Please help in building a new rig: Urgent

F

Hi,
I'm trying to build an energy efficient, decent computer. I don't want to do another upgrade any time soon, so the rig should be able to last atleast 3-5 years. I do not require a keyboard,mouse,speakers,monitor for the time being. I don't want to overclock because I've read that it decreases the length of life of a component over time. No plans to SLI or Crossfire my setup. (I just don't have that kind of money...)
I also do not want a power hog of a rig. Power bills...

I thought of getting :
PROCESSOR : Core i5 750 2.66GHz @ Rs. 9.9k - 216$
MOTHERBOARD : Asus P7P55D-PRO @ Rs. 12.4k - 268$
GRAPHIC CARD : PowerColour HD5770 1GB GDDR5 V2 @ Rs. 9.9k - 216$ OR MSI GTX 275 Twin Frozr OC 896MB GDDR3 @ Rs. 12.8K
PSU : Corsair hx620 OEM @ Rs. 6.4k - 150$ (have been recommended trying to get a 550 W but I want to be safe just incase)
ATX : CM(COOLER MASTER) 690 (no idea about the price. But heard a lot of good things about this case. If there are better alternative mid-tower ATX cases, please do tell. I'd prefer them to be roomy and well wentilated. Not too flashy with LEDs and all, something simple in design but awesome in function and durability.)

I'd love to have atleast 4 GB DDR 3 RAM for this rig.
So, is this rig any good and is (for a lack of a better term) "future-proof" for atleast 3-5 years, and power efficient? How much would you rate this setup out of 10? If you have better recommendations, please do tell but remember it should be power efficient. My power bills should not kill me :grin:

Thanks.

EDIT : I've read that the Phenom II processors are good,cheaper alternatives to the i5. But I do not know much about its power consumption... Can someone recommend good Phenom II processors that are power efficient?

Yes Phenom processors are cheaper and their power consumptions are on the same league with the Core i5 processors. If you go for AMD Processor/Motherboard combo, you can save a lot of money and invest it for good Graphics card and other peripherals.

Here goes a AMD based config for you
Phenom II X4 965 3.4GHz B.E. C3 @ 8.9k
MSI 790GX-G65 AM3 @ 7.1k
MSI HD5770 1GB GDDR5 @ 9.6k
Corsair 4GB DDR3 1600MHz C9 Titanium @ 5.8k
GlacialPower 650W AA @ 4.6k PSU
Cooler Master Centurion 590 @ 3.8k

Reason FOr the mobo is it is more future proof with its Crossfire support. When the Dx 11 cards will be cheaper, u can add another one for performance.
Although Core I5 is marginally better performer than Phenom II 965, Performance/price ratio holds better for the AMD.

perfect gaming rig bt won't last for 5yrs. to last that long u'll have 2 get something like HD5970. Also HX 620 is overkill. get 550 unless u thinking of having SLI/CFX in future.

& OC decreases life of Proccy if cooling isn't sufficient & if u do extreme OC.

Get CM Hyper 212. Cheap & efficient for mild OC. else get TRUE 120.

NP: if i were u, i'll get X4 965, 4Gb DDR3, 790GX & invest rest of money in HD4850. worth the cost.

^^
Nothing will last for 5 years, if you want to be able to play at high resolutions. Also CM Hyper 212 is good enough for 'high' OC. See my signature.

F

Cilus said:
Yes Phenom processors are cheaper and their power consumptions are on the same league with the Core i5 processors. If you go for AMD Processor/Motherboard combo, you can save a lot of money and invest it for good Graphics card and other peripherals.

Here goes a AMD based config for you
Phenom II X4 965 3.4GHz B.E. C3 @ 8.9k
MSI 790GX-G65 AM3 @ 7.1k
MSI HD5770 1GB GDDR5 @ 9.6k
Corsair 4GB DDR3 1600MHz C9 Titanium @ 5.8k
GlacialPower 650W AA @ 4.6k PSU
Cooler Master Centurion 590 @ 3.8k

Reason FOr the mobo is it is more future proof with its Crossfire support. When the Dx 11 cards will be cheaper, u can add another one for performance.
Although Core I5 is marginally better performer than Phenom II 965, Performance/price ratio holds better for the AMD.

