new AM2 rig

[Ironlegion]

Hi Everyone, hope your all well.

I'm building a new AMD 64 X2 AM2 based rig. I have put together, to the best of my ability, a almost complete PC, All non-included components I already have. E.g. HDD, etc. 🙂

Component list as follows;

MSI K9A Platinum Crossfire AM2 PCI express DDR2
AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 3800+, Socket AM2.
GeIL 2GB PC6400 800MHz Ultra Low latency DDR2 (GX22GB6400UDC).
Connect3D ATI Radeon X1950 XT-X Silent Heatpipe 512mb GDDR4 Avivo.
Benq FP202w 20" 8ms.
Enermax Liberty 500W ELT500AWT ATX2.2 (22amps per 12v rail)
Zalman CNPS9500-AM2 Area Flower.

I had read some issues with power supplies on MSI's K9A platform etc, so with out being able to find a single rail PSU with high ampage I settled for the Enermax, with 2 12v rails with 22amp max output(According to the PDF). Hoping thats enough to run the 1950XT X.

I have been doing research for a fair while now into these componants but I thought I would ask you guys and gals as well...i guess for alittle more piece of mind. 🙂
So in a nutshell I was hoping you guys could take alook through the list above and tell me what you think, as in, any major problems I should be aware of and such, it would be most appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Legion.

 

[acegazda]

MSI K9A Platinum Crossfire AM2 PCI express DDR2
AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 3800+, Socket AM2.
GeIL 2GB PC6400 800MHz Ultra Low latency DDR2 (GX22GB6400UDC). Connect3D ATI Radeon X1950 XT-X Silent Heatpipe 512mb GDDR4 Avivo.
Benq FP202w 20" 8ms.
Enermax Liberty 500W ELT500AWT ATX2.2 (22amps per 12v rail)
Zalman CNPS9500-AM2 Area Flower.
1. Where are you getting the RAM? That's going to be expensive.
2. I'd get The new scythe ninja with the am2 bracket.
3. What is your budget?
4. If you will be upgrading to xfire, consider a corsiar 520w unit based on the seasonic m12 series. it has 40 amps on the 12v rails combined. The 620w has 50amps if you feel the need. I am weary that the liberty will run 2 x1950xtx in xfire.

 

[Ironlegion]

Hey dude, thanks for the reply, Im getting the ram fro overclockers.co.uk, which is where im pretty much getting everything else. My budget is £1100, or there abouts.

I had alook at the corsair 520, is there away to combine the rails like on the tagans?

 

[acegazda]

So your budget is like $1400 USD... hmmmm...
I guess you could say all multi rail psus can "combine" the rails, what each amp output means is that that specific amp rating is how much the single rail can put out individually. Together, if it is a good psu, both rails will work flawlessly together.
Did you do everything out to make sure it came to 1100 euros? That seems like a bargain, especially with that x1950xtx thrown into the mix.

 

[Polish3d]

Heres a good idea:

Scrap that rig and get a conroe if your budget is 1400

 

[Atheus]

Originally posted by: acegazda
So your budget is like $1400 USD... hmmmm...
I guess you could say all multi rail psus can "combine" the rails, what each amp output means is that that specific amp rating is how much the single rail can put out individually. Together, if it is a good psu, both rails will work flawlessly together.
Did you do everything out to make sure it came to 1100 euros? That seems like a bargain, especially with that x1950xtx thrown into the mix.

That's pounds not euros. 1100 UKP is over 2000 USD and will get you an insane computer.

I would go conroe. And I wouldn't buy from overclockers.co.uk - they have messed me around too many times.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Originally posted by: Frackal
Heres a good idea:

Scrap that rig and get a conroe if your budget is 1400

I just KNEW someone would say that :frown: Always gotta be someone saying "no no get conroe its the bestest!" whenever someone wants an AMD CPU :disgust: He has a budget of $1400 and the 3800+ will give him good OC abilities if he wishes and is cheaper than C2D would be. That lets him put more money to the GPU which is more of the limiting factor in most games (I assume that is what this rig is for considering the GPU).

Conroe with a slower card is going to be beat soundly by an X2 with a faster card in gaming. No matter how fast the CPU is it won't do you much good for gaming if you don't have a GPU to go with it. For example, I've been seeing several gaming rigs with conroe CPUs that my "puny" single core 3700+ system would outperform in gaming, why? Graphics card - X1900XT vs. 7900GT.

In short: I'm sure that many people who are building new rigs are aware of conroe but don't want/need it so they save some cash, get an X2, and use the money on a better graphics card.

 

[Ironlegion]

Hey guys, thanks for your replys.

Acegazda i've decided to go with the Antec Neo HE550W as it is at the top of the ATi Pre-approved list for X1950 Crossfire set up, so I would think it can run one for the time being.

Frackal..lol I'm an AMD Fanboy, what can I say >.>

Atheus, unfortunately overclockers is my best bet, as they're like the only ones with everything I need in one place, that way i dont have to pay multiple shipping fees. Which would suk tbh. Sorry to hear they have messed you around before.

SparkyJJO lol, exactly my sentiments man.

Again thanks for your replys and I expect i will post the results of some OCing when all up and running.

Have a good one guys.

