First Build Questions, Questions, Questions

[JSleeper]

Hey guys, after a recent hard drive failure of my 8 year old HP, I’ve decided to undertake building my own rig. I am currently trying to solidify my choices but I am mainly struggling with the major components of the case, psu and mobo.

My general budget is around $1,500.00 and the system will be used for gaming and general multimedia tasks. Accessories will include two DVD Burners, one external 3.5” combo floppy drive/media card reader, two internal SATA drives totaling approximately 500 GB (I also have an external 250 GB drive that I can connect by USB2.0 or firewire). SLI/Crossfire support is highly encouraged.

Case – Antec P180 http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=81802
I’m sure many of you have heard of/seen this case before. I like its interior design, looks, expandability and sound deadenin characteristics. Unfortunately, I have also read some bad reviews regarding the distance from the psu at the bottom to the connection on the motherboard as well as a few instances of the front door warping. It is possible to buy an extension for the main power connection, isn’t it? And I would imagine that the front door has been reinforced by Antec by now, right? Although I’ve also read that the case is quiet heavy, it shouldn’t be an issue. Are there any real competitors to this case that have 3 120mm fans and similar expandibility? Perhaps the Tuniq 2 or the NZXT Lexa Classic Case?

PSU – Corsair HX620W http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/371
I like that this psu is modular, especially since I’ve read about some issues regarding a mess of cables crossing in the P180. It’s also SLI certified, has decent efficiency (80%) and supports lots of connections. I’ve also looked at the Coolermaster iGreen Power 600W for its high efficiency (~85%) and “energy star” endorsement. Unfortunately, it isn’t modular. Here’s a decent comparison http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/200...rmaster/1.html.

Mobo – This is where things begin to get fuzzy. Is the nVidia 590/570 chipset better than the Intel 975X set? I believe the 590 set is superior (true 2XPCIe16 connections for SLI, lots of SATA support) but I’m not sure if there are any 590 boards made for LGA775 instead of AM2. Any suggestions? This decision is proving one of the most difficult.

Processor – The system will run on a brand spanking new Core 2 Duo E6600 (cheapest C2D with 4MB cache). No overclocking.

HSF – Artic Cooling Freezer Pro 7 Heatsink. http://www.maxitmag.com/maxit-review...atsink-review/ I would like to have some level of protection against overheating issues but I really don’t want to get into water cooling.

That’s about all I have so far. I’ll save some of my questions about connecting case connections to the board (how will I know if my mobo will support the 3 120mm fans and front usb/firewire/audio connections? Do I loose the back connections on the board by connecting the front ports?) for another time. Any help/feedback/suggestions anyone can offer is greatly appreciated. My apologies for the super long post and huge number of questions.

[glc]

I'd stick with a 975X or P965 chipset, and a single higher end video card. SLI and Crossfire aren't really what everyone thinks they are.

No overclocking? The stock retail heatsink is fine. If something happens the processor has a shutdown circuit to prevent damage.

[andper10]

Not sure where you live, but newegg.com is the best online store for the US. I've never heard of a corsair power supply, but they make great ram. The Antec TruePower 550 Watt Power Supply is often recommended for folks with 1 high end video card. The Power Supply Reference Thread has a list of good/bad PSU's that is helpful when choosing a PSU. The Asus PB5 motherboard comes in many different varieties, and seems to be recommended often for C2D builds in these forums. The Intel 975X's are suppossed to be good too. Looks like a pretty feature-rich case. The 120mm fans will make your PC nearly silent. The Intel HS/Fan will be fine for stock cooling. Go for a single good video card like the X1900XTX or the Nvidia 7950 for high end gaming (which your budget seems to support). Enjoy building your PC!

[JSleeper]

Thanks for your suggestions guys. I've ordered the case from newegg last night and I am well on my way to selecting a motherboard. I was mainly interested in SLI as an option for the future to help my computer stay on pace with the latest games.

Thanks again for the help.

[chuck4456]

You've got plenty of time on the games. Get the build right first. Sapphire Technology has several excellent Video Cards at very goo prices. Look them all over. Post which one you may choose, and someone here can tell you if it's a good shot. I've had excellent results with X1600/1600XT, although I haven't used them in (quite) that high end of a build. Sapphire's got good stuff.

[JSleeper]

How exactly does Vista and Directx 10 play into the graphic card choice? Is it better to buy a cheaper Directx 9 card now and save the money for when the true Directx 10 cards come out, or do I have it all wrong?

[Mr.Ferrari]

Correct, dx10 is not worth looking into right now..

[andper10]

You should wait until you have everything that you want to order from newegg picked out, and then order all at once (unless there is a really good sale that you want to take advantage of). Newegg combines shipping on most items, so you will save money on shipping by ordering all at once. The ATI Radeon X1900XTX will play just about any game on Max. settings. I'd recommend the Xclio 500 Watt PSU $95. However, there are plenty of other great PSU's available.