Cain needs a new PC January 2008 Edition

[Cain]

Here we go again.... I'm probably a few weeks away from a new PC...

What do I want ?? I gotta have a WD Raptor Drive, that is essential, and I gotta have at least 2 gigs RAM, and I also gotta have XP Pro...

What else do I need ??

(Psst give me links to newegg for all recommendations please)..

====

Update: I am starting to see what I think I want:

CPU: 45nm E8500 333X9.5=>3.16G 6MB

MB: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131219

DRAM:CORSAIR TWIN3X2048-1800C7DF

Video Card: 8800GT 512MB

HDD: WD 150 Raptor

Case:

Power Supply:

DVD Drive:

===


http://usa.asus.com/products.aspx?modelmenu=2&model=1873&l1=3&l2=11&l3=572&l4=0


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118223

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118019

[Ghost_Rain]

A good cpu I have Core2Quad 2.40 which is really cheap now mate.

[juneau]

Quad core if you want to spend that much plus a Intel p35 motherboard is a very good base to build on.

Raptor drives are not streets ahead like they once were. In fact some of WD and Seagates regular drives are neck and neck.

Mobo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813127030

CPU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115017

RAM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820144062

GFX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814122046 (only one in stock at newegg)

PSU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139001

HDD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136073 (If you buy WD make sure you grab a AAKS model like this one)

Optional Extras

Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129025

DVDRW
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827129009

Soundcard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102006

[ryanbatc]

I second everything Juneau linked too, especially that Abit mobo.....top notch

If you've got cash to burn swap out the 8800GT for a 8800GTS 512mb card

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130312

(plus get a free copy of crysis wewt)

[Dead...Again]

I would stay away from Leadtek. I had a Leadtek 6600GT, and it was a piece of crap. I don't buy anything but EVGA now...

[{CLR}geneSW]

I second everything Juneau linked too, especially that Abit mobo.....top notch

If you've got cash to burn swap out the 8800GT for a 8800GTS 512mb card

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130312

(plus get a free copy of crysis wewt)

Those arn't goin to be sold anymore, nvidia pulled them. Recall IIRC.

[ryanbatc]

I second everything Juneau linked too, especially that Abit mobo.....top notch

If you've got cash to burn swap out the 8800GT for a 8800GTS 512mb card

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130312

(plus get a free copy of crysis wewt)

Those arn't goin to be sold anymore, nvidia pulled them. Recall IIRC.
Thats only the OC models.... unless that one is higher than stock clock speed.... anyway it's still on newegg, might as well get it if money isn't an issue

[GoatX12]

They are pulling the OC'ed 8800GTS (G92) because it will outperform the 8800GTX and 8800Ultra when overclocked. Personally I just ordered 2 of these to run in SLI on my machine.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143119

I've heard of overclocks stable on water as high as 800 for the CPU, THese cards also have more headroom for overclocking on the shaperclock than the old G80's (8800Ultra/GTX) these new ones on the 65nm core run cooler too.

For motherboards I would go for a 680i

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188015

I have the XFX version of this board Highly overclockable (even on Quad Cores)

Also for a processor I would hit newegg up for a Q6600 Processor can fairly easily overclock from the stock 1066 - 1333FSB if you get a G0 stepping which is what newegg currently carries.

[Cain]

Don't I want one of those 45nm CPUs ??

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115034

[juneau]

Don't I want one of those 45nm CPUs ??

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115034

Naa. If you want one of the newer CPU's wait till Penryn is out in a couple of months. They can be used in any P35 or above motherboard.

[Duke{CLR}]

Nvidia has came out with a new 780i chip set that will support the future 45 chips and hold three video cards. Now I know 3 video cards sounds a bit out there but IF you want to run a SLI setup with even two cards you need a Nvidia chip set. This (link below)is the Mobo that I will be getting soon it's new and it does NOT support DDR3 but it will OC like nobody's business. If you want SLI and DDR3 then the Intel chip sets are the way to go unless you want to wait for the 790 chipset.

If I were building from scratch now I think I would wait a few months for the new CPUs and more info on the newer Intel chip set that will be out. After all COD4 will run fine on your older machine.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188024

[Cain]

Duke, why is that MB so expensive ???

:?

