[Krieger119]

Hey guys, I'm finally building a new gaming pc and coming back to the KB & Mouse. As its been a while since I've been on a PC, I'd like some opinions on what I'm going with especially on the video card side of things:


Case - Antec Nine Hundred http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...k=antec%20nine

Mobo - MSI K9A2 Platinum http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813130136

CPU - AMD Phenom 9950 Black Edition Agena 2.6GHz 4 x 512KB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103273

CPU Fan - Zalman 9700 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835118020

PSU - Coolmax 1200W http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817159067

RAM - 2 x 2gb Corsair Dominator http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145214

VIdeo Card - Asus EAH3870X2 1GB 512 bit http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121247

or

4870 x 2 2GB example: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102768

For the video card, I'm looking for best bang for the buck. I'm looking to run all games on or very close to MAX including Crysis (doesn't have to be max though lol).

What do you guys think? Thx a lot in advance for all your input.

Also, was wondering ... is it better to run one 1gb card instead of 2 - 512mb cards?

 

[HTPC101]

Looks good man.

 

[number1laing]

Better to run 1 1gb card. And go with the 4870, currently the best out there.

 

[Tinker]

Case...watch out for sharp edges. Hope the front panel leads are long enuf to connect to mobo.


CPU/Mobo...get Intel C2D if you are only planning on using it for gaming (esp OCing) or C2Q if for more gen purpose. C2D like the E8400/E8500 are dirt cheap and they OC like crazy. DDR2 is also dirt cheap so 4 gb would be fine and many s775 Intel mobo's are very affordable at this pt in time.


CPU Cooler...fine


PSU...seems ok but for the same ~$$$ I would get the Corsair 1000w instead.


GPU...why go 3870x2...just get the 4870x2...But I am a NVidia fan so take what i said with a grain of salt.


Its better to get 1gb card then 2x512.



All IMHO stuff.


BTW: it really depend at what rez's you want to play the games at will determine what can be max'd out. Cryisis will/can never be max'd out at 2560x1600 or even 1920x1200 with existing HW.

 

[Krieger119]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Tinker /forum/post/15474500


Case...watch out for sharp edges. Hope the front panel leads are long enuf to connect to mobo.


CPU/Mobo...get Intel C2D if you are only planning on using it for gaming (esp OCing) or C2Q if for more gen purpose. C2D like the E8400/E8500 are dirt cheap and they OC like crazy. DDR2 is also dirt cheap so 4 gb would be fine and many s775 Intel mobo's are very affordable at this pt in time.


CPU Cooler...fine


PSU...seems ok but for the same ~$$$ I would get the Corsair 1000w instead.


GPU...why go 3870x2...just get the 4870x2...But I am a NVidia fan so take what i said with a grain of salt.


Its better to get 1gb card then 2x512.



All IMHO stuff.


BTW: it really depend at what rez's you want to play the games at will determine what can be max'd out. Cryisis will/can never be max'd out at 2560x1600 or even 1920x1200 with existing HW.

If I were using the PC for gaming and general purposes without OCing, would you still recommend the Intels over AMD? My last system was an AMD so I don't know whether to stick with that or go Intel.

I didn't know Corsair even made PSUs ... are they reliable? I just don't want anything dying out on me and/or damaging my precious pc parts.

I'm pretty much sold on going for the 4870 ... if not the 4850. Also, I was looking at the Asus 4870 with the 3 fans http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121294 ... what do you think about that? Is Sapphire still a reliable manufacturer? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102768 Visiontek? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814129114 sigh ... so many choices.

Oh and one last thing ... are there 4870X2s? The 3870 has 2 GPU ... I don't think these do though

 

[Bob7145]

PowerColor makes a good 1Gb 4870 PCS+


The motherboard you suggested has 4 PCI-E graphics slots!

DFI and Gigabyte make great 790GX boards with I think more useful features.


Gigabyte GA-MA790GP-DS4H


DFI DK 790GX-M2RS


And the new AMD Phenom II X4 comes out Thursday. [email protected] & [email protected]

 

[Tinker]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Krieger119 /forum/post/15476975


If I were using the PC for gaming and general purposes without OCing, would you still recommend the Intels over AMD? My last system was an AMD so I don't know whether to stick with that or go Intel.

I didn't know Corsair even made PSUs ... are they reliable? I just don't want anything dying out on me and/or damaging my precious pc parts.

I'm pretty much sold on going for the 4870 ... if not the 4850. Also, I was looking at the Asus 4870 with the 3 fans http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121294 ... what do you think about that? Is Sapphire still a reliable manufacturer? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102768 Visiontek? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814129114 sigh ... so many choices.

Oh and one last thing ... are there 4870X2s? The 3870 has 2 GPU ... I don't think these do though

Unless you are really on a tight budget..there is no real reason to go with AMD at this pt since the Intel CPU's gen outperform the AMD offerings.


Corsair makes some of the best PSU right now. esp their HX series.


Yes the 4870x2 is two GPU's on one PCB. There are also 4850x2's but they are harder to find at this pt in time.


I personally don't like the 48xx series if they use the ref ATI design cooling. They just idles way too hot for my comfort level. But many ATI partners now have their own designed cooling solutions that are way better then the ATI ref one. Palit has wicked cooling for some of their 4870's. XFX has now also joined the ATI partners along with still providing Nvidia cards. Check into what XFX has for warranty for the ATI cards. They have life x 2 with their Nvidia offerings. Most other ATI partners only have a very limited 1 year warranty with a few exceptions.


Since I am accused of being a Nvidia fanboy. An alternative to the 4870 1gb card would be the Nvidia GTX260 c216. That would be my pref. But then I am bias

.

