New PC Build 550quid

[jv2907]

Potential Spec: (prices not necessarily on this website)

Case & PSU
- Coolermaster Storm Scout Case (3 x Intake Fans, 2 x Exhaust Fans) (want clear side panel, like the front ports & led fan switch on/off)
- Coolermaster Silent Pro 700W Modular PSU
- Total - £140

Processor
- AMD Phenom II X4 Quad Core 965 Black Edition 3.40GHz - £140

Graphics
- ATI Radeon HD 5770 1024MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card - £120

MOBO
- Asus Crosshair III Formula AMD 790FX - £140


TOTAL - £540


Monitor & CD/DVD Drive – 22” Dell (already have)

HDD – 320gb + 60gb (already have)

RAM/Memory – 4gb DDR2 (1gb x 4) (already have)

WIFI Card – (already have)

Sound Card – (included on MOBO above!?)

Will be running Windows 7 home premium 64bit

Just a few questions regarding the components above…
- Will the MOBO listed support my DDR2 memory, or will I have to spend another £100 to get 2x2gb DDR3? (This will be done in the future, but to keep costs down at the moment)
- Will the 3 intake and 2 exhaust fans be sufficient for BASIC everyday running of system/components? And would it be sufficient if I were to OVERCLOCK? (Again water cooling of CPU will be added in the future, but cheapness at the moment)
- Is the heatsink/fan that comes with the CPU good quality or should it be upgraded?
- The HD 5770 supports DX11, would the parts there all support dx11?
- How does that spec sound including the parts I have already? How overclockable will those parts be????? I DON’T WANT TO SPEND ANY MORE THAN THAT!!


Any help/advice would be much appreciated!

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

The motherboard is a DDR3 one!!

I would get the Asus M3A79-T Deluxe which can be had for around £112.

Unless you need symmetrical Crossfire running at PCI-E 2.0 16X I would get a much cheaper 790X motherboard which can do it at PCI-E 2.0 8X such as the Gigabyte GA-MA790X-UD3P for around £80.

I would also make sure that you get the 125W version of the Phenom II X4 965.

 

[jv2907]

I figured with the motherboard I suggested that it would be more @future-proof and upgradable more!?

You also mentioned ensuring i got the 125w CPU, but how would I know as most websites dont list it. Whats the other version 140w?? In which case whats the difference with them?

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I figured with the motherboard I suggested that it would be more @future-proof and upgradable more!?

You also mentioned ensuring i got the 125w CPU, but how would I know as most websites dont list it. Whats the other version 140w?? In which case whats the difference with them?

The motherboard you mentioned only takes DDR3 and hence you would need to buy some first!!!

Also the 125W version of the X4 965 consumes less power and most reputable retailers will indicate this. The 125W version is also the newer C3 stepping which tends to overclock better too!

 

[jv2907]

The motherboard you mentioned only takes DDR3 and hence you would need to buy some first!!!

Also the 125W version of the X4 965 consumes less power and most reputable retailers will indicate this. The 125W version is also the newer C3 stepping which tends to overclock better too!

Yeah I guessed I would need DDR3 from just looking very quickly, but just wondered if it would take it. Mind you, you can pick up 2 x 2GB DDR3 for about 100quid so its not all bad!

Thanks for your help. Do you know much about the Graphics card or case suggested??

 

[PermaBanned]

5770 is a nice little card, should do everything you throw at it without complaint. Some people are saying that it can't do DX11 brilliantly - i don't know about you but anything over 30fps and i'm not complaining. Hell, a large amount of frames under that and i'm happy.

I'd recommend the Coolermaster Dominator 690 over that, but it's personal opinion. Also look at the NZXT M59 (if you want a gaming case), it offers a lot of the same features but at a much more agreeable price.

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Yeah I guessed I would need DDR3 from just looking very quickly, but just wondered if it would take it. Mind you, you can pick up 2 x 2GB DDR3 for about 100quid so its not all bad!

On many retailers like OcUK 4GB of DDR3 can be had for under £100. Remember the Phenom II can take the high voltage DDR3 which is over 1.65V unlike the Core i5 and Core i7. Hence you maybe able to get a good deal on the high voltage RAM new or secondhand as only the Core2 and Phenom II systems can use them currently.

Thanks for your help. Do you know much about the Graphics card or case suggested??

The case looks fine but I would go for a PSU like this Antec instead:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=ca-117-an

it has 4 pci-e power connectors and can easily power a pair of hd5870 1gb cards imho!

the hd5870 1gb has power consumption barely higher than that of an hd4870:

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ati/radeon_hd_5870/28.html

 

[W_i_l_l]

Just to let you know, the coolermaster storm scout cannot fit the HD5870 GFX card so if you were planning to upgrade to this it could cause some problems. The antec 300 is a good case or as Superewza suggested the the Coolermaster Dominator 690

 

[jv2907]

Just to let you know, the coolermaster storm scout cannot fit the HD5870 GFX card so if you were planning to upgrade to this it could cause some problems. The antec 300 is a good case or as Superewza suggested the the Coolermaster Dominator 690

I wouldnt upgrade yet, as I wouldnt want to spend any more. But if in a year or two years time i upgrade to a better/bigger card which doesnt fit then I can easily get another case which isnt expensive! The reason I picked that case (coolermaster scout) was because I wanted a case with a clear side panel to see some of the insides (whats the point spending the money not to see the amazing equipment haha ) I also liked the front ports and option to turn on/off the led's on the fans from the same place...

How overclockable would that system spec above be (with the 3 intake, 2 exhaust fans) without the need for any extra cooling, or would i personally need to test this when i get it and monitor the temps?

 

[BIGBC]

I really dislike the case - did a build for a friend in one.

Id also look at other PSUs, a Corsair, Seasonic or OCZ one would be my preffered.