New Gaming Rig ~$900

[HarvardAce]

My brother-in-law is looking to build a new gaming rig. He's looking to be under $900 if possible, but might be willing to go a bit higher if there's a significant boost to performance for a little more.

First, the standard questions:

1. PC used for: Gaming. Modern FPS games (COD :MW2, BF:BC2, etc.), Oblivion-style games, MMORPGs, Starcraft 2 when it comes out. He's still in college, but if it runs the games I'm sure he'll be able to write a term paper on it, too.
2. Budget: $900. Possibly willing to go a little over if there's a good sweet spot just higher than $900.
3. Country: USA (state is CT)
4. Brand preference: None. Looking for the best bang for his buck, so intel/AMD nVidia/AMD -- doesn't matter.
5. Current parts: Anything in (and including) the case. Have keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers. Will need a Win 7 license as well.
6. I have searched and read similar threads. There were a few threads with a lower budget and a few with a higher one, but none in the $900 range. Plus I have a system specced out already and want some advice.
7. No requirements to OC, but he's casually OC'ed before so it can be taken into consideration -- but nothing extreme.
8. Resolution: 1920x1200. One monitor.
9. When do I plan to build it? ASAP

The current build I have (feel free to tear it apart):
CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition (3.2GHz, AM3 socket) Retail: $160
MB: Gigabyte GA-870A-UD3: $105
Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws 2x2GB DDR3 1600: $100
Video: HIS H585FN1GD (Radeon HD 5850 1GB): $290
Power supply: Rosewill Green Series RG630-S12 630W: $35 (after $25 in combo savings with HD)
Storage: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB (OEM): $80
Case: Antec Three Hundred Black Steel: $60
Optical: LITE-ON 24X DVD Writer Black SATA Model iHAS424-98 ($26)
OS: Win 7 Home Premium 64bit (OEM): $95

Total: $950 shipped

A bit over budget...could save about $100 by dropping down to a 4890 or a 5830 (not familiar with the nVidia offerings at this time), but he'd be losing significant performance and if he goes to the 4890 he also loses DX11, while I've heard bad things about the stability of the 5830s. He had initially scoped a GTX 260 for $200 but I think the AMD offerings are better in that price range.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Sp12]

First, the standard questions:

The current build I have (feel free to tear it apart):
CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 945 (3.0GHz, AM3 socket) Retail: $150
MB: Gigabyte GA-870A-UD3: $105
Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws 2x2GB DDR3 1600: $100
Video: HIS H585FN1GD (Radeon HD 5850 1GB): $290
Power supply: OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ600MXSP (600W): $50 (+ $20 rebate, package deal with the processor)
Storage: WD Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB OEM: $95
Case: Antec Three Hundred Black Steel: $60
Optical: Sony Optiarc 24X DVD/CD Rewritable (OEM): $25
OS: Win 7 Home Premium 64bit (OEM): $95

Total: $970 shipped + $20 MIR.

Thanks in advance!

Looks really good.

Do not go for the 5830, it is a worse price/performance part, as well as a typically bad overclocker.

Only issue I see is that the PSU seems a tad suspect, but it's part of the combo deal. The CPU is also overpriced, as the 955 BE is on Newegg for 10$ more. You do end up saving 30$ overall by going with the combo 945+PSU, but you lose out on the higher clocked BE processor by doing so. You also don't have an aftermarket cooler, which may be limiting your OC (if you really plan on it).

For more money you can move to an i5-750 and the GA-P55A-ud3 for 330 compared with 255 for the AMD build (285 for seperate 955/PSU). Higher performance, but probably a worse value.

The HD is also a tad much, here's a Samsung F3 for 80$, the highest rated terabyte on Newegg. I'm also not supercrazy about that OD from the reviews and price. This lite-on has lightscribe and a much better review spread for 1$ more.

Make sure that ripjaws kit is 1.5 volts.

 

[HarvardAce]

Swapped out the HD, CPU, and PSU (there was a combo deal on the PSU + HD):

Now:
CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition (3.2GHz): $160
Storage: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB (OEM): $80
PSU: Rosewill Green Series RG630-S12 630W: $35 (after $25 in combo savings with HD)
Optical: LITE-ON 24X DVD Writer Black SATA Model iHAS424-98 ($26)

Now it's $950 shipped with no rebates. I can't justify spending any more to move to the intel processor.

Not familiar with PSU's, was there a reason the OCZ one was suspect? Is Rosewill a good one?

 

[mfenn]

You can have your BIL get Win 7 from his school (should be < $20) and use the savings to get a Corsair 650TX for a little peace of mind though. You should be right at $900 then.

Whatever you do, don't have your BIL pay retail for Win 7 when he has a wonderful source of cheap MS software!

EDIT: Never mind, the Rosewill Green is an ATNG made to look like a Seasonic. The Corsair 650TX is a real Seasonic. Get the 650TX with the combo dead that Sp12 found.

 

[Sp12]

Look good, and I agree for primarily gaming work the P2 series is preferable for the cost.

OCZ is not known for making really high quality PSUs, in fact, quite a few of them are outsourced. Corsair, Antec, and Seasonic are the top brands (at least in the highend), but Rosewell isn't bad.

Here's a combo deal for an F3 and a Corsair 650 for 150 BR, 170 seperate.

The rosewill+F3 is 115 together, 140 seperate.

Either way it's about 30 dollars in combo savings, depends on whether that 35 dollars is worth it. The rosewill has 23% 1 star ratings, the corsair has 5%. The corsair also has over 10x as many total reviews as the rosewill. I'm not able to find too many specific details, but they both seem decent.

They both have 80%+ efficiency, and enough PCIe connectors.

 

[HarvardAce]

I'll recommend that he go with the Corsair PSU. I'll have him check to see if he can get a win7 license through his school, I would imagine a big school like UConn would have some sort of thing set up.

 

[heyheybooboo]

plus $10(AR): Phenom 955BE C3 / Gigabyte GA-790XTA-UD4: $265
(there is a freebie Stalker game, too)

minus $25 or so: Rosewill R218-P-BK Black SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
(free shipping pops up from time to time)

Minus $140+: Start him off with a Sapphire HD 5770 1GB ($140 With Promo Code
EMCYTNX62 & rebate)

I've got no problems with Rosewill stuff so that PSU may be decent, but I might add an extra $20 or so. Find a modular in the 550-600w range (for when that holiday purchase of a second HD 5770 allows a Crossfire ).

At the wall will the Crossfire would be around 400w --- so you are good to go, there. 2 x 5770s is stout.

You could also snag a fancy HSF for around $30 and still keep it under $900.



--

 

[Sp12]

plus $10(AR): Phenom 955BE C3 / Gigabyte GA-790XTA-UD4: $265
(there is a freebie Stalker game, too)

Mobo lacks integrated Sata3, and is last year's chipset. Not a big deal, but still.


I would not suggest a 5770 for 1920*1200. You're looking at 40 frames average in console port shooters, with minimums likely well below 20.

It's an option, but until you get a 2nd 5770 it's not going to be super-enjoyable as an online shooter with below 30 minimums. After you get 2, you're looking at game-dependant scaling compared to a single 5850, but greater overall performance in most cases.

 

[jermy]

why are overclocking good? i mean... i have a hunch about them lol... it lowers the reliable of your computer and reduces the life of the OCed component... the only gain is the speed and the price at which u bought it.