Any Advice/Suggestions?

[PassionBlue]

Alright well I am planning to build a new computer, and I've chosen the following components:

(Edited)

Processor: Phenom 9950 Newegg.com - AMD Phenom 9950 2.6GHz Socket AM2+ 125W Quad-Core Black Edition Processor - Processors - Desktops

Graphics Card: Sapphire HD 4870 512mb Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE 100257L Radeon HD 4870 512MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

Motherboard: MSI DKA790GX Newegg.com - MSI DKA790GX AM2+/AM2 AMD 790GX HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard - AMD Motherboards

Hard Drive: Western Digital 1TB 7200RPM Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar Green WD10EACS 1TB SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - Internal Hard Drives

Memory: CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Newegg.com - CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

Optical Drive: Newegg.com - LITE-ON Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 20X DVD±R DVD Burner - CD / DVD Burners

Case: Antec 900 Newegg.com - Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Computer Cases

Power Supply: Corsair 750TX Newegg.com - CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Power Supplies

Aftermarket CPU Cooler: Sunbeam CR-CCTF 120mm "Core Contact Freezer" Newegg.com - Sunbeam CR-CCTF 120mm "Core Contact Freezer" CPU Cooler - CPU Fans & Heatsinks

which comes to exactly $768 after mail-in-rebates and shipping.

So what do you guys think? Any suggestions? Is this a good build?

Thanks!!!!!

 

[Hussein19891]

Get a cheap Athlon X2 and wait until Deneb releases. Just save your money and get a 920 or 940 around release. But stick with the rest of your build.

 

[Nagasama]

i think it is a great build for that much money.
maybe go with the sunbeam core contact cooler or the xigmatech s1283. both perform better than an AF7.
prepare for the intel onslaught, BTW. but i think its a good build.

 

[saltynay]

Looks good I think deneb is going to come inbetween 775 and i7 by intel but on the cheap so it would be a good way to go.
I would get a second small drive for your Os and main programs as 1tb is a lot to just lose and by moving windows to different drive you will greatly reduce wear and tear as the paging file is basically constantly being written to in windows.
Psu is a bit ott unless your planning to go sli/crossfire in the next few years about 500W should be fine.
Ram is also ott unless your water cooling a 800mhz pair will be cheaper and better.

 

[Hussein19891]

Deneb is supposed to be $300 on release. But with the pricing on Core i7 and the fact it will only go lower. Rican is probably right, AMD couldn't afford to keep it at $300.

 

[Nagasama]

i totally agree with salty and the small HDD for the OS.

 

[PassionBlue]

Get a cheap Athlon X2 and wait until Deneb releases. Just save your money and get a 920 or 940 around release. But stick with the rest of your build.

Yeah I initially chose an X2 6000+ but a major reason I'm leaning towards the phenom is this combo deal: Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, Digital Cameras and more! which saves me $50 so really there's not much of a price difference, plus I'm just overall interested in trying a quad-core CPU out. Still, thanks for your input, I'll check the 6000+/6400+/perhaps some intel core 2 duo's and see how much cheaper they would be.

i think it is a great build for that much money.
maybe go with the sunbeam core contact cooler or the xigmatech s1283. both perform better than an AF7.
prepare for the intel onslaught, BTW. but i think its a good build.

Hmm yeah I've heard both of these names thrown around before, I think in newegg comments and such. They're both extremely highly reviewed, so I don't think I can go wrong with either (though I agree they do look better than the Arctic Freezer). I'm thinking the Core Contact Freezer, as there are a lot of complaints about the pushpins used to connect the Xigmatek to the motherboard (a lot of people were recommending this retention bracket: Newegg.com - XIGMATEK ACK-I7753 Retention Bracket For 4 heatpipes model only - CPU Fans & Heatsinks). So I think the Sunbeam's my best bet. Do you guys think this is correct?

And yeah, I'm admittedly quite surprised at the lack of Intel-based animosity in these replies, for which I thank you!

Looks good I think deneb is going to come inbetween 775 and i7 by intel but on the cheap so it would be a good way to go.
I would get a second small drive for your Os and main programs as 1tb is a lot to just lose and by moving windows to different drive you will greatly reduce wear and tear as the paging file is basically constantly being written to in windows.
Psu is a bit ott unless your planning to go sli/crossfire in the next few years about 500W should be fine.
Ram is also ott unless your water cooling a 800mhz pair will be cheaper and better.

Ahh sorry, I forgot to mention that I already have an old 32GB (or so) 10kRPM velociraptor, which I do plan to take out of my current computer and run my OS off of. Do you think that's sufficient? You definitely have a point about the power supply, but the 750TX is really really cheap right now ($70 after M.I.R) in fact it costs less than the 520W Corsair. Plus, I do want to keep the Crossfire option open so it works. Regarding memory, I was hoping someone would say this. So is this the best I can do then: Newegg.com - CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory (Corsair (XMS Series) TWIN2X4096-6400C5)?? It's $25 after M.I.R, so I'll be saving $25. I'm open to further memory suggestions though, I really don't understand timings and clock speeds and all that stuff when it comes to memory. So thanks.

