Windows 7 Gaming PC?

[Dave]

So I figured this holiday season I might upgrade my computer for real, now that there is a new OS hopefully some cheaper chips and video cards. I just haven't been keeping up with the best "value" configuration... and all these random numbers ATI, Intel, Nvidia, etc use with ther GTS 5783, i5s, or DDR3 1200 mhz etc crap.

Any recommendations? I'm not opposed to buying a pre-built system from acer or dell or the more custom gaming ones like cyberpower etc.

[Jonathan]

My belief is that DX11 is going to take off in a way that DX10 and DX10.1 never did. DX11 will do this due to the feature set, especially tessellation but also compute shaders. The DX11 games out now with their stupid occlusion and shadow effects I don't think are representative of what's coming down the pipe. So if you want a holiday PC that does DX11, look at the 5-series cards from ATI. Probably you want a 5850 but it really depends on the screen resolution you're trying to drive. The 2 channel i5/i7 parts out now would be the CPUs to get. Get the cheapest 1333 or 1067 memory with normal timings (at least 8-8-8 or 7-7-7).

The OEMs are probably still stocking the older 4 series ATI cards largely. There's nothing wrong with the performance of these, so if you want to wait for the 2.0 version of DX11 parts go for it. I'd take a 5 series if I could find an OEM with one.

You have what, a 285 in your machine right now? I think you'll find only a 5-series card offers any kind of a noticeable upgrade from a 285. Maybe the highest end 4 series cards. The other options don't fall into the "value" bucket.

[Dave]

I picked up the Rosewill 1000W PSU and Antec 900 for $200 on the newegg deals. I'll probably pickup an OEM Windows 7 Pro for $140 and now deciding what else to get.

i5-750 is $200, cheap MB is $130, memory is $100, HD is $50, and gotta figure out what GPU is worth getting. I currently use a Radeon 4670 which was a value card I believe. The 4870s are around $150 nowadays, and the new value card is the 5750s I think, will probably decide on one of those.

[Dave]

Well I ordered the pc mostly from newegg and immediately got buyer's remorse, but oh well. I think it's about time to retire my old P4 anyways.

Dave's fleet of computers
P4 Dell - main system to check emails, do online banking, remote into from work, etc. XP
Davebuilt AMD64-3400 - Erin's computer which she gets numerous viruses and spyware on. XP
E6550 Dell - current gaming system. Vista.
eMachines AMD LE1620 - HTPC - $200... incoming windows 7 home upgrade.

New Gaming PC:
PSU - Rosewill BRONZE series RBR1000-M 1000W
Case - Antec 900 Case
OS - Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
CPU - i5-750 Lynnfield
MB - MSI P55-GD65
Memory - CORSAIR XMS3 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3
HD - Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB
GPU - XFX Radeon HD 5770 1GB

Total Cost: $900.

[quantus]

All that and you didn't get me anything for my birthday?!

[Jonathan]

Happy Birthday, btw!

[Dave]

Goo... joe!

Parts should be here on Wednesday.. then I can figure out how to install a CPU again.

[Dave]

Built the system with few hickups. CPU fan for the retail i5 was attached by plastic pins which seems kinda cheap, but whatever works. I put in the RAM in slots 1&3 as the MB manual seemed to indicate and it wouldn't boot, so just put them in 1&2 and automagically started installing the OS. Does have an annoying MSI boot screen. Case was bigger than I thought, but even so the insides were pretty crammed as far as connecting SATA/IDE and powering all 4 fans. Case is much quieter than I expected (anyone remember my old Tornado 1000 from junior year?). Only using 3/9 slots so as soon as I start adding a few more HDs, gonna need to probably buy some 90° connectors. Modular powersupply is pretty nifty.

Windows 7 is taking some time to get used to, haven't hooked it up to my primary monitor/speakers, so haven't tested any gaming, but I don't really have any games to play either. Probably buy Left for Dead 2 next time it's for sale.. someone play with me!

[Jonathan]

Memory in 1&2 will cripple performance. Try 2&4 instead.

[Dave]

CPU |1|2|3|4|

I tried 1 & 3, no boot, 1 & 2 worked. 2 & 4 is uber u say?

[Jonathan]

You get half bandwidth in 1&2. 2&4 is what the directions should have told you to do.

[Dave]

Ha I just spent an hour trying to figure out why my system couldnt play Blurays and getting an error HDCP when it turns out the LCD I was building the thing on was fail.

Did switch the RAM slots and it worked!

[Jonathan]

mark it

|o

[Dave]

So this morning my video card died - XFX Radeon HD 5770... and apparently you have to register the product within 30 days to get the 'lifetime warranty' so pretty much I have a nice new paper weight. Using my old Radeon 4600 now... yay. Debating just getting a new card or hassling XFX to RMA a replacement futility.

[Jonathan]

Wow, 6 months. That's balls.

[Dave]

Actually they responded to the ticket I put in when I registered my card months late and opened an RMA for me, so I guess XFX isn't too bad yet, I just need to ship the card back on my dime and wait. They advertise a "life time warranty" so hopefully they ship back another 5770.

Thinking about ordering another 5770 to do Crossfire since the cards are only ~150 anyways..

[Dave]

So I did the lame option and bought another 5770 and will try out Crossfired 5770s when the replacement comes back from XFX. (hopefully)

Now I need to find some games to play with a decent setup. Modern Warfare ran fine with one card, thinking its the lame lcd issues that bug me more than frames.

Think there will be any games in the future more of the schlag2b crew would want to play together? Only one I can see is Diablo 3, maybe a random STeam game?

[Alan]

ooh diablo 3!

[Dave]

I bet Paul would play that!

[quantus]

Oh boy, level treadmill 3!