Critique this system

[Learjet]

Case Antec Performance One P180B Black
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16811129017

Power Supply CORSAIR CMPSU-520HX ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 520W Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16817139001

Motherboard I am still searching. Please post suggestions

CPU Intel Core 2 Duo Q6600
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16819115003

CPU Fan ZEROtherm BTF90 92mm Silent UFO CPU Cooler
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16835887002

RAM Patriot Extreme Performance 2GB (2 x 1GB) PC2 6400
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16820220144

Video Card EVGA GeForce 8800GTS 320MB
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16814130082

Optical Drive Sony NEC Optiarc (Black or white depending on case)
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16827152079

HDDR Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD3200AAKS 320GB 7200 RPM
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16822136074

Sound Card Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16829102006

Windows OS Windows Vista Home Premium (I dont want to buy a dirx10 system without the dirx10 OS)


This is my first time building a PC by myself though I have built two several years back with someone who had a lot more knowledge than I did. I am looking for a user friendly motherboard that has potential for overlocking.

Will a retail motherboard come with enough SATA cables for the HDDR and Optical Drive?

Is there a website out there that illustrates exactly how much Arctic Silver to put on the heatsink?

I need a good motherboard, one with good on board sound would eliminate the need for a soundcard.

How do I ensure I get G0 stepping with the CPU?

Is the PSU going to be enough to push the system?

This computer is for gaming,.. is there any hardware I can scale back to save a little money?

Any other considerations for this setup?

 

[Maziar]

looks fine , however instead of E6600 get E6750, its cheaper and faster
for motherboard go for ASUS P5K-E , GIGABYTE P35 DS3R, ABIT IP35 PRO

 

[tlmck]

I second on Maziar's MB choices. They will come with cables, and have decent onboard sound. You can always add a sound card later. PSU is fine.

Here is the Arctic Silver instructions. http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appinstruct/as5/ins_as5_intel_quad_wcap.pdf

GO stepping. http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SLACR

As for scaling back, you could start by using the stock Intel Cooler. Unlike it's predecessors, it is smooth and quiet, and can even handle a slight overclock. Instructions for install are here(no Arctic silver needed for stock cooler unless reinstalled). http://www.intel.com/cd/channel/reseller/asmo-na/eng/241215.htm

As mentioned above, skip the sound card for now. You could also go with a cheaper case like this. Roomy and excellent airflow. Not as quiet though. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119115

Everything else looks great.

 

[Learjet]

Case Antec Performance One P180B Black
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16811129017

Power Supply CORSAIR CMPSU-520HX ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 520W Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16817139001

Motherboard ASUS P5K-E/WIFI-AP LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16813131196

CPU Intel Core 2 Duo E6750
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16819115029

CPU Fan ZEROtherm BTF90 92mm Silent UFO CPU Cooler
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16835887002

RAM Crucial Ballistix 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16820146565

Video Card EVGA GeForce 8800GTS 320MB
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16814130082

Optical Drive Sony NEC Optiarc (Black or white depending on case)
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16827152079

HDDR Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD3200AAKS 320GB 7200 RPM
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16822136074

Sound CardOnboard sound

Windows OS Windows Vista Home Premium

(I dont want to buy a dirx10 system without the dirx10 OS)



Still taking suggestions..

Onboard sound decent with this motherboard?

Any other considerations for this setup?

 

[Maziar]

did u read my post mate ? i told u to get E6750 instead , its faster and cheaper
also onboard sound is good

 

[emp]

Also I'd get this ram instead of the Patriot one:

Crucial Ballistix 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146565

And I'd drop the P5K, you are paying too much just for the ASUS name, which isn't all that it's cracked up to be either. You should instead get arguably the best P35 motherboard out there:

GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3R LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128050&Tpk=Ga-P35-DS3r

And listen to Maziar on the CPU, either get the E6550 or E6750 not the E6600, that's an olc CPU in comparison to those two and is being phased out.

 

[Learjet]

I have heard both arguements on the CPU. Please explain a bit further as to why you choose the E6750 over the Q6600?
And what is wrong with the ASUS board other than the price?

 

[Annisman]

you mean the E6600 right ? And IMO Asus is the way to go for the mobo.

 

[majorpain1588]

In your specs post you list the E6600 which is not the same as the Q6600. Which one do you mean?. If you mean the E6600 then the E6750 is better. They are both dual core, but the 6750 is newer faster and cheaper. If you mean the Q6600 then its the quad core vs dual core debate. Dual core is better now for gaming since they have higher clocks speeds, but further down the road quad core will have an advantage. How much further down the road until that happens I don't know.

 

[Learjet]

Yeah I have been trying to decide between the E6750 and the Q6600. I think I will go with the E6750 just based on price
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16819115029

Should i get 32 or 64bit Home Premium?

 

[Maziar]

Plz clear it up, u meant Q6600 or E6600?

 

[Learjet]

Sorry for the confusion

The debate was between the Q6600 and the E6750

I think I will go with the E6750

 

[Maziar]

here are 2 nice articles comparing E6850 (which is 3.0ghz) with Q6600:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/core2quad-q6600.html
http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/intel/showdoc.aspx?i=3038&p=8

 

[Learjet]

ok so im back sold on the Q6600 - are the B3 stepping CPUs still fairly overclockable?

 

[mlhm5]

going thru the same decisions and have decided for $82 and the ability to OC, I am going with the e2160.

Here are my components. - all from new egg sans HDD, monitor and operating system.

GIGABYTE GA-P35C-DS3R - $128.90 - no firewire if that is important to you.

2GB Crucial or Corsair or Patriot DDR2-800 PC2-6400 (whichever one is cheapest after MIR)

INTEL Pentium Dual-Core 1.8GHz e2160 - $82

COOLER MASTER CAC-T05-UW Centurion 5 Mid Tower Case (Silver) Retail - $61.99

AEROCOOL ZERODBA 620W - $108.99 - may upgrade to a quadcore in the future.

LITEON LH-20A1L-05 20X SATA DVD Burner Black DVD±RW - $37.99 - has lightscribe

SAPPHIRETECH 100208L Radeon HD 2600 XT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 - $104.99

 

[elbert]

Stick with the Q6600 as price to performance its the best. I suggest you drop the 8800GTS and wait till the 8800GT releases. The 8800GT benchmarks show its a match for the GTX and price is rumored to be $200~$249.

 

[Maziar]

There are no official benchmarks for a 8800GT ,so FOR NOW , u cant recommend a 8800GT over GTS, u have to wait for true and reliable benchmarks