Free Weekly Tech Newsletter

nod25 · 08-23-2007, 09:52 PM

I've posted a few times over the past few months configuring my build for my new gaming machine. Money is not an extreme issue here (as long as its not insane) and I'm getting ready to purchase these components and assemble the machine.

I'd like any opinions on the components I've chosen, or if there would be a better choice for my current layout. Please be open, and I thankyou ahead of time for your time.

The only specific component that I might want to look into further is my motherboard. Let me know what you think.

Here is the config:

1. Case - Thermaltake Kandalf VD4000BWS Black Chassis

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16811133024

2. Motherboard - DFI LP UT NF680I LT SLI-T2 LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 680i LT SLI ATX Intel Motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16813136035

3. Video card - EVGA 768-P2-N831-AR GeForce 8800GTX 768MB
(just 1 for now, I'll get another later)

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16814130072

4. Power supply - OCZ GameXStream OCZ700GXSSLI ATX12V 700W Power Supply

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16817341002

5. Processor - Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe 2.4GHz

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16819115003

6. RAM - CORSAIR XMS2 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16820145176

7. Hard drive - Western Digital Raptor WD740ADFD 74GB 10,000 RPM
(2 of them in a RAID 0 configuration)

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16822136033

As I said b4, don't worry about the money thing. I just want to make sure this would all go well together and kick ass as it is. Let me know what you think.

shadowpr · 08-23-2007, 09:57 PM

Edit: double post. sorry.

shadowpr · 08-23-2007, 10:01 PM

make sure you get a 64 bit OS. vista 64 is great.

get a e6750. it's actually cheaper. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...5029&Tpk=e6750

and you could get a higher capacity seagate for less money too. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148139

and if you're not going to OC or actually get another video card, you probably don't need 700 wattts psu. might be able to save money there. and then just get a newer video card later on.

chuck4456 · 08-23-2007, 11:10 PM

Speaking of overclocking: If you're not going to overclock, then you don't need that DFI. If you are going to overclock, then you may still not need it. That's an advanced user board, and one with a 680i chipset. That makes it a double whammy for you if you're not well-versed in overclocking.

You'd be better off with an INTEL chipset board. P35 or P965. P35 is pretty much where it is for the moment - up to date and reasonably priced.

E 6750 is a good CPU - I have one. I can take it down with an E6600. I can still get better benches and bandwidth with an E6600 then I can with an E6750 in either strap. E6600 is no slouch - it's just not the latest thing. E6750 is newer and less expensive with a 1333 FSB.

nod25 · 08-24-2007, 12:58 AM

Sounds good, I'm looking into these other things. Let me touch by saying that I'll probably not be overclocking really that much. So with that in mind, where can I save and go better?

nod25 · 08-24-2007, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuck4456

Speaking of overclocking: If you're not going to overclock, then you don't need that DFI. If you are going to overclock, then you may still not need it. That's an advanced user board, and one with a 680i chipset. That makes it a double whammy for you if you're not well-versed in overclocking.

You'd be better off with an INTEL chipset board. P35 or P965. P35 is pretty much where it is for the moment - up to date and reasonably priced.

E 6750 is a good CPU - I have one. I can take it down with an E6600. I can still get better benches and bandwidth with an E6600 then I can with an E6750 in either strap. E6600 is no slouch - it's just not the latest thing. E6750 is newer and less expensive with a 1333 FSB.

How bout this for the mobo btw:

XFX MB-N680-ISH LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16813141003

average650 · 08-24-2007, 07:53 AM

You really aren't getting much space there, why not get a 7200 rpm drive or 2 and get more like 500GB for far less money , something like $100, rather than the 140 GB, which costs almost 300? Or just add another hard drive to that so you have both space and speed.

Cricket · 08-24-2007, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nod25

How bout this for the mobo btw:

XFX MB-N680-ISH LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16813141003

I wouldn't use a XFX motherboard even if someone gave it to me for free. I'd go with a ABIT, ASUS or INTEL motherboard that has a INTEL chipset on it.

Cricket

Katreat · 08-24-2007, 10:18 AM

I personally am not a fan of SLI but have a freind who really liked this board

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131073

Few different versions, pick the one you like best.

I also second the recomendation to up the processor to an E6750 or maybe even a Q6600 if your budget can swing it. To save a bit I would recommend one raptor and a large 7200 rpm drive for storage, two raptors is over kill.

