Finally I think it is finalized!

[juggernautspot]

As some of you know this is my first build, I have several other posts relating to building this system. I have spent tons of time trying to figure out the right combinations of parts and I think I have finally found the winning combination.
Here is the list:
Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16811129017
HDD (OS): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16822136003
PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16817341002
RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16820145590
CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16819115003
CPU cooler: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16835185027
GPU: just keeping my XFX 7600GT (PV-T73G-UDE3) for the time being until DX10 cards are more mainstream. Dang being on a budget.... (http://www.xfxforce.com/web/product/listConfigurationDetails.jspa?productConfigurationId=186037)
Motherboard: I am currently trying to decide between these two.
GIGABYTE GA-965P-DQ6 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16813128323)
ASUS P5B-E LGA (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16813131070)

SLi doesn't apeal to me (not at this time any way) but the Gigabyte board looks to do better with overclocking (keeping the system cool).
The RAM appears to work for both boards, I think?
Any points you can make to help this first time builder would be greatly appreciated.
Also somebody willing to give me $500 would be great also, for a 8800GTX

I plan on ordering the parts either tonight or early tomorrow morning depending on responses to the motherboards.
Thanks again guys.

 

[apt403]

The build looks great, i would get the P5B-E instead of the DQ6, but thats probably because i like asus boards more then gigabtyes. This is a better ram choice, lower timings then the corsair stuff, and it should oc a little higher as well.

 

[juggernautspot]

Thanks for the reply.

Is there no other reason for me to go with the P5B-E over the DQ6 other than that you asus boards better?

As for the memory you mentioned reviews on newegg see to be pointing towards a problem (i.e. the product has changed some how). Should I worry?
As for the memory I selected and the P5B-E are they even compatible? The mobo calls for either 5-5-5 or 6-6-6 @ 1.8V whereas my RAM is 5-5-5 @ 1.9V.

I think I also decided to pay the extra $$$ now and get the X1950XT to hold me over longer until the DX10 cards are more main stream. This would give me anywhere from 40-70% in game performance over what I have now. Which would be nice since I try to game on a 1680x1050 monitor.

Other than that thanks for you help. I am getting excited because the time for me to order my very first build is fastly approaching.

 

[skyguy]

1) If you wanna go with Gigabyte, then consider the DS3 instead of the DQ6, it's alot cheaper and a helluva board. I've owned both Giga and Asus.......depends on your personal preference, both are nice boards really. Just look at the difference between the features, overclocking ability, and price......that'll give you the answers you need to decide.

2) If you're gonna go with an X1950XT, then you might as well consider an 8800GTS for not much more money really.....it'll spank the 1950.

3) Forget about some 6-6-6 RAM, that's the stuff of urban legend. 5-5-5 is the worst timings you can go with C2D, and even still, the 5-5-5 isn't that bad. It's not the timings that will cause problems on a mobo, it's the volts. Early BIOS's and RAM revisions had problems booting non-1.8v RAM, but that appears to have been resolved with all the new BIOS and RAM revs. So either of those mobos shouldn't have a problem with just about any RAM.

That SuperTalent RAM that APT has recommended is better than the Corsair, but it also does cost a bit more.....not much, but some. So it depends on your budget and whether you plan on overclocking alot. I can't get that SuperTalent stuff really here in Canada, but if you can get it in the States, I'd say it's a better choice than that Corsair you're showing.......which is 5-5-5? Seems too cheap to be the 4-x-x stuff. So I'd go with the SuperTalent, it should work in just about any mobo without a hitch.

 

[juggernautspot]

Thanks for the input.

I will go with the supertalent ram instead since the is 2 votes for and none against. I will stick with the P5B-E mobo then since a friend has one also and he is the one that is going to be helping me set it all up.

I need to stay around the $1500 range for the build so the 8800GTS is out of range, I would like to go for it but I would like to see what ATi can come out with before hopping on the DX10 bandwagon and the x1950xt would give me a nice performance boost and allow me to play my games for at least another year or so, by then the DX10 cards will be more mainstream/used/needed/affordable and I will decide then.

Thanks for all of the help and input keep the ideas coming.

 

[skyguy]

One last thing I thought of:

If you're not playing games at a really high rez, and only playing @ 1280 rez, and aren't pushing everything max'd out, then you can definitely get by with a lesser vid card and save a couple hundred bucks. The 7600GT is a helluva card for the price. Another is the 7900GS at a higher price point. Both are great cards that handle modern games (except Oblivion) very respectably. The money you save could then be put towards a DX10 in a year or even less......you could sell the 1950 at a decent price, maybe half of what you paid, put it together with the money saved, plus a bit more and grab a brand-spanking new DX10 higher end card

Just something to chew on..........

 

[juggernautspot]

Yeah I was chewing on it already. I currently have a factory overclocked XFX 7600GT that runs the games I play pretty decently at the 1680x1050 resolution. Most of them on high settings w/out the extras. For now though I think it would be dumb of my to spend $300 for a dx9 card where as in half a year or so dx10 cards will be that price. Then by then I will have some more $$ to play with and could get a better card.

I will just go ahead and build the computer with the 7600gt i already have. and if the performance just kills me maybe i will use some of my college loan money to get a 8800gtx and will just have to be happy with that.

Thanks again for your time and input. It really helps a first time builder out.

So far with what I have using the supertalent ram (thanks again something I would have never caught) total shipped to my house is $1235.40, which I can afford at the moment.

Since I was looking at spending around $1500 (not much more) and hearing that a dedicated sound card is a must which do you guys recommend? If it is possible are there any w/ a UHF remote (I live in a college house and when we have parties I play my system through the house and when playing beer pong it would be sweet to be able to change the song in a different room).

 

[skyguy]

Actually, alot of people use the onboard sound in the mobos. Modern mobos actually provide very good sound quality (assuming you have decent speakers)....you'd be suprised. A dedicated sound card is for serious audio experience, if you want a "media center" complete with remote, etc, or if you want something that simply BOOMS

Sounds cards are out of my area of expertise, so you might wanna check in that forum.....you might find some great advice/products there. You might even have enough money left over to get an aftermarket CPU heatsink and then you can overclock the snot out of your CPU

Good luck!

(oh, and sounds like a great plan with your 7600GT, wise move)