New Build sub $600ish

Hello everyone & thanks ahead of time!

Approximate Purchase Date: 7-10 days

Budget Range: $645 maximum

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Mid range Gaming PC

Parts Not Required: keyboard, monitor, mouse, case (only IF new mobo, video card, & parts will fit & mount inside properly)

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg/Amazon/Fry's/Micro center

Country: USA

Parts Preferences: AMD CPUs/mobos & Nvidia graphics

Overclocking: Yes

SLI or Crossfire: Definitely for longer system life

Monitor Resolution: - 42" LCD TV

Additional Comments: Been gaming on old Dell Dimension E521 with AMD Athlon x2 4200+ 4GB ram, Nvidia 9600GT graphics card - it finally gave out. LOVE the tool less case & side that pops off, would really like to recycle & reuse the case if new stuff will fit inside, I'm no engineer). If you have suggestions that save me a few bucks that's great too, but not really willing to sacrifice much, if any, performance at this price point.

My build:

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 960T Processor, Black Edition = $99 (Joel Electronics)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B [...] D45N6PTINP

Graphics: Gigabyte GTX 560Ti = $210
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814125401

MoBo: ASRock 990FX Extreme3 = $130
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813157281

PSU: OCZ ModXStream Pro 600W = $69
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B [...] PDKIKX0DER

HDD: ??? (major capacity not an issue, 200-250GB more than enough, cheaper is better >$40-50)

RAM: G.SKILL Value Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Desktop Memory Model F3-10600CL9D-8GBNT = $37
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820231422

Heatsink+Fan: STOCK = $0 (for now)

DVD-ROM: SAMSUNG 22X DVD Burner SATA Model SH-222BB/BEBE - OEM = $16
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827151244

Total: $561 (before HDD)

If my old Dell Dimension E521 case will NOT work for my new parts):

Case: NZXT Gamma = $40
http://www.amazon.com/GAMMA-Classi [...] k-c1001-20

Total: $601 (before HDD)

Reply to psxanarchist

I know you said you want to go with AMD but I would take another look at the Intel 1155 socket CPU's. You could probably get an i5-2400 at this budget since you wouldn't have to splash out so much on the motherboard. Even if you went with an i3, they still outperform virtually anything AMD have in games.

Message quoted 1 times

------------------------------ Intel Core i5-760 @ 3.4Ghz / Noctua NH-D14 / Corsair Vengeance LP 2x4GB 1600Mhz / Palit GTX 460 1GB / ASRock P55 Deluxe / Fractal R3 / Samsung 830 128GB / Seagate Barracuda 500GB / Seasonic X-560
Reply to jmsellars1

In your price range I would get this processor http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819115077 . Check this article out http://www.tomshardware.com/review [...] ,3120.html

Message quoted 1 times
Message edited by Anonymous on 02-08-2012 at 04:35:55 PM

Reply to Anonymous

jmsellars1 wrote :

I know you said you want to go with AMD but I would take another look at the Intel 1155 socket CPU's. You could probably get an i5-2400 at this budget since you wouldn't have to splash out so much on the motherboard. Even if you went with an i3, they still outperform virtually anything AMD have in games.

I know nothing about building Intel & have always enjoyed the price/performance of AMD, so would need help re doing a majority of the pieces I'd already researched. I'd rather get an i5 over an i3 (my GF's laptop has an i3 in it & it doesn't seem THAT great to me - with her integrated graphics she cannot play SW:TOR). Can we build one within same budget with same graphics card & mobo with 16x/16x PCI card slots for future SLI? Price & performance are of the utmost importance. I cannot afford more than $645 total build.

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to psxanarchist

Anonymous wrote :

In your price range I would get this processor http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819115077 . Check this article out http://www.tomshardware.com/review [...] ,3120.html

Thanks for the article reference, it looks like AMD has fallen & Intel is king for now. Just need suggestions then for build at prices discussed above.

