Attention Mid-Range System Builders - Updated 08/01/2015

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Ken g6

Programming Moderator, Elite Member
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Dec 11, 1999
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Hey, Mfenn, have you noticed that your power supply prices have gone up by $10, every week, for the past 4 weeks? $80 seems like a bit much to me. Newegg seems a bit confused about last week's Seasonic 620 - it lists $80 one place and $70 in another. But this Corsair 600W is only $38 AR AP! Might cut it a little close for overclocking, but should work otherwise.

Edit: And then there's this FSP 650W silver for $75AR.

Edit2: And for those who must have maximum efficiency, there's this XFX gold for the same $80AR. Never mind, Newegg can't keep their prices straight again. :\
 
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mfenn

Elite Member
Jan 17, 2010
22,400
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Yes, I have noticed, and no it does not make me happy. I think the CX600, while more than powerful enough, is setting a bit lower of a bar in terms of quality than I would like. I try to get a Seasonic if it all possible.

That's not saying that the CX600 is going to blow up a machine or whatever, far from it. I wouldn't begrudge somebody for picking it up as an alternative.
 

lehtv

Elite Member
Dec 8, 2010
11,897
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91
Why not this? Beats Seasonic's Bronze...

Antec TP-650C $100 ($75 AR), free shipping

EDIT: Also given the Z87 Pro3, you're limited to single GPU and mild overclocking, so 550W should be enough for pretty much anyone. There's Rosewill Hive 550W for $60 ($50 AR), although the CX600 is a better deal at the moment
 
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mfenn

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Jan 17, 2010
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www.mfenn.com
New build posted, lehtv is a prophet! The TP-650C is a great deal right now at $60 AR. Minor deal-chasing changes elsewhere.
 

mfenn

Elite Member
Jan 17, 2010
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www.mfenn.com
New build posted, and it's the best one in a while. The CPU has a nice combo, there's a modular M12II-based PSU, and RAM prices are falling. I'd recommend picking up the 240GB SSD alternative if you want the build to be at $1000.

The R9 280X also returns since the pricing is back into the realm of sanity. I prefer it over the GTX 770 since the 280X has more VRAM, comes with a game that you might want, and is priced the same as the GTX 770.
 

lehtv

Elite Member
Dec 8, 2010
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Hey mfenn, what do you think about this memory? It's suspiciously cheap for the Freq/CAS. I just can't determine if it's a good deal or not.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820233536

edit: nevermind. looks like i'm better off saving money with the Team Zeus memory you linked in the OP.

If you're intending to get 16GB of RAM, don't get 4x4GB, get 2x8GB. With 4x4 you have no slots free, and you have a higher chance of receiving a dud module. It will also put more load on the CPU's memory controller.

Here's the best deal I can find on newegg at the moment: Kingston HyperX 2x8GB 1600MHz CL10 1.5V $130

This one isn't a bad option either: ADATA XPG V2 2x8GB 2400MHz CL13 1.65V $140. I bet you could run it at 2133 CL11 1.65V too. Either way, not bad for just $10 more... the tall profile can be a problem with certain CPU coolers, however.
 
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mfenn

Elite Member
Jan 17, 2010
22,400
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www.mfenn.com
Hey mfenn, what do you think about this memory? It's suspiciously cheap for the Freq/CAS. I just can't determine if it's a good deal or not.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820233536

edit: nevermind. looks like i'm better off saving money with the Team Zeus memory you linked in the OP.

I wouldn't really call that memory "suspiciously cheap" at $155. It's only $5 less than the next CAS9 DDR3 1866 kit.

Anyway, I tend to agree with lehtv that it's not worth paying extra for high-speed, low-latency memory on a typical gaming machine. Stick with normal DDR3 1600 like the $130 Kingston kit he linked.
 

mfenn

Elite Member
Jan 17, 2010
22,400
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71
www.mfenn.com
New build posted. There's a nice MSI combo deal which is about the same price as getting the i5 4670K, Z87 Pro3, and Team RAM individually, but it does come with a nicer board. Also switched back to the GTX 770 because R9 280X prices have gone back up. They're less ludicrous right now ($30 premium), so hopefully they'll come back down next week.
 

mfenn

Elite Member
Jan 17, 2010
22,400
5
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www.mfenn.com
New build posted. The R9 280X is back in and there's a good deal on the Corsair HX650 (the new Gold version). I wonder if cryptocoin mania is subsiding?
 

