New build(possibly) need critique's

[duckingzebra]

i might be coming across some money here soon and idk if my signature is working or not but if it is u can tall that my pc is a dinosaur who roars like a field mouse and lost all his teeth. so i thought i might just have to build my first pc ill get to keep. so naturally i want everyone's input good or bad, or something i might be forgetting, from processor to mouse, all suggestions are appreciated.

Thermaltake Armor VA8000SWA Silver Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail

EVGA 122-CK-NF68-T1 LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

EVGA 768-P2-N831-AR GeForce 8800GTX 768MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Video Card - Retail

OCZ GameXStream OCZ700GXSSLI ATX12V 700W Power Supply - Retail

Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe 2.4GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80557E6600 - Retail

OCZ Titanium 1T 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) EPP Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ2T8002GK - Retail

Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3750640AS 750GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

ViewSonic Graphic Series VG2030WM Black 20.1" 5ms DVI Widescreen LCD Monitor with Height Adjustments - Retail

Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 w/SP2B - OEM

ZALMAN CNPS9500 LED 92mm 2 Ball Cooling Fan with Heatsink - Retail

Logitech G11 Silver & Black USB Standard Gaming Keyboard - Retail

Logitech G5 2-Tone 6 Buttons 1 x Wheel USB Wired Laser Mouse - Retail

all comes up to: $2019.45 after mail in and instant rebates. (not including s&h.)

[sean126]

I'd wait until at or after July 22 for the intel price drops on the cpu's. Word is, you'll be able to get a Quad e6600 for about the same price as a dual core is right now. Maybe a tad more.

[duckingzebra]

Originally Posted by sean126

I'd wait until at or after July 22 for the intel price drops on the cpu's. Word is, you'll be able to get a Quad e6600 for about the same price as a dual core is right now. Maybe a tad more.

is there any word on whether those quad cores are worth it or not? its basically 8MB of L2 cache but does it run like its got 4MB over the core 2?

[sean126]

Well...going by only what I read: The dual core is about $223, the quad will bascially be two of the dual core e6600 on the same die and is suppose to be about $250, give or take a few bucks.

I'd say it's worth it. 2 for the price of 1 is always a good deal.

[duckingzebra]

Originally Posted by sean126

Well...going by only what I read: The dual core is about $223, the quad will bascially be two of the dual core e6600 on the same die and is suppose to be about $250, give or take a few bucks.

I'd say it's worth it. 2 for the price of 1 is always a good deal.

ya but like i said, i wonder if it runs like its 2 core 2's? or is that other 4MB of L2 cache just sitting there unused?

[gvblake22]

Do you really need a 750GB hard drive? What about the media center edition Windows XP, would just regular XP Home or Professional work? And you really don't need to spend $200 on a motherboard either (unless there is something in particular that board offers over the other more reasonably priced P35 or P965 boards).

[sean126]

Don't know...haven't really gotten that deep into analyzing it. But for about 25 more bucks...you'll have it just in case. I wouldn't think that should be a deal breaker...over 25 bucks? I mean....your already spending 2 grand....getting a 20 inch lcd when a 17 or 19 inch will get you by, buying 2gigs of memory when 1 gig will get you by just fine on windows xp media center.....why not splurge 25 more bucks on a quad e6600 while your at it?

Of course if your into gaming....I have no idea which would be better for you.

[[Dr. V]]

It's actually the Q6600, and I did a little write up here.

Here are my recommendations:

Go with a kit of Crucial Ballistix Tracer - they'll look awesome in your windowed case, and O/C a helluva lot better than most other RAM 'cause of its Micron D9 chips. Also, they're slightly cheaper than what you've got there now!

If you're going 680i, I'd get the ASUS P5N32-E. If you change your mind and decide you wanna go for Intel's P35 solution, grab the ASUS P5K Deluxe/WiFi-AP.

Don't get that ZALMAN - grab a Cooler Master GeminII - along with two of these Arctic Cooling fans - overall the same price after two fans with it too, and a better cooler.

Finally, pay a little extra for a video card, and get a WAY better one - this PNY 8800GTX (the OCed version) is painfully close to Ultra speeds and performance, for a much better price. Definitely worth the upgrade.

Hey I like that monitor choice =P

There's my take on it. I love the PSU you chose for that system, and everything else looks great.

The price different isn't justifiable enough for you not to get the quad core...it's future proof too man. Take a read at my little write-up, I don't wanna repeat things lol.

Also, at that price point already, spending $200-250 on a motherboard isn't too bad IMHO.

Of course the OS and hard drive size can be debatable. Personally I'd rather get a 320GB or a 500GB Seagate drive, along with a 74GB Raptor for my main Windows/programs/games HDD.

This Raptor + This Seagate = only $10 more than that one 750GB hard drive. If you can justify the need for the 750GB hard drive, then by all means don't let us stop you. If you can do with 320GB of storage, this setup is very intriguing.