So right now I've replaced the CPU heatsink/fan with a Sunbeam Core Contact Freezer and the 1066 memory with Corsair 4gb 800. Do you gus think these are good decisions overall? Another thing I was wondering was whether a WD 640GB Hard Drive (Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - Internal Hard Drives) would be faster than the 1TB, as I've heard that the 320GB platters were faster than the 250GB ones or something, so do you guys think it would be better to just get the 640GB for $30 less? I doubt I'll really use the space, though you never know, it couldn't hurt.

After the changes in memory and the CPU cooler the grand total after shipping and Mail-In Rebates is $768. If I switch to the 640GB HD, it will only be $738 which sounds pretty impressive IMO.

I've also edited the first post to reflect these changes (not the HD though).

Thanks to everyone who replied!!

 

[maroon1]

Get a cheap Athlon X2 and wait until Deneb releases. Just save your money and get a 920 or 940 around release. But stick with the rest of your build.

Or he could get Q9550 which probably perform as good as Deneb. In this case he won't need to buy a processor, then replace this processor with another processor (Deneb). I think this would be easier, and probably cheaper.

EDIT: At newegg the Q9550 comes with free far cry 2 game

 

[saltynay]

Good decisions I think your set I have the same memory its quite goodand in the UK its still holding its price around £40

 

[veg1992]

Or he could get Q9550 which probably perform as good as Deneb. In this case he won't need to buy a processor, then replace this processor with another processor (Deneb). I think this would be easier, and probably cheaper.

EDIT: At newegg the Q9550 comes with free far cry 2 game

I would have said something, but about that.......

Yeah I initially chose an X2 6000+ but a major reason I'm leaning towards the phenom is this combo deal: Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, Digital Cameras and more! which saves me $50 so really there's not much of a price difference, plus I'm just overall interested in trying a quad-core CPU out. Still, thanks for your input, I'll check the 6000+/6400+/perhaps some intel core 2 duo's and see how much cheaper they would be.


Hmm yeah I've heard both of these names thrown around before, I think in newegg comments and such. They're both extremely highly reviewed, so I don't think I can go wrong with either (though I agree they do look better than the Arctic Freezer). I'm thinking the Core Contact Freezer, as there are a lot of complaints about the pushpins used to connect the Xigmatek to the motherboard (a lot of people were recommending this retention bracket: Newegg.com - XIGMATEK ACK-I7753 Retention Bracket For 4 heatpipes model only - CPU Fans & Heatsinks). So I think the Sunbeam's my best bet. Do you guys think this is correct?

And yeah, I'm admittedly quite surprised at the lack of Intel-based animosity in these replies, for which I thank you!

Ahh sorry, I forgot to mention that I already have an old 32GB (or so) 10kRPM velociraptor, which I do plan to take out of my current computer and run my OS off of. Do you think that's sufficient? You definitely have a point about the power supply, but the 750TX is really really cheap right now ($70 after M.I.R) in fact it costs less than the 520W Corsair. Plus, I do want to keep the Crossfire option open so it works. Regarding memory, I was hoping someone would say this. So is this the best I can do then: Newegg.com - CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory (Corsair (XMS Series) TWIN2X4096-6400C5)?? It's $25 after M.I.R, so I'll be saving $25. I'm open to further memory suggestions though, I really don't understand timings and clock speeds and all that stuff when it comes to memory. So thanks.

So right now I've replaced the CPU heatsink/fan with a Sunbeam Core Contact Freezer and the 1066 memory with Corsair 4gb 800. Do you gus think these are good decisions overall? Another thing I was wondering was whether a WD 640GB Hard Drive (Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - Internal Hard Drives) would be faster than the 1TB, as I've heard that the 320GB platters were faster than the 250GB ones or something, so do you guys think it would be better to just get the 640GB for $30 less? I doubt I'll really use the space, though you never know, it couldn't hurt.

After the changes in memory and the CPU cooler the grand total after shipping and Mail-In Rebates is $768. If I switch to the 640GB HD, it will only be $738 which sounds pretty impressive IMO.

I've also edited the first post to reflect these changes (not the HD though).

Thanks to everyone who replied!!

That Phenom 9950 combo is quite a nice deal.. the top of the line Phenom 9950 for $120 is quite a steal and pay the extra $10 for this:
Newegg.com - DFI LP JR 790GX-M2RS AM2+/AM2 AMD 790GX HDMI AMD Motherboard - AMD Motherboards