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Help me get the wife and kids off my back! <grin>

L

Liamster

Junior Member
Looking to upgrade from an older, slower system. First, some answers...

PLEASE when you POST threads asking for input on system builds tell us...

1. What YOUR PC will be used for. Primarily light to heavier gaming (Everquest, Guild Wars & TF2 – will be picking up SC2 in near term), MS Office and some family photo & video editing (AVCHD).

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread $750-850ish

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from. United States

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. None really. Leaning AMD & Asus (see below), but am open to your expertise.

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

PSU: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Rocketfi...=psu&amp;cp=1&amp;lp=2 (Purchased locally due to emergent need).

Case: I have an ATX tower sized case that I will using in this build (Purchased from Fry’s about 6 years ago).

Monitor: 21” Panasonic CRT VGA (I will be upgrading this later, but wanted to focus my resources on the build at this time).

6. IF YOU have searched and/or read similar threads. I have read many in last few weeks and have arrived at what is below primarily based off of several threads.

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds. Not initially, but would like to grow into this area or have the option available to me.

8. What resolution YOU plan on gaming with. I think 1600x1200 or less until I pick up a new GPU and monitor.

9. WHEN do you plan to build it? In the next 7-10 days.

10. Don't ask for a build configuration critique or rating if you are thin skinned. Not tied to anything below; in fact, welcome the suggestions.


Attempting to keep this one at budget and have run myself into a corner on a few purchasing issues. Below is what I am thinking of based on running thru the posts of the last few weeks. I am upgrading from Athlon 64/DFI LanParty board with 1GB memory. Due to growing into a new GPU and monitor in a couple months, I need a board with that has video on it. So, some questions…

1. Memory – Looks like the board(s) below can handle the listed memory at DDR3 1333, but also can handle speeds up to 2000. I have seen some sticks that are set at 1600 and up out of the box. Can these boards take this memory, and if so, will I need to be messing with the BIOS to get it work correctly?
2. Would really like to go SSD for the boot drive and likely only place the OS, maybe office and 1-2 games on it. Looking for suggestions that might fit my budget and get the best bang for the buck. Spindle drive would be for storage; I understand I could move the user folders, swap file off to this drive as well, but not sure if that would be a gain in performance only or just give me more space to work with on the SSD?
3. Both boards seem to fit the need and provide ability to upgrade. Anything of note that sticks out to you guys or is there a better option for the price point?
4. CPU appears to be the AMD sweet spot for price and performance… Assume I have this correct, but wanted to check. Any combo’s with this performance that are a better deal?

Thanks in advance for your quick responses and knowledge. Sometimes reading thru some of the more technically granular posts are like drinking water from a fire hose, but I always take away something and wanted to let you know that I appreciate it!

Current Purchase Plan:

CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-727-_-Product ($159.00)

MoBo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131631 ($134.00) or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131633 ($139.00) * 10% off with promo code MBTEN19, limited offer

Memory: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231276 ($84.99)

SSD/HDD: Could use some help here. I’d like to go SSD, but am not up to speed on spec’s and such. Maybe a 60GB or larger (hopefully) SSD coupled with either WD Caviar or Samsung F3 type of HDD’s for data.

CPU Fan: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-134-_-Product ($39.98)

Optical Drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827136178 ($20.99)

OS - MS Windows 7 64 Bit OEM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-758-_-Product ($139.99)
 
 
For a budget system, a non-stock hs/f and a $140 motherboard are a bit much. I don't see a videocard in there anywhere.

Motherboard
ASUS M4A87TD EVO for $110 - $11 (10&#37; off) - $20 (combo w/CPU) = $79. No onboard video
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131647

SSD
60GB Mushkin Enhanced Callisto Deluxe for $125 - $15 MIR = $110 looks like your best deal on a Sandforce drive. There's a plethora of Sandforce drives that are $120-150 that fall within the same performance as this one. FWIW, it looks like this Deluxe version has the "special sauce" firmware looking at consumer reviews.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820226151

60GB Crucial RealSSD C300 for $135 no rebates is another highly recommended drive, with faster read speeds that take advantage of Sata 6Gbps, however slower writes and slightly more expensive.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820148357

They are both good SSD's and I'll leave it at that. It is highly likely that you will not notice a performance difference between two.

