Critique my Build.

[BuddyGoodness]

I am building a computer here in the next few weeks, my goal is to be able to play every game at good settings and 1600x1200 res. Here is what I have so far.

Case:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16811103010
(I like this one for some reason, I think it looks cool and sturdy. I am willing to spend the money on a case I like the looks of, that will also work well for what I need it for.)

HD: WD SATA 250gb 7200 RPM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16822144701
(I will add one later)

GPU: BFG 8800GTS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16814143074
(I could go with the twenty dollar cheaper one but BFGs are made in the USA so I will throw some money their way. I want this card because it is not as expensive as the GTX but it will still play all games out now and hopefully all games for the next year and a half at least.)

RAM: CORSAIR XMS2 2GB DDR2 800
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16820145590
(I would like to have gotten just 1GB and got some more later but buying 2gb at the same time will save money in the long run though DDR2 has skyrocketed in price since I first started keeping track in anticipation of building a computer this summer. Is there a cheaper RAM that will be just as good for games or is there ones better for around the same price?)

MOBO: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16813138037
(This seems like a decent mobo, I don't need it to be SLI capable or anything. I just want one that is stable, moderately priced, that will not crap out on me.)

Processor: Intel E6400
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16819115004
(I figured this is a good processor that I can over clock down the line and will be good for a couple of years. Or should I go with AMD, what is the comparable processor under them?)

PSU: OCZ GameXStream 700-Watt
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2235424&Sku=O261-2005
(I just bought this right now because it was such a good price for really good quality PSU after rebate. Please tell me a made a good choice here on the PSU for the system I want to build.)

I already have a DVD burner.
Total Cost 1411$ shipping included. A little higher than I wanted to go but I think this build could be a computer that lasts a couple of years. Let me know what you think, what might work better, ect, ect. Thanks for reading and helping.

 

[Bjorn0]

You have done good.

The parts you listed will have you playing at 1600x1200 for at least a good while.

The 8800GTS is a great card, and my experience with BFG and their customer service has been nothing but spectacular. I had a card go bad, called them, shipped it out and got a new one not more than 7 days from the day it died.

There are a few cheaper units of memory in ddr2 that will be almost as good as Corsair, but the key word is "almost" and I feel that your choice is worth the extra $$$.

The Gigabyte TForce boards are getting rave reviews for their performance and price. Not something I would ever expect from Gigabyte, but I have never had much of a problem with their products and I must have built 30 bare-bones systems with GB boards.

You could call me an AMD fanboy, but performance is performance, and the Core 2 Duos have plenty of it for the price.

The PSU is going to be fine, plenty of power and OCZ has been good to me.

The only suggestion would be to maybe reconsider the SLI option. It will cost you a little extra in the initial build, but it will also allow you to stretch more life out of the system by buying a second 8800gtx later on when the prices drop dramatically.

 

[skyguy]

Looks good, not sure about that case, but I've heard some good things about it.

As for the mobo, one BIG problem with that board in my mind is the CRAPPY placement for the 24-pin power socket. OUCH. I wouldn't wanna try to wire that thing up, especially if you opt to go with an aftermarket CPU cooler. BAD design layout there, but maybe I'm being picky.

You might wanna consider a Gigabtye board instead. Just a thought. But getting an SLI board might be a decent idea in your instance. Normally SLI sucks, but this might be a time where it makes sense.

 

[BuddyGoodness]

Well I appreciate your replies. The first thing I would ask is what exact mobo would either of you suggest if not this one, also skyguy, do you mean bad placement if you wanna put one of those huge engine block looking cpu coolers or just a zalman one arctic cooling one that looks like a replacement for the stock cooler? Also just having that one extra pci-e x16 slot doubles the cost of the mobo and I do not see myself needing to run an sli config for a while and then I would need a better PSU to run two 8800's at the same time. Do you think it would just be more practical to--when the time comes to switch to SLI--wait till 2 pci-e slots are the norm on mobos and the prices for them are what I am looking to spend on this one now, then just buy one of those mobos and get the benefit of whatever other advances in technology they have made in the meantime? I don't know just speculating.

 

[skyguy]

In most cases, SLI is a waste of money. It generally only makes sense when gaming at ultra-high resolutions, and then 2 ultra high end cards are needed. Other than that, it's really not necessary......one better card is always preferable to 2 lower cards.

As for mobo, the 20/24 pin power socket is set right in the middle of the board, below the CPU. If you put in a bigger HSF, it will get really tight, and the northbridge might interfere as well. Routing the main big A$$ cable around the HSF and all the way across the board is.....well.....stupid. The board designers were asleep at the wheel when they came up with that one.

Boards that have the socket on the side are preferred. The big cable is then already near the side, and it is easily tucked away quickly behind the hard drive cage.

