Gaming Build

[LordofEchoSide]

This is a build I'm helping my friend with. I hope I didn't miss any obvious incompatibilities. I was clueless about the PSU so I could be way off on that. What do you guys think?



CPU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115005

Motherboard - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131030

RAM - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145015

PSU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139001

GPU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814143036

Optical Drive - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827106055

Case - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811144151


Also looking to get a LCD monitor for $200-300. Is there any highly recommended?

[freakitchen]

You're not way off with that power supply - it's a great quality unit.

Your list is good overall. You can switch the RAM to Value Select DDR2-667 to save a few dollars

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145098

I would change the video card for something more up to date - the 7800 series is two 'generations' old now. It also makes very little sense to throw lots of money at a Direct X 9 video card at the moment. With DX10 around the corner, it will quickly become 'old' technology. I suggest you pick up a mid-range 'placeholder' video card for now, with the view of upgrading when the full range of DX10 cards have been released.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130062

If your friend wants top gaming performance straight away, though, this is the most powerful video card I'd buy at the minute.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161062

Finally, look into getting a SATA Lite-on DVD Burner. The IDE controller on the P965 boards is third party, and has compatibility issues.

Finally finally, keep an eye on the Core 2 Duo price drops. The E6300 will be replaced at the end of this month by the E6320 - same price, double the L2 Cache.

******

EDIT: Finally, finally, finally.....regarding the monitor - that budget makes 22" widescreens available - which are VERY nice. There's a LOT to choose from at Newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...nd&Order=PRICE

After a quick look at some of the specs, this Viewsonic caught my eye

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824116076

[HarshWinter]

looks good, but i would wait till the c2d cpc prices drop and untill the new ATI R600 video card is released in about a week if they dont push it back.

http://www.dailytech.com/ATI+Release...ticle6903c.htm

[LordofEchoSide]

Thanks for the advice guys. How's this SATA drive http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827106046

I read about the price drops and I forgot to say I'd probably go with the E6420.

About the video cards, when are the DX10 cards expected? How would the 7600GT hold up for games like Battlefield 2, 2042, and games running on the Source engine during the wait?

[Katreat]

The 7600 series cards are a great bang for the buck and will play the games you mention wonderfully, but perhaps to at top video settings. For that you would have to jump up to the 7900 series and throw another $100 or so at the video card.

ATI should release there card any day which will start bringing prices down. I understand that Niveda has an entire string of 10X replacements coming for the entire 7000 series later in the year. They are apparently planning on producing both low and high end 10X cards but when they will actually arrive is a guess.

10X will probably not even show up on games until the end of the year and even then it will be more of an option, not a requirement. Games will not limit their market by requiring 10X cards for quite a while.

So, to make a long story short, your 7600 is a great place holder card that will play anything you are likely to play for the next year or so very well and it will allow you to save a few dollars for that big video upgrade to 10X when the market settles.

Kat

[Darth Revan]

Looking through the link Freakitchens links I saw the 22widescreen i have. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824009102 it is a superb monitor imho. I would sugest it to anyone. But I don't doubt that the viewsonic is a great one as well (he knows more than I do) I just know that the Acer one works amazingly well. There, thats my two cents. ;-D

Edit: Oh yeah, no dead pixels either

[freakitchen]

That Lite-on SATA drive is fine.

[Katreat]

Right now, I am using the Chimei 22" wide screen and very happy with it. Only think I would have liked different is a hight adjustment but it was $230 at X-mas and nothing in this size bracket was even close to that price. Never heard of the company, but they make screens for lots of the big name brands. It had a perfect 5 eggs (at X-mas time) with over 150 reviews so I gambled and it is fantastic.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824252006

I will also throw my vote in for a 22" monitor, lot more screen for just a few dollars more than the 20.1 inch. I really wanted to go 24" but at that time could not even find one below $600 bucks and thats way to much.