Need Part Information

Stg-Flame · Feb 13, 2008

Alright, as it stands, I have roughly $2,000 to spend on a new computer. I can stretch it to $2,250, but I am somewhat short on money due to recent events.

Anyways, I am in the market for a new gaming computer as I plan on leaving my current one (specs below) with my mom so she can play Oblivion, Mythos, etc. when I transfer to a different college.

Well, I plan on getting the best for my budget, but it has been a very long time since I checked on the current hardware available.

I am short on time, so I shall post what I want from the rig and some preliminary parts (generalized). I want a computer that can play all of the newest games on high settings on DX10. I am not looking to max Crysis, just play it on all high settings at a decent resolution.

For the parts:

At least 2 GB of Patriot RAM
Intel Quad Core Q6800 (forgive me if this isn't an actual part, been a long time)
8800 GT/GTX (X2)
ASUS/eVGA mobo
??? PSU
Seagate 75 GB HDD 10,000 RPM + 250-300 GB Storage HDD

Anything else I am missing, feel free to add in, tweak my list, elaborate on my list, or give your own input.

Thanks in advance. I shall check back in a few hours.

imported_wired247 · Feb 13, 2008

If you have $2000 to spend, there is no reason at all not to get SLi or crossfire, or at the very least a 3870x2 . From benchmarks I believe I would prefer a 3870x2 over 2x8800GTs for price to performance benefit.

For crossfire, get an X38 chipset

for SLi, get a good nvidia board (780i?), but I'm a bit out of the loop on SLI since I've never been in the market for it.

also, with $2k to spend, you can look into building a very respectable RAID setup using 7200 rpm drives that will be much faster than a single 10krpm drive

although RAID is not for everyone and likely you won't see an enormous performance jump, even if your HD's benchmark way higher as a RAID array than as single drives. your HDs do not do continuous sustained writes or reads too often, although I can create huge VMs in a matter of seconds which is cool

I would not bother getting a quad core for gaming right now, unless you are a really good overclocker you will most likely get much better performance with the e8400

Your best bet for RAM is still the DDR2-800 that ideally runs at low voltage / tight timings stock, or something that overclocks well if you are pushing your FSB over 400.

Roguestar · Feb 14, 2008

To be honest, I say save $1000 and spend $1200 now. Spending $1200 now will get you a PC that's a fraction away from being as good as if you spent $2000 and just think, in a year's time you'll have another $1000 to spend on a PC which will be even better by then. Seriously, $2000 can get you two great PCs.

For gaming, you're probably better off with the E8400 than the Q6600.
If you're gaming at very high resolutions, get the AMD 3870X2, it's the single fastest single-card solution and has none of the hassle of crossfire or SLI; you can run it on any board.
Get a P35 based board.
4GB of DDR2-800, whichever brand is cheapest or on offer or whatever.
PSU in the range of 500W is more than enough; Seasonic, Corsair, OCZ, Antec Earthwatts.
Personally I wouldn't spend the money on RAID if it's RAID-0, as you'll notice pretty much no performance gain in gaming, and it'll cost you (at least) twice as much as one drive.

jdkick · Feb 14, 2008

^ Agreed. Just because you have the $$$ doesn't mean you have to spend it. As cool as quad-core sounds, there's not much benefit unless you have a specific use for all four cores, such as frequent encoding/transcoding duty. Otherwise, you will generally see better performance from a dual-core with a higher clock.

MarcVenice · Feb 14, 2008

Originally posted by: Roguestar
To be honest, I say save $1000 and spend $1200 now. Spending $1200 now will get you a PC that's a fraction away from being as good as if you spent $2000 and just think, in a year's time you'll have another $1000 to spend on a PC which will be even better by then. Seriously, $2000 can get you two great PCs.

+1

I'd also prefer the e8400 over a q6600 for gaming, in a year, or 2 years time you simply buy a 3.0ghz or higher clocked 45nm qaudcore, when games will SLOWLY start taking advantage of qaudcores. The e8400 can be had for less then 200$ at microcenter.

