graniteharbor85 said:Everything sounds good enough on paper. You've got a Phenom (65W) and an R7 260x (115W)—everything else in the build pulls way less than that—and honestly, since you aren't maxing out both the CPU and GPU at the exact same second during basic tasks or even while gaming, your actual power draw is going to be even lower than the math suggests.
I've actually swapped in stuff like the X4 740 and 750K paired with a GTX 750 Ti, R7 265, or an R7 260x before, so I wouldn't call this setup risky or anything crazy. 😉
Intel Core i3 AS ROCK 960GM-VGS3 FX CRUCIAL 4GB 1600 MHZ TOSHIBA 3,5 500 GB SATA 3 Sapphire R7 260x BOOST MS GRIFFIN MIDI ATX + FSP 300W + 90 MM FAN
= $847 including assembly and shipping.
- This old-school Phenom is actually solid—it's a low-power version too. Even with the lower clock speed, the architecture makes it a better pick than an FM2 Athlon any day. - I threw in an R7 260x, which is a massive step up in performance compared to the R7 250. - It’s got a decent case with plenty of room to play with—you can easily add more fans for better airflow and lower temps. Plus, if you put in a little effort, the cable management is pretty clean (basically the same situation as that Logic build we talked about). - The stock Phenom cooler is actually more efficient than the FM2 versions, so it'll totally handle keeping things cool and quiet. Between the 90mm rear fan and the 120mm near the PSU, you've got good airflow pulling heat away from the heatsink. - A 300W unit isn't cutting it close here; it's actually just right since this whole setup is pretty power-efficient. And since it's an actual FSP unit, you know those 300W are legit. It won't hold you back during future upgrades either—I doubt you'd swap the CPU given how much headroom there is for a beefier GPU, and let's face it, GPUs are getting way more efficient every year anyway.
I have to be skeptical about pairing a Phenom and a 260X with a built-in 300W PSU. 🙂 If I'm looking at the right specs, it provides 22A on the 12V rail, which feels a bit tight to me... What's the TDP on that Phenom?
Yeah, back when they were actually available, they were an absolute steal. You got incredible bang for your buck, and you could overclock them like crazy. They aren't really on the market anymore, and even if you could find one, jumping from an 840 to a 955 just isn't worth the hassle...
The 955BE isn't even on shelves anymore. If he's actually going to sell his gear just to pick up a used processor that offers basically zero performance gains, he's just spinning his wheels. And when he finally does buy something, I bet he'll just grab a single unit instead of going for a CF setup.
True, it definitely will. The only catch is that it’s not exactly a money-maker, which is the real kicker... I'll take a look on Craigslist to see if there are any interesting 🙂
Kimberly Gomez34 said:Your math is off there; it delivers all the wattage listed (high-quality power supplies often deliver even more)—you don't subtract those numbers based on the 80% efficiency. That percentage refers to how efficiently the unit pulls power from the wall outlet.
Ahaaaa. 😬 Alright, thanks for the enlightenment 😍 But the question remains. 7850/7870/AMD Radeon R9 270/270x? In that case, I'd go straight for the 280 since it's cheaper than some of the 270x models...
Exactly what I'm saying. It would probably hold up, even if it's tight. Now, how long it would actually run like that—who knows. 😬 I'll tell him to pick one of those GPUs mentioned. Just so I'm clear, you need a second opinion on WHICH one of them? 😁
CLICK It says Crossfire and SLI ready—but honestly, probably not. It’s putting out 34 Amps on the 12V rail, which hits about 408W. With efficiency sitting north of 80%, you're looking at maybe 350 effective watts. So, even though it claims it isn't meant for CF or SLI, I think it might actually hold up, though it'll be cutting it close. Plus, he'd have to mess around with those Molex-to-6-pin adapters... Let's not beat around the bush, though; it's definitely smarter to just grab one beefier card. What would be the best bang for his buck without creating a bottleneck? 😁 7870, 7850, AMD Radeon R9 270, or an AMD Radeon R9 270x? Personally, I don't think going lower than a 7850 makes sense since the 7790 or 260X are only a few FPS better.
Look, buddy, you need to go read THIS first before you even attempt to answer my questions. It’s honestly a waste of my time trying to help you figure this out when you clearly don't even know what you're looking for yet... ☕
Yeah, it would work. But if you're already picking out parts, Robert Rodriguez2's setup and mine are both better organized. Why even go for 6 GB of RAM? And why do it with 3*2? ☕ Which case did you end up using? What about the power supply? And why settle for an older generation processor?
