Building gaming pc

[Chaos-Energy]

Ok it's my first time building my own pc so I have absolutely no experience whatsoever. I chose a few parts but I don't know that they're all compatible with each other.
The price shouldn't exceed $1,500

Mobo: MSI P965 Platinum (Not swapping this)

CPU: Intel Pentium D950
I've been hearing a lot of good things about the 2 Core series but I have no idea what's so good about it seeing as this one has higher specs. (I think)
So can anyone explain what the big difference is?

GPU: Probably getting a cheap 8800 because I want a DirectX10 compatible one. Might buy a new ATI if they're better. (Still have several months before buying & building.)

RAM: 2x1GB, need help w/ brands etc...

DVD Burner: Looking for a cheap one, preferably black.

HDD: Western Digital Caviar 250GB
I think this is good.

Speakers: Currently I'm looking at Logitech X-230, pretty simple and cheap.

Keyboard: Saitek PZ30AU USB wired
Looks good, I want one that glows, preferably blue. Not too expensive either.

Mouse: Razer Copperhead Tempest Blue 2000 DPI (unlikely I'll swap this)

Monitor: Acer AL2016W 20" 8ms Widescreen

What I still need:
- A case
- Sound card
- Cooling, no idea about this
- PSU
- Anything else I forgot

Thanks!

 

[UAL3312]

the Pentium D's run hot and the FSB speed is a bit lower, i honestly cant tell you exactly why the Core 2 Duo is faster, but it is.

for the GPU i have an 8800GTX and i get 140FPS in FEAR at max settings 305 as a max FR

for RAM i like Corsair or Gskill pickup a matched set of DDR2 800

DVD burner: they all work, pick one

HD is fine

case is kinda your preference sound card X-Fi if you do

PSU 500-600 watts should be sufficient

 

[WR2]

CPU: Intel Pentium D950
I've been hearing a lot of good things about the 2 Core series but I have no idea what's so good about it seeing as this one has higher specs. (I think)
So can anyone explain what the big difference is?

Compare performance of Pent D 950 3.4Ghz $235 vs C2D E6400 2.13 Ghz $229
Compare all the different benchmarks.

 

[jaguarskx]

CPU: Intel Pentium D950
I've been hearing a lot of good things about the 2 Core series but I have no idea what's so good about it seeing as this one has higher specs. (I think)
So can anyone explain what the big difference is?

The Core 2 Duo represents a newer more efficient design. The Pentium is now considered "old school". Intel used to push people thinking that speed (MHz) means everything. AMD proved them wrong when thier lower clocked CPUs can perform just as well or better than a higher clocked Pentium 4/D.

The main improvement which is easy to grasp by people who don't know CPU tech is the fact that the Core 2 Duo CPU can process 4 instructions per clock cycle; the old Pentium could only process 3 instructions per clock cycle. Right there is a 33% boost in performance.

Other things to consider is that the Core 2 Duo is not a power hog; the fastest CPU, X6800 consumes only about 66w of power. The Pentium D 820 (which is slower than the D 950) consumes about 145w of power. More power consumed not only means higher electricity bills, but also more heat inside the case which can eventually cause the PC to fail if you do not cool it properly.

Read the following review (one of dozens that can be found on the net):

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/core2duo-shootout.html

 

[jaguarskx]

- Sound card
- PSU

Sound card - Either Soundblaster's Audigy 2 or the X-FI.

PSU -

If you go with the Core 2 Duo then a Seasonic S12 500 will be fine.
If you want the Pentium D 950, then get the Seasonic S12 600.

List of Seasonic Power Supplies

 

[Chaos-Energy]

Ok thanks everyone. I'm one of the people that thought MHz is everything.

After seeing those benchmarks I'm definitely getting a Core 2 Duo now.

Now just one more question: how many fans should my case have?

 

[UAL3312]

3-4 should be fine

so like 3 as Exhaust(blowing air Out)

1 pushing air in,

thats what im doing and it does a good job

 

[Chaos-Energy]

Oh another question: Does the MSI P965 Platinum have an on-board sound card?

 

[WR2]

how many fans should my case have?

I think two 120mm low noise fans should be enough for any case.
COOLER MASTER Centurion 534 RC-534 $30 after rebate is a decent case at a good price. The front 120mm fan slot (fan not included) at the front will take cool air in past the hard drives and the rear 120mm fan exausts hot air from the case. EVERCOOL SFF-12 120mm Case Fan $10
If you're considering the BIG 8800GTX video card you'll probably want a case with a removable hard disk drive cage to make room for the extra long video card.

The MSI P965 Platinum does have onboard sound.

 

[Chaos-Energy]

Okay thanks everyone for all your help. I think I got it all now, if anyone wants to add/edit anything, go ahead.

