another person asking what you think of her setup

[xolisaxo]

hey again guys

so i've gotten a lot of help from some of you with regards to putting together a rig all by myself (girls can be just as good as boys ), and this is what i've kinda come up with so far:


CASE: Lian Li PC-60

CPU: e6600

GPU: waiting for dx10

RAM: G.Skill 2GBHZ PC6400 2048Mb/2Gb 2x1024Mb DDR2

PSU: SilverStone ST56ZF 560w PSU

HEATSINK:
 Zalman CNPS9700LED or Zalman Fatal1ty FS-C77 <== I can get both for the same price - which is better?

HDD: Seagate 320gb SATA2 16mb cache (ST3320620AS) [x2]

MOBO: Asus P5B Deluxe

SOUND: Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS (CR-CSB0350OEM)

SPEAKERS: Logitech Z-2300 200 watts RMS 2.1 Speaker System

KB/MOUSE and optical drives i'm not really concerned with atm... i can figure those out later (not that big of a deal to me)

Even though the new nV 600 series is pretty much out (?), as n7 said, they will likely be initially overpriced and possibly unstable/immature - that being said, I only want a mobo that works well and will overclock to a reasonable figure (i'm thinking up to 3.6)

one more thing regards the ram... here in australia, good ram with the micron D9s are around $80-$100 more... so what if i decide to only clock up to a max of 400FSB (3.6ghz with a 9 multi)? then i wouldn't necessarily need D9s, would i? so if i got any good brand at PC6400, that should be fine as long as i don't exceed 400FSB? seeing that i read somewhere that other chips work fine at stock (and when underclocked), but are only bad when oc'ing... i just think the extra $80-$100 isn't worth the extra 5% speed increase of going above 3.6ghz...


so if any of you have suggestions, please let me know even if you just mention the name of something else to look at... the more info the better!

hugs and kisses,

lisa :lips:

 

[Ayah]

Go with the big fat 9700. NEC opticals are in.
I really like the P5B series for their overclockabilities.
You can always go cheap. I'd go for value ram with lifetime warranty.

 

[n7]

The 9700 is far better than that Fatal1ty crap

Yes, you could likely get away with cheaper RAM, but there's one little catch with the P5B-D.

You keep mentioning 3.6 GHz, which is a very nice goal, but perhaps a tad optimistic i would say.

And with the P5B-D, it doesn't like running in the 370-399 FSB range due to that being the very last stretch of its 1066 strap.

So if we assume you're getting a bit lower OC than 3600 MHz, then you'll likely end up needing to run things using the 8x multi, instead of 9x.

So you'd likely end up wanting to use 8x400-450 (3200-3600) instead of 9x356-400 (3204-3600).

If you hit the 401 FSB on the P5B-D, you can revert back to 9x multi.

So to get back to my point on RAM, you'd likely want to be able to reach at least 450 (DDR2-900) to be safe with the RAM you choose, & i can't say how lucky you'd get with non D9 chips, though i would bet you could do 900 with many.

 

[Noubourne]

Waiting for DX10 is dumb. Gonna be Feb before an OS is out to support it, and gonna be a lot longer than that before more than a couple games are out to support it. The first gen DX10 cards will all be ultra-expensive too. Look at the 8800s - Six Bills. Uhhh, no thx.

Grab something that will hold you off for a year and then upgrade to DX10. Otherwise, shell out the $600 for the 8800 now, because that's about as cheap as DX10 is going to get for the next 12 months.

 

[Boyo]

No need to wait for the DX10 cards since they are out now. Get the 8800GTX. It's going to set you back more than 6 bills, but if you want DX10, it's there for the taking.

Great Case, but you may want to look into the Lian Li PC7 which has 2x120mm front and rear fans plus an 80mm top blowhole. It offers much better cooling.

Also, it may be a good idea to add a smaller HD like a 74GB Raptor to run your OS and apps from, and use the 320GB for media and backups.

 

[Skott]

Welcome to the forums. The P5B-E is a little more stable but the older version is fine. I wouldnt worry about the new 600 series mobos right now. Too new, too few, and pricey. The P5B is a good mobo to start with but I think you'll get the E6600 farther with the P5W DH. Its a 570 mobo and they generally do better with the higher multiplier CPUs like the E6600. The 965 mobos, like the P5B, are better with the lower multiplier CPUs(E6300/E6400). The P5W64 WS Pro OCs even better than the P5W DH but its a workstation mobo and pricier. As far as video cards go you got three choices. 1)Step up to a G80 model now or 2)get a lower card from eVGA and use their Step Up program later on to a better card once prices come down. You get 3 months to use the Step Up program before you lose it. 3rd choice is to get a ATI card. Right now the G80 is king so most folks are looking at options 1 & 2.

 

[Bozo Galora]

OMG - a geekette!

 

[Sqube]

If you're looking for DX10 with a relative modicum of sanity atached to the price, go for the 8800GTS.

I've seen it floating around ZipZoomFly for $499 with free shipping; $509 on Newegg plus about $7 for three-day shipping.

