Insane INTEL Gaming Rig

[masop]

After reading a previous posters comment about having a $20k bonus from work, using half of it for as gaming rig, I figured I'd post my 2 cents or $7000. All parts are priced from ZipZoomFly. I meant to include links but forgot to, so pardon the lack thereof. Any input?

Note: It is very difficult locating available 4GB memory kits for the Intel Platform, as that will be the primary difference between this and the AMD posting of mine. Just a FYI.

The Ultimate INTEL Gaming Rig - 1/24/07

Motherboard
Asus Striker Extreme nForce 680i SLI Socket 775 1333MHz DDR2 - 1000 Motherboard Retail, $400


Processor
Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 Quad-Core Processor 2.66GHz, 1066FSB, LGA775, 8MB cache Retail, $979

Memory
Corsair Dominator Series TWIN2X2048-8500C5D 2GB Kit DDR2-1066 PC2-8500 Memory Retail, $379
Corsair Dominator Series TWIN2X2048-8500C5D 2GB Kit DDR2-1066 PC2-8500 Memory Retail, $379


Storage

Western Digital Raptor WD1500ADFD 150GB Serial ATA 10,000 RPM Hard Drive w/16MB Buffer, $223
Western Digital Raptor WD1500ADFD 150GB Serial ATA 10,000 RPM Hard Drive w/16MB Buffer, $223
Seagate Barracuda ES ST3750640NS 750GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s 7200RPM Hard Drive w/16MB Buffer, $375

LiteOn LH-2B1S 2X Internal Blu-ray Disc Triple Writer Serial ATA Drive Retail, $600
Liteon LH-20A1H 20X Dual Layer DVD±RW Drive w/Super Allwrite & Lightscribe Beige/Black Retail, $48

NEC 1.44MB 3.5in Internal Floppy Disk Drive (Black), $13


Networking

On-Board LAN: 10/100/1000 Dual Gigabit Ethernet
Wireless LAN: 802.11b/g 54Mbps USB Module


Audio and Video (SLI)
Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite Pro Sound Card Retail, $265

Asus EN8800GTX/HTDP/768M GeForce 8800 GTX 768MB PCI-Express Video Card w/Dual-DVI, HDTV-Out Retail, $595

Asus EN8800GTX/HTDP/768M GeForce 8800 GTX 768MB PCI-Express Video Card w/Dual-DVI, HDTV-Out Retail, $595


Case and Power Supply

Thermaltake Tai-Chi VB5001SNA Full Tower Aluminum Case w/Liquid Cooling System Retail, $450

Thermaltake W0131RU ToughPower 850W Modular Power Supply w/APFC EPS Retail, $260


Keyboard and Mouse

Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 5000 Laser Retail, $110 = ZipZoomFly


Operating System

Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit English Single-Pack DVD OEM, $360


Total:

Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 (2.66GHz) Quad Core Desktop, $6253


-- MaSoP

 

[jonrem]

This is far superior to the AMD rig you posted just by virtue of the processor change alone. My last system was an AMD and I love(d) it but you have to go with where the performance is today and that's C2D.

 

[akhilles]

Wrong. It's not a gaming rig. It's what keeps Battlestar Galactica running. Scratch that. I mean Battlestar Pegasus.

 

[plankmeister]

Oh wow... I just had all the hardware in my sig delivered today, and I was REALLY excited... but after reading that shopping list, I feel considerably less excited.

I've heard it's easier to get forgiveness than it is to get permission, so f*ck it, I'm gonna rob a bank and build me a system like that one!

 

[deceneu]

850 watts?
whats not enough man, you should go for at least 1000 watts

 

[dlmac]

Operating System

Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit English Single-Pack DVD OEM, $360

-- MaSoP

I was able to find this for about 200$ OEM. Retail is 350-400+ for Ultimate.

http://www.campustech.com/c/campust/OEMVIST32ULD1PK.htm?mv_pc=froogle&utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=ppc&utm_term=Windows_Vista_Ultimate_OEM_Shipping_Late_January_

 

[trinitron64]

I say burn the recepts afterwards... if a (or your) woman finds out that you spent $7000.00 on a computer... may god help your genetalia.

p.s. who needs chicks when you can post an ungodly 3DMARK score

 

[nhobo]

what, no monitor?

 

[leo2kp]

From what I read, Vista will kill your performance (due to driver issues and whatnot) by up to 50% in games. Sure you wanna go that route right away?

I'm personally sticking with XP for a little while till drivers catch up and a few patches come out.

 

[leo2kp]

From what I read, Vista will kill your performance (due to driver issues and whatnot) by up to 50% in games. Sure you wanna go that route right away?

I'm personally sticking with XP for a little while till drivers catch up and a few patches come out.

 

[aBg_rOnGak]

I say burn the recepts afterwards... if a (or your) woman finds out that you spent $7000.00 on a computer... may god help your genetalia 8O :lol: .

p.s. who needs chicks when you can post an ungodly 3DMARK score

 

[jsetliffe]

Yeah......after seeing that I think I need to go home and beat my gaming rig...

 

[Eurasianman]

For keyboard and mouse, go with Logitech G15 and G5.

Monitor?

