Build me the Ultimate Core Duo Extreme Desktop.

[jmy350z]

My Dell Dimension 8100 is just about on its last legs. this time I waqnt to build myself a new desktop. I would like to use Intels Core Duo Extreme Processor. From case to keyboard,build me the best PC money can buy. Graphics,sound and storage are extremely important. I use my PC for work,but I also use it for gaming,photography,music,dvd's and internet. I have the money to spend.About $8500 if I wanted.What would you use? I am not in a hurry,if there are better motherboards,graphics and sound cards coming out soon,let me know. I plan to use Windows Vista when it does come out.Thanks for the info.

[blue60007]

I might consider holding off a week or two until the C2D processors come out in full force and we can see how the motheroboard choices play out.

You could get a motherboard with a 975X chipset so you could have Crossfire support (dual ATI video cards), or if you wanted SLI support (dual nVidia cards) you'd have to wait till they release the boards that support Core 2 and SLI. Neither SLI or Crossfire is really cost effective, but you've got quite a budget.

[786ARS]

woah $8500!!! (drools in envy) - seriously though for mobo and Xfire/sli you have to wait to see what mobo choices are available. but for that budget get the Extreme 6800 c2d, and depending on if you want to o'clock, maybe a water cooling setup. as for graphics, you could go quad sli, but its not really worth it for the performance. if you say yes, then 2*7900GX2. HD, you could get a couple high speed raptors, or high capacity drives depending on your tastes. Umm, if you want good displays, then either a dell HD tv or apple cinematic display.

[pam123]

Originally Posted by jmy350z My Dell Dimension 8100 is just about on its last legs. this time I waqnt to build myself a new desktop. I would like to use Intels Core Duo Extreme Processor. From case to keyboard,build me the best PC money can buy. Graphics,sound and storage are extremely important. I use my PC for work,but I also use it for gaming,photography,music,dvd's and internet. I have the money to spend.About $8500 if I wanted.What would you use? I am not in a hurry,if there are better motherboards,graphics and sound cards coming out soon,let me know. I plan to use Windows Vista when it does come out.Thanks for the info.

I have a solution if you really want to do that.
The September '06 MaximumPC Dream Machine.
Grab a copy of the magazine when it hits the newstand.
You don't need to push matters quite as far as they do, I mean two 24" LCDs and nearly 2 terabytes of storage?
But everything else should put you sufficiently over the top.

[Iniamyen]

I'd definitely spend the bulk of that budget on a nice sound system and/or monitor. You will get much more performance increase out of those components than trying to spend that much on the computer itself. Especially since the computer will be "outdated" within a year anyway. Spend the money where it really matters.

[SputnikSweethrt]

With 8500$.. what WOULDN'T I do?? lol
I would go through products of all the top companies and click 'buy' on the most expensive one haha
But I think Iniamyen is right. With that budget you can get a really nice widescreen monitor, hook it up to a LCD TV, set up some crazy surround sound system..

I still wouldn't get SLI or Crossfire though. I mean, you're gonna have to change video cards when Direct X 10 comes out with Windows Vista anyways. I'd just stick to one GeForce 7950 GX2 for now.

I would get 4 gigs of Corsair's lowest latency RAM.. atleast 500 gigs of Hardspace..
Whatever the top Intel Conroe CPU is I would get that. . But I would wait for better motherboard choices.
+ watercooling
+ super comfy ergonimic computer chair

@_@

[blue60007]

ASUS P5N32-SLI SE Deluxe - $280
X6800 Core 2 Duo - $1200
eVGA 7950X2 - $600
FSP FX-700 Watt PSU - $170
Corsair 2GB (2x1GB) DDR2-800 TWIN2X2048-6400 - $220
X-Fi Sound card - $120
WD Raptor 150GB - $250
DVD-RW x 2 - $70
XP Home OEM - $90

$3000

You can always throw in another 2 gigs and upgrade to Vista (keep in mind 32 bit Windows can't address over about 3 gigs, and the 64 bit version is a hassle).

Alternately you could use a ASUS P5W DH Deluxe ($270) and an X1900XTX ($500).

Throw in a nice monitor and sound system and you're set.

[Mr.Ferrari]

Originally Posted by blue60007 ASUS P5N32-SLI SE Deluxe - $280 Throw in a nice monitor and sound system and you're set.

I would wait until intel nforoce 590 chipsets come out before doing that sli thing.

Before I suggest anything, Will you have any plans on overclocking?

And if you do decide to go water. Man you are in the store for some of the craziest high end water to be seen.

Oh and btw For your case I would check out some of the most expensive and beautifl and totally frickin awesome cases on the market at the moment.

www.mountainmods.com

For the psu, since you have 8.5 friggin K. I would go ahead and go with a pc power and cooling 850 or 1kw psu. Thatll give you all the room youll even need for future upgrades.

[minsonngo]

Here is a killer complete system for around seven grand:

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/...1939531,00.asp

[Mr.Ferrari]

Originally Posted by minsonngo Here is a killer complete system for around seven grand: http://www.extremetech.com/article2/...1939531,00.asp

Ya but theres alot of outdated stuff in there. Such as the amd fx60. I mean a midrange conroe will lay waste on that thing.

[minsonngo]

Your right, the list is just a starting point, you can swap out some of the outdated components for newer ones.