[Duke{CLR}]

NewEgg has this thing where if it is in high demand it jacks up the price. It just came out so it's in demand. There is a lot of hype about tri SLI and the ease at which this mobo over clocks. I think the MSRP is $259.00 and it is out of stock so the Newegg price will drop as soon as more become available. I would not pay that much for that MB but I'm getting it for $90.00 through this program that was discussed in this thread.

http://dark4se.com/cainslairforums/viewtopic.php?t=24626

[WalkinTarget]

Looks like the Nv78 boards are not holding up their end of the bargain.

http://www.digitimes.com/mobos/a20071231PD208.html

OMG, can I be typing this ... AMD is a better buy ???

[imlittlev]

^ if this is true, then AMD/ATI combo is beginning to pay off with their motherboard chipsets?

[Cain]

Back to my CPU...

Let's chat about 45nm and 1600 FSb speeds...

[Ghost_Rain]

I thought about the new Intel Cpu but I could not justify the Cost so I went with Core2Quad Q6000 2.40mhz and I'm well happpy with it.

[Cain]

which new CPU ??

[juneau]

Back to my CPU...

Let's chat about 45nm and 1600 FSb speeds...

There is no actual concrete reviews out for the new chips as of yet. So performance increases from the current selection isn't known.

[WalkinTarget]

Here's a good read on the basics of the 45nm CPUs, and what to expect:

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/intel/showdoc.aspx?i=3184


http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=101960


Dual Core
---E8500 - 3.16Ghz - 9.5 multiplier - 333 Base system clock - 6MB cache - $266 - Jan 08
---E8400 - 3.00Ghz - 9.0 multiplier - 333 Base system clock - 6MB cache - $183 - Jan 08
---E8300 - 2.83Ghz - 8.5 multiplier - 333 Base system clock - 6MB cache - $### - Jan 08
---E8200 - 2.66Ghz - 8.0 multiplier - 333 Base system clock - 6MB cache - $163 - Jan 08

Quad Core
QX9650 - 3.00Ghz -unlockedmulti - 333 Base system clock - 12MB cache - $999 - Nov 11
---Q9550 - 2.83Ghz - 8.5 multiplier - 333 Base system clock - 12MB cache - $530 - Jan 08
---Q9450 - 2.66Ghz - 8.0 multiplier - 333 Base system clock - 12MB cache - $316 - Jan 08
---Q9330 - 2.50Ghz - 7.5 multiplier - 333 Base system clock --- 6MB cache - $266 - Jan 08

There's your Intel CPU releases for this month, with the 45mn 'Yorkfield' chips being delayed until late February. The Yorkfield, unfortunately, is the chip that I linked in the beginning of this thread, so I edited it and added the rest of the info for Cain and others to read to get an idea of what is coming in the near future. Now if Nvidia would be releasing a newer G94 chip instead of the mid range cards they plan on releasing in Feb/March ...

[Cain]

:2thumbs:

[WalkinTarget]

That Q9450 looks might appealing for only $316 !! I still don't believe a quad core is in ANY way justified (its about as worthwhile as DX10, which is a dead on arrival bust so far) so I will not be buying until late Spring, as I can only point to two games off the top of my head which will work better with a quad.

The thing to keep in mind with the Penryn launch is that this is not the big jump in Intel's performance roadmap .. the Nehalem is the one that will be a much larger jump, but that isn't to be released until (at the earliest) the end of 2008.

So where do we go from here ? If you are planning on buying a 45nm chip, make DARN sure your board will support it. Almost all 680i boards do, and a good many of the 650i boards are currently certified for the Penryn chips. My MSO P6N Platinum is already tested and certified for the chip, but do your research on what your board will support.

[GoatX12]

For the most part a Quad core and a dual core are equal when it comes to gaming (However the old SMP from Quake 3 may still be used in COD4) Where Quad core's come into play is Master and Compressing movies, Extracting and Unextracting files just to name a few, the price difference between a dual & quad is so insignificant that it make it worth while, and any game that comes out optimized to work better on Dual cores WILL see a benefit from a Quad.

[Cain]

---E8500 - 3.16Ghz - 9.5 multiplier - 333 Base system clock - 6MB cache - $266 - Jan 08

Does Newegg have this sucker yet?? What is the source of your info, and dates?

OK this one looks tasty.. Which MB for it ??

My system has become so unstable I'm gonna need to do this sooner, rather than later.

[Cain]

I'm reading this page now .........

http://forums.tweaktown.com/showthread.php?t=25544

[WalkinTarget]

Crap, I must have missed adding the link to the post offering up details on the Intel chips ... sorry ...

