Advice for this budget gaming pc?

[sunsnail]

I will mostly be using this PC to game, but I am on a tight budget. I plan on OCing the 805 as well. If anyone thinks I should go with another setup, please say so!

CPU: Intel Pentium D 805 Smithfield 2.66GHz LGA 775
HS: ZALMAN CNPS9500
MB: BIOSTAR 945P-A7A (8.0) LGA 775
Mem: 2x CORSAIR ValueSelect 1GB DDR2 667
Video: GeForce 7600GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI-E16

A nice 500W PSU, and a couple of standard hard drives. I can spend $60 more if its necessary. Thanks in advance!

 

[shata]

took me awhile to dig this up, consider this rather then that expensive zalman. I PERFER zalman also but you said your on a tight budget so i figured this might help free up some money.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835207001

 

[sunsnail]

Thanks for the suggestion. I've decided that if I'm going to OC the 805, I better get a really good HS/F. Right now newegg is having a sale on them, so it's only $20 more than the Sunbeam. I don't want to risk not having a good enough HS for the amount of heat the 805 is supposed to produce.

 

[shata]

Yeah good choice, When i think fan cooled quiet rigs first thing that comes to mind is Zalman.. Id buy one for my cpu,gpu, and northbridge (norths are passive now days most of the time but ya)

There just made excellently there worth every penny, And omg the pure copper one is heavvvy lol looks way cool with a windowed case also, you will enjoy it trust me.

 

[IceBlue666]

For the CPU go with the D915 it's much cooler and also the latest stepping will give you a few more MHz just for a feww dollars.
And for the video card go with Gainward's 7600GT with 256 ram.
Just my few cents

 

[skyguy]

The Zalman 9500 is good, but it's neither the best, nor the quietest, nor the cheapest. I know, I have one. I had to mod it to make it quiet. It also doesn't cool as well as other tower-style HSF's....like the Scythe Ninja or Tuniq Tower. They'll both spank the Zalman back into the Stone Age, and for less money too. It looks good, yes, but will CoreTemp or TAT look good when your CPU is running too hot? I didn't think so.

Ninja or Tuniq. Ninja for quieter, Tuniq for best air performance and both are cheaper than the Zalman.

Zalman, unfortunately *WAS* the name in cooling, but no longer. They're not even the 2nd or 3rd choice now for HSFs. VGA cooling, for sure. But not for CPUs anymore.

 

[sunsnail]

Very interesting... I think I'll go with the Scythe then.

 

[shata]

Yeah whatever makes you happy i admit im a zalman fan, im no hardcore overclocker although ive pushed my old a64 pretty far but still ya.