$930 budget for a build

[kleng]

so i decided to save a bit more money so i can get a better computer build and 930 is what i got so far, so i was wondering what would you guys recommend for me. Im going be using this computer mainly for animating, texturing and 3d modeling with the occasion of gaming.

preference
-i3 cell processor, unless i5 is a must have, or amd, but i dont know much about amd
-motherboard with sli enable(ill be using my old 9800gt until i save a bit more money to get upgrades)
-8g of ram(will max if within budget)

[Khalil]

$980 should buy you a complete system to build including a new video card.
Newegg.com - Intel Core i5-2300 Sandy Bridge 2.8GHz (3.1GHz Turbo Boost) 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I52300
Newegg.com - ASUS P8Z68-V LE LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard with UEFI BIOS
Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar Black WD7502AAEX 750GB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Newegg.com - Antec High Current Gamer Series HCG-520 520W ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V v2.91 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply
Newegg.com - CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9
Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER HAF 912 RC-912-KKN1 Black SECC/ ABS Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Newegg.com - ASUS 24X DVD Burner - Bulk 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS - CD / DVD Burners
Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE 100314-3L Radeon HD 6870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
Newegg.com - Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit - Operating Systems

$865 you can even spend an extra $25 and get the i5-2500

[birddog_61]

Originally Posted by Khalil $980 should buy you a complete system to build including a new video card. Newegg.com - Intel Core i5-2300 Sandy Bridge 2.8GHz (3.1GHz Turbo Boost) 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I52300 Newegg.com - ASUS P8Z68-V LE LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard with UEFI BIOS Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar Black WD7502AAEX 750GB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive Newegg.com - Antec High Current Gamer Series HCG-520 520W ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V v2.91 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply Newegg.com - CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9 Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER HAF 912 RC-912-KKN1 Black SECC/ ABS Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case Newegg.com - ASUS 24X DVD Burner - Bulk 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS - CD / DVD Burners Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE 100314-3L Radeon HD 6870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card Newegg.com - Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit - Operating Systems $865 you can even spend an extra $25 and get the i5-2500

Nice build, its amazing how much performance you can get these days under a grand.

[clambake212]

I am looking at a very similar build and have a question. Why the "1600" memory and not "1333".

[Khalil]

Originally Posted by clambake212 I am looking at a very similar build and have a question. Why the "1600" memory and not "1333".

Best bang for the buck!

[jdeb]

Perfect build Khalil Awesome...

[kleng]

also if in the future i wanted to go water cooling what parts would i need?

[birddog_61]

Originally Posted by kleng also if in the future i wanted to go water cooling what parts would i need?

A corsair H70 or H100

[kleng]

im thinking about switching the Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE 100314-3L Radeon HD 6870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE 100312-3SR Radeon HD 6950 Dirt3 Edition 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity

what do you guys think and would i need to change anything else if i get this card?

[Khalil]

Originally Posted by kleng im thinking about switching the Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE 100314-3L Radeon HD 6870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE 100312-3SR Radeon HD 6950 Dirt3 Edition 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity what do you guys think and would i need to change anything else if i get this card?

Nope, its all good!

[glc]

Originally Posted by kleng also if in the future i wanted to go water cooling what parts would i need?

Are you planning on overclocking? If so, get the i5-2500K processor, it has an unlocked multiplier.

[kleng]

i forgot to mention that i will be overclocking and going crossfire in the future, so i dont know if that MB supports crossfire

i decided to change some of the components around, so let me know what you guys think

Newegg.com - ASUS 24X DVD Burner - Bulk 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS - CD / DVD Burners

Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER HAF 912 RC-912-KKN1 Black SECC/ ABS Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar Black WD7502AAEX 750GB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE 100312-3SR Radeon HD 6950 Dirt3 Edition 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity

Newegg.com - Antec High Current Gamer Series HCG-620 620W ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V v2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply

Newegg.com - CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9B

Newegg.com - ASUS P8P67 (REV 3.0) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard with UEFI BIOS

Newegg.com - Intel Core i5-2500 Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I52500

Newegg.com - Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit - Operating Systems

[glc]

If you want Crossfire, you will have to spend more on both the motherboard and the power supply. I don't know if your current budget can handle that.

Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

Newegg.com - Antec High Current Gamer Series HCG-750 750W ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V v2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Certified 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply

[kleng]

Originally Posted by glc If you want Crossfire, you will have to spend more on both the motherboard and the power supply. I don't know if your current budget can handle that. Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard Newegg.com - Antec High Current Gamer Series HCG-750 750W ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V v2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Certified 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply

my current budget is actually $1k now

[jdeb]

Khalil actually laid it out for you and additionally added the note on the bottom for an i5-2500K. I would take his build and not look back.

[glc]

jdeb - the motherboard and power supply Khalil recommended are not suitable for Crossfire.

To the OP - -please do NOT edit a post after a reply has been made! The P8P67 is not suitable either, and neither is the HCG-620. As said, if you plan on overclocking get the "K" series processor.

[jdeb]

Originally Posted by glc jdeb - the motherboard and power supply Khalil recommended are not suitable for Crossfire. To the OP - -please do NOT edit a post after a reply has been made! The P8P67 is not suitable either, and neither is the HCG-620. As said, if you plan on overclocking get the "K" series processor.

I missed the crossfire totally. Sorry about that.

[kleng]

im gonna go ahead and take Glc advice on the 2500k cpu for overclock capability, but i think im gonna keep the Asus p8p67 board because its crossfirex compatible.

[glc]

NO!!!

It has 2 slots, but it's a x16/x4 arrangement instead of a x8/x8. Also, you do not want a P67, you want a Z68. If you want an Asus get the P8Z68-V, not the LE version. The Gigabyte I recommended is a x8/x8.

[kleng]

Originally Posted by glc NO!!! It has 2 slots, but it's a x16/x4 arrangement instead of a x8/x8. Also, you do not want a P67, you want a Z68. If you want an Asus get the P8Z68-V, not the LE version. The Gigabyte I recommended is a x8/x8.

sorry for my ignorance, but could please elaborate on what the x16/x4 and the x8/x8 is?

[Khalil]

Seriously, how likely are you to crossfire? And how soon? Video cards are constantly being replaced with bigger, faster and better models.

The ATI 7000 series video cards are around the corner. I would not worry about crossfire, I have tried crossfire and SLI, all they give me are headaches and heat problems.

Crossfire is not for casual or occasional gamers, hardcore gamers and tweekers delve in crossfire and SLI to get that extra edge to win at games.

Stick to the build I recomended, that is a very stable Z68 motherboard, not all Z68 boards are stable.

In your initial post 3d modeling, animating and texturing were your priority, crossfire will do nothing for those. Put your money into the i5-2500K and in the future consider adding an SSD as your system drive, that will serve you alot better than crossfire in what you plan on using your system for.

[kleng]

thanks for the advice khalil, you guys are all very helpful. If thats the case then ill stick to the Z68 board and stay away from CFX and SLI for now.