Could You Check Out My Build?

[TBSN]

So, after hours and hours of research and a lot of advice from all of you on this forum, I've come up with a preliminary list of components for a new system I am building. Keep in mind this will be my first computer built by myself...

CPU: Intel Core2Duo E6400
MOBO: Asus P5B Deluxe
RAM: TeamX PC6400 4-4-4-10
HardDrive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 250Gig 16mb cache
Video Card: eVGA 8800GTS
SoundCard: Creative Soundblaster X-Fi XtremeMusic 7.1
OS: Windows XP Pro SP2b OEM
PSU: PC Power & Cooling Silencer 610w
Cooling:Thermaltake Big Typhoon
Case: Antec P180

*whew* I think that's it so far. So, the things that I'm still not so sure about:
-I was going to go for the eVGA 680i so that I could get another video card in the future, but there seem to be a crapload of bugs, so I guess I'll just go with this mobo, any comments? If I really want SLI for future-proofing, do you think that the bugs people are experiencing with the 680i's will be solved with BIOS updates? (I wouldn't be going SLI right away anyway...)

-PSU? Is there anything that's cheaper than the Silencer? ($$170!) Do I need 610 watts?

-I hear the Tuniq Tower 120 is really good, but it's sold out at Newegg. How is the Thermaltake that I put on the list?

Thanks, ANY advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Killer4Hire]

I would do what i could to cut back on afew items like the mobo and ram , harddrive and use what you save and get the e6600 with that 4m of L2.. it's a killer cpu stock. also the 865 chipsets are alot cheap and maybe even faster..

 

[TBSN]

hmmm, I've never heard of the 865 chipsets, I'll check it out. I'm not sure about the E6600. It's got extra chache and is faster stock, but I'm trying to save money so I thought the 6400 would do find until I upgrade somewhere down the road... Also, how would I cut back on the harddrive? It's pretty inexpensive as it is

 

[TBSN]

Bumb

 

[pkme2]

You have some good picks.

Buy what you need now and wait till prices go down on certain items.

Black Friday, after Thanksgiving, may have some great pricing.

You got PM.

 

[theprodigalrebel]

Killer4hire, the 865 chipset dates to the P4 Northwood DDR400 era. You probably meant 965 which is what the ASUS P5B Deluxe does use.

TBSN, you have an overall excellent configuration. There is almost nothing I would change in that. Going by the E6400/P5B Deluxe/TeamX RAM, I can imagine some serious overclocking potential (and you will reach it too). If you really want to spend the extra 100 bucks, I would rather you do it on the GTX than an E6600.

The Big Typhoon is a perfectly nice cooler though most people like to cringe at the mention of the word "Thermaltake". It also gains decent performance from an aftermarket fan in some reviews I saw.

I've seen a few veteran members here recommend Jab-Tech.com (GalvanizedYankee?) The Tuniq Tower 120 appears to be in stock here. Might want to check it out.

The PSU is a little expensive and a lot of people will say 500W is more than enough (and it probably is). But then. PCP&C is like, the most respected brand out there and this is the cheapest thing they offer. It really isn't that much more expensive than the Corsairs and Seasonics. I say stick with it.

 

[TBSN]

pkme2 and theprodigalrebel,

Thanks so much for the support. I think I'm going to look into a bunch of other PSU's and see if I can find a lower wattage one from a reputable brand. I will definately check out those links, too, pkme2. Sweet...


P.S.: I like the black Friday idea

 

[TBSN]

Hey,
How is this PSU? It's 500watts, and also quite a bit cheaper than the PC power and cooling 610, which would be overkill on a non SLI system anyway...

 

[theprodigalrebel]

The Enermax Liberty line is totally great and will do great with your E6400 and 8800GTS. More Wattage isn't really important: ATi certifies a 'mere' 550 Watt Antec Neo for X1900 Crossfire just to prove this point. Of course, most people resent recommending Antec PSUs so let's not get into that.

