How To - AMD FX ATX Gaming Rig
Category : PCs
Published by Luca Rocchi on 28.08.15
Today we're going to show you a guide on how to build an AMD based system. This rig should be a multi-talent and we want it to perform everyday tasks very well. Therefore we occasionally wish to play games with FullHD resolution. We also want this system to be very silent and upgradeable.
A few months ago we published an article about building a powerful mATX gaming rig based on an Intel hexacore CPU and a fast graphics card. Despite Intel has dominated the enthisiast market for years, we believe that AMD can still provide a compelling mid-range solution, especially if you consider the price / performance ratio. On the following pages we will show the components used in our system and a brief summary on the achievable performance.
| Page 1 - Introduction | Page 4 - Component selection: part 2 |
| Page 2 - Preview | Page 5 - Installation |
| Page 3 - Component selection: part 1 | Page 6 - Conclusion |
Preview
| Page 1 - Introduction | Page 4 - Component selection: part 2 |
| Page 2 - Preview | Page 5 - Installation |
| Page 3 - Component selection: part 1 | Page 6 - Conclusion |
Component selection
These days the FX-8000 embodies the flagship CPU series from AMD, which is why we used a FX-8370E an 8-core processor, with a base clock of 3.3GHz and a turbo boost clock of 4.3GHz. Unlike other models in the same series, FX-8370E has a lower thermal design power (TDP) of 95 watts, instead of 125 Watt, which the AMD FX-8370 (the non-E model) features. Like other FX series processors, this particular CPU also comes with an unlocked multiplier and therefore it's very easy to overclock this CPU.
Using a FX-8370E also meant finding a suitable board with support for socket AM3+ processors. AMD hasn’t updated its chipsets since quite a while but that doesn't mean there are no vendors with good boards in their portfolio. The Fatal1ty 970 Perfomance is based on the AMD 970 chipset and it supports AM3+ CPUs with up to 220W TDP. Apart from that there is a dedicated onboard audio, which goes by the name 7.1 Purity Sound 2, USB 3.0, an M.2 slot and a complete software suite. At its 100 Euro price tag, this is definitely a great choice.
With an unlocked FX CPU and a motherboard suitable for overclocking, an aftermarket CPU cooler makes perfect sense to keep the system cool and quiet. Since the color scheme of the motherboard is black and red there plenty of space available in our build, we used a big tower cooler from Phanteks. To be precise, we're using Phanteks PH-TC12DX, which is available in different colors. Despite the dual 120mm PWM fans, the dimensions are reasonable, since this is a single tower cooler and not a dual tower. This means that you won't run into compatibility issues with memory that features large heatspreaders.
Regarding the storage system and the memory Corsair is offering anything you could possibly ask for. Since our system is equipped with FX-8370E, which is not only suitable for gaming, we used two sticks of DDR3 8GB in order to reach a total of 16GB. This allows for heavy multitasking. The Vengeance Pro 2x8GB 1600 MHz feature a black and red color scheme with a aluminum heatsink. Despite the initial fears, the memory can easly placed next to the cooler.
Since prices SSDs dropping day by day lately, we opted for a RAID0 configuration of Corsair Neutron GTX 240GB drives in order to have a fast OS and reduced loading times in games. The Neutron GTX is the flagship model from Corsair regarding desktops and notebooks solid state disks. Thanks the Link_A_Media controller and MLC NAND flash, they offer a top speeds of over 500 MB/s in sequential read and write.
| Page 1 - Introduction | Page 4 - Component selection: part 2 |
| Page 2 - Preview | Page 5 - Installation |
| Page 3 - Component selection: part 1 | Page 6 - Conclusion |
Component selection
AMD recently rebranded it's R9 200 series graphics cards, which means there are plenty of new models available which are basically the same like the old ones. Since our system is not about hardcore gaming, we decided to use a great and silent mid-range card from Sapphire. The Sapphire R9-280X Vapor-X is equipped with an excellent triple fan cooler, which keeps the card cool even with a factory OC. The card uses a base frequency of 1100 MHz with memory set to 1500 MHz. There is 3GB of VRAM and that is definitely sufficient for FullHD gaming.