Here it is for all its worth:

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=101960

Still no sign of one on the open market, but I guess we have to wait a week. It looks like the X35-X38 will be knocked from the head of the board class in a hurry with the 780 boards soon to arrive (even if they do have issues at launch). Geez, boards are hot one month and discontinued the next lately !

[WalkinTarget]

Cain, keep in mind you are going to be needing DDR3 RAM if you choose one of the new boards, and it is GODAWFUL expensive !!!

Here's the cheap stuff:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231149

4x the price of DDR2-800 RAM at this point .... but at least it has nowhere to go but down.

[Cain]

The new boards ONLY do DDR3 ??

[juneau]

The new boards ONLY do DDR3 ??

Some do 2 and 3 and will also take the new chips. 3 is not worth the extra cash though to be honest. And i don't think you should wait around for the new chips as the improvements are not going to be that great. Unless of course you wait for Nehalem which is months away. That'll be the next big step.

[WalkinTarget]

Depends on what you consider new .. if its the 780 series .. yes.

If its the X38 or X35 .. welllll ..... thats a crapshoot, as there are oddities thrown into the mix such as this MSI board:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130128

DDR2 and DDR3 ?? And its NOT an Asrock ??!!??!! Its a weird time to be building a rig, as we have no idea how the current boards will stack up when paired with a Penryn CPU.

I wouldn't go for a $300 board, but honestly, I do like the very MSI board that I linked. I know it won't be the performance king, but its darn near the top when you factor in what you pay for it !

[WalkinTarget]

Another DDR2/DDR3 board, this one from Asus:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131188

It offers 4 DDR2 and 2 DDR3 slots, but it has more features than the MSI that I linked above. Asus is one of those brands that I can't vouch for ATM, so I know that they have a well established base of users, but I have no experiences to report on the P35 Asus series.
Pairing this board up with the Penryn and DDR2-1066 would make for a very nice start to a new build.

[WalkinTarget]

Asus P5KC P35 LGA775 board - $140
Crucial Ballistx DDR2-1066 2gb - $111
Intel Q9450 - 2.66Ghz Penryn - $316
Nvidia GeForce 8800GT - $300

I'm OK with all of the picks other than the 8800GT ... I don't know enough about the availability other than to comment that factory OC cards are being discontinued, and according to the latest Nv rumors, they are releasing a mid-range card to knock AMD/ATI out of even the lower end category in mid to late February, but that doesn't mean they will be releasing the 9800 (the 8800's successor) at that time.

[juneau]

Don't forget the Gigabyte P35C DS3R. Been getting some bad press lately though.

Great spec above WT. It's is the spec i would recommend. However the RAM is over priced imo. Anything by Corsair, Geil, G Skill, OCZ, costs a lot less and does the exact same job

[WalkinTarget]

Been getting some bad press lately though

:D That's why I forgot it ... :wink:

[juneau]

Been getting some bad press lately though

:D That's why I forgot it ... :wink:

Speedy! I was editing too! Not all of the boards are bad though. And you only hear about them when they break. :D

[WalkinTarget]

Yea, I agree on the RAM as well. The thing is, ANY RAM that runs over DDR2-800 is considered 'high performance' overclocking RAM, and you pay a hefty penalty for buying it. I was shopping for 1066 sticks and found that all the deals were on lower end stuff, with no deals whatsoever on 1066 stuff.

But keep in mind the higher 1066 speed is perfect for the higher FSB of the Penryn chip, so that it is not even running overclocked at all, unlike the DDR2-800 RAM once you start bumping up the FSB to overclock. The Crucial Ballistix received favorable reviews and match up well with that Asus board.

Considering I paid $180 (and that was a darn good deal !!) back in March for 2gb of Buffalo Firestix, I'd gladly trade them for the Ballistix 1066 at this point. Any takers ????

[Cain]

Question:

Will the new 45nm CPUs be faster, or cooler, or superior to the current fastest 65nm CPUs ?? Dual core ??

[WalkinTarget]

Faster ... expect 10-15% on average, with games showing the most improvement.
Cooler ... 45nm die process ... it SHOULD be cooler, but heat will not be an issue to be concerned with. Heat was an issue back in the Prescott/Presler days.
Superior ... it meets the two above requirements, so by that token I'd say it is yet another resounding success by Intel.

