Finalizing my new system (help me and win prizes!)

So I've been thinking of building a new computer for a while now. I've never done this before, so I need a little advise. Basically, it will be used for high-end gaming, video and audio editing/mastering/creating, multimedia, office, porn, and multitasking. My budget is around $2000 (excluding monitor), but it can be stretched if it absolutely needs to be.

As a little insentive for you to aid my quest, I will be giving out fabulous prizes to whoever I feel have helped me the most. I haven't determined what the prizes are yet, but the will be more valuable than veggie-mite. There will probably be 2-3 prizes, and I will decide who gets what once my rig is built.

I've decided to buy the parts around boxing day for a number of reasons. I should be able to snag some sales, and by then the Core2Duo chips might be a little cheaper. I'm not worried about DX10 right now, because I am not an early adopter. As such, this will be a DX9 machine.

Here is a run-down of what I'm looking at right now:

Tower:
Thermaltake Swing Black with Side Window. Not much to be said here.

CPU:
Intel Core 2 Duo E6600.
I'm pretty set on this. I had to swallow my pride to switch to Intel, but it looks like this is the best bang for your buck right now. The E6700 is about $200 more for a mere 259mhz difference, whereas the E6400 has half the L2 cache.

Video Card:
This is the big one. At this point I ask myself if its worth it to spend a couple hundred more for a Nvidia 8*** card, or stick with a nice DX9 card. Like I said before, I won't be upgrading to DX10 for a long while, so I can always upgrade at a later date, when prices go down. Right now though, I'm looking at this:
ATI Radeon X1959 XTX. It is the fastest DX9 card available, and packs quite a powerfull punch for its pricetag. My only concers are thus: I would like to stick with ATI, because the cards will support AA and HDR at the same time. However, I'm not sure if the monitor I am thinking of getting will support 1:1 resolutions from 4:3 sources on ATI cards (although this is another matter).

Hard Drive:
Shouldn't be a biggie. A friend is offering to sell me two 200GB Seagate Barracudas for $120 total. I'll throw these into a RAID-0 config to get SATA2 speeds with 400GB.

RAM:
So many choices! I know I want 2GB, PC2-6400, and I'd like some fairly quick timings. The OCZ Gold XTC PC2-6400 sticks seem like a good buy, but then again I don't know too much about different RAM makes. Any suggestions here would be appreciated.

Motherboard:
I haven't done alot of research here, but I know I want this much:

• SATA
• RAID
• Socket LGA-775
• 2 PCI-E slots (Incase I want to Crossfire/SLI in the future)
• 2 Gigabit LAN ports

Any other nifty extras would be nice, but not necessary. I have a few questions: Can I get a board that will do both Crossfire and SLI, or will I need a seperate board? Do I need a special board for DX10 cards?

PSU:
No fucking clue.

Monitor:
As it stands now, I will probably be getting the Dell 2407. Check out this thread for more info.

Keyboard, mouse, soundcard, disc drives, cooling, and other things are secondary, and I can get those later.

If anybody can reccomend any parts, deals, ideas, or anything I will most grateful. Again, I've never build something from the ground up, so I will be needing all the help I can get. I need to make sure all this stuff will be compatable with everything else.

Thanks once again!

Jam it back in, in the dark.

It would be a mistake to build a new system and not get an 8800, just my opinion though. You do want it to last as long as possible, right?

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by skankcore

It would be a mistake to build a new system and not get an 8800, just my opinion though. You do want it to last as long as possible, right?

Yeah, I'd like it to last a long while. The reason I'm not jumping into DX10 right away is the same reason I'm not jumping into Crossfire/SLI; I don't want to adopt bleeding edge technology. It would be wise to wait for the bugs to iron themselves out, and a high-end DX9 card will undeniably deliver amazing visuals (they may not be the best I could get, but who cares).

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

So When do you plan on building this? If it's now, then it looks good to me. I'd still rather wait for some DX10 so that you don't have to upgrade soon. It doesn't have to be the GeForce 8800, but a midrange DX10 card would work just fine. (I'm assuming there's going to be a GeForce 8600 of some sort).

