Need feedback for a new PC

[DocOc]

I am putting together comps for a new PC and would gladly receive feedback.

Case: Thermaltake VA3000 Dream Tower Tsunami VA3000SWA ATX Case with Transparent X type side panel window
Power: OCZ PowerStream 520W Power Supply With Adjustable Power Rails With LED Indicators, SATA Connector
Mobo: MSI "K8N Neo2 Platinum" NVIDIA nForce3 ULTRA Chipset Motherboard For AMD Socket 939 CPU
Proc: AMD Athlon 64 3500+, 512K, L2 Cache, Socket 939 Windows Compatible 64-bit Processor
Ram : OCZ EL Platinum Revision 2 Dual Channel Kit 184-Pin 1GB(512MBx2) DDR PC-3200
Drives: Alps Silver 3.5inch Floppy Disk Drive (need one of those )
NEC 16X Double Layer DVD±RW Drive
HD : Western Digital Raptor 74GB 10,000RPM SATA Hard Drive
Misc: Arctic Silver Premium High-Density Thermal Compound, Model "Ceramique", 2.5-gram( ~0.8 cc. ) tube


I already have an HIS 9800 pro, a Creative Audigy, monitor, keyboard, mouse, ...

The main usage is gaming but also photo editing.

Any advice, tip and comment is more then welcome

 

[Cawchy87]

Your going 939 and not upgrading your video card?

You would almost be better off buying AMD XP and getting a 6800 ultra or GT

 

[jpeyton]

Make sure the 3500+ is the 90nm model, Winchester core.

Raptor...ugh.

 

[Mik3y]

and change the case. it's butt uggggly. just my 2 cents.

 

[DocOc]

thanks for the comments. I bought the video card recently and don't want to spend the money on a new card.
jpeyton>what's the problem with the Raptor?
Also, any comment on the power supply? I don't know much about power supplies and reviews are hard to find.

 

[Yossarian]

get a 2nd HD. 74GB goes fast, and it's an easy insurance policy for important data. don't mind jpeyton, the Raptor is the fastest IDE HD available.

 

[jpeyton]

Originally posted by: Yossarian
get a 2nd HD. 74GB goes fast, and it's an easy insurance policy for important data. don't mind jpeyton, the Raptor is the fastest IDE HD available.

It is the fastest IDE HD available. I urge you to read through this review first: http://www.anandtech.com/stora...oc.aspx?i=2073&p=1

Be sure to look at all the benchmarks, not just one or two. Then ask yourself if you're going to notice the performance in your everyday usage, when numbers aren't being spit out at you.

The Raptor looks great in some benchmarks, and looks just *okay* in others. And this was back in the second quarter of 2004.

Loading a level in Far Cry a whole 2 seconds faster than a much cheaper PATA hard drive isn't a badge of honor, IMHO. Especially since there are newer SATA II drives out now that cost little more than the Raptor but offer 4x the amount of storage. Maxtor's 300GB MaxLine III SATAII drive with NCQ and a 16MB buffer was a little over $200 last time I checked; and Seagate's SATAII drive can be found for under $125.

Your PSU choice is awesome; that is the best money can buy, within reason.

EDIT: Here's the drive I was talking about: http://www.newegg.com/app/view...=22-144-359&depa=0

 

[DocOc]

Thanks for the reviews on the HD. I will most likely switch to the Maxtor mentioned. Any comment on the mobo/cpu/ram combo? Should I add a heatsink for the cpu and if yes anyone with a suggestion?

 

[yadda]

Yeah it suks. I just built a new box in June and I bought a 9800 Pro thinking it was the berries. Now we have all kinds of new cards out.

Y

 

[jpeyton]

CPU/MOBO/RAM is all awesome stuff. If you're overclocking, upgrade the heatsink. A few inexpensive choices are:

Thermaltake SilentBoost K8
Zalman 7000 AlCu

Both are around $30.

Top of the line would be a Thermalright XP90; you need to buy your own 90mm fan for it, though.

Check out SVC.com for more cooling supplies.