happy with choices but want input nonetheless =P

[missilekt7]

I'll start this topic off the right way with a quick Q&A as copied and pasted.


1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.
-MMO gaming (Warhammer Online, etc) + general use (if it can run games, it can do whatever else I'd need =P)
-guess it doesn't really matter what genre of games but I thought I'd put that there
-running at 1920x1200
2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread
-I would perfer my max to be about $800 or less (each componant will probaly cost from $75 - $200 range)

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.
-USA (probaly from newegg)

4. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc, etc, etc, you get the picture.
-preference has been based on whatever the custom computer store recommended (thus far being AMD/nVidia) but by all means, I am no fanboy nor have I had any problems

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.
-I intend to reuse my Thermaltake Soprano case (equal to http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16811133046 but a few years old and works great)
-DVDRW drive (not concerned with this as it does what it needs to do)
-my 2 IDE western digital drives (80gb and 250gb at 7200rpm) as storage
-plan to get the 640gb seagate sata 3.0 drive as main OS drive
-Dell 2405FPW (24in widescreen - love it)
-Logitech G15 keyboard
-Logitech MX Laser mouse (wireless)
-Plantronics DSP-500 usb headset

6. IF YOU have searched and/or read similar threads.
-yes but i wanted input on my exact list of components

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.
-I've always been happy with default as that is how it is intended to run, but I'm always open for a push =P

8. WHEN do you plan to build it?
-within the next month or so

________________________________________________________________________________

I had been spending the last 2-3 weeks putting together a shopping cart/wishlist on newegg based on amd cpu but i wanted to try a different route based on Intel after reading Blains sticky update for October (http://forums.anandtech.com/me...2194271&enterthread=y)

Here goes:
CPU:
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail

Motherboard:
DFI LANPARTY DK X38-T2RB LGA 775 Intel X38 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

Memory:
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

Video Card: (just one for now, but within 6 months a second)
ASUS EAH4850/HTDI/512M Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail

PSU:
CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Retail

Hard drive:
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

OS:
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit English for System Builders 1pk DSP OEI DVD - OEM


I'm really feelin this build and I think it would be great. My shopping cart total is $893.97, which is meh. I'd rather it be cheaper but I wanted to get a good sata drive and a really good PSU to last me for at least 2 years. I also originally planed on sticking with XP but figured why not go Vista home prem.

I guess it all comes down to: What do ya'll think? =P

Thanks in advance for input!

Kurt

 

[disports]

MOBO: Asus P5Q Pro or Gigabyte P45-DS3L (There's a combo deal on newegg with the Asus P5Q Pro and E8400, saves like $10 = $274.68 or something)
PSU: Probably could cut down to like 650TX or even lower, but that's your choice
GPU: 4870 1gb maybe? but 4850 is fine if you're trying to keep your costs down.

Look around for lower prices other than newegg. For example that 750TX is selling for $109.99 after $20 mail in rebate with free shipping at newegg but that same PSU is selling for $92.90 after mail in rebate with free shipping from zipzoomfly.com ($17.09 savings)!

 

[betasub]

Posting each item's name, rather than just a link, would save a lot of ppl clicking through to newegg (resulting in price hikes for popular viewed items).

 

[missilekt7]

Originally posted by: smithrwon
MOBO: Asus P5Q Pro or Gigabyte P45-DS3L
PSU: Probably could cut down to like 650TX or even lower, but that's your choice
GPU: 4870 1gb maybe? but 4850 is fine if you're trying to keep your costs down.

The reason for the DFI motherboard is b/c I plan on running another 4850 512mb card in crossfire.

The price difference on the 750 vs. 650 is $30 so i figured why get the extra for futures sake.

Chose 4850 for reason above + cost =P

thanks for quick reply - keep em coming =P


*edit*

Originally posted by: betasub
Posting each item's name, rather than just a link, would save a lot of ppl clicking through to newegg (resulting in price hikes for popular viewed items).

sorry about that. Didn't realize that. Another forum I was on automaticly showed the product name when I cut and paste the link. I'll see if i can fix that now.

 

[disports]

Agreed that on that aspect.

It's

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail
DFI LANPARTY DK X38-T2RB LGA 775 Intel X38 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
ASUS EAH4850/HTDI/512M Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Retail
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit English for System Builders 1pk DSP OEI DVD - OEM

 

[disports]

Alright, that's fine with the PSU, but remember it's cheaper at zipzoomfly! I'd take the savings anyday! In most cases, I'd rather have one powerful card than new lesser cards.

