If I build it, will it run?

[gvblake22]

Originally Posted by unknown555525

My point is that I would easily suggest a high end 4GB PC6400 kit that costs around $99 than a PC12800 kit that costs $400. And I'm also willing to bet that in both synthetic, and real benchmarks, the DDR2 kit will beat the DDR3 kit clocked twice as fast due to the high latencies of most DDR3 kits.

Infact, there are even numerous review sites that pit DDR2 memory with latecies of 4-4-4-12 in 800MHz, that actually gets around 10% faster than DDR3 memory at 1333Mhz that runs higher latecies. In every benchmark including video decoding to gaming, and synthetic benchmarks.

I agree with all of this. I've noticed it takes at least DDR3-1600 to equal the performance of DDR2-800 with CAS 4. DDR3 is still too new and too expensive to be a good alternative to DDR2 for most people. There is absolutely nothing wrong with DDR2 and it is still widely available and compatible with all kinds of mainboards. As of today, DDR2 is still the way to go. Even if you remember back to the days when DDR2 was working its way onto the scene, it was way more expensive than low latency DDR memory and cost an arm and a leg. But by the time both Intel and AMD had their latest and greatest processors and chipsets all supporting DDR2, it didn't start to take hold. I suspect the same sort of thing will probably happen with DDR3, it's going to take a full line of DDR3 capable processors from Intel and AMD before prices drop, speeds ramp up, and availability becomes good that DDR3 will be mainstream.

[StevieRay]

This is the latest list...thank you for any input you give. You have all been helpful!

I am still figuring out case with the NZXT Temptest and the CM 690. Also like the Thermaltake Armor.

Open to your advice/suggestions on the mobo, processor, gpu, ram. Those have been the most debated so far.

Thank you again HL'ers


$202.80
INTEL Core 2 Duo E8400 3.00 GHz 1333 MHz 775 6MB Desktop Processor Retail ***Free Shipping***

$288.00
GIGABYTE GA-X48-DQ6 Intel Core 2 Quad Socket 775 1333 MHz PC2-9600 (DDR2-1200) ATX Motherboard Retail

$99.90
CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX TX 650W Power Supply Retail ***Free Shipping***

$69.99
SEAGATE Barracuda 7200.11 ST3320613AS 320GB SATA 7200 RPM 16MB Buffer Hard Drive Bulk

$75.99
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3320620AS 320GB Serial ATA 7200RPM Hard Drive w/16MB Buffer

$164.90
CORSAIR DOMINATOR with DHX Technology TWIN2X4096-8500C5DF 4GB PC2-8500 (DDR2-1066) DDR2 Memory Retail ***Free Shipping***

$209.99
EVGA 512-P3-N802-AR Geforce 8800 GT 512MB GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 Video Card Retail

$37.00
ASUS DRW-2014L1T 20X SATA DVD Burner Black Drive Retail

Maybe substitute this mobo...

$289.99
ASUS Rampage Formula Intel X48 Intel Core 2 Quad Socket 775 1600 MHz ATX Motherboard Retail

Tally with all Mail in Rebates is $1,145.70 w/o case...so add in about $100...and I am close to budget...

While the NZXT case looks like a great cooling case, the review on Driverheaven makes me think the noise will be too much. I work in a home office. See the review here:

NZXT Tempest Case - Introduction - DriverHeaven.net

Any opinions on Thermaltake anyone?

[gvblake22]

Looks like a very nice system there, but is there any particular reason you have two different 320GB hard drives? One is a Seagate 7200.10 series and the other is 7200.11...

[StevieRay]

Hi again Blake. Thanks for the kind words. I did not notice that. Is there a difference between .10 and .11? I was going for 2 so that one can run os and such and the other for storage. I do have an external seagate 500gig...should I just use that and get one HD?

[Hitman]

Originally Posted by StevieRay

Hi again Blake. Thanks for the kind words. I did not notice that. Is there a difference between .10 and .11? I was going for 2 so that one can run os and such and the other for storage. I do have an external seagate 500gig...should I just use that and get one HD?

My question is why go with 320gb when 500gb is just a little more.

[screwballl]

Originally Posted by unknown555525

If that were true than I suppose wattage meters are just fantasy too right?

That's like saying if I stuck a fork my wall outlet it wouldn't run up my electricity bill (if my house didn't burn down that is)

Also, efficiency is a big one to look at when finding out how much more this PSU will suck up your power.

For reference, let's use the 750w PSU with >80 efficiency. If the PSU used a constant efficiency rating of just 80% then the PSU will draw 850WH from your wall outlet whenever it's even turned on.

If left on for 24 hours per day, all month, that much power would cost me in my area about $15 per month just to run the PC, which isn't bad really, but add that to your other appliances :eating:

If you have a 750W PSU and your system is using 300W, then thats all is being used from the wall outlet, 300W.

For example with my system, I have a Kill-a-watt meter that reads the current voltage, wattage, etc.... I have a 620W PSU, and with the CPU running full bore, I read less than 100W usage. Remember this E6600 is a 65W PSU so the rest of the items are barely drawing any power. Even firing up a game it still is just a touch over 100W (usually around 105W).

Same goes for a light on a dimmer switch in your house. it may be a 60W bulb, but with the dimmer exactly halfway down, that bulb is only using 30W.

Electrical devices only use what they actually use, not what they are fully rated for.


As for the hard drives, I myself tend to suggest 500GB or better unless it puts you too far over budget.

[unknown555525]

Yea, never mind, you are correct. I realized that yesterday but was too tired to care to correct myself..

Now that reminds me, I really gotta get one of those AC meters ! heh, find out why my power+gas bill last month was $427, yet this month only $59

[screwballl]

Originally Posted by unknown555525

Yea, never mind, you are correct. I realized that yesterday but was too tired to care to correct myself..

Now that reminds me, I really gotta get one of those AC meters ! heh, find out why my power+gas bill last month was $427, yet this month only $59

heh no biggie, I get that way myself sometimes....

wow that is a major difference... for power, I love this Kill-a-Watt meter, perfect for finding out how much power something is actually using... My Core2Duo system (when I had the P965 board) is below 100W, my Dell 8200 P4 1.8GHz system with less hardware draws a consistent 135W....
I need to retest the power usage with the new EP35 board... betcha is it lower with the same hardware due to the energy efficient board (thus the "E" on EP35).

[azianai]

7200.11 should be 32mb buffer while 7200.10 is 16mb buffer i think. I run both styles, but honestly can't see a difference. The 7200.11 is suppose to be SATA II which is 3.0gb compared to SATA 1.5gb

[gvblake22]

Usually, it is best to go for the most recent generation of something, especially when they are priced nearly the same (the 7200.11 in this case).