Building a new computer

jguy100

jguy100

Prince
Joined
Apr 3, 2003
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After Civ5 system reqs were put out, I realized there was no way I could push my laptop to run it. So, I'm trying to build a gaming rig for under $700. I've never built a computer before, so I figure I would stop and ask you guys for critique first.

The components (primarily based on this combo):
Radeon HD 5750 $129.99
ASUS DVD-ROM $18.99
Phenom II X6 1055T $199.99
Gigabyte AMD Motherboard $99.99
G.Skill DDR3 RAM $81.99
Seagate Barracuda HD $74.99
Rosewill Challenger Case $39.99
Rosewill Green Series Continuous Power Supply $59.99

Total, after savings: $647.87

On the whole, does this system look like a good value for the price? Any suggestions on waiting for a different bargain or going for this one?

I suppose my biggest concerns are with the motherboard and the power supply. I have little experience with either, and was hoping you guys could provide any comment on the quality of the ones picked out.

Thanks,

Josh
 
Thats a pretty solid build for Civ5, i dont know how reliable Rosewill PSU are and you can get a PSU from a good manufacturer for less but considering you will use just a fraction of that PSU's power you shoundt have any trouble (unless Rosewill manufactures utter crap (like some ultra cheap PSU makers do) that burns out at half the rated power)

But if you want to play more demanding games than Civ5 you should consider a cheaper CPU and a more Expensive GPU.
 
No, Rosewill bad. You're gonna fry your system with that pos. I suggest spending a bit more on a 600W Corsair PSU.
 
Genocidicbunny said:
No, Rosewill bad. You're gonna fry your system with that pos. I suggest spending a bit more on a 600W Corsair PSU.
Click to expand...

Looking at that particular model, it seems to be alright, it's ATNG, and legit looking sites have reviewed it well.

That being said, I generally stick to brands who make uniformly good PSUs, it isn't worth my time looking up every model to see if it's from a respectable OEM.
 
Thanks for the tips, guys! I welcome any more comments. Still haven't made up my mind, but I'll be sure to let you guys know!
 
Zelig said:
Looking at that particular model, it seems to be alright, it's ATNG, and legit looking sites have reviewed it well.

That being said, I generally stick to brands who make uniformly good PSUs, it isn't worth my time looking up every model to see if it's from a respectable OEM.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Plus Corsair's support is pretty awesome. One of the few brands I trust as much as I do.
 
Here a cheaper similar build with better parts

CPU: AMD Phenom II X6 1055T $184.99 (Same)
MB: ASUS M4A87TD/USB3 $84.99 (Similar)
RAM: OCZ 4GB DDR3-1600 CL7 (7-8-8-26) $77.49 (Better)
GPU: ASUS EAH5770 CuCore/2DI/1GD5 $131.49 (Considerably Better)
HDD: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB $49.99 (Similar)
Case: Thermaltake V9 Black Edition $49.99 (Much Better)
PSU: CORSAIR CMPSU-400CX 400W $29.99 (Much Better Quality)
Burner: Samsung SH-S222L Black DVD Burner with LightScribe $17.99 (Much Better)

Total*: $626.92
*Including rebates and combos 1-2-3
 
Fëanor,

That does look like a pretty sweet build. However, I do have a question about the PSU. Using newegg's Power Supply Calculator I get a figure of about 460W for the parts you recommend. Would the 400W PSU be capable of handling that load?
 
I'm sure it will, i know my pc my currently pulls 375 Max while running Prime95 and FurMark and all my components* are more powerhungry (except the optical drive cuz i dont have one)

Just dont Overclock, run Prime95, FurMark and burn cd's at the same time!

Other Options
SeaSonic S12II 430 80+Bronze 430W $59.99 - Some extra juice for peace of mind
SeaSonic S12II 520 80+Bronze 520W $69.99 - Good in case you want overclock and/or upgrade your videocard in the future.
CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W $79.99 - With this you can run a HD5970!
CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W $89.99 - Why just one HD5970? With this you can have 2! (however that motherboard only supports one :( )


*Components that Draw power from PSU: i7 920, P6W6 WS Revolution, 3x2GB DDR3-1333, HD4850, 6x320GB RAID0, 5 Fans, G15, Mx518, Explorer Mouse, Fatality Gaming Headset.
 
I like the rest of the build you suggested except the PSU. I've heard some horror stories about not investing enough in that component and paying for it later, and I rather not have to go through that headache. I'll be traveling all day tomorrow, but if those sales are still on by the time I get home Saturday, I think I'm going through with this. Thanks for your help!

-- Josh
 
Go for the 650W. A PSU is at its most efficient at about half of its max rated usage.
 
If efficiency is the goal the SeaSonic S12II 620 Bronze 620W ($69.99) might be a better option, the only drawback is a 1 x 6-Pin and 1 x 6+2-Pin instead of 2 x 6+2-Pin, but i doubt there will ever be a need for 2 x 6+2-Pin (unless you plan to buy the $649+ HD5970).
Quality wise i believe the SeaSonic is at very least equal to the Corsair PSU.
 
They're almost identical. The Corsair uses OEM SeaSonic PSU's, potentially even that same model. Id just go with Corsair for the support.
 
Question, is it at all possible to buy a "made in North America" computer (all components)?
 
No. You can get the CPU but the motherboard is almost guaranteed to have Taiwanese components. The GPU will also likely be made in Taiwan seeing as how both AMD and nVidia use TSMS (Or so I believe)
 
I have to wonder why North America doesn't have a major mobo manufacturer. PCB board doesn't pass environmental laws?
 
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