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[Bearcat99]

As some of you may know I have been planning an upgrade .... Based on my budget and research I have decided on the following..

AMD FX 8120 Black Edition 3.1GHz Eight-Core Socket AM3+ Boxed Processor

ASUS Sabertooth Socket AM3+ 990FX ATX AMD Motherboard

both bundled for $280

Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB DDR3-1600 (PC3-12800) CL9 Dual Channel Desktop Memory Kit (Two 8GB Memory Modules) $110

OCZ Agility 3 AGT3-25SAT3-240G 240GB SATA 6Gb/s 2.5" Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) with SandForce 2281 Controller $170 ($160 after rebate)

and one of the following coolers.. (I decided to forgo the water thing..

CoolerMaster TPC-812 CPU Cooler

CoolerMaster V6GT Universal CPU Cooler

CoolerMaster X6 Elite Universal CPU Cooler

CoolerMaster Hyper 612 PWM Universal CPU Cooler

The coolers range in price from $50-$70 but I am thinking more on Specs.. I thin the 812 is the best bang for my buck.. What do you guys think.

[x6BL_Brando]

Hi BC

I am really enjoying my Sabretooth 990FX. I went with the 6100 cpu and 8Gb Mushkin Redline as well as a couple of SSDs and a Raptor from the previous rig. It all works well together along with a Sapphire 6950, and it leaves headroom for further expansion. Plays IL2 and RoF very nicely too

I would leave air-cooling behind and go for one of the new Corsair Hydro Hxx High Performance Liquid CPU Coolers.

[MAXMHZ1959]

Are you certain about the Agility? Sandforce 2281 Controllers had (and maybe still have) lots of problems. Drives arriving DOA, suddenly failing, causing BSODs and more problems. OCZ is not as reliable as they were a year ago either. I just checked my online supplier (alternate.nl), and found a few recent feedbacks about an Agility arriving DOA. Intel discovered the SF2281 can't do AES 256 encryption this year, and that can't be fixed with firmware.

Better make sure your reseller has a good rep regarding support/returns.

[gothkrieger]

As I considering a build, I am watching the comments with interest as well. The comment on the solid state drive, I take as a warning, one that I have heard before, not specifically about this drive but that kind of drive in general. Not being a Tech. I am trying to stay away from components that are still having issues as compared to the old tried and true. That is the problem I a having with motherboards, the technology does not stay in one place for very long at all, always the latest and greatest coming out, maybe fixing some issue from last board but because they are reaching again, create new issues. I feel the most undecided on motherboard choice, I see no clear winners.

[MAXMHZ1959]

As I considering a build, I am watching the comments with interest as well. The comment on the solid state drive, I take as a warning, one that I have heard before, not specifically about this drive but that kind of drive in general. Not being a Tech. I am trying to stay away from components that are still having issues as compared to the old tried and true. That is the problem I a having with motherboards, the technology does not stay in one place for very long at all, always the latest and greatest coming out, maybe fixing some issue from last board but because they are reaching again, create new issues. I feel the most undecided on motherboard choice, I see no clear winners.

Maybe this can help you: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...k,3254-35.html

[Bearcat99]

As an update.. what I decided on was the AMD Fx-8150and the ASUS M5A99X EVO motherboard bundled for $297 @ Microcenter. The main difference between the Sabretooth and the M% is some extra slots and ports that I proably will not use anyway.. so I figured I'd go with he 8150 and not worry about an upgrade at all .. there was only a $40 difference in price between the two processors. I still have to get the rest but it is almost here..

I also decided on Corsair Force Series 3 CSSD-F240GB3A-BK 2.5" 240GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive
$180 w a $30 rebate from New Egg .. this one uses the SF3 controller which is reportedly less buggy that the previous one..
and CORSAIR Vengeance 16GB (2 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) $90 also from New Egg bringing me to a total of $567 oop with $50 coming back in rebates..

I think I will also go with a new case as well.. I need to get a cooling solution and a GPU and I am done so I figure at least another $400 for all that if I go with the water solution which I am still debating..

[-HH-Quazi]

Feels kinda slow around here BC. Compared to what it used to be. Good to see you still hangin here.

[Bearcat99]

Hey Quazzi good to see you too...

Brando .. the 6100 is now $104 @ Microcenter.. Dont ypu hate the way these prices drop.. If I had stuck with the Sabretooth I probably would have gone with the 6100 or the 8120... Ironically the 8120 & the Sabretooth would have cost the same as what I got..

[x6BL_Brando]

Yeah, the marketing is really confusing ain't it? I went with the 6100 as it was the most cores my budget would run to at that time and I needed a replacement rig urgently. The Sabretooth looked heavy-duty to me so I went with that and I don't regret it. The temperatures around the motherboard are consistently low, which I like, bearing in mind that not having air-cooling around the cpu area means less air blowing around the mosfets and the memory.
One advantage I noticed as soon as I went 'up' in IL2 was with my TrackIR function. With the Phenom II 975 that I had previously, a fast 4-core proc, I would have to draw the shades and fly in a kind of half-light to get the best results from the head-tracker. Now this is no longer necessary. Full daylight doesn't faze the gear any more and I can only presume it's down to the extra processing power. Nothing else has changed.

[gothkrieger]

Bearcat99
Please keep updating this post as I would like to know if you had any problems with the build before you are done.
Thanks