Edit: For a >60GB SSD, the choice is a little clearer (IMO).
OCZ Agility 2 OCZSSD2-2AGTE90G 2.5" 90GB for $160 after $30 MIR. Roughly the same Sandforce controller and speeds as the above Mushkin.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227608
 
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Do I need to upgrade the current PSU? I just picked it up in the last couple of months (see OP) and unless I am missing it, seems like it would work in mine or your configuration.

Couple questions on the suggested memory and board. Is Mushkin <= to G. Skill; same question for ASRock board. I had seen that one in a previous thread and like it a lot, but am reading that ASUS is a proven brand.

Great suggestion on the monitor and GPU, by the way... Down the road for me, but i will save the link to it to have handy.

Also, open to thoughts on OP questions, particularly if I can swing an SSD in this budget...

Have at it. Thanks!
 
Appreciate the detail on the SSD question. Really helps to have folks familiar with them, knock the specs down coherently. 60GB should be plenty for Win7 64bit install with only Office 2007 and likely a game (~5GB). I could move on to mosox's suggestion of HDD for data then.

At this time, I was thinking of using the on-oboard video of the ASUS boards in my OP. It would allow me to cut a corner initially and then move into any suggested GPU's and monitors (similar to what mosox offered). That being said, your board looks pretty stout.

When you say a bit much, did you mean my configuration is a bit aggressive for what I am using it for and the price point? Definitely will take that into consideration.
 
Liamster said:
When you say a bit much, did you mean my configuration is a bit aggressive for what I am using it for and the price point? Definitely will take that into consideration.
Click to expand...

Yes, the motherboards you picked out may be worth $140 in some setups, but has unnecessary features that I don't think you're really concerned about. You'll be fine with any Asus/ASRock/MSI/Gigabyte mobo with SATA 6Gbps and USB 3.0 although even those features you're not going to really need at first. Here's another good looking mobo for about $90 after 10&#37; off and $10 MIR, that DOES have onboard video:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128444

Likewise unless you're overclocking and/or are looking for a real quiet system, paying for a hs/f when one comes with the cpu is also an unnecessary expense.
 
PSU seems alright. I can't say for certain but I'm pretty sure Rocketfish is simply a rebrand of one of the good manufacturers. I think.

Way too much for Win7. Just go with a Home OEM and save yourself $40.

The 965 is an identical processor to the 955 except clocked one notch lower. Buy a 955 and you can kill two birds with one stone, save yourself $20 and then you can start your overclocking by turning it into a 965 in about 2 minutes. Actually for your uses I might even go so far as to say get an Athlon II X4, which will run you around $100. Identical for general use and for gaming you want a good GPU and a good enough CPU, so we're just reallocating.

Your RAM is a pretty good choice. Could probably get lower voltage for a few bucks more or find a slightly cheaper kit, but it's not a big difference either way.

You'll be fine with a cheaper motherboard. ASUS on the 870 or 880 chipset will cost you less and you lose out on no features that you're going to use.

SSD might fit in budget. I'd go with the Mushkin, great company and great support. Also I'd get a 1TB Samsung Spinpoint F3 for your storage drive, $70.

If you're going to play games, you need a GPU. For your uses, I'd probably say a 5770 or a 450/460. Any of the three would be great, just going to depend on what deals you can find.

Newegg prices on fans and cooling equipment are regularly outrageous, I don't know why but they're terrible lol. I'd get yourself a Cooler Master Hyper 212+ from buy.com for like $10 cheaper or even the CM store where you can find refurb Hypers for about $15.

Windows = $100
Athlon II x4 635 = $100
ASUS mobo = $100 - $110
RAM = $85
SSD = $110
Optical = $20
HDD = $70
Fan+HSF = $40

Totals up to something like $640.

That should be everything you need leaving you up to about $200 for a GPU, at that price you can get anything from a GTS 450 up to a 5850 AR or even 68xx.

Honestly at that price point all the available cards will be plenty of power for you and they're all pretty good values. Depends how much of your budget you really want to spend.
 
