Epic new budget build

[oool4sassin]

Case: Corsair Carbide 400R - $118
CPU: AMD FX-4100 - $126
CPU Cooler: Coolermaster Hyper TX3 EVO - $24
Graphics Card: Sapphire ATi HD7770 - $139
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 500GB - $72
Memory: Corsair CMX4GX3M1A1333C9 4GB (1 X4GB) - $29
Motherboard: ASUS M5A97-EVO 970 - $125
Optical Drive: Samsung 22X DVDRW Black SATA (SH-S223C-BL) - $19
Power Supply: Antec 450W ATX NEO ECO - $58

Monitor: AOC e2250Swd 21.5" - $119
Keyboard & Mouse: Logitech MK260 - $23

TOTAL: $852

Are the parts compatible?

What do you think of the build?

ANY INPUT is greatly appreciated. really, it is. Your answers warm my heart.

 

[Sucoi]

Is this ur max budget?And yes those are compatible. But I would add another 4gb of ram and a ssd to boot the system.

 

[oool4sassin]

Is this ur max budget?And yes those are compatible. But I would add another 4gb of ram and a ssd to boot the system.

my budget is strictly under $900 AUD. even less if I can manage.

 

[slh28]

I'd go with the i3 2100/2120 over the FX 4100 for the same price. Don't be fooled by the raw specs, the FX processors have horrendous IPC and it's debatable whether the FX 4100 is really a quad core processor. Also if you go with Intel you can just use the stock cooler.

Given your budget I think you're spending too much on the motherboard, there should be cheaper ones out there. Let's say you save $50 on the mobo, add that to the $50 you have left and buy a 128GB SSD for $100.

 

[PC nerd]

i3 2100
6870 1GB
2 x 4GB DDR3 RAM
Decent 550W power supply
An SSD isn't necessary in a proper budget build.


You'll definitely want more than a questionable 450W to power this thing. I say "questionable", because Antec haven't had a great past when it comes to power supplies.

I don't know about the market in Australia, but good power supplies to look out for are Seasonic, XFX, Corsair and some Antec ranges.



This is good for comparing the performance of different components:
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/CPU/2

This website is great for calculating the power supply you'll need:
http://extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp

This website tells you the true manufacturers of power supplies out there:
http://www.realhardtechx.com/index_archivos/Page541.htm

 

[slh28]

You'll definitely want more than a questionable 450W to power this thing. I say "questionable", because Antec haven't had a great past when it comes to power supplies.

Actually I think the Antec one the OP listed is made by Seasonic so it should be fine. Not 100% sure though, but judging by the price I suspect it is a Seasonic unit. 450W is more than enough for his build, those PSU calculators are very conservative.

 

[PC nerd]

If you're looking for a proper budget build:

Pentium G860 2.8GHz 3MB Cache
Gigabyte SKT-1155 H61MA-D3V
Crucial 2x2GB 1333MHz DDR3 Value CL9
Antec Core 1000 case
PC Power & Cooling MKIII 400W Modular PSU
Used/old hard drive
Used GPU - eBay

That is about as cheap as I'd comfortably go.

 

[Leeky]

A few observations:

1. An SSD doesn't belong in a budget build and given the tight budget is a complete waste of money.
2. I agree with Slh28, the i3 is a better purchase, plus with the right motherboard opens you up to run newer CPUs down the line.
3. The HD7770 requires a 500W or greater PSU. The current Antec Neo is pushing it too fine on the limit really.
4. If you just want "a case" and not specifically the Corsair model, you could save a few quid.
5. If you intend to stick to the FX-4100 choose a cheaper motherboard, and scrap the cooler. Neither are really necessary and a AMD 760 series motherboard will suit your application perfectly whilst saving costs.
6. Otherwise, all the parts you listed are compatible, just an Intel i3 setup would be better in the long run.

 

[oool4sassin]

cheers for the replies guys.
The reason I'm buying the Antec PSU is because I'm going to be swapping it for my brother's Corsair HX-650.
I have changed up my build a bit, now that I am getting some free second hand parts from friends.

