New Gaming PC Suggestions?

StoneHeart · 21 Jul 2010

WOW

, that's definitely an ultimate machine

I saw it on youtube, YouTube - Gaming Computer Showcase: EVGA SR-2, Intel Xeon X5680s, 4-Way SLI GTX480s Pt.1

thehappyman · 08 Sep 2010

Larsa said:

I'm planning on building a new gaming pc this September and am wanting to make it as good as I possibly can. I have $5k saved up for it. I'm considering getting the Intel Core i7-980X Extreme Edition 3.33 GHz CPU and 6gigs of DDR3 RAM at 1800ghz. My dilemma is with the graphics card. I read that the HD Radeon 5970s were good, and I'm considering having two of them.

Would this setup work, or are there some problems? I want to play current and near-future titles on max settings as smoothly as possible. If you have any recommendations for alternative graphic cards that would be great too (or a different CPU if the one listed will cause problems.) Thanks in advance.

Hi Larsa,
For LESS than $5K I just purchased
0) Win 7 Ultimate 64 Bit OS
1) Core I7 980X Extreme overclocked to 3.73 Ghz with water cooling
2) ATI Radeon HD 5970 Video Card
3) 12 GB 1600 Mhz DDR3 triple channel Ram
4) 256 GB Samsung Solid State C drive
5) 600 GB 10,000 rpm SATA secondary data drive
6) Blu Ray DVD/CD Read/Writer
7) USB 2.0 and USB 3.0
8) Multi Function Memory Card Reader
9) Creative Labs X-Fi Titanium Sound Card
10) 850 Watt Power Supply
10) Unconditional 4 Year On-Site Warranty

Good Luck finding just what you want !!!!! :):):)

pparks1 · 08 Sep 2010

thehappyman said:

For LESS than $5K I just purchased
0) Win 7 Ultimate 64 Bit OS
1) Core I7 980X Extreme overclocked to 3.73 Ghz with water cooling
2) ATI Radeon HD 5970 Video Card
3) 12 GB 1600 Mhz DDR3 triple channel Ram
4) 256 GB Samsung Solid State C drive
5) 600 GB 10,000 rpm SATA secondary data drive
6) Blu Ray DVD/CD Read/Writer
7) USB 2.0 and USB 3.0
8) Multi Function Memory Card Reader
9) Creative Labs X-Fi Titanium Sound Card
10) 850 Watt Power Supply
11) Unconditional 4 Year On-Site Warranty

Good Luck finding just what you want !!!!! :):):)

Wow, all that for under $5k :). I'm just kidding...but that's more than I have spent on 3 different computers in the past 5+ years.

Twibitsu · 09 Sep 2010

5970? Wouldn't you just be better with 2 x 5870?

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I was given the impression that all Multi-GPU cards have issues with micro-stuttering. I was looking to buy a 5970 myself, but were persuaded otherwise on a different forum. Ended up with 5870.

thehappyman · 11 Sep 2010

Twibitsu said:

5970? Wouldn't you just be better with 2 x 5870?

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I was given the impression that all Multi-GPU cards have issues with micro-stuttering. I was looking to buy a 5970 myself, but were persuaded otherwise on a different forum. Ended up with 5870.

I guess I will find out when the system arrives !!!!!! If I have troubles I'll get another card (or cards).

Lollies · 11 Sep 2010

pparks1 said:

Well, $5k is a monstrous budget and pretty much allows you to do anything that you want to do. However, I still question paying the outrageous premium on the Intel chip.... For 1/2 to 1/3 the price, you can get a suitable Core i7 that will perform 90% as good and will free up money for other components. Again, in your case...there isn't that much need to save money....but spending for the sake of spending just doesn't seem like the greatest move either. I would rather put in a $500 CPU and use the other $500 on an SSD which would really make a noticeable difference.

i dropped 3k on my last build, its been a year and the i7 has now made the (Quad-Core) Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 a thing of the past. I would suggest cutting corners when you can cause there will always be something better and newer in a short amount of time.

thehappyman · 14 Sep 2010

Lollies said:

pparks1 said:

Well, $5k is a monstrous budget and pretty much allows you to do anything that you want to do. However, I still question paying the outrageous premium on the Intel chip.... For 1/2 to 1/3 the price, you can get a suitable Core i7 that will perform 90% as good and will free up money for other components. Again, in your case...there isn't that much need to save money....but spending for the sake of spending just doesn't seem like the greatest move either. I would rather put in a $500 CPU and use the other $500 on an SSD which would really make a noticeable difference.

i dropped 3k on my last build, its been a year and the i7 has now made the (Quad-Core) Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 a thing of the past. I would suggest cutting corners when you can cause there will always be something better and newer in a short amount of time.

I have several friends who are "always waiting", always holding back for that better thing right around the corner. They never get anywhere. They will always be waiting. :):):)

Lollies · 14 Sep 2010

thehappyman said:

Lollies said:

pparks1 said:

Well, $5k is a monstrous budget and pretty much allows you to do anything that you want to do. However, I still question paying the outrageous premium on the Intel chip.... For 1/2 to 1/3 the price, you can get a suitable Core i7 that will perform 90% as good and will free up money for other components. Again, in your case...there isn't that much need to save money....but spending for the sake of spending just doesn't seem like the greatest move either. I would rather put in a $500 CPU and use the other $500 on an SSD which would really make a noticeable difference.

i dropped 3k on my last build, its been a year and the i7 has now made the (Quad-Core) Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 a thing of the past. I would suggest cutting corners when you can cause there will always be something better and newer in a short amount of time.

I have several friends who are "always waiting", always holding back for that better thing right around the corner. They never get anywhere. They will always be waiting. :):):)

Yeah, that is a good point. My dad for instance...still using his pc from 2002 I think? and switches back and forth between that and the first computer I every owned, a Dell 8300 or something like that in 03 or 04?

He's kinda at the end of the spectrum where he just waits till someone annoys him enough to the point where he gives in and gets something new. He could spend 300$ and have a system that is atleast 3x better than what he uses now. I've always wanted the best of the best but now that I'm getting older I realize money has to go towards other things (Which Blows). But I still wanna have something that is at least between top of the line and the middle personally.

Bootz · 16 Sep 2010

Fumz said:

Bootz said:

... Generally its a good idea to match Intel with nvidia and AMD with ATI although you dont have to by any means...

I also have no wish to start an argument, but this is unfounded nonsense. ATI cards work equally well with AMD chipsets, Intel chipsets and even nVidia chipsets. There's no basis in reality for the claim to the contrary; it's all urban myth.

To the OP. Unless you're going to be running 3 monitors in eyefinity, there's no justification for getting two 5970's; it would be a waste of money. One will certainly suffice even up to 2500.

Did my comment state in any way that they would not WORK as well? no it did not

Its just something i would personally do assuming i had the budget.

Kinggo · 16 Sep 2010

I run 2 X GTX480's as an up grade to my 280's and WOW.
I have EK waterblocks on them and a stand alone stand alone cooling system just for them. They are overclocked from 700MHz to 900MHz and memory from 1400 to 2100 with EVGA precision, this is a great way to crank them up only when you want to.
Even at this OC with furmark they don'e even break a sweat, under 100% load they max out at 59 degrees GPU core temp and virtually silent.

If you have a big budget, this is hard to beat, but I think graphics cards a lot about preferences, both Nvidia and ATI flagship cards are very good.

Also my i7920 @ 4.0 GHz is plenty for gaming, you could save money on the CPU.