q9450 new rig review request

[aznguy0028]

hi everyone, im building this as soon as my q9450 comes in the mail, i pre-ordered one already :] i just wanted to make sure everything is okay, i've bought half the parts already, only thing i haven't bought yet is the motherboard,ram,and video card. here are the parts

bought already

CPU - Intel Quad-Core Yorkfield Q9450 45nm 1333mhz fsb 2.66ghz
PSU - Antec TPQ-850
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371009
CPU HSF - Zalman CNPS 9700 LED
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118019
Case - Antec 900
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021&Tpk=antec+900

now for the parts i still need to buy and am considering

Video card - ATI HD 3870x2
Ram - Crucial Ballistix 2x1gb DDR2 800
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146565
Motherboard - GIGABYTE GA-X38-DS4 LGA 775 Intel X38
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...080&Tpk=GIGABYTE+GA-X38-DS4+LGA+775+Intel+X38
Hardrive - ??? i don't know which hardrive to get to run for my OS yet (xp 32) are there any good hardrives with a high RPM that runs in sata 3.0gb/s mode?

also i was planning on getting a 500gb western digital hardrive for my data storage...does anyone know what the difference is between

-Western Digital Caviar RE2 WD5001ABYS 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136205

and the Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136073

i've been absent from the tech scene for awhile, and just got back not too long ago with all the updated technology, and i'm pretty clueless for exact hard drives specifications. so what are the difference between those two drives? AAKS and ABYS models?

my budget for this rig is around 1400-1600$ and so far it is going on track

if there are any suggestions of other parts you would use, please feel free to give me ur opinion, it is much appreciated. thanks alot!

oh yes, im building this rig mainly to game and for video/audio encoding as well as multiple programs multi-tasking and to run crysis on a decent fps with good quality since i run it at 800x600 on low settings on my laptop

cheers

-TN

 

[akhilles]

Go with WD5000AAKS.

Is the pc going to be overclocked?

 

[aznguy0028]

thank god for a reply. lol

yea im reading on how to OC right now on the forums through the guide. im thinking about doing a safe OC (400mhz x 8) = 3.2ghz

too scared to go anything beyond that

so much time and effort into OC-ing though but i hope it'll be worth it!

 

[akhilles]

In that case, I suggest you get a quieter cpu cooler such as Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme + a Scythe 60cfm-ish 120mm fan.

That Yorkfield will fly. At stock, it's faster than other desktop quads.

 

[KyleSTL]

Go with WD5000AAKS.

Is the pc going to be overclocked?

I'd have to disagree. 7500AAKS is the way to go. It and the 1T GP drive are the only Western Digital offerings right now with PMR. Check out the HDD charts on Tom's for performance details between the two. The other day they annouced the 320GB drives are shipping as single-platter designs, but I don't believe they have a new model number (3200AAKS still). That should be rivaling the 7500AAKS for speed when it becomes available on the market.

SATA300 + 10K or 15K does not exist. The Raptors clearly need a refresh for that very reason (and the lack of PMR).

 

[hcforde]

Hey aznguy0028,

I thought you were kidding when you said you were running Crysis at 800*600 on a laptop in the "3870 fastest yet" thread.

Looks like a nice rig. The Thermalright 120 extreme is a great cooler for overclocking just be sure your case has the clearance the Antec 900 might but check to be sure.

Is the NB on that Gigabyte board a an ICH9 or ICH9R. Personally I would get a board with the ICH9R - the r is a raid board and the Intel Matrix Raid is sweet. It will allow you to have Raid 0 AND raid 1 with just 2 drives. Therefore speed and security. Most people do not know or use it but I was pleasantly surprised.

 

[joewho]

Every thing looks pretty good. This is my HD pick.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148288

 

[joewho]

Where did you pre-order the CPU?

 

[KyleSTL]

The Thermalright 120 extreme is a great cooler for overclocking just be sure your case has the clearance the Antec 900 might but check to be sure.