OMG! I love the Processor, mobo, ram and graphic card!! The cooler master is also pretty decent! In fact the whole rig is awesome. :-D

So, I'm going to finalize this... any last moment suggestions?

I'm aware that no PC can last for 5 years without being improved on, but it should do for me

I'm also currently in Kerala, Trivandrum. Do you know of any reliable and trustworthy retailers?

And is there a problem if I choose the Powercolor 5770 1 GB GDDR5?

asigh said:
^^
Nothing will last for 5 years, if you want to be able to play at high resolutions. Also CM Hyper 212 is good enough for 'high' OC. See my signature.

yah, i know. just giving him an example.

Recommended him 212 after seeing ur signature bt i5 r much more OC'able then C2D's. so with to take full advantage wil need something good else wil end up with same result Cleve did in Pentium (Clarkdale) Vs Phenom 555 review @ Tom's Hardware.

^^
Do not get you..meaning..?

asigh said:
^^
Do not get you..meaning..?

Toms Hardware did a review of the new clarkdale Pentium Vs Phenom2 555, cooled by Hyper TX3 (cheap but comparable to ur cooler). end up blowing that Pentium. u gt tons of experience, know how to OC, bt beginners don't & wil end up with a dead piece of silicon.

i know my talk may seem n00bish bt just but telling him get a cooler that can effectively cool a i5. Hyper 212 can, i know. But safer is better, u know.

F

After a few more recommendations, I'm thinking of using the cheaper Gigabyte GA-MA785GMT-UD2H motherboard instead of the MSI 790GX-G65 AM3.

Thisand the X4 965 B.E will together cost around Rs. 14.5k. Not a bad deal. The more money I save, the more I can use for other parts. Should I finalize this processor and mobo combo? :?:

The GlacialPower 650W AA @ 4.6k PSU is awesome. When I suggested others this, they were a bit suspicious regarding the quality, but on checking the specs they were amazed. And also Channel Well manufactures this so quality is not an issue. (they also manufacture Corsair PSUs) Great PSU at a killer deal.

^^ check biostar 790GX AM3 1ce.

Sam.Shab said:
Toms Hardware did a review of the new clarkdale Pentium Vs Phenom2 555, cooled by Hyper TX3 (cheap but comparable to ur cooler). end up blowing that Pentium. u gt tons of experience, know how to OC, bt beginners don't & wil end up with a dead piece of silicon.

i know my talk may seem n00bish bt just but telling him get a cooler that can effectively cool a i5. Hyper 212 can, i know. But safer is better, u know.

Not actually noobish. Surprising. Could you pass me that link. Most HSF reviews I have seen, difference between one HSF to another is not more than 4-5 degrees at a max.

falling said:
Hi,
I'm trying to build an energy efficient, decent computer. I don't want to do another upgrade any time soon, so the rig should be able to last atleast 3-5 years. I do not require a keyboard,mouse,speakers,monitor for the time being. I don't want to overclock because I've read that it decreases the length of life of a component over time. No plans to SLI or Crossfire my setup. (I just don't have that kind of money...)
I also do not want a power hog of a rig. Power bills...

I thought of getting :
PROCESSOR : Core i5 750 2.66GHz @ Rs. 9.9k - 216$
MOTHERBOARD : Asus P7P55D-PRO @ Rs. 12.4k - 268$
GRAPHIC CARD : PowerColour HD5770 1GB GDDR5 V2 @ Rs. 9.9k - 216$ OR MSI GTX 275 Twin Frozr OC 896MB GDDR3 @ Rs. 12.8K
PSU : Corsair hx620 OEM @ Rs. 6.4k - 150$ (have been recommended trying to get a 550 W but I want to be safe just incase)
ATX : CM(COOLER MASTER) 690 (no idea about the price. But heard a lot of good things about this case. If there are better alternative mid-tower ATX cases, please do tell. I'd prefer them to be roomy and well wentilated. Not too flashy with LEDs and all, something simple in design but awesome in function and durability.)