Keep in mind Intel was getting dusted by AMD simply because they weren't smart enough to realize their mobile platform was far superior to their desktop platform, and they kept happily cranking out those overheating Intel Pentium D chips by the truckload.

Problem was the heat dissipation was not done fast enough to allow the processors to scale up past 3.7ghz without overwhelming the stock cooling apparatus. Intel was unable to break 4ghz with their current chip design, so they then began the 'More cores running at lower gigahertz are better than a single core at higher gigahertz' mantra, which AMD had been saying for years, but Intel always laughed at that assessment.

Funny how things have changed from those days in the Intel camp, eh ??

Then some dirty Chinese chip marketers started taking the mobile chips running at 1.5ghz and remarking them as desktop 3.1 chips !!! Somebody eventually caught on and soon enough, Intel wised up and decided that, hey, our mobile chips are pretty good, and so began the eventual rollout of the Core2Duo chips, which finally put Intel back in the performance drivers seat after an 18-24 month absence.

So does the Penryn seem like your best choice ?? Hell yea !! Would you be willing to wait a month for the Yorkfield ?? Geez, I know I would, as it is the best of the Penryn chips if you are willing to wait and see what they offer.
I'd be most interested in the coming month to see how things shake out matching up the chip with either an AMD mainboard or DDR3 RAM (assuming price reductions that are bound to occur after the Penryn release).

[Gremlin_flg]

Get a Gigabyte board. If you ever have to call Asus for CS good luck.

[Cain]

If I want to do SLI for Dual nVidia video cards, do I have to use an nVidia chipset MB ??

[Gremlin_flg]

If I want to do SLI for Dual nVidia video cards, do I have to use an nVidia chipset MB ??

If you do not want sli problems yes you do. But Boards like gigabyte and asus boards that have mentioned above will support it.

[juneau]

If I want to do SLI for Dual nVidia video cards, do I have to use an nVidia chipset MB ??

If you do not want sli problems yes you do. But Boards like gigabyte and asus boards that have mentioned above will support it.

There isn't many SLI boards around really. I wouldn't recommend a 650i or 680i as they're getting on a bit now and weren't great to begin with. That leaves you with the 780i. It's new, stupidly priced, and isn't that great to boot now that the reviews are coming out.

SLI for most is a waste of time Cain. A single fast card solution is always the best option.

[Gremlin_flg]

I forgot to mention what Juneau said in my post.

Having SLI is a waste of money. Suggestion is wait for the 9800 cards to come out. Rumor has it coming out in March. If you can't wait, get the EVGA 8800GT 512 in Feb and in 90 days you can step up to a 9800 video card.

Spend the extra cash that you save from not doing SLI, get a good PSU like a Corsair 750 or Antec 850.

[juneau]

I forgot to mention what Juneau said in my post.

Having SLI is a waste of money. Suggestion is wait for the 9800 cards to come out. Rumor has it coming out in March. If you can't wait, get the EVGA 8800GT 512 in Feb and in 90 days you can step up to a 9800 video card.

Spend the extra cash that you save from not doing SLI, get a good PSU like a Corsair 750 or Antec 850.

a Corsair 520 is more than enough. It isn't all about the wattage. :)

[Gremlin_flg]

The reason i said for 750 is for future. what if he decides to get a new video card and some more stuff in the same pc?? Why waste money again down the road. if he does not have the money now I agree but if he does not go for SLI use that to buy the 750.

[ryanbatc]

DDR3 vs DDR2, for the price (currently), is not worth it, IMHO

http://www.anandtech.com/memory/showdoc.aspx?i=2989&p=7

Sure they say 2-5% gain in Crysis....but you can get 2GB for like 30 bucks, or 4 gigs for 120 dollars (4x1 yummy)

2GB of DDR3 is around 300 bucks!!!! :cry:

[juneau]

The reason i said for 750 is for future. what if he decides to get a new video card and some more stuff in the same pc?? Why waste money again down the road. if he does not have the money now I agree but if he does not go for SLI use that to buy the 750.

But the 520 can run two GTX's in SLI. If a single card ever comes out using that much power i'll move to consoles. :)

[WalkinTarget]

Hahahaa, with ads like this, Nvidia appeals to all of the sexist pig gamers that are looking at buying a new board:

http://www2.techreport.com/ads/xfx_780imobo_728x90.gif

Anyhoo, back on topic ... did we scare off Cain with all of our technogeek mumbo-jumbo talk ?? I get the feeling he is a bit ... overwhelmed ...

