Building a new system, looking for second opinion

MOBO ($139) ASUS M4A78T-E AM3 AMD 790GX HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard

CPU ($245) AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Deneb 3.2GHz

RAM ($99,99) OCZ 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Triple Channel

Monitor ($189) Acer X233Hbid Black 23" 5ms HDMI Full 1080P Widescreen


Video Cards

Nvidia choice ($150) EVGA 01G-P3-N981-TR GeForce 9800 GT 1GB 256-bit

ATI card choice ($189) SAPPHIRE 100259-1GL Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5

Aftermarket cooler if needed ($39,99) Thermaltake CL-P0489 120mm CPU Cooler

861,99 with ATI 822.99 with nvidia

All the other parts i have already

two SATA HDDs
DVD drive
1000W PSU
thermaltake case

looking to spend under $900

The main use will be for duel monitors running VMs and some casual gaming of WoW and FPS games like far cry, F.E.A.R and TF2

any critiques or suggestions?

Thanks in advance

 

just wondering why triple channel because that MOBO does not support it?
I would go 2x2Gb(4Gb total dual channel) or 4x2Gb(8Gb total dual channel)

I went with 2 of the // OCZ Reaper HPC 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Dual Channel Kit 6-6-6-20 1.9v
and am loving this ram (warning this ram is tall)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227293

And a heads up on that mobo make sure the first thing you do is update to latest bios after that its a great MoBo. I own that MoBo and love it after the flash

And I would also go with the 4870 so to compliment the 790GX
also if you add $20.00 more you could get the
SAPPHIRE TOXIC Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102815

and if your not over clocking scratch the after market cooler the stock one will do the job on factory settings

any way those are my suggestions good luck

 

I was useing the triple channel for the soul purpose taht it was bettter then 4gb and the 8gb ones were too expensive, but if i can find 8gb in duel channel for a good price id be all over it

thanks for pointing out the other videocard, ill definatly be checking that out

and thanks also for the mobo adivce, i usually flash a new mobo but i kinda put it off for a bit, ill be sure to flash this one right away thanks for the feedback

 

Only Intel i7 series are going to support triple channel DDR, so that memory kit wont work for you.... If funds are tight, you could always go with 4gb now and if you feel you still need more ram, add an additional 4gb a few months down the road

I own that mobo and am very happy with what it does for the price.

Cheers

 

I agree with everything especially the GPU as I have the Sapphier 4870 1GB & love it, but if you're after a great aftermarket cooler you can't loose with the Zalman CNPS9700 LED, I have it & it has sorted my overheating Phenom 9750

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118019

Or if you have a little more spare money you could go one better, but it might be overkill LOL

Zalman CNPS9900LED:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118046

One last thing, what PSU do you have, becuase the 4870 is a beast when it comes to power, I had to get a new one becuase my old one was... cheap :-D

:major2-Bit-Geek:major

 

Thanks for the feedback

My PSU is a 1000w Antec, and it wasnt cheap lol, i should be fine there

but i looked up some new RAM sticks, any comments?

OCZ Gold AMD Edition 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600

OCZ Special Ops Urban Elite 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600

Also some reviews said that the DDR3 RAM always posts at 1333 instead of the advertized speed, and you have to O.C to get the higher speed, anyone found any truth to this?

Thanks again for the ffed back, much appreciated

 

Now wait. Dual and triple channel "kits" are nothing more than 2 or 3 sticks packaged and sold together. If the computer supports 3 sticks, that kit, that is the RAM will work just fine. Whether they run in dual or triple channel mode will depend on the motherboard and how the sticks are installed. And yes, dual channel can run with 3 sticks on many boards.

It should be noted that using a 3rd party aftermarket cooler on retail (not OEM) versions of Intel and AMD CPUs voids the warranty!!! Certainly, this is not a concern for many enthusiasts, but it is a concern for many others, and everyone should be aware of this. It must also be noted that damage as the result of overclocking is not covered either.

Intel CPU Warranty Information (my bold added)

Intel warrants the Product (defined as the boxed Intel® processor and the accompanying thermal solution)... ... if the Product is properly used and installed, for a period of three (3) years. This Limited Warranty does NOT cover:

• damage to the Product due to external causes, including accident, problems with electrical power, abnormal electrical, mechanical or environmental conditions, usage not in accordance with product instructions, misuse, neglect, alteration, repair, improper installation, or improper testing; OR
• any Product which has been modified or operated outside of Intel's publicly available specifications​

AMD CPU Warranty Information (their bold)

AMD is more straightforward on their page where it says the following concerning their retail, Processor In A Box (PIB), versions of their CPUs:

This Limited Warranty shall be null and void if the AMD microprocessor which is the subject of this Limited Warranty is used with any heatsink/fan other than the one provided herewith.

This limited warranty does not cover damages due to external causes, including improper use, problems with electrical power, accident, neglect, alteration, repair, improper installation, or improper testing.
​

The good news is since both AMD and Intel warranty their boxed CPUs for three years, and since replacing them at their cost is not something they want to do, both make excellent cooling solutions both in terms of cooling abilities, but also in noise levels.

 

thanks digerati, thats how i thought the RAM worked so i didnt think much of it when i picked a kit with three sticks in it. Thanks for the confirmation

Also thanks for the exstensive warenty info, while i was aware that O.Cing would void my warrenty, i really wasnt sure about the heatsink so thanks for that, i learn something new everyday ^.^ And since paradoxdream suggests that i will be fine with stock setting (and i most likely will, that CPU is a monster) i wont need the aftermarket coolr anyway plus my case has great airflow

as always thaks for the feedback, its much appreciated.

