Putting together a gaming rig.

[IronMentality]

Hi there. I've done a lot of research on this project... I want to build a great performing gaming PC of my own. Some concerns/questions of mine before the list of stuff:

- I am unsure what motherboard is the absolute best and most reliable
- I want to have the option to run two 7800GTX graphics cards in SLI at a later time
- I think the PSU I chose, the Antec 550W, probably couldn't run two 7800GTX cards in SLI. However, I kept it in until someone more experienced with PCs can refute that. I am unsure how much power more these graphics cards use then the 6xxx series. If it cannot, which PSU should I go with?
- I've read on some of the DFI NewEgg reviews that the DFI motherboards actually have a hard time running on Corsair Value Memory. Is this hogwash, and would I need to purchase 'performance' memory from such brands as OCZ to replace the Corsair memory I have selected?
- Will stock cooling and the fans that come with this case be enough to keep this machine cool and last? Or should I invest in a Zalman CPU cooler for the processor? (I am under the impression it however voids my CPU warranty if I do that)


Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition w/SP2 ($89.99) http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=604614

Case: Thermaltake VB1000SNS Silver Steel/Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case ? Retail ($115.99)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811133136

Power Supply: Antec TruePower 2.0 TRUECONTROL II-550 ATX12V 550W Power Supply ? Retail ($101.98 after MIR)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103933

Motherboard: Unsure yet.

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 4000+ San Diego 1GHz FSB 1MB L2 Cache Socket 939 Processor - Retail ($334.00) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103529

GPU: eVGA e-GeForce 7800 GTX KO PCI Express 256MB DDR3 Video Card w/HDTV-Out & VIVO Retail ($569.99)
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=322729

MEMORY: CORSAIR ValueSelect 2GB (2 x 1GB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM Unbuffered DDR 400 (PC 3200) System Memory ? Retail ($214.33)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145579

HARD DRIVE: Western Digital Raptor WD740GD 74GB 10,000 RPM Serial ATA150 Hard Drive ? OEM ($149.95 after MIR)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822144160

OPTICAL DRIVE 1: LITE-ON Black 16X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 4X DVD+R DL 16X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 24X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2M Cache IDE DVD Burner - Retail ($42.95) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827106988

FLOPPY DRIVE: NEC Black 1.44MB 3.5" Internal Floppy Drive Model FD1231H http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16821152005 ($10.25)

MOUSE: Logitech MX518 931352-0403 2-Tone 8 Buttons 1x Wheel USB + PS/2 Optical Mouse ? Retail ($45.00)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16826104178

KEYBOARD: BenQ P010 Standard Keyboard ($11.50)
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=212502

Price w/o Motherboard: $1685.93
Price w/Motherboard:
* OPTIONAL *

MONITOR: ViewSonic G220fb Black 21" CRT Monitor 15-pin mini D-sub ($545.00)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824116229

SPEAKERS: Klipsch PROMEDIA ULTRA 5.1 470 watts 5.1 Speaker ? Retail ($320.98)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16836119106

I want the most reliable board, no matter the cost. That's the most important -- period. I usually build Intel systems, I have absolutely no knowledge of the best for AMD gaming computers. I wasn't exactly heartened by some of the Asus reviews I read on there SLI boards about the number of DOAs people were receiving (I was under the impression Asus was the best board made for AMD PCs)

What should I change or add-in? Any help is greatly appreciated. I'll take any word said seriously, the most bang for my buck is essential as I reenter the online gaming world!

 

[stevty2889]

Your links don't work..but everything looks good. I have the DFI NF4 lanparty ultra-d. Excelent motherboard, so it gets my recomendation.

 

[IronMentality]

Ah crap, I have no idea how that happened. I'll try repasting

EDIT: They should work now!

 

[IronMentality]

Stevty: I am under the impression from some NewEgg reviews on the DFI SLI motherboards that they will not accept ValueRAM such as Corsair. Is this true or hogwash?

 

[Firsttime]

someone correct me if im wrong, but I think that was a problem with the older boards but has since been solved

 

[stevty2889]

Still not sure about corsair value ram with the DFI board. I am using OCZ platinum with mine.