But that's just my opinion. That computer will serve you very well for quite a while.

How ya doing, buddy?

I really think you should look at getting the 8800GTS. I mean, at 1920x1200, you are gonna need horsepower. Most sites don't recommend anything less than a Crossfire/SLI setup for that resolution. For example, look at the difference between the settings @ 1920x1200 in Oblivion between the X1950XTX and the 8800GTS. 8800GTS has all settings maxed out, HDR + AA, and it is running faster than the X1950XTX, while the X1950XTX has many features turned way down. And thats performance with DX9 games. You can get a 8800GTS for as low as $489 (with a copy of Dark Messiah of Might&Magic) or a X1950XTX for $389 with mail-in-rebate.

It doesn't matter how well the 8800GTS runs DX10, at the least it can run DX10. But that is mostly just a bonus because the 8800GTS will provide significantly better performance for your DX9 games @ 1920x1200. Definitely worth the extra $100 when you have a 1920x1200 display. Not only that, but GTSs have been overclocking very well and reaching GTX performance easily. Also, putting these in SLI would give uber-performance some day. It's much more future proof and wise than the X1950XTX.

If you plan on getting SLI/Crossfire someday, look here -> SLI PSUs <- and choose a PSU based on how much you plan to put on it. SLI certified is not necessary, but there are so many of them out there now, that you can choose one that is a good value. At the least, it's a great place to start so you can find what you need.

As to the motherboard, I believe there are a few that do either SLI or Crossfire. Can't remember what they are though. I'll get back to you.

RAM looks good. OCZ is a good brand.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Quote:

CPU:
Intel Core 2 Duo E6600.
I'm pretty set on this. I had to swallow my pride to switch to Intel, but it looks like this is the best bang for your buck right now. The E6700 is about $200 more for a mere 259mhz difference, whereas the E6400 has half the L2 cache.

Good choice on the CPU. Kairyu might disagree that the extra L2 cache doesn't make the difference, but I say otherwise. Kairyu overclocked (3.2GHz) past E6800 speeds yet didn't even beat my buddy's stock E6700 in terms of performance. The cache DOES make a huge difference.

Quote:

Video Card:
This is the big one. At this point I ask myself if its worth it to spend a couple hundred more for a Nvidia 8*** card, or stick with a nice DX9 card. Like I said before, I won't be upgrading to DX10 for a long while, so I can always upgrade at a later date, when prices go down. Right now though, I'm looking at this:
ATI Radeon X1959 XTX. It is the fastest DX9 card available, and packs quite a powerfull punch for its pricetag. My only concers are thus: I would like to stick with ATI, because the cards will support AA and HDR at the same time. However, I'm not sure if the monitor I am thinking of getting will support 1:1 resolutions from 4:3 sources on ATI cards (although this is another matter).

Seriously roflin' at the 8800 suggestions. The card is brand new but is already outdated. Come February, the new revision of that card, the 8900, will be released. It will sport wicked fast DDR4 memory and faster clock speeds and probably for the same price. They did the same thing with the 7800/7900. It's meant to be released at the same time as ATI's new R600-based card, so you could pick up your ATI then.

For now, you could pick up a cheap PCI-E card to tide you through winter.

Quote:

Hard Drive:
Shouldn't be a biggie. A friend is offering to sell me two 200GB Seagate Barracudas for $120 total. I'll throw these into a RAID-0 config to get SATA2 speeds with 400GB.

As much as I trust RAID-0 configurations, make sure you back up your most important information. I run a small file server with RAID-1 for total security because I keep client's web sites and personal files. You could run two drives in RAID-0 and two others in RAID-1 on the same motherboard if you even wanted.

Quote:

RAM:
So many choices! I know I want 2GB, PC2-6400, and I'd like some fairly quick timings. The OCZ Gold XTC PC2-6400 sticks seem like a good buy, but then again I don't know too much about different RAM makes. Any suggestions here would be appreciated.