According to nVidia, 450W will handle a fully loaded system with an X6800 and a 8800GTX (with enough 12V amperage). Unless you intend on getting a quad-core or SLIing down the line, the 500W is perfectly fine.

For reference, your PSU has 32A on its 12V rail. nVidia recommends a minimum 28A for a 8800GTX system and 26A for a 8800GTS system.

My bad: I totally missed this Enermax PSU or I would have recommended it before. Glad you found it!

 

[TBSN]

Cool, Thanks again for the input.

 

[s44]

Try this excellent PSU.

 

[themisfit610]

I would say don't get the GTX. The GTS easily overclocks very close to the GTX spec from what I've read.

 

[caberguy]

I'd wait on getting the sound card, by all accounts the sound on the P5B is very good... I'd live with the onboard audio for a while and if you're not happy with it then you can easily add the Xi-Fi...

There have been some good HSFs in the open box section of Newegg lately, see what's available there when you're ready to order

 

[littlebitstrouds]

Honestly I would stick with the power supply you picked first for a few reasons:

1. I purchased an good 600w power supply about 2 years ago, and it has lasted me an upgrade already and will probably last me my next upgrade, so that spreads the cost out.

2. Even though your psu can "handle" everything at 500w, having headroom means it will be opperating at cooler temps and more efficiently, especially if you plan to overclock, which your setup allows for.

3. While I don't know the effeciency of the other suggested psu's, I know PCP brand psu's are very effecient meaning they will cost you less money in the long run so that alone might even the cost in a year or two.

 

[TBSN]

Cool, thanks for the suggestions. I will definately reconsider the bigger PSU. In the long run, I might go for the smaller just for cost's sake, knowing it won't be very future proof.

I'm going to search Newegg, but is the open box section seperate from the normal search? (Stupid question I guess)

 

[themisfit610]

Looks sweet. 8800gts pwnage.

Regarding the power supply - keep in mind that the harder you work a PSU the more the capacitors degrade. You should expect a 20% loss in power after a year or two. All the more reason to have some headroom

The one thing I would say to think twice about is the p180. I have one myself, and though I love it, it's not without its faults. Despite the fact that it's large and well built, the insides are a little bit over built, and theres not as much room as you may think. My 7800gt fits in just fine, but the PCIe power cable definitely has issues with the SATA plug of the drive that it rubs up against.

Also, the ATX12v (4 pin) cable on most power supplies is too short to reach the connector on the motherboard, depending on where that connector is placed. On my old KN1 SLI Extreme, it was the furthest possible distance from the power supply, and it prevented me from installing my sound card until I purchased an extension for the ATX12V cable. It looks like on the Asus P5B that's the same story, so you might want to order an extension with the rest of it, just in case Your power supply might have uber long cables, but you never know.

It's only a small problem, but if you totally fill up a p180 with drives, wiring gets very tight. Perhaps something more conventional is in order. Still, if this is a gaming and not media archive pc, then it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Those issues set aside, the p180 is a fantastic case. It's built like a tank, and it has great cooling options, provided you're good at managing wiring! It can also be very very quiet. It's just a little cramped when you fill it all up.

~MiSfit

 

[50cent1228]

i say get a ultra x-finity 500w psu..otherweise its good

 

[TBSN]

Hmmmmm, that's interesting about the P180, I've heard people have had problems with it. (like you said, the bottom-mounted PSU's cables don't reach...) Well I'll look at other options. My friend has the P180, and I really like how quiet it is, plus how it looks, so I may still end up with that. Not sure. If I do, though, I'll look into the extension cables- Thanks for the tip!

Also, I didn't know that fact about the PSU's losing power over time, I may go up to a higher wattage one, like the Enermax Liberty 600w rather than the 500w.

So, lastly, I wonder if anyone has any suggestions for a case that would approach the P180 in being quiet, but would have less problems with cables reaching the board?

Thanks again for the advice!