First Time Gaming Rig - Need Advice

[tsuki2000]

My laptop has developed a couple of problems and will soon be out of warranty, so I've been thinking of getting a desktop instead. After looking around a bit at pre-built systems, I decided I was rather dissatisfied with the choices out there, as well as the reliability of those systems (one attractively-priced desktop had multiple reports of failures). So anyway, I've settled on buiolding my own.

I'm a complete novice when it comes to this...I've never built a PC before. I'm looking to build a fairly-serious gaming rig, for games such as Crysis, GTA IV, BioShock, and Far Cry 2. My budget's around $1500, give or take.

Here's what I've come up with:

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/Pu...umber=13539586

Note that I'm not really concerned with using more than one video card, so using the 1156 chipset isn't an issue for me. I'm most concerned with building a good gaming rig that will let me play games comfortably for the next few years before I need to upgrade.

Also about the wireless adapter: It's the only one I could find where people mentioned getting it to work with Windows 7, and my PC would be in an area where the only real option is wireless.

I already have a monitor, speakers, keyboard, and mouse.


So what do you think? Advice? Thanks.

[ryuk999]

lol the only real question I got for you is...why have 2 antistatic wrist straps? other than that it seems to be a very nice build

[glc]

The only changes I'd make are switch to an Asus P7P55D-E board and some other brand of video card.

[tsuki2000]

Originally Posted by glc The only changes I'd make are switch to an Asus P7P55D-E board and some other brand of video card.

Do you mean go with an NVIDIA or to get a Radeon 5850 made by a different manufacturer?

If the latter, I did find these alternatives to the one by XFX:

Sapphire: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-857-_-Product

HIS: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-302-_-Product


As for the mobo, do you mean this?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-620-_-Product

It's the cheapest version of that board on there since the premium or deluxe versions would push me too far over budget.

[glc]

Yes, that's the motherboard I was referring to. I'd get this 5850:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814103085

[tsuki2000]

Is there something special about the Diamond version over Sapphire or HIS?

And now I have someone on another site telling me to go with the Gigabyte mobo...this gets so confusing >.<


Also, does it really need to be a P7P55D-E board or would a P7P55D (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131404) be fine?

[glc]

Diamond is recommended due to their known quality and support. Sapphire is also high quality, but their end user support is essentially nonexistent. HIS is decent.

The -E board has USB 3.0 and STA 6.0, the plain P7P55D does not. Otherwise, I think they are identical.

Everyone is entitled to their opinions, Gigabyte is a good manufacturer, but in my opinion Asus has better consistent quality. I loook at stability and reliability before I look at performance. Many other sites place priorities on performance, letting benchmarks rule their computing world.

I base my manufacturer recommendations on both my experiences, and those of professional high volume system builders.

[tsuki2000]

True. Overall, I've seen more recommendations for the Asus board over the Gigabyte board. Might just go with the Asus then. It also seems that if I got the Diamond GPU and the E board the price wouldn't change since I'd spent $10 more on the mobo but save $10 on the GPU.

So basically, you're saying that should something go wrong with my GPU, I'd get a lot more help from Diamond than I would from Sapphire?

[glc]

Yep. Check the sticky threads in the motherboard and video forums, there's brand ratings.

[tsuki2000]

Final build is up...thoughts?