It fits. My dad has that exact setup. Beware though, if you install a fan in the mesh side panel slot you will only be able to orient the HSF horizontally with the 120mm fan on TOP of the TR 120. Vertical orientations and fan below the heatsink in the horizontal position have interference with that add-in fan slot.

His set up:

Gigabyte P35-DS4
Celeron 420 (Q9450 when it's released)
Sapphire HD 2600XT 256MB
Antec Nine Hundred
Corsair 620HX
5x 120mm 800rpm Scythe Slip Stream fans
WD 500 GP
WD 1T GP
Edit: and Thermalright 120 Ultra Vanilla

 

[oo7b0nds]

I'm also curious as to where you pre-ordered the Q9450.

 

[Wiser_Than_U]

He's the son of Intel Ceo Paul Otellini, that's why he can get the Q9450 so early.

 

[aznguy0028]

hey everyone, thanks for all ur suggestions so far

so is the Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme + a Scythe 60cfm-ish 120mm fan better than the zalman 9700? i've read a lot about new builds online and people have both those HSF, so i wasn't really sure which one to get. should i really return the 9700?

@hcforde

yea i just checked the specifications for my mobo on newegg. and the SB is the ICH9R, the NB is the x38 or so it says.

and for everyone else who is curious bout where i pre-ordered my q9450, i gotta wait till my housemate gets home, he's at some internship right now and he doesnt have any reception on his phone, so when he gets home i'll ask him and i'll post later about where he ordered it for me. i'll also contact customer service there to see about when it should be in their factory and when (relative time frame) it should arrive at my place. i also wanted to clarify that this is a pre-order, as to my knowledge, the CPU isn't out yet.

one last question, so if i don't OC it to 3.2, the zalman 9700 should be able to do the job right at stock 2.66ghz?

thanks again, i'll repost later when i get a response from my housemate and the site he pre-ordered it from.

cheers

-TN

 

[aznguy0028]

so about the site my room-mate pre-ordered the q9450 for me, its

http://pcsuperdeals.com/

i asked him about the quality of the site and he told me he ordered stuff from there before and things came on time and it was a good purchase so i trust him (for the most part or else he's gonna owe me a q9450 and we'll have to go to court to settle that )

i went on the site myself and i checked its ratings and for the customer reviews...it got a lot of mixed reviews, some were excellent, some were not so great...so.....i guess order at your own risk, and you can make the call for urself. i also called customer service and i asked the representative and so far everything is going well, she told me the CPU should be in stock at their factory on feb.25th, and it'll ship to me right when they get it.

the price was attractive as well (i think? haha). i ordered mines for a base price of 326$ including tax and shipping and all that fun stuff, it came out to be 367$.

on wikipedia if you search the q9450, it says the price is 316$
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_future_Intel_Core_2_microprocessors

not sure if thats the MSRP or not, but thats what it says, im only stating what i know/see/hear/smell/touch

hope that helped with all ur concerns. i hope my deal goes well too! *crosses fingers*

-TN

 

[KyleSTL]

i also called customer service and i asked the representative and so far everything is going well, she told me the CPU should be in stock at their factory on feb.25th, and it'll ship to me right when they get it.

That's good to know.

on wikipedia if you search the q9450, it says the price is 316$
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_future_Intel_Core_2_microprocessors

not sure if thats the MSRP or not, but thats what it says, im only stating what i know/see/hear/smell/touch

That price wikipedia has listed is to resellers and oems for tray pricing (i.e. in quantities of 1000 units). So you will never be able to get it less at or less than that before the technology becomes obsolete.

 

[imrul]

7500AAKS is the way to go. quotemsg]

i disagree, 7500aays is the way to go...

 

[akhilles]

Zalman is fine for a stock pc. In fact, it's the best. Once the cpu is overclocked, the Zalman will become audible to the point of being loud. It's your call. I suggested the best overall air cooler. Google reviews. Look at the average performance of U120E in 5-10 idle temp & load temp & noise charts.