Dell's 24 in. monitor's are nice. The guy next to me at work has 2 of them and here I thought I was cool with two 19 in monitors

 

[Eurasianman]

Seeing his budget, perhaps he should put a few more hundred dollars in and get two more hard drives and RAID them for XP :tongue:

That or he could partition the hard drive and have XP and Vista running on it.

However, last night, I went over 80 gigs in programs and was forced to uninstall another program just to have enough room (later found out I had 13 GIGs left... I hate when games decided to leave there half gig patch installers on your hard drive).

For the OP, I hope you don't run a lot of programs! My 160 gig hard drive is looking smaller and smaller every day

 

[Eurasianman]

Audio and Video (SLI)
Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite Pro Sound Card Retail, $265

Asus EN8800GTX/HTDP/768M GeForce 8800 GTX 768MB PCI-Express Video Card w/Dual-DVI, HDTV-Out Retail, $595

Asus EN8800GTX/HTDP/768M GeForce 8800 GTX 768MB PCI-Express Video Card w/Dual-DVI, HDTV-Out Retail, $595

And when AMD/ATI released their DX10 ATI cards, those cards will more than likely drop in price!!!

Might want to wait for another week or so, unless ATI's DX 10 cards have been delayed further...

 

[dlmac]

Audio and Video (SLI)
Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite Pro Sound Card Retail, $265

Asus EN8800GTX/HTDP/768M GeForce 8800 GTX 768MB PCI-Express Video Card w/Dual-DVI, HDTV-Out Retail, $595

Asus EN8800GTX/HTDP/768M GeForce 8800 GTX 768MB PCI-Express Video Card w/Dual-DVI, HDTV-Out Retail, $595

And when AMD/ATI released their DX10 ATI cards, those cards will more than likely drop in price!!!

Might want to wait for another week or so, unless ATI's DX 10 cards have been delayed further...

That is exactly what I am waiting for, and the wait hurts.(I just sit there drooling at others C2D specs lol) They had better not be delayed any more. I have 36 gigs for all apps, unless i install them on non OS drive. I would at least wait a few more weeks.

I am also waiting for this LCD...

http://www.sceptre.com/Products/LCD/Specifications/spec_x24wg_Naga.htm

 

[Eurasianman]

Not to get off topic

I have a SCEPTRE 32" LCD TV and love it! =D

Good picture quality... especially with my XBOX 360 and computer!

Anyways...

If the OP needs a good monitor, look for low response times and HDCP in case you get another bonus and decide to get a HD DVD or Blu-Ray DVD drive for your computer :tongue:

 

[dlmac]

Nice! but ill stick with my 8' by 14'(screen) Panasonic HD Projector

Anyway,

He did mention this:

LiteOn LH-2B1S 2X Internal Blu-ray Disc Triple Writer Serial ATA Drive Retail, $600

Maybe they will come out with a combo drive some day, I wouldn't spend more then 300 on one though so I will be waiting awhile.

 

[Eurasianman]

Missed the BluRay drive.

In that case, the OP might want to make sure to get an HDCP compliant monitor!

 

[-silencer-]

Missed the BluRay drive.

In that case, the OP might want to make sure to get an HDCP compliant monitor!

All the high end Dell widescreens are HDCP..

 

[commanderspockep]

Nice but Vista ruins the whole build IMHO.

 

[dlmac]

Nice but Vista ruins the whole build IMHO.

And how, in your humble opinion, does this ruin that build?

 

[Eurasianman]

Er... he probably looks at it like an IT does. IT doesn't like Windows until they released a Service Pack.

I think Microsoft is trying to fool people though by releasing SP1 already this year!!! 8O

If you want stability and driver support, wait for a SP2 or go with XP Professional.

Seeing as it took over a year before XP got the majority of the drivers.

However, I read somewhere that Microsoft packed about as many drivers as they could onto this DVD to not encounter that problem, but we'll all soon see how well they did.

 

[Featherstone]

What I don't get about these 7 thousand dollar builds, is that you could spend $3500 today and get 95% as much performance. And then in 2 years spend another $3500 and get 300% as much performance. I mean, its not my money... but sheesh.

 

[dlmac]

What I don't get about these 7 thousand dollar builds, is that you could spend $3500 today and get 95% as much performance. And then in 2 years spend another $3500 and get 300% as much performance. I mean, its not my money... but sheesh.

I agree, that is why my next build is only going to be about 2500-3500$
I think 2 8800 is overkill, but honestly, if my money grew on trees I'd buy them.

Er... he probably looks at it like an IT does. IT doesn't like Windows until they released a Service Pack.

I think Microsoft is trying to fool people though by releasing SP1 already this year!!! 8O

If you want stability and driver support, wait for a SP2 or go with XP Professional.

Seeing as it took over a year before XP got the majority of the drivers.

However, I read somewhere that Microsoft packed about as many drivers as they could onto this DVD to not encounter that problem, but we'll all soon see how well they did.

Over a year? I could be wrong but I don't think it took that long at all. Maybe for some companies that were lazy and didn't want to support very old hardware.

Personally, going from Win98/2000 to XP was not a problem, some win2000 drivers would work with XP. I can't say the same for Vista but beside that all the hardware and software I use will have drivers on the release of Vista. So, I am not concerned. Thought it is to early to say that I will not run into some problems.