UPDATED! $1000 first project need advice

[sunnywala]

ok so i've spent time researching what i want to do.... also have a little more money to play with

Updated parts list is as follows:
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775 Quad-Core Processor Model BX80562Q6600 - Retail
ASUS P5Q Pro LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
2x ASUS EAH4670/DI/512M/A Radeon HD 4670 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Retail
2x G.SKILL PI Black 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory
XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler - Retail
XIGMATEK ACK-I7751 Retention Bracket - Retail
NZXT TEMPEST Crafted Series CS-NT-TEM-B Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
-has 6 120mm fans
Thermaltake XCONTROLLER 5.25" Drive Bay Kits - Fan Controller w/ LED Light - Retail (pretty sure it will last a month or so
LINKSYS WMP54GS 32-bit PCI Interface Wireless-G Adapter with SpeedBooster - Retail
Microsoft 4GC-00002 OEM Silver/Black Wireless Ergonomics Laser Desktop 4000
LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model iHAS220-08 - Retail
Subtotal: $921.85 Before rebates and shipping

I have also purchased a 750TX from buy.com for a descent price. I know it doesnt have to be that big but whatever....
Thoughts?

Hi guys, i've been using these forums for years and have learned alot.
This is my first ground up project so be nice!
I'm coming from a P4 so this will be a significant upgrade...


1. I will be using my computer for a little gaming but mostly for playing HD videos and editing HD videos from my camcorder.
I do alot of multi tasking and like to leave programs running for long periods of time.
I would say i'm a power user

2.my budget is around $800 but my current set up is coming up to $900 minus rebates

3. I'm in the US and will be using newegg for most if not all the parts.

4. I'm going with Intel for the CPU (not a fanboy but i'm just more comfy)
i'm open to GPU brand

5. I plan on using 3 current HDs and adding one more.
I also have a 9200pro video card i'd like to use as a secondary video card.
I have 2 17inch dell monitors i'll use, along with my 46inch samsung(1080)

6. i've searched and read a few threads on here and have used ideas for parts from them

7. I do plan on overclocking anything i can. but safely... will not over do it. I want to be safe and stable.

8. Plan on ordering parts this weekend.


list of parts I'm thinking of using.

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775 Quad-Core Processor Model BX80562Q6600 $190
ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 P2wro 92mm CPU Cooler (what are my other options?) $27
ASUS P5Q Pro LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard $135 -15rebate = $120
ASUS EAH4670/DI/512M/A Radeon HD 4670 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card
$80-10rebate = 70 i like the HDMI output
Rosewill Stallion Series RD600N-2DB-SL-BK 600W ATX Form Factor 12V V2.2 / SSI standard EPS 12V SLI Ready Active PFC Active PFC
Power Supply - SLI Ready $70
NZXT TEMPEST Crafted Series CS-NT-TEM-B Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case $110-20rebate = 90
(I've read some good and bad reviews, but am willing to take a chance)
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3750640AS 750GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive $95
CORSAIR DOMINATOR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model
$124-40rebate = 84
SAMSUNG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model SH-S223Q $27
GIGABYTE GN-WP01GS PCI Wireless Adapter $17
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound (NEEDED??) $6
Anyware GP-IR01BK Windows Vista Infrared MCE Black Remote Control $22


total = $903 + 35 shipping = 936-85rebates = $851

thoughts, ideas, critiques, comments??
mainly looking for compatibility issues and i would like to know if i have bad or outdated hardware listed

 

[themisfit610]

I also have a 9800pro video card i'd like to use as a secondary video card.

I assume your 9800pro is AGP? In which case, forget about it

~MISfit

 

[sunnywala]

sorry i meant 9200pro, and its pci
thanks

 

[DSF]

First off, you don't need DDR2-1066, even if you plan to overclock. Save yourself $25 and go with one of these:
A-DATA DDR2-800
G.Skill DDR2-800

You don't need a 600W power supply for that setup, not even close. Rosewill is also a mediocre PSU company. Go with something like a Corsair 450VX and save some cash while getting a higher quality unit.

That hard drive is a generation old. This one costs less and performs better:
WD 640GB Caviar

Arctic Silver is not necessarily, as the CPU cooler will come with its own pouch of thermal goop. However, it can be handy to have on hand in case you need to reattach the heatsink for some reason.

 

[sunnywala]

thanks for the reply... i'm learning so i have a few questions
why is the faster faster ram not needed?

i used some of the psu calculators online and i'm getting 600-640w depending on which one i use
just be aware that i'm using 4 HDs and 2 video cards

 

[Blain]

Originally posted by: sunnywala
i'm learning so i have a few questions
why is the faster faster ram not needed?