I'd love to have atleast 4 GB DDR 3 RAM for this rig.
So, is this rig any good and is (for a lack of a better term) "future-proof" for atleast 3-5 years, and power efficient? How much would you rate this setup out of 10? If you have better recommendations, please do tell but remember it should be power efficient. My power bills should not kill me

Thanks.

EDIT : I've read that the Phenom II processors are good,cheaper alternatives to the i5. But I do not know much about its power consumption... Can someone recommend good Phenom II processors that are power efficient?

@ falling

Hi buddy

Your earlier config was rock solid.You deterred from your decision because of the more expensive asus board.I recommend go for the core i5 750 along with msi p55 cd 53 @ 7k. This will definitely bring costs down and is also a great overclocker.

If you dont want to OC then intel dp55wb is also great and pretty solid for around 6k. The choice is yours but the i5 rig is more future proof than phenom 2 965.

The turboboost feature of i5 is especially great as it automatically overclocks for single threaded applications.

So go for core i5. :smile:

asigh said:
Not actually noobish. Surprising. Could you pass me that link. Most HSF reviews I have seen, difference between one HSF to another is not more than 4-5 degrees at a max.

sorry i do net from mobile so can't for now, wil try at night. but i5's specially i3 can cross 4.5Ghz easily. & temperature in that region is dangerously high.

ur theory is correct. 4-5degree diff, but limited mainly to C2D's @ 45nm. my theory, more heatpipes, better cooling. sorry if i wrong

^^
Okay, post back what you have/when you get time. We can continue.

F

I'm kinda confused - people told me to go for the i5. But since the i9 is supposed to come out, won't (Intel is know for changing architecture drastically) most of their products have lesser support? Won't they be outtdated? AMD is known to support their stuff for a decent amount of time without making drastic alterations like Intel. I couldn't help agreeing with that.(like intel has the lga 1156 and 1336 sockets. AMD has the AM3 socket. If you look at it, intel is going to stop building on the 1156 in a couple of years but the AM3 looks solid enough for quite some more time)

What should I do? That AMD rig of mine was almost finalized. (very power efficient)

Does not work like that. The LGA 1156 and LGA 1336 are much more newer technology than the AM3 socket. So expect more 'future proof" with Intel series. Intel just releases newer product lines quicker, though that does not mean, they stop support for legacy chips. The LGA 775 still has support. When ever the i9 comes out, it will be equivalent to buying gold, see the prices of i7..?

falling said:
I'm kinda confused - people told me to go for the i5. But since the i9 is supposed to come out, won't (Intel is know for changing architecture drastically) most of their products have lesser support? Won't they be outtdated? AMD is known to support their stuff for a decent amount of time without making drastic alterations like Intel. I couldn't help agreeing with that.(like intel has the lga 1156 and 1336 sockets. AMD has the AM3 socket. If you look at it, intel is going to stop building on the 1156 in a couple of years but the AM3 looks solid enough for quite some more time)

What should I do? That AMD rig of mine was almost finalized. (very power efficient)

Who told you that phenom 2 965 is more power efficient than the i5 750?

Its the other way round.Check this *www.tomshardware.com/reviews/intel-core-i5,2410-13.html

The i5 is better than 965 and since it has on die pci express controller communicating with a discrete card is breeze and that reflects in better graphics performance whilst using a discrete card.

Buddy read the reviews and go for i5 750.AMD is good at a slightly lower budget but for anything high end go for intel.

REGARDING THE SOCKET CONFUSION the lga 1366 is for enthusiasts which supports the bloomfield range of i7's including the upcoming gulftown hexacore proccys. The 1156 is for mainstream users and has a lot of processor support including lynnfield i7's which even has hyperthreading and the latest i5's and i3's are also supported.

So dont go for amd phenom 2 965 considering its more power efficient than the i5 750 as its completely wrong info.Performancewise it still lags the i5 in many apps consuming more power in idle and load.

So Buddy at your budget go for the CORE i5 750.

F

vickybat : *www.anandtech.com/bench/default.aspx?p=109&p2=102

You are correct. The X4 965 has higher power consumption... The i5 might be expensive but in the long term, it'll be better when the electricity bills come.

Okay. Can you recommend an awesome Motherboard that can be used effectively with the i5? Also : The Motherboard should not cost above 5.5k.

