XS Official Rig Building Guide 2009

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INTEL


Intel Sub-$650 "Light Gamer" System

Intel Pentium Dual-Core E6500 Wolfdale 2.93GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - $95
BIOSTAR TForce TP45HP LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - $110
OCZ Flex EX 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Ehanced Bandwidth Desktop Memory - $66
POWERCOLOR AX4850 512MD3-PH Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready - $100
Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM - $75
SAMSUNG DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223L LightScribe Support - OEM - $29
Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail - $70
OCZ ModXStream Pro 500W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular- $60

SubTotal: $604.99

Total w/Shipping: $624.99

Intel Sub-$850 "Casual Gamer" System

Intel Core i5 750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz 8MB Cache No-HT LGA 1156 Quad-Core Processor Model - $196
MSI P55-CD53 LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard - $120
OCZ Special Ops Urban Elite 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Dual Channel Kit - $85
ASUS Radeon HD 5770 (Juniper XT) 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video - $160
Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM - $75
SAMSUNG DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223L LightScribe Support - OEM - $29
LIAN LI PC-7B plus II Black Aluminum ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - $80
SILVERSTONE ST50F 500W ATX12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - $75

SubTotal: $819.99

Total w/Shipping: $849.99

Intel Sub-$1,250 "Mainstream Gamer" System

Intel Core i7 860 Lynnfield 2.8GHz 8MB Cache LGA 1156 Quad-Core Processor Model - $289
MSI P55-CD65 LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard - $160
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2000 (PC3 16000) Desktop Memory Model - $99
ASUS Radeon HD 5850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - $260
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives - $95
SAMSUNG DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223L LightScribe Support - OEM - $29
COOLER MASTER Storm Scout SGC-2000-KKN1-GP Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - $100
CORSAIR CMPSU-520HX 520W ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular - $110

SubTotal: $1,141.99

Total w/Shipping: $1,229.99

Intel Sub-$1,750 "Hardcore P55 Gamer" System

Intel Core i7 860 Lynnfield 2.8GHz 8MB Cache LGA 1156 Quad-Core Processor Model - $289
MSI P55-CD65 LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard - $160
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2000 (PC3 16000) Desktop Memory Model - $99
SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 5870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - $380
Intel X25-M Mainstream SSDSA2MH080G2C1 2.5" 80GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid state disk (SSD) - $289
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives - $95
SAMSUNG DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223L LightScribe Support - OEM - $29
XIGMATEK Dark Knight-S1283V 120mm Long Life Bearing CPU Cooler - $45
LIAN LI Lancool PC-K62 Black 0.8 mm SECC, Plastic + Mesh ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail - $120
CORSAIR CMPSU-620HX 620W ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular - $140

SubTotal: $1,646.99

Total w/Shipping: $1,729.99

Intel Sub-$1,900 "Hardcore X58 Gamer" System

Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor - $280
ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - $290
G.SKILL Trident 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1866 (PC3 15000) Desktop Memory - $150
SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 5870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - $380
Intel X25-M Mainstream SSDSA2MH080G2C1 2.5" 80GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid state disk (SSD) - $289
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives - $95
SAMSUNG DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223L LightScribe Support - OEM - $29
XIGMATEK Dark Knight-S1283V 120mm Long Life Bearing CPU Cooler - $45
LIAN LI Lancool PC-K62 Black 0.8 mm SECC, Plastic + Mesh ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail - $120
CORSAIR CMPSU-620HX 620W ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular - $140

SubTotal: $1,817.99

Total w/Shipping: $1,899.99

Intel Sub-$2,450 "CrossfireX Gamer" System

Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor - $280
ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - $290
G.SKILL Trident 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1866 (PC3 15000) Desktop Memory - $150
ASUS Radeon HD 5850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - $260
ASUS Radeon HD 5850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - $260
Intel X25-M Mainstream SSDSA2MH080G2C1 2.5" 80GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid state disk (SSD) - $289
Intel X25-M Mainstream SSDSA2MH080G2C1 2.5" 80GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid state disk (SSD) - $289
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives - $95
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives - $95
SAMSUNG DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223L LightScribe Support - OEM - $29
XIGMATEK Dark Knight-S1283V 120mm Long Life Bearing CPU Cooler - $45
LIAN LI Lancool PC-K62 Black 0.8 mm SECC, Plastic + Mesh ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail - $120
CORSAIR CMPSU-750HX 750W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular - $170

