Need help with my mid-range gaming build... any advice from u gurus will be great!

[praveen]

My first post in these forums... Been browsing these forums for a week now, trying to desperately grasp the advices and reviews to apply in my gaming build but still have a lot of uncertainties! Before me seeking advice, I would like to say that all you guys are doing a great job. (helping out people )

So getting back to the point...

I want a good PC within a decent budget. I do not want to keep updating my PC frequently buying latest components and selling old ones... so I would like to have a PC that would last for atleast 1 year (play all games, softwares that will release during 2008). May be at the end of 2008 if my PC gets outdated I would like to overclock it then to give me an additional boost.

having said this, i also donot want to buy the latest and most dearest components available now which would cost me a fortune.


1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.

Games: Especially for UT 3 running in full spec and Crysis in 1680x1050
Media Editing Software: Photoshop and 3d Studio
Movies: DivX
Download: Huge BitTorrent downloads and normal ones as well

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread

400 GBP(UK pounds) +- 20%

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.

UK

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.

Intel-Fanboy

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.

Mid-tower case with PSU (max 450W). This case just has slot for one 120mm fan. Please let me know if this case+ PSU is sufficient for my current build. If this is okay, I could save about 50 pounds.

Maxtor ATA/133 - 20 GB

6. IF YOU have searched and/or read similar threads.

Yes did my home work and have come up with a sec (see below)

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.

Not at the moment but will do when my current spec as it is becomes insufficient.

My tentative build is...

Intel Core 2 Quad-Core Q6600 G0 SLACR, 95W, S775, 2.40 GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 8MB Cache, Retail
Planning to use the reference supplied heatsink (+ fan) Will this be okay?
£166.84

Abit IP-35, iP35 Express, S 775, PCI-E (x16), DDR2 533/667/800, SATA II, SATA RAID, ATX
From the related posts, this seems to be the most affordable stable overclocking board. My preferred Graphics Card is NVidia make. Should I go for an SLI mobo to take advantage of this SLI tech?
£75.78

2GB (2x1GB) Corsair TwinX XMS2, DDR2 PC2-6400 (800), 240 Pins, Non-ECC Unbuffered, CAS 4-4-4-12, DHX
Most of the suggestions made in the related posts suggested Crucial Ballistix. For some reason the big retailers in UK do not do crucial memories. So...
Does the above Corsair RAM equals(or better) than the equivalent Crucial Ballistix RAM in terms of normal performance and also overclocking? If yes then is it compatable with the mobo and the processor?
If you guys say that the Ballistix is superior then I can get hold of it somehow.
£55.98


512MB XFX 8600GT, PCI-E (x16), 800Mhz GDDR2, GPU 540MHz,1x VGA 1 x Dual Link DVI-I/HDTV

or

ASUS EN8600GT SILENT/HTDP - graphics adapter - GF 8600 GT - 512 MB

Which one?? Cannot afford 8800GT. Will this graphics card do? If this overclockable? Should I go for a ATI make?
£74.01


Convinced to go for a 8800GT card from replies to this post.
256MB XFX 8800GT PCI-E (x16), 1400 MHz, GDDR3, GPU 600 MHz, 2 x Dual Link DVI-I HDTV
117.36 GBP

500 GB Western Digital WD5000AAKS Caviar SE16, SATA II, 7200 rpm, 16MB Cache, 8.9 ms
£62.97

Total 478.93 GBP

Overall will system be stable and all components compatible without any sophisticated cooling... without overclocking? with overclocking (which I will not do now)?
Any suggestions within the above budget will be really helpful.

Thanks in advance for your help

 

[praveen]

*** reserved ***

 

[Blain]

Originally posted by: praveen
1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.

Games: Especially for UT 3 running in full spec and Crysis in 1680x1050
Media Editing Software: Photoshop and 3d Studio
Movies: DivX
Download: Huge BitTorrent downloads and normal ones as well

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.

Mid-tower case with PSU (max 450W). This case just has slot for one 120mm fan. Please let me know if this case+ PSU is sufficient for my current build. If this is okay,

What brand is your 450W PS and how old is it?

 

[praveen]

PSU - brand: 'Adiance' (Some local brand!) and its about 3 years old!

yea... probably worth buying a decent one??

 

[DSF]

If you're getting the Q6600 for gaming, your money could be better allocated. If it will be of significant use in your other applications that's one thing, otherwise you'll get a lot more gaming mileage out of a better video card. If running UT3 and Crysis well is a priority, I'd suggest finding room in the budget for an 8800GT, probably by going with a dual-core CPU. (E6550 perhaps, or even an E4xxx if you're willing to overclock now.)

 

[praveen]

True... i was deluded to assume that a 512MB 8600GT will be close to a 265 MB 8800GT untill the experts opened my eyes.
512 DDR3 8600GT vs. 256 DDR3 8800GT

I will go for a 256MB 8800 GT card.

Reg. the processor, for some reason my eyes are fixed on the Q6600 and I think anything other than this will make my new build incomplete (satisfaction!)

 

[praveen]

***bump***

any answers for other questions?? (please....)

 

[ForumMaster]

Originally posted by: DSF
If you're getting the Q6600 for gaming, your money could be better allocated. If it will be of significant use in your other applications that's one thing, otherwise you'll get a lot more gaming mileage out of a better video card. If running UT3 and Crysis well is a priority, I'd suggest finding room in the budget for an 8800GT, probably by going with a dual-core CPU. (E6550 perhaps, or even an E4xxx if you're willing to overclock now.)

well actually, just saying, UT3 and Crysis are coded to work well with quad core. But you're right that a better video card is needed.

anyway, my friend's rig which is

e6550 2.4ghz
2gb ddr2 667 ram
gigabyte mobo
8600gts

can play crysis at 1680x1050 at low and it runs fine. if you do wanna actually make this rig last, i suggest you allocate more funds. the graphic card should do for now. anyway, throw that psu out. it's old, and unknown brand (to me at least so it's not a big name) and old. I'd suggest a corsair 450w psu. not not cheap i know, but it will last. never skimp on the psu. it provides the electricity for your computer. it is very important.

your heat sink will suffice if you don't intend to overclock. it's not the best, but certainly sufficient.