The one other thing I would suggest is to calculate your power needs. 700 w actually sounds a bit low to me for two 8800 GTXs in SLI. I know saying 700 w is low seem strange, but I am seeing 550-650 recommneded commonly for single 8800 GTX systems so it just seems like you might need a little more head room. I am no expert on SLI or PSUs so someone else might chip in with more info.

kat

nod25 · 08-24-2007, 01:20 PM

I'm going to go ahead and get this processor:

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz 2 x 4MB L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16819115017

and I'm going to get this single hard drive:

Western Digital Raptor WD1500ADFD 150GB 10,000 RPM 16MB Cache

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16822136012

and then purchase an external drive for extra storage:

Seagate FreeAgent Desktop ST305004FDA1E1-RK 500GB 7200 RPM

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16822148235

I'm also gonna go ahead and get the Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case instead:

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16811129021

This board also looks pretty good:

ASUS P5N32-E SLI LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131073

I might go ahead and switch out the DFI with this one. This board also looks like it comes with a pretty good onboard sound card, no?

How does that look?

**Alaron** · 08-24-2007, 02:55 PM

That is a solid list. I'd choose Asus over DFI as well.

nod25 · 08-25-2007, 10:45 AM

Excellent then. I'm going to get the 150 gb Raptor 10000 rpm that I listed earlier, and then an extra external 500 gb Hard drive. I feel that a 10,000 rpm Raptor is fast enough for what I want. Thankyou!

Last thing though, the motherboard? This ASUS ASUS P5N32-E SLI LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI is sufficient you feel? I'm wondering however, if it's worth just spending the extra dollars for DFI, because this ASUS doesn't have an outstanding customer review rating here on Newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131073

It has onboard sound. Do you think that will suffice for my surround sound needs in gaming?

AND the Power Supply!

How big of a Power Supply should I get?

nod25 · 08-26-2007, 05:09 PM

Any final touchups?

Here's my final config now:

1. Case - Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16811129021

2. Motherboard - EVGA 122-CK-NF68-A1 LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16813188013

3. Video card - EVGA 768-P2-N831-AR GeForce 8800GTX 768MB
(just 1 for now, I'll get another later)

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16814130072

4. Power supply - SILVERSTONE ST1000 ATX12V / EPS12V 1000W Power Supply

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16817256020

5. Processor - Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz 2 x 4MB L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16819115017

6. RAM - CORSAIR XMS2 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16820145176

7. Hard drive - Western Digital Raptor WD1500ADFD 150GB 10,000 RPM 16MB Cache Serial ATA150 Hard Drive

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16822136012

shadowpr · 08-26-2007, 05:15 PM

don't forget an OS that's 64 bit.

Cricket · 08-27-2007, 10:33 AM

Why did you change the motherboard from a ASUS to a EVGA? You've gone a step down in quality.

Cricket

nod25 · 09-23-2007, 11:45 PM

I have posted a few times, my build, chiseling the loose ends so as to not make any mistakes and get the best I can. Here is my final setup for my new machine. I'm going to order it within the next few days. Any suggestions? I'm also getting extra external storage at a later date.

1. Case: APEVIA X-TELSTAR-GN Green/ Black Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer CaseNo Power Supply - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16811144181

2. Mobo: ASUS P5B Deluxe LGA 775 Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16813131045

3. Video Card: EVGA 768-P2-N831-AR GeForce 8800GTX 768MB 384-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16814130072

4. Power Supply: SILVERSTONE ST1000 ATX12V / EPS12V 1000W Power Supply - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16817256020

5. Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80562Q6600 - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16819115017

6. RAM: CORSAIR XMS2 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X4096-6400C5DHX - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16820145176

7. Hard Drive: Western Digital Raptor WD1500ADFD 150GB 10,000 RPM Serial ATA150 Hard Drive - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16822136012

8. Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer 7.1 Channels 24-bit 96KHz PCI Interface Sound Card - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16829102006

9. Optical Drive: LITE-ON Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 8X DVD-R DL 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM IDE Burner with LightScribe Technology - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16827106045

Katreat · 09-24-2007, 09:34 AM

I would suggest looking at the P5K. It is the replacement for the P5B and has the P35 (new) chipset.

1000 W is a huge overkill for this set up. Neither the P5B or P5K is an SLI MB so you dont need 1000 W to power a single vid card computer. Would suggest you check out the Corsair 620, great power supply and plenty of head room for what you are building. You could probably get by with a Corsair 520.

I am not a fan of Raptors. They are noisy, small, and expensive. But, they are faster so it is your choice. I just have a problem with paying that much for so little space, also, I dont think the average gamer would even notice the speed increase.

Both of those MB have really nice on-board sound so you might want to hold off on the sound card tell you give it a try. Sound cards are easy to install after the fact.

