Gaming rig, advice needed :)

[Labze]

Hello

I'm about to buy a new gaming rig in a week or so and need the last help to complete the setup. The hardware i almost surely will buy is

NZXT Phantom Black
I5-760
Corsair TX650
Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3
Samsung SpinPoint F3 Desktop Class HD103SJ
Then i will need some affordable RAM, but dont know which ones

At first i was hooked on getting the GTX 480, but then i was told that GTX 460 in a sli configuration would blow the 480 away at the same price. I thought great, but a friend of mine then said i should stay with the GTX 480 as its more "future proof" as it runs all games just fine now, and when i run out of power i could get a second one in a year or so.

I will be playing in 1920x1080 or 1920x1920 resolution

But what would be the best purchase, and do my motherboard even support sli?

 

[Zap]

Your motherboard choice does NOT support SLI.

For RAM, unless you are overclocking you should find some dual channel DDR3 kits at 1333MHz or 1600MHz data rate running at 1.5v. Intel only validates this platform for 1333MHz, but I've found sometimes that I'm unable to run RAM at "rated" speeds.

 

[Labze]

Okay whats a good SLI motherboard then? If even i should go SLI

 

[muscles|]

I will be playing in 1920x1080 or 1920x1920 resolution
?

If you are going to be running that high of res. I'd go with a 5850 or 5870.

Get G.Skill Ripjaw RAM.

It runs at 1.5 volts instead of 1.65 (standard) and is just as fast. Running less power through your CPU will be a good thing for the long haul.

-muscles|

 

[Labze]

If you are going to be running that high of res. I'd go with a 5850 or 5870.
|

Why that choice?

I can't do a CF configuration with either of them cause of their higher prices, and the GTX 470 beats the 5870 in about any test for the same price of 5850, and the GTX 480 beats 5870 by a good margin for only a little more of the price.

 

[betasub]

Forget "future-proof" with PC hardware. You can only deal with the here & now.

If you want the best that is within your undefined budget, it sounds like the GTX480. If you want best "bang-for-buck" you should be looking at hot deals on a GTX470, or even a 5850 (yes, they are starting to happen) if it has features you want - but again you don't specific usage (games, yes, but what games?).

Perhaps answering the questions in the sticky post at the top of the forum would help?

 

[mfenn]

I would just stick with the 480 and be happy. If you wanted to SLI the GTX 480's, you would need a much bigger PSU as well. When you add up the total costs (mobo, PSU, GPUs), I don't think it's worth it.

 

[Labze]

Okay so peoples vouch for single configuration GTX 480 rather than two 460? Why would that be better, asking out of curiousity

 

[mfenn]

Okay so peoples vouch for single configuration GTX 480 rather than two 460? Why would that be better, asking out of curiousity

Similar price, less power draw (seriously! 250W vs. 2x160W), no profile nonsense, no chance of negative scaling, more usable memory, no microstutter.

 

[betasub]

Depends on your circumstances. Try providing some more info, such as a hard budget, specific games to be played, motherboards you are considering (+features required). In fact, all the sort of info you'd provide if you answered the sticky:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=80121

 

[Labze]

Depends on your circumstances. Try providing some more info, such as a hard budget, specific games to be played, motherboards you are considering (+features required). In fact, all the sort of info you'd provide if you answered the sticky:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=80121

okay so here goes

1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing. Gaming primarily, also for school work and sound creation

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread 1400$ i think it is, 8000 danish kroners.

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from. Denmark

4. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc. As long as i stay with a intel cpu im fine

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are. N/A

6. IF YOU have searched and/or read similar threads. Done

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds. A bit of overclocking would be nice later on

8. What resolution YOU plan on gaming with. 1920x1080 or 1920x1920

9. WHEN do you plan to build it? hopefully in a week or so

 

[darkewaffle]

Any games in particular? There's a big difference between what's needed for counterstrike at 1920x1080 versus crysis at 1920x1080

And if you aren't re-using any parts, does that mean you need an operating system and a monitor? Those can really cut into your budget.

Also for RAM, skip the Ripjaws and get GSkill ECO if you can. Your memory controller thanks you for the lower voltage requirement. Though ram availability in foreign markets is less than stellar, it's probably really going to come down to what is purchasable.

Off hand...

i5-750
GTX 460/470/480 (IMO, it's game dependent)
TX650 PSU is a good choice unless you go SLi
Spinpoint F3
4GB Mushkin Blackline/GSkill ECO/Corsair XMS3 RAM (DDR3 1600)
One of these motherboards, they're all full featured. Picked based on price/availability/brand preference.
Whatever disc drive you like, they're really not that different, and your case is fine.
Win7

 

[Labze]

I have a monitor, and i still have a windows 7 license so they're not into my budget. The only focus is computer

Im still a bit torn about to sli or not to sli. I have a few choices, get the 480GTX right away, or get a 470 now and another 470 in a month or two and sli that way.

Thanks for the help so far

*Edit

as for as game goes i really have no preferences, i might be gaming world of warcraft again sometime soon, maybe when expansion comes. Prolly something like mass effect 2 also, Starcraft and HoN. And newer titles when something strikes me

 

[darkewaffle]

Even at that resolution those games are very underwhelming, you have no need for such graphical power. Get a 460, a nice PSU and a SLi capable board and then if you ever really need more juice you can drop in a second 460.

Or if you're really hell bent on it, do the same thing with a 470.

 

[Labze]

I know none of those games require that much juice, but occasionally newer titles hit me which requires the power of something more powerful (Crysis, Assasains creed, Far Cry). Usually just complete the games and then call it, why they werent mentioned