 

[KeithTalent]

I think this is the first (but hopefully not last) time I have seen kisses given out in a build thread :thumbsup:

Those new NV600i boards look great and apparently OC like demons, may be worth a look since it sounds as if you will be bumping things a bit.

If you have the money get a 8800GTX, if you have a little less money than that go for a GTS as they seem to be pretty good value (relatively speaking of course).

Good luck!

Cheers, KT

 

[acole1]

girl?!

shens

oh, get an 8800GTX/S

 

[xolisaxo]

hey again boys

thanks for the replies again... it's always nice to see ppl so willing to help out

• > with regards to the zalman, thanks, i'll get the 9700

• > will look into the lian li PC7 and compare it to the PC60

• > also with the mobo, i don't think i can afford a P5W DH... here in Australia we're cursed with terrible prices, - i'm looking at $280AUD for a P5B, and it jumps to $350 for the P5W
  
  cos i'm paying for this setup myself (plus costs of living out of home now ), i don't think i'd want to spend another 70 to go up only a lil bit on the mobo

• > will look into getting a raptor as well for os

• > as for the video card, i'm not really too fussed - i think i'd still rather just skimp and get something barebones, and wait till more dx10 cards flood the market and prices stabilise a bit better - until then, i can spend that $500 on more clothes

what about the rest of my rig? does it seem ok? i mean i don't expect it to be perfect, especially being in Australia things are a lot harder over here - even ram with D9s is terribly had to come by (and expensive!) this place can be such a shithole sometimes

but is everything else reasonably ok? the psu and everything?

thanks again for all your replies... every keystroke you type is like another ray of sunshine on my screen :sun:

lisa xoxo :lips:

 

[Bozo Galora]

I bet you kill 'roo's with your bare hands, skin them, and eat the meat raw

ah matey, my kinda gal.

 

[Ichigo]

Originally posted by: xolisaxo
hey again boys

thanks for the replies again... it's always nice to see ppl so willing to help out

• > with regards to the zalman, thanks, i'll get the 9700

• > will look into the lian li PC7 and compare it to the PC60

• > also with the mobo, i don't think i can afford a P5W DH... here in Australia we're cursed with terrible prices, - i'm looking at $280AUD for a P5B, and it jumps to $350 for the P5W
  
  cos i'm paying for this setup myself (plus costs of living out of home now ), i don't think i'd want to spend another 70 to go up only a lil bit on the mobo

• > will look into getting a raptor as well for os

• > as for the video card, i'm not really too fussed - i think i'd still rather just skimp and get something barebones, and wait till more dx10 cards flood the market and prices stabilise a bit better - until then, i can spend that $500 on more clothes

what about the rest of my rig? does it seem ok? i mean i don't expect it to be perfect, especially being in Australia things are a lot harder over here - even ram with D9s is terribly had to come by (and expensive!) this place can be such a shithole sometimes

but is everything else reasonably ok? the psu and everything?

thanks again for all your replies... every keystroke you type is like another ray of sunshine on my screen :sun:

lisa xoxo :lips:

Oh man this forum is going downhill...

 

[DasFox]

Originally posted by: Bozo Galora
OMG - a geekette!

LMAO, quit drooling and yank that tongue in Bozo Galora, sheesh show some diginity man.

xolisaxo many people have had their ups and downs with the X-Fi cards but overall it's the way to go for gaming. If you're really into gaming then buy a X-Fi XtremeMusic.

Also go with the Corsair 520 PSU it's better:

http://www.jonnyguru.com/review_details.php?id=28

Here's the Silverstone ST56ZF 560W review:

http://www.jonnyguru.com/review_details.php?id=30

For the GPU forget it don't wait on DX10, Vista isn't out, the drivers aren't there, and there is no telling what performance gain there will be that might warrant the cost. If you're into gaming a nice 7900, or 7950GT will hold you over for at least 8months to a year, or the same range in a ATI right now, plus it's better to wait for the market to cool off and prices come down. So forget it DX10 is not a smart move right now, at least for another 6 months.

ALOHA

 

[xolisaxo]

yeh thanks for that, i guess i could just get a 7900 to tide me over... thought i might get the silverstone psu, they're a lot easier to come across here (in australia )

can't wait to get all this stuff and get started!


lisa xoxo :lips:

 

[Skott]

If money is a concern get the Seagate 7200.10 hard drives. They pretty much match the Raptors in speed now and heckuvalot cheaper. I'm a Raptor fan but even I gotta admit Seagate caught up to them with their new 7200.10 drives.

 

[bob4432]

what games and what resolution are you looking to play?