SubTotal: $2,371.99

Total w/Shipping: $2,439.99

Intel Sub-$2,850 "Hardcore CrossfireX Gamer" System

Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor - $280
EVGA E760 CLASSIFIED "Overclocker's Pick" 3-Way SLI + PhysX 1366 Intel X58 EATX Intel Motherboard - $405
G.SKILL Trident 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2000 (PC3 16000) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model - $165
SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 5870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - $380
SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 5870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - $380
Intel X25-M Mainstream SSDSA2MH080G2C1 2.5" 80GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid state disk (SSD) - $289
Intel X25-M Mainstream SSDSA2MH080G2C1 2.5" 80GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid state disk (SSD) - $289
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives - $95
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives - $95
SAMSUNG DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223L LightScribe Support - OEM - $29
XIGMATEK Dark Knight-S1283V 120mm Long Life Bearing CPU Cooler - $45
LIAN LI Lancool PC-K62 Black 0.8 mm SECC, Plastic + Mesh ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail - $120
CORSAIR CMPSU-750HX 750W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular - $170

SubTotal: $2,741.99

Total w/Shipping: $2,849.99

NOTE: **Please Use Aftermarket Thermal Paste With Your Intel Rigs To Avoid Intel IHS Damage**

ALL PRICES FROM NEWEGG UNLESS MENTIONED OTHERWISE.

AMD

AMD Sub-$650 "Multi-Tasking Gamer" System

AMD Athlon II X4 620 Propus 2.6GHz Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Processor Model - $99
GIGABYTE GA-MA785G-UD3H AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 785G HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard - $90
OCZ Flex EX 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Ehanced Bandwidth Desktop Memory - $66
POWERCOLOR AX4850 512MD3-PH Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready - $100
Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM - $75
SAMSUNG DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223L LightScribe Support - OEM - $29
Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail - $70
OCZ ModXStream Pro 500W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular- $60

SubTotal: $589.99

Total w/Shipping: $629.99

AMD Sub-$800 "Casual Gamer" System

AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz 3 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Black Processor - Retail - $120
GIGABYTE GA-MA790GP-UD4H AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 790GX HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard - $125
OCZ Special Ops Urban Elite 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Dual Channel Kit - $85
ASUS Radeon HD 5770 (Juniper XT) 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video - $160
Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM - $75
SAMSUNG DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223L LightScribe Support - OEM - $29
LIAN LI PC-7B plus II Black Aluminum ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - $80
SILVERSTONE ST50F 500W ATX12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - $75

SubTotal: $750.99

Total w/Shipping: $799.99

AMD Sub-$1,100 "Mainstream Gamer" System

AMD Phenom II X4 Processor 955 3.2GHz AM3 6MB L3 Cache Black Edition Processor - $199
ASUS M4A78T-E AM3 DDR3 AMD 790GX ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail - $140
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2000 (PC3 16000) Desktop Memory Model - $99
ASUS Radeon HD 5850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - $260
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives - $95
SAMSUNG DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223L LightScribe Support - OEM - $29
COOLER MASTER Storm Scout SGC-2000-KKN1-GP Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - $100
CORSAIR CMPSU-520HX 520W ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular - $110

SubTotal: $1,031.99

Total w/Shipping: $1,099.99

AMD Sub-$1,650 "Hardcore Gamer" System

AMD Phenom II X4 Processor 965 3.4GHz AM3 6MB L3 Cache Black Edition Processor - $245
MSI 790FX-GD70 AM3 AMD 790FX ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail - $164
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2000 (PC3 16000) Desktop Memory Model - $99
SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 5870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - $380
Intel X25-M Mainstream SSDSA2MH080G2C1 2.5" 80GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid state disk (SSD) - $289
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives - $95
SAMSUNG DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223L LightScribe Support - OEM - $29
XIGMATEK Dark Knight-S1283V 120mm Long Life Bearing CPU Cooler - $45
LIAN LI Lancool PC-K62 Black 0.8 mm SECC, Plastic + Mesh ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - $120
CORSAIR CMPSU-620HX 620W ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular - $150