Thanks a lot guys

@ falling

Buddy if you don't overclock like me then go for intel dp55wb @ 6k and its the cheapest p55 board out there.The performance is good and is very stable.

But if you will OC then MSI P55 CD53 is a great choice @ 7k or thereabouts.
There is also a gigabyte ga p55 ud2m which also is a great board but its availability might be an issue.Its also around the 6.5 mark.

Don't mention buddy we are always there to help.

F

I really liked the dp55wb. But does it support 1600 mhz ddr 3 ram??

I'll try and buy it if I can.

Do you know of any reliable,trust worthy retailers in Kerala, Trivandrum??

EDITED

@ falling

I think yes because the the i5 memory controller can support 1600 mhz rams and it should'nt be a problem.I use 1333mhz transcend rams in my dp55wb and its pretty solid.You can try corsair.

Buddy i don't have any idea on retailers in trivandrum but it should'nt be any problem and you can easily purchase your hardware.

Finally there's always an option to order online from lynx or exoduspc.

F

Thanks. Okay this is my finalized rig. Please rate on a scale of 1 to 10.

Core i5 750 2.66 Ghz @ 10k

Intel DP55WB @ 6.3k

Western Digital Caviar Blue 620GB @ 3.2k

PowerColour HD5770 1GB GDDR5 V2 @ 9.9k OR PowerColour HD5850 1GB GDDR5 @ 16.4k

Corsair 4GB DDR3 1600MHz C9 Titanium @ 5.8k

GlacialPower 650W AA @ 4.6k PSU

Cooler Master Centurion 590 @ 3.8k

^^
You going to game on what resolution...?

falling said:
Thanks. Okay this is my finalized rig. Please rate on a scale of 1 to 10.

Core i5 750 2.66 Ghz @ 10k

Intel DP55WB @ 6.3k

Western Digital Caviar Blue 620GB @ 3.2k

PowerColour HD5770 1GB GDDR5 V2 @ 9.9k OR PowerColour HD5850 1GB GDDR5 @ 16.4k

Corsair 4GB DDR3 1600MHz C9 Titanium @ 5.8k

GlacialPower 650W AA @ 4.6k PSU

Cooler Master Centurion 590 @ 3.8k

taking i5 & no aftermarket HSF? insult for that i5. Rating: 9 without HSF

F

My current monitor supports 1280 * 720. Its pretty sucky (a BENQ T52WA), so thinking of an upgrade next year or something.

I'd love to game on higher resolutions like 1600 or 1920. With certain graphics lowered down ofcourse (like HDR,shadows,extra physics etc) once I get a decent monitor.

Also, is it true that AA is not required if you game at 1920 + resolutions?

---------- Post added at 03:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:07 PM ----------

Sam.Shab said:
taking i5 & no aftermarket HSF? insult for that i5. Rating: 9 without HSF

Sorry for the double post. I do not know how to install heat sinks and fans, and more over, with this rig the price tag is hovering around 48-50k.

Maybe over time, I can try putting new HSF (I had to google the term lol)? Or should I use the cheaper thermal paste for heatsinks?

EDIT : WOAH!!!! The CM Hyper 212 costs only 2.2k! Nice! I think I can get this.

Also, my Intel DP55WB supports a micro-atx case. Is it okay if I use it in the CM Centurion 590?

@ falling

Perfect system for you buddy. :smile:

Since you dont plan to OC aftermarket hsf isnt really necessary but stock intel coolers arent of good quality anymore.The hyper 212 plus is good so grab it. Even i am thinking of getting my hands on one.

Regarding resolutions the 5850 can handle full hd with ease and anti aliasing has no relations with 1920x1080 resolutions.Its just a method to remove jagged edges from in game graphical animations.

Finally the dp55wb can fit with all atx/matx cabinets so its not a problem at all since all atx cabinets support matx boards.I have installed my dp55wb in a coolermaster elite 335 ATX cabby.

F

Thanks vickybat!

The total cost along with the Hyper 212 is Rs. 51300.
Now all I have to do is buy all this

I'll try asking my brother's friend who is in Bangalore to get the parts. And another - he is pretty good at bargaining.