Kat

nod25 · 09-24-2007, 01:53 PM

I've decided not to go SLI and going to check out the new P35 Chipsets. I'm deciding b/t these 2 boards: any suggestions?

ASUS P5K PREMIUM/WIFI-AP LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131190

ASUS P5K WS LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16813131185

I'm also getting Windows Vista 64 and this PSU instead:

ENERMAX INFINITI EIN720AWT ATX12V/ EPS12V 720W Power Supply 100 - 240 V RoHS - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16817194021

nod25 · 09-25-2007, 02:32 AM

New Mobo that I'm getting:

GIGABYTE GA-P35C-DS3R LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16813128048

Katreat · 09-25-2007, 09:18 AM

Asus is most recommended on these boards because of their history of quality and performance. However, Gigabyte tends to be considered a decent replacement so if that board has what you want then it should work fine.

Your PSU pick still looks overpowered to me but having headroom is always good. But you could probably save another $50 and drop down to a Corsair 620 and still have 100w of headroom.

Kat

Fibre Optix · 09-25-2007, 09:22 AM

I agree. From the research I did P35 chipset is better than the 680i, it's compatible with the upcoming intel processors. I like the P5k. Ditch the SLI (you won't see a difference between 200 FPS and 260) take the money you would spend on a 2nd card save it and upgrade to a newer CPUs next year to a 1333 mhz,

Good idea switching the original PSU.

08-23-2007, 09:52 PM	#1
nod25 Member (5 bit) Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 20	New Build. Final tweaks b4 purchase? I've posted a few times over the past few months configuring my build for my new gaming machine. Money is not an extreme issue here (as long as its not insane) and I'm getting ready to purchase these components and assemble the machine. I'd like any opinions on the components I've chosen, or if there would be a better choice for my current layout. Please be open, and I thankyou ahead of time for your time. The only specific component that I might want to look into further is my motherboard. Let me know what you think. Here is the config: 1. Case - Thermaltake Kandalf VD4000BWS Black Chassis http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16811133024 2. Motherboard - DFI LP UT NF680I LT SLI-T2 LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 680i LT SLI ATX Intel Motherboard http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16813136035 3. Video card - EVGA 768-P2-N831-AR GeForce 8800GTX 768MB (just 1 for now, I'll get another later) http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16814130072 4. Power supply - OCZ GameXStream OCZ700GXSSLI ATX12V 700W Power Supply http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16817341002 5. Processor - Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe 2.4GHz http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16819115003 6. RAM - CORSAIR XMS2 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16820145176 7. Hard drive - Western Digital Raptor WD740ADFD 74GB 10,000 RPM (2 of them in a RAID 0 configuration) http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16822136033 As I said b4, don't worry about the money thing. I just want to make sure this would all go well together and kick ass as it is. Let me know what you think. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter

08-23-2007, 09:57 PM	#2
shadowpr I like me Join Date: May 2007 Location: Tejas Posts: 7,332	Edit: double post. sorry. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter Last edited by shadowpr; 08-23-2007 at 10:01 PM.

08-23-2007, 10:01 PM	#3
shadowpr I like me Join Date: May 2007 Location: Tejas Posts: 7,332	make sure you get a 64 bit OS. vista 64 is great. get a e6750. it's actually cheaper. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...5029&Tpk=e6750 and you could get a higher capacity seagate for less money too. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148139 and if you're not going to OC or actually get another video card, you probably don't need 700 wattts psu. might be able to save money there. and then just get a newer video card later on. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter

08-23-2007, 11:10 PM	#4
chuck4456 Member (11 bit) Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: eastern nc Posts: 1,349	Speaking of overclocking: If you're not going to overclock, then you don't need that DFI. If you are going to overclock, then you may still not need it. That's an advanced user board, and one with a 680i chipset. That makes it a double whammy for you if you're not well-versed in overclocking. You'd be better off with an INTEL chipset board. P35 or P965. P35 is pretty much where it is for the moment - up to date and reasonably priced. E 6750 is a good CPU - I have one. I can take it down with an E6600. I can still get better benches and bandwidth with an E6600 then I can with an E6750 in either strap. E6600 is no slouch - it's just not the latest thing. E6750 is newer and less expensive with a 1333 FSB. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter __________________ DFI LP LT X48-E8600-Thermalright HR01 Plus-GeIL Esoteria PC2 6400-Sapphire HD3870 Xfire-Seagate Barracuda Drives-Antec P182-XP Pro ASUS P5Q Deluxe-Q6700-TRUE BE-Noctua Fan-Corsair Dominator C5DF-Sapphire HD4870T-WD Black Drives-CM690-Windows 7 - powered by PC POWER & COOLING -