SubTotal: $1,615.99

Total w/Shipping: $1,649.99

AMD Sub-$2,400 "CrossfireX Gamer" System

AMD Phenom II X4 Processor 965 3.4GHz AM3 6MB L3 Cache Black Edition Processor - $245
MSI 790FX-GD70 AM3 AMD 790FX ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail - $164
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2000 (PC3 16000) Desktop Memory Model - $99
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2000 (PC3 16000) Desktop Memory Model - $99
ASUS Radeon HD 5850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - $260
ASUS Radeon HD 5850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - $260
Intel X25-M Mainstream SSDSA2MH080G2C1 2.5" 80GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid state disk (SSD) - $289
Intel X25-M Mainstream SSDSA2MH080G2C1 2.5" 80GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid state disk (SSD) - $289
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives - $95
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives - $95
SAMSUNG DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223L LightScribe Support - OEM - $29
XIGMATEK Dark Knight-S1283V 120mm Long Life Bearing CPU Cooler - $45
Antec Twelve Hundred Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case - $170
CORSAIR CMPSU-750HX 750W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular - $170

SubTotal: $2,308.99

Total w/Shipping: $2,399.99

AMD Sub-$2,650 "Xtreme CrossfireX Gamer" System

AMD Phenom II X4 Processor 965 3.4GHz AM3 6MB L3 Cache Black Edition Processor - $245
MSI 790FX-GD70 AM3 AMD 790FX ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail - $164
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2000 (PC3 16000) Desktop Memory Model - $99
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2000 (PC3 16000) Desktop Memory Model - $99
XFX HD 5870 1GB 512-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported - $380
XFX HD 5870 1GB 512-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported - $380
Intel X25-M Mainstream SSDSA2MH080G2C1 2.5" 80GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid state disk (SSD) - $289
Intel X25-M Mainstream SSDSA2MH080G2C1 2.5" 80GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid state disk (SSD) - $289
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives - $95
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives - $95
SAMSUNG DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223L LightScribe Support - OEM - $29
XIGMATEK Dark Knight-S1283V 120mm Long Life Bearing CPU Cooler - $45
Antec Twelve Hundred Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case - $170
CORSAIR CMPSU-750HX 750W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular - $170

SubTotal: $2,548.99

Total w/Shipping: $2,649.99

ALL PRICES FROM NEWEGG UNLESS MENTIONED OTHERWISE.

Perkam

[perkam]

OLD INTEL Guide

Intel Sub-$600 System

Intel Pentium E5200 Wolfdale 2.5GHz 2MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - $73
ASRock P45TS-R LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - $99
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) F3-10666CL9D-4GBNQ - $75
SAPPHIRE 100255HDMI Radeon HD 4670 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP - $76
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD3200AAKS 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - $55
LG Black 2MB Cache SATA 20X DVD±R DVD Burner w/ SecurDisc Tech - $22
LIAN LI PC-7B plus II Black Aluminum ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - $80
CORSAIR CMPSU-450VX 450W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC - $80

SubTotal: $559.99

Total w/Shipping: $599.99

Intel Sub-$750 System

Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 2.33GHz LGA 775 95W Quad-Core Processor Model - $170
ASRock P45TS-R LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - $99
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) F3-10666CL9D-4GBNQ - $75
SAPPHIRE 100265L Radeon HD 4830 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 - $105
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - $75
LG Black 2MB Cache SATA 20X DVD±R DVD Burner w/ SecurDisc Tech - $22
LIAN LI PC-7B plus II Black Aluminum ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - $80
CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W ATX12V V2.2 Power Supply - $90

SubTotal: $714.99

Total w/Shipping: $749.99

Intel Sub-$1,300 System

Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail - $290
GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD3R LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail - $199
G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit F3-12800CL9T-6GBNQ - Retail - $120
EVGA 896-P3-1255-A1 GeForce GTX 260 Core 216 896MB 448-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 - $225
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F1 HD103UJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM - $100
LG Black 2MB Cache SATA 20X DVD±R DVD Burner w/ SecurDisc Tech - $22
LIAN LI PC-8B Black Aluminum ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail - $120
CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC - Retail - $130

SubTotal: $1,206.99

Total w/Shipping: $1,249.99
Intel Sub-$1,600 System

Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail - $290
ASUS P6T LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail - $250
G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit F3-12800CL9T-6GBNQ - Retail - $120
EVGA 01G-P3-1281-AR GeForce GTX 285 1GB 512-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP - $340
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F1 HD103UJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM - $100
G.SKILL FM-25S2S-64GB 2.5" 64GB SATA II Internal Solid state disk (SSD) - Retail - $140
LG Black 2MB Cache SATA 20X DVD±R DVD Burner w/ SecurDisc Tech - $22
GIGABYTE GZ-FA2CA-AJB Black Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail - $150
CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC - Retail - $130

