Advise on a new rig...

[SkullSmack]

Lurker, but first time poster. I know there are a lot of threads such as this one, but I have a specific rig/goal in mind, so I started yet another one. Sorry for any noobness contained below and thanks in advance for the helpfull advise. I just don't want to screw this up.

CPU: Athlon64 X2 4800+ Socket 939

CHANGED!
MOBO: MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum SLI Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce4 SLI ATX AMD Motherboard

CHANGED!
RAM: 2 GB DDR (2 pcs 1GB) PC-3200 (400) OCZ Dual Channel Platinum

HD: Western Digital Raptor 74 GB 10k RPM SATA150

CHANGED!
Video: MSI NX6800GT-T2D256E Geforce 6800GT 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI-Express x16 Video Card

CHANGED!
Case: THERMALTAKE XaserV V8000A Silver Aluminum/Plastic ATX Mid Tower

NEW!
PSU: OCZ ModStream OCZ52012U ATX 520W Power Supply 95~132Vac / 190~264Vac TUV, UL, CSA, CE, CB, FCC

OS: Windows 64 edition

IDE CD burner, monitors, mouse and keyboard, I already have.

Questions/comments:
-Biggest load will come from 3D modeling work created in Inventor, which is NOT multi-threaded. However, I extensively use Excel to input data that drives the 3D models. Inventor uses OpenGL, I think, and prefers Nvidia over ATI cards.

-Gaming, lots of it! Enough said?

-I've never overclocked a system, but would be interested in a slightly overclocking this one, if possible. Not anything that requires more that the stock fan, etc though. Is overclocking worth it for the performance increase vs. risk?

-Currently running a 3 year old 3.06 GHZ, 533 FSB, in non-HT mode. When I first set it up, I used HT and regret changing it. The reason for the change was Inventor is a pig and I got tired of waiting on it ---bad idea, as it appears slower now. I'm hoping to see a major improvement---hopefully.

Thanks again for any advise or blessings. Take care.

 

[fatty4ksu]

4x512?

bleh

 

[RichUK]

you probably might want to re-consider the X2 if you are going to be gaming a lot, i would say if you have the money go for a FX55 San Diego, and OC that upto 2.8 Ghz, by just uping the Multi by one and your set

 

[keeleysam]

1. Get 2x 1GB not 4x512
2. Get the MSI 6800GT. It is cheaper than the one you picked out, and has a nice copper cooler and silent fan if you are interested in overclocking it:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814127158

 

[KoolDrew]

Don't use the PSU that comes with that case.

 

[RichUK]

Originally posted by: KoolDrew
Don't use the PSU that comes with that case.

i second that .. get a good PSU if you dont want to fry some parts in your new rig, and yes it can happen!

 

[SkullSmack]

Keeleysam,

Thanks for the input. I have no problem with the video card change and the money savings will be nice.

About the memory, and just asking, but does 2 x 1 GB have advantages over 4 x 512? I thought that I had read somewhere that smaller sticks of ram was more efficient than larger ones. Maybe I have that backwards? Also the ram I selected has CAS 2 and timings of 2-2-2-5. How important are these timings and do you have some specific ram in mind?

Thanks again.

 

[RichUK]

Originally posted by: SkullSmack
Keeleysam,

Thanks for the input. I have no problem with the video card change and the money savings will be nice.

About the memory, and just asking, but does 2 x 1 GB have advantages over 4 x 512? I thought that I had read somewhere that smaller sticks of ram was more efficient than larger ones. Maybe I have that backwards? Also the ram I selected has CAS 2 and timings of 2-2-2-5. How important are these timings and do you have some specific ram in mind?

Thanks again.

basically all you need is 1Gb (2x512Mb) sticks if you are going to be gaming, if you are going to be video editing and the like then you might benefit from using more RAM..


the problem with the new AMD mem controlers, is that if you run four banks of memory (4 x 512Mb) you will have to revert to a 2T command rate, where as using 2x 1Gb moduals will still be able to keep the 1T command rate whilst still providing 2Gb's of RAM if you really require it, but with 2x 1Gb, they provide poor latencies and are not good OCers, but if you dont intend to OC and require 2Gb's of RAM then this your best choice.

if you intend to OC and want the best performance then you will be looking to get, 2 x 512Mb and run them in dual channel config, you will be able to run 1T command rate well over 250Mhz (ddr500), and the only thing that you will have to do is relax the timings of the RAM, this will provide you with plenty of RAM (1Gb), low latencies, and 1T command rate

 

[SkullSmack]

Changed and updated. Thanks for the help guys.

