PC Build - LF any comments/suggestions/problems

[Technique]

Hi, Im just LF inputs on this new PC im building to support Crysis/Lineage II in full detail and be able to fraps at the same time. Technically, im just working around my old one but most of the upgrades are huge upgrades that I can pretty much consider this as a new PC.

Anyway, heres what I had in mind. (current setup down below)

ASUS Striker Extreme LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI ATX The Ultimate Gaming Motherboard $219
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...2E16813131074R

EVGA 768-P2-N831-A3 GeForce 8800GTX 768MB 384-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail $459.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130308

Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Conroe 2.66GHz 4M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor - Retail $189.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115029

Question is, do i really need to spend this much just to be able to fraps video games smoothly? Or am i spending too much? Any other suggestions on what i should buy instead?

Games I play
- Lineage II (mainly)
- Crysis (something I wanna try out)
- other new games that would require abt the same requirements of Crysis

Current Setup - replacing the ones in red
Intel D975XBX Motherboard
Intel Core 2 Duo 1.86 GHz E6300
Seagate 250GB SATA
NEC 16x Dual layer DVD+-R/W
2GB RAM
ATi x1900 XTX 512MB PCIE
Windows XP

im clueless when it comes to these things, and when i get the parts, ill most likely have it done by a professional. However, i just want a computer that will last long and not have any problems with fraps. Atm, my computer cant fraps with sounds on. Looked it up and it has something to do with my Integrated Sound Card. So I might as well upgrade everything else while im at it. I want the top of the line computer without having to spend too much that is necessary.

P.S.
first thing i wanna upgrade is the motherboard and im concerned if it will be compatible with the things I already have. What should I be looking out for as far as compatibility problems?

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by Technique Anyway, heres what I had in mind. (current setup down below) ASUS Striker Extreme LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI ATX The Ultimate Gaming Motherboard $219 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...2E16813131074R

Do you intend to use the SLi feature of this motherboard? If not, it's best to get a montherboard with a Intel chipset if you're using a Intel processor. I'd look at the ASUS P5K motherboards.

Originally Posted by Technique EVGA 768-P2-N831-A3 GeForce 8800GTX 768MB 384-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail $459.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130308 Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Conroe 2.66GHz 4M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor - Retail $189.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115029

Good choices.

Originally Posted by Technique Question is, do i really need to spend this much just to be able to fraps video games smoothly?

Unfortunately yes...if you want to play games like Crysis you need to spend some big bucks on near bleeding edge components. If you don't, don't expect to play these games (new and yet to be released) on high settings smoothly.

Originally Posted by Technique Or am i spending too much?

You can never spend too much for a gaming rig. The system demands of newer games is such that you have to keep up with the bleeding edge technologies just to play the coolest new games.

Originally Posted by Technique Any other suggestions on what i should buy instead?

Nothing that would save you any money.

Originally Posted by Technique Current Setup - replacing the ones in red 2GB RAM

What brand and speed is this RAM?

Originally Posted by Technique im clueless when it comes to these things, and when i get the parts, ill most likely have it done by a professional.

You're not going to do this yourself? That's the best part.

Originally Posted by Technique However, i just want a computer that will last long and not have any problems with fraps.

"Fraps"? Anyway, to have a computer that will "frap" a long time you have to put in very high end (and expensive) parts now.

Originally Posted by Technique Atm, my computer cant fraps with sounds on. Looked it up and it has something to do with my Integrated Sound Card.

On-board sound does put a load on the CPU...a separate sound card doesn't. I think you need a good sound card too.

Originally Posted by Technique So I might as well upgrade everything else while im at it.

So you basically want a new computer?

Originally Posted by Technique I want the top of the line computer without having to spend too much that is necessary.

Top of the line computer? That could easily cost over $5,000. How much do you want to spend on this project?

Originally Posted by Technique P.S. first thing i wanna upgrade is the motherboard and im concerned if it will be compatible with the things I already have. What should I be looking out for as far as compatibility problems?

Your parts are new enough that they'll work with a new motherboard...except maybe the optical drive. Is it SATA or IDE?

Cricket

[Technique]

Seagate 25-GB SATA 3g 7200RPM 8MB
Crucial 1GB DDR2 PC5300

as far as the SLi motherboard, right now its out of my budget to buy a 2nd gfx card but im sure in the next few months or so Ill test it out.

[Katreat]

Well, the SLI question is the big one you need to answer. Two 8800 GTX cards is faster than one, but the speed increase is nothing like double. From most tests in gaming you only see a 30-50% speed increase. Where SLI really shines is when you are gaming on a large (HUGE) monitor. If you are planning on playing games on a monitor greater than 24” and want to run high settings then SLI can be very effective.

But, if you are just looking to play games on a more normal sized monitor then one 8800 GTX will likely handle everything current games will throw at it. You will be money ahead just upgrading to the next generation video card next year when new games come out that push your system. History has shown that the next generation video card will beat two of the current generation in SLI.

Also, if you are not going to run SLI it is important to point out that the new P35 motherboards, like the P5K, where developed for the 1333 FSB CPUs. I have not read exactly how that effects performance but it will help to make sure that the CPU does not become the bottle-neck in the system. I don’t think any SLI boards use chipsets that where developed for the 1333 FSB CPUs.

Anyway, just a bit of information. Your choices will work just fine but I think you could save a bit in the long run just upgrading your video card a little sooner and forgetting about SLI.

Kat