New gaming build - feedback welcome!

Dark Sun · 7 Jul 2009 at 23:18

Here is my proposed build. My budget is £1100 max (excluding keyboard + mouse + OS)

I plan on buying everything in August. The rig will be primarily for gaming purposes.

Let me know if this looks like it will be a good gaming rig. Anything you would change?

Intel i7 920
EVGA X58 SLI LE
6GB (3x2GB) Corsair Dominator DDR3, PC3-12800 (1600)
2GB XFX HD 4870 X2
700W Coolermaster Silent Pro Modular
500 GB Western Digital Caviar Black
Creative SoundBlaster X-FI Xtreme Gamer (to be used with Sennheisers)
Optiarc (Sony/NEC) AD-7240S-0B DVD RW

cmndr_andi · 7 Jul 2009 at 23:24

That EVGA board looks very cool, but I'd wait for a lot of good reviews before settling on it. The Gigabyte UD5 is around the same price and has been proven to be excellent.

That RAM is a bit crazy, this stuff will be just as good.

This PSU is abit more costly, but it is rather awesome.

Will you be needing a case or monitor?

Dark Sun · 7 Jul 2009 at 23:27

cmndr_andi said:
That EVGA board looks very cool, but I'd wait for a lot of good reviews before settling on it. The Gigabyte UD5 is around the same price and has been proven to be excellent.

That RAM is a bit crazy, this stuff will be just as good.

This PSU is abit more costly, but it is rather awesome.

Will you be needing a case or monitor?

Thanks for the feedback.

I have a case all prepared and ready to go. I will be on the lookout for a monitor but not just yet.

Ram not so much of an issue with i7 compared to other platforms?

reflux · 7 Jul 2009 at 23:28

New ATi cards are likely launching in September so a 4870X2 might be a poor choice.

RJC · 7 Jul 2009 at 23:29

Agree with cmndr andi the Gigabyte UD5 and Patriot memory.

Dark Sun · 7 Jul 2009 at 23:32

reflux said:
New ATi cards are likely launching in September so a 4870X2 might be a poor choice.

Which card would you go with ? New ATI cards or go for something like a 4870 1gb?

Perhaps I will go for the Patriot Viper if everyone recommends it

'Wes · 8 Jul 2009 at 08:54

Depends really on how long it takes games to introduce DX11, and i honestly think they will do the same with current games, and add support for DX10 and DX10.1, so it's personal choice.

So:

Do you purchase an expensive DX10 card, and hope they add support in games? ATI 4850x2, ATI 4870x2, ATI 4890, GTX 285, GTX 295.

Or do you buy a cheap DX10 card and wait till DX11 cards get released? ATI 4850, ATI 4870, GTS 250, GTX 260, GTX 275.

Dark Sun · 8 Jul 2009 at 10:22

I will wait and see what the new ATI cards are like. Hopefully they will be out soon.

reflux · 8 Jul 2009 at 10:27

Yeah, no-one knows for sure but given past generations the 5850 is likely to be as powerful as the 4870X2, but use much less power and have a smaller footprint.

The waiting game is a difficult one. They should be out in September but the hardware landscape and economic climate could be very different then.

siumatfung · 8 Jul 2009 at 11:16

forgot to add this cpu cooler aswell

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-005-NC

change the sound card to this one

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-000-AS&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat=

so its not right up against your gfx card

cmndr_andi · 8 Jul 2009 at 11:40

I have that board. Due to the GPU dual slot cooler, my pci sound card is right up against my graphics card. You would be better with a pci-e one, like you have in the picture.

A prolimatech megahalems + noctua p12 fan would provide better cooling and slughly less noise than the U12P.