Please rate my build.

[boneca1]

I'm open for suggestions. Thank you.

Not a gamer but heavy multitasking.

Case: LIAN LI PC-V1200Aplus II Silver Aluminum ATX Mid Tower - Retail - $229.99
Motherboard: ASUS P5B Deluxe LGA 775 Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard - Retai - $176.99
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe 2.4GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80557E6600 - Retail - $314.00
CPU Cooler: ZALMAN CNPS 9700 NT 110mm 2 Ball Ultra Quiet CPU Cooler - Retail - $69.99
Video card: XFX PVT73GUGD3 GeForce 7600GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail - $139.99
Memory: G.SKILL 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL6D-4GBMQ - Retail - $399.99
PSU: Thermaltake W0093RU ATX 12V 2.0 Version 500W Power Supply - Retail - $79.99
Hard drive: Western Digital Raptor X WD1500AHFD 150GB 10,000 RPM Serial ATA150 Hard Drive - OEM - $229.99
DVD Drive: Pioneer 18X DVD±R DVD Burner with 12X DVD-RAM Write Black E-IDE/ATAPI Model DVR-112D - OEM - $33.99
OS: Microsoft Windows Vista 32-Bit Ultimate for System Builders Single Pack DVD - OEM - $199.99

Sub Total: $1,874.91
Shipping: $31.63
Total: $1,906.54

Thank you very much
boneca

 

[drum]

I think you could do a lot better for 2grand, but i'll let the experts decide.
at the very least, either faster cpu or knock it down and do some OC saving quite a bit of money

 

[Operandi]

Thermaltake as general rule sucks hard (there are few sparse exceptions). Seasonic is one of the best PSU manufactures that have a good retail presence (no Thermaltake dose not make their own units). The 430 watt S12 would be my recommendation.

This Gigabyte would be a better choice for it's passive cooling (0 noise, and no chance of fan failure) and lower price.

I would go with this Geil, but thats my personal preference.

 

[TJones2]

Not sure why people spend so much on a case. Might just hammer my next computer to the wall.

 

[Operandi]

Originally posted by: TJones2
Not sure why people spend so much on a case. Might just hammer my next computer to the wall.

For the same reasons some people don't buy all their clothes and furniture from Walmart.

 

[TJones2]

Because they like to waste money?

 

[Nessism]

The case is what people see every day. Plus, it will last for a LONG time - several rebuilds of the system. $220 is a lot to spend but not TOO much if it makes the buyer feel good (and isn't that what the hobby is all about?)

 

[boneca1]

I have upgraded my specs which brought price down for about $500 which is pretty significant for me. Please review.

same - Case: LIAN LI PC-V1200Aplus II Silver Aluminum ATX Mid Tower - Retail - $229.99
same - Motherboard: ASUS P5B Deluxe LGA 775 Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard - Retai - $176.99
changed - CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 Conroe 2.13GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80557E6400 - Retail - $222.00
same - Video card: XFX PVT73GUGD3 GeForce 7600GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail - $139.99
same - Memory: G.SKILL 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL6D-4GBMQ - Retail - $399.99
changed - PSU: SeaSonic S12-430 ATX12V 430W Power Supply - Retail - $89.99
same - OS: Microsoft Windows Vista 32-Bit Ultimate for System Builders Single Pack DVD - OEM - $199.99

I removed. HD and DVD burner as I currently have 74GB Raptor and previuos model Pioneer burner, I also removed CPU Cooler for time being. I changed processor from E6600 to E6400 and also changed my CPU from Thermaltake to SeaSonic

Sub Total: $1458.94
Shipping: $28.93
Total: $1487.87

 

[Roguestar]

1) are you overclocking? This is important; if not you are spending way, waaaay too much on memory.

If you aren't, get 2 sets of this instead:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820231044
2 sets of those is $260 saving you $140 (which you could spend on a 500GB WD Caviar (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822136073)), admittedly taking up more DIMM slots (but when are you going to want to go from 4 to 8GB? Really?).

 

[Chapbass]

that ram appears OOS....


why not grab the super talent ram for 115 bucks from ewiz thats all over the hot deals forums at the moment?

4 gig of that would be right around 240 after shipping or somethin....



also, are you set on the lian li? seems awfully expensive...you could grab something like a p180 for a ton less that still looks awesome...


and lastly, you could grab a gigabyte ds3 if you wanted to save a lil money on the mainboard...i have a ds3 and love it...but the mainboard is probably the least important of the three things that i mentioned.

 

[s44]

The Asus mobo has nice heatpipe cooling, I believe.

If you want to OC, you should get a cheap ($30) but effective cooler like the Hyper TX.

EVGA's 7600GT is $120 at the Egg not including the $20 rebate.

Also, with those parts I see no reason not to get 64 bit.

 

[Roguestar]

Originally posted by: s44
Also, with those parts I see no reason not to get 64 bit.