I would recommend going with Corsair XMS2 PC2-6400. It's known to be more stable, and operates at a standard lower voltage and is a great overclocker. Both me and my buddy use the stuff, after he RMA'd his OCZ.
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...acture=CORSAIR

Also, take note that RAM prices are fairly volatile right now for some reason.

Quote:

Motherboard:
I haven't done alot of research here, but I know I want this much:

• SATA
• RAID
• Socket LGA-775
• 2 PCI-E slots (Incase I want to Crossfire/SLI in the future)
• 2 Gigabit LAN ports

Any other nifty extras would be nice, but not necessary. I have a few questions: Can I get a board that will do both Crossfire and SLI, or will I need a seperate board? Do I need a special board for DX10 cards?

No special board is needed for DX10. I'd recommend the Intel D975XBX, AKA the BadAxe. It's the most stable Conroe board, period yet can overclock just as good as any of the other boards. There is the ASUS which is about $30 cheaper, but from my friend's testing, has a bunch of weird instabilities. This board has all of those features that you listed. And I see that you are looking for Dual gigabit ports, which isn't a feature of the BadAxe, but adding a NIC shouldn't be much of a problem.

Quote:

PSU:
No fucking clue.

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...acture=ENERMAX
A very good power supply by a reliable manufacturer. Since you're worried about Crossfire/SLI, you'll need something with some decent wattage and amperage. Best of both worlds here. The cables are modular too for good cable management.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Render

Seriously roflin' at the 8800 suggestions. The card is brand new but is already outdated. Come February, the new revision of that card, the 8900, will be released. It will sport wicked fast DDR4 memory and faster clock speeds and probably for the same price. They did the same thing with the 7800/7900. It's meant to be released at the same time as ATI's new R600-based card, so you could pick up your ATI then.

I usually agree with you Render, but I have to disagree with you here. Even when the 8900s come out (which we don't know when they will release) that won't make an 8800GTS obsolete. Also no one really knows what R600 holds, when it will be here, or how much it will cost. Later, he will have the choice to either buy a second 8800GTS at a lower price than now, and SLI 'em (which will be faster than a 8900GTX), or to resell it for a bit of a loss and pick a newer card.

Quote:

For now, you could pick up a cheap PCI-E card to tide you through winter.

This might be the best option.
But then again, buying a $100-200 card and upgrading later has got to be worse than buying a 8800 now and selling later for $100 less than it was purchased for later.

Either that or wait till about Feb-April for the whole upgrade. Quad-core, 8900s and R600 will all be coming out about then, and Vista will be out. If you want way cutting edge, high-end and future-proof, waiting till then might be the best bet. Otherwise, I say pick up what is best right now, and plan to ride that machine for 1.5 years. A Core2Duo with 8800GTS should last you well into 2008 no matter what comes out in Spring '07, or Winter '07 for that matter. I'm sure Crysis/Alan Wake will run fine on a C2D 8800GTS system, and these are the most intensive games coming '08.

FELIPE NO

I guess I'll start with the video card, as that will be the most fickle part. Oh, and I must mention, that I am in Canada, so parts will be more expensive for me to obtain.

Originally Posted by Dayvon

I really think you should look at getting the 8800GTS. I mean, at 1920x1200, you are gonna need horsepower. Most sites don't recommend anything less than a Crossfire/SLI setup for that resolution. For example, look at the difference between the settings @ 1920x1200 in Oblivion between the X1950XTX and the 8800GTS. 8800GTS has all settings maxed out, HDR + AA, and it is running faster than the X1950XTX, while the X1950XTX has many features turned way down. And thats performance with DX9 games.

I took a look at those results, and I am amazed. When I was originally thinking of getting an X1950 XTX, I didn't have a 1920x1200 display in mind. But now that I do, it is clear that I will need something with a little more power. I probably should go for a DX10 card, now that I look at it. There is a significant performance increase between the 8800GTS and the 8800GTX, but it comes with a $200 price difference. Seeing as the 8800GTS is the same price as the X1950XTX, this is probably the best option. You say that it can be overclocked to 8800GTX speeds, but I don't think I want to get into overclocking just yet.[/QUOTE]

Originally Posted by Render

As much as I trust RAID-0 configurations, make sure you back up your most important information. I run a small file server with RAID-1 for total security because I keep client's web sites and personal files. You could run two drives in RAID-0 and two others in RAID-1 on the same motherboard if you even wanted.