Very interesting rumors regarding postponement of the upcoming Core2Quad chips that we were discussing:

http://www.techreport.com/discussions.x/13826

Too many rumors from too many sources that tell me something is afoot. I had a distinct feeling that Intel would drop the ball on this last rollout, as the timing of it was just too early compared to their previous releases. I wish AMD had something to fire back with, as any gap left in the Intel armor can easily be exploited by AMD, but alas, it was not to be.
:cry:

[WalkinTarget]

Paging Darth Nevus ... paging Mr. Darth Nevus ...

Please report on this thread's contents and inform Cain of any missed or improper information regarding the aforementioned parts list assembled by yours truly.

Your absence over this week has been duly noted, so you have much homework to do to bring the universe back into its proper balance.
:D

[darth_nevus]

Darth's Food for thought:

CPU's: Good Intel 45nm CPU's are going to be delayed, Intel is postponing the good revision until Feb/March due to a respin of the silicon, in light of what i'll call the "Phenom Blunder"(FYI -- to all of those of you worried about the TLB errata, while its a blunder, chances are after alot of research, you will almost NEVER run across the issue, and the patch probably won't be necessary desktop side. serverside is another story. i'll give you the explanation later if you want it) and not make the bad PR event AMD did. That and AMD really hasn't brought anything to the table for Intel to rush the new bad boys on the block out. the Q*9**0 chips will be the way to go in terms of coolness, power requirements, processing power, etc. though. Problem with intel as of late is their QC has taken a flush down the crapper. Cooler chips require decent surfaces for heat transfer, and Intel's chips have been requiring ALOT of "lapping"(smoothing out of the top of the chip, which voids the warrenty, usually involved with sanding the top smooth) so if you get a good smooth one, its great if not, its not going to be able to transfer heat as well, and won't run as cool as you'd like. Downside is the 45nm chips are going to be costly, being setup for first adopters. Intel doesn't enforce the MSRP pricing, so early prices and going to be all over the place, as is availability. Shop around! The new chips will also have FSB's of 1333 & 1600, but don't expect massive amount of speed increased by going with a 1600fsb chip over a 1333fsb chip. ddr3 ram doesn't really start to shine until you pair it with a 1600fsb chip.

With the X48 mobos, YOU WILL NOT NEED AN NVIDIA CHIPSET FOR SLI. but then again, SLI is overkill at the moment unless you plan on playing above the 1900x1600 resolutions. acceptable framerates(everyone has their opinion here) of 30+ can be attained with the current offerings for the next few years.

AMD just hasn't brought good Karma to the table lately. Their 45nm chips are due out in 2009 sometime, and bring native ddr3 support only at that time. AMD's onboard memory controller makes the ddr2 & ddr3 switching nearly impossible. don't expect to see too many "combo" boards out there. while the chip's memory controller CAN support ddr3, it isn't being used due to a variety of other issues. I Like AMD, always have, and right now their chips are priced to compete very well. the performance for gaming just isn't up to snuff(except in UT3 where you'd swear Epic made UT3 JUST for AMD's Phenom chips. and the native full die quad core chips do REALLY well here vs'd Intel's offerings). boards for AMD are also generally cheaper which is a plus.

All for all, i'd say wait until the end of the month to see if the release date for the intel chips are out, and decide what chip then. rumors of price cuts on current chips are expected as well.

Mobos: i am still REALLY on the wall here. DDR3 is still VERY expensive compared to ddr2. Thanks to AMD's AM2+ mobos & chipsets, DDR2 is going to be around for at least another 2 years, and still inexpensive. the 7x0 nvidia boards are being coming soon and while better than the 6x0 mobos, it just seems more like less. to Fully utilize the the 1333 & 1600 FSB's on the new and upcoming Q9xx0 chips, you'll need ddr3 ram running at high speeds. there are already ddr3 1333 & 1600 modules out three, and as i said before, GOD AWEFUL expensive. the X38 the X48 chipset from intil WILL support MULTI GPU combos(4), with FULL 16x pcie2.0 on the lanes. BUT IT WILL REQUIRE DDR3. some of the x38 & x35 chipsets will take both. but the X38 chipset is overall a better choice than the p35's. While i see alot about the GB-P35C-DS3R mobos, i will err on the side of caution, and say stay away. the X48 chipset is really going to be for the multi GPU gamers, runnig expensive rigs until everything else catches up. $300 is a bit much for my tastes. but for a decent x38 mobo, yoyr going to pay it. and you'll need it for the 1600fsb chips. the southbridge tied to most of the X38 boards though doesn't like WD's raptor drives so be forewarned.

