13 replies to this topic

[Atterro]

The computer I have right now is incredibly slow.
So I'm getting a new, 800-dollar gaming desktop. Do you think this will run MechWarrior?

Processor- AMD, 4-core 3.6 Gigahertz

RAM- 8 Gigabytes, two DDR3-1600 sticks with four gigabytes each

Video card- Radeon HD 7770, with a 1-GB cache

700-watt power supply

Motherboard- Gigabyte GA-970A-D3 -- AMD 970 (This is the part I'm worried about.)


It has a liquid-cooled processor and a 1TB drive.

[Shivus]

Looks fine, but your PSU is overkill. If you can, downgrade that to a 520 or 550 watt and use the savings to upgrade your cpu to the FX 6200 and/or or your GPU to a 6870 or 7850, preference going to upgrading the GPU before the CPU.

[Atterro]

Okay, thanks.
For some reason, when I used the customizer the higher wattage was already selected...

And the 6200 processor isn't on the website, so I really can't use it.
Is the 6100 processor worth the drop in speed for each core?

I just checked the prices. The reduction desn't really save enough money to get a better GPU or CPU. But spending less is better, I suppose.


There's just one other thing- I had the specifications checker on the website running for Crysis 2. Going from the 7770 to the 6870 dropped the settings.

[Cole Christensen]

I would invest in a better Mobo, you even say you're worried about it, haha. You can always drop-in a new CPU, GPU, and RAM into your system...replacing your motherboard usually means a complete new system purchase.

The ASRock 990FX Extreme3 AM3+ looks like a solid upgrade and is only 30 more bucks.

Edited by Cole Christensen, 24 June 2012 - 04:15 PM.

[Haydon Jurai]

If you really like Radeon cards, you may not want to click this link:
http://www.hwcompare...radeon-hd-7770/
I was just shopping for video cards yesterday, wanting to upgrade to get beyond the minimum specs. After checking out reviews and that site, I almost bought two nVidia 560 cards, but finally settled on a Galaxy MDT GTX 570, which has 4 heads and combines the displays into a single output in hardware using the MDT technology, such that Windows sees it as 1 really wide display.

Granted, a 560 would have cost you $50-80 more than the 7770.

[Shivus]

Too bad that the 6200 isn't available, it's a great value.

I'd say stick with the 4100 then, but definitely upgrade your GPU and possibly the above mentioned mobo.

http://www.anandtech...duct/540?vs=536

http://www.tomshardw...ark,3135-7.html

Never trust online specifications checkers, always look up benchmarks.

Toms doesn't have the 6870 benched there, but the 6850 is, the the 6870 is more powerful.

Here's one with the 6870.
http://www.tomshardw...top,2944-6.html

You're looking at a major performance increase for just a little more. The one area where I'd say go with the 7770 over the 6870 is in skyrim which for some reason hates the 6870.

Edited by Shivus, 24 June 2012 - 04:29 PM.

[Atterro]

Thanks for your help, everyone.
With the downgraded power supply and a better motherboard, it's $813.

The motherboard you mentioned is actually the next one on the website.


EDIT: The next GPU up is $115. :c

EDIT #2: How much cheaper is it to just put the computer together yourself? >_>

Edited by Atterro, 24 June 2012 - 04:38 PM.

[Shivus]

Haydon Jurai, on 24 June 2012 - 04:15 PM, said:

If you really like Radeon cards, you may not want to click this link:
http://www.hwcompare...radeon-hd-7770/
I was just shopping for video cards yesterday, wanting to upgrade to get beyond the minimum specs. After checking out reviews and that site, I almost bought two nVidia 560 cards, but finally settled on a Galaxy MDT GTX 570, which has 4 heads and combines the displays into a single output in hardware using the MDT technology, such that Windows sees it as 1 really wide display.

Granted, a 560 would have cost you $50-80 more than the 7770.

Yeah they're completely different cards. The radeon counterpart to the 560 is the 6870
http://www.hwcompare...radeon-hd-6870/

Atterro, on 24 June 2012 - 04:22 PM, said:

Thanks for your help, everyone.
With the downgraded power supply and a better motherboard, it's $813.

The motherboard you menationed is actually the next one on the website.


EDIT: The next GPU up is $115. :c

EDIT #2: How much cheaper is it to just put the computer together yourself? >_>

Well DIY with a 4100, and 6870 would probably be roughly $700. Plus $100 for windows 7.

The 7770 is a fine card, just don't expect blazing framerates at 1080 or 1200p unless you take the graphics down.

[Atterro]

Thank you again.

It will cost about the same with the better graphics card if I put it together, even with windows. So I'm definitey doing that.

And the website I was using before was charging $160 for the processor I can buy seperately at $110. Wow.

[Shivus]

My math might have been a little high, it may be closer to $700 maybe even $600 all together depending on what parts you pick.

But also pick this up
http://www.newegg.co...N82E16835103099

I've heard the FX series stock coolers tend to suck terribly.

[Atterro]

I was actually going to use liquid cooling- A friend has an extra liquid cooling block, he got a much bigger one.
But if it's broken I'll get that.

Thank you for helping me, a lot of people I've met aren't as considerate.

[TrueKingy]

Building it yourself always saves. Also if your where newegg ships there is no tax on the items, as well you can use their service to get shipping free with a free 30 day trial.
if you don't plan on overclocking a after market cooler is useless. my personal experience, out of the last 50 machines I've built and tested stock coolers worked perfectly fine and a after market cooler did not decrease temps enough to make the pruchase worth while. I'm talking very low temp change differences. But hey some guys think every build needs one.
Why choose AMD over Intel for CPU? if price is the issue what is the over all price limit?
I suggest going to this forum: http://www.tomshardw...rum-31-322.html
First click the sticked link: *How To Ask For New Build Advice*
Follow the instructions and you'll get some really educated advice as to which parts to get within a budget amount you set.
To many gaming sites like this you'll get people giving speculatory advice based on their personal bias instead of accurate information.
I hope this helps and I'd be interested to see which direction you go if you build your own machine.

Edited by TrueKingy, 24 June 2012 - 06:55 PM.

[Scilya]

try nd get a 965 for your cpu or a 960 fx processors are not good that 4100 is equivelent to a 3 core procesor if that
get this
http://www.newegg.co...N82E16819103727
i DARE someone ANYONE here to even TRY to say that the FX4100 is better than that 965 its like $8 more but the performance is so much better

[Hellgardia]

Scilya, on 25 June 2012 - 01:09 AM, said:

try nd get a 965 for your cpu or a 960 fx processors are not good that 4100 is equivelent to a 3 core procesor if that
get this
http://www.newegg.co...N82E16819103727
i DARE someone ANYONE here to even TRY to say that the FX4100 is better than that 965 its like $8 more but the performance is so much better

Concerning AMD's CPU the 960T is a sweet deal for the price.
The possibility of unlocking two extra cores and the OC margin it has is just awesome ^^