Building a new Gaming Rig

[stryker999]

So I'm building a gaming rig for my buddy, as his grandparents are giving him money for graduation or whatever. Basically, he has a $2100 dollar allowance (he can add in a couple hundred of his own dollars too), and I want to squeeze as much performance out of that money as possible. I've been doing extensive research, but figured I'd hear what the forums have to say before actually telling him to buy things. He would prefer to buy from 1-2 sites, and is trying to purchase within the next week.

Right now the system I have set up for him is as follows -

monarchcomputer.com
AMD Athlon 64 3800+ - $650
Gigabyte K8NSNXP-939 - $229
2 GB OCZ DDR400 RAM (Timings 3-3-3-7) $472
Western Digital 120GB SATA - $96
eVGA nVidia 256MB GeForce 6800GT - $399
ViewSonic 19" G90F $268
Enermax Mid-Tower Aluminum 400W $58
Logitech Keyboard $12
Logitech Optical Mouse $26
OEM Windows XP Home $89
Shipping -- Approx $50
System = $2349

Thanks for Suggestions!

 

[Mik3y]

lose the 2gb of ram. 2gb is waaay overkill. 1gb is sufficient and we all know that he will never use that much to a point where he needs more ram. as for the motherboard, go wtih teh asus k8t800 pro board. its full of features and is comparable with the gigabyte motherboard. as for the cpu, use the money saved on the memory and go with the fx-53. make those changes and it'll be a sick comp.

 

[zainali]

Originally posted by: stryker999


AMD Athlon 64 3800+ - $650 get the 3500+. save $300.
2 GB OCZ DDR400 RAM (Timings 3-3-3-7) $472 get 1 Gig low latency stuff- $ save $200
Western Digital 120GB SATA - $96 get a raptor for boot up- $100.
ViewSonic 19" G90F $268 -might wanna look for an LCD. depends on what your friend likes. 17 inch LCDs have same viewable area as 19 inch crts.
Enermax Mid-Tower Aluminum 400W $58 - get a antec sonata/1080amg case. IMO better value.
Logitech Keyboard $12
Logitech Optical Mouse $26 -- Get MX Duo. additional $30.

Thanks for Suggestions!

 

[stryker999]

In Anandtech's Socket 939 Motherboard Round-Up the Gigabyte and MSI outperformed the ASUS by quite a bit. I think we may wait for the MSI to come in stock, and drop down the ram to 1GB like you said, and get an FX-53.

 

[Bugalaman]

move to a Abit Av8. Its $100 less but the same performance. Put that $100 into the Ultra (if you want)

oh another thing get the G90F at newegg http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=24-116-199&depa=0
its $240 shipped there.

oh yet another thing. OCZ is utter crap. Get Corsair XMS or Mushkin. THis is a good buy: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-145-523&depa=1

 

[Holyhandgren]

I'd advise against going with the MSI. The socket 754 mobo from them at least is really really buggy.

 

[Ryoga]

Ryoga's guide to bulding a PC:

Step 1: Wait six months. DDR2, PCIe, and dual core CPUs are coming to prime time. Buy a system now and you'll have to throw the whole thing away before you can upgrade.

Also s754 appears to be a dead-end road. It's likely there will be two kinds of chips made for it: Semprons, and midgrade Athlons to upgrade your Sempron from without buying a s939 board.

 

[stryker999]

I'm Buying a 939 FX-53, and we're looking to buy a new system now, not in 6 months. I know MSI has had alot of motherboard problems in the past, but apparently their new motherboard ran well in Anandtech's tests. I was also buying OCZ because they performed well in Anandtech's tests without being ultra low latency.

 

[stryker999]

Also - I'm using monarch's pre-assembled processor/mobo/ram combos, which are free and pre-tested, so its guaranteed that I will get a working motherboard.

 

[stryker999]

So now I've been doing some more price research and this is how the current setup looks -

monarchcomputer.com
AMD Athlon 64 FX-53 (Socket 939) - $869
MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum - $179
1 GB OCZ DDR400 - $289
----------------------------- (These parts come in a pre-assembled package from monarchto guarantee no DOA mobo/proc/ram, so we're willing to spend the couple extra bucks.) ------------------------
Western Digital 120GB SATA - $96
Enermax Mid-Tower Aluminum 400W - $58
Logitech Keyboard - $12
Logitech Optical Mouse - $26
OEM Windows XP Home - $89
Shipping = $11

newegg.com
ViewSonic 19" G90F - $202
Shipping = $35

Pick up at Bestbuy
BFG GeForce 6800GT OC - $399.99

Final Updated Price - $2266

 

[jdogg707]

Originally posted by: stryker999
I'm Buying a 939 FX-53, and we're looking to buy a new system now, not in 6 months. I know MSI has had alot of motherboard problems in the past, but apparently their new motherboard ran well in Anandtech's tests. I was also buying OCZ because they performed well in Anandtech's tests without being ultra low latency.

