Final Check: Heavy Photoshop and Gaming Machine -- Needs Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Cards

[xxevilxp3nrxx]

Hello everyone, just needed to check this build to see if it was totally ready to be ordered..

Also, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Sound Cards? Don't know how to pick those out/check compatibility. Anyone know if you can get a desktop sound card with Beats Audio for pretty cheap? (>$50)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 955 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($89.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Xigmatek LOKI SD963 52.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($99.98 @ Amazon)
Memory: Kingston 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($20.98 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Kingston 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($20.98 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($77.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 6850 1GB Video Card ($134.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master HAF 912 ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.49 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: Antec 500W ATX12V Power Supply ($45.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: Asus BC-12B1ST/BLK/B/AS Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Microsoft E6K-00001 Wireless Standard Keyboard ($24.80 @ Amazon)
Total: $645.17
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-07-31 22:52 EDT-0400)

[SpicySnow]

At that price for the RAM - might as well grab one of these.. Does the Phenom X2 even support 1600mhz ram?
Amazon.com: Kingston Technology HyperX 8 GB (2x4 GB Modules) 1600 MHz DDR3 Dual Channel Kit (PC3 12800) 240-Pin SDRAM KHX1600C9D3K2/8GX: Electronics

If capacity isn't an issue, you might want to grab an SSD instead.

Do you have a OS?

If you increased your budget by about $150 (especially if you are near a microcenter), you could build a computer that is on a whole new tier in performance.

[xxevilxp3nrxx]

At that price for the RAM - might as well grab one of these.. Does the Phenom X2 even support 1600mhz ram?
Amazon.com: Kingston Technology HyperX 8 GB (2x4 GB Modules) 1600 MHz DDR3 Dual Channel Kit (PC3 12800) 240-Pin SDRAM KHX1600C9D3K2/8GX: Electronics

If capacity isn't an issue, you might want to grab an SSD instead.

Do you have a OS?

If you increased your budget by about $150 (especially if you are near a microcenter), you could build a computer that is on a whole new tier in performance.

Kingston HyperX 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory (KHX1600C9D3K2/8GX) - PCPartPicker Is this the same part? I might switch it out, actually, even though DDR3 1333 vs. 1600 = almost no noticable performance boost. But for the price, why not?

(P.S, that's a Phenom x4, not an x2, I don't know if a Phenom x4 does, I should probably check..)

And yes, I need a very high capacity. So SSD is pretty much out..but may be considered as a later upgrade.

And no, this is my price tier. And this is without the sound card. And the Bluetooth card. And the wireless card. So as much as I'd like to, I can't. (Saving for a Canon EOS Rebel t1i :3)

Actually..

Here's the updated list with the sound card I picked..support 7.1 surround for cheap. Also has the updated RAM.

(P.S, Already have Windows 7 x64 Home Premium.)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 955 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($89.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Xigmatek LOKI SD963 52.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($99.98 @ Amazon)
Memory: Kingston HyperX 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($41.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($77.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 6850 1GB Video Card ($134.99 @ Newegg)
Sound Card: Creative Labs Audigy SE 24-bit 96 KHz Sound Card ($24.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Cooler Master HAF 912 ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.49 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: Antec 500W ATX12V Power Supply ($45.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: Asus BC-12B1ST/BLK/B/AS Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Microsoft E6K-00001 Wireless Standard Keyboard ($24.80 @ Amazon)
Total: $670.19
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-07-31 23:40 EDT-0400)

[SpicySnow]

doesn't your motherboard already have 7.1 sound integrated? You don't need that sound card.


[EDIT] As justification for upgrading the ram: It's blue and has a pretty metal heat spreader. It will look prettier inside your case.
And if that's not eno to convince you: it's easier to install/remove. The ram without heatspreaders are just too narrow- they hurt my fingers every time.

[xxevilxp3nrxx]

>.< You're right, that was pretty obvious on the GIGABYTE site. I guess I'd consider that a worthy upgrade, and it's also nice because the RAM comes in one purchase instead of two.

Now that the sound card's out of the way (._. I never needed one after all) Know of any good (yet affordable) Wi-Fi and Bluetooth cards?