In regards to amd's 7x0 new chipset, they are STILL using the old 590 southbridge. BIG mistake IMO. intel isn't doing any better using the ICH9R with a majority of the boards, but what can you expect?

Asus hasn't fixed their QC issues IMO, and i hate their tech support in the US. but thats just my opinion. they do have some highly regard boards though!

Gigabyte makes some great boards, but some of them are plauged with issues. it seems to be almost at random, the p35 boards were good. but the p35c boards were junk. your milage may vary.

Abit i have had no experience with, but out of the lot seem to bring the right stability/preformance of the group. someone else will need to comment on this.

that muck e muck being said. the X38 offerings are very nice. and right now, those would be the ones i'd suggest. if you have the cash. otherwise the p35 motherboards are good if you need it now.

with all the new thing comings out in the next month or so, i am more inclined to recommend waiting the 3 weeks or so to get the full picture.


Video Cards: This is exciting. rumor of coming out is the 8800gs with 96 stream processors, slower ram, and core clocks, but based on the same G92 core as the 8800gt. ram will come in at 384 & 768 mb with a 192bit memory bus(wth right?) for $149-$209. Nvidia wants to put the nail on AMD's coffin here. priced very nicely, with good performance based on the very nice G92 core, will surely make things look dim for AMD. i have't heard much out of AMD as of late as i'd like to. either they are worried and trying not to show it, or they have an ace up their sleeve.

Also with a Feb 14 release date is the fabled 9600GT from nvidia. no release date for the 9800 cards though, and no real reason for them to push them. The 9600 GT is alleged to feature 64 stream processors, a 500MHz core clock speed, and 512MB of 1000MHz memory hooked up to a 256-bit memory bus. i can't wait to see what its going to bring to the table, but considering the 8600gt didn't raise any eyebrows compared to the 7600gt, it MIGHT be intresting.

Ram. Corsair FTW. Since Corsair is owned by micron, they get first dibs at THE best chips. and because of that, their XMS2 chips are some of the best out there. not to say other folks can't do better, but after averging it all out, being the son of a chip maker has its perks.

Ok, All that being said. i have to agree to disagree.

Asus P5KC P35 LGA775 board - $140
Crucial Ballistx DDR2-1066 2gb - $111
Intel Q9450 - 2.66Ghz Penryn - $316
Nvidia GeForce 8800GT - $300

This is good, but i'd swap the Crucial for some good corsair. just my opinion.

FYI -- DDR2- 1066 ram does not play well with this board with all versions of of the bios. this *might* need to be updated for the motherboard.

If the processor release at the recommended price, i'll be surprised.good choice though.

CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X2048-8500C5 - Retail

That stuff is SWEET, if you can find it in stock.

The video card? get the 512mb OC copy if possible. they are being removed from production, possibly due to the 9600 release.

PSU? the HX520 should be more than sufficient from corsair, but if you plan on running dual higher end cards(gtx/ultra), the 620 might be another option.

Sorry, this post is ALL over the place. i hope it helps.

[tupinambis]

Heres the mobo I am currently looking at.....

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16813131200

[YetiChamp]

This is a case that i would go with. Only $75, full tower(so there's room to expand) and it looks wicked awsome.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811166004

[YetiChamp]

Also just a note look for a motherboard that is SLI ready. so if one day you feel like getting 2 8800 gt's and making your comp a beast, then you can do it no problem.

[Gremlin_flg]

Tupin go for a gigabyte than for an asus

[tupinambis]

Tupin go for a gigabyte than for an asus

I dont know about gigabyte... I like the 3pci-x16 and the 1 pci-x2.0 slots on here...

[Gremlin_flg]

Asus support sux.

[Cain]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115028

[{CLR}geneSW]

Asus support sux.

never had a problem with their support.... their USB controllers yes, but not their support.

[tupinambis]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115028

Very nice! great find :2thumbs:

[Duke{CLR}]

Good choice. If I were building from scratch now that is the chip I would go with.

[shatter99]

If you go with a NVIDIA 680i MB setup then there is one MAJOR thing to be aware of:

The 680i boards have a nefarious history of killing DDR2 ram that is overvolted for overclocking.

