New Gaming beast

[Phrozt]

It's time to build a new computer, and I have a better job, so I can afford better parts. You may have seen some of my other threads, as there's a lot I need to learn and get input on. I'll use this thread as a composite of bits and pieces that I pull from the other threads.

Starting from Most Decided to Least Decided:

CPU
Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe 2.4GHz 4M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819115003

DVD drive/burner
LITE-ON 20X DVD±R Burner with 12X DVD-RAM write and LightScribe Technology
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16827106045

CPU cooler
ZALMAN 9700 LED - Partly because it's a good cooler, but mostly because it's Zalman. After their customer support, I will not go with anything else.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835118019

HDD
Definately a Seagate 7200.10, but I'm having trouble choosing the size. Leaning mostly towards the 400GB, because the 500GB is almost twice as much.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822148138
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822148140

GFX card
I only want 1 8800 GTX for right now, I'm just having a hard time deciding which vendor to go with. I thinkg eVGA is winning because of their tradein policy.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130072
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814143080
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814150205

Thermal paste
Probably Arctic siler Ceramique unless I can find the Masscool Shin-Etsu x23 stuff somewhere accessible
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/3772/thr-12/Arctic_Silver_Ceramique_High-Density_Thermal_Compound_-_25_Grams.html?tl=g8c127s447
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835150080

Mobo
This is a big tossup for me. Is the 680i worth it? I will be doing moderate OCing, but nothing extreme, because I expect this system to last awhile.
Right now I'm leaning towards the:
GIGABYTE GA-965P-S3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813128017

I have options of growth, it's not that expensive, and it supports what I need to do, the only problem is that it does not support SLI.

Memory
I'd like to stick with OCZ or Corsair, and I'll get DDR2 800 voltage/timing, because like I said, I do *definately* plan on doing some OCing, and I don't know how much that affects things.

PSU
Also lost on this one. I've found a couple good 680 watt ones, but I'm wondering if that's going to be enough to power everything in the box.

Case
Another tossup for me... Probably something bigger because of the size of the GTX. Possibly a case/PSU combo if I can find a nice enough looking one with a big enough PSU.


The last thing that's going to hang me is the OS. I really want XP pro sp2, but now that I actually pay for my OS, I really wonder what all XP pro offeres that is worth it. One of the activities I will be doing w/this machine is local .Net development tho.. so perhaps I do need pro.

 

[alcattle]

A couple comments. Most of your choices are right on, some depending on your budget and taste will help us help you.
400 Gig is a lot of HD space, should work for most people short of the downloader of the neighbor, You have anything anyone is looking for.
I sounds like your best plan now is XP Pro with the Vista tradeup. Might have stopped doing it now that Vista is out.

 

[Phrozt]

honestly.. I don't want vista.

 

[alcattle]

The upgrade cost comes when/if you buy it. Don't buy Vista, same cost without the option.

 

[chyort]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835150080
The Thermal paste you are after...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835118019
And the 9700 Zalman cooler

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811119068
This is the case im using currently, i like it for the most part, except i have fat fingers and some things are a tad tight with everything in there starting to wish i had bought a bigger case since i don't drag it around a lot.

And you almost never want a case/psu combo.. the psu are almost always... lacking

As far as a MB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813128017
this is supposed to be a good board for OC'ing, recommended a lot here from what i have seen

 

[Phrozt]

I understand what you're sayaing alcattle... get it just in case. That makes sense.

Chyort... I did see the thermal paste, but they seem to be out of it at the moment. As for the 9700, I was going between the 9500 and the 9700 wondering the big difference... but then I figured.. if I'm spending as much as I am, might as well spend $10 more and get the better cooler.

Yeah, that board is very nice... does awesome in some tests. Only thing is that it doesn't support SLI, but then again, I'm not necessarily going to use SLI, so it might not be a bad option.

I've used coolermaster cases before (and liked them) but I wonder if it would have enough clearance to fit the GTX?

I appreciate your responses!

 

[Phrozt]

Still wondering if anyone could chime in on exactly how much power I'd need for a rig like this.

 

[bydesign]

I have the same setup using a antique ATCX case sold under the current name Praetorian(PAC-T01) by Coooler Master. The GTX card will stop you from using a hard drive in one of the bays. I guess you could angle the HD if you wanted to.

I user Enermax Liberty 620 PSU and 4 hard drive 1 CD and have power to spare. The system pulls around 477W at the outlet when OC'd to 3.6Ghz and loaded. These power supply calculators seem to add a lot to your requirements.