Mobo: MSI P965 Platinum
Price: $134.99 - €103.10


CPU: Core 2 Duo
Price: $218.50 - €166.88


GPU: 8800GTX
Price: $649.99 - €496.443


RAM: G.SKILL 2x1GB DDR2 800
Price: $199.99 - €152.74


HDD: Western Digital Caviar 250GB
Price: $74.99 - €57.27



DVD Burner: LG 18X DVD±R
Price: $30.99 - €23.66


Sound card: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite
Price: on-board? - €


Speakers: Logitech X-230
Price: $31.75 - €24.24


Keyboard: Saitek PZ30AU USB wired
Price: $44.99 - €34.36


Mouse: RAZER Copperhead Tempest Blue 2000DPI
Price: $53.99 - €41.23


Monitor: Acer AL2016W 20" 8ms widescreen
Price: $259.99 - €198.57


PSU: SeaSonic S12-500 ATX12V 500W Power Supply
Price: $119.99 - €91.64


Case: COOLER MASTER Centurion 534 RC-534-KKN2-GP
Price: $44,99 - €34.36


Fan: EVERCOOL SFF-12 120mm Case Fan
Price: $9,99 - €7.63



Total price: €1432.12

All prices are from Newegg.com. I'll probably search around a bit more for some cheaper prices.

 

[WR2]

I see you went for the BIG 8800GTX video card.
Because of that I think a case change is in order just to be safe.
LIAN LI PC-7B plus II $80 after rebate

The picture shows it has extra room in the case where the video card will go. Also it comes with a 2nd 120mm case fan so you won't need the extra case fan in your list.
Add a 500-600watt PSU such as the Antec True Power Trio 550W $85 after rebate The Seasonic you listed is a good choice too.
http://froogle.google.com/ is a good way to check prices.

 

[Chaos-Energy]

Yeah I was already looking around for another case because I heard the 8800GTX was pretty huge. Thanks for that one, looks pretty nice and it comes with a second fan so I can cut that off my list.

Just one thing, one of the reviews said the fans are poor. Should I keep them or replace them with the one on my list?

 

[WR2]

There is no reason you cant decide, after you try out the case, if the fans meet your requirements or not. They're easy to change out and you can probably get case fans locally.

 

[skyguy]

I wish Lian-Li made some cases with windows as a standalone model instead of optional.....hard to find here in Canuckland. I love their cases but the affordable ones are rather "plain".....I appreciate the simple elegance but something to dress it up would be nice. Some may find that blasphemous, but it's a shame to have such a nice setup inside and no way to show it off

The functionality and build quality is amazing, but so.......sober.....in its design.

 

[Chaos-Energy]

Well the case is "only" $80 and I have to watch my budget as I am only 15 years old. When I make enough money with my vacation job or something I might switch cases. For now, that'll do.

 

[WR2]

Change out the 8800GTX for the GTS and you'll save a lot of money... and cases will be a lot easier to find. You'll also be able to use a decent 450W PSU.

 

[UAL3312]

i would say no go on the 8800GTS its a bit cheaper but it has half the good stuff

 

[WR2]

Saving $300+ and not having to sacrifice any playability is nothing to sneeze at.

None of us will be able to notice any difference between 90FPS and 107FPS.
GeForce 8800 GTX/GTS Overclocking

 

[UAL3312]

aye but a few months to a year down the line, it most certainly will be

 

[Chaos-Energy]

Thanks but I'm still going for the GTX because these things are expensive and I don't want to get a new one any time soon.

 

[skyguy]

GTS can be overclocked to get close to GTX. A 5% difference in performance for $hundreds less? Sounds like a helluva deal to me.

 

[UAL3312]

nuh-uh. too many differences in the board setup with RAM and PPL etc to render it near equal in todays games it performs well, a year down the line when those extra pipelines are needed that is when you will see a big difference

 

[skyguy]

And newer models won't come out? Prices won't fall? This card will buck the trend of the past 6 years and live at the top of the heap for a couple years?

I find that hard to believe. Better, faster, cheaper cards will always be released. Getting a GTX in the theory that it will "last" for a long time is the same folly that people thought a fast Radeon 9800 would last a long time and kick ass too. Same goes for ALL technology.

A GTX will rock for awhile. Then the next higher-end card will arrive and smoke it too. And the next, and the next. Such is the way of video cards. Nobody even knows what requirements DX10 games, etc will have. The 8800 GTX might prove to be a mediocre card at best in a year and a half for DX10 games.

If you have the answers though, we'd all love to hear them

 

[UAL3312]

yes but better to spend that extra couple hundred and make it last longer, then just go out and buy another 500 dollar card asap

 

[skyguy]

Debatable, but depends on the scenario I guess. By the time DX10 games come out, someone could use a 7600GT for now until then, and prices on the DX10 cards will have fallen quite a bit I would imagine. If someone could wait, that is. So the 8800GTX might be alot cheaper by then, or that person could choose to spend that "couple hundred extra" and get the newest best card.

It's a losing battle, I tell ya.........