 

Now just keep it clean of heat trapping dust and you should be good to go.

Two things I don't seen in your list - an OS and a UPS. I recommend buying your Windows license with hardware so you can legally use an OEM version. Also note that Win7 will be released Oct 22. But last I heard is if you buy Vista after July 1, you get a free Win7 upgrade - not sure that would apply to an OEM version but it might be worth waiting 3 weeks to find out - if announcements are not made earlier.

You also don't have listed a UPS. Surge and spike protectors are little more than fancy and expensive extension cords, able to deal with (rather crudely) less than 50% of power anomalies. Get a UPS with AVR (automatic voltage regulation). A nice 1200VA UPS with AVR could easily handle that computer, all your network gear, and TWO LCD monitors.

You need a UPS with AVR if you have in your home or office a coffee pot, microwave, toaster, hair dryer, refrigerator, clothes dryer, water cooler or any other high wattage device. If you live in an apartment, you need a UPS.

 

I already have a license for Vista, and i plan on buying windows 7 asap.(love that new taskbar)
But i also triple boot in linux, so im set on the OS.

as for a UPS/AVR I just re-wired my house and each room is on its own circiut to eliminate microwaves,dryers, ect. from interfereing, and blowing a fuse.

and i do have a surge protector anyway, but its old i might think about grabbing a newer one now that i have it in mind,

thanks for the suggetions its always much appreciated

 

do you have a 64bit version of vista?

 

Not good enough. Different circuits provide some isolation, but not complete isolation. Don't waste your money on a S&S protector.

 

Of course

and to Digerati, i look into it. thanks for the advice

and as always, all feedback is much appreciated

 

Sorry to double post but i ran into an issue:

Integrated DRAM Controller with AMD Memory Optimizer Technology

* A high-bandwidth, low-latency integrated memory controller
* Supports PC2-8500 (DDR2-1066); PC2-6400 (DDR2-800), PC2-5300 (DDR2-667), PC2-4200 (DDR2-533) or PC2-3200 (DDR2-400) SDRAM unbuffered DIMMs – AM2+
* Support for unregistered DIMMs up to PC2 8500(DDR2-1066MHz) and PC3 10600 (DDR3-1333MHz) – AM3
* Up to 17.1GB/s memory bandwidth for DDR2 and up to 21GB/s memory bandwidth for DDR3
o BENEFIT: Quick access to system memory for better performance.

The phenom II processors can only use memory clocked up to 1333MHz, and the RAM i chose is 1600MHz. That seems like a very annoying limitation to me,

so what do you guys think, worth changeing processors for the ability to use better RAM or should I just use lesser RAM ?

 

Nice but im wondering if your gonna spend 900 and have like DD3 memory and 1000W PSU you should defnitely get a more expensive graphics card like geforce gtx 260 or some high ati radeon card

Other then that have fun gaming ect..

 

the
SAPPHIRE TOXIC Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102815

is equal to if not better then the geforce gtx 260

 

Your mobo supports crossfire, which is ATI, which you probably already know.

Don't make my mistake and get a crossfire mobo and Nvidia VC, it doesn't work when trying to SLI. cost me too much for that lesson

Stay with ATI (Radeon), so if you ever want to use Dual Video cards (Crossfire) you'd only have to purchase another VC as needed.

Also I had a GTX260 works great as stand alone on Crossfire mobo. I have now changed to ATI, a Gigabyte 4890 and graphics and speed match mobo and the performance is alot better.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125276

Just a thought for you to ponder

 

that card has the same specs as the one i chose but with tripple the memory clock, thats sick, thanks for the post.


Also anyone have thoughts on my finding about the RAM and CPU controler issue?

 

Here's a head start:

PC World Busting Myths

Why Use Uninterruptible Power Supplies?

Remember - when any big item cycles on, the instantaneous demand is always huge in the first second. That extra power demand is seen as a sag - the opposite of a surge - in other circuits. This is often followed by a surge as the circuit compensates. This is bad for digital electronics. A car engine can miss a beat and keep running, not so with digital electronics - it demands stable power. Surge and spike protectors do nothing whatsoever for those sags, dropouts (opposite of spikes), and grid brownouts (extended sags), adding to the demands of the PSU and motherboard regulator circuits, generating more heat, advancing the aging process of the stressed components. This is EVERY time something cycles on. When these devices cycle off, surges are dumped on the line. Only an UPS with AVR can compensate for low voltage events, or long term surges.

Note your big screen TV and home theater equipment should be on UPS too.

If you mean should you trade in your CPU, it's your money but I wouldn't worry about it. It should just mean your RAM will be stable, and futureproof - for awhile.

 

Thanks for that info it was super helpful, ill def be looking to snag one of those.

Also
after looking into it, OCZ came out with an AMD version of RAM that can reach 1600MHz on the phenom...awesome.

http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/memory/ocz_ddr3_pc3_12800_platinum_amd_edition

Thanks everyone for your help, much apprecieated ^.^

 

nice man you gonna have cool future proof PC:cool

 

And notice, up until now, I never mentioned "battery backup" in the event of a complete "power outage". That's because that's only the icing on the cake - the regulation is main advantage.