Videocard, HD3870 X2 over sli-ed 8800GT's, simpy less hassle and a little cheaper too. But, tbh, I'd prolly rather get a 8800GTS 512mb for 260$ AR, stick with it for at least a year, and upgrade again, better value for your money this way. http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814130325

This ram http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820231122 or if you want some more overclocking headroom for future qaudcores: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820231145

When and IF you are getting a HD3870 X2 I'd get a decent 600w PSU, power draw has been shown to be 300w when playing BioShock, and peaks of 400w are pretty common as well. I'd say a corsair 620hx, corsair 650tx, or this one for example: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817371009 it's OVERKILL, but it's a very good qaulity unit, for a really good price after rebates. There MIGHT still be issues with nvidia videocards if you are going with a 8800gts 512mb, but there are workarounds allready.

As for the HD's, I'd rather get a 750gb HD, those perform similar as raptors, but give you 5 times the storage amount for the same money. Raid and such won't improve your gaming experience in a significant way.

3NF · Feb 14, 2008

Don't skimp on the PSU - get a quality one, for example, Corsair HX620W. There are others, but that's the one I'm using and I have no complaints about it.

Stg-Flame · Feb 14, 2008

MarcVenice · Feb 14, 2008

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...+1035320984&name=750GB

There's a whole bunch ? I'd prolly go with this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16822152100

As for the videocard, hmmm, the visiontek has the most reviews, to bad the saphire and asus cards are out of stock ? Not sure what kind of advice to give. Check the warranty's and such ?

Stg-Flame · Feb 14, 2008

RAM - Mobo - PSU - and GPU I am at $799. CPU is out of stock.

And amazingly enough, 3-day shipping for all four of those parts is only $8. I still need a case, I know, but I will pick that out once I have all of the internal components figured out. I don't want to find the perfect case, but realize that my parts won't fit inside. Similar to what happened with my first PC.

Stg-Flame · Feb 14, 2008

Alright, sorry for the multiple posts, but I am just trying to get some things straight.

First, I want to keep all of my peripherals. Keyboard, Mouse, Monitor, Speakers.

Secondly, I think I have most everything settled except for the Case. I really wanted 8800GT SLi since they do get more performance and I wanted to stick with GeForce. The only thing is that the HD3870 X2 is the best single card out there which leaves a lot of room for improvement (I think).

Lastly, I want to keep my budget as low as possible, so I want the bare minimum.

Also, I am unsure if I should stick with XP or switch to Vista for my new rig. I am not sure as I have never tried this, but my friend was telling me that I should just partition my HDD with Vista and XP. The thing is, OSs are very expensive and I can use my old XP disk for my new rig.

Anymore information is greatly appreciated.

JackMDS · Feb 14, 2008

The Contribution of Case, PSU, RAM, and to some extend the motherboard to the Gaming experience is minuscule between good hardware and expensive hardware. Most people spend twice the money on these components with having any real performance benefit from it.

jdkick · Feb 14, 2008

There's nothing wrong with XP if you've already got a license - you can also get Vista later on. I went with Vista (x64) for my current machine and have no regrets.

Stg-Flame · Feb 15, 2008

Originally posted by: JackMDS
The Contribution of Case, PSU, RAM, and to some extend the motherboard to the Gaming experience is minuscule between good hardware and expensive hardware. Most people spend twice the money on these components with having any real performance benefit from it.

I get what you are saying, but would you care to elaborate and/or give an example? Preferably use something from my list, if possible.

chinaman1472 · Feb 15, 2008

He's basically saying there's no real reason to buy a $300 case when a $50 case does the same job. The CPU and GPU is where you should spend a majority of your cash, not buying a $200 mobo, getting DDR3 RAM, etc.

The PSU is overkill. Go with the Corsair 520HX or even the 450VX. The RAM and Mobo you picked out will be fine.

The second HD choice is way overpriced. You might as well buy 2 500GB HDDs for the same price, since they generally run about $100-115. The link to the first one is broken.

