So I wanna build a gaming rig...

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Axon

Axon

Platinum Member
Sep 25, 2003
2,541
1
76
I'd wait for Sandy Bridge at this point, or go with AMD as I initially suggested. AMD still makes a very nice CPU. Now, since your goal is 3 years (that's shooting a little high, but it might be possible), Sandy Bridge is going to be the most powerful thing, and it's coming out very shortly.
 
Anomaly1964

Anomaly1964

Platinum Member
Nov 21, 2010
2,465
8
81
Axon said:
I'd wait for Sandy Bridge at this point, or go with AMD as I initially suggested. AMD still makes a very nice CPU. Now, since your goal is 3 years (that's shooting a little high, but it might be possible), Sandy Bridge is going to be the most powerful thing, and it's coming out very shortly.
Click to expand...


I AM an AMD fan...

I'm in OVERLOAD right now with all the research...LOL!
 
Axon

Axon

Platinum Member
Sep 25, 2003
2,541
1
76
I hear you, and that's why you should slow things down and simplify.

If your priority is gaming, focus on gaming benchmarks. Anything else will be confusing. On Intel's side, I would wait for sandy bridge (or, if you can't, get an i5 750/760). For AMD, I would get a Phenom II X4 955 and overclock it. If you're not into overclocking, go Intel for sure. Here are the head to head benchmarks of the 955 and the i5 750: http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/88?vs=109 Focus on the gaming benchmarks at the bottom.

For your video card, since you've expressed an interest in Nvidia, go with them. They have a number of good options - in fact, I would say they've won the current round of video cards. The GTX 570 is extremely strong, and the GTX 460 1GB is an excellent midrange option.

Everything else is fungible. Pick a motherboard you like, RAM you like, and a good HDD (western digital or samsung F3). Pick a case that appeals to you. That's it. Those decisions are much easier than the CPU/GPU.
 
Anomaly1964

Anomaly1964

Platinum Member
Nov 21, 2010
2,465
8
81
Axon said:
I hear you, and that's why you should slow things down and simplify.

If your priority is gaming, focus on gaming benchmarks. Anything else will be confusing. On Intel's side, I would wait for sandy bridge (or, if you can't, get an i5 750/760). For AMD, I would get a Phenom II X4 955 and overclock it. If you're not into overclocking, go Intel for sure. Here are the head to head benchmarks of the 955 and the i5 750: http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/88?vs=109 Focus on the gaming benchmarks at the bottom.

For your video card, since you've expressed an interest in Nvidia, go with them. They have a number of good options - in fact, I would say they've won the current round of video cards. The GTX 570 is extremely strong, and the GTX 460 1GB is an excellent midrange option.

Everything else is fungible. Pick a motherboard you like, RAM you like, and a good HDD (western digital or samsung F3). Pick a case that appeals to you. That's it. Those decisions are much easier than the CPU/GPU.
Click to expand...

Thanks Axon...

What about adding to any of these barebone kits? :

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?CatId=2846&name=Pre-Assembled-Barebones&
 
Last edited:
Anomaly1964

Anomaly1964

Platinum Member
Nov 21, 2010
2,465
8
81
Axon said:
That link is busted. Why do you want a barebone kit? Less assembly for you? Might as well buy a pre-built, then.

EDIT: Oh, TD's barebones are essentially prebuilds.
Click to expand...

The last time I built my own, the hardest part was all the peripheral wiring...like to power button and stuff...LOL!
 
B

Blain

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
23,643
3
81
I'd wait for the next big CPU after Sandy Bridge, it will be much better.
It will make Sandy Bridge owners look like real dorks.
 
Davidh373

Davidh373

Platinum Member
Jun 20, 2009
2,428
0
71
The build I gave you will probably last you 3 years with a video card and some more ram. Honestly, the video card is always the first thing to be holding you back. I always figure a new graphics card will last 2 years playing on mostly max settings, then it'll start to lag behind for that 3rd year, and prolly be able to limp along for the 4th, but at that point you'll be able to get a card with 10x the performance for like a quarter of what you paid for the first one. Now you'll probably need more RAM in 2-3 years. All this is just speculation of course, which is why we were all so hesitant to come out and say "THIS IS THE ANSWER TO ALL YOUR HOPES AND DREAMS!" but yeah...
 
Anomaly1964

Anomaly1964

Platinum Member
Nov 21, 2010
2,465
8
81
Davidh373 said:
The build I gave you will probably last you 3 years with a video card and some more ram. Honestly, the video card is always the first thing to be holding you back. I always figure a new graphics card will last 2 years playing on mostly max settings, then it'll start to lag behind for that 3rd year, and prolly be able to limp along for the 4th, but at that point you'll be able to get a card with 10x the performance for like a quarter of what you paid for the first one. Now you'll probably need more RAM in 2-3 years. All this is just speculation of course, which is why we were all so hesitant to come out and say "THIS IS THE ANSWER TO ALL YOUR HOPES AND DREAMS!" but yeah...
Click to expand...

That was funny...

...thanks for your input, seriously.
 
M

mfenn

Elite Member
Jan 17, 2010
22,400
5
71
www.mfenn.com
Davidh373 said:
The build I gave you will probably last you 3 years with a video card and some more ram. Honestly, the video card is always the first thing to be holding you back. I always figure a new graphics card will last 2 years playing on mostly max settings, then it'll start to lag behind for that 3rd year, and prolly be able to limp along for the 4th, but at that point you'll be able to get a card with 10x the performance for like a quarter of what you paid for the first one. Now you'll probably need more RAM in 2-3 years. All this is just speculation of course, which is why we were all so hesitant to come out and say "THIS IS THE ANSWER TO ALL YOUR HOPES AND DREAMS!" but yeah...
Click to expand...

I agree with this 100%. It makes far more sense to build a 2 year machine with the plan to upgrade the GPU and possibly RAM at the beginning of the 3rd year than it does to try to make a machine limp along for 4.

Basically it comes down to making the the good old 80-20 rule work for you, not against you. If you buy high-end parts now, sure they will be faster than the upper-midrange parts, but they will also cost significantly more. You're better off saving that money and planning to buy the 2013's bang-for-the-buck card.
 
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