 

[DrMrLordX]

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO

In short: I'm sure that many people who are building new rigs are aware of conroe but don't want/need it so they save some cash, get an X2, and use the money on a better graphics card.

From what I can tell, he saves maybe $50 going with the 3800+ and MSI board vs an E6300 + DS3. He gets Firewire too, and has more PCI-E slots for what it's worth; whether that matters or not is only something the OP can say.

btw, that price estimate is in USD based on Newegg prices. Things might be different on overclockers.

 

[Atheus]

Originally posted by: Ironlegion
Acegazda i've decided to go with the Antec Neo HE550W as it is at the top of the ATi Pre-approved list for X1950 Crossfire set up, so I would think it can run one for the time being.

Antec is bad. Pre-approved hardware lists are marketing rubbish.

 

[Makaveli]

I would stick with Enermax over Antec. and if the 500 Watt liberty is not enough just get the 620watt version. another PSU to look at would be the OCZ lines. I saw the 600-700 watt models for decent prices. I would pick both of those brands over an Antec PSU, based on my personal experiences.

 

[SparkyJJO]

The Antec truepower and smartpower lines are no good, but the NeoHE is fine (Seasonic is the OEM). Ask Galvanized Yankee and/or Howard 🙂

 

[acegazda]

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO
The Antec truepower and smartpower lines are no good, but the NeoHE is fine (Seasonic is the OEM). Ask Galvanized Yankee and/or Howard 🙂

yeah, but your $110 will be better spent on something like the enhance 0560g.

 

[dBTelos]

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO
The Antec truepower and smartpower lines are no good, but the NeoHE is fine (Seasonic is the OEM). Ask Galvanized Yankee and/or Howard 🙂

As is the Trio (is Seasonic and recommended).

 

[acegazda]

I think JG tried a antec trio and it blew up...

EDIT: here's the quote...

Originally posted by: jonnyGURU

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: jonnyGURU
The Corsair 620W has more amperage on the 12V rail, a longer warranty and is quieter.

The construction is the same, same grade of components, same efficiency, same OEM.

Also the Corsair is modular. Which to some people is a "bad thing," but not for me. 😉

The PCP&C comes with Mr. Dobson's FUD. 😀

PS: That's not to say that all Seasonic OEM's are the same. The Antec NeoHE and Trio are also made by Seasonic but are of significantly lower quality.

Just out of curiousity...have you actually reviewed the PC P&C Silencer 610?

No. Want to send me one? 😉 I've seen the internals and the specs and I've spoken with people that bought them, that are happy with them, that won't let me "borrow" them for a few moments. 😀 But the PCB is the same as the Corsair and the primary and secondary caps are the same make/spec as the Corsair. Probably the M12 too, but I won't know that for sure until mine comes later this week.

I know, I know. The general consensus is that PCP&C touches the PSU housing with the royal sceptre and suddenly the PSU is the greatest thing on the face of the Earth, but that's never been the case with previous Seasonic and Sparkle built Silencers.

One thing I'll give credit to PCP&C credit for is not lying about the single/double/triple 12V rail thing. When my Antec Trio blew up I opened it up to find that all of the 12V rails were grouped up into only two sets of wires (12V1 and 12V2.) So 12V3 was a lie. Then I loaded up one connector to 30A. Then another to 40A. No limiter. No OCP. Again, a lie. Not that there's anything wrong with single 12V rails because of the problems with powering high end Crossfire, SLI, multiple HDD's, etc. But on Antec's website it says, "Three 12V output circuits provide added system stability" and "three +12V rails allow you to distribute your power more evenly, which will result in
a more stable system." which is "lie" and "lie."

So you get all of the advantages of a single 12V rail, none of the advantages of multiple 12V rails.. but the fluff on the website leaves you with such warm fuzzies. Doesn't it?

So then Hardware Secrets took apart a Corsair, found the same thing.. that there's only two rails and no OCP on either. So I took my HX520W and loaded up one connector with a 30A load and it kept on trucking. Again, good thing. But the Corsair website says, "Triple 12V Rails provide independent reliable power to the CPU, video card and other components with a combined rating of 50A (40A on 520W) maximum!" Which isn't as much of a lie as Antec's statements, but then they say, " Advanced circuitry design that automatically enables power sharing between the triple +12V rails in an event of overload on any single +12V rail" which I find humourous because all of the sudden "no additional circuitry" means, "advanced circuitry."

So yeah... I give PCP&C a lot of crap for FUD, but at least they don't lie. 😉

 

[A554SS1N]

Originally posted by: Atheus
And I wouldn't buy from overclockers.co.uk - they have messed me around too many times.

Yup, they've messed me around too - like they've not currently decided to send me my speakers which I ordered, and after three weeks I'm still waiting, and they're just "investigating" it. I've sent them a letter that I will take them to trading standards asc. in two weeks if the issue isn't resolved then. I'll sue them for fraud!!!

 

[Boyo]

I would stick with an Enermax Liberty 620W. You will have plenty of power to run Xfire with that and it is a better PSU than Antec.

 

[Ausm]

Originally posted by: Frackal
Heres a good idea:

Scrap that rig and get a conroe if your budget is 1400

Not a nice way to put it but I have to agree with you. I have been a AMD fanboy for many years and I am totally impressed with my new Conroe Rig.


Ausm