new system build - need your input

[steelydan]

Proposed system build:
- Asus P53 LGA 775 Intel X38 Mobo.
- CPU Q6600 w/ Zalman CNP59500 cpu cooler.
- Case CoolerMaster Stacker 830 Evolution with 4-6 fans.
- RAM Crucial Ballistic PC2 8500 DDR2 1066 2x1
- Graphics card EVGA 768 mb P2 GeForce 8800GTX
- HD Western Digital Caviar SE16 500 GB 7200rpm 16 mb cache
- Optical Asus Black 20x DVD+R, DVD+RW, etc.
- OS Microsoft XP MCE
- TV tuners (2) VisionTek TV Wonder HD 600 PCIexp.
- BenQ 24" monitor.

Outside of Word, Excel, tax programs, photography,surfing, I spend a lot of time using my computer for watching cable TV(non-digital), (I tape a lot of sports and programs that are on the same time slot), DVD rentals, and of course, video games (HL2 series, COD series, among a half dozen other favorites). Don't really know if I'll be OC-maybe.

My questions to you are:

1) Do you see any faults or shortcomings with this proposed configuration?
2) Either way if I go with a 768 8800 GTX card, or an 8800GT card do I need or is it advisable for a dedicated GPU cooler for either card.

 

[chookman]

1) i get 800mhz ram instead of 1066... cheaper and not much difference. Id look at either GT or the new GTS the GTX is a bit of a waste of money at this stage.

2) both cards are fine with stock cooler. However, they will run cooler/overclock more with third party (you could void warranty with this option also)

 

[systemlord]

1) i get 800mhz ram instead of 1066... cheaper and not much difference. Id look at either GT or the new GTS the GTX is a bit of a waste of money at this stage.

2) both cards are fine with stock cooler. However, they will run cooler/overclock more with third party (you could void warranty with this option also)

I agree with Chookman about getting DDR2-800 because I purchased Crucial Ballistix Tracer's DDR2-1066 and I will never need more than 1000MHz for overclocking. Most high quality RAM rated at DDR2-800 can OC at least to 1000MHz - 1250MHz, my 1066 can do 1200MHz @ 5-5-5-15 2.2v. Crucial's Ballistix IS the best DDR2 RAM you could purchase!

I have the same Asus's 18x18 DVD+R DRW-1814BLT SATA optical drive your getting and its the best optical I have ever purchased, it has "Quiet Track" and "Light Scribe". Your computer choices are of the best for what your building, a gaming PC. Good luck with your new build! You have any ??? ask away.

 

[akhilles]

The fastest ram at stock will run at 800mhz on the latest Intel X38 platform with the 1600mhz fsb cpu. 1600 / 2 = 800. That's how. So unless you overclock, the 1066mhz ram will run at 533mhz by default. If you get 800mhz ram, you have headroom for a future 45-nm cpu.

Can you wait one more week for 512MB 8800GTS? It's faster than GTX for less. About 400-ish, depending on the inflation.

 

[systemlord]

The fastest ram at stock will run at 800mhz on the latest Intel X38 platform with the 1600mhz fsb cpu. 1600 / 2 = 800.

Do you have any info about this 1600MHz FSB CPU? I have heard talk about it but nothing concrete.

 

[akhilles]

No info on this cpu, even if I did, I wouldn't tell you probably due to NDA.

http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?modelmenu=2&model=1872&l1=3&l2=11&l3=572&l4=0

X38 does support 1600mhz fsb. That's for cpu.

 

[systemlord]

No info on this cpu, even if I did, I wouldn't tell you probably due to NDA.

http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?modelmenu=2&model=1872&l1=3&l2=11&l3=572&l4=0

X38 does support 1600mhz fsb. That's for cpu.

I am going to guess that Intel's next 32nm processer due out at the end of 2008 or beginning of 2009 Intel will release their AMD killer with the integrated memory controller and one based on the same design without the on die memory controller so that consumers with a 775 socket can reap the benefits also. Intel I believe would never shoot themselves in the leg, would they?

Well back to the thread topic I think waiting for the G92 8800GTS 512MB card might not be worth it if its performance is between the 8800GT and the 8800GTX, The very day that the 8800GT came out it caught me off guard because I was planning for months to get the 8800GTX, but when I saw not one in stock with the very short supply and that Nvidia had a shortage of the 8800GT's I just purchased the best card for 2007. It had been out for almost a year and I knew that the 8800GTX had mature drivers I couldn't turn that down.


The 8800GTX has been the most popular graphics card in the last year, and its performance was just staggering. No game at that time of the release could slow it down, these are just facts people so for all you ATI fanboys out there I am just the messenger.

 

[steelydan]

To all responders, especially Systemlord, my thanks. I'm not in any hurry to build. Most likely a late winter, early spring build - to be done by trout fishing opener. Will revise RAM re: recommendations. Thanks. I'll monitor in the interim any published results of the G92, vis-a-vis the 8800 GTX, along with its cost/efficiency, but the GTX is sure impressive.

Sensing a deep knowledge base and applications expertise of you responders, two other questions I'd like your input on:

1) Hard Drives - some configs I've seen have a Raptor 10000 rpm (usually a 150) and a secondary, say 500 mb. Why such a setup? Does the 10000 Raptor add that much to gaming, in particular and other applications vs. one standard 7200 HD?

2) RAM - I'll be using Crucial, but the question I have is that many threads and published opinions say that with the current and upcoming games, one should have as much RAM as possible. Is that your opinion?
If so, and seeing even the best RAM is very reasonable in relation to other components, should one get as much as possible, say 2x2, or 4x1.
And if that is somewhat true in your estimates, what's the difference between a 2x2 versus a 4x1 config.



Steelydan or Terry from Connecticut.

 

[systemlord]

Raptors are the quickest most responsive HDD in the HDD market. Two years ago I had a Maxtor 80GB HDD and after hearing about people saying all great things about them I just bought one to see for myself. Boy was I glad that I did because it really does make a difference, in-game loading of levels to booting up Windows in under 25 seconds. There was a thread a while back, "Which should I upgrade first", HDD or 2GB of RAM.

I told him that from my experience playing Oblivion I only had 1GB of RAM so I purchased both an extra GB of RAM and a Raptor 150 1500ADFD. I only installed one at any given time to really see what was better, having 1GB extra of system RAM or a very quick Raptor. The Raptor performance in Oblivion was different than before, when roming around outside with my old 7200RPM HDD trees, objects would pop into view late which was a sign that my computer was having a hard time keeping up my hardware.

With the Raptor that popping into view late problem was almost completely gone, next I put back my old Maxtor HDD and added 1GB into my system. My point is that they both played a 50/50 role when working together like a team. Now heres a fact, because HDD's still have moving parts makes them one of the biggest bottleneck in a computer. Ram is much faster than even a quad core processer, and my overclocked processer at 3.2GHz can read/write/copy between 8000-9000+ MB a second. A HDD is FAR behind in this reguard so having the fastest is best if you want the best.

You have maybe notice SSD's, solid state disks or a circuit board like a USB thumb drive but with more per GB money wise and slower transfer speeds as well. Maybe in ten years they'll get much faster but for now the HDD's are still king. About the RAM question having 2x2 later allows you to add a total of 8GB of system RAM, with a 1x2 GB configuration your stuck with 1x4 ='s a total of 4GB of RAM with no more room to add more RAM. I don't think many people with the mobo's they have now will be going to 8GB of RAM anytime soon, as 4GB's is plenty even for a 64bit OS.