SubTotal: $1,541.99

Total w/Shipping: $1,599.99

Intel Sub-$2,000 System

Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail - $290
ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail - $290
CORSAIR DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit - Retail - $199
BFG Tech BFGEGTX2951792E GeForce GTX 295 1792MB 896 (448 x 2)-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready - $500
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F1 HD103UJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM - $100
G.SKILL FM-25S2S-128GB 2.5" 128GB SATA II Internal Solid state disk (SSD) - $234
LG Black 2MB Cache SATA 20X DVD±R DVD Burner w/ SecurDisc Tech - $22
GIGABYTE GZ-FA2CA-AJB Black Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail - $150
CORSAIR CMPSU-850TX 850W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC - $150

SubTotal: $1,934.99

Total w/Shipping: $1,999.99

NOTE: **Please Use Aftermarket Thermal Paste With Your Intel Rigs To Avoid Intel IHS Damage**

OLD AMD Guide

AMD Sub-$600 System

AMD Athlon X2 240 2.8GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Black Processor - Retail - $90 (April 2008)
Unannounced AMD AM3 Budget Motherboard - $99 (April 2008)
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) F3-10666CL9D-4GBNQ - $75
SAPPHIRE 100255HDMI Radeon HD 4670 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP - $76
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD3200AAKS 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - $55
LG Black 2MB Cache SATA 20X DVD±R DVD Burner w/ SecurDisc Tech - $22
LIAN LI PC-7B plus II Black Aluminum ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - $80
CORSAIR CMPSU-450VX 450W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC - $80

SubTotal: $575.99

Total w/Shipping: $599.99

AMD Sub-$750 System

AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz 3 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Black Processor - Retail - $150
ASUS M4A78T-E AM3 DDR3 AMD 790GX ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail - $140
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) F3-10666CL9D-4GBNQ - $75
SAPPHIRE 100265L Radeon HD 4830 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 - $105
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - $75
LG Black 2MB Cache SATA 20X DVD±R DVD Burner w/ SecurDisc Tech - $22
LIAN LI PC-7B plus II Black Aluminum ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - $80
CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W ATX12V V2.2 Power Supply - $90

SubTotal: $734.99

Total w/Shipping: $749.99

AMD Sub-$1,100 System

AMD Phenom II X4 810 2.6GHz Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Processor Model - $176
ASUS M4A78T-E AM3 DDR3 AMD 790GX ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail - $140
OCZ Platinum 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) OCZ3P1600EB4GK - Retail - $120
POWERCOLOR AX4870 1GBD5-PPH Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready - $220
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F1 HD103UJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM - $100
LG Black 2MB Cache SATA 20X DVD±R DVD Burner w/ SecurDisc Tech - $22
LIAN LI PC-8B Black Aluminum ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail - $120
CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified - $100

SubTotal: $998.99

Total w/Shipping: $1,049.99

AMD Sub-$1,500 System

AMD Phenom II X4 925 Deneb 2.8GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Black Edition - $199 (April 2009)
GIGABYTE GA-MA790FXT-UD5P AM3 DDR3 AMD 790FX ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail - $180
OCZ Platinum 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) OCZ3P1600EB4GK - Retail - $240
POWERCOLOR AX4970 Radeon HD 4970 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready - $299 (April 2009)
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F1 HD103UJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM - $100
G.SKILL FM-25S2S-64GB 2.5" 64GB SATA II Internal Solid state disk (SSD) - Retail - $140
LG Black 2MB Cache SATA 20X DVD±R DVD Burner w/ SecurDisc Tech - $22
GIGABYTE GZ-FA2CA-AJB Black Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail - $150
CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC - Retail - $130

SubTotal: $1,459.99

Total w/Shipping: $1,499.99

AMD Sub-$1,900 System

AMD Phenom II X4 945 Deneb 3.0GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Black Edition - $230 (April 2009)
ASUS M4A79T Deluxe AM3 DDR3 AMD 790FX ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail - $200
OCZ Platinum 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) OCZ3P1600EB4GK - Retail - $240
ASUS EAH4870X2/HTDI/2G/A Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB 512-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 - $485
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F1 HD103UJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM - $100
G.SKILL FM-25S2S-128GB 2.5" 128GB SATA II Internal Solid state disk (SSD) - $234
LG Black 2MB Cache SATA 20X DVD±R DVD Burner w/ SecurDisc Tech - $22
GIGABYTE GZ-FA2CA-AJB Black Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail - $150
CORSAIR CMPSU-850TX 850W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC - $150

SubTotal: $1810.99

Total w/Shipping: $1,899.99

Perkam

[perkam]

Lmk what you think.

