New gaming build ~2500

[jsimpso55]

Please critique this gaming build. Thanks for your help in advance.

• Budget is roughly $2500
• Purchase in the next 2 weeks
• Primarily used for gaming (1900x1200), internet and movies
• Planning to overclock CPU and GPUs (my first overclock)
• Low noise is important to me

Intel Core i7-950 Bloomfield 3.06GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor - $299

MSI Big Bang-XPower LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - $299 I'm interested to hear some feedback on this motherboard because I don't see too many people using it in new builds. However, I read a really good review of it on HardOCP and Tom's gave it a pretty good review as well. I'm not planning to use the 4 x SLI which is one of the only negatives that has been mentioned.

G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit - $135

2 X GIGABYTE GV-N460OC-1GI GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Video Card - $460 I know that many people are choosing the Palit 460 over this card because the Palit is overclocked and has been very fast in tests. However, the Palit brand and warranty worry me. I am planning to OC these cards anyway and my hope is that they are quieter/cooler than the Palit. Also, I considered the 5870 but I like the performance of the SLI 460s better and I really wanted to use SLI or Crossfire in this build. I know the 5870 gives me more flexibility for future proofing but I'm ok without that.

CORSAIR HX Series CMPSU-850HX 850W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply - $150 (after mail-in rebate) This one seems like a no-brainer. Everyone seems to agree that this is a great power supply.

Crucial RealSSD C300 CTFDDAC128MAG-1G1 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - $276 I know that the Sandforce SDDs are a bit faster but I really wanted the SATA 6 and couldn't afford the 256GB version which performs even better.

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive - $75 Honestly didn't do much research on this one because so many people have it in their builds that I figured it must be good.

LITE-ON Black Blu-ray Disc Combo SATA Model iHES208-08 LightScribe Support - $99 Is there a better option for a DVD burner/Blu Ray player?

COOLER MASTER HAF X RC-942-KKN1 Black Steel/ Plastic ATX Full Tower Computer Case - $199

Thermalright U120eXtrem1366RT R-C 120mm Fluid Dynamic CPU Cooler - $60

Dell 24 inch UltraSharp U2410 Monitor - $450 (with Dell coupon) If I could spend less on a 24 inch monitor with 1900 x 1200 resolution I would like to but I can't seem to find a great recommendation on a monitor.

 

[skuzzzzy]

Please critique this gaming build. Thanks for your help in advance.

• Budget is roughly $2500
• Purchase in the next 2 weeks
• Primarily used for gaming (1900x1200), internet and movies
• Planning to overclock CPU and GPUs (my first overclock)
• Low noise is important to me

Intel Core i7-950 Bloomfield 3.06GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor - $299

MSI Big Bang-XPower LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - $299 I'm interested to hear some feedback on this motherboard because I don't see too many people using it in new builds. However, I read a really good review of it on HardOCP and Tom's gave it a pretty good review as well. I'm not planning to use the 4 x SLI which is one of the only negatives that has been mentioned.

G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit - $135

2 X GIGABYTE GV-N460OC-1GI GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Video Card - $460 I know that many people are choosing the Palit 460 over this card because the Palit is overclocked and has been very fast in tests. However, the Palit brand and warranty worry me. I am planning to OC these cards anyway and my hope is that they are quieter/cooler than the Palit. Also, I considered the 5870 but I like the performance of the SLI 460s better and I really wanted to use SLI or Crossfire in this build. I know the 5870 gives me more flexibility for future proofing but I'm ok without that.

CORSAIR HX Series CMPSU-850HX 850W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply - $150 (after mail-in rebate) This one seems like a no-brainer. Everyone seems to agree that this is a great power supply.

Crucial RealSSD C300 CTFDDAC128MAG-1G1 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - $276 I know that the Sandforce SDDs are a bit faster but I really wanted the SATA 6 and couldn't afford the 256GB version which performs even better.

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive - $75 Honestly didn't do much research on this one because so many people have it in their builds that I figured it must be good.

LITE-ON Black Blu-ray Disc Combo SATA Model iHES208-08 LightScribe Support - $99 Is there a better option for a DVD burner/Blu Ray player?

