Building a gamin rig for around $1,000

Hey everyone!

So I currently own a store brought HP computer, it has a Q6600 2.44GHz processor running 5GB of ram on windows vista 64-bit. My computer originally came with Inter Graphics media accelerator but that thing just sucked so I decided to upgrade to a 8800GT which also required me to upgrade my power unit as well. Once they both arrived I had my friend help me install them since this was my first time doing something like that, this is about the only computer knowledge I have. Anyway I'm a flight simmer, I currently use FS9 but that is slowly starting to fade away, almost every add on developer is switching to the newer version FSX, my computer cannot handle this game what so ever so I decided its finally time for me to upgrade! I'm currently hoping to spend around $1,000, I'm willing to go a little over but the less I have to spend the better. I have picked out some items on my own however my main probelm is picking out a motherboard, I know about the right socket and to make sure its compatible with my RAM however i'm still having trouble picking out the right on, I have no idea which one to choose. Anyway this is what I have so far -

CPU -

AMD Phenom II X4 965 black quad-core @ 3.4GHz $180
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx…3-727-_-Product

AMD Phenom II X6 1055T six-core @ 2.8 GHz $200
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx…3-851-_-Product

Intel i7 930 quad core @ 2.8 GHz - $280
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx…5-225-_-Product

I'm looking between these three CPU's, according to videobenchmark the intel is the best followed by the 1055T, however my main concern is the low 2.8GHz, I have no clue about overclocking and I read that some motherboards can bring problems when you attempt this, this is the main reason why I can't pick a motherboard. Anways I'm looking for a processor which can BRING me the best performance, weather this is through overclocking or whatever.

Motherboard
As I explained above I don't know which motherboard to go with, I want to have one which will allow me to overclock easily, I'm aware that AMD's don't overclock as well as Intel but I still have no idea which motherboard to pick.

RAM
I'm looking for 4GB of DDR3 ram, if I go with a 1600 duel channel motherboard i plan on going with the G.skill ripsaw series 4GB for $100 on newegg, I choose this since it had the best rating on newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx…1-277-_-Product

HDD
Western Digital Caviar blue WD6400AAKS 640GB 7,200RPM 3.0GB/s
I choose to go with only 640GB since this is all I need, I only plan to keep games on here while I will keep pics, etc… on my laptop, besides I can always upgrade later.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx…6-218-_-Product

Video Card
This is a question, if I go with an AMD processor would a ATI video card give me better performance then a nvidia graphics card? How about a intel processor with a nvdia card? Anyways here are my current choices

Asus ENGTX 465 1GB @ $250 with a $20 mail-in-rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx…k=Asus%20465GTX

Gigabyte GTX 460 (fermi) 1GB @ $230.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx…5-333-_-Product

According to benchmark tests the 465 out performed the 460 however I read online that the 460 fermi card is better then the 465 since it has a newer chip and it runs cooler, is this true?

PSU

Corsair CMPSU-750TX 750W for $110.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx…9-006-_-Product


I'm sorry for all the questions but i'm having some trouble hear picking out a motherboard/ cpu/ video card combo, any help would be appreciated.

Hello PA-28 Pilot,

Welcome to the WTT Forums.

When it comes to the CPU, you'll find that the Phenom II 965, or even the 955 will be more than enough to run FSX. The Core i7 brings the best performance, but to run FSX properly you won't need an i7, and you certainly won't need to overclock a Phenom II 965. If you're interested about overclocking in general you need to think about buying an aftermarket cooler. The standard coolers will run a few degrees hotter than other specialised heatsinks.

As for a motherboard, that really depends on which CPU you go with and what chipset you want to use. Both ATI/AMD (they are the same company), and nVidia offer chipsets. In general, however, choosing a motherboard tends to boil down to price, preferred manufacturer and how many PCI Express slots you need.

If you're a hardcore Flight Sim fan, you might be thinking about running multiple monitors. If you go with an ATI graphics card, you'll be able to take advantage of their Eyefinity technology, allowing you to use up to six monitors. You could get away with a non-Crossfire motherboard, which would save you a bit of cash. If you're going with nVidia, however, it might be worth spending extra on an SLI-capable motherboard and two graphics cards.

Because of that, a lot of gamers tend to go for a AMD CPU and two GPU's. The money you save on the proccesor should be spent on the GPU's.

Unfortunately, only you can decide which company you want to go for. It mostly comes down to personal preference. In general it doesn't really matter which chipsets and GPU's you use, you can mix and match them. It only really matters if you intend to use Crossfire or SLI. In that situation I would recommend that you get the matching chipset.

As for the GTX 460, it's slightly different to the 465. It uses a slightly different graphics chip, which makes it more efficient. In some cases it actually matches the 465, and in others it isn't far behind. Considering the price difference, and the fact that the 460 runs cooler, I would go for the 460. Depending on the rest of the components, however, I would also be tempted by the ATI 5850.

The rest of the components that you listed look fine to me and should do the job. In essence, though, it all comes down to personal choice for most of the components. A list usually helps, so I've tacked one I usually use on the end :

Basics:
1. Computer Case
2. Motherboard
3. CPU
4. RAM
5. Hard Drive
6. Graphics Card
7. PSU
8. Optical Drive - DVD/CD Drive
9. WiFi Card (optional)
10. Aftermarket CPU Cooler (optional
11. Operating System (Essential!)

Then you also need to consider :
1. Screen
2. Keyboard / Mouse
3. Speakers

Let me know if you have any other questions.
Nahumi