Yeah I thought about that, that way I would have super fast HD speeds as well as automatic backup. That would add alot more to the cost, though. I've never had a HD failure in the past, so I think I will take my chances. I always have a 150GB external which I could automatically backup certain directories to each day.

[QUOTE=Render]I would recommend going with Corsair XMS2 PC2-6400. It's known to be more stable, and operates at a standard lower voltage and is a great overclocker. Both me and my buddy use the stuff, after he RMA'd his OCZ.
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...acture=CORSAIR
I'm not an overclocker, so the only real advantage I see is that this RAM has lower timings. It may be worth the extra $50, but I'll take a look at prices closer to boxing day.

Originally Posted by Render

No special board is needed for DX10. I'd recommend the Intel D975XBX, AKA the BadAxe. It's the most stable Conroe board, period yet can overclock just as good as any of the other boards. There is the ASUS which is about $30 cheaper, but from my friend's testing, has a bunch of weird instabilities. This board has all of those features that you listed. And I see that you are looking for Dual gigabit ports, which isn't a feature of the BadAxe, but adding a NIC shouldn't be much of a problem.

This board looks nice, but now that I am thinking of switching to Nvidia, it won't work. This isn't a final decision, though, so I'll keep this board in mind.

Originally Posted by Dayvon

I usually agree with you Render, but I have to disagree with you here. Even when the 8900s come out (which we don't know when they will release) that won't make an 8800GTS obsolete. Also no one really knows what R600 holds, when it will be here, or how much it will cost. Later, he will have the choice to either buy a second 8800GTS at a lower price than now, and SLI 'em (which will be faster than a 8900GTX), or to resell it for a bit of a loss and pick a newer card.

I was thinking the same. An 8800GTS will tide me through for atleast next year, and by that time, a $500 upgrade to an SLI'd 8800 configuration will be tough to beat.

Originally Posted by Dayvon

Either that or wait till about Feb-April for the whole upgrade. Quad-core, 8900s and R600 will all be coming out about then, and Vista will be out. If you want way cutting edge, high-end and future-proof, waiting till then might be the best bet.

I've been putting this off for long enough. I keep telling myself to wait untill the next thing comes out, so I don't get stuck in the past. However, if I keep doing that, I won't get anywhere. I just need to jump in, and this winter looks like the best time (I'm not planning on getting Vista untill atleast a few months after its release).

Just a couple questions: In order to use DX10, I must be using Vista, correct?
Also, should I pay attention to the relationships between the motherboard's FSB mhz, the RAM's mhz, and the videocard's mhz? Also, it seems that Nvidia has fixed the issue with AA + HDR with their DX10 cards. Atleast, it seemed that way from the HardOCP review. Can anyone confirm?

I am positively overwhelmed at the amount of support you people are giving me. Thanks so much!

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

First off, I agree with your thoughts. Upgrade now, it'll be worth it and you'll love your new system. The 8800GTS will do quite nicely for you.

Originally Posted by Free.User

Just a couple questions: In order to use DX10, I must be using Vista, correct?
Also, should I pay attention to the relationships between the motherboard's FSB mhz, the RAM's mhz, and the videocard's mhz? Also, it seems that Nvidia has fixed the issue with AA + HDR with their DX10 cards. Atleast, it seemed that way from the HardOCP review. Can anyone confirm?

I am positively overwhelmed at the amount of support you people are giving me. Thanks so much!

DX10 = Vista. There will be no DX10 for WindowsXP.

Pay attention to the RAM and Motherboard compatabilities (eg. DDR2-800, 667, etc). GPU Mhz doesn't really matter for compatabilities.