Roguestar · Feb 15, 2008

Originally posted by: Chaoticpenguin666
Alright, sorry for the multiple posts, but I am just trying to get some things straight.

First, I want to keep all of my peripherals. Keyboard, Mouse, Monitor, Speakers.

Secondly, I think I have most everything settled except for the Case. I really wanted 8800GT SLi since they do get more performance and I wanted to stick with GeForce. The only thing is that the HD3870 X2 is the best single card out there which leaves a lot of room for improvement (I think).

Lastly, I want to keep my budget as low as possible, so I want the bare minimum.

Also, I am unsure if I should stick with XP or switch to Vista for my new rig. I am not sure as I have never tried this, but my friend was telling me that I should just partition my HDD with Vista and XP. The thing is, OSs are very expensive and I can use my old XP disk for my new rig.

Anymore information is greatly appreciated.

- I'd pick the HD3870X2 over an SLI setup as it means I can pick whatever motherboard I want and I'd be less likely to have issues with setup and drivers and crap.
- Vista is pretty fine, if you want it. I use it and have no trouble. Also, SP1 is coming out in a while.

Stg-Flame · Feb 15, 2008

Originally posted by: chinaman1472
He's basically saying there's no real reason to buy a $300 case when a $50 case does the same job. The CPU and GPU is where you should spend a majority of your cash, not buying a $200 mobo, getting DDR3 RAM, etc.

The PSU is overkill. Go with the Corsair 520HX or even the 450VX. The RAM and Mobo you picked out will be fine.

The second HD choice is way overpriced. You might as well buy 2 500GB HDDs for the same price, since they generally run about $100-115. The link to the first one is broken.

I will never spend that much money on a case. The one I am using now, which has fantastic air cooling, was only $75. The HDD bays are awkward in terms of ribbon cables, but other than that, great case.

I had one in mind, but with the current hardware, I am not sure that I would be able to: 1) Easily install water cooling if I wanted to and 2) Access my outtake fans easily for when I clean my PC. I will never exceed $125 for a case unless the "perfect one" presents itself and is no more than $150.

As for the PSU, I am always looking for the least amount of money for exactly what I need. If the PSU I chose is overkill, I shall look into the ones you suggested.

The HDD link, I am pretty sure was this. Either that or a Western Digital for relatively the same price.

Aside from the CPU which seems to be sold out and quite a large Wait List (buddy of mine is trying for the same CPU and has been waiting three weeks). But, I think I have it somewhat sorted out. When I check on the other PSUs I shall repost a new list of parts, and hopefully, I will have a case selected at that time.

Stg-Flame · Feb 15, 2008

Before I post a revamped part list, I need to know something that has been puzzling me about this case. The PSU is at the bottom below the expansion slots. It seems to me that, despite the rear vent and rear 120mm fan, your GPU would be receiving a large amount of heat from your PSU.

Correct me if I am wrong, but the rather large fan on the bottom of a PSU (mine at least) is an intake fan whereas the fan that faces out the back of the PC is the outtake fan. Regardless of those fans, it seems to me that some residual heat would still emanate out of the PSU towards the GPU.

Also, any thoughts on this case is appreciated. The ratings on it at Newegg are fairly good and I am considering this one for my new case. However, I have just begun to look at cases, so there is probably a better one out there somewhere, but this one caught my eye.

Thanks in advance, I will check back in a few hours (this time I will) as I have a meeting in half an hour.

Stg-Flame · Feb 15, 2008

One other question about ATI GPUs. I have heard a LOT of negative comments from my friends, fellow classmates, and a few co-workers. The general consensus by the majority of them is that for every ATI card, you cut the allotted performance in half, and that is how powerful the card actually is. From benchmarks found on this site, the HD3870 X2 is second only to SLi 8800GTs.