Core 2 Duo supports EMT64 and can run 64-bit versions of XP and Vista. Getting drivers on the other hand, is a different story.

 

[boneca1]

Thanks guys, I'll look in to your suggestions. I'm still thinking about overclocking as I was told I can easily do 3.2GHz from E6400 even with stock cooling.
64bit will definitely give me advantage and full use of 4GB of RAM but I'm concern about drivers and software capabilities.

more suggestions are very welcome...
boneca

p.s. I was also told that Antec True Power 500W PSU is pretty good. Is that true?

 

[Roguestar]

You won't be able to use more than 3GB of your RAM in vanilla XP Pro, but 64-bit and Vista (both types) will be fine.

 

[boneca1]

Here is the chart

* 32-bit versions of Windows Vista Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate: 4GB
* 32-bit Windows Vista Starter: 1GB
* 64-bit versions of Windows Vista Home Basic: 8GB
* 64-bit versions of Windows Vista Home Premium: 16GB
* 64-bit versions of Windows Vista Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate: 128GB

 

[boneca1]

Originally posted by: Chapbass
that ram appears OOS....


why not grab the super talent ram for 115 bucks from ewiz thats all over the hot deals forums at the moment?

4 gig of that would be right around 240 after shipping or somethin....



also, are you set on the lian li? seems awfully expensive...you could grab something like a p180 for a ton less that still looks awesome...


and lastly, you could grab a gigabyte ds3 if you wanted to save a lil money on the mainboard...i have a ds3 and love it...but the mainboard is probably the least important of the three things that i mentioned.

What does OOS memory referring to? I will look if I can do better on memory
Lian Li was one of my choices mostly because it will perfectly match my 23" ACD, I do like the one you mentioned as well, the only issue with that case as it has front door and I use my burner all the time, but for additional $100 I can probably overlook this. I'm selling my Thermaltake VA3000BWA Tsunami case right now for the same reason.
As for motherboard I looked at ds3 (both of them) and they have average ratings not bad not good, also they have less options on board (other than that it looks ok) I think I'll stick with Asus just because my las 3 mother boards were Asus and they did they job well.

Thank you

 

[nasttcar]

I also have a Lian-Li case but it is the pC60BPlusII and it was $118. It is truly a work of art. I did not want the clumsy doors some cases have on the front, liked it had 4 fans in good spots, and came with so many extra screws and stuff that I am amazed you get all this for a little over $100. I went to Frys and looked at all kinds of cases but this one suits me well.

I would suggest going with a Tuniq Tower HSF. Got mine for about $50 and while running unclocked on a e6400 my CPU temps run 32-34C. Highest I have seen the CPU temp was 43C during a 3DMark test.

I also think you could spend a $100 less on the CPU and overclock it safely to the same level of what you bought or considering.

ZipZoomFly has 2gb of Corsair PC6400-1024 matched RAM for $160 AR. This RAM works without issue in the P5B Deluxe WiFi MB.

I would also get the other WD 10K Raptor for $209. The one you bought has a window in the side of it. That particular drive has 1/2 the MTBF rate of the one for $209. Other than the clear window on the side of it, no difference.

Also, why not run XP Pro for a year until the bugs are worked out of Vista?

Make your DVD drive a Samsung 18x DblLyer and get it with a SATA connection, not IDE.

Fry's Online has the eVGA 7900GS for $109 AR.

You can do alot better on cost than you are showing.

 

[boneca1]

Originally posted by: nasttcar
I also have a Lian-Li case but it is the pC60BPlusII and it was $118. It is truly a work of art. I did not want the clumsy doors some cases have on the front, liked it had 4 fans in good spots, and came with so many extra screws and stuff that I am amazed you get all this for a little over $100. I went to Frys and looked at all kinds of cases but this one suits me well.

I would suggest going with a Tuniq Tower HSF. Got mine for about $50 and while running unclocked on a e6400 my CPU temps run 32-34C. Highest I have seen the CPU temp was 43C during a 3DMark test.

I also think you could spend a $100 less on the CPU and overclock it safely to the same level of what you bought or considering.

ZipZoomFly has 2gb of Corsair PC6400-1024 matched RAM for $160 AR. This RAM works without issue in the P5B Deluxe WiFi MB.

I would also get the other WD 10K Raptor for $209. The one you bought has a window in the side of it. That particular drive has 1/2 the MTBF rate of the one for $209. Other than the clear window on the side of it, no difference.

Also, why not run XP Pro for a year until the bugs are worked out of Vista?

Make your DVD drive a Samsung 18x DblLyer and get it with a SATA connection, not IDE.

Fry's Online has the eVGA 7900GS for $109 AR.

You can do alot better on cost than you are showing.

I appreciate this very much. Nothing from that list is finalized yet (nothing bought), that's why I'm here asking questions and getting very good responses as yours.
I've been building PCs for 10 years now but it does seems that everything is different this days.