€500 build, compatibility check!

Brian

Do these parts look like they will click together all right?

deconduo

Looks fine, only thing I would say is that the PSU is overkill. Even this one is more than enough to run that system, but its the cheapest decent PSU:
http://www3.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsp?aid=30074&agid=1627

Also do you have a DVD drive?

Brian

I was going to get the 550W but the HWVS configurator doesn't let you choose the 6850 if you have a PSU < 600W, and I figured I might as well get a big one now if I want to crossfire in the future.

The DVD drive that I want is out of stock on HWVS so I will just buy it separately somewhere else at a later date...

deconduo

If you just put the parts into your basket and add this at the end, it frees you from the (bad) restrictions that the configurator puts on:
http://www3.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsp?aid=746&agid=829

This is plenty for Crossfired 6850s:
http://www3.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsp?aid=30069&agid=1628

This DVD drive should be fine, unless theres some special requirement you have?
http://www3.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsp?aid=47362&agid=699

Brian

I'll be assembling it myself

The DVD drive that I want is the Samsung SH-S223 (except the S223C), because it has a firmware hack that gives it supreme performance speed. I have an external that will do for the minute, and I can always install Windows from a USB key.

deconduo

Baza210 wrote: »

I'll be assembling it myself

Then don't bother with the configurator Just pop the stuff in your basket. There shouldn't be any problem with PSUs then.

Solitaire

450W is okay for one HD6850, 550W is doable if a bit light for two, given that you have a CPU that can gobble up 110W of 12V power on its own at stock speeds And if you're thinking of even mild OCing then its 500W+ for one card and 650W+ for two!

Brian

Are there any drawbacks in a higher wattage PSU than necessary? Would it add more to the electricity bill than say a 450 W one in a rig with the same components otherwise?

deconduo

Baza210 wrote: »

Are there any drawbacks in a higher wattage PSU than necessary? Would it add more to the electricity bill than say a 450 W one in a rig with the same components otherwise?

Using a 650W PSU instead of a 450W would be fine. Its when you have a 1KW PSU for a system drawing 300W that you get huge inefficiency problems.

Solitaire

Slightly. The closer you run a PSU to 50% when the PC is under heavy load (i.e. gaming, GPGPU) the more efficiently it operates and the less energy it wastes. But the bigger immediate concern for most is the elevated purchase price There's a bit of a price gap north of the Amazon 550W

Brian

Yes, I didn't want to go for it for the reason Solitaire points out, but if it saves me money on an upgrade in the long run I don't mind too much.

Brian

Total build cost: €507.48 + €30 shipping
AMD Phenom II X4 955 Box, Sockel AM3 €92.35
ASUS EAH6850 DirectCU/2DIS/1GD5/V2, AMD Radeon HD 6850, 1GB, PCI- Express €135.89
Gigabyte GA-870A-USB3, AMD 870, AM3 ATX €73.17
Samsung SpinPoint F3 1000GB, SATA II (HD103SJ) €44.09
Thermaltake V3 Black Edition ohne Netzteil €36.71
Super-Flower Amazon 80Plus 650W €68.16
8GB-Kit Kingston HyperX blu PC3-10667U CL9 €57.11

On its way. inb4 anguished faces from Solitaire.

PSU is to save me upgrading in case of CF or CPU OC. Also if HWVS have their product page right, this mobo is AM3+ compatible (as well as having two USB 3.0 ports)

Brian

Arrived this morning. 4 days shipping, not bad at all. Everything seems to be working fine. No pics for now, cable management ... what cable management?