It comes down to some personal preference though.....I'm anal about wires and I spend ALOT of time getting them out of the way to help with airflow and the aesthetics too.

The Gigabyte 965P-DS3 is a great mobo, overclocks very well, isn't SLI, has a very good layout, and won't break the bank. The ASUS P5B-E is another winner too, a great alternate to the DS3.

 

[randomizer]

I am building a computer here in the next few weeks, my goal is to be able to play every game at good settings and 1600x1200 res.

Looks good, except I doubt Oblivion will let you play at that res with max graphics and decent framerates EVEN with that card.

 

[skyguy]

The GTS is capable actually:

http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/11/08/geforce_8800/page9.html

 

[randomizer]

You call 16fps capable?

EDIT: My bad, looked at the wrong color bar 2560x1600 instead. Ok I take that back, it is capable, just tho.

 

[BuddyGoodness]

That is pretty freaking sad considering this is the best card that came out well after Oblivion came out. I wonder how well this card will be able to play games coming out this upcoming year, is any game considered more graphically intense than Oblivion coming out like Crysis? I guess as more games come out I can gradually scale back the graphic capabilities or maybe this card performs better with DX10 games because that is what it was designed more for them.

Just read this: http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/11/13/shootout_at_the_core_2_corral/page21.html

I think their recommended buy at the bottom is the mobo I am looking at.

 

[skyguy]

In truth, the 8800GTX is much better and will SPANK Oblivion around like.......well......you fill in the blank.

As for Crysis and DX10, there's really no comparison. Remember that DX10 will allow games to be extremely more efficient, plain and simple. So a GTS with Crysis might actually be BETTER than Oblivion. Oblivion is poorly optimized and is DX9. Crysis won't be.

Kinda comparing apples to watermelons there......it doesn't really work.

 

[BuddyGoodness]

cool that is a little reassuring.

 

[randomizer]

In truth, the 8800GTX is much better and will SPANK Oblivion around like.......well......you fill in the blank.

As for Crysis and DX10, there's really no comparison. Remember that DX10 will allow games to be extremely more efficient, plain and simple. So a GTS with Crysis might actually be BETTER than Oblivion. Oblivion is poorly optimized and is DX9. Crysis won't be.

Kinda comparing apples to watermelons there......it doesn't really work.

Well you're making an assumption there, have you actually seen the game yourself other than the video clips circulating the net? I doubt it, so dont get your hopes up too much. I'm just hoping my 7900gs can play the game at decent framerates, with plenty of fancy features turned off of course.

 

[waylander]

Don't really like that case.. everything else looks fine though. There are some good recommendations in the Case section I'd suggest you look in there.

 

[skyguy]

Well, that's partly true. DX10 WILL be more powerful and efficient than DX9, that's fact. But the question is really how much more the new DX10 games will push these DX10 cards and will they perform proportionately better than DX9 games with DX9 cards? The answer *should* be "YES", otherwise the gaming industry is in BIG trouble.


But I digress.........this won't help the OP with his questions.

 

[randomizer]

Digress... using fancy words now

 

[skyguy]

LOL. Could be more like Mater from Cars......

Ah done got off topic thare........LOL.

 

[randomizer]

(attempts to bring conversation back on topic)

Yea dude, get the 8800.

(redirects topic elsewhere)

I got a K8L last weekend, it beats any C2D that you can throw at it. Got it up to 3.8Ghz on stock cooler.

 

[BuddyGoodness]

What's a K8L.

 

[randomizer]

The new AMD architecture thats coming out... whenever its coming out. Hopefully it will smash C2D and come close to or beat whatever else Intel has up their sleeve.

EDIT: Someone else once said why they thought that AMD called it K8L and not K9... anyone ever watch Doctor Who?

 

[BuddyGoodness]

I used to watch it when I was young, is it a nerd reference?

 

[randomizer]

The person who said it originally? Its coz the dog was called K9 thats what they were getting at. Dont want any conflicts with the name of the cpu architecture or lawsuits will be happening like crazy.

 

[BuddyGoodness]

Oh yeah, I remember that. I ordered my parts but they have been stuck in step 3 limbo for two days now, newegg must be backed up cause of xmas or something. Now all I need to to figure out if I wanna risk buying a used GDM- FW900 off ebay or just buy a 22 inch LCD monitor. Kinda crazy but LCDs are actually way cheaper than the CRT now but I would prefer the CRT if I can get a good one.

 

[randomizer]

In Aus its still cheaper (but harder) to buy a CRT than a decent LCD.

 

[BuddyGoodness]

Can you order from newegg or any place? With the value of the dollar dropping it might be cheaper to buy from the US if possible.

 

[randomizer]

Newegg doesnt ship internationally. And yea I have noticed that the Aussie dollar has headed skyward to nearly 78.5 US cents. Not that 75-78 really makes that much difference unless you're spending millions.