Help with new gaming rig build

[woolfe9999]

I am building a new gaming rig.

I already ordered a Radeon 5850 (super hot deal at the Egg).

I haven't been following the CPU market that closely for the past couple years, less so the motherboard market. Looking for recommendation for CPU/Mobo/RAM. I want to spend about $350 total on all three, maybe can stretch it a few bucks beyond that. I was looking at AMD but it looks like their gaming benchmarks are horrible compared to Intel? Anyway, whatever works best in the price range.

Oh, I'll be gaming at 1600x1050.

- Wolf

 

[darkewaffle]

phenom ii x4 955 = ~150
4GB RAM = ~100
am3 870 chipset mobo = ~100

Short of going i3, intel would put you fairly over budget and you'd still have the problem of i3 limiting you to dual core.

CPU / Mobo combo $220
GSkill ECO RAM $95

My recommendations.

 

[dmoney1980]

I am building a new gaming rig.

I already ordered a Radeon 5850 (super hot deal at the Egg).

I haven't been following the CPU market that closely for the past couple years, less so the motherboard market. Looking for recommendation for CPU/Mobo/RAM. I want to spend about $350 total on all three, maybe can stretch it a few bucks beyond that. I was looking at AMD but it looks like their gaming benchmarks are horrible compared to Intel? Anyway, whatever works best in the price range.

Oh, I'll be gaming at 1600x1050.

- Wolf

you should be fine with an AMD quad core, since the 5850 will run pretty much any game well over 30 frames /sec at your resolution. I agree with darkewaffle, and that CPU / Mobo combo he picked is a nice setup.

 

[bamacre]

If you could bump that budget up to $400...

GIGABYTE GA-H55-USB3 LGA 1156
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128437

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

(Get 2) 2GB ST DDR3 1333mhz
http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=D32G1333SP

 

[woolfe9999]

you should be fine with an AMD quad core, since the 5850 will run pretty much any game well over 30 frames /sec at your resolution. I agree with darkewaffle, and that CPU / Mobo combo he picked is a nice setup.

I think that's correct, that the 5850 will run anything at 30+ fps at that resolution, probably everything at 40+ even. But I'm thinking about future proofing because I only build a new rig once every 3 years.

This is what is bothering me about AMD right now:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/3937/...thlon-ii-cpus-balance-price-and-performance/5

10-35% performance difference from AMD's top quad to an I5.

Still, I'm giving some consideration to AMD versus Bamacre's budget stretching recommendation.

Will the AMD motherboard allow me to upgrade to a Bulldozer later on?

- wolf

 

[darkewaffle]

I think that's correct, that the 5850 will run anything at 30+ fps at that resolution, probably everything at 40+ even. But I'm thinking about future proofing because I only build a new rig once every 3 years.

This is what is bothering me about AMD right now:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/3937/...thlon-ii-cpus-balance-price-and-performance/5

10-35% performance difference from AMD's top quad to an I5.

Still, I'm giving some consideration to AMD versus Bamacre's budget stretching recommendation.

Will the AMD motherboard allow me to upgrade to a Bulldozer later on?

- wolf

In largely synthetic or unnoticeable situations. Not to mention that 760 will cost you 40% more (as a processor) and Intel mobos are significantly more expensive. The only graph there that you might actually feel the difference in is Dawn of War.

And no. But you have zero upgrade path with any current Intel socket as well. AM3 does give you access to Thuban processors in the future, but by that time you're just going to be doing the same thing you are now I'd wager.

 

[dmoney1980]

Yeah both Intel sockets are going the way of the dodo bird next year. AM3 will let you upgrade to a six core at least. I think that the goal wth building an AMD is knowing that you will get 80-85% of the performance of an intel platform, for 30% or more in savings. Looking at the majority of those graphs, you will never notice the difference between 70fps and 90 fps. It's a matter of how much your willing to spend for the extra performance

 

[woolfe9999]

I'm looking at the various AMD chipsets. What is the difference between the 870 and the 880g. Does it matter which one I get?

- wolf

 

[mfenn]

I'm looking at the various AMD chipsets. What is the difference between the 870 and the 880g. Does it matter which one I get?

- wolf

880g has onboard graphics whereas the 870 doesn't. Since you're going with a discrete card, I would grab an 870-based mobo. The 870 will either be less expensive or better built for the same price as an 880g.

 

[Davidh373]

I really like the suggestions from Darke and mfenn.

 

[woolfe9999]

Thanks for the tips. I'll probably go with Dark's suggestions, though I am still considering maybe cheaper RAM and getting a 960 or 970 instead of a 955.

Should I consider 6 or 8 gigs of RAM or will 4 be plenty?

- wolf

 

[Davidh373]

I will never recommend a 9xx series to anyone who isn't doing CAD or Digital Animation. Since this is a "Gaming Rig" you will see better performance from a 1156 chip like the 860 i7 or very similar performance from an i5 760 in games. 4GB RAM is still overkill for games, 6GB with a 9xx is standard because it has triple channel memory. The AMD and Intel 1156 Chips have Dual Channel.

 

[woolfe9999]

I will never recommend a 9xx series to anyone who isn't doing CAD or Digital Animation. Since this is a "Gaming Rig" you will see better performance from a 1156 chip like the 860 i7 or very similar performance from an i5 760 in games. 4GB RAM is still overkill for games, 6GB with a 9xx is standard because it has triple channel memory. The AMD and Intel 1156 Chips have Dual Channel.

Sorry for the confusion. When I wrote "960 or 970" I meant 965/970. I was referring to the two Phenom II's above the 955, not Intel. I have basically decided to go with AMD.

Thanks for the input on the RAM.

- wolf

 

[mfenn]

Thanks for the tips. I'll probably go with Dark's suggestions, though I am still considering maybe cheaper RAM and getting a 960 or 970 instead of a 955.

Should I consider 6 or 8 gigs of RAM or will 4 be plenty?

- wolf

I wouldn't bother going above a 955 since the 955/965/970 are all Black Editions. This means that they all have an unlocked multiplier and overclocking is stupidly easy. Your 955 can become a 970 with one BIOS change.