Input Needed

[Weeby12]

I am building a new gaming system, and by this I mean complete and total "overkill". I am looking for some comments on where I can improve my performance in my pieces without breaking my wallet. Also I will be overclocking this slightly, so if anyone spots something that doesn't OC as well as another, please yell at me. SPECS:

CPU = Intel Pentium 4 661
3.6GHz 800FSB 2MB L2 Cache LGA775
Retail (65nm)

MOBO = ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe
(ATX) nForce4 SLI X16 Chipset, Skt.939 Athlon64/FX/X2
PCI-E SLI Dual X16 Mode, Dual DDR, 2000MT/s HT Bus
with 8Ch. Audio, Dual Gb LAN, 1394a, USB2.0

2GPU = eVGA nVidia GeForce 8800 GTX, 8800GTX 768MB DDR3 PCI-E

RAM = OCZ Dual Channel GOLD Edition DDR2
PC2-6400 EL 2GB (2x1024MB) DDR2 800Mhz
OCZ28002048ELDCGE-K

Hard Drive = Seagate Barracuda 250 GB SATA 3Gb/s
8MB Cache - 7200rpm
ST3250824AS

PSU = OCZ GameXStream 700W SLI Ready Power Supply PSU


Thats a general overview of the system, please correct my mistakes

 

[apt403]

that CPU is going to run as hot as a furnace and bottleneck your gfx cards. get a c2d, it'll be MUCH better. i dont really see why you would even thing of getting a P4 in a system that expensive.

 

[sithscout80]

You have an Intel processor and an AMD motherboard, that doesn't work.

Like apt403 suggested, get a Core 2 Duo system. You mention not breaking your wallet, how much do you have to spend?

 

[I]

Add a hammer to that list, you can't make a P4 fit in a socket 939 motherboard without one.

 

[apt403]

Add a hammer to that list, you can't make a P4 fit in a socket 939 motherboard without one.

If you have a pair of wire cutters, a soldering iron, some small paper clips, and a whole lot of time you could make it fit, probably wont work, but it'll fit.

 

[JMecc]

Basically, get the Core2Duo E6600 with the Asus P5B-Deluxe & overclock according to wusy's guide. For this you'll need at least DDR2-667, but may as well go for 800 since the prices are so similar. I like mushkin myself, but of course if you'll pay the premium corsair is perhaps better (get 2GB, no more, no less).

Jo

 

[Mugz]

You forgot the insulation tape.

 

[CompuTronix]

I mean complete and total "overkill". I am looking for some comments on where I can improve my performance in my pieces without breaking my wallet.

Used in the same context, these always seem to be incompatible concepts.

I agree with JMecc, however, if you have the need for speed, then you may want to add a second identical drive to your list, for a RAI0 configuration.

 

[Weeby12]

You say 2GB, no more no less. I was going to get 4GB, is this a bad thing?

 

[apt403]

You say 2GB, no more no less. I was going to get 4GB, is this a bad thing?

eh, 32bit windows cant really utilize 4gb properly. If you get the 64bit version then your fine, although you should really upgrade the uber crappy P4 instead of getting another 2gb's of ram.

 

[JMecc]

You say 2GB, no more no less. I was going to get 4GB, is this a bad thing?

What apt403 said is correct, but the thing is that it is just a waste now anyway. 2GB is more than enough and when you need to upgrade, there are 2 more slots available. In a laptop it is more difficult to pick the best memory configuration due to only 2 slots, but with 4 available in almost all current mobos there is no real risk, and by getting 2GB now & 2 later, the later ones will be cheaper and you will likely never actually end up getting them since by the time you need 4GB ram, you will be getting a new mobo with DDR3 / DDR4 / QDR... The reason I say it is people always assume that if 2GB is great, 4GB will be even better and this is not so. You shouldn't waste the money, and I want to keep computer part selection being a careful process, not just buying the most expensive of each part.

Jo

 

[Weeby12]

Well, I researched the new CPU + MOBO that was mentioned, (I don't know what I was thinking earlier). I am now going to pick up a C2D and an ASUS P5B if it really does overclock that well. As for the 2G-4G issue, I was planning on buying the 8800 so I wouldn't have to upgrade hardware anytime soon to utilize the DX10, and when vista comes out, the DX10 games and vista will be able to utilize the extra ram. Also, an OCZ Gamestream 700W PSU should be enough to keep two 8800's nice and happy, right?

 

[JMecc]

That PSU should be fine I think. Note too that in wusy's oc guide, the P5B referred to is the deluxe (the standard P5B is specifically not recommended). So I guess about the extra memory what you mean is that you intend to build this box and then not open it again for as long as you can. Make sure you have lots of hard drive capacity if that's what you're doing (especially since they're cheap (my 4x250GB drives cost $360 CAD and my 2GB DDR2 $310 CAD) ~2 months ago).

Jo

 

[Weeby12]

right, but I am also open for suggestions on which type of RAM, I picked OCZ Gold 800 but if there is any better stuff out there for the same price, let me know

 

[JMecc]

Yeah; OCZ Gold should do well & is more reasonably priced than most right now.
Jo