Need Advice Completing a Build

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TygGer

Senior member
Feb 20, 2003
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1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.

Mix between gaming and photo/video editing.

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

Around $800

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

USA

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.

No preference

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

HDDs, DVDR, and maybe the monitor. My budget above didn’t include a monitor, but I can upgrade this later.

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

Yes

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.

Default to start with… will probably OC slightly.

8. What resolution YOU plan on gaming with.

1920x1080

9. WHEN do you plan to build it?

Now

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

Here are the things I already purchased:

CPU – I just bought the i7-930 from Microcenter $200

GPU – Galaxy GTX 470 from TigerDirect for $230

Case – NZXT Hades from Newegg $50

Subtotal: $480

I need a Mobo, PSU, and RAM.

I’d like to get a SSD, but doubt I’ll have room left in the budget. Since my GPU will run hot, I’d like to find an energy efficient PSU to try to offset the extra heat. I wouldn’t mind a nice combo deal for a large 1TB HDD like this one (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...D=3332167&SID=) but don’t know anything about the quality of the two. I suppose 80% efficiency for the PSU is good?

Thanks!
 
T

TygGer

Senior member
Feb 20, 2003
393
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Yes, so I have about $300 left in the budget for the remaining parts. Thanks
 
Davidh373

Davidh373

Platinum Member
Jun 20, 2009
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T

TygGer

Senior member
Feb 20, 2003
393
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76
Hmm... what will it take to make the rest of the system comparable to the parts I already bought? I'm open to suggestions and can save more if needed.

So for now, I really just need the mobo, psu, and memory. I'll upgrade the hdd and monitor down the road.

Thanks
 
Davidh373

Davidh373

Platinum Member
Jun 20, 2009
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6GB ram is preferred with the X58 chipset as it is triple channel (works better in 3,6,9,12,18,24) as opposed to the dual channel supported by the LGA 775, P55, and AM3 boards, (2,4,6,8,12,16,18,24). 1600Mhz ram is also preferred.

Aside from that I don't see why the rest of mfenn's suggestions would be any lesser in performance than my own, and even if you got all of mfenn's suggestions it wouldn't be dramatically different. I'd say all and all you would get 10 percent performance out of the triple channel, 2 extra gb, and 1600. That of course is an approximation.
 
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mfenn

Elite Member
Jan 17, 2010
22,400
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www.mfenn.com
Davidh373 said:
6GB ram is preferred with the X58 chipset as it is triple channel (works better in 3,6,9,12,18,24) as opposed to the dual channel supported by the LGA 775, P55, and AM3 boards, (2,4,6,8,12,16,18,24). 1600Mhz ram is also preferred.

Aside from that I don't see why the rest of mfenn's suggestions would be any lesser in performance than my own, and even if you got all of mfenn's suggestions it wouldn't be dramatically different. I'd say all and all you would get 10 percent performance out of the triple channel, 2 extra gb, and 1600. That of course is an approximation.
Click to expand...

It would be nice to have a mobo that supported USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s as well as the 6GB of RAM IMHO.
 
M

mfenn

Elite Member
Jan 17, 2010
22,400
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www.mfenn.com
TygGer said:
Hmm... what will it take to make the rest of the system comparable to the parts I already bought? I'm open to suggestions and can save more if needed.

So for now, I really just need the mobo, psu, and memory. I'll upgrade the hdd and monitor down the road.

Thanks
Click to expand...

If you want to blow the budget by a bit, keep the same PSU, but go for something like the GA-X58A-UD3R and this RAM kit.
 
T

TygGer

Senior member
Feb 20, 2003
393
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76
Thanks for the suggestions! That gave me a lot to read up about.

Which config below is better? Config 2 below is just a few $ more. Since the memory and psu is about the same, which one between the two is better?

Config 1

ASRock X58 Extreme 3 $190
CORSAIR XMS3 6GB $145
Cooler Master GX 650W $70
$405

Or

Config 2

Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R $210

G.Skill 6GB $140 ($10 off promo code EMCYWZY82, ends 8/16)

CORSAIR CMPSU 650W $71 ($10 off promo code EMCYWZY82, ends 8/16)

$421
 
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T

TygGer

Senior member
Feb 20, 2003
393
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76
Sorry to back track, but reading the other thread about the i7-930 vs i7-860 is making feel like I may not have made the best decision on the cpu. I just bought it, so I still have 28 days to return it if another would make more sense.

Is one more capable of a higher OC?

Running the 1366, it looks like the cost will be $200 (930), $190-210 (ASRock or Giga), and $140 (G.Skill) will be $530-550 total.

