Gaming PC - AMD (mid range to high end)

[Rev]

hi guys,
Looking to build a new rig... but the choices are overwhelming!!

Was wondering if anyone could suggest what is a mid-range to high-end setup for AMD processor, motherboard & ram? And any recommendations on which brands with stability?

Will probably drop an nvidia 7900gt in there for graphics... ;p

 

[togu]

How's your budget like? Let me try,

1. AMD X2 3800/4400
2. DFI Ultra D SLI motherboard
3. 2gb OCZ/gSkill/Patriot XBLK rams
4. 2 x 36gb raptor HDD for raid, or 2 x 80gb at least
5. 7900GT/GTX graphic card (x 2 for SLI if got budget)
6. Sound card ( I find it optional since my mobo already have sound chip. Probably better sound with a card, but I'll rather spend the $$ on something else. )
7. Saitek Eclipse keyboard
8. Razor DiamondBack mouse

More then enough to play F.E.A.R smoothly.

 

[glensky]

How's your budget like? Let me try,

1. AMD X2 3800/4400
2. DFI Ultra D SLI motherboard
3. 2gb OCZ/gSkill/Patriot XBLK rams
4. 2 x 36gb raptor HDD for raid, or 2 x 80gb at least
5. 7900GT/GTX graphic card (x 2 for SLI if got budget)
6. Sound card ( I find it optional since my mobo already have sound chip. Probably better sound with a card, but I'll rather spend the $$ on something else. )
7. Saitek Eclipse keyboard
8. Razor DiamondBack mouse

More then enough to play F.E.A.R smoothly.

would love to get this warez...got myself a quad opteron 64 for my work.:devil:

 

[glennyong]

How's your budget like? Let me try,

1. AMD X2 3800/4400
2. DFI Ultra D SLI motherboard
3. 2gb OCZ/gSkill/Patriot XBLK rams
4. 2 x 36gb raptor HDD for raid, or 2 x 80gb at least
5. 7900GT/GTX graphic card (x 2 for SLI if got budget)
6. Sound card ( I find it optional since my mobo already have sound chip. Probably better sound with a card, but I'll rather spend the $$ on something else. )
7. Saitek Eclipse keyboard
8. Razor DiamondBack mouse

More then enough to play F.E.A.R smoothly.

SLI is a must la.... :bsmilie:
8. Razor Copperhead Mouse.... (SOP for gamers... hahaha)
9. Razor Mantis Control Mouse pad....
10. Water cooled system.

other than that ToGu's system is good enuff to slaughter laggers like me... :bsmilie: :bsmilie:

 

[hwchoy]

can I tongpang this thread?

what would you guys recommend for a chassis -> minimum fan sound, good cooling for at least 3 HDD, and one if not two high-end graphics card?

 

[togu]

SLI is a must la.... :bsmilie:
8. Razor Copperhead Mouse.... (SOP for gamers... hahaha)
9. Razor Mantis Control Mouse pad....
10. Water cooled system.

other than that ToGu's system is good enuff to slaughter laggers like me... :bsmilie: :bsmilie:

I'm using Razor Diamondback Plasma only... :cry:

Got it at $68.90, Green Miles. ;p

 

[Rev]

How's your budget like? Let me try,

1. AMD X2 3800/4400
2. DFI Ultra D SLI motherboard
3. 2gb OCZ/gSkill/Patriot XBLK rams
4. 2 x 36gb raptor HDD for raid, or 2 x 80gb at least
5. 7900GT/GTX graphic card (x 2 for SLI if got budget)
6. Sound card ( I find it optional since my mobo already have sound chip. Probably better sound with a card, but I'll rather spend the $$ on something else. )
7. Saitek Eclipse keyboard
8. Razor DiamondBack mouse

More then enough to play F.E.A.R smoothly.

thanks man... but is this a high-end system? I cant tell which amd is value for money... budget is around $1.5K. Dont think I need the raid, I just use an external HDD & yea the sli will be useful later but dont think I can afford 2 7900GTs, let alone 1 GTX lol

How about GRAW? that game f****in killed the FPS in my 6600GT heh... =(

hwchoy,
can tompang. cant recommend sli mobo but I'm pretty sure there's a good number of casing with >3 HDD racks/slots & enough cooling fans in simlim... For minimum sound & less fans, will have to get those passively cooled (heatsink only) video card (check Hwzone) & zalman for low-noise cpu cooling in a ATX casing...

Just reminded me of the days with the overclocked Athlon Tbirds/Durons with the "jet-turbine" 7200RPM fans =D

 

[togu]

Er... with a X2 3800/4000, I'll say it's more like a medium high system, at a scale of 1- 10, probably somewhere at 7.