1 x Intel Core i5-4440 Processor (3.10GHz, 1MB, 6MB, 84 W, LGA 1150) Box 2 x 4GB DDR3 RAM (1x4GB) Crucial, 1600MHz CL11 1 x Sapphire R9 280 3GB OC Dual-X, 3GB GDDR5 384bit, 28nm 1 x 1TB Western Digital Caviar Blue HDD, 1000 GB, SATA3, 64 MB, 3.5", 7200 RPM 1 x XFX Core edition 80 450W PSU - featuring EasyRail technology 1 x Zalman Z9 PLUS mid tower case (207(W) x 464(H) x 504(D)mm) 1 x Samsung SH-224DB sat Bulk Black DVD Burner, SATA 1 x Asrock B85 Pro4, LGA 1150, Haswell architecture
If you're actually looking to build a gaming rig, you definitely need to go with an Intel Core i7 and an $167 🙂 graphics card. Right now, the prices for those specific parts are totally backwards 😬. Plus, there's no way you need 16 GB of RAM. 🙂
I'm not sure. I've always felt like those XFX 450/550W units were pretty reliable and a solid best buy. This setup would definitely be pushing that power supply to its limits 🙏 Anyway, I'll suggest he sells this one now; if he can manage to get $167 for it, great... He also has that Dirt 3 coupon and the CF bridge he got, plus the original packaging. It's a full bundle, so he should hopefully be able to squeeze out $167. If he adds another $600 or so, he could jump to an AMD Radeon R9 270 or something similar.
Fair point, you're right about that. The real issue is the stock cooler... And if you're thinking about overclocking a Phenom without at least some kind of Katanica... You might as well just buy some earplugs right now 🙂
Robert Rodriguez2 said:He isn't getting double the FPS, no way... maybe a 30-40% bump at best, and if he has a garbage power supply, he can forget about it entirely...
plus there are plenty of other ways this could blow up in his face. a) case temperatures will spike b) more noise 🙂 c) drivers failing to handle the software side properly d) the processor is a definitive bottleneck 🙂
It's a total waste of money. 🙂
I don't know, if he doesn't get the boost, it'll be because of the processor. Everywhere I look for benchmarks, people using the 6xxx series are getting a 90% increase from a second card. Check this link. Metro 2033 1680x1050 4xAA AMD Radeon HD 6850 23 FPS vs Metro 2033 1680x1050 4xAA AMD Radeon HD 6850 Crossfire 46 FPS 🤷 And this isn't some random site like AnandTech; these are real-world benchmarks with measured FPS. I'm sure the power supply isn't trash. The 🙂 XFX 450W build was put together here on the forum a few years back. I know he has an MSI 870 motherboard, not sure which exact one, 4 GB of RAM, an AMD Ryzen 5, a Sapphire AMD Radeon HD 6850, an XFX 450W PSU, all packed into a GZ x4 case. If I remember right, I think you were actually the one who helped him set up that Flatron, but don't quote me on that 😬 As for temps and stuff—definitely. That's exactly what I told him to think twice about. Noise isn't a huge deal anyway when he's playing with 5.1 audio. Regarding the drivers and software side, that's what I was asking. I'm not sure how things stand currently, how modern games handle CF and SLI setups, or if micro-stuttering is still a major issue. But if the CPU is going to choke everything regardless, he's better off passing. crimsonstag84, the CPU is an AMD Ryzen 5 and if I recall correctly, it can't be overclocked 🙂
EDIT: Yeah, it can be overclocked, but it seems pretty limited since the multiplier is locked...
A buddy of mine is running an AMD Ryzen 5 paired with a Sapphire AMD Radeon HD 6850. The rig is getting a bit old, and he’s been thinking about a little upgrade 😬 He was considering hunting down a used 6850 for maybe $400 max $167 to throw them into a Crossfire setup. I’ve been reading reviews online ( CLICK ), and people are actually seeing LITERALLY double the FPS compared to running just one card! That sounds incredibly worthwhile. It’s rare to see your FPS actually double just by adding a second GPU, so this seems like a pretty solid value proposition. Now, what I'm wondering is if there will be any issues on the CPU side—specifically, am I looking at a major bottleneck? And if there is one, will it actually be noticeable? It feels like a Crossfire 6850 setup should perform somewhere near a 7870 or even better, which makes it look LIKE A HUGE STEAL for a maximum $167 budget. I know back in the day, Crossfire was a nightmare with driver issues, micro-stuttering, and all that nonsense. Is it still like that today? Are drivers and support for modern games via Crossfire or SLI better than they used to be? Generally speaking, is this even a smart move to go for right now?
fadedorca66 said:You aren't going to find much luck with that Phenom. It’s an old relic that was never really anything special to begin with, and honestly, 2.2GHz is pretty weak by today's standards.
If you're looking for a real boost, maybe check out some suggestions for the Phenom ii x3/4 or Athlon ii x3/4. Though, I guess it might be smarter to just wait and grab that full setup mentioned above, or just sell what you have and upgrade to something new.
Signature. 🙂 Only Phenom II or Athlon II should be considered.
Zachary Smith2 said:My PC is actually pretty beefy and sits among the high-end builds. Here are my specs: MS Case 8GB RAM 1333MHz HD 6670 2GB DDR3 500GB HDD AMD Athlon II X4 ASUS Prime Motherboard MS Platinum 400W PSU
I'm honestly nervous about heading down to the computer shop to pick up a new cooler. I'm worried it'll be just as loud as my old one or that it won't even fit. I really need a cooler that can drop my CPU temps significantly because my system actually shut itself down once before. What should I tell the clerk when I get there? I don't want some guy selling me junk only for me to deal with massive amounts of noise while I'm playing Battlefield 3 or MW3.