NewYorksFinest

Senior member
Mar 27, 2014
455
1
0
All of these builds are good, but how about one where there are multi builds? Like there is a:
$350 Build
$500 Build
$750 Build
$1000 Build
$1500 Build
$2000 Build

then it ends.
 

lehtv

Elite Member
Dec 8, 2010
11,897
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91
I've had that same thought, but it'd be quite a lot of work to update multiple builds every week. Also, higher or lower budget builds are much harder "standardize". With a budget of $1000, it's fairly easy to design a build that's good at everything, a jack of all trades sort of build.

With any build well below $1000, you have to make compromises here and there, and maybe even some sacrifices like not including an SSD at all. But there's no one correct way to decide what compromises and sacrifices to make, thus there's be need to have budget builds for various different user needs.

With a budget significantly above $1000, you have the opportunity to improve various aspects of the $1000 all-rounder build. You can choose to make it better in some aspects while leaving other aspects at the mid-range level. And as before, there's no one correct way to decide what to improve and what not to improve, it depends on the particular user's needs and wants.

This is why the $1000 midrange build works so well as a template that people can then adjust to their own needs and budgets. An $800 build with lesser gaming requirements? Get a non OC motherboard and CPU, drop the GPU down one notch, and get a 100W lesser PSU. Ta-da. A $1500 build with SLI compatibility? i5->i7, double SSD size, make sure PSU and motherboard are SLI compatible, up the GPU by one tier. Done.
 
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NewYorksFinest

Senior member
Mar 27, 2014
455
1
0
Volunteering? :awe:

I've had that same thought, but it'd be quite a lot of work to update multiple builds every week. Also, higher or lower budget builds are much harder "standardize". With a budget of $1000, it's fairly easy to design a build that's good at everything, a jack of all trades sort of build.

With any build well below $1000, you have to make compromises here and there, and maybe even some sacrifices like not including an SSD at all. But there's no one correct way to decide what compromises and sacrifices to make, thus there's be need to have budget builds for various different user needs.

With a budget significantly above $1000, you have the opportunity to improve various aspects of the $1000 all-rounder build. You can choose to make it better in some aspects while leaving other aspects at the mid-range level. And as before, there's no one correct way to decide what to improve and what not to improve, it depends on the particular user's needs and wants.

This is why the $1000 midrange build works so well as a template that people can then adjust to their own needs and budgets. An $800 build with lesser gaming requirements? Get a non OC motherboard and CPU, drop the GPU down one notch, and get a 100W lesser PSU. Ta-da. A $1500 build with SLI compatibility? i5->i7, double SSD size, make sure PSU and motherboard are SLI compatible, up the GPU by one tier. Done.

I will do it if you want me to...I can do one of those builds a week. Like the $350 one week then the $1000 in two weeks every Sunday.
 

mfenn

Elite Member
Jan 17, 2010
22,400
5
71
www.mfenn.com
New build posted. The previous CPU/mobo/RAM combo was out of stock, so I swapped it to a non-bundled set of parts. The Z87 Pro3 has fewer features than the combo board, but it does come out to be less expensive. Normal deal chasing on the other parts.

Side note: this is the first time that I've recommended a part that comes with free food.
 

NewYorksFinest

Senior member
Mar 27, 2014
455
1
0
New build posted. The previous CPU/mobo/RAM combo was out of stock, so I swapped it to a non-bundled set of parts. The Z87 Pro3 has fewer features than the combo board, but it does come out to be less expensive. Normal deal chasing on the other parts.

Side note: this is the first time that I've recommended a part that comes with free food.

I think I will buy that video card just to get free pizza :thumbsup:.
 
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