New to this, need advice.

[Nivekious]

I'm looking into my first build, and I want something that will last a while. I plan on using the rig primarily for gaming, so I'm thinking I'll need to go pretty much top of the line on just about everything. I have a few questions though, as I really don't know how to get started.

Graphics Cards
Firstly, where can I find a motherboard that will support 4x SLI?

Second, is it worth going 4x SLI, especially if I'm planning to use Windows XP?

Third, where can I find a case that will fit four graphics cards and enough fans to keep them from catching fire?

Also, I've heard that NVIDEA may be releasing a 9 series soon. Does anyone know anything about this?

Processor

Are the Intel Core 2 Extremes worth the price jump from the Core 2 Quads?

Has there been any word on when the new Core 2 Extremes are coming out?

Memory

Is DDR3 RAM worth the price jump from DDR2?

Is 8 GB RAM likely to make any noticeable difference over 4 GB on a 64-bit version of Windows XP?

Cooling

How many fans will I need for all of this, and what kind would you recommend?

Display

How difficult would it be to set up an old laptop as a terminal?

Power

How do I figure out how big of a power supply I will need?



Well I think that just about covers everything. Also, you should probably know that while I am not going by any particular budget per say, I don't want to spend extra on something that will be completely useless to me. Thanks for your help.

[jayp42]

4 GPU's for gaming?!?!?! You don't need that unless you are a graphics enginear doing 3D rendering.

[Nivekious]

Well like I said, I want to make sure I'm set with this thing for as long as possible.

[TechGaloot]

Originally Posted by Nivekious Well like I said, I want to make sure I'm set with this thing for as long as possible.

Unfortunately, that'll be about 6-18 months no matter what you buy now. Changes happen too rapidly to ensure any real longevity. Changes both in hardware and software. So look at it from that perspective - you are only making a short term investment. Get what runs well now; and you can do that for a whole lot less cost. (You can then invest the difference and use that to pay for future builds. ) I have been gaming for over 20 years and I build a new machine about every 2 years. Things change so much that upgrades are not even feasible. So just start from scratch each time.

So relook at your list. I would strongly suggest a single quality video card and 4 gig of DDR2 ram. That will cut your cost a lot. Can't comment on the CPU because I'm stubbornly an AMD fan.

Good Luck and I'm sure others will be here to give some good advice.

edit: Oh BTW, why all the video power and only an old laptop for a display??? I just bought a 22" wide screen for my games and it is GREAT!!! (especially for about $225)

[Katreat]

I dont know if there are any 4 card boards out for SLI. I know the new Nividia 780i will run three in SLI........ and they are just comming out with a new 790i so that is probably where you need to be looking. Also, once you get to their site they have a list of what PSUs you will need for different SLI configuration. With that many cards I would definately make sure whatever I used was certified. Figuring about 400 watts per card that would be 1600 watts, but maybe multipul cards use less power......

All that being said tech is correct. For gaming, 4 cards are not necessary. SLI is really not necessary for the speed. It does help with very large monitors like the new 28-30 inch ones because it helps with the high resolutions. But if you are not using one of those you will be money ahead just getting a top of the line card and replacing it when the next generation comes out.

So unless they find that 4 video cards do something amazingly better than 2 video cards in SLI it just wont pay. The video card is already the single most expensive item in the case, put in 4 and your costs are going to be out of this world.

As for longevity, Intel has already annouced both a new processor and a new socket to come out in 6-9 months so whatever you build today will have maybe a year or so of upgrades then you will need to switch platforms anyway if you want to keep up with current tech.

Kat