Gaming build - trying to keep it around $800

[trireme32]

My wife gave me the budget... what do ya'll think of this build?

• CPU: AMD Phenom ii x6 1055T
  
• Mobo: ASUS M4A87TD/USB3
  
• GPU: PNY GeForce GT 440 GDDR5
  
• RAM: 2x4 Corsair XMS DDR3-1333
  
• Hard Drives: WD Caviar Blue 250GB 7,200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s (OS)
  
  2x WD Caviar Black 500GB 7,200 RPM SATA 6Gb/s (RAID)​
• Optical Drive: Samsung 22x DVD±RW w/ Dual/Double Layer Support
  
• Sound Card: Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio
  
• CPU Cooling: KUHLER H2O 620
  
• PSU: Antec 520W High Current Gamer
  
• Case: Cooler Master Elite 430

 

[Yerfdog]

An AMD Phenom II X4 955 would be all you would need CPU-wise for gaming, and would free up some of the budget for improvements in other areas.
Probably want to upgrade that video card to something like the GTX 460 768MB if you plan on playing high end games like Crysis. GTX 460 for $125 after shipping and mail-in rebate
You probably won't need more than 4GB of RAM for gaming.
Unless you're doing music editing or something like that, I don't think you'd a sound card, the onboard sound would be good enough for gaming.

If you want to have an idea of what kind of PSU you'd need after any more changes, check here.

Corsair is also a good PSU brand, btw.

 

[The Python]

If you're going with an AMD chipset, I'd buy a radeon graphics card. I just got the Radeon 6990 for my triple monitor setup, and it destroys everything that I throw at it. I've play LoL, WoW, Modern Warfare 2, and Black Ops on it on full settings. Using all three screens. Also I'm using the AMD Phenom X4 and I don't have it over clocked. 8GB of ram (always nice to have some extra RAM). And I'm using the standard CPU fan for cooling, it's just a little noisy. Oh, I forgot to say, I previously had the 6950 (got rid of it because I couldn't use eyefinity to connect a third monitor) and it was able to handle my dual display gaming stuffs. And like Yerfdog said about sound, unless it's your job to be doing major sound editing or you want to add in subliminal messages to songs, don't worry about a sound card.

 

[trireme32]

Thanks for the suggestions! The last time I built a computer from the ground up it was a 486... back in the stone ages!

 

[Yerfdog]

Thanks for the suggestions! The last time I built a computer from the ground up it was a 486... back in the stone ages!

I don't even know what a 486 is. ._.

*looks up*

Oh my...

Actually, I think that might be the bronze age.

Stone Age computer.

 

[Druid]

If you're going with an AMD chipset, I'd buy a radeon graphics card. I just got the Radeon 6990 for my triple monitor setup, and it destroys everything that I throw at it. I've play LoL, WoW, Modern Warfare 2, and Black Ops on it on full settings. Using all three screens. Also I'm using the AMD Phenom X4 and I don't have it over clocked. 8GB of ram (always nice to have some extra RAM). And I'm using the standard CPU fan for cooling, it's just a little noisy. Oh, I forgot to say, I previously had the 6950 (got rid of it because I couldn't use eyefinity to connect a third monitor) and it was able to handle my dual display gaming stuffs. And like Yerfdog said about sound, unless it's your job to be doing major sound editing or you want to add in subliminal messages to songs, don't worry about a sound card.

Those monitors aren't 1080p are they? If you were running black ops on 3 1080p monitors, then I'd say that 6990 is quite beastly.

 

[trireme32]

I've made some adjustments to the build based on recommendations and research... what about this?


CPU: AMD Phenom ii x4 965
Mobo: ASUS M4A87TD/USB3
GPU: Saphire Radeon HD6870
RAM: Corsair 4GB DDR3-1333 (PC3-10666) CL9 Dual Channel
Hard Drive: WD Caviar Blue 1TB 7,200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s
Optical Drives: Samsung 22x DVD±RW w/ Dual/Double Layer Support
PSU: Antec 520W High Current Gamer
Case: Xigmatek Asgard ii

Decided I don't need RAID - from what I've read since my first post one large drive with a 32mb cache is plenty for gaming...
As far as the GPU goes, I stumbled upon a GPU power ranking list somewhere in the forum, and apparently the HD6870 is a good bit better than the GTX 460 for around the same price.
Fell in love with the case after reading a review of it...

Does this build look at least somewhat future-proof for the next 5 years or so?

 

[95BlackGA]

Does this build look at least somewhat future-proof for the next 5 years or so?

Nope. Then again, all computers built right now are no where near "future-proof."

 

[trireme32]

Fair enough - does it at least look like a decent build?

 

[Yerfdog]

You can get a 6870 from XFX for $165 after mail-in rebate. And XFX gives lifetime warranties, unlike Sapphire which apparently is only giving 2 years on their warranties for the 6870s.


Also, I saw some cheaper PSUs from Corsair and Antec (after mail-in rebate) that had a higher wattage than the 520W. 80 plus certified, too. CORSAIR Builder Series CX600 V2 600W ATX12V$53 after mail-in rebate and shipping
Antec NEO ECO 620C 620W Continuous Power ATX12V$48 after mail-in rebate and shipping