EVGA, Nvidia Say 2.4V Voltage for DDR2 is Deadly
http://hardware.gamershell.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2771

Do some serious research on your DDR2 RAM if you purchase a 680i MB if you plan to run it above 1.8 volts. I would recommend doing some hard-core research on the RAM period. I see a lot of high end ram running at stock 2.0 to 2.2 voltages to achieve higher speeds above 800MHZ. This is the type of ram that you see "omg! my ram died" posts about when a 680i MB is mentioned.

If you decide to get a 680i rig and plan to swap out all the MB heat sinks for hard-core overclocking then go for an EVGA board since they will still RMA the board if it fails as long as you don't volt mod anything on the board itself.

I have the following 680i board and it rocks:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188012

The difference between the T1 and A1 versions has to do with:

1) Cable Bundle
2) Warranty Length (2 year vs. lifetime)

It is the exact same MB for both the T1 and A1 versions.

Also be careful of the LT versions of the 680i. They offer little to no overclocking options in the BIOS.

[shatter99]

If you want a case..

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021

Best case I have ever owned.

[darth_nevus]

If you want a case..

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021

Best case I have ever owned.

How do you like your 900? i own the p180, and it is dead silent, but i was eyeing this unit as well. what about dust, i have to assume it sucks in quite abit without the p180's filters?

[shatter99]

How do you like your 900? i own the p180, and it is dead silent, but i was eyeing this unit as well. what about dust, i have to assume it sucks in quite abit without the p180's filters?

The 900 is very-very quiet.. and yes.. it loves to sucks in the dust.

[darth_nevus]

How do you like your 900? i own the p180, and it is dead silent, but i was eyeing this unit as well. what about dust, i have to assume it sucks in quite abit without the p180's filters?

The 900 is very-very quiet.. and yes.. it loves to sucks in the dust.

sounds dumb, but try this:

Take an old dryer sheet and place it over the fans. you'll be surprised!

[Gremlin_flg]

Take an old dryer sheet and place it over the fans. you'll be surprised!

Dryer sheet meaning like Bounce???

[darth_nevus]

yep. its an old trick. works like a filter, and removes a pretty decent amount of dust while providing pretty decent airflow.

[WalkinTarget]

Please keep in mind the fact that Darrth indicated a used dryer sheet. A new one will not let enough ari thru the case into the fans, effectively starving the PC of its necessary airflow.

OK, back on topic ...

[Gremlin_flg]

Thanks Darth and Walking Target :)

[Cain]

If you want a case..

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021

Best case I have ever owned.

That sucker looks nice, but I'm afraid it would be LOUD.... Is it ??

[pigworthy]

This is what I just bought had a $40 rebate right now to. $100 After MIR.

Case Antec P182 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811129025
Details about the case http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=81820

Here is the 900 http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=15900

[Gremlin_flg]

If you want a case..

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021

Best case I have ever owned.

That sucker looks nice, but I'm afraid it would be LOUD.... Is it ??

Cain, the case is not loud. Each fan that comes with the case has a speed control. The only thing I do not like about 900 is the wire management. Well if you have small fingers you can manage it.

[WalkinTarget]

I'm going to cast a vote in Piggy's camp, as I have the P180b (revised P180 with the water cooling outlets on the rear and better case wiring management setup). The P180 and the 180 are virtually identical. I talked Darth into buying it and the only flaw he points to are the plastic posts that hold the front faceplate on.

Drat, Cnet usta have a video review of this case that was both quick and informative, but I can't find it now. Here's another review:

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article249-page1.html

Three adjustable case fans (via a built-in case mount switch) and enough ventilation and space to store a lot of hardware. Your PSU mounts on the bottom of the case in a separate chamber with your HD, and you run the cables under the mainboard tray upwards to plug in to your hardware.

Check out how clean my wiring came out in Kyler's 'Post the Guts of your PC' thread. Its the bottom pic of the three rigs that I have posted.

[BlackArrow]

My suggestions for cases:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119103

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119138

[WalkinTarget]

^^ Thats a good price on the Cosmos case ! That thing is delicious ... Maximum PC used that as their case for the Ultimate Gaming Rig build they do.

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/cooler_master_cosmos

You can't go wrong with either case.

[pigworthy]

I almost ordered the Cosmos, but it's HUGE and weight 40lbs by itself. And it's a bit tight for where I want to put it. So I went with the P182.

