Would like an opinion on my new build.

[blasterfreak88]

I have just recently put this PC together and its really my first custom build and I would like to here some suggestions oh what might make it better.

Motherboard: ECS GF8200A Black
CPU: AMD Phenom II X3 720 (2.8GHz overclocked to 3.5GHz)
RAM: OCZ Platinum X4 1GB PC2-8500
Graphics Card: MSI GTX260
Power Supply: 680W (cant remember the brand)
Hard Drive:64GB Patriot Warp SSD for OS; 500GB Seagate for data
OS: WIndows 7 Ultimate
Monitors: Acer X203H and LG W1943TB
Case: Lian Li PC-70 ATX
Cooling: 6x 80mm case fans 1x 120mm case fan.
CPU Cooling: Aquagate Mini 120 Liquid Cooling with new tubing and new coolant customized for the case. ( I know this is a pathetic liquid cooling system but I just wanted something to get my feet wet with water cooling before I jump completely in. and it does the job ok for now)

Let me know if anyone sees any areas that they would strongly consider changing or improving.
Thanks

 

[dirkpitt45]

Would've gotten a different motherboard and GPU personally. The GT 200 series is kinda a waste of money right now. ATI beats them in every price range now, and the 5xxx series are DX 11, as opposed to gt 200's DX10.

 

[orihS ‪‪‪Shiro]

I would have gone with a 780L motherboard or a 770 over that ECS Nvidia 8200 board...
You need an AMD chipset with a 710 or 750 southbridge to unlock cores.
I don't think that ECS motherboard has the ability to unlock cores?
(correct me if wrong there)
But your Phenom II X3 might be unlockable to a quad core and you'd never know with that mobo.

 

[baron5]

i would have skipped on the ssd and put more into the rest of the build. Not too bad though, could have been worth getting a newer 770 or 785 motherboard to unlock the forth core like Shiro said.

 

[blasterfreak88]

You are correct the 4th core cannot be unlocked with this motherboard. A new motherboard is in my future because the only reason I really bought this motherboard is because I got it for about 20$ on black Friday. This was before I had a clue what I wanted to do for this build. On the GPU what ATI card would you suggest over my GTX 260 ( Under 250$ Please.) I tried the SSD because I saw it going for 140 for the 64GB so I figured I would pick it up just to give it a try. I really appreciate the input and would like any other suggestions.
Thanks

 

[dirkpitt45]

Newegg.com - XFX HD-577X-ZNFC Radeon HD 5770 1GB 128-bit DDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

5770, believe it is around a 260 performance wise, slightly slower. But its new and with improved drivers (hopefully) it could be better. Dx 11, eyefinity, imo even if its slightly slower, still worth it going for a Dx 11 card.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102878&cm_re=5830-_-14-102-878-_-Product

5830, brand new actually, just came out a week or so ago. Just a gap filler between the 5770 and 5850. Supposed to be some sort of "bundle" with MW2 sometime soon. So if you wanted wait a week or so and see where that is. Pretty good deal, MW2 is fun online, and its $60.

 

[orihS ‪‪‪Shiro]

If it's a GTX 260 216 core I would just keep it and wait for the next graphics generation before upgrading.
A GTX 260 216 can play pretty much any and every game without too much of a problem and I don't see any AMAZING DX11 releases until the next generation of ATI cards at least.
So if I were you, I'd wait for ATI's 6XXX offerings, or at the very least Nvidia's GF100 to release so ATI prices might drop.
(Especially look for a price drop in the 5830)

 

[baron5]

the 5830 is kinda pointless card at the moment, the 4830 was until it dropped slightly in price. Even if it isn't a core 216, it's still a great card worth keeping. Theres no reason to justify an upgrade to a slow card even with dx11, think about how many games we are still playing that are dx9.

 

[blasterfreak88]

After I think about it I am gonna keep the GTX 260 it plays all of the games I want to play perfectly. I will wait till a game I want to play is DX11 and then I will change it out. I know this probably isnt the correct place to ask this but is 42C after an hour of prime 95. It stabilized at this temp after about 15 mins.