It is a bit odd that I have heard this same thing from numerous people who have never met each other. On the other hand, we are all nVIDIA users and fairly biased towards ATI, so that could be a factor. I want the best that there is at the moment, and like I said before, I was very reluctant to consider ATI over nVIDIA. So, is there any truth to this?

Also, if I do plan to go back to GeForce for the 9000 series, would that be an easy transition, or would I have to get a different mobo? Sorry if this is a newbie question, but I have never used, or thought about using, ATI before; so I never thought to delve into this type of information before.

Oh, and a local computer store is able to order all of the parts for me to which I can buy them retail. Should I stick with Newegg and/or TigerDirect where I will get some freebies and rebates or is retail better?

EDIT: One last thing. The monitor. Currently, I have a 22 inch CRT. I will need a new one eventually due to the wear and tear on this one (3 years old). Anyways, I really dislike widescreens and I wanted to stick with a CRT, but the general bulkiness of a CRT is a real inconvenience when I am moving around. My friend has a Hans G Widescreen which looks outstanding.

So again, any personal opinions on CRT vs Widescreen (plasma? LCD?) is greatly appreciated.

MTDEW · Feb 16, 2008

In the Antec 900 case, you install your psu upside down, so it keeps the heat from the PSU from rising. (it simply sucks its own heat into itself and exhausts it out of the case)

Notes on the Antec 900.
1) Not much room for water cooling.
2) Hiding wires is next to impossible, its easily the hardest case ive ever had to make my wiring look neat...(no matter what i try, my wiring looks like a mess)
3) Excellent cooling , it keeps the hard drives, video card and mobo nice and cool with excellent airflow.

If you can find a Coolermaster Stacker 832 case on sale , i like it better than my Antec 900.
1) It has lots more room and plenty of extra room for water cooling if i want to add it later.
2) The build quality is excellent!
3) excellent airflow
I got mine for $169 when they were on sale.
And now after owning it, i would have bought it without it being on sale if i would have know how nice the case is.
Its just simply a Well built, well designed case.

Dont get me wrong, i loved my Antec 900 case when i got it and still do, but after having the Stacker 832 sitting here next to it, theres no comparison, i used the Stacker 832 for my main rig and the Antec 900 for my backup pc.

But honestly, these guys are right, the case doesnt make your pc perform any better.
You only spend the extra $$$ on a high end case after you've got all your parts picked and have the extra $$$ left to spend and decide you want to spend that $$$ on your case.

Me personally, ive been through so many cases through the years, i was itching to finally spend the money on a high end case and see if it was worth it.
To me, it was.

Stg-Flame · Feb 16, 2008

CPU
GPU1 or GPU2
PSU
Mobo1 or Mobo2
RAM1 or RAM2 (I am partial to Patriot since I have had such good experience with them so far)
HDD1 or HDD2
Monitor
Case (The 10 5.25 External Bays are much more than I actually need. I will probably only have 1 Plextor DVD Drive [or should I go for 2?] but I guess they leave me room for expansion)

Also, I am unsure about the case. That one, so far, fits my build. I am also undecided if I should stick with my CRT or switch to a Hanns G flat-panel. From what I saw on my friend's Hans G, I am sold on that wide-screen, but as a generalized gamer's preference: CRT > LCD or vice versa? Besides, the Hanns G is fairly cheap for a 19".

The only bad thing is the limited non-refundable return policy on a lot of these items. I understand if they break upon delivery, but if they break after the allotted time (X360s anyone?), you are pretty much screwed. Also, the dead and stuck pixels on LCD monitors have always been a factor for me to stay away from them. Little things like one out-of-place pixel will bug the living hell out of me if I see it.

Anyways, I typed a bit more than I had planned on, so I am going to head off to bed. I shall try to check back tomorrow for some more responses and input.

Thanks again for all the help and advice. Without Anandtech, I would still be rockin an HP Pavilion Windows ME which barely ran UT on the lowest settings. And a big thanks goes to my buddy who helped pick out my first parts and build the PC.

