i5 750 Build - I think I've decided!

2486 Views 22 Replies 11 Participants Last post by judoreflex, Nov 24, 2009

tNok85

Discussion Starter · Nov 23, 2009

3

Hey all,

After much pondering I think I've decided on my new build. I usually get a new PC every year or so... so this does not need to be future proof.

I have about $500-600 to spend now, and then another $600+ when I sell my laptop. Primary use will be gaming.

So, to start, I have my 8800 Ultra sitting idle, and that thing is still a beast and will be fine until I sell the laptop.

CPU: i5 750 - $150 @ MicroCenter
So.. cheap...

I paid more for my E8400 less than a year ago!

Motherboard: Gigabyte P55M-UD2 - $104 Shipped @ NewEgg
Cheap, not interested in 2x cards (you'll see why when you scroll down) and has all the features I need. I love my Gigabyte P35, P45, and I expect the same from the P55.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128405

GPU: 5970 - Haha... costs too much.
Yeah, I like to go all out on GPU when I do a full upgrade, if you'll notice by my old 8800 Ultra. So, I plan to buy this when I sell my laptop, and hopefully I'll get enough to have a little cash leftover.

RAM: G.Skill 2x2GB DDR3 1600 - $95 Shipped @ NewEgg
Reviews are fantastic... any reason I should NOT go with these?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231193

HDD: WDD 640GB Caviar Black - $75 Shipped @ NewEgg
Never been into fancy HDD setups. Half the boot time - don't care. Save a couple seconds loading a level/zone - don't care. If I have money leftover after the 5970 I may consider raiding another one of these in, but that's a big maybe.

PSU: CORSAIR 750TX - $110 Shipped @ NewEgg
Duuuuuuh.

Case: ????
I'm considering holding off until I sell the laptop. Up to $534 by now, and a case that will fit and cool a 5970 will probably push me a good bit over what I want to spend now. Any thoughts?

Any thoughts/suggestions? Note, I don't mind running outside of a case (on a tech station) for a while.

Up to $534 now. Would really prefer not to go over $600, and I am holding off on everything (except the cpu, since I am NOT shopping on Black Friday in New York) until Black Friday/Cyber Monday to see if any good deals come up online.

Thanks! Very excited...

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1 - 20 of 23 Posts

Raul-7

· #2 · Nov 23, 2009

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...t=Combo.286890

Save $10.

Reactions: 1

Angmaar

· #3 · Nov 23, 2009

That looks like a nice setup.

tNok85

Discussion Starter · #4 · Nov 23, 2009

2

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raul-7

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http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...t=Combo.286890

Save $10.

You sir, are the man.

Nice.

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Raul-7

· #5 · Nov 23, 2009

So you decided to go i5 instead of i7?

tNok85

Discussion Starter · #6 · Nov 23, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raul-7

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So you decided to go i5 instead of i7?

Yeah, looking at the benchmarks and reviews, the only real advantage the i7 has over the i5 is in areas I am not interested in. Slight FPS gains but the 5970 will make up for that... hehe... and by the time the 5970 starts to struggle with *anything* I will have likely upgraded.

The cost different is incredible. A decent board is ~twice as much, the RAM is much more expensive, and the CPU is a $50 difference. That makes the difference between an i7/58XX or an i5/5970. I would prefer the latter.

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-iceblade^

· #7 · Nov 23, 2009

nice setup - i'd be using the same parts if i was building an i5 rig

i don't know about the 5970: it seems overkill, but then again, it will last a while.

either way you have a good rig set up. as for a case, maybe a HAF 932 or antec 1200? it'll be funny having an mATX board in there, but meh

Reactions: 1

psi_guy

· #8 · Nov 23, 2009

given the budget, i don't think you could have pulled off a good i7 build for the money involved. the cpu alone (granted he was going to go with an i7 920) would have cost almost half the budget alone. either way, an i5 build will do just fine. let us know when you get it all done, and congrats!

Reactions: 1

Microsis

· #9 · Nov 23, 2009

Great build. Looks extremely similar to the one I plan to build in the next couple months.

Don't forget sound card or HDDs if you need them.

Reactions: 1

tNok85

Discussion Starter · #10 · Nov 23, 2009

2

Quote:

Originally Posted by Microsis

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Great build. Looks extremely similar to the one I plan to build in the next couple months.

Don't forget sound card or HDDs if you need them.

Thanks.

Yeah, I have a couple spare 500GBs around that can serve as storage, and a Creative X-Fi something or other - not the ***taLiTy one, the one below that.

Have a Samsung 226BW (22 1680x1060), and an LG 1920x1200. Will consider getting a tri-screen setup once it's more widely supported...

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yellowtoblerone

· #11 · Nov 23, 2009

also the WD 640 Black is usually cheaper. Wait for a sale. I bought mine last May for 64.99

Reactions: 1

tNok85

Discussion Starter · #12 · Nov 23, 2009

2

Quote:

Originally Posted by yellowtoblerone

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also the WD 640 Black is usually cheaper. Wait for a sale. I bought mine last May for 64.99

Yeah, I'm assuming that either some of these items or comparable substitutes will be on sale for Black Friday (which is payday) or Cyber Monday.

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candy_van

· #13 · Nov 23, 2009

I'll be doing a similar build in a P180 Mini (which BTW fits a 5970). However, if you aren't sure about using mATX motherboards forever, perhaps you'd rather get something else...

Reactions: 1

mraviator

· #14 · Nov 23, 2009

I am also doing a very similar build. Instead of the UD2, I am going with the P55A UD3. My thinking is the USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s for future uses (even though you lose some PCIe capability). I am also going with the 5770 card, as my gaming needs are only in the flight simming area. Other than that (and the PSU), our specs are identical. Good luck finding sales this weekend, I will be doing the same!

Reactions: 1

T3h_Ch33z_Muncha

· #15 · Nov 23, 2009

you'll need to oc that 750 pretty heavily to keep up with that 5970 tbh... it's a beast. even a small OC is a huge jump in performance. personally i would be going with a 920 with that kind of GPU power.

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tNok85

Discussion Starter · #16 · Nov 23, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by T3h_Ch33z_Muncha

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you'll need to oc that 750 pretty heavily to keep up with that 5970 tbh... it's a beast. even a small OC is a huge jump in performance. personally i would be going with a 920 with that kind of GPU power.

Yeah, I will be OC'ng it a bit.

I'm honestly not worried about it 'bottlenecking' the 5970. At higher resolution, CPU matters a bit less, as you know I'm sure. And the i5 750 performs almost neck and neck with the i7 920, unless you need HT.

How does HT change the 'bottleneck'?

And I've heard this before - I got an E6750 with an 8800 Ultra, and was told 'ohhh you need a Q6600 to really use that card' - and it simply wasn't true.

/shrug

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judoreflex

· #17 · Nov 24, 2009

i found a better build for 800 usd.

T3h_Ch33z_Muncha

· #18 · Nov 24, 2009

2

Quote:

Originally Posted by judoreflex

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i found a better build for 800 usd.

cool story bro. Care to share

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tNok85

Discussion Starter · #19 · Nov 24, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by judoreflex

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i found a better build for 800 usd.

Please, do share.

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judoreflex

· #20 · Nov 24, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by tNok85

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Please, do share.

i made a thread check i out.

sorry if its more money i want thinking.

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