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: Skott
If money is a concern get the Seagate 7200.10 hard drives. They pretty much match the Raptors in speed now and heckuvalot cheaper. I'm a Raptor fan but even I gotta admit Seagate caught up to them with their new 7200.10 drives.

the perpendecular recording with the 7200.10s is impressive, i definately tip my hat to them. my newest 15k scsi (15k.5) is one and the str on my rig is ~96MB/s, but i am 32bit pci limited, so my burst and str are within 5MB/s of each other (pci bus is full - firewire, scsi, lan and a couple of other items)

 

[Ruptga]

Are manufacturers still doing the thing where you buy a 79xx and you can upgrade to an 8800 later, or was that only a pre-launch thing? If they're still doing that, why wouldn't you go for it?

 

[w00t]

I wouldn't get that ram there is stuff better/same for cheaper that stuff is too expensive it used to be $240 on Newegg when it was a good deal now it's like $300.

I prefer the WD SE16 320GB as it's quieter than the Seagate 7,200.10 320GB

as for Heatsinks you should look into the scythe ninja, tuniq tower both good heatsinks the ZALMANs your talking about really aren't that good compared to the others i've stated.

have you thought about X-Fi?

have you looked at the MSI Platinum 975X V.2? IMO better than the Asus P5B Deluxe

Also, Check out this 2.1 setup supposed to be the best 2.1 setup for computers
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16836119101

optical drives check out NEC and BenQ

KB I recommend Logitech, Microsoft.
Mouse: Logitech G7,G5, MX-518

DX-10 is already out btw 8800GTS would be my choice If I spent that much on a single video card.

I don't know anything about that psu but I prefer Seasonic S12/S-12 SS/M-12 idk how they will work with a 8800GTS though.

Edit: I find it funny how you put "her" setup hey it works probably are going to get more replies maybe some of the n00bs here should pretend to be girls to get more help. It's not to often we see any girls around here and if they are sorry to say they generally don't resembled them :-D

 

[Skott]

Yes, eVGA still has its Step Up program and so far people been getting their Step Up 8800s in a very timely fashion so far from what I have read.

 

[xolisaxo]

haiii

thanks for the replies again pplz, great help

decided to change the heatsink to a thermaltake BT, seems like a lot of ppl claim this to be great at cooling (and seeing that the thermalright 120 and scythe ninja and tuniq aren't available here)


@skott: yeh you're right, i'll stick to my original plan of getting the 7200.10s, the raptors really aren't worth it...


also, i'm gona wait for a midrange dx10 card to come out... until then i'll just get some budget card - i'm not a hardcore gamer anyway, i just play every now and again

> my final problem is what psu to get, either the SilverStone ST60F or the SilverStone ST65ZF .. for some reason the ST60F costs a tad more, even though it's 600w compared to the ST65ZF's 650w... i'm confused both seem to have great reviews as well


P.S. @ w00t: i find it interesting to see that you find it hard to believe a girl can have an interest in computers, and accuse me of pretending to be one; just because the closest a girl gets to YOUR computer is the pornos you beat off to every night, doesn't mean another girl can't take an interest in them too

 

[Aikouka]

Everything sounds fairly good so far.

Personally, I've tried to stay away from Thermaltake a bit after having some disappointing results with some of their older products. However, times change and I know their results are decent these days. I went with a Zalman for my new system though.

Also, if you'd like to "simulate" the smaller drive effect of the raptor for your OS, just partition your drive. I decided to go with another 750GB (trying to steer clear of too many drives) instead of a raptor and I'm just going to partition off a good 80-100GB for the OS (I install lots of games that I never play ).

Also, you're going for an X-Fi card and a 2.1 speaker system... do yourself some justice with some extra (b)ass-kicking acoustics!

Oh and me and my girlfriend, Virtual Jenny, take offense to that porn remark I think he's just referring to the number of responses where it could be a valid comparison when you look at my thread for assistance where I received 1 post . I think it's kind of safe to say that a lot of "nerdy folk" aren't used to females in the area because it's not incredibly common. It's not to say anyone takes offense to it or anything, I think most people like it, as it shows that the opposite gender, typically stereotyped as worrying about her hair more than her hard drive, does have a bit of nerd in 'er.

 

[Kelnoen]

Originally posted by: xolisaxo
haiii
P.S. @ w00t: i find it interesting to see that you find it hard to believe a girl can have an interest in computers, and accuse me of pretending to be one; just because the closest a girl gets to YOUR computer is the pornos you beat off to every night, doesn't mean another girl can't take an interest in them too

Pwned lol

Be careful Lisa, this is stalker country *shifty glances*

Nice to see a girl with the balls (not literally) to say it how it is

oh and the users here are wary after denifloss posed as a lady lol

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: Kelnoen

Originally posted by: xolisaxo
haiii
P.S. @ w00t: i find it interesting to see that you find it hard to believe a girl can have an interest in computers, and accuse me of pretending to be one; just because the closest a girl gets to YOUR computer is the pornos you beat off to every night, doesn't mean another girl can't take an interest in them too

Pwned lol

Be careful Lisa, this is stalker country *shifty glances*

Nice to see a girl with the balls (not literally) to say it how it is

oh and the users here are wary after denifloss posed as a lady lol

QFT!!!!!!!!! :shocked: :thumbsup: :beer: