$2500 Gaming Rig

[gurugt705]

After alot of research and help from my fellow forum members here's what I've came up with:

Case: XCLIO A380 Silver SECC 1.0mm thickness ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811103008 ($96.99)
(Are the fans too much? Is it Cheesy?)

PSU: CORSAIR CMPSU-520HX ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 520W Power Supply 100 - 240 V UL, CUL, CE, CB, FCC Class B, TUV, CCC, C-tick - Retail ($124.99)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139001



If I go Intel:

Mobo: ASUS P5N32-E SLI LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131073 ($209.99)

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe 2.4GHz 4M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115003 ($224.90)

If I go AMD:

Mobo: ASUS M2N32-SLI Premium Vista Edition Socket AM2 NVIDIA nForce 590 SLI MCP ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131163 ($219.99)

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ Windsor 3.0GHz 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket AM2 Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103773 ($229.00)


HDD: Seagate ST3750640AS-RK 750GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148217 ($279.99)

RAM: CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145034 ($144.00)

Video Card: EVGA 768-P2-N831-AR GeForce 8800GTX 768MB 384-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130072 ($559.99)

Primary Optical: LITE-ON Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA DVD Burner with LightScribe - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16827106072 ($44.99)

Secondary Optical: LITE-ON Black 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM SATA DVD-ROM Drive Model SHD-16S1S-05 - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16827106039 ($17.99)

Floppy Drive: MITSUMI Black 1.44MB 3.5" Internal USB 2.0 digital card reader with Floppy Drive Model FA404M BLK - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16821104104 ($18.99)

KB and Mouse: Logitech LX300 Black 86 Normal Keys 34 Function keys Function Keys PS/2 RF Wireless Standard Desktop Mouse Included - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16823126156 ($43.99)

Monitor: BenQ FP222WH Black 22" 5ms DVI Widescreen HDMI LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 700:1 - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824014139 ($299.99)

Sound Card: M-AUDIO 9900-40906-00 5.1 Channels 24-bit 192KHz PCI Interface High-Definition Sound Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16829121122 ($67.99)

Speakers: Logitech X-530 70 watts RMS 5.1 Black Speaker System - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16836121126 ($59.99)


Total (Intel): ($2194.78)
Total (AMD): ($2208.88)

That's it without the OS....I think I've done pretty well....

I can't decide on the OS though.....I'm gonna get Windows...but which one?

Any Comments? Suggestions? Tell me what you think.

[minsonngo]

Looks good.

For monitors... look at Samsungs and Acers.


You don't need the aftermarket CPU heatsink... use the one that is included with the processor since it will not void your processor's warranty.

As of the case fan you are ordering... you don't need it... the case already comes with 2 250 mm fans which is more than enough... remember... more case fans means more noise.

The power supply you picked out is overkill if you don't go SLI. Go with this one instead: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139001


As of the memory... if you go with AM2... go with DDR2-800... if you go with the Intel you picked out... DDR2-667 is enough and will save you about half what you are spending on money now... go with the Corsair ValueSelect line if you go DDR2-667.

[Staren]

Nornally yes that PSU would be overkill, but if you have an SLI set-up, you do want the head room just in case.

[gurugt705]

Thanks for the suggestions (I took out the Heatsink and Fans, and Changed the PSU) .....I would have changed to a Samsung or Acer but I couldn't find one that would support HDMI....do you know of a different site that might have Samsung with HDMI?

Edit: Yea I see what you're sayin Staren, I'll keep the 520 now, but IF I upgrade to SLI i'll get a 750 or higher

[minsonngo]

Yep... I guess just stick with the BenQ monitor you have picked out...


The only Acer or Samsung I found were just HDCP capable but NOT HDMI.

[Staren]

Sounds like a plan.

[gurugt705]

Originally Posted by minsonngo Yep... I guess just stick with the BenQ monitor you have picked out... The only Acer or Samsung I found were just HDCP capable but NOT HDMI.

Hmmmm.....do you think the BenQ would be bad quality (It does sound like it would be lol) and is there much of a difference between HDCP and HDMI ? Because I believe the GTX will do both, right? I might just go with a Samsung that supports HDCP.... (Wow, you guys are really fast to reply...and I like this forum, good work )

[minsonngo]

Yep... the GTX is HDCP ready... not sure about HDMI... but I'm pretty sure it does not have HDMI support.

[Alaron]

Just to clarify, HDMI and HDCP are not quite related.

HDMI is the interface that carries audio/video on one cable. It is the new standard for HDTVs, so you see it pop up on monitors as well.

HDCP is hi-def copy protection. It is required for playing hi-def movies. You would also need an HDCP video card and a hi-def player of some sort like a PS3 or HDDVD drive.

[minsonngo]

You can read more about HDMI and HDCP here:

HDMI: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hdmi

HDCP: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDCP



http://tv.about.com/od/hdtv/a/hdmidvihdcp.htm

[gurugt705]

Thanks once again you guys.......and no it doesn't have HDMI support....

[LeftyAce]

Not surprising really, since HDMI is basically DVI (they're backwards compatible) with audio support added. Since vid cards don't do sound, hdmi doesn't add anything...

[gurugt705]

For the OS I'm still in need of some help. I need to know if using Vista will make my comp run slower and what you guys think of Vista. Also if I dual-booted Vista 64-bit and XP Home or Pro 32-bit would that be the wiser decision or would it run down my comp having 2 OSes?

Microsoft Windows Vista 64-Bit Home Premium for System Builders Single Pack DVD - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16832116204 ($119.99)

Microsoft Windows XP Professional with SP2 - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16837116195 ($279.99)
or
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition with SP2 - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16837116193 ($189.99)

Can anyone help?

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by gurugt705 I need to know if using Vista will make my comp run slower

Depends...I've heard some computers actually run better with Vista while others run the same as WinXP and some just are too unstable to deal with.

Originally Posted by gurugt705 Also if I dual-booted Vista 64-bit and XP Home or Pro 32-bit would that be the wiser decision?

Yes, that's a good idea.

Originally Posted by gurugt705 or would it run down my comp having 2 OSes?

No, having two OS's installed on your computer won't "run it down".

Cricket

[gurugt705]

thanks cricket!

Is this how I would do it?

http://apcmag.com/5023/dual_booting_xp_with_vista

And would it be better to have two HDDs (one for OSes and another for storage) or maybe even a third HDD (One fore each OS)? [The extra HDDs would be of smaller size of course]

[minsonngo]

I personally would have one hard drive (partitioned into two... one partition per OS)... and then have a larger hard drive dedicated for storage.

But... you can have ONE hard drive... partitioned into three partitions... two for the two OSs... and a larger partition for storage.


Its your choice.

[gurugt705]

How do you partition? Is it during BIOS setup?....I think that's where I saw it.

So you're saying: (For my 750 GB Drive)

20 GB - XP
20 GB - Vista
710 GB - Storage/Media

Would it be setup like this?

C:\ - Storage/Media
D:\ - XP
E:\ - Vista

[LeftyAce]

You'll need a partitioning program such as partition magic (commecrial) or gParted (open source free download; worked great the times I've used it).

I believe that each OS will designate it's own partition as C, then you'll see E and F; the other OS and the storage partition. D is taken by your CD drive, most likely.

*EDIT* Make sure to back up any important data before partitioning; there's always a chance something will get messed up and you'll suffer data loss.

**OOPS* This is a new build, so there's probably not much on it. Never mind.

[minsonngo]

You can just use the OS cd to partition the new hard drive.

Use the XP OS cd... go into the BIOS setup... set the cd drive as the first boot device... save your changes & pop in the XP OS cd... restart and boot from the CD to begin the XP installation... during the installation... you have the option to create partitions on the HDD...

You can create TWO 20GB (or any size you choose... 20GB is good though) partitions for the two OSs you want to install. After the partitioning process... you then proceed to install XP on the C: partition you created. After that is installed... pop in the Vista OS CD... and install it in the other 20GB partition you created for it.


Now that you have both OSs installed... you should be able to log into one of them... right click on My Computer... click on manage... go to disk managment... and partition and format the remaining HDD space (should be seen in Disk Management as "Unallocated" space) on the hard drive so you can use it for storage.

[gurugt705]

Yea I'm using a brand new HDD, so I don't think there's any data to lose lol

So before I partition my HDD it will be like this:

C:\ - XP, Vista, and Storage

I'll split it into three parts with gParted:

C:\ - XP
F:\ - Vista
G:\ - Storage

(D:\ Primary Optical, E:\ Secondary Optical)

Once I split it, do I just drag and drop the files needed for each OS?

[minsonngo]

Just use the OS CD to partition and format the hard drive... see my previous post for details.


When you partition it with the OS cd... it will assign the two 20GB partitions as "C" and "D"... the optical drives will be "E" & "F"... then after the OSs are installed... when you log into one of the OSs to partition the remaining HDD space... it will assign it the letter "G".

[gurugt705]

Originally Posted by minsonngo Just use the OS CD to partition and format the hard drive... see my previous post for details. When you partition it with the OS cd... it will assign the two 20GB partitions as "C" and "D"... the optical drives will be "E" & "F"... then after the OSs are installed... when you log into one of the OSs to partition the remaining HDD space... it will assign it the letter "G".

Dang that's alot easier thanx for the help....so I'll have Windows XP Pro 32-bit and Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit on the same comp...I think i'll keep it this way until Vista SP2 comes out ans software becomes more compatible....or who knows I might just keep using both...it doesn't use too much space.

Oh btw how will I install the 2nd OS (Vista)? I understand I'll install the 1st immediatley after booting up...but when do I install the 2nd? Do I run Xp and install it throught that?

Edit: Oh you can choose the partition to install it in when you boot your PC with the disc in the drive

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by gurugt705 So you're saying: (For my 750 GB Drive) 20 GB - XP 20 GB - Vista 710 GB - Storage/Media

I would make the OS partitions bigger than that...I'd make them 100GB each and then have 550GB for data storage. I used to use 20GB as a primary partition for OS installation but I've found that just isn't big enough. Better to have too much space than too little for the OS partition.

Originally Posted by gurugt705 Would it be setup like this? C:\ - Storage/Media D:\ - XP E:\ - Vista

No, the C: drive would be for WinXP, the D: drive would be for Vista and the E: drive for data.

Cricket

[minsonngo]

You can run XP after it is installed... and pop in the Vista CD... and install Vista on the unused 20GB partition.

Or... I think it would be easier to just... pop in the Vista CD... restart... boot from the CD (just like you did XP) and start the install. You do NOT need to repartition the hard drive since you already did that with the XP installation. You should be able to pick the unused 20GB partition and install Vista on it.

[gurugt705]

So after making the partitions will it automatically work? What I mean by that is when I turn on my pc will menu come up asking which OS I want to use? Or is it not that straightforward?

Edit: Thanks minsonngo I thought that's what I had to do

[minsonngo]

You should be fine after that... then all you need to do is install the drivers and any software you are using on BOTH of the OSs.

And... it probably would be a good idea to take Cricket's advice on creating bigger partitions for the OSs to be on the safe side.

20GB is good for me since I don't game much or install too much software.... but you may need more space.

[gurugt705]

Additions/Revisions to Build:

Acer AL2216Wbd Black 22" 5ms DVI Widescreen LCD Monitor with HDCP support 300 cd/m2 700:1 - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824009094 ($254.99)
(Acer's are much better than BenQ's)

Microsoft Windows Vista 64-Bit Home Premium for System Builders Single Pack DVD - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16832116204 ($119.99)

Microsoft Windows XP Professional with SP2 - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16837116195 ($279.99)

Revised Total (Intel): ($2549.76)
Revised Total (AMD): ($2563.86)

Hmmm....I think my build is solid now, Thanks to you guys

Edit: Would It be better to get this -

Seagate Barracuda ES ST3750640NS 750GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148152

instead of the one I have picked?

Or Should I not because it's OEM?

[minsonngo]

The Seagate Barracuda ES version is usually meant for servers.


Stick with the original one you had... everything else looks fine.

[Staren]

I can save you a little bit of money. Get your copy of Vista here: http://www.directron.com/msvista.html Directron is a good cowpony, and they have a sale on Vista going on right now. They have good case prices too so you might want to check them out for that as well if you end up getting your OS there.