FireFlower

Use this thread for discussion about hardware FAQ and to get advices from other A-P users.

Link to Hardware FAQ: Click this

__________________

Lanxdata

Well in a few days here I'm about to start a new build. This is what I have been planning so far. I believe I will end up adding water cooling once I start overclocking the build. I plan to push the CPU to above 4.0GHz, Drop the CAS from 7-7-6-18 to 6-6-6-18, and If possible keeping the GPU stable an bump it from 780MHz up a few more MHz along with increasing its memory clock.

AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition 3.2GHz
ASUS M4A79T Deluxe
SAPPHIRE TOXIC Radeon HD 4870 1GB ( getting another one of these prob around the same time ill add water cooling)
mushkin 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) ( I'm getting another set of this to run 8gb when I grab the Win 7 64bit version OS)
CORSAIR CMPSU-850TX 850W

__________________




Are you a TACO?

FireFlower

Buy 955 only if it is cheaper than 965. Both overclock to same level, so there is no meaning to buy more expensive one when clocks are going to be same in the end.

I suggest you to wait a while until ATI releases HD5870 and HD5850. HD5870 is rumored to beat in some games even GTX 295 SLI configuration (a single GPU versus quad GPU). Well anyway it is going to lower prices a lot in a week or two ;)

PSU is way too big I think. I have TX750 and it is able to run HD4870x2 CrossfireX configuration and I can overclock my CPU too without problems. I suggest you Corsair HX520 if you do not plan to buy CF system.

Well otherwise it is nice basic computer but PSU is an overkill. I have seen many times that configuration run without overclocking on Corsair CX400 powersupply so that is definitely an overkill.

PS. I also updated my Hardware FAQ

__________________

Lanxdata

Thas the plan or I would get the 965. The 955 is about 50$ cheaper than the 965.

Everything is still rumors at this point. The only thing AMD has said so far is that they are dropping down to the 40nm die skipping the 45nm. I would love for it to come out soon but I'm not expecting anything till early/mid next year. This build is to replace a 6 year old oc'd rig that i'm still running. I don't mind grabbing a new card when they come out also :p lol it also depends on the price... How much do you think that new card would cost if it could beat out a GTX 295 in SLI?

With adding a 2nd Graphics card/ Sound card/ 3 more HDD's ( x2 1TB drives x1 300GB Raptor)/ case fans/ an few cathodes for fun would put me close to a 750. Having the 850 just gives me extra head room.

__________________




Are you a TACO?

hikaru

i would skip the AMD build options and jump in the entry i7 processors, as it beats all but one of AMD offerings (note that the AMD processor is the AMD 965, one to three of the testing beats Intel 920 i7 if overclocked) Intel processor are well known for the overclocking abilitys over AMD, in fact my intel i7 processer is overclocked at 3 Ghz even though stock at 2.66.

__________________

FireFlower

You're just calculating it wrong ;) Typical HDD power combined power draw from 5V lines and 12V lines is 5-10W depending model. HD4870x2 in the worst scenario draws 278Watts (300W is max by current PCI-E standard). And in the worst case I mean like some kind synthetic test like a furmark benchmark with extreme resolutions. I still say HX620 is good for overclocking even if you have SLI or crossfire with single gpu cards.

It is just that Intel costs a lot more than Core i7 system. X58 MB costs here atleast 180€, Core-920 240€ and 3x2GB DDR3 memory 100€, thats 520€ euros already. Then again choosing AMD PII 955 180€, AM3 790X MB 100€, 2x2GB DDR3 memory 60-70€ = 340-350€ (over 150€ difference!)

Budget is the factor that orders what you should buy and what you shouldn't.

__________________

FireFlower

HD 5870 :
· 40nm
· ~2.1B transistors
· ~333mm²
· 320 SP (1600 ALU)
· 80 TMU
· 32 ROPs
· 850 MHz
· 2,7 TFlops
· 2 GB GDDR5 1200 MHz
· ~150 GB/s
· Idle: 26 watts
· Peak: 190 watts
· Price: $399
· September 23

HD 5850 :
· 288 SP (1440 ALU)
· 72 TMUs
· 32 ROPs
· ~700 MHz
· 2,0 TFlops
· 1 GB GDDR5 ~1000 MHz
· ~128 GB/s
· Price: < $300
· September 23

--

ATI Eyefinity - Supports up to three monitor configurations. Even six with special model!
Link to information: Hands on: ATI Eyefinity review | News | TechRadar UK

--

The first real benchmark?
HD5870 Crysis Benchmark ·ÖÊý - ¶¥¼¶Í¼Ðο¨ÌÖÂÛ - CHIPHELL - ´øÁìµØÇòÍæ¼Ò¹¥Õ¼»ðÐÇ - Powered by Discuz!
Crysis (Warhead ilmeisesti) DX10 Very High 1920x1200, 4xAA/16xAF
min:30.**
avg:43.**
max:54.**
Platform: Phenom II 955BE, 5870 1GB and Windows 7

Comparison to older results - Note! Processor is QX9650 @ 4GHz with older results, not Phenom II


Pics, 56k/mobile warning...

__________________

FireFlower

56k/mobile warning

__________________

hikaru

I wished it cost 180 euro's but not likely, at best 300 usd or 202.5 euros (give or take a few cents). The best x57 motherboard in the is is 500 USD or 337.40 euro's. their are other x58 boards that cost little lest then 300 as well.

__________________

Blaze13

I hate to say this but chiphell.com site is defaulted to Chinese and there servers are based in China.You could atleast Pull some **** off Toms Hardware aka a reliable source that dosent have a 1 Manufacture logo slaped all over.

__________________

AP Profile Xfire