 

[sensazn]

If you are you so determined for a true, well performing gaming rig
You shouldn't be selecting Value RAM anyways.

You should be going for some DualChannel, from OCZ Plat Rev 2, Patriot XBLK,OCZ VX, Ballistix. All are rated very fast for AMD64 systems, and will offer you flexibility if you ever choose to enter the realm of overclocking your beast machine.

If you're already shelling out this much coin for 7800's, 4000+, why not shell out a bit more for some performance RAM?
It just doesn't make sense to me to go for value if the rest of your parts arent value.... =\

*edit*
getting back to your post,

DFI LANParty UT nF4 Ultra-D gets my vote.

 

[IronMentality]

I am already going to have a 10k RPM hard drive, a 4000+ CPU, why would fancier marked up RAM really offer enough % of chance in performance for me to buy it?

 

[Firsttime]

Originally posted by: IronMentality
I am already going to have a 10k RPM hard drive, a 4000+ CPU, why would fancier marked up RAM really offer enough % of chance in performance for me to buy it?

I doubt it, however I find the 4000+ a bit of a waste, I would but a 3700+ or 3800+ and get better RAM

 

[tyborg]

no doubt, if you get 4 512mb RAM sticks in the case of the OCZ VX, go with the new DFI Crossfire board. It's the ONLY A64 board to date that can run 4 sticks of RAM at 1T command rate. I agree though, don't go for value RAM. you get bad timings, etc. Oh, and on the crossfire board, you can't run SLI as of yet. and if you ever could, you'd have to use old video drivers.

I'd definitely get a DFI board though and not skimp on the RAM. They're the best overclockers, and as such, are probably the most stable for non-OCers also. If you don't want to use old video drivers, the SLI-D and SLI-DR aren't that much more expensive than the Ultra-D

As for the mouse, the Logitech G5 is supposed to be the best there is.

I agree, get the 3700 and, if you really want to, overclock it. don't get a dual-core, it's a waste of money today for gaming (unless you're crazy rich and want to get a SUPERFAST dualcore to future-proof).

I don't see anything for a soundcard. Get the X-Fi. The version you get depends on your budget, but for gaming, you don't need the elite pro. Get either the Fatal1ty FPS (again if you're crazy rich, $300 soundcard.), the platinum ($200), or the extreme music ($125). The differences as I've found are as follows: The extreme music is kinda the vanilla version, and the platinum comes with a front port that goes in a 5.25 bay. The Fatal1ty comes with both the front port AND 64 megs of X-Ram (the new soundcard version of video RAM). The only problem is, things don't use the SC Ram just yet, but supposedly will soon.

 

[Varun]

Originally posted by: sensazn
If you are you so determined for a true, well performing gaming rig
You shouldn't be selecting Value RAM anyways.

You should be going for some DualChannel, from OCZ Plat Rev 2, Patriot XBLK,OCZ VX, Ballistix. All are rated very fast for AMD64 systems, and will offer you flexibility if you ever choose to enter the realm of overclocking your beast machine.

I disagree completely. If he wants to overclock his RAM, then buying the expensive stuff is worth it. If he doesn't want to overclock, value ram is fine.

 

[IronMentality]

Ok, what exactly should I do? Of course I want the most performance for my dollar.

- I read the Laser G5 mouse won't work on my FUNC pad? Is that true?
- Will getting performance RAM and overclocking it really make my performance, or load times for games that much better?
- Is there really going to be that much of a difference from a performance sound card vs. the one on the board for my analog Klipsch speakers?

Seems I should definitely go for a DFI board, as that has overwhelmingly been the choice of everyone here. So I will. As far as my power supply running SLI in the future, does the Antec 550W have enough to do it?

 

[forumposter32]

No, the OCZ Platinum RAM is worth it even at stock speeds.

 

[ribbon13]

RAM reccomendation
$40 more considerding the overall cost of the machine isn't much for performance ram.

That PSU, while Antec isn't very good in my opinion, should be more than enough for any SLI GPU setup if it can produce even three quarters of its 12v rails rated power.

DVDRW reccomendation
Lite-on's QC has slipped the past year or so. This thing gets the collective vote around here.