[Adebisi]

Building a new comp.

Would love some input if you all care to share.


There is room in my budget for upgrades you think I am missing of decent value.

I want to be able to run dual boot XP/Vista (Vista for DX10 games...) as well, and everything here seems to be Vista capable... I am going to check the official Vista hardware list after I post here heheh

CPU - E6600 retail ( I like the retail warranty )
RAM - OCZ 2GB dual channel kit, EPP, 1000MHz ( I currently own a Kingston dual channel 2GB 666Mhz kit and would prefer to use that to save money, possible? Worth doing?)
Mobo - EVGA 122-CK-NF63-TR I have heard of problems with these boards but if I buy from the linked source I have 30 days to return it no questions asked so I am willing to chance trying it out.
Video - EVGA 8800GTX 768MB (standard clock, are the overclocked ones worth the difference?)
HDD - Seagate 320GB 16MB perpendicular x 2 ( I own these already )
DVD - Lite-On 20x SATA DVD burner (supports all formats)
Sound - Creative Labs SoundBlaster X-Fi extreme audio
Case - Antec 900 (already own this case)
PSU - Ultra 700w Modular (Hoping it will provide enough power for a 2nd video card in the future should I need to do that)


Monitor suggestions:

If anyone can suggest a decent, gaming 22 Inch widescreen LCD monitor that will let me watch HD videos in the future ( Do I need HDCP? I don't understand the HD requirements well )

Right now I am leaning towards this Samsung model. My office is generally free of direct sunlight if that helps ...

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Am now leaning towards this Samgsung Monitor

[Adebisi]

Am now leaning towards this Samgsung Monitor

[james_8970]

Go for this motherboard, there was a revision, a newer A1 version and a slightly older T1 version.

Depends wether your old memory is DDR2 or not. I'm thinking it's DDR.

If your a gamer get the xtremegamer version of the x-fi cards, it's twenty dollars more here http://www.anitec.ca/.

That power supply won't power SLI, ever. There are only 2 PCI-e 12v cables. You need 4 to power it. So if you really want a SLI capable power supply your looking at around 200$ just for the power supply.

That monitor can't display 1080p not enough pixels vertically (only 1050). Also if you plan on watching HD, yes you must have HDCP support.

James

[Adebisi]

Go for this motherboard, there was a revision, a newer A1 version and a slightly older T1 version.

Sorry James, not sure if you meant to put a link in there. But I will check for an A1 version then.

Depends wether your old memory is DDR2 or not. I'm thinking it's DDR.

It is DDR2, so that would be OK to use?

That power supply won't power SLI, ever. There are only 2 PCI-e 12v cables. You need 4 to power it. So if you really want a SLI capable power supply your looking at around 200$ just for the power supply.

It seems to have enough power. As far as cables, I have 2 adapters for 4 pin molex to PCI-E just sitting here. If you still think I need more juice I will get a bigger one, but if the only problem is the cable ends that is covered.

If your a gamer get the xtremegamer version of the x-fi cards, it's twenty dollars more here http://www.anitec.ca/.

Thank you!

That monitor can't display 1080p not enough pixels vertically (only 1050). Also if you plan on watching HD, yes you must have HDCP support.

What do you think of this one? It is within my budget, barely. Especially if I can get away with my old RAM.

[james_8970]

Yeah for sure you can get away with your older ram then. The only thing is that it may limit your overclocking potential a bit, I really couldn't give you numbers. If you hit a wall it'll probably be because of your memory, or CPU fan, because that motherboard is great for overclocking. If you don't plan on overclocking then get a cheaper model motherboard.

Yes that monitor will work (top of the line by the way), but I'm afraid to see the price. By the looks of the specs you looking at 750$.

You have enough watts for SLI, not enough amps. You'd be under cutting it buy quite a bit, don't quote me on this buy I'm pretty sure the GTX needs 34amps a card.

I forgot to mention from your first post, don't touch the ultra if thats what you mean. If you now who to overclock GPU's then you can save yourself the money and do it yourself. If not then you'd get a slight performance boost for the extra 20$ or so.

Also look around on these sites for the best prices, you wouldn't believe how much they range.

www.tigerdirect.ca (usually charge more and have those awful mail in rebates everyone hates).
www.NCIX.com
www.directcanada.com
http://www.anitec.ca/

I find the graphics cards can range as much as 125$ between these sites to keep your eye open and you'll be able to save a bundle.

James

Edited by james_8970, 23 May 2007 - 04:08 PM.

[Adebisi]

Thanks, I will look for a beefier PSU and post again.

I figure the monitor will last me for my next 3 computers, my current one lasted me 5 computers now so .... LOL To me it is worth the investment.