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All: Good stuff... Sounds like the trend is ratchet down on board & CPU a bit. Use the money to move into a decent GPU right off the start. Going to review this information and reformulate buying decision.

Thanks for the input, my headache thinking on this is slowly fading! LOL
 
Hey mfenn... Thanks for stopping by and taking a look - among the others, I have gleaned a lot of information from many of your posts.

I had not thought of Mushkin and I know you have a lot of good things to say on the Samsung F3. Taking a look at all of these options tonight and tomorrow to get this thing into the basket!
 
i'll just throw this out there, Phenom II X2 555 is $88 and will commonly unlock to an X4 955 with appropriate motherboard
 
mosox said:
You don't need the SSD, the only thing an SSD does is to boot your OS abit faster. In games you never hit the data on the disk, the data is in already your RAM. The SSDs are for $1500-2000+ systems.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but have you ever used a system with an SSD? I assure you that an SSD does quite a bit more than "boot your OS abit faster". Think about every single app that you open on a day-to-day basis. Now imagine that those apps opened instantly. That is what an SSD does. I remind you that this is not solely a gaming system.
 
Liamster said:
PSU: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Rocketfi...=psu&amp;cp=1&amp;lp=2 (Purchased locally due to emergent need).
Click to expand...

Ouch... $80 for a non-80+ certified offbrand?

My dad fell for that when he bought my new HP Pavilion desktop back in Holiday '07. The 500W "MAD DAWG!" PSU is still going strong, so at least that's giving you some hint at reliability of brands they'd sell you. I probably won't ever go to best buy again knowing that newegg has about 50&#37; off their prices, but since you had "an urgent need" you were pretty much forced into their horrible prices... I would guess you overpaid by about $40 on that one...

Oh, 1 more thing. Graphics card... never buy a graphics card at Best Buy. $450 for a 9800GTX back in '08... not a good price at all... especially since I could have gotten one on newegg for $230 at the time...
 
Thanks for the updates guys...

LOL, too funny about the PSU and your Dad "Mad Dawg". You are right, I was in the same boat; really no choice with my kids school project due, etc.

MicroCenter is a doable drive, but paid the price in convenience with Best <cough> Buy; hope not in longevity!
 
Liamster said:
Thanks for the updates guys...

LOL, too funny about the PSU and your Dad "Mad Dawg". You are right, I was in the same boat; really no choice with my kids school project due, etc.

MicroCenter is a doable drive, but paid the price in convenience with Best <cough> Buy; hope not in longevity!
Click to expand...

Speaking of Microcenter, you can get the 965 with $10 mobo there if you want to make the trip.
 
Ah, good find mfenn. I'll have to see if I can make a trip out there this week; nice to have options either way. Man, I miss Fry's from when I lived in Chicago.

Crucibelle - Yeah, that is the strange thing, unless I missed it in the Best Buy ad, I remember the box and I think the PSU itself had the 80 + stamp of approval on it, so, I think you are right. Actually, since I haven't built a machine ground up in several years, that was one of the first things I learned here as I began the journey.
 
mfenn said:
Sorry, but have you ever used a system with an SSD? I assure you that an SSD does quite a bit more than "boot your OS abit faster". Think about every single app that you open on a day-to-day basis. Now imagine that those apps opened instantly. That is what an SSD does. I remind you that this is not solely a gaming system.
Click to expand...

Listen, my video cards cost more than his rig and I don't have a SSD and I don't need one (I used SSD based systems - meh). Never heard before someone recommending a SSD for a $800 build and when the person is still using a CRT!
 
mosox said:
Listen, my video cards cost more than his rig and I don't have a SSD and I don't need one (I used SSD based systems - meh). Never heard before someone recommending a SSD for a $800 build and when the person is still using a CRT!
Click to expand...

As I make my 3 statements in this post, I think you need to quit playing Mr. Bigshot.

1) My computer is a sub $500 build and I have a SSD.
2) No one cares how much you overpaid for a video card
3) CRTs can have some pretty good black levels

You can give constructive criticism without acting like you're better than the OP.
 
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