Damn, I just remembered some vitals I am forgetting. DVD Drive (I think I mentioned this already), but also a Sound Card (please give your input on this as I cannot wait to be rid of my Sound Blaster Live!), and some extra sleeve since I am almost out of mine. Sleeve isn't essential, but if my PC has windows (which it will) I don't want to stare at multi-colored wires.

EDIT: Fixed the broken links.
2nd EDIT (damn last minute distractions): I added the base price for all of the parts in the left column. I am looking at $1434.92. I REALLY need to get that cost down by about $250, but I am unsure what I should replace, if anything. Like I said in my first post, I can stretch the budget, but I really hate to see $1,500 be spent in one chunk.

Stg-Flame · Feb 16, 2008

Originally posted by: MTDEW
But honestly, these guys are right, the case doesnt make your pc perform any better.
You only spend the extra $$$ on a high end case after you've got all your parts picked and have the extra $$$ left to spend and decide you want to spend that $$$ on your case.

I know that the case has no effect on performance. I just don't want to spend $30 on a case that works well for my setup, but looks like shit. I'm not looking for something like a Predator, but I don't want a plain-Jane case either.

I don't plan on spending much for a case and I am still looking. If anyone would like to toss out some other suggestions, please do.

MTDEW · Feb 16, 2008

Originally posted by: Chaoticpenguin666

Originally posted by: MTDEW
But honestly, these guys are right, the case doesnt make your pc perform any better.
You only spend the extra $$$ on a high end case after you've got all your parts picked and have the extra $$$ left to spend and decide you want to spend that $$$ on your case.

Click to expand...

I know that the case has no effect on performance. I just don't want to spend $30 on a case that works well for my setup, but looks like shit. I'm not looking for something like a Predator, but I don't want a plain-Jane case either.

I don't plan on spending much for a case and I am still looking. If anyone would like to toss out some other suggestions, please do.

LOL, dont blame ya there, who wants some FUGLY looking pc case that makes ya embarrassed to say "I built this".

I personally always agonize over the case choice just as much as my other parts when i build a pc because i am one of those people who care how my pc looks even though im one of the few who ever see it.

I almost spent $1000.00 for a custom painted case when i built my latest pc.

But at the last minute i backed out and decided that was too much.

But i still eyeball that case once a week and someday i may buy it.

Stg-Flame · Feb 16, 2008

Well, I took at a look at the Stacker 832 and it is almost double the Antec with no rebates. The Antec looks like it is going to work quite well as it is fairly cheap, it looks good, and has amazing air cooling. Would this be a better choice?

I am only unsure about two things now. The Mobo and the case. I don't know much about motherboards and I have only been given one suggestion. I plan on going for an 8800GT/GTS over the HD3870 X2 since I plan on upgrading my GPU when the 10 series is reduced in price. No sense in spending $450 now when I can spend $240 and save $210 for a different card later on.

As for the case, I really don't want to get a case, only to find out that it doesn't meet my standards.

But, I am going to head down to a local computer shop to submit my list of parts to see if I can get them all shipped in and buy them retail.

MTDEW · Feb 16, 2008

The antec has better airflow that the Thermaltake.

If you dont care about raid , then the Abit IP35-E is a good overclocking mobo. LINK

MTDEW · Feb 16, 2008

I see you are considering the GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L.
I dont see a reason to look at another mobo, those are great boards and Gigabyte is pretty good with bios updates.
I could easily have that instead of my abit ip35-e and id be just as happy.
They are both great boards that anyone here can help you with if you need help with settings while building/ overclocking.

Edited for my horrible spelling today.

Need Part Information

Diamond Member

Golden Member

Diamond Member

Senior member

Moderator Emeritus <br>

Golden Member

Diamond Member

Moderator Emeritus <br>

Diamond Member

Diamond Member

Elite Member

Senior member

Diamond Member

Senior member

Diamond Member

Diamond Member

Diamond Member

Diamond Member

Diamond Member

Diamond Member

Diamond Member

Diamond Member

Diamond Member

Diamond Member

Diamond Member