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

If that CPU isn't going to ship until mid-to-late August, why are you designing your PC in early June?

 

[SkullSmack]

Originally posted by: hurtstotalktoyou
If that CPU isn't going to ship until mid-to-late August, why are you designing your PC in early June?

No offense, but I really hope u r wrong.

Linkage

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Originally posted by: SkullSmack

Originally posted by: hurtstotalktoyou
If that CPU isn't going to ship until mid-to-late August, why are you designing your PC in early June?

No offense, but I really hope u r wrong.

Linkage

Ah, that's more like it. The link you have in your first post gives August 15 as the shipping date: http://www.tankguys.com/athlon64-4800-socket-p-80089.html

 

[Malladine]

That system will be badass

 

[gobucks]

couple of things:
1) WTF is everybody recommending the FX still? It's a freakin dinosaur; no one should be paying $800+ for a single core processor, ever again. IT's ONLY 200MHz FASTER THAN THE X2!!!!!! I've had dumps more important than 200MHz. What does that equate to in your HL2 FPS? Like 3% higher framerates? Compared to the enormous gains in multitasking environment - in fact, you can play HL2 with multiple CPU intensive apps running on an X2 with less than a 2FPS performance hit; try that on an FX, and be prepared to see like a 75% performance drop - task scheduler simply doesn't work well with them. What's more important, 3% in games with the FX-55, or turning just about every weakness in A64 into one of its best strengths with the X2 (video/audio encoding, multitasking, multithreaded apps, etc.)?
2) I'd opt for the 4400+ over the 4800+. The price difference is over $500, for, once again, 200MHz. In fact, you can probably OC it to the same speed of the 4800+ with little trouble, considering the memory you're using.
3) The SLI mobo is a bit of overkill - besides, with G70 and R520 due out soon, I doubt you'll ever want to throw another 6800GT in there. An SLI mobo might be a better investment with a G70, though, especially since SLI mobos are set to drop a lot (nvidia is trying to make ~$100 SLI mobos possible).
4) I like the 6800GT if you're building now, but if your PC gets pushed back to July/August, then there will likely be better deals on the G70/R520 front. Plus, games that will really leverage the full capabilities of the X2 (which are in the works, BTW) will probably need the added firepower of these new generation cards.
5) I've heard of a lot of issues with the modstream - the design is solid, and the removable cables are nice, but from what i've heard the rails are not very solid at all. I've heard great things about the Enermax Whisper 535W, which is only $90.

 

[RussianSensation]

Originally posted by: SkullSmack

CPU: Athlon64 X2 4800+ Socket 939

It says ships August 15th. Monarch will have availability June 16th.

MOBO: ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe

Don't like it. Poor overclocker. Get DFI or MSI SLI.

CHANGED!
RAM: 2 GB DDR (2 pcs 1GB) PC-3200 (400) OCZ Dual Channel Platinum

See if you can find cheaper sticks of 1 gig. Latency barely matters for A64.

HD: Western Digital Raptor 74 GB 10k RPM SATA150

Is that all the space you need? Have you looked at Maxtor Maxline 16mb cache line instead?

CHANGED!
Video: MSI NX6800GT-T2D256E Geforce 6800GT 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI-Express x16 Video Card

Given how much you are spending on the cpu alone and ram, it is wise to wait for G70 (should be available late jUne)

CHANGED!
Case: THERMALTAKE XaserV V8000A Silver Aluminum/Plastic ATX Mid Tower

I think this case is ugly. Even Thermaltake has better looking cases. Get CoolerMaster WaveMaster or something stylish.

NEW!
PSU: <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?
Item=17-104-155&depa=0">OCZ ModStream OCZ52012U ATX 520W Power Supply 95~132Vac / 190~264Vac TUV, UL, CSA, CE, CB, FCC </a>

Not great. Enermax 565, 651, OCZ 520 Powestream, Seasonic S12-500, Antec 550 .... etc.

 

[SkullSmack]

RussianSensation,

After reading your comments and researching the MSI mobo, I agree that it's a better choice. I think I'm ok with the ram and I have a Raptor already and really like it.

As for the video, I'll be using two cards, but not in SLI mode. One dedicated video card for each monitor kind of thing. If the processor does not come out before the next gen of video cards come out, then sure, I'll wait. Otherwise, I could chase this thing forever.

Thanks again.