Running the 1156, it looks like $220 (860), ??? (mobo), and $80-100 (G.Skill).

I doubt I'll ever run SLI or Crossfire.
 
J

jchu14

Senior member
Jul 5, 2001
613
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Is the $220 860 also from Microcenter?

At the $200 price point, the 930 is not a bad buy. From what I've read, the max overclock of the chips are pretty similar.

Also, to be fair, even though the x58 is capable of triple channel memory, it can also do dual channel. So you can use still only buy 4gb of ram and have the same performance as the P55.

You do end up paying more for a motheboard though and the CPU is less power efficient (How much difference is there when both chips are overclocked to say 4GHz? anyone know?). On the otherhand, you get 2 extra ram slots.

Use code EMCYWZP36 to lower the gigabyte board by $20. Code expires 11:59pm 8/15.
 
Sp12

Sp12

Senior member
Jun 12, 2010
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Max turbo on a 860 is 3.46, max on 930 is 3.06. 930 has 50% higher TDP than the 860, which can impact overclocking heat limits.
 
M

mfenn

Elite Member
Jan 17, 2010
22,400
5
71
www.mfenn.com
TygGer said:
Sorry to back track, but reading the other thread about the i7-930 vs i7-860 is making feel like I may not have made the best decision on the cpu. I just bought it, so I still have 28 days to return it if another would make more sense.

Is one more capable of a higher OC?

Running the 1366, it looks like the cost will be $200 (930), $190-210 (ASRock or Giga), and $140 (G.Skill) will be $530-550 total.

Running the 1156, it looks like $220 (860), ??? (mobo), and $80-100 (G.Skill).

I doubt I'll ever run SLI or Crossfire.
Click to expand...

Since you're so close to your budget limit with the X58 build, might want to consider returning it and getting the 860. That'll free up ~$60 that can be spent on an aftermarket HSF which pretty much required for any sort of reasonable OC.
 
B

betasub

Platinum Member
Mar 22, 2006
2,677
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Yes, mfenn pointed out early on in the thread that a strong X58 build would be difficult on this budget. If you can do an easy exchange to get an 1156 socket processor, you should be able to save more on the motherboard and RAM (assuming 4GB is okay for you).
 
T

TygGer

Senior member
Feb 20, 2003
393
0
76
jchu14, yes the $220 is also from microcenter. I guess then the 4 vs 6gb ram cost is moot because I can run 4 on the 1366. Good point about efficiency. Anyone know how efficiency compares when both chips are OC to 4ish?

Thanks for the coupon code for the gigabyte mobo.

sp12, would turbo matter if I were to OC?

mfenn, betasub: my budget is not a "hard" budget. I was trying to stay around $800, but that was before I did any real research.

Performance wise, which of the two setups will be better? And what do you think the price difference will be? I don't know what mobo is good for the 1156 to make a price comparison.

Thanks for your help everyone
 
Sp12

Sp12

Senior member
Jun 12, 2010
799
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76
Efficiency would depend on the specific chip, but at stock values the 930 is 50% less efficient.

Turbo can still be good if you OC, especially if it's not a crazy OC. Figure a 3.6 OC with a 4.0 turbo. It's not as big of a deal, but it can still impact performance.
 
RaistlinZ

RaistlinZ

Diamond Member
Oct 15, 2001
7,470
9
91
Well, if you're o.k. with running 4GB of RAM and won't be doing SLI/XFire then you might be better off just getting the 1156 chip. Are there any specific features you need to have on the mobo like SATA III or USB 3?
 
M

mfenn

Elite Member
Jan 17, 2010
22,400
5
71
www.mfenn.com
TygGer said:
Ok. I ordered the 650w Corsair psu for $90. Now the have the 750w version for $80 after rebate.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-17139006-L08B

For basically the same cost, should I return the 650w one for the 750w in the link above?

What are the disadvantages of running a higher psu than needed? Thanks!
Click to expand...

You will get lower efficiency with by when using a higher-wattage PSU assuming that the load was already on the left side of the efficiency curve (which it will be at idle). In short, I wouldn't bother because they will come out to the same price after you account for return shipping.
 
MisterDonut

MisterDonut

Senior member
Dec 8, 2009
920
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0
I'm using the ASRock, and I gotta tell you. For a basic board, the quality/$$$ is tough to beat...

Especially when Amazon had it for $67....Miss that 1 there didn't ya? Reminds me of the time my buddy snagged the X-25M for $50 because it was mispriced, and Fry's honored the mistake.

But I agree with everyone else voting for the 1156. Unless you're getting deals on 1366, the price premium isn't worth it for any typical user.
 
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