It seems that pretty much all MSI motherboards run great in reviewer tests, then you buy them, and find out first hand why there is a growing majority out there hating everything about them.

 

[stryker999]

Yeah this is the reason why I'm doing the Monarch pre-built Processor/Motherboard combo, to ensure I don't get a dead board. The main problem with MSI has been this hasn't it? Or do their motherboards fail after time?

 

[RaistlinZ]

No 10,000rpm Raptor hard drive?

 

[stryker999]

Guess I gotta throw in a Raptor to keep you guys happy eh? Haha...hmm I'll see if I can find a nice price.

 

[CVSiN]

MSI = total craptasic board.. has 3 of them now every single one has had various levels of failure. never again.. ASUS or Abit only for me..
the new ASUS 939 board is sweet too

 

[Mik3y]

Originally posted by: Bugalaman
move to a Abit Av8. Its $100 less but the same performance. Put that $100 into the Ultra (if you want)

oh another thing get the G90F at newegg http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=24-116-199&depa=0
its $240 shipped there.

oh yet another thing. OCZ is utter crap. Get Corsair XMS or Mushkin. THis is a good buy: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-145-523&depa=1

utter crap? ocz is one of the best you can get when it comes to ram, and its also better specifically engineered for amd of optimal performance. i find them along the lines with corsair, but mushkin tops it all.

 

[bplamondon]

Originally posted by: Ryoga
Ryoga's guide to bulding a PC:

Step 1: Wait six months. DDR2, PCIe, and dual core CPUs are coming to prime time. Buy a system now and you'll have to throw the whole thing away before you can upgrade.

This works if you have tons of money... which this guy does... and works if he wants to do nothing for the next 6 months... which he doesnt.

Also if you dont have the money of insane quanity, you will likely be waiting over a year for those new technologies. Yes, I want them too, but when they first come out is never the time to buy unless you are rich.

 

[Chronoshock]

Originally posted by: zainali

Originally posted by: stryker999
Enermax Mid-Tower Aluminum 400W $58 - get a antec sonata/1080amg case. IMO better value.


Definetly get a better case man. If you're spending $2000 on components, you don't wanna cheap out on the PSU. That enermax comes with a crap PSU so I'd recommend either replacing that PSU with an antec one or getting another case entirely like the sonata that zainali mentioned

 

[jacktesterson]

A64 3500+
Nforce 3 250 Board (Asus or Soltek prefered here)
1 GB PC 3500 Ram (doesnt need to be low timings as suggest above, timings do squat on a64)
74 GB Raptor (windows)
120 GB Storage
6800GT Video card (256MB)
Windows XP
19" Monitor (i prefer samsung)
buy a nice speaker system. (z680's)
Antec Sonata


Id prefer to have this for same amount of money

 

[Markfw]

Definitly dump that crap case and get a Sonata, or at least an Antec PSU.

 

[NeoPTLD]

I can't believe a home user is going to be spending over $500 on just the processor.

 

[jacktesterson]

Originally posted by: NeoPTLD
I can't believe a home user is going to be spending over $500 on just the processor.

yeah althought I'd like to have it, I would probably go the 3200 route

 

[LordPhoenix]

Wow... $2100 and you can't fit a 6800 ULTRA into the budget?

 

[RadioHead84]

isnt a 3500 a good buy too

 

[DarkAmeba]

Originally posted by: AMDHardcoreFan
A64 3500+
Nforce 3 250 Board (Asus or Soltek prefered here)
1 GB PC 3500 Ram (doesnt need to be low timings as suggest above, timings do squat on a64)
74 GB Raptor (windows)
120 GB Storage
6800GT Video card (256MB)
Windows XP
19" Monitor (i prefer samsung)
buy a nice speaker system. (z680's)
Antec Sonata


Id prefer to have this for same amount of money

This setup is about what i'd suggest. The FX53, while fast, is a waste of money when you're on a limited budget imo.

Asus makes an nForce3 250gb 939 mobo??? The only one's i've seen are via, which is why I'm probally going to be taking my chances with the MSI soon.