 

[Krieger119]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Tinker /forum/post/15477219


Since I am accused of being a Nvidia fanboy. An alternative to the 4870 1gb card would be the Nvidia GTX260 c216. That would be my pref. But then I am bias

.

Thx ... now, not only am I looking at the 4870s, but now I'm looking at the 280s ... ay ya yai.

 

[Krieger119]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob7145 /forum/post/15477195


PowerColor makes a good 1Gb 4870 PCS+


The motherboard you suggested has 4 PCI-E graphics slots!

DFI and Gigabyte make great 790GX boards with I think more useful features.


Gigabyte GA-MA790GP-DS4H


DFI DK 790GX-M2RS


And the new AMD Phenom II X4 comes out Thursday. [email protected] & [email protected]

Thx for the update on the new AMD cpu coming out. And I will also check out those mobos (if Tinker doesn't talk me into Intel LOL) ... I like that gigabyte one. Just figured with the mobo I picked I could throw in 4 GPUs eventually

 

[Martez]

For HTPC gaming, I'd recommend a 1gig video card.

 

[Randall Morton]

Newegg has some really good deals on 280s now. Also Zipzoomfly has one for under $300 after rebate. The 285s will be out in a little over a week.

 

[Krieger119]

Ok ... I've decided to go with the 4870 x 2 ... I'm just getting overall better reviews about that card when compared to the GTX280 (not including Crysis which is supposedly Nvidia favored). Now I would like suggestions on which of these 3 to go with ...

Asus (I like the 3 fan design) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121294

Sapphire (I remember Sapphire was always reliable) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102768

Visiontek (My friend recommeded it to me) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814129114

Which one you guys think I should go with?


As for the CPU, I think I'm going to stick with the AMD and try that and see how it goes (nice try though, Tinker

). As for the mobo, I'm going to look at my options ... I like the Gigabyte mentioned above and the one I chose ... we'll see.

 

[Tinker]

280's SLI'd will beat the 4870x2 in most cases. Need two xfire'd 4870x2's to beat the SLI 280's. TRI SLI 280's will beat the xfire'd 4870x2's. esp at the low price deals of the 280's right now or wait for the 295's which are basicly two 260's sandwiched into one vid card.


Not 100% sure but I think the new AMD cpu would require DDR3 and not the cheap DDR2. If you are going all new and DDR3 why not look at the Intel i7/x58 combo's. Best there is at this pt in time IMHO.


see example of OCing the i7/x58

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1091619


Its your money so bottom line is get what ever will make you happy regardless what ever anybody may say

.

 

[N8DOGG]

I'm with tinker, the intel solution will beat any amd offerings at this time. I'd also go with two 280's sli'd over the 4870x2.

I have my i7 evgax58 combo running at 3.9 with no trouble at all, with corsair 6 gigs ram and vista 64

 

[Krieger119]

Grrrr ... I hate you Tinker ... you make me feel like Zoolander, easily swayed saying yes to whatever you say LMAO.

Well, I think I'm going to stick with my setup and continue contemplating on the vid card.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130368

or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121294

There can be only one ... unfortunately lol


Now, I have a 22" Samsung monitor and thinking of getting this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824236048 ... hows this monitor?

 

[Bob7145]

New Phenom IIs have a DDR2 mem controller and in mid 09 the AM3 Phenoms have both DDR2 and DDR3 mem controllers so they will work in either AM2+ or AM3 motherboards.

 

[Krieger119]



Quote:
Originally Posted by N8DOGG /forum/post/15478736


I'm with tinker, the intel solution will beat any amd offerings at this time. I'd also go with two 280's sli'd over the 4870x2.

I have my i7 evgax58 combo running at 3.9 with no trouble at all, with corsair 6 gigs ram and vista 64

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tinker /forum/post/15478403


why not look at the Intel i7/x58 combo's. Best there is at this pt in time IMHO.

I heard i7's are way too much and most likely out my price range.

 

[Tinker]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Krieger119 /forum/post/15478771


Grrrr ... I hate you Tinker ... you make me feel like Zoolander, easily swayed saying yes to whatever you say LMAO.

Well, I think I'm going to stick with my setup and continue contemplating on the vid card.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130368

or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121294

There can be only one ... unfortunately lol


Now, I have a 22" Samsung monitor and thinking of getting this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824236048 ... hows this monitor?

Take a look at the samsung T240. I just picked up the Samsung T240 (24" 1920x1200) monitor as a back up for my DELL 3007 (2560x1600) and to use on my test bench. Reason is that I got it for $300cdn locally and just couldn't resist the price. The only prob is the HDMI is way underscanned for PC connection but the DVI is perfect.


I'd use a lot of eVGA vid cards and mobo's. They have prob the best customer support along with BFG in the industry. No real need to pay for a factory OC'd 280 tho since many OC's well from stock. Just get the default 602 speed version and OC to 640-700 depending on the card.

 

[Krieger119]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Tinker /forum/post/15479090


Take a look at the samsung T240. I just picked up the Samsung T240 (24" 1920x1200) monitor as a back up for my DELL 3007 (2560x1600) and to use on my test bench. Reason is that I got it for $300cdn locally and just couldn't resist the price. The only prob is the HDMI is way underscanned for PC connection but the DVI is perfect.

That monitor is $429.99 on newegg ... $130 more than the Asus

Status report: You're swaying me a little to the 280

 

[gmoney80]

I know you said that you were getting the 4870x2 but the new nvidia 295 comes out on thursday and according to this review it is beating the 4870x2 in every game tested and that is with beta drivers

plus it will be cheaper and dissipate heat better and use less power for $499 msrp. Just thought I would mention it. here is the link.
http://www.guru3d.com/article/geforce-gtx-295-preview/