[BlackArrow]

I almost ordered the Cosmos, but it's HUGE and weight 40lbs by itself. And it's a bit tight for where I want to put it. So I went with the P182. :(

It is a great case Pig, I love the slide out/in hard drive enclosures.

[Gremlin_flg]

Do you how heavy the P180 is?? :P

[pigworthy]

Do you how heavy the P180 is?? :P

Yes, yes I do.

[WalkinTarget]

P180 is 32 lbs. It feels heavier, but my Chieftec Dragon full tower is 52 lbs with all the hardware in it.

[GoatX12]

For Cases I personally use the Gigabyte's I saw someone else suggest them also; take a look at these.

Gigabyte Aurora (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Description=gigabyte+aurora&x=0&y=0)

Tons of room, highly upgradeable and Watercooling ready (the black gromemts on the back for 3/4 tubing).

[WalkinTarget]

So far I have seen three cases that are highly regarded, the Aurora, P180/2 and the Cosmos.
Each has their areas of appeal, but I'm proud of you guys offering up what I consider the best cases for the money that you can find. I had almost forgotten about some, seeing as how I don't own them, but I know full well each of the above three, and I'm sure will be quite happy with any of the three.

Tough choice .... glad I don't have to make it ! :wink:

[darth_nevus]

So far I have seen three cases that are highly regarded, the Aurora, P180/2 and the Cosmos.
Each has their areas of appeal, but I'm proud of you guys offering up what I consider the best cases for the money that you can find. I had almost forgotten about some, seeing as how I don't own them, but I know full well each of the above three, and I'm sure will be quite happy with any of the three.

Tough choice .... glad I don't have to make it ! :wink:

Agreed. Alot of time went into finding mine. but i finally settled on it after i heard how well WT's worked. the sound deading material, ease and convience of assembly, REASSEMBLY, MOVEABLE fan brackets, builting fan "filters" for the front, 3 speed fans, and bottom mount psu is what did it for me. replacing the HD in an already assembled pc has always irked me. the removeable drive trays are a HUGE plus. my only 2 qualms about the P180/b/2 cases are no seperate motherboard tray, and the fact that the p180's sidepanels have PLASTIC hooks for holding them on. the plastic is soft, so if your not careful, i can see why so many people complain about breaking them.

pc assembly is a precision, careful process, so i was fine, but, its the only 2 things i can really complain about

[Duke{CLR}]

I just noticed this coupon $123.99 for a P182 at ZZF.

http://www.couponmountain.com/ZipZoomfly-coupons-deals.html

[Dead_And_Gone]

My Coolermaster is everything I wanted in a case,
plust the black finish looks Sharp.

Glad your happy with your case Pig. :2thumbs:

As long as they do what you want, it's all good.

[juneau]

Nobody is recommending Lian Li? :o Probably the best cases on the planet. :D

[WalkinTarget]

Cain, here's a pre-order link to the 8400 for $210. TankGuys are a respectable vendor as well, and they always specify the core of chips so you can get a better overclocker if you so desire.

http://www.tankguys.com/product_info.php?products_id=1788

And the 8500 for $305 as well:
http://www.tankguys.com/product_info.php?products_id=1789

They are still saying January 20 for their release date.

Whats quite surprising is to compare that price to the now dated e6600 at the Egg, which is about $20 more: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115003
:shock:

Whaaa ... ???? Anyhoo, the price was actually dropped from $216 to $210, so thats good news.

Here's a direct quote from a TankGuys employee when asked when the chips would be available:

Not quite sure yet - as mentioned, official release date is the 20th, but that doesn't mean they will filter down into the retail channel yet. We've got a bunch of these on order directly with Intel, and are first in line at one of their top distributors, so we're shooting to have them as quickly as possible. No definite idea when, exactly, that will be though. - TankGuys

[darth_nevus]

if your going to go dual core instead of quad, go with the 8500. i like it!

[WalkinTarget]

CPUs are now AVAILABLE and in stock !!!

8400:
http://www.buy.com/prod/e8400-lga775-3-00g-6mb-1333mhz-chipfsb-boxed-processor/q/loc/101/206459005.html

http://www.onsale.com/shop/detail.aspx?dpno=7369654&store=onsale&source=bwbfroogle

Editing as they drop out of stock ... psewww that was fast.

[Duke{CLR}]

Nobody is recommending Lian Li? :o Probably the best cases on the planet. :D

+1 I love Lian Li. They make a well crafted case.