 

[missilekt7]

Originally posted by: smithrwon
Alright, that's fine with the PSU, but remember it's cheaper at zipzoomfly! I'd take the savings anyday! In most cases, I'd rather have one powerful card than new lesser cards.

Edited first post to show names, even though you beat me to it =P thx

The way I see it (video card wise) It's a hell-of-alot better than my current XFX geforce 6600 gt 128mb AGP 8x card =P

*edit*
zupsoomfly's mail-in-rebate expires in about 6 days for the PSU, which might be too soon for me, even though i know i'll procrastinate sending those in anyway =P

*edit 2*
eww same applies at newegg lol

 

[sonnygdude]

Originally posted by: missilekt7

Originally posted by: smithrwon
MOBO: Asus P5Q Pro or Gigabyte P45-DS3L
PSU: Probably could cut down to like 650TX or even lower, but that's your choice
GPU: 4870 1gb maybe? but 4850 is fine if you're trying to keep your costs down.

The reason for the DFI motherboard is b/c I plan on running another 4850 512mb card in crossfire.

You can still run crossfire on a P45 chipset. At 1920x1200 you shouldn't be able to tell the difference between the x8 link vs the x16 link, from what I have read

 

[Roguestar]

PSU: 650TX is much cheaper and will even run a two cards.
Motherboard/GPU: Get one 4870 1GB instead of two lower cards and having to choose a crossfire motherboard.

Get a standard P45 and a single better card and you'll have lower power consumption, noise and better all-round performance (because crossfire doesn't scale in all games). Crossfire is not a wise upgrade path.

 

[missilekt7]

Originally posted by: Roguestar
PSU: 650TX is much cheaper and will even run a two cards.
Motherboard/GPU: Get one 4870 1GB instead of two lower cards and having to choose a crossfire motherboard.

Get a standard P45 and a single better card and you'll have lower power consumption, noise and better all-round performance (because crossfire doesn't scale in all games). Crossfire is not a wise upgrade path.

thanks to all for the recomendations thus far.

This is what I've changed:

So instead of the crossfire path, I'll do as Roguestar said and get a cheaper motherboard without the intentions of running crossfire in the future.

So this instead:
GIGABYTE GA-EP45-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retailhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128345

and guess what?! the 650TX can be bundled with it so theres some more money being saved!

Now my problem is finding a good videocard. My budget was based on only getting one card now with future plans to crossfire it. What recomendations do ya'll have for a single card solution? Although I was spending about $170-180 on the 4850 512mb before, I guess $200ish doesnt hurt as a video card budget. So what's the best I can get for $200 or less?

 

[disports]

Well with the money saved from getting the 650TX PSU and Gigabyte MOBO, you can put more towards the video card, say a 4870 1GB like rogueSTAR suggested

 

[missilekt7]

So at the end of my first post i said all the current components would cost about $893.79.

Well with the change in the motherboard combined with the 650TX PSU, I went and added this to the list instead =P

ASUS EAH4870/HTDI/1G Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail

And guess what... wanna hear some weird stuff - my total for this new change is... $893.79.... weird huh?

so for the same price, I'm not going overboard with my PSU, getting a single video card solution motherboard, and getting an awesome videocard. (plus the videocard comes with a gaming mouse pad lol)

 

[Roguestar]

Originally posted by: missilekt7
So at the end of my first post i said all the current components would cost about $893.79.

Well with the change in the motherboard combined with the 650TX PSU, I went and added this to the list instead =P

ASUS EAH4870/HTDI/1G Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail

And guess what... wanna hear some weird stuff - my total for this new change is... $893.79.... weird huh?

so for the same price, I'm not going overboard with my PSU, getting a single video card solution motherboard, and getting an awesome videocard. (plus the videocard comes with a gaming mouse pad lol)

:thumbsup:

Glad to help .

 

[betasub]

Sweet. High-end gaming at under $900. Looks like those few changes from the OP give you more bang for no extra buck. :thumbsup:

 

[aclim]

That was a smart decision to make that change. Plus you will have much better gaming performance.

 

[s44]

The 750W PSU is <$100 at Provantage even without a rebate. (The 650W is $88 no rebate.)

 

[missilekt7]

thanks for all the input yall. I'm eagerly awaiting the UPS man, which should show their pretty face before the end of the day =P

Too late on the PSU but thanks for the input