Perkam

[jellyrole]

Are you talking budget builds or xtreme builds? Or maybe both for each Intel and AMD.

[perkam]

Are you talking budget builds or xtreme builds? Or maybe both for each Intel and AMD.

As with the last guide, I'll be doing 5 builds for each platform.

Budget
Mid-Budget
Mainstream
Mainstream High
High End

Perkam

[perkam]

Budget Rigs Done. LMK what you think.

P.S. All rigs will be 45nm + DDR3 without exception.

Perkam

[Bobsama]

Intel Sub-$400 system

Asrock P43Twins1600 - $80
Intel E5200 -- $73
Crucial 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1066 -- $54
Antec earthwatts 430W -- $50
Cooler Master Elite RC-330 -- $35
Western Digital Caviar SE 320GB -- $50
Lite-On 22x DVD Burner -- $22
Radeon HD 4670 512MB -- $76

Subtotal -- $363.93
Shipping -- $26.54
Grand total -- $390.47

[Bobsama]

My thought is all systems except that budget system have to be DDR3. The budget system should be 65nm/45nm and DDR2, because of cost restrictions. The price of DDR3 is getting quite competitive (with DDR2), but the price of a good DDR3 board is restrictive still.

[perkam]

My thought is all systems except that budget system have to be DDR3. The budget system should be 65nm/45nm and DDR2, because of cost restrictions. The price of DDR3 is getting quite competitive (with DDR2), but the price of a good DDR3 board is restrictive still.

Bobsama, your budget rig is much appreciated. However, this is the XS Rig Building Guide, not the Poor-Man's Rig Building Guide.

It represents the no-compromise hardware for every price range. I would prefer if people would recommend different options for items in the same price range.

Also, the Sub $1,100 rig has been added for both AMD and Intel, do let me know if they are ok.

Perkam

[Bobsama]

Bobsama, your budget rig is much appreciated. However, this is the XS Rig Building Guide, not the Poor-Man's Rig Building Guide.

It represents the no-compromise hardware for every price range. I would prefer if people would recommend different options for items in the same price range.

Also, the Sub $1,100 rig has been added for both AMD and Intel, do let me know if they are ok.

Perkam

An HD4670 is hardly a crippled card. It'll do fine for most gamers. And what are the compromises of an E5200 instead of an E7400? Overclocking solves them all. The only difference between Wolfdale-2M and Wolfdale-3M is 1MB cache--there's not a single compelling feature, outside of raw clockspeed. 300MHz and 1MB cache (let's be generous and call that a 2% boost in performance, the cache that is). At most a 14% boost in performance for 64% increase in price. Again, able to be mended by overclocking. Besides, there's plenty of people here who are "poor". Do realize that a good portion of enthusiasts are high school or college students who can't afford a $1100 "mid-budget" rig.

[jason str]

All listed prices are current.

MSI X58 Pro- $190 @ Newegg price
Intel I7-920-$230 @ Micro Center
Crucial 3x2gb tri channel kit DDR 3- $105 - Egg
PC P&C 500 watt Silencer- $60.00 after rebate - Egg
SILVERSTONE KUBLAI Series KL03-B - $110 after rebate - Egg
Western Digital Caviar SE 320 $50.00 - Egg
MSI N260GTX-T2D896-OCv2 $200 after rebate - Egg
Sony Optiarc AD-7220S-0b 22X DVD Burner $25.00 + shipping ($10.00 ? ) - ZZF
Thermalright "Limited Edition" TRUE Black Ultra-120 eXtreme $75.00 (+ $10.00 shipping) Fzn CPU.com


Under $1,100...

Shipping prices may vary...

[perkam]

All listed prices are current.

MSI X58 Pro- $190 @ Newegg price
Intel I7-920-$230 @ Micro Center
Crucial 3x2gb tri channel kit DDR 3- $105 - Egg
PC P&C 500 watt Silencer- $60.00 after rebate - Egg
SILVERSTONE KUBLAI Series KL03-B - $110 after rebate - Egg
Western Digital Caviar SE 320 $50.00 - Egg
MSI N260GTX-T2D896-OCv2 $200 after rebate - Egg
Sony Optiarc AD-7220S-0b 22X DVD Burner $25.00 + shipping ($10.00 ? ) - ZZF
Thermalright "Limited Edition" TRUE Black Ultra-120 eXtreme $75.00 (+ $10.00 shipping) Fzn CPU.com


Under $1,100...