Nvidia's default AF is better than ATI's HQ AF, and yes the 8800s do HDR+AA, and their AA is better quality.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

If you're going to SLI, then you might want to consider a motherboard with the nVidia nForce 680i chipset. Dual gigabit ethernet ports and all the other bells an whistles. It's supposed to be just as fast as the 975X chipset.

And I'm still disagreeing on the video card upgrade. Either the 8900 or the R600 is going to premiere in February - March and will be a significant upgrade over the 8800 for no increase in price. It's not even like there's a DX10 game to run in the meantime, so a cheapo card like a 7600GT would tide you over until the new cards come.

For those who know, the 8800 is most likely going to go the way of the FX5900.

DX10 is only Vista. I WISH they would just give XP support, but we all know that won't happen.

And, yes, you should be making note of your FSB to DRAM ratio. But if you aren't going to overclock, it shouldn't be a problem. Running an E6600 and PC2-6400, your FSB to DRAM ratio will be 533/800. This means you have a lot of headroom in terms of memory bandwidth, so if you wanted to overclock or get a faster CPU in the future, you won't be limited by the speed of your memory.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Render

And I'm still disagreeing on the video card upgrade. Either the 8900 or the R600 is going to premiere in February - March and will be a significant upgrade over the 8800 for no increase in price. It's not even like there's a DX10 game to run in the meantime, so a cheapo card like a 7600GT would tide you over until the new cards come.

But when that time comes, the 8800 will still provide an amazing gameplay experience. By around May, I could buy another 8800, SLI them, and have something that is insanely better than a single 8900. Also, if I am going to be using a 1620x1200 display, I need a card that will deliver at that resolution. The best option here is the 8800.

Originally Posted by Render

For those who know, the 8800 is most likely going to go the way of the FX5900.

What happened to the FX5900, and why do you think that?

Originally Posted by Render

And, yes, you should be making note of your FSB to DRAM ratio. But if you aren't going to overclock, it shouldn't be a problem. Running an E6600 and PC2-6400, your FSB to DRAM ratio will be 533/800. This means you have a lot of headroom in terms of memory bandwidth, so if you wanted to overclock or get a faster CPU in the future, you won't be limited by the speed of your memory.

Sounds good, thanks for the tip.

How ya doing, buddy?

I second the 680i NForce board. So far they are supposedly the best new thang. Although we aren't seeing them with great overclocking yet initial results from various sources have been good.

@Render-

What I don't get is how buying and throwing away a $150 7600GT (that can't run games well at 1920x1200) is better than buying a $500 8800GTS and then selling it in March for $350? Even if you don't throw it away, you can't sell a 7600GT in March but for $50 maybe (since 8600s will be out). It seems to me even if the 8800GTS (which is faster by large percentages than other current hardware) becomes obsolete in a few months, the buying it and selling it gives him great performance for 4 months at the same cost. And if it doesn't, he can SLI it for performance in the stratosphere.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

I've been looking around at 680i motherboards, and I've narrowed it down to two choices:

ASUS P5N32-E
EVGA Nforce 680I

Both go for $299.99 and are relatively the same. However, the EVGA supports 1200MHz SLI-Ready RAM (no sure if I would use it, but nice to have just in case), and the Asus has some nifty features. What do you guys reccomend?

I was speaking idiomatically.

I'd be a little more prone to the eVGa board, simply because I've lost faith with Asus and their shitty motherboards over the last year. Their AMD AM2 offerings were weak, and the BadAxe competitors weren't as solid or stable as the BadAxe itself.

eVGA, on the other hand, is nVidia's largest partner when it comes to video cards. Their video cards are excellent and I would be lead to believe that their motherboards are decent as well. 1200MHz RAM is insane, but that really isn't much of a stretch into the future. I'm running my ram 1066MHz (overclocking) so I'm convinced that by next year we'll see some CPUs take advantage of that.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Render

I'd be a little more prone to the eVGa board, simply because I've lost faith with Asus and their shitty motherboards over the last year. Their AMD AM2 offerings were weak, and the BadAxe competitors weren't as solid or stable as the BadAxe itself.

eVGA, on the other hand, is nVidia's largest partner when it comes to video cards. Their video cards are excellent and I would be lead to believe that their motherboards are decent as well. 1200MHz RAM is insane, but that really isn't much of a stretch into the future. I'm running my ram 1066MHz (overclocking) so I'm convinced that by next year we'll see some CPUs take advantage of that.

Awesome, thanks. I guess I'll go for the EVGA then, unless anyone can think of a better alternative.

As for the video card (8800 GTS), which brand would you reccomend? I haven't looked at the differences, but I have a large list to choose from:

Asus EN8800GTS/HTDP/640M
BFG NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB
Biostar GeForce 8800GTS (VP8803GS63)
Chaintech APOGEE GAE88GTS-A1
Espco Eagle GeForce 8800GTS
EVGA GeForce 8800GTS
Foxconn GeForce 8800GTS (FV-N88SMBD2-OD)
Gainward Bliss 8800GTS PCX
Galaxy Galaxy GeForce 8800GTS
Geniman GeForce 8800GTS-640
Gigabyte GeForce 8800GTS (GV-NV88S640H-RH)
InnoVISION Inno3D GeForce 8800GTS
Leadtek WinFast® PX8800 GTS TDH
MSI GeForce 8800GTS (V801)
Palit GeForce 8800GTS
PNY GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB (VCG88GTSXPB)
Prolink GeForce 8800GTS (PV-N88GSE(640XS)-F)
Sparkle GeForce 8800GTS (SF-PX88GTS)
XFX GeForce 8800GTS (PV-T80G-THF9)
XpertVision GeForce 8800GTS

Out of those, I've only ever heard of PNY, MSI, Leadtek, Gigabyte, EVGA, BFG, and ASUS.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Free.User

I've been looking around at 680i motherboards, and I've narrowed it down to two choices:

ASUS P5N32-E
EVGA Nforce 680I

Both go for $299.99 and are relatively the same. However, the EVGA supports 1200MHz SLI-Ready RAM (no sure if I would use it, but nice to have just in case), and the Asus has some nifty features. What do you guys reccomend?

Obviously they are both kick ass. Either one would be stellar.

If I had to pick, I'd go with the Asus. 2 reasons. Because Asus I believe is a slightly more trusted name. I would count on better overclocking via the Asus board. Secondly, their appears to be a better audio solution on the Asus. I can't find any info about digital ins/outs for the EVGA. You didn't list a sound card in your original post, so it will be important to have great audio options onboard. The Asus is listed as having DTS support as well as more connections etc.

I wouldn't worry about the higher RAM speed difference. Your RAM speed will be dang high after you start overclocking anyway, and the difference between 800 and 1200 will not be THAT significant performance-wise, and I think you won't be missing out on anything.

Double Post:

Originally Posted by Free.User

Awesome, thanks. I guess I'll go for the EVGA then, unless anyone can think of a better alternative.

As for the video card (8800 GTS), which brand would you reccomend? I haven't looked at the differences, but I have a large list to choose from:

Asus EN8800GTS/HTDP/640M
BFG NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB
Biostar GeForce 8800GTS (VP8803GS63)
Chaintech APOGEE GAE88GTS-A1
Espco Eagle GeForce 8800GTS
EVGA GeForce 8800GTS
Foxconn GeForce 8800GTS (FV-N88SMBD2-OD)
Gainward Bliss 8800GTS PCX
Galaxy Galaxy GeForce 8800GTS
Geniman GeForce 8800GTS-640
Gigabyte GeForce 8800GTS (GV-NV88S640H-RH)
InnoVISION Inno3D GeForce 8800GTS
Leadtek WinFast® PX8800 GTS TDH
MSI GeForce 8800GTS (V801)
Palit GeForce 8800GTS
PNY GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB (VCG88GTSXPB)
Prolink GeForce 8800GTS (PV-N88GSE(640XS)-F)
Sparkle GeForce 8800GTS (SF-PX88GTS)
XFX GeForce 8800GTS (PV-T80G-THF9)
XpertVision GeForce 8800GTS

Out of those, I've only ever heard of PNY, MSI, Leadtek, Gigabyte, EVGA, BFG, and ASUS.