Since this rig is based on a single GPU and mid-range components in general we don't need a huge case. Due to the size of the motherboard we have to use an encloser, which is compatible with ATX form-factor boards. It's not a secret that we prefer elegant solutions, which is one reason why we decided to go with an Anidees AI6-V2. This mid-tower is made of steel with plastic, plastic and aluminum. One of the most important features is for sure the noise dampening material, which guarantees effective noise reduction. This case also offers plenty of space on the inside and apart from that it's very easy to install all the components. The AI6-V2 from Anidees can hold up to 8 HDD / SSD, CPU coolers with up to 428mm height and graphics cards measuring up to 428mm in length can be installed (without removing the HDD cage).
The power supply is always an important component and there are three main aspects, which need to be taken into consideration: output power, efficiency and warranty. Usually if you choose a unit with the right output power you don't have to replace it even if you want to upgrade your setup with for example a second graphics card.
For our system we used a completely modular model from Superflower rated 1Kw with 80Plus Titanium certification. We know that the actual consumption of our system is much lower than 1Kw but we preferred to maintain a good margin for future upgrades. This is definitely an absolute high-end component, especially since it features 80Plus Titanium certification.
| Page 1 - Introduction | Page 4 - Component selection: part 2 |
| Page 2 - Preview | Page 5 - Installation |
| Page 3 - Component selection: part 1 | Page 6 - Conclusion |
Installation
Putting all the components into the case and wiring them is pretty straight forward. After having placed the CPU in the motherboards socket, we installed the mounting kit of the Phanteks cooler. For that purpous we had to use the backplate, which ships with the cooler. Once the mounting kit is in place, putting the PH-TC12DX in place is simple and there is no need to separately apply thermal compound, since the cooler is already equipped with a pre-applied compound. The installation process doesn't take long as the mounting process is self-explanatory. The pressure on the CPU is good and there are no compatiblity issues with this cooler whatsoever. Since this is a medium sized tower cooler there aren't any compatibility issues with memory modules.
Putting all the components inside the Anidees AI6-V2 is a process that will take only few minutes thanks to the well tought-out innards of this case. Even the cable management and the wiring can be done in a breeze, thanks to the divers cable routing options.
Regarding the cooling inside the chassis, adding additional fans wasn't necessary, since the two bundled fans already offer good airflow. If you need more perfomance and higher airflow, you can also place two fans on top and another one in the front.
| Page 1 - Introduction | Page 4 - Component selection: part 2 |
| Page 2 - Preview | Page 5 - Installation |
| Page 3 - Component selection: part 1 | Page 6 - Conclusion |
Conclusion
To quantify the performance of our system we're using well-know benchmarks and games. Regarding the 3D perfomance this system scores 5'867 points in 3DMark Fire Strike Extreme and Unigine Heaven shows 1'157 points or 46 fps. In the heavy multi-thread benchmark Cinebench R15 525 points are achieved in stock mode and 715 points, when we overclocked the CPU to 4.5 GHz. Since we installed an aftermarket cooler on an unclocked CPU, pushing the CPU to higher frequencies is very well possible. For that purpose the ASRock motherobard even offers various presets, which make overclocking super easy.
Of course we also tested the system with some of the latest games available such as Battlefield 4, GRID Autosport and Tomb Raider. In all the three titles were tested with FullHD resolution and we managed to get an average of 50 fps with high settings.
The benchmarks only tell one part of the story and we were pleasantly surprised by the overall performance this system achieves. Despite the fact that these days Intel processors are superior in terms of raw performance, IPC and power consumption, we believe that this AMD system still is decent value for the money. Apart from that the SSDs also play a very important role and since we're using two fast drives in a RAID0 configuration the operating system is very responsive and loading times are really quick.
For a little bit over 1200 euro we have a fast and whisper quiet machine, which is capable of running games at 1080p/50fps with high settings. The two 240GB SSDs gives you plenty of space for operating system and also games and apps and the make the system very responsive.
| Page 1 - Introduction | Page 4 - Component selection: part 2 |
| Page 2 - Preview | Page 5 - Installation |
| Page 3 - Component selection: part 1 | Page 6 - Conclusion |