Shipping prices may vary...

Now THAT's what I'm talking about. Simply Brilliant. Give me a few to incorporate this into the build.

EDIT: Mind you, the Core i7 920 is available in most places around $290, so $230 isn't the average price and thus won't be used.

@Bobsama, I understand your point. I'll see if I can fit a Sub-$500 rig in there, but I'll see how the rest of the rigs play out first. NOTE: Budget Intel rig now comes with a Quad Core standard.

Perkam

[perkam]

3 Rigs Now Posted for each platform.

Feel Free To Comment.

Perkam

[zanzabar]

why did u list the 500GB WD drives those things are slow and only $5 cheaper than the 640GB, and the corsair 850W i would say is better than the silverstone 850 since its cheaper

and u should include mx-2 with the intel builds since the stock paste ruins the IHS

[jason str]

Now THAT's what I'm talking about. Simply Brilliant. Give me a few to incorporate this into the build.

EDIT: Mind you, the Core i7 920 is available in most places around $290, so $230 isn't the average price and thus won't be used.
Perkam

OOPS sorry i did not realize you were looking for retail prices on equipment.

Sure hope you will still consider the stuff for the build though.

On the bright side im pretty sure Micro Center will ship for that price plus shipping of course.

[perkam]

why did u list the 500GB WD drives those things are slow and only $5 cheaper than the 640GB, and the corsair 850W i would say is better than the silverstone 850 since its cheaper

and u should include mx-2 with the intel builds since the stock paste ruins the IHS

Ty for the advice. I changed the 500GB to the 640GB ones and added the Corsair 850s to the higher end rigs.

As for the stock paste, I left a note at the end as most people have aftermarket paste lying around etc.

@ Jason, np and ty for your build, which I've used as much as I could.

Perkam

[Ensamvarg]

Just a thought, would it be better for the users to have rigs go along the lines of

$500 - Budget
$1000 - Mid Budget
$1500 - Mainstream
$2000 - Mainstream High
$2500 - High End

So you could get a better outlook of how performance scales with prices linearly instead of having $750 $1100 $1700 etc?

[perkam]

Just a thought, would it be better for the users to have rigs go along the lines of

$500 - Budget
$1000 - Mid Budget
$1500 - Mainstream
$2000 - Mainstream High
$2500 - High End

So you could get a better outlook of how performance scales with prices linearly instead of having $750 $1100 $1700 etc?

I tried using arbitrary figures in my first few guides (2007) but it always felt like I was sacrificing quality for $10-$20 just to fit into the different value envelopes.

That's why these are open ended and is need-based, not value-based, hence the XS guide being different from most other guides out there.

Perkam

[Avan]

This is just my opinion here, but I don't think anyone is buying a i7 940 right now. The 920's just clock so damn well, people are either buying a 920 or 965(for the unlocked multi). I just don't feel the extra cost of the 940 is worth it. Maybe others will chime in on this, but again, just my opinion.

[perkam]

This is just my opinion here, but I don't think anyone is buying a i7 940 right now. The 920's just clock so damn well, people are either buying a 920 or 965(for the unlocked multi). I just don't feel the extra cost of the 940 is worth it. Maybe others will chime in on this, but again, just my opinion.

Hmmm...you have a good point.

I'll take it into consideration.

Perkam

[One_Hertz]

no SSDs?

[CyberDruid]

Interesting material and right in line with what I shop for.

Keep going

[Bobsama]

Hmmm...you have a good point.

I'll take it into consideration.

Perkam

The price difference is that of an HD4870 at a minimum. Anyways--about my $400 suggestion, that can be have a quality bump with little more than a better graphics card or a different power supply. The Antec 80PLUS lineup is decent, with most of the units made by Seasonic (great) or Delta (good). Truth be told, I could get away running my (low-end) rig on a 300W PSU.

[perkam]

@One Hertz

Velociraptors are for men, SSDs are for pansies

@ CyberDruid, ty

@ Bobsama, Because the way the rigs are ending up, I WILL end up putting sub-$500 rigs, but not right now.

Perkam

[perkam]

Sub $600 Rigs posted.

Intel High End Modified to include 920 instead of 940, replacing GTX 285 with 295 with remaining cash and still ending up with extra cash, reducing overall price of high end PC by $200 to $1,800.

Perkam