08-24-2007, 12:58 AM	#5
nod25 Member (5 bit) Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 20	Sounds good, I'm looking into these other things. Let me touch by saying that I'll probably not be overclocking really that much. So with that in mind, where can I save and go better? Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter

Need Some Help? Type Your Keywords Here:

Still Need Help? Type Your Keywords Here:

Free Weekly Tech Newsletter

08-24-2007, 07:53 AM	#7
average650 Member (7 bit) Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Maryland Posts: 70	You really aren't getting much space there, why not get a 7200 rpm drive or 2 and get more like 500GB for far less money , something like $100, rather than the 140 GB, which costs almost 300? Or just add another hard drive to that so you have both space and speed. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter

08-24-2007, 10:18 AM	#9
Katreat Member (11 bit) Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,044	I personally am not a fan of SLI but have a freind who really liked this board http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131073 Few different versions, pick the one you like best. I also second the recomendation to up the processor to an E6750 or maybe even a Q6600 if your budget can swing it. To save a bit I would recommend one raptor and a large 7200 rpm drive for storage, two raptors is over kill. The one other thing I would suggest is to calculate your power needs. 700 w actually sounds a bit low to me for two 8800 GTXs in SLI. I know saying 700 w is low seem strange, but I am seeing 550-650 recommneded commonly for single 8800 GTX systems so it just seems like you might need a little more head room. I am no expert on SLI or PSUs so someone else might chip in with more info. kat Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter

08-24-2007, 01:20 PM	#10
nod25 Member (5 bit) Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 20	I'm going to go ahead and get this processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz 2 x 4MB L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16819115017 and I'm going to get this single hard drive: Western Digital Raptor WD1500ADFD 150GB 10,000 RPM 16MB Cache http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16822136012 and then purchase an external drive for extra storage: Seagate FreeAgent Desktop ST305004FDA1E1-RK 500GB 7200 RPM http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16822148235 I'm also gonna go ahead and get the Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case instead: http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16811129021 This board also looks pretty good: ASUS P5N32-E SLI LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131073 I might go ahead and switch out the DFI with this one. This board also looks like it comes with a pretty good onboard sound card, no? How does that look? Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter Last edited by nod25; 08-24-2007 at 01:35 PM.

08-24-2007, 02:55 PM	#11
Alaron Kickin' it Staff Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: USA Posts: 7,723	That is a solid list. I'd choose Asus over DFI as well. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter __________________ Fold for PCMech: Team 13761

08-25-2007, 10:45 AM	#12
nod25 Member (5 bit) Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 20	Excellent then. I'm going to get the 150 gb Raptor 10000 rpm that I listed earlier, and then an extra external 500 gb Hard drive. I feel that a 10,000 rpm Raptor is fast enough for what I want. Thankyou! Last thing though, the motherboard? This ASUS ASUS P5N32-E SLI LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI is sufficient you feel? I'm wondering however, if it's worth just spending the extra dollars for DFI, because this ASUS doesn't have an outstanding customer review rating here on Newegg. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131073 It has onboard sound. Do you think that will suffice for my surround sound needs in gaming? AND the Power Supply! How big of a Power Supply should I get? Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter Last edited by nod25; 08-25-2007 at 10:58 AM.

08-26-2007, 05:09 PM	#13
nod25 Member (5 bit) Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 20	Any final touchups? Here's my final config now: 1. Case - Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16811129021 2. Motherboard - EVGA 122-CK-NF68-A1 LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16813188013 3. Video card - EVGA 768-P2-N831-AR GeForce 8800GTX 768MB (just 1 for now, I'll get another later) http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16814130072 4. Power supply - SILVERSTONE ST1000 ATX12V / EPS12V 1000W Power Supply http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16817256020 5. Processor - Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz 2 x 4MB L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16819115017 6. RAM - CORSAIR XMS2 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16820145176 7. Hard drive - Western Digital Raptor WD1500ADFD 150GB 10,000 RPM 16MB Cache Serial ATA150 Hard Drive http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16822136012 Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter

08-26-2007, 05:15 PM	#14
shadowpr I like me Join Date: May 2007 Location: Tejas Posts: 7,332	don't forget an OS that's 64 bit. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter

08-27-2007, 10:33 AM	#15
Cricket Shiro Usagi Premium Member Join Date: Sep 1999 Location: Kaneohe, Hawaii Posts: 34,002	Why did you change the motherboard from a ASUS to a EVGA? You've gone a step down in quality. Cricket Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter

09-23-2007, 11:45 PM	#16
nod25 Member (5 bit) Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 20	I have posted a few times, my build, chiseling the loose ends so as to not make any mistakes and get the best I can. Here is my final setup for my new machine. I'm going to order it within the next few days. Any suggestions? I'm also getting extra external storage at a later date. 1. Case: APEVIA X-TELSTAR-GN Green/ Black Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer CaseNo Power Supply - Retail http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16811144181 2. Mobo: ASUS P5B Deluxe LGA 775 Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16813131045 3. Video Card: EVGA 768-P2-N831-AR GeForce 8800GTX 768MB 384-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16814130072 4. Power Supply: SILVERSTONE ST1000 ATX12V / EPS12V 1000W Power Supply - Retail http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16817256020 5. Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80562Q6600 - Retail http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16819115017 6. RAM: CORSAIR XMS2 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X4096-6400C5DHX - Retail http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16820145176 7. Hard Drive: Western Digital Raptor WD1500ADFD 150GB 10,000 RPM Serial ATA150 Hard Drive - OEM http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16822136012 8. Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer 7.1 Channels 24-bit 96KHz PCI Interface Sound Card - Retail http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16829102006 9. Optical Drive: LITE-ON Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 8X DVD-R DL 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM IDE Burner with LightScribe Technology - Retail http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16827106045 Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter Last edited by nod25; 09-24-2007 at 01:29 AM.

09-24-2007, 09:34 AM	#17
Katreat Member (11 bit) Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,044	I would suggest looking at the P5K. It is the replacement for the P5B and has the P35 (new) chipset. 1000 W is a huge overkill for this set up. Neither the P5B or P5K is an SLI MB so you dont need 1000 W to power a single vid card computer. Would suggest you check out the Corsair 620, great power supply and plenty of head room for what you are building. You could probably get by with a Corsair 520. I am not a fan of Raptors. They are noisy, small, and expensive. But, they are faster so it is your choice. I just have a problem with paying that much for so little space, also, I dont think the average gamer would even notice the speed increase. Both of those MB have really nice on-board sound so you might want to hold off on the sound card tell you give it a try. Sound cards are easy to install after the fact. Kat Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread:

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
final build	ipam45	Build Your Own PC	8	08-23-2006 03:29 PM
Final Build List, BE AS CRITICAL AS POSSIBLE.	TRC_14	Build Your Own PC	133	07-21-2005 08:01 PM
Error caused by NVIDIA® Corporation: No specific solution found	Londoner	Home Theater, Audio, and Video	10	06-15-2005 07:07 PM
Computer Locks Up	russstodieck	Computer Hardware	2	02-18-2002 01:16 AM
Computer Locks Up	russstodieck	Computer Hardware	1	02-17-2002 07:16 PM

09-24-2007, 01:53 PM	#18
nod25 Member (5 bit) Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 20	I've decided not to go SLI and going to check out the new P35 Chipsets. I'm deciding b/t these 2 boards: any suggestions? ASUS P5K PREMIUM/WIFI-AP LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131190 ASUS P5K WS LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16813131185 I'm also getting Windows Vista 64 and this PSU instead: ENERMAX INFINITI EIN720AWT ATX12V/ EPS12V 720W Power Supply 100 - 240 V RoHS - Retail http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16817194021 Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter

09-25-2007, 02:32 AM	#19
nod25 Member (5 bit) Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 20	New Mobo that I'm getting: GIGABYTE GA-P35C-DS3R LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16813128048 Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter

09-25-2007, 09:18 AM	#20
Katreat Member (11 bit) Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,044	Asus is most recommended on these boards because of their history of quality and performance. However, Gigabyte tends to be considered a decent replacement so if that board has what you want then it should work fine. Your PSU pick still looks overpowered to me but having headroom is always good. But you could probably save another $50 and drop down to a Corsair 620 and still have 100w of headroom. Kat Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter

09-25-2007, 09:22 AM	#21
Fibre Optix Member (9 bit) Join Date: May 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 301	I agree. From the research I did P35 chipset is better than the 680i, it's compatible with the upcoming intel processors. I like the P5k. Ditch the SLI (you won't see a difference between 200 FPS and 260) take the money you would spend on a 2nd card save it and upgrade to a newer CPUs next year to a 1333 mhz, Good idea switching the original PSU. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter __________________ : Asus P5K Deluxe : Intel Q6600 : Zalman cnps9500 HS : Asus 8800 GTX : 1000watt Enermax PSU : Corsair XMS2 6400 800 mhz 2 GB RAM : WD 320 GB + 750 GB HDs : Antec nine Hundred :

Subscribe to THE INSIDER

Need Some Help? Type Your Keywords Here:

Still Need Help? Type Your Keywords Here:

Free Weekly Tech Newsletter