Time to upgrade...finally - Please comment

[Bonesdad]

Upgrading from AXP 2500+ with GF4 4200. I currently have an Antec 330W TruePower PSU. Below is my current hoped for configuration. I am going for quiet, dependable gaming machine. I currently have 512 MB PC3200 memory. I will not be using the Coolermaster PSU that comes with the case, but I can't get the case with no PSU, unless I buy it with a dang window. The CPU has the Winchester core.

My questions:

Is the Retail AMD heatsink OK for noise levels, or am I better off going with OEM and buying an HSF, and if so, what is a quiet, effective one? I will not be overclocking, at least for a while.

Anyone else using this case? I like the look and CM has a good name, so...

That's about it...on to the list:


COOLER MASTER Cavalier 3 Silver/Blue ATX Mid-Tower Case With 350W Power Supply, $85.99

DFI "LANPARTY UT nF4 Ultra-D" NVIDIA nForce4 Ultra Chipset Motherboard For AMD Socket 939 CPU -RETAIL $152.00

Leadtek nVIDIA GeForce 6600GT Video Card, 128MB GDDR3, 128-Bit, DVI/TV-Out, PCI-Express $211.00

Seasonic 400W ATX12V Power Supply, Model "SUPER TORNADO-400W" -RETAIL $85.00

AMD Athlon 64 3200+, 512KB L2 Cache, Socket 939 64-bit Processor - Retail $196.00

Subtotal » $729.99


This is all from Newegg, I know I can get some of these parts cheaper elsewhere, but the wishlist makes a good shopping list! Lemme hear from you. Thanks!!

 

[Pixle]

Nice selection though here are some changes I would make.

- Don't get the Oem a64. Go for the 3 year retail warranty. You can even overclock it with good temperatures.

- Get a 3000+ instead of a 3200+ and with the extra you saved, buy a 6800 gt.

- I'm not sure about that Power Supply, you should usually stick to antec or ocz.

Are you getting ram?

Pixle.

 

[TheBDB]

I don't find the retail HSF loud at all.

 

[Bonesdad]

Well, moving from the 3200+ to the 3000+ saves me $50. To get a good 6800GT costs me $150 more than the 6600GT, so I still have to fork over an extra $100. I might do that and buy more memory tho...


BTW, are there any fanless heatsinks/pipes for the 6600GT? Zalman maybe?

 

[Painman]

Originally posted by: TheBDB
I don't find the retail HSF loud at all.

I second that, it's pretty darn quiet.

Seasonic is a well liked PSU but have a look at this Enermax 350 that I suggested to someone last night. It's not active PFC but it has very robust rails for a 350. Priced well too.

Also see this Enermax 460 for a few more dollars than the Seasonic with even fatter rails. I just received the 550W PSU out of this product line today and it's very well presented and constructed, heavy (5 1/2 pounds, I weighed it) and it's quiet. I could hear nothing but the whoosh of air coming out the back of it when I put my ear up to the exhaust. All rails registering less than 1% variance, and on the plus side at that, at least according to monitoring software and the BIOS. So far I think it's great. Does it show?

 

[Bonesdad]

I did consider the Enermax, but I went with the Seasonic as: 1) it's rated as the quietest at SilentPC and well liked on these forums and 2) its a bit more robust at 400W. 22A on the 12V line not enough for this setup?

Also, see the question in my second post.