Shops do sometimes give discounts if you buy a lot of parts, don't they?

@ falling

Ya buddy shops do give some discounts when you buy a lot of parts and the same happened with me.
Anyway grab your parts and post along with pics in the latest purchase section.

F

Thanks a lot guys

I won't be able to get the rig now, but I will place an order for the parts. That way I can buy them when I get the money. I can't buy right now because my brother is going abroad so we have a slight financial strain. Will be able to buy around March or April.

Kinda late to buy I know

Anyways, I thank you all for your help and advice.
Take care.

~ falling

Sam.Shab said:
taking i5 & no aftermarket HSF? insult for that i5. Rating: 9 without HSF

Why would he need an OEM HSF. See his motherboard. He cannot OC, so a stock Intel is just fine.

falling said:
My current monitor supports 1280 * 720. Its pretty sucky (a BENQ T52WA), so thinking of an upgrade next year or something.

A bigger screen would be better for the type of power you are harnessing. When ever you have the funds move to a minimal 1440 x 900. 24" would be just sweet.

falling said:
I'd love to game on higher resolutions like 1600 or 1920. With certain graphics lowered down ofcourse (like HDR,shadows,extra physics etc) once I get a decent monitor.

Also, is it true that AA is not required if you game at 1920 + resolutions?

Anti Aliasing is required at all resolutions. Those jagged edges..damn..!

falling said:
Sorry for the double post. I do not know how to install heat sinks and fans, and more over, with this rig the price tag is hovering around 48-50k.

Maybe over time, I can try putting new HSF (I had to google the term lol)? Or should I use the cheaper thermal paste for heatsinks?

EDIT : WOAH!!!! The CM Hyper 212 costs only 2.2k! Nice! I think I can get this.

You DO NOT need an OEM HSF. Not sure why people are recommending them. You will never OC, with your board. The stock one is just fine. The manual you will get with the mother board explains quite explicitely how to dock the CPU and mount the HSF. Though if you have disposable income at hand, then get a Hyper 212. Hardly going to do you much good.

F

Thanks asigh

I once trying to get the entire rig under 50,000.
If there is availability problems for the HD 5850, then I could go for the 5770.Without the 5850 and CM Hyper 212, and instead a 5770, I should get the entire rig around Rs. 42,700

Again, I'm hoping I can discount/bargain for a lower price to further lower the price.

Just one last question : how long should one use the computer? I have the habit of running my PC 24/7 without shutting down. Thinking of stopping this once the new rig comes in. What are your suggestions? And also, for gaming - what is the maximum amount of time I should spend without overheating the PC to hell?

^^
1. If you can sacrifice the CM Hyper 212 which is not required and invest more money -- get the HD5850. Though till 1400x900 the HD5770 is just as good. If you ever have plans for full HD gaming, then pick the HD5850. That is a monster card.

2. You can leave the system on 24 x 7. No issues. You might need to restart once in a while to apply a patch/Windows update/installation.

3. Game as long as your brain can sustain it. The chips can handle it. That is why we pay so much for them.

F

asigh said:
3. Game as long as your brain can sustain it. The chips can handle it. That is why we pay so much for them.

Very true

Awesome site and awesome forums. I will be recommending this place to my friends

Thanks again to everyone.

~ falling

asigh said:
Why would he need an OEM HSF. See his motherboard. He cannot OC, so a stock Intel is just fine.

oh yah. i missed that part. Thanks. well even at stock i5 750 is pretty powerful. Later when the juice seems to run out, get a good mobo & HSF & then OC. for now, stock is enough.

^
Yes absolutely. Since the stock HSF comes in the bundle. The OP can try that out. If things are getting hot, for sure a OME HSF can be procured.

Hi, Can anyone please tell me whether Kingston HyperX RAM 6Gb Kit (2Gb x 3 modules) of 1600 MHz will work properly on MSI-X58 Pro Motherboard with Intel Core-i7 920 on it ??
Waiting for an urgent reply...

p.s..I didn't know where to ask this question (coz i am new to the forum) so i posted it here....

Yes, it will. See below.

*img710.imageshack.us/img710/2414/msix58pro.jpg