As far as overclocking, I could care less right now. I will do it later in my computer's life cycle which is why I chose that mobo, but for now I see no reason to bother. When the time comes to upgrade this computer I will want to drop in a 2nd GPU, overclocking RAM and some wicked CPU heat drainer.

And ya, I thought I could just OC the video card myself too.

I have also decided to go with the e6700 CPU, it is not all that much more now and what the [bleep]

I will come back in a bit with some PSU alternatives I find.

[james_8970]

Don't get the E6700, not worth the premium over the E6600, the E6600 will overclock to E6800 speeds without a sweat. Unless you really want to push your system to the limit you could go with a cheaper motherboard. There is very few motherboards better then that one on the market but there is an Intel motherboard going for 200$ that should serve you the same but cheaper. On another note Intel is about to release a new motherboard mid June that'll support their Core2duo revisions that are due later this year (august at the latest I'm thinking).
James

Edited by james_8970, 23 May 2007 - 06:21 PM.

[Adebisi]

Problem is intel motherboards won't let me SLI later if I decide to do that. The board listed is only 226 so its not that big a savings to go to the 200 dollar intel.

[james_8970]

Yes your right. The one problem about this motherboard and not getting the more expensive revision boards is that you can't upgrade to quad core. Not sure if you have future plans on doing this or not just though I ought to bring it to the table.

As for the problems with this motherboard, there is nothing severe that I have ever heard. There is always going to be one lemon in a bunch, when that happens RMA it.
As for one of the problems that guy was having it's clear EVGA knows about it as they just released a new driver.
http://www.evga.com/...?TOPIC_ID=34890
James

[warriorscot]

Im thinking of putting a new system together this summer if finances allow along similar lines, im going for:

Intel P35 mobo from abit or msi
Intel E6600(or equivalent 45nm chip if available)
same case with Hyper PSU 600+W
ATI2900, drivers are kinda screwy but its cost wise no different from a GTS and has more features and will eventually perform better in everything when drivers get fixed, but i might go with a 65nm ATI when released if they are better.
2Gb corsair Ram with the aim to upgrade to DDR3 later
Sound card same as you monitors i have a samsung(great) and a big belinea(cheap but decent)

Hope that might help you along give you some ideas of an approach from someone else going for a cheap but high end system with the future in mind(future is the reason of gfx and mobo choice specifically)

[james_8970]

Lol I'm doing the same build except not waiting for the HD2900XT revision or 45 revision from Intel as it's going to be end of July at the earliest probably mid August for ATI.
Waiting on Intel's motherboard because I want Penryn support
Aren't they calling the 45nm E6x50?
Let's hope the ATI card will perform better then the GTS, but regardless of performance I don't like what I'm seeing with the AA, hoping its driver related and not hardware.
James

[warriorscot]

The ati problems performance wise are software based by all accounts the early pre production models didnt have the same performance problems and in some things the 2900 gives you a brief glimpse of what it can actually do the AA is a bit weird the colour filtering isnt to my taste either but its fixable, the later ATIs wont be as fast the smaller process apparently lowers the speed but they will have ddr4 who knows we will see but the 2900 has allot of potential and in DX10 and crossfire beats anything nvidia has and its cheap so not a bad buy its on par right now with the GTS and will outperform it in everything eventually when its fixed but its still a good choice now especially in Europe where ATI is cheaper. The P35mobos are 45nm compatible and are allready out which is why i have an interim E6600 in my build but can be upgraded to penryn or you can get a penryn when its released if its in time. The new P35 chipset in itself is very good and its DDR3 compatible since they are out now and priced competitively a P35 mobo is a must for a new system stupid to get anything else.

With no firm dates on AMD with barcelona and DDR3 support you are pretty much stuck with intel stuff which thankfully is allot better than it was in pentium days.

[james_8970]

Lol if it wasn't better then in the pentium days we'd be in trouble.
Never realized the P35 was released thought it was coming out in mid June. O well only Asus has their that chipset right now and I'm not happy with them from what I have been hearing lately. The 680i revsions support Penryn I think because of it's 1333MHz support so I think I'm going for them even though they don't have crossfire support, o well take the good with the bad.
James

[warriorscot]

look around you should be able to get an Abit, Gigabyte or MSI version if you look hard enough over the next couple of weeks.

[Drumbum667]

Now that I know about this Im definitely going to wait to get Penryn and the ATI cards and hopefully get DDR3 when it comes out. OOand here's a link to a few of the mobos on the MSI site and the Gigabyte site.
Gigabyte P35 Mobo
MSI P35 Mobo
MSI P35 Mobo
MSI P35 Mobo
MSI P35 Mobo