second build, GTS vs. GTX

[Deux]

I've got a bit of a tough choice ahead of me, I need help choosing between two setups.

Stuff that will be the same in either
Thermaltake armor full ATX case
Xeon 3060 2.4 ghz (LGA 775)
Seagate barracuda 320 gig
Antec NeoHE 550 with 40A on the 12 rails
sony DVD RW
Zalman 9700

and either

EVGA 8800 GTX
2 x 1 gig OCZ DDR2 800
Gigabyte DS3 rev 3.3

or

EVGA 8800GTS
EVGA 680i T1
GeIL 2 x 1 gig DDR2 1000

ATM I only have a 1280x720 monitor but I'm getting a 1680x1050 22" in the next month. The computer will mostly be used for gaming with some HD video editing aswell and a bit of photoshop. So do you guys recomend option 1 or 2 or someting totally different. Thanks in advance.

 

[alcattle]

Option 2. The GTX is a better card but you won't max out a GTS. The RAM will help everything, especially thing like Photoshop. They are both nice MB, if you want to pay for SLI option. Go for it. The DS3 will serve you well.

 

[Heyyou27]

I've got a bit of a tough choice ahead of me, I need help choosing between two setups.

Stuff that will be the same in either
Thermaltake armor full ATX case
Xeon 3060 2.4 ghz (LGA 775)
Seagate barracuda 320 gig
Antec NeoHE 550 with 40A on the 12 rails
sony DVD RW
Zalman 9700

and either

EVGA 8800 GTX
2 x 1 gig OCZ DDR2 800
Gigabyte DS3 rev 3.3

or

EVGA 8800GTS
EVGA 680i T1
GeIL 2 x 1 gig DDR2 1000

ATM I only have a 1280x720 monitor but I'm getting a 1680x1050 22" in the next month. The computer will mostly be used for gaming with some HD video editing aswell and a bit of photoshop. So do you guys recomend option 1 or 2 or someting totally different. Thanks in advance.

Option one is better as the Core 2 line can't use the extra memory bandwidth anyways thanks to the Front side bus memory system, and the 8800GTX is quite a bit faster than the 8800GTS.

 

[senor_bob]

Get the GTX and the DS3. Don't even think about wasting $ on DDR2-1000 RAM. I have a GTS (will probably step up to GTX unless ATI impresses me quickly) and it can struggle a bit at 1680x1050 in Oblivion with everything maxed. With your current monitor either would serve you fine.

 

[dsidious]

Option 1, if you can afford it. True, you won't use the GTX at its full capability at that resolution and in current games, but future games will be more demanding and bigger monitors will be cheaper.

Edit: not sure if the PSU is strong enough for the GTX.

 

[senor_bob]

Edit: not sure if the PSU is strong enough for the GTX.

My guess is probably yes, but that's pushing it. I'd be more comfortable with a 600W or higher PSU with the GTX.

Good find, I think everybody was ignoring the rest of the proposed build.

 

[Deux]

thanks for the help guys, I'll probably go for option one as they are about the same price. I'll also make sure to check that the PSU can handle the GTX.

thanks,
Deux

 

[mythos]

100% Option 1, don't even think about wasting your money on RAM you don't need (you will see statistically insignificant difference with the faster RAM as Core2 doesn't max out the memory bandwidth as one guy already said) and a MOBO that's not necessary (unless you're planning on getting TWO GTXs)

 

[alcattle]

Bob, Why not get the 640MB and push the window out another 90 days?

 

[dsidious]

Bob, Why not get the 640MB and push the window out another 90 days?

I love the idea, but I'd check eVGA's fine print first to make sure you can use the step-up twice.

 

[senor_bob]

Bob, Why not get the 640MB and push the window out another 90 days?

I love the idea, but I'd check eVGA's fine print first to make sure you can use the step-up twice.
Unfortunately, you can't. That would be sweet though. Here's the relevant paragraph:

Participants in the EVGA Step-up™ Program are welcome to use the program one (1) time per new card purchase. Once you have received your Step-up™ card, the Step-up™ card is not allowed to be used in this program.

 

[alcattle]

Guess you are stuck with the Ebay step up program then.

 

[senor_bob]

Well if ATI can come out with some impressive benchmarks in the next 1.5 weeks, I'm stuck with having to take the GTS back and use my laptop for a while. If they don't, it's not like the GTX isn't an awesome upgrade.