 

[Phrozt]

I have the same setup using a antique ATCX case sold under the current name Praetorian(PAC-T01) by Coooler Master. The GTX card will stop you from using a hard drive in one of the bays. I guess you could angle the HD if you wanted to.

I user Enermax Liberty 620 PSU and 4 hard drive 1 CD and have power to spare. The system pulls around 477W at the outlet when OC'd to 3.6Ghz and loaded. These power supply calculators seem to add a lot to your requirements.

So, to clarify, you *are* using the GTX in your system that pulls 477? What proc did you overclock to 3.6?

 

[chyort]

heh, they had the stuff a couple days ago... you can always use the stuff that comes with the 9700 and just reset the sink later just auto-notify when its back in stock..

And yeah, im using a 7800gt Geforce video card right now, with 3 hard drives in(Soon to be 4) my fat fingers have problems getting at some of the connectors... and the 8800 is a bit longer so you very well could have some problems...



If i could pick my case over again i think i would go with this puppy...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811119042
150 bucks as opposed to 50... but after digging into that mess with my fat fingers for so long, it would be worth it would need to read more reviews to be sure though...

lots of room for water cooling if you really want to go crazy

 

[Phrozt]

If only I was a girl..

 

[alcattle]

I would do the same thing. Get XP and then buy Vista, but never install it or at least dual boot untill most of the first fixes are out.
Here is the case I bought Lian-LI G50B, simple with room and the top ports. nice for under desk use.
I got an Evermax 535W 2-20A +12 rails. More than I need so room to grow.

 

[Phrozt]

you never posted a link to your case.

Also, what about the mobo?? I'm having a hard time finding one that can be used for SLI/CF but still has good overclocking ability...

 

[alcattle]

Thanks for pointing me being a bonehead again. I bought the case local so saved $16 shipping but paid $9 sales tax.

 

[Phrozt]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835150080
The Thermal paste you are after...

Lol.. that sux.. they completely axed the product :/.

Looks like ceramique for me

 

[NamelessMC]

Don't go with the regular S3.

For the money, you can get an ABIT AB9 that has much better over-clocking potential.

There's also the P5B.

SLI is never going to be worth it unless you go SLI with top of the line cards the DAY you purchase your rig. If you purchase a single card and wait, I guarantee by the time you can afford another card, there will be some super card that came out, that's a budget mid-range that out-performs BOTH of your previous gen top of the line cards for half the price of your SLI solution total.

Even the so-called, "SLI will always be better for higher resolutions + AA/AF" argument doesn't hold up, because ATI noticed the pattern and followed suit. Now their single card solutions hold their ground even in high resolutions. Just look up an X1800XT single card against two 6800 Ultras in SLI to see just what the competition does when the market catches up.

Over-all, your build looks nice, but I wouldn't get an 8800GTX. The latest synthetic benchmarks show Crysis on TWO 8800GTX's running at a measly 41 average frames per second at 1280 x 1024 resolution with NO AA/AF. If that's any indication of how DX10 games are going to run, it looks like DX9 shaders on DX10 games is going to be the way to go for the next 8-10 months.

I would swap out the 8800GTX for a nice budget 7950GT to hold you over, or an X1950XT, single card solution to wait until more cards hit the market. You could even go EVGA so when new cards come out you can use the upgrade feature and just trade in.

Don't be a dimwit either. Don't go with Zalman just because of their customer service. Remember the best parts in the market never have anything to do with brand loyalty. The Freezer 7 Pro is an awesome cooler. You also shouldn't be going that excessive on the thermal paste. No one has reported problems with using Arctic Silver.

You're spending a lot of extra cash where it isn't necessarily needed and that cash can be thrown towards more future-proofing.

Cut the funds you're spending on an 8800GTX and thermal paste, and get a really nice case and power supply. Maybe a Thermaltake Armor Jr. or a Lian Li. A full tower would be good though so maybe a Thermaltake Armor.

As for power supplies, people posted links to PSU 101. A general consensus is:
Hiper, Fortron, OCZ brands are the way to go.
Antec is garbage. CoolerMaster for the most part is garbage.
Raidmax is starting to have some nice ones.

If you're going to go hi-end, ever, go with Hiper, Fortron or OCZ's 600-700 SLI compatible ones. Not because they're SLI compat and you're going SLI, but because SLI power supplies from those brands have the best 12 volt rail power.