is the CPU/GPU tradeoff between the two builds. Benchmarks say only so much.

I guess my real question is whether I would notice a difference between an i5-760 and x4 965.
 
Ruwn said:
I guess in the end, I'll be getting the most bang for my buck with the AMD.
Click to expand...

Wrong... just wrong. i5 is the best value you'll find today. If you prefer AMD, get an AMD, but just know that you aren't getting the performance per dollar you would with Intel.

Ruwn said:
I guess my real question is whether I would notice a difference between an i5-760 and x4 965.
Click to expand...

Maybe not today, but you will in time... well, would if you had two builds side by side.

Although, I would rather have a Phenom II X4 and a 6850 then a i5 and a 5770. But I see you have a 6850 with the i5, and the 5850 with the PIIX4, so it seems like the choice is obvious. The 6850 is within a very close margin of the 5850's performance, with about a 3rd of the power consumption.

Bench

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-6870-radeon-hd-6850-barts,2776-9.html

if you proceed through the pages of game benchmarks you'll see the difference isn't significant enough. I mean you are getting 2-4 frames per second for $30...
 
Davidh373 said:
Wrong... just wrong. i5 is the best value you'll find today. If you prefer AMD, get an AMD, but just know that you aren't getting the performance per dollar you would with Intel.
Click to expand...

Sure, maybe for today. You're ignoring the premium on the mobo as a result of choosing the i5. I save about $40 on the CPU and $50 on an equivalent mobo when going the AMD route. This decreases my total cost by a whopping $90 (13%) for an unequal gain in features/performance. Furthermore, my upgrade route also becomes cheaper 3 years down the line, should I want it. I'm not denying that the i5 is better; I agree. However, you're wrong to say it's the best value. Sure, per core it's better, but not by enough to warrant $90. I went with the AMD (with some changes) down to $740 before rebates.
 
Ruwn said:
Sure, maybe for today. You're ignoring the premium on the mobo as a result of choosing the i5. I save about $40 on the CPU and $50 on an equivalent mobo when going the AMD route. This decreases my total cost by a whopping $90 (13&#37😉 for an unequal gain in features/performance. Furthermore, my upgrade route also becomes cheaper 3 years down the line, should I want it. I'm not denying that the i5 is better; I agree. However, you're wrong to say it's the best value. Sure, per core it's better, but not by enough to warrant $90. I went with the AMD (with some changes) down to $740 before rebates.
Click to expand...

you need to compare mobos with the same features side by side. Find me a mobo with USB 3.0 and SATA 6GB/S for under $90... You can also get an H55 mobo for $80 that competes quite well with mid-performance motherboards on AMD's side.

Anyway, the extra $40-$60 is worth it for the performance gain IMO. I've pieced together many systems here, both AMD and Intel, and I'd say I'm pretty reasonable about getting people bang for buck without throwing in a lot of fluff. If you want the Phenom II because you're an an AMD fanboy, go for it, but I'm not going to waver from my stance on performance/ dollar. The Phenom II X4 is a great processor, it's just old news and I'm seeing it more and more in budget builds. $750-$800 is a great price for an intel build, and the build you speced out to begin with was the best I've seen of most anyone starting out. When you went with the Phenom II I just about cried. With the new Sandy Bridge and Bulldozer processors coming out that Phenom II is going to be a grandpa in 6 months... It just seems like a silly choice now. 6 months ago, maybe, but now.... <_<

Gigabyte UD3 AM3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-443-_-Product

that is a mobo comparable to the Gigabyte mobo you had picked, actually, directly comparable down to the ports on the back...

Gigabyte UD3 1156 with i5
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...t=Combo.570318

Comboed with the i5, this motherboard costs a whopping $10 more than the older AM3 one...

Then all that is left is to compare your processor choices

Phenom II X4 965 $160
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-727-_-Product

i5 760 $205
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115067

So $45

total platform difference $55 or around 22.5%

Bench (bottom is games)
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/102?vs=191

If you look at benchmarks, most surpass a 22.5% performance gain on the i5 760, You will also notice that the i5 760 uses about 30% less energy at idle, and 25% less energy at load, saving you money post purchase.
 
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Davidh373 said:
you need to compare mobos with the same features side by side. Find me a mobo with USB 3.0 and SATA 6GB/S for under $90... You can also get an H55 mobo for $80 that competes quite well with mid-performance motherboards on AMD's side.
Click to expand...

Here's one that was recommended, I think for the most part it has the same features, except with fewer SATA.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-198-_-Product
I sincerely doubt I'll be using crossfire, so please consider that.

Davidh373 said:
With the new Sandy Bridge and Bulldozer processors coming out that Phenom II is going to be a grandpa in 6 months... It just seems like a silly choice now. 6 months ago, maybe, but now.... <_<
Click to expand...

I'm not an AMD fanboy... Anyway, while I partly went AMD simply to see what it's like, I am in a position where I either build this computer now or in 6 months. I can't wait the extra 3 weeks for sandy bridge, and surely its mobos will be even more expensive. I also felt like I wanted a machine for these next months. Sure, my situation is extreme, but it is what it is.

You've used the 965 for prices, but if I OC a 955 I get similar performance, no?

Davidh373 said:
If you look at benchmarks, most surpass a 22.5% performance gain on the i5 760, You will also notice that the i5 760 uses about 30% less energy at idle, and 25% less energy at load, saving you money post purchase.
Click to expand...

I understand and agree with you - the i5 is better. However for the gaming I currently do, the difference is not so extreme (think WoW style gaming).

@DominionSeraph I went with 7 CAS latency RAM and my friend got me the HDD for free, so those costs were altered. I ended up with a 5850 which isn't terrible, but I do think the deal you've found is better. You win some you lose some, urgency defeated me.

This was quite the learning experience, appreciate all the help.
 
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