Got a new build coming up, how do these parts look?

[Baleful]

My brother wants a gaming rig, but wants to stay as close to $1,000 as possible. In that price range I figured AMD would give the best bang for buck in gaming. I haven't built an AMD rig since the Athalon 64 days so I'm not 100% sure on all the parts I've picked out.

Here's what I've got so far:


Case (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042) - Antec 300
HDD (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319) - WD Black 640
Monitor (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009145) - Acer 22"
Motherboard (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130223) - MSI 790FX
Graphics Card (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150359) - XFX Radeon HD 4890
PSU (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006) - Corsair 750Watt
RAM (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146873) - Mushkin 4GB DDR3 1600
CPU (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103650) - AMD Phenom II X4 810
HSF (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233029) - Xigmatek Dark Knight

A few questions:

Is the mounting for AM2/AM3 the same when it comes to Heatsinks? I think it is, but want to make sure.

Anyone know how this RAM acts with this board?

What about the processor, I see that the BE came out a few days ago, should I just go ahead and spend the extra ~$80 and upgrade to that?

Since it's been so long since I've built an AMD rig, is there anything I need to watch out for? Any bugs, or special things I need to do?

Thanks guys.

[slpdLoad]

Yeah the mounting is identical.

If you're going to spend $80 more, get a 955.

[Kayin]

The 720 kills in gaming too (look at my benches) and gives a great OC for the money.

That memory should be fine, however it won't be supported except through OCing.

My DDR3-1066 is just fine, and will definetely give some headroom. I'm using the 2x2GB Crucial ValueRAM that just happens to be D9s-first stop on NewEgg.

If you pick that board, i have the 1.31 beta for you too...

[p0Pe]

i would say, if you are going to use it for gaming, then throw out the 810, and get a x3 720. performs just as good in games, and saves you some money. and especially dont go with the 955 just for a gamer rig. that would be like all the small kids that uses daddy´s money on an i7 for their counter strike 1.6 rigs. folish (heh... eheehhe... flashback...)

and yes the mounting is the same:)

the psu is pure overkill. you can run it fine with a 550W psu.

the cash you save on the psu and cpu you could use for a 24" monitor instead. the extra res is wonderfull to work with. you wont regret it:)

:edit

need to learn to refresh thread...

[slpdLoad]

and especially dont go with the 955 just for a gamer rig. that would be like all the small kids that uses daddy´s money on an i7 for their counter strike 1.6 rigs. folish (heh... eheehhe... flashback...)


You're not cool unless you can CRUSH THE OTHER KIDS!!!!.:fight11: lol

But yeah, I have a 720 @ 3.5 and it kicks ass for gaming, while crunching at "100%" on all three cores in the background.

[knightmaric]

That 720 is an animal =]
Plus a few people have been lucky and had a very good chip and have been able to unlock the 4th core and have it working fine :P

With the psu it's better to be safe than sorry =]
And that 750 will let you at least add another gpu at a later date =]
Would a 650w with a 54a single rail be fine with 2 4870's? Asking for my own benefit on this one.
That mobo is awsome to!
It's the one I want to get =D
And judging from the OC results and everything else i've seen it's a monster.

Good luck with the AMD rig baleful =D
I'll be keeping an eye on it as it's nearly exactly what i'm buying.
I want a 4870 though since it's cheaper hehe But those 4890's are lovely =]

[Baleful]

Thanks for the input guys. I'm gonna keep that PSU so he'll have headroom around Christmas to upgrade to crossfire. The 22" will stay as well, as that's all the room he has on his desk. Besides, he games on an old 17" HP CRT atm, so this will be a huge upgrade to him. With the savings on the CPU, i'll throw in a keyboard+mouse+headset since he doesn't have anything right now.

Anything else I'm missing?

[ILikeCosmosS]

i perfer you get the el cheapo crucial memory at newegg so you can get 8gb of memory at 82 bucks running at 1066mhz
what is difference between 720 be and the 810
i heard 810 was a phenom x4 but with a broken core

[Timlander]

The 720 kills in gaming too (look at my benches) and gives a great OC for the money.

That memory should be fine, however it won't be supported except through OCing.

My DDR3-1066 is just fine, and will definetely give some headroom. I'm using the 2x2GB Crucial ValueRAM that just happens to be D9s-first stop on NewEgg.

If you pick that board, i have the 1.31 beta for you too...

Whats the 1.31 beta?

[p0Pe]

instead of getting 8 gb of memorry then take a huge stick and hit yourself in the head with it. you will gain more performance with the stick. you wont ever notice a difference between 4 and 8. you will hardly notice from 2 too 4... 8 and 16 gb ram is for the people who think their pc specs is equal to the length of their penis:)

[MomijiTMO]

I'm not sure if 8Gb is enough then. I mean from the photos I've seen of Baleful. . . at least 12Gb.



[Enjoy the lol :D]

[Septim]

Whats the 1.31 beta?

modded bios i think...

4gb mem is enough for gaming purposes... also crunching purposes...

22LCD upgrade from 17CRT is pretty impressive enough.

good choices on parts. well inside the budget...

[Kayin]

I run 8GB, will trade to 16 at first affordable opportunity.

I also run SolidWorks and Kerkythea. Pays off then.

[p0Pe]

I run 8GB, will trade to 16 at first affordable opportunity.

I also run SolidWorks and Kerkythea. Pays off then.

have you ever maxed out your 8 gb? :P

[knightmaric]

iLikeCosmosS, that's the 720 you're thinking of =]
The 720 is the tri core.
Some people have been able to unlock the 4th and it's been fine, it's just been put to 3 because the other core isn't working as well as the others.
The 810 is the x4 =]

4gb is more than enough personally, but 8 is sweet to get for bragging rights and you'll never know when you might need it.
Just for the price difference i'd say 4gb is enough personally.

What keyboard, mouse and headset you thinking about getting?
Just though i'd throw in the razer recommendation =] No flaming! xD
I don't game yet as my PC sucks, but I have the tarantulla keyboard and copperhead tempest mouse.
Absolutely amazing in all honesty.
Should be getting an OCZ elixer I won in a comp soon to.
Similar to the tarantula, but nowhere near as good.

Also could somebody please answer my PSU question in post #6 =]
Thanks.

[ILikeCosmosS]

lol i like old school keyboards :)
then whats the difference between the 8xx series and the 9xx series then?

[knightmaric]

Do you mean 8 and 9 series AMD cpu's?
If so the 9 series are meant for AM2+ boards but are not compatible with AM3 boards.
The 7 and 8's are AM3.

[ILikeCosmosS]

lol not true the 955 is a am3 model

[knightmaric]

Ahh I forgot about the 955 xD
Not long ago hard about that one so my bad :P