But since your budget is at 1.5k? Hrm... can add to 1.6k? If can, this is what I'll go for,

Abit KN8 SLI nForce 4/ AMD Athlon 64 3000+ Bundle approx $369
http://216.147.36.17/livestore/prod...=2979&osCsid=54ddb39f9e07ab55d8b0e44dcbd0dda0
Patroit DDR400 PC3200 CL2.5 1GB approx $135
Leadtek WinFast PX7900GT TDH 256MB DDR3 PCIex approx $528
http://216.147.36.17/livestore/prod...=3130&osCsid=54ddb39f9e07ab55d8b0e44dcbd0dda0
80Gb HDD approx $78
LG GSA-H10N DVD writer approx $79
LG L1750SQ 17" (Analog) approx $359

You are left with $52 for casing. Total 1.6k.

This system can play F.E.A.R , pretty good speed at medium level graphic settings. SLI, more rams at a later stage will give you better performance.

Start off with this, slowly add this and that. Just my suggestion, other members might have better suggestion tho. ;p

 

[tao]

Hi there, whatever system you eventually get, make sure you spec a good quality PSU (power supply unit) to go with it. Quality brands such as Antec, FSP, HEC, Tagan, etc comes to mind.

Forget about the cheapo 'high rating' PSU that comes with those cheapo casings. Remember that a system is only as stable as its PSU, as many find out in regret later.

 

[hwchoy]

absolutely. if your PSU is unstable, your HDD will start losing stuff intermittenly.

 

[togu]

Talking about PSU, hrm... can I tongpang your thread a bit too. ;p

I have a very good condition Antec Smartpower version 1 PSU (should be 350w) to give away. About 7-8 mths old, no receipt, sleeved up nicely by energizer from er.. can't remember his forum name. I took it out 2 mths ago when I changed to OCZ, so the PSU is like collecting dust now. REV, you can take it if you are not going SLI.

http://togu.elementsfree.com/clubsnap/toguster_2509_web.jpg

Anyone interested pm me. Priority will go to thread starter tho, for I hijacked his thread.

 

[togu]

:sweat:

You guys 24/7 checking forum? Recieved 6 pm after I posted at 11.48am.

PSU reserved, will give to xxxxxxxxx bro if thread starter don't need.

 

[hwchoy]

yah me using Antec too, the PSU really heavy. when I took out the PSU that came with the chassis, a gust of wind nearly blew it away.

 

[Koelsch]

http://forums.hardwarezone.com/showthread.php?t=1297747

btw saitek keyboard is so darn overrated. just get a good normal keyboard and it's good enough. and razer are what i call chop carrot head brand ^^. though i'm using copperhead right now, it's FOC and i don't rate their performance as very good. the mousefeet that comes with it totally s*** thumb. i had to get my own mousefeet after that.

even if you're a very hardcore gamer, i don't think they are that many ppls using razer products unless they are sponsered. i have friends being sponsered by razer as well but i gotta say. their mantis is a good product worth getting.

btw i don't know much about cpu rigging =( the above url link is my friend's thread and see his cpu. it's rather good :thumbsup:

 

[Rev]

wow, thanks togu, much appreciated but I dont know you so I'd feel wierd abt that, hopefully 1 of the 6 pm's are yr good friends =)

1.5K is not including monitor but I think I gotta go SLI anyways for flexibility. Been looking around for articles on bottlenecks (cpu or video card) to help decide which processor & cpu would be a perfect marriage but cant find recent stuff. Lame reason is to upgrade for GRAW & later games....
and thanks to you, I'm gonna get that plasma diamondback, the copperhead is quite small =)

good point abt the psu guys, I missed that

koelsch, I meant new rig = new mobo, new ram etc. the overclock days are over, cant hear much these days haha


next question is D200 or new pc? heh

 

[cerebrus]

I'm using Razor Diamondback Plasma only... :cry:

Got it at $68.90, Green Miles. ;p

I got the Plasma LE for $50 :bsmilie:

 

[togu]

I got the Plasma LE for $50 :bsmilie:

:bigeyes:

:cry:

Grrrr...

:kok:

 

[togu]

No problem, Rev, I'll pass the PSU to the first PM guy then. Kakakak.. all the members in CS are my friends, so it makes no different tho.

 

[cerebrus]

Agree with what people say about PSU. Get a good one now, something that is more then what you need. That way, wehn you add more HDD, get ur 2nd vid card for the SLI goodness, you will not need to get a PSU.

About noise, the PSU is the loudest thing in my rig. Am using 120mm in/out take fans, cannot hear them. You can get some near silent PSU. Do not think the fanless ones are good for SGP, unless you run your aircon 24/7.

Also, get a larger case, it makes a big difference to keeping your system cool. Also makes sorting all the wires inside less of a headache.

All the new AMD CPUs run quite cool. Am using a Stock fan on my Athlon XP 3500+ & the max it ever hit is about 50C, running BF2 on a 6800GS. I do not have an aircon in my room & this was in the afternoon.

What computers do I use?

Home
AXP 3500+ (Venice)
ASUS A8N SLI
XFX 6800GS XXX Ed
1GB DDR 400 (need another 1GB....)

Lab
Have a PIV with 4GB of RAM & a Quadro card in my lab. Cannot remeber the specs :dunno:

Will be getting our new system soon:
AMD Athlon 64 3800+ X2
2GB DDR-400 RAM
7800GT

 

[togu]

Why not the 7900GT? ;p