New build

[Jaggannath]

This needs to be a good gaming rig. Bear in mind the prices are Australian dollars. Recommendations needed out of the options. I'm planning on an SLI build, just don't have time to do much sorting:

Mobo:
Gigabyte K8NF-9 ($133) or K8N SLI ($148) or K8NXP-SLI ($255)
or
ASUS A8N-E NForce4 Ultra ($145) or A8N-SLI or A8N-SLI Premium ($255)

CPU:
AMD 3500+/3700+/3800+ San Diego ($299/$348/$432)
or
AMD x2 3800+ ($486)

RAM:
Can DDR2 be put in this rig?? Never really looked into DDR2

HDD:
Maxtor 16 MB SATA 250GB/300GB ($153/$182)

GPU:
MSI 256 MB 7800 GT ($540)
or
Sapphire 256 MB X800GT/X800GTO ($218/$284)

BURNERs:
Benq DW-1640 ($60) Gigabyte 16x Dual Layer
or
LG 16x Dual Layer ($60)
or
Samsung 16x Dual Layer ($56)

LCDs:
Viewsonic VA-905 12ms DVI ($404)
or
Hyundai L90D+ 8ms DVI ($515)
or
Samsung 913V 12ms ($439)
or
Samsung 940B 8ms ($510)

MOUSE/KB:
Logitech LX500/LX700 ($82/$114)
or
Logitech MX3000/MX3100 ($115/$169)

PSU:
Thermaltake 430W/680W Active FPC Silent ($57/$199)
CoolerMaster Real Power 450W/550W ($88/$155)
Topower 500W/600W EPS Real Power ($99/$132)
Antec True Power 2 480W/530W ($132/$155)
Antec NeoHe 500W/550W ($155/$180)

Software is sorted

Cheers

[RJ]

HDD: Maxtor 16 MB SATA 250GB/300GB ($153/$182)

Maxtor makes quality hard drives. The size is just personal preference. Just keep in mind that the manufacturers calculate the space differently, so the choice is between 232 GB and 279 GB really.

BURNERs: Benq DW-1640 ($60) Gigabyte 16x Dual Layer or LG 16x Dual Layer ($60) or Samsung 16x Dual Layer ($56)

Among these, I'd get the Benq. Samsung drives tend to be unreliable, dunno about Gigabyte. The Benq 1640 also supports bitsetting, and Plextor rebadges that drive as the PX-740.

LCDs: Viewsonic VA-905 12ms DVI ($404) or Hyundai L90D+ 8ms DVI ($515) or Samsung 913V 12ms ($439) or Samsung 940B 8ms ($510)

The Samsung 913V has no DVI, so it's not a good one, it's better to sort it out.
Samsung 940B and Hyundai L90D+ look identical to me. The Viewsonic has a lower contrast ratio, but it's still ok. Since it's also the cheapest, I'd get it.

RJ

[freakitchen]

Gigabyte K8NF-9 ($133) or K8N SLI ($148) or K8NXP-SLI ($255) or ASUS A8N-E NForce4 Ultra ($145) or A8N-SLI or A8N-SLI Premium ($255)

ASUS is considered top quality as you know Jagg, but I've had great results from Gigabyte over the past couple of years - particularly the K8NXP-SLI, which is the board in my main rig. I'd say the choice is personal preference, though the ASUS A8N-SLI Premium is probably considered the best SLI board around.

CPU: I'd say a single core for a gaming build, with the 3700+ probably offering the best performance for price.

RAM: DDR2 is only for intel builds, you'll want DDR.

GPU: Both cards are excellent, but obviously if you get ATI you may as well drop the motherboard to a non-SLI option.

PSU: Don't think any of those you listed are SLI certified, i believe the Antec Truepower II 550w is the cheapest and most common. If you don't go SLI, id get the 480w Antec.

Freakitchen

[786ARS]

if its an sli board you are getting, then go for a cheaper nvidia card instead of the 7800gt, maybe a 6800, and so you can get a second card much earlier than a second 7800GT. As for a dual core amd, not really going to be needed for gaming. But if you want a dual core, in about a month, i think the 5000+ X2 AMD is going to be released, which should push the price of the 3800 down a bit. And make sure you get an sli-certified psu with around 500+ watts of power. check at slizone.com.

786ARS

[rspassey]

A8N-SLI Premium ($255)

AMD x2 3800+ ($486)

Corsair 2Gb Value Select

Maxtor 16 MB SATA 250GB

MSI 256 MB 7800 GT ($540)

Benq DW-1640 ($60)

LCDs: - No clue really

Logitech LX500 - should suit just fine

PSU: - Needs to be an SLI certified one - I would get the Enermax 600 watt noise taker - I really like it


That is what I would choose out of your selections...

I would go with the 7800gt - not a 6800 like 786ARS said - that is just weakening the gaming potential of your rig from the get go, plus I am pretty sure that one 7800gt preforms nearly the same as (or maybe even better than) dual 6800s.

[Jaggannath]

Cheers all, that's what I thought. The place doesn't offer SLI-certified PSUs or SLI GPUs, just SLI mobos. Was going to ask them about this lack, seems a little silly. As to all the rest of the choices, they're what I thought, just wanted to confirm. I'm not going to downclock to the 6800, or I would have put it as an option.

Interestingly, the store also doesn't offer 2GB of RAM except for DDR2 RAM. Once again, it's something I'll be making them do

[rspassey]

The current need for 2GB RAM night be questionable, yet, looking that the rest of your parts (high end), and that it will be used for gaming, that is why I suggested the 2GB.

[Danny G]

Is this computer for you or someone else who won't do much gaming at all. If so, maybe take the specs down a little. High end is high expense where you can get good product at the middle of the road.

Go ANTEC too - I love them!!!

PS Got a MX 3000 at home. Once I get a better power source (IE one I can use I will let you know how its going.

Where did you get the quote from?

[glc]

You can do 2gb 2 ways - 2x1gb or 4x512mb.

RJ, are you serious - a Plextor PX-740 is a rebadged BenQ? Hmmmmm......that gives me a lot more respect for BenQ (or will make me look more carefully at Plextor...........) or is it the other way around?