Reply to psxanarchist

psxanarchist wrote :

I know nothing about building Intel & have always enjoyed the price/performance of AMD, so would need help re doing a majority of the pieces I'd already researched. I'd rather get an i5 over an i3 (my GF's laptop has an i3 in it & it doesn't seem THAT great to me - with her integrated graphics she cannot play SW:TOR). Can we build one within same budget with same graphics card & mobo with 16x/16x PCI card slots for future SLI? Price & performance are of the utmost importance. I cannot afford more than $645 total build.

Intel integrated graphics have always sucked but that isn't any issue with a dedicated graphics card. You can go with this motherboard http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813157271 with the i3. If you want to save some money on the motherboard you can also get this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813128495 . The overclocking potential is much lower with this board but with an i3 that's not much of an issue, you also have support for pci 3. I would also get this ram http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820231428 . The psu and gpu you selected are fine. I wouldn't recommend using an old dell case but that's up to you.

Message quoted 2 times
Message edited by Anonymous on 02-08-2012 at 05:28:40 PM

Reply to Anonymous

Anonymous wrote :

Intel integrated graphics have always sucked but that isn't any issue with a dedicated graphics card. You can go with this motherboard http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813157271 with the i3. If you want to save some money on the motherboard you can also get this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 813128495. The overclocking potential is much lower with this board but with an i3 that's not much of an issue. I would also get this ram http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820231428 .

The i3 CPU you mentioned & the mobo are roughly same price as the AMD CPU & mobo I chose previously, but the Intel choice only has one full speed x16 PCI, halving future upgrade SLI config performance to x8/x8.

Message edited by psxanarchist on 02-08-2012 at 05:27:38 PM

Reply to psxanarchist

the performance difference between x8/x8 and x16/x16 is almost 0, don't worry about not having x16/x16, especially since you would probably start getting cpu bottlenecking with a 560ti sli setup and an amd cpu

Reply to morgoth780

If you are going to SLI a GTX 560TI, x8 on a PCI express 2.0 board won't bottleneck it noticable. There would be very little frame drop. Tom has an article on it. If you plan on getting a GTX 6xx, that is a different story then.

Reply to phamhlam

Anonymous wrote :

I would also get this ram http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820231428 . The psu and gpu you selected are fine. I wouldn't recommend using an old dell case but that's up to you.

Ram looks good & nearly equal price. I'd have to use the second mobo microATX

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] gbbqygabam

as I am sure that's what would fit in the old case. Scriping every dollar here. If I HAD extra $40 for new case, I'd do it for the ease.

showing price currently with new parts @ $610 that is before HDD choice help & decision on $40 case...

Message edited by psxanarchist on 02-08-2012 at 05:44:01 PM

Reply to psxanarchist

Ok, I'm not swayed LOL, I was at $561 with Amd prior to the Intel swaying *winks* & $610 after looking at Intel parts. Still facing cheap hard drive suggestion & still faced with $40 new case (putting it at $601 Amd & $650 Intel). The Intel build busts my budget before we've nailed down a hard drive.

This is maddening

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to psxanarchist

psxanarchist wrote :

Ok, I'm not swayed LOL, I was at $561 with Amd prior to the Intel swaying *winks* & $610 after looking at Intel parts. Still facing cheap hard drive suggestion & still faced with $40 new case (putting it at $601 Amd & $650 Intel). The Intel build busts my budget before we've nailed down a hard drive.

This is maddening

to save money you can buy the 1333 mhz version of the ram i showed you http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820231426 . If you factor in the difference of the cost of the motherboard if you go with the gigabyte, the intel option is cheaper. Hardrives are a problem the best i could find is this refurbished seagate for $50 http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produ [...] 6822148603 . If your really tight on cash yo could get a 6870 instead of the gtx 560 ti, the difference in performance is about 7 % i think.

Message edited by Anonymous on 02-08-2012 at 06:38:25 PM

Reply to Anonymous

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