Video card go with eVGA or BFG.

EVGA has the best warrenty/trade-up program around. Something like you can credit back your card towards a new within the first 60-90 days of purchase or something. Great value and service as well as well made cards. Found a link for the Step-Up program.

BFG is also great for the same reasons without the trad-up program. Reliability, quality as well as good service.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Dayvon

You didn't list a sound card in your original post, so it will be important to have great audio options onboard. The Asus is listed as having DTS support as well as more connections etc.

I'm into heavy audio editing, so I'm going to be picking up EMU and Creative cards. I don't care one way or another about onboard sound.

Originally Posted by Dayvon

BFG is also great for the same reasons without the trad-up program. Reliability, quality as well as good service.

Yeah, and I remember when those Nvidia 7 series cards were being overlocked to the point where they were becoming defective, BFG were the only ones to keep the clock speeds at a reasonable level so they wouldn't fuck up.

Thanks for the info, that step-up program looks awesome (especially if Nvidia releases a new DX10 card in february).

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Free.User

Thanks for the info, that step-up program looks awesome (especially if Nvidia releases a new DX10 card in february).

Exactly why I mentioned it ...

Double Post:
Just found this deal at a forum... EVGA NF680i + EVGA 8800GTS = $669
It's listed as out of stock, but you could give ClubIT a call and see if you can get that deal, because it is a great deal.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Dayvon

Just found this deal at a forum... EVGA NF680i + EVGA 8800GTS = $669
It's listed as out of stock, but you could give ClubIT a call and see if you can get that deal, because it is a great deal.

The trouble is, I am in Canada, and I'm trying to buy everything from NCIX (they have a $50 membership fee that will cover all your purchases and stuff, and pay any shipping for returns etc).

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Alright, so far this much is final:

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
Motherboard: EVGA NForce 680I
Video Card: EVGA NVidia 8800 GTS

Now as far as RAM goes, what would you guys reccomend out of the two:
Corsair XMS2 TWIN2X2048-6400C4 2GB 2X1GB PC6400 DDR2-800 CL 4-4-4-12
OCZ Gold XTC PC2-6400 2GB 2X1GB DDR2-800 CL5-5-5-12

I know that both Corsair and OCZ are good brands, but is it worth paying about $50 for the lower timings?

Hard Drives, sound cards and CD/DVD drives are being taken care of, I don't need any advice for those.

As for the PSU with this configuration, how many watts do you think I'd need? I'm thinking 600 to play it safe. Also, if I run a system with an underpowered/overpowered PSU, do I risk damaging anything?

Thanks again!

Most amazing jew boots

Originally Posted by Free.User

Alright, so far this much is final:

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
Motherboard: EVGA NForce 680I
Video Card: EVGA NVidia 8800 GTS

Now as far as RAM goes, what would you guys reccomend out of the two:
Corsair XMS2 TWIN2X2048-6400C4 2GB 2X1GB PC6400 DDR2-800 CL 4-4-4-12
OCZ Gold XTC PC2-6400 2GB 2X1GB DDR2-800 CL5-5-5-12

I know that both Corsair and OCZ are good brands, but is it worth paying about $50 for the lower timings?

Hard Drives, sound cards and CD/DVD drives are being taken care of, I don't need any advice for those.

As for the PSU with this configuration, how many watts do you think I'd need? I'm thinking 600 to play it safe. Also, if I run a system with an underpowered/overpowered PSU, do I risk damaging anything?

Thanks again!

You can't go wrong with either of those memory pairs. Both will give you great performance. OCZ is great, but Corsair has been the "best" for quite a while. The timings can give a difference. It really depends how much you want the VERY best. I would probably buy the OCZ, unless you want to spring for the best enthusiast RAM, Corsair Dominator. The XMS is great RAM but if you are gonna spend that much, you might as well go the distance for a few bucks more.

