Motherboard and GPU recommendations

[Loop2kil]

I mostly need help picking a motherboard and GPU as I do not keep up with hardware like I did in the past and the list at Newegg to go through is mind-numbing. I still like to be able to game when i'm in the mood. I play QuakeLive almost daily and have a few other newer games I want to be able to run smoothly.

1. What YOUR PC will be used for.
Main PC in the house, Gaming, General use

2. What YOUR budget is.
Not 100% sure yet as I'm just getting some ideas but I would start with $300-400. I figure $150 for MB and $200-250 for video card.

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

5. IF YOU have a brand preference. I have always had the best luck with Asus motherboards but I would try something else if recommended highly enough.

6. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.
Xeon E3-1270 3.5 Ghz - already have ( http://www.cpu-world.com/sspec/SR/SR0P6.html )
SSD 180gb Intel - already have
Ram 16 gb ( 4 x 4gb) corsair dominator - already have
Might reuse my Corsair 620hx (2-3 years old)
Case - some giant aluminum Rocketfish case
DVD burner

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.
I will do some mild o/c'ing but nothing crazy.

8. What resolution, not monitor size, will you be using?
1920x1200 24"

9. WHEN do you plan to build it?
Note that it is usually not cost or time effective to choose your build more than a month before you actually plan to be using it.
ASAP

X. Do you need to purchase any software to go with the system, such as Windows or Blu Ray playback software?
Nope

 

[Ken g6]

First thought: Why not sell the Xeon and get a regular i5? You could overclock better and net maybe $100 on the deal.

GPU choice is very sensitive to your budget at this point.

 

[Sleepingforest]

I agree with Ken g6 100% on selling the Xeon; if you cannot for some reason, I would do the following with your remaining budget:

• Get a cheaper $100 motherboard, like the MSI B75A-G43. A more expensive motherboard doesn't help in gaming.
• Get a $300 GPU, like the 7950.

That's a much better allotment of your budget.

 

[Loop2kil]

You both caught me off guard with the suggestion of selling off the Xeon<<gasp>>
Is that suggestion geared more towards creating a better budget or is there a performance reason to avoid them and stick with an i5?

I am a bit more flexible with the budget but didn't want to be to much so. I like the 7950 suggestion and will try to work that in the purchase. So are AMD video cards considered the best bang for the buck these days? I see some pretty heated discussions about that topic and have no interest in starting one here. I just want to know if that is the overall best direction to go now.

I will most likely sell off my aging X3350/p5qpro/hd5850 setup (it's the Xeon equivalent to the C2Q Q9450, I think)

I will also need to get a cooler as the new Xeon is nekkid. Artic Freezer? Zalman?

 

[Sleepingforest]

For gaming and "general use" you won't get much extra out a Xeon--they're really meant for servers and other heavily threaded applications like Photoshop.

 

[riversend]

Concur with trying to move the Xeon and pick up an i5. If you think you might do some greater o/c down the road you may want to consider a Z77 chipset. Something along the lines of an AsRock Z77 Pro3 (~$95) should do the trick.

Also, keep the PSU, I have an HX520 that has been running strong for about 6 years now, plenty of power for what you need.

 

[Loop2kil]

For gaming and "general use" you won't get much extra out a Xeon--they're really meant for servers and other heavily threaded applications like Photoshop.

Noted and considered

Concur with trying to move the Xeon and pick up an i5. If you think you might do some greater o/c down the road you may want to consider a Z77 chipset. Something along the lines of an AsRock Z77 Pro3 (~$95) should do the trick.

Also, keep the PSU, I have an HX520 that has been running strong for about 6 years now, plenty of power for what you need.

I was thinking z77 or z75 with 4 ram slots and I did see the Asrock boards...are they as reliable as the Asus boards?

 

[mfenn]

There's no real point in getting a Z77 board with a Xeon since you can't overclock it (much) anyway. I'd grab a nice H77 board and spend the rest of the budget on the GPU:

ASRock H77 Pro4/MVP $75
Sapphire 7950 3GB $290 AR
Total: $365 AR

 

[riversend]

There's no real point in getting a Z77 board with a Xeon since you can't overclock it (much) anyway.

Concur. Thus the recommendation to swap out (if possible) for an i5. If overclocking, go the Z77, if not then the H77 is a nice choice. This provides some extra dough toward the GPU.

 

[Loop2kil]

Appreciate all the advice, for now I am keeping the Xeon and I ended up getting these:
His HD7950 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161420
Asrock Z77 Pro4 with 15% off http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157296
XIGMATEK Gaia SD1283 120mm http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835233082

Total was $406.47

My first time in quite a few builds over the years that I'm not using an Asus board...I hope it's good to me.

 

[mfenn]

Nice deal on the Pro4 and cooler! I would have grabbed a 7970 with a dual-fan cooler like this PowerColor though.

 

[Loop2kil]

Nice deal on the Pro4 and cooler! I would have grabbed a 7970 with a dual-fan cooler like this PowerColor though.

Yeah, $70($50 if I would actually fool with a rebate) more for a bit of an upgrade wouldn't have been a bad idea but what's done is done.

Only buyer's regret I will have is if something doesn't work right and gives me sh!t. Then I will be pissed, otherwise, I'm gonna enjoy the hell out of it for another few years.