COOLER MASTER HAF X RC-942-KKN1 Black Steel/ Plastic ATX Full Tower Computer Case - $199

Thermalright U120eXtrem1366RT R-C 120mm Fluid Dynamic CPU Cooler - $60

Dell 24 inch UltraSharp U2410 Monitor - $450 (with Dell coupon) If I could spend less on a 24 inch monitor with 1900 x 1200 resolution I would like to but I can't seem to find a great recommendation on a monitor.

not sure if you want exactly 24" but heres a 25.5" asus 1920x1200res
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824236047

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813188065
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131666
are two other higher end motherboards people like to use aswell as yours.

heres two good cheaper ones aswell
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128423
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131665

but really personally the msi and the evga look the best to me.


id personally suggest evga for gpu brand.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231304
bit better timing ram.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827136181
bluray/dvd burner.

and yea spinpoint f3 is the best 1tb to get right now.

if you decide on that heatsink id suggest buying these fans for it, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...2&cm_re=gentle_typhoon-_-35-185-092-_-Product
they run really quite.

 

[mfenn]

The U2410 is a great monitor, you will love it. I highly recommend using the factory-calibrated Abode RGB mode.

As for the rest of the build, I would say to step it up to 2 GTX 470's as they are only a few bucks more that the 460's and are substantially faster.

 

[Sp12]

This PSU is 40$ less and nicer.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817207001

It only has a 5 year warranty though.

Otherwise, the mobo/CPU cooler seem a bit off. The Mobo is ultra-highend, which is nice, but unless you're planning on extreme overclocking a cheaper board would serve just as well.

IMO if you're spending 60$ on the cooler you should step up to something better. http://www.frostytech.com/top5heatsinks.cfm

 

[Serradifalco]

This PSU is 40$ less and nicer.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817207001

It only has a 5 year warranty though.

Otherwise, the mobo/CPU cooler seem a bit off. The Mobo is ultra-highend, which is nice, but unless you're planning on extreme overclocking a cheaper board would serve just as well.

IMO if you're spending 60$ on the cooler you should step up to something better. http://www.frostytech.com/top5heatsinks.cfm

Please state in which ways that psu is nicer. It actually isn't. If u really read some reviews, you will see where the thing actually blew up. Your original Corsair choice is the right one.

 

[skuzzzzy]

Please state in which ways that psu is nicer. It actually isn't. If u really read some reviews, you will see where the thing actually blew up. Your original Corsair choice is the right one.

i didnt have facts but also wondered how it was nicer.

however it is a great powersupply, if anyone can deal with its ugliness.

 

[Sp12]

Please state in which ways that psu is nicer. It actually isn't. If u really read some reviews, you will see where the thing actually blew up. Your original Corsair choice is the right one.

I'm sure there's some DOAs/whatever.

Review: http://www.hardocp.com/article/2009/12/10/xfx_black_edition_850w_power_supply_review/


Here's the 850 XFX vs. 850 HX. Notice how the XFX is only worse in terms of aesthetics (subjective).

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story5&reid=153

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story5&reid=165

So if it's on sale for 40$ less, and has slightly nicer vreg, it's preferable.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

You can easily get a i7 920 up to 3.4Ghz no problem

 

[RaistlinZ]

I believe you can get the GTX470 for $249.99 right now from Frys.com. I'd go that route for some super SLI performance over the GTX460's since the price difference is only $40.00 total.

 

[Shropshire]

Is G.Skill memory reliable? I currently have Patriot memory in my system and it is causing crashes. I am looking at replacing it with another brand of memory but I am not sure what brand.

 

[mfenn]

Is G.Skill memory reliable? I currently have Patriot memory in my system and it is causing crashes. I am looking at replacing it with another brand of memory but I am not sure what brand.

G.Skill is good. I wouldn't give up on Patriot though. At least give them a chance to make it right. All memory vendors have a non-zero failure rate.

 

[fffblackmage]

Is G.Skill memory reliable? I currently have Patriot memory in my system and it is causing crashes. I am looking at replacing it with another brand of memory but I am not sure what brand.

I had the impression Patriot is a decent brand. Maybe you can just RMA it instead. No one makes perfect memory.