As to a PSU, after checking the SLI-certified list and browsing your e-tailer, I think this SilverStone 750W Zeus PSU is probably your best bet. Four 18a 12v rails that can pull 720W. It's a beast that will last you into the future (say 8800GTS SLI) which is what it is rated for. Modular cabling is a BIG plus. It seems like a outstanding sale price too.

And yes, under powering your system is very bad. Your PSU could fail and potentially ruin all your components when it goes down. Or, it won't even boot your system. So underpowering is bad. You can't "overpower" a rig either, unless you up voltages in your BIOS. A decent amount of power will slightly exceed the maximum wattage/amperage that your system can pull. For instance, if your system can pull 500W, you could run a 520W-550W PSU. However, this is not highly recommended because it puts a heavy load on your PSU, and that can lead to PSU failure over time. A great amount of power would be like a 500W system with a 600W PSU. That gives alot of breathing room, and your PSU never breaks a sweat. This = now PSU worries.

EDIT:
I just did some more memory research, and EPP certified RAM is supposedly easier/better overclocking on Nvidia motherboards. The OCZ is not EPP, but the XMS and Dominator are EPP. If you aren't an experienced OCer, it might be better to spring for the Corsair RAMs.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Dayvon

As to a PSU, after checking the SLI-certified list and browsing your e-tailer, I think this SilverStone 750W Zeus PSU is probably your best bet. Four 18a 12v rails that can pull 720W. It's a beast that will last you into the future (say 8800GTS SLI) which is what it is rated for. Modular cabling is a BIG plus. It seems like a outstanding sale price too.

Do I really need 750 watts? That seems like quite a bit. Also, because this PSU has 80mm fans, reviewers have said that this is quite a loud unit. If possible, I'd like to find one that is whisper quiet, and lower wattage (If I can run everything safely). Also, just to get this strait, you're saying that if I run a system with a more than capable PSU (way more wattage than needed), I don't risk damaging anything? One more thing, if you don't mind: What is modular cabling? Thanks!

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Free.User

Do I really need 750 watts? That seems like quite a bit. Also, because this PSU has 80mm fans, reviewers have said that this is quite a loud unit. If possible, I'd like to find one that is whisper quiet, and lower wattage (If I can run everything safely). Also, just to get this strait, you're saying that if I run a system with a more than capable PSU (way more wattage than needed), I don't risk damaging anything? One more thing, if you don't mind: What is modular cabling? Thanks!

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...acture=ENERMAX

Enermax is a much more reliable brand, and I just bought this PSU myself. I read a lot of reviews for this, and this will handle SLi 8800s. A single 120mm fan and modular cables, can't go wrong. And, by the way, you can't damage a system with a powerful power supply. You just raise the limit on the amount of power you can draw from it (ie: adding more hard drives or video cards).

If you look at the photos for the power supply I linked to above, you should be able to see what modular cabling is. You have the option to run as much or as little power cabling as you need. Do this helps improve airflow and increases workable space inside a case.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Render

[url]And, by the way, you can't damage a system with a powerful power supply. You just raise the limit on the amount of power you can draw from it (ie: adding more hard drives or video cards).

So well said I had to quote it.

That Enermax does look like a good buy. And modular cabling FTW. I don't have much money to spend, so I bought a great ~$50 500W PSU but it didn't have modular cabling and I have a MicroATX case. It sucked.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Render

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...acture=ENERMAX

Enermax is a much more reliable brand, and I just bought this PSU myself. I read a lot of reviews for this, and this will handle SLi 8800s. A single 120mm fan and modular cables, can't go wrong. And, by the way, you can't damage a system with a powerful power supply. You just raise the limit on the amount of power you can draw from it (ie: adding more hard drives or video cards).

I just read some reviews on this (and the 620W version), and they say its fan volume is higher than average (at medium to high temperatures). However, I don't really have anything to compare it too. What would you say about the noise of this unit? Also, do you think it would be worth it to pay a bit more to go for a 600W unit, so that I won't have to buy another PSU in the future?

EDIT: What are your thoughts on this one? Reviews state it to be highly efficient and quiet.

Jam it back in, in the dark.