New PC Build

[Ninja]

Hi guys, i'm missing my gaming so I need a new pc i've been out of the loop for a while so I have some questions before I start buying stuff
Also if anyone can see anything wrong/improvments with this build please tell me.

ATI Radeon HD 4890 x2 Crossfire These cards are awsome value, but not Directx 11 compatible, should i worry?
Corsair XMS3 6GB (3x2GB) DDR3 10666 C9 1333MHz Is it worth buying faster RAM?
PSU : Will an 850W PSU give me enough power?

Processor : i7 975 Extreme
Motherboard : Asus Supercomputer
HDD : 2 x SAS 15,000 RPM raid.

[jimbouk1977]

unfortunately, 15,000 RPM (or 15k hard drives) are typically more expensive than their slower brothers. Also, large storage capacities
aren't available in the high-speed segment. So, you end up spending a lot of money on 15k drives and you might have to live with decreased capacities.

So if i was you do as i did & Get one time high-speed drive then just get others & don't run raid (but its personal choice)

system build specs look fine but I that's me would dump the ATI card for a 400 series Nvidia DX11 (the way it should be) yes it costs more but very much worth it.

But i would go for hight end  myself E.G: Evga, Asus, XFX & so on as you do get what you pay for in this life & Cheap maybe,,,, better it's not !. So always worth saving a few extra pennies up IMO


If you go for i7 & what you've listed or the things ive added i would go for  1,000W PSU to be safe
also if you havent heard of it try ebuyer they have good prices & have never let me down also Dabs  maybe even Overclockers Always shop around and if needs be buy from multiple stores if it works out cheaper..

link for a good 1,00W PSU  Great modular unit ready for Sli / cross fire also has 6+2 pins for pciE so good bit of kit & being modular you only use what you need so neat & tidy also!.

Oh yeah if your going down this road make sure your case is FULL ATX as otherwise the cards might not fit

Enjoy 

I know a 400 (480) serries costs a lot but you might aswell save up the extra and do it then your PC should be future proofed for a good many years to come...

Also XMS ram is very good ram, but if you want gaming ram go for Dominator by corsair3 X 2GB Dominator 1600MHZ

True DX11 games a thin on the line at the moment but that's just it at the moment there are LOADS of new games pushing out DX11 so if I was going to build i would go for DX11 but that's me Im gutted I brought my 295GTX just before the 400 series came out  so i will have to wait a bit longer 

[Killbuni]

thought the 4850 had to have two power inputs each need to check that 850 should be ok provided you have enough adapters for the vid cards you intend to install, as for not dx11 well depends on how soon you want to upgrade again i personally would be happy with dx10 with physx built in for now.
   fitting instructions works every time 

[sasmavrick]

I am running one 4870 and that does require 2 x 6 pin connectors... so you are going to need to pump it with a large psu... 4870 x2 in cross fire ati recoment a 750watt psu.
With regards dx 11 and you really wanna stay with ati (personal preferance only!!!) then look into the 5000 series as they are dx11 and cheaper than nvidia.... JIMBO dont moan at me as graphics cards are always updating one day nvidia will have the best card the next it will be ati... Swings and roundabouts....
Hope this helps abit....
ATI or NVIDIA its up to you but they are generally on par with each other.......
The thing that makes ATI good is the ddr5 ram..
The thing that makes NVIDIA good is the streaming processors!!!!!!!!

[jimbouk1977]

Nvidia 400 series is DDR5    ATi are ok these days  but as Mav says it down to personal choice over the years i have used both & I find Nvidia to be that little bit better quality wise but ATI are cheaper that said. YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR IN LIFE

FPS


tessellation


A Picture Paints A Thousand Words

_{(all images are from indepent review sites & not the same one)}



But if money is an issue ATI the way to go...

[sasmavrick]

I do agree with jimbo.. If money an isue the ati if not the Nvidia..
Oh and jimbo try looking at the ATI 5970...
As i said its swings and roundabouts...

Quoted from a look on the web...

"So... Fermi is better at tessellation, but that's it. So for the GTX480 to be significantly faster than a 5870, games need to make heavy usage of tessellation and DX11... which isn't the case at this point and likely won't be for a while.

Raytracing isn't here yet and neither is CUDA for consumer apps.

If the GTX480 is more expensive than a 5870, then it's pretty much pointless IMO... "

[jimbouk1977]

True but the 5970 is a dual chip model where as all the 480's are single chip so it stands to reason it will be faster 

But that said QUAD SLI

and the fact crossfire sucks (naughty) big time with LOADS of compatibility issues and Nvidia can run 3 screens in wrap around stereoscopic 3D (ATI can't even do 3D)
and loads of films will & are at present 3D i would still choose an Nvidia card


But im not trying to argue the corner as you say Mav it is always going to be one does better, then 6 months later the other is better again,

but there are lots of factors to take into account when chosing a GPU of any sort..

Are you a film kind of guy do you want 3D do you want a card that doesn't look like it was built by Ashtar in the sweatshops of India Do you want a solid multi-card system that most games are built for (look at most games whats it say on load up) (Nvidia)

OR

do you just want to game with a single unit (ATI)

LOL this is going to turn into all out cussing soon so i reiterate it is all personal preference & Swings 'N' roundabouts

[Ninja]

Cheers guys, i'm going to have another look at the gfx situation,

Allthough its an expensive processor/mobo/hdds i'm getting them from a friend dirt cheap, I don't have money to burn, so its just finding the best bang for my buck with the graphics.

p.s. i have bad experience with swings

[jimbouk1977]

LOL Ninja (if you know me and Mav its an old argument if you can't tell he is an ATI man & im Nvidia  )

But yeah some good sites out there for reviews & bench-tests try here

[FragStorm]

think i've got an ati xt4800 if it's of any use to you, collecting dust in the cupboard?

[Killbuni]

  frqag can't ecven give them things away now m8 lol 

[jimbouk1977]

I have a 8600GTS also 8800GTX (2 of) & a XFX 9800GTX+ Black Edition also for sale if anyone wants it i sold one of the 9800's to Frag so he can tell you if they any good or not 


But i would be buying a kick (naughty) one as your saving all that money (joke)


In fact i can sell you about 3 half decent rigs out of all the spares ive got lying around lol 

[Ninja]

Won't be long 

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[sasmavrick]

Oh look a small bit of my house. I am always covered in computer parts!!! LOL
 

[jimbouk1977]

When you switch it on we all know you have done so by the 
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