[duckingzebra]

Originally Posted by sean126

Don't know...haven't really gotten that deep into analyzing it. But for about 25 more bucks...you'll have it just in case. I wouldn't think that should be a deal breaker...over 25 bucks? I mean....your already spending 2 grand....getting a 20 inch lcd when a 17 or 19 inch will get you by, buying 2gigs of memory when 1 gig will get you by just fine on windows xp media center.....why not splurge 25 more bucks on a quad e6600 while your at it?

Of course if your into gaming....I have no idea which would be better for you.

yes i am into gaming, and i dont see any major complaints so i think if the price does come down ill get the q6600.

Originally Posted by gvblake22

Do you really need a 750GB hard drive? What about the media center edition Windows XP, would just regular XP Home or Professional work? And you really don't need to spend $200 on a motherboard either (unless there is something in particular that board offers over the other more reasonably priced P35 or P965 boards).

well right now i have a 40 gb hd and i hate having to delete and reinstall programs to make room, and when i want to use them again. i figure with a 750 gb, that will never be a problem. and i was thinking media center would be a little of a change from the xp home edition i got, and i do use my comp mostly for media and gaming, unless u have good reason to not get media center. and ill look into the motherboards some more, thanks :)

Originally Posted by ST!X

It's actually the Q6600, and I did a little write up here.

Here are my recommendations:

Go with a kit of Crucial Ballistix Tracer - they'll look awesome in your windowed case, and O/C a helluva lot better than most other RAM 'cause of its Micron D9 chips. Also, they're slightly cheaper than what you've got there now!

If you're going 680i, I'd get the ASUS P5N32-E. If you change your mind and decide you wanna go for Intel's P35 solution, grab the ASUS P5K Deluxe/WiFi-AP.

Don't get that ZALMAN - grab a Cooler Master GeminII - along with two of these Arctic Cooling fans - overall the same price after two fans with it too, and a better cooler.

Finally, pay a little extra for a video card, and get a WAY better one - this PNY 8800GTX (the OCed version) is painfully close to Ultra speeds and performance, for a much better price. Definitely worth the upgrade.

Hey I like that monitor choice =P

There's my take on it. I love the PSU you chose for that system, and everything else looks great.

The price different isn't justifiable enough for you not to get the quad core...it's future proof too man. Take a read at my little write-up, I don't wanna repeat things lol.

Also, at that price point already, spending $200-250 on a motherboard isn't too bad IMHO.

Of course the OS and hard drive size can be debatable. Personally I'd rather get a 320GB or a 500GB Seagate drive, along with a 74GB Raptor for my main Windows/programs/games HDD.

This Raptor + This Seagate = only $10 more than that one 750GB hard drive. If you can justify the need for the 750GB hard drive, then by all means don't let us stop you. If you can do with 320GB of storage, this setup is very intriguing.

ok i decided i really cant justify a 750gb hd, and i like your 2 hd setup suggestion, i like that 10,000 rpm, so im taking ur advise on that one, and i figured an extra 40 bucks on the 8800gtx wont kill me for the extra clock speed, um, id like to hear y the os is debatable, i have no experience with media center so im open for suggestions, on the mobo, um why u pick that asus one over the evga one i chose, im not being sarcastic either, i really dont have that much experience, so i appreciate the input, and do i wanna go 680i whats the benefit over p35 or the other way around? o and im just gonna take your advice on the ram, your just gonna have to help me o/c them when it comes time :). i also am gonnna take your advice on the heatsink and fans. im pretty sure u know what you are talking about :)

[duckingzebra]

ok heres the updated list so far:

Thermaltake Armor VA8000SWA Silver Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail

EVGA 122-CK-NF68-T1 LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

PNY VCG8800XXPB-OC GeForce 8800GTX 768MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Overclocked Video Card - Retail

OCZ GameXStream OCZ700GXSSLI ATX12V 700W Power Supply - Retail

Crucial Ballistix Tracer 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model BL2KIT12864AL804 - Retail

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80562Q6600 - Retail

Western Digital Raptor WD740ADFD 74GB 10,000 RPM Serial ATA150 Hard Drive - OEM

Seagate SV35 Series ST3320620SV 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

ViewSonic Graphic Series VG2030WM Black 20.1" 5ms DVI Widescreen LCD Monitor with Height Adjustments - Retail

COOLER MASTER GeminII RR-CCH-ANU2-GP CPU+ Board Cooler - Retail
ARCTIC COOLING Arctic Fan 12 (AF12) 120mm Case Fan - Retail x2

Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 w/SP2B - OEM

Logitech G11 Silver & Black USB Standard Gaming Keyboard - Retail

Logitech G5 2-Tone 6 Buttons 1 x Wheel USB Wired Laser Mouse - Retail

Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 w/SP2B - OEM


still might change the mobo, im pretty sure stix is gonna convince me of it :) and i still want input on the os, and everything else for that matter, if u dont agree with stix suggestions i wanna know y. thanks :)

edit: price so far: $2365.96 after mail in and instant rebates, not including s&h