Case: Corsair Carbide 400R - $118
CPU: intel i5 3550 - $220
CPU Cooler: CoolerMaster Hyper TX3 EVO - $24
Graphics Card: Sapphire ATi HD7770 - $139
HDD: Western Digital Caviar Blue 160GB - FREE
Memory: Corsair CMX4GX3M1A1333C9 4GB (1 X4GB) - $29
Motherboard: ASUS P8Z77-V LX - $138
Optical Drive: Samsung 22X DVDRW Black SATA (SH-S223C-BL) - FREE
Power Supply: Antec 450W ATX NEO ECO - $58

Monitor: AOC e2250Swd 21.5" - $119
Keyboard & Mouse: Logitech MK260 - $23

TOTAL: $868

The real reason I'm keeping the Heatsink is because I already have 2 spare 92mm noctua fans that I want to use in push-pull.

The HDD, being only 160GB, clearly is not enough, so when I have saved up enough money in a week or so, I'll be buying the 500GB Seagate Barracuda

 

[oool4sassin]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
SCRATCH THAT

Case: Corsair Carbide 400R - $118
CPU: intel i5 3570K - $245
Graphics Card: Sapphire ATi HD7770 - $139
HDD: Western Digital Caviar Blue 160GB - FREE
Memory: Corsair CMX4GX3M1A1333C9 4GB (1 X4GB) - $29
Motherboard: ASUS P8Z77-V LX - $138
Optical Drive: Samsung 22X DVDRW Black SATA (SH-S223C-BL) - FREE
Power Supply: Antec 450W ATX NEO ECO - $58

Monitor: AOC e2250Swd 21.5" - $119
Keyboard & Mouse: Logitech MK260 - $23

TOTAL: $868

UPGRADES:

1st: SEAGATE BARRACUDA 1TB- $92

2nd: CoolerMaster Hyper TX3 EVO - 24

3rd: Corsair CMX4GX3M1A1333C9 4GB (1 X4GB) - $29

4th: Sapphire ATi HD7770 - $139

 

[slh28]

Well it's turned from a budget build to a decent mid range one. You'll be much happier with the 3570K setup in the long run. You might want to consider getting a 2x4GB RAM kit though as RAM is pretty cheap now.

I still stand by my recommendation of a 128GB SSD though, prices have come down to affordable levels and while it won't make much of a difference for gaming purposes the overall responsiveness of your computer will improve dramatically. If you get an SSD later you'll have to mess around with reinstalling Windows, etc.

 

[hood6558]

All your picks in your latest post look great except I noticed that your 4th upgrade after building the core system is another HD7770, which means you eventually want a crossfire setup. The P8Z77-V LX doesn't support CrossFire or SLI, but for an extra $27 the P8Z77-V LE PLUS does support both, and also it's a full ATX board (12.0 x 9.6 with 9 screws), unlike the LX and LK versions, which are called ATX but are really only 12.0 x 8.6 with 6 screws (which leaves the entire right side of the board unsupported, the side where the RAM slots, SATA ports, and 24 pin power connector reside). In other words, it's real easy to crack one of those short boards while making connections and especially when seating DIMMs in tight slots. Just lettin' you know!

 

[Leeky]

I strongly recommend you change that PSU, for reasons I explained in my last post above. It might have (I haven't looked) the amperage to handle the HD7770 but it would be wise to look at 500w or above, especially since AMD advise you do so.

 

[hood6558]

Update - I just noticed that the Asus P8Z77-V LK ($150) does support SLI & CrossFire. But as I noted above, it's a short 6-screw board (12.0 x 8.8) with no support on the right side. Another problem with these short boards is the RAM slots are too close to the CPU socket, causing clearance issues with even mid-sized air coolers like the CM Hyper 212+. The extra inch provided by full sized ATX boards alleviates this problem somewhat.

 

[BMfan]

I strongly recommend you change that PSU, for reasons I explained in my last post above. It might have (I haven't looked) the amperage to handle the HD7770 but it would be wise to look at 500w or above, especially since AMD advise you do so.

I think his 450w psu would be more than enough for a single 7770.
Most reviews out there show that the entire system uses about 200w with an i7 cpu.

If you look at what AMD recommends for this card you would see that they recommend the same wattage of psu for a 7950 which uses more than a 7770.

 

[Leeky]

Fair point, I hadn't looked up reviews of the product, I just went by what the manufacturer said would be suitable.