The same reason you don't need tires rated for 200 mph on your Geo Metro.


Don't bother doing crossfire with two 128bit 4670 cards.
What configuration are your 4 HDs set up as?

 

[sunnywala]

i was planning on using the 4670 in conjusction with a 9200pro(my old card)
is there a compatibilty issue?

at this point 2 of the the HDs are sata internals and one is a sata in a external enclosure.
i'll be purchasing one more. and would like all 4 to be internal... do i need to do something special for this?

 

[DSF]

Online PSU calculators are junk.

A 550W PSU will run a system with two 8800GTs, and your computer isn't going to draw that much power, even with 4 hard drives.

If you're more comfortable with a large supply it won't hurt anything. Just don't buy one from Rosewill. Buy a Seasonic, Corsair, PCP&C or other good brand. OCZ, Enermax and Coolermaster have good models, but their offerings aren't top notch across the board. Make sure you look up reviews of whichever supplies you're looking at.

 

[ther00kie16]

Yea, Corsair is quality and their 550W should run 8800GT SLI easily. As for video card... 4670 is a good choice if power is a concern. But since it's not, is expensive at $70+ after rebate. Get a 9600gso for $50ish after rebate that's equal to the 4670 and will overclock better. Or if you want power, this 3870 is the same price as the 4670.
Get a better cooler like Tuniq or TRUE and lap it if you want the best possible overclock with the best temps. A slightly cheaper Xigmatek S1283 or Sunbeam core contact freezer will get the job done as well without the need for lapping the heatsink (just the CPU).
As for mb, I'd recommend Gigabyte as Asus can be questionable with their use of capacitors.
On air cooling, 9x400 is probably the best you'll manage with a q6600. So that 400fsb will correlate to 400x2 = 800mhz ram if ran at 1:1. Since many good 800mhz ram will overclock a good bit (some to >1000mhz), you can try for something like 8x450, which would be 900mhz ram at 1:1. But again, 3.6ghz is about the upper-limit so it's no guarantee you'll get even close to that.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Originally posted by: sunnywala
i was planning on using the 4670 in conjusction with a 9200pro(my old card)
is there a compatibilty issue?

at this point 2 of the the HDs are sata internals and one is a sata in a external enclosure.
i'll be purchasing one more. and would like all 4 to be internal... do i need to do something special for this?

i believe u need identical gpu's for crossfire.

 

[betasub]

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo
i believe u need identical gpu's for crossfire.

Not strictly true, but they do need to be compatible and that usually means based on the same or similar GPU core. More to point, crossfire combines two PCIe graphics cards to render a 3d image.

OP appears to wants to keep an old, very slow PCI graphics card to run one of those 17" dell monitors he has as a third screen. The 4670 should handle the other two screens OK, but for Vista OP will need a unified driver from ATI that covers both 4670 and 9200(PCI).

 

[Denithor]

Q9400 $270
ASUS P5Q Pro $120AR
Mushkin 2x2GB DDR2-800 $50AR
WD6400AAKS $75
ASUS 4670 $78AR (integrated HDMI port)
Antec Sonata III + EA500 ~$100 shipped
Liteon DVD burner $23


Total: $761 - $45MIR = $716

You could drop the processor down from Q9400 to Q6600 and save another $80 but keep in mind the Q6600 will run hotter & probably won't overclock as well. And instead of spending money for an aftermarket cooler just get a better cpu up front (note: it's only another $50 for the Q9550, 2.83GHz + 12MB cache).

 

[sunnywala]

thanks guys, i'll let you know how it goes...

 

[sunnywala]

ttt

 

[MarcVenice]

Crossfiring 2 HD4670's is just silly. Crossfire 2 HD4850's, or just get a single HD4870.

I'd get this ram: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820231145 unless you can find significantly cheaper ram w/o rebates, or if you are of course willing to deal with rebates, then there's 2x2gb to be had for $40 ...

 

[sunnywala]

i'm not crossfiring the 2 cards... i'll be using them for 3 possibly 4 monitors... mentioned in previous post
you think performance will suck with that setup?

I like the mem you suggested saves me the trouble of having to OC

 

[MarcVenice]

Erm, you buy 1 highend videocard, Hd4850/HD4870, and you buy one SHITTY videocard, like this for example: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814121259

Do realize those cards have 1 dvi out, and 1 d-sub, which can still be used, if you use a d-sub to dvi converter ... Potentially with that videocard, and a 'decent' videocard, you could run 4 monitors.