[New system build] Advice on new system build.

[mpavao81]

Im looking to upgrade/build a new system some time in the next 4 to 6 weeks. Its been about 5 years since i last upgraded so i figured its about time. I would like some advice on my planned system.
Heres a list of parts that im thinking about getting. oh and i am into overclocking nothing crazy though just moderate overclocking.

BFG Tech GeForce™ 8800GTX OC2
OCZ ModXStream Power 780W(getting this for the (modular cables)
Asus® Maximus Formula, Socket 775, Intel® X38 Chipset w/ PCI Express x16 (ATX)
Intel® Core™2 Quad Q9550, 2.83-GHz @ 1333Mhz w/ 12Mb Quad Core
Zalman CNPS9700 LED
OCZ 2Gb PC2-8500 DDR2 Dual Channel Titanium XTC Intel Optimized Edition (5-5-5-15)

the rest of the parts im reusing from my current system, i will probably add another 2gb ram and a new sound card around christmas.

oh and i have a 24" Widescreen Viewsonic
and the parts that im reusing from my current system
74gb Raptor 10,000rpm(SATA)
150gb Raptor 10,000rpm(SATA)
300GB seagate 7200rpm(SATA)
16x LG litescribe dvd burner(IDE)
16x Plextor Dvd burner(IDE)
Sound blaster Audigy 2 platinum

 

[aevm]

BFG Tech GeForce™ 8800GTX OC2
OCZ ModXStream Power 780W(getting this for the (modular cables)
Asus® Maximus Formula, Socket 775, Intel® X38 Chipset w/ PCI Express x16 (ATX)
Intel® Core™2 Quad Q9550, 2.83-GHz @ 1333Mhz w/ 12Mb Quad Core
Zalman CNPS9700 LED
OCZ 2Gb PC2-8500 DDR2 Dual Channel Titanium XTC Intel Optimized Edition (5-5-5-15)

The BFG 8800GTX OC2 is a very nice toy. I have one myself. It can handle 1920x1200 in most games without trouble. However, I think it's best if you keep the option of using SLI at some point. That is, replace the X38 motherboard with an eVGA 780i motherboard, and you get a chance to add a second 8800GTX later if needed. (Even a third, in fact.)

There's an 8800GTS G92 512MB out there that can match the GTX OC2 at lower resolutions, at lower cost and power consumption. I'm sure you will hear about it in other people's replies. Still, for 1920x1200 I think it's worth going with the 8800GTX. I suggest you find some benchmarks and compare.

I don't know how good the ModXStream 780W is. If you want a single 8800GTX I'd recommend an OCZ Silencer 610W (or PC Power & Cooling Silencer 610W, same thing), or a Corsair 620HX. For two video cards 780W sounds good.

The Q9550 isn't out yet and nobody can say for sure which motherboards will work with it. When it is out, check before buying a motherboard. I expect that most X38/780i/P35 boards will work, some even without a BIOS update.

I'd stay away from the Zalman 9700 because there are coolers out there that do a better job with less noise. For example look at the Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme/Scythe S-Flex combination. There's also a new Thermalright IFX-14 which is even better, but it's huge and doesn't fit in all cases.

I assume you will also reuse your case. What type is it? The 8800GTX is the largest video card ever at 11" and may not fit.

 

[mpavao81]

I have a pretty good size case.

http://www.pccanada.com/viewitem.asp?id=4045 (my case is similar to this one) the side panel on mine is a little different. mine has a fan right in the middle of the side panel with a like flower like window design with the fan in the middle of that.

 

[Sauvage]

I agree with aevm in leaving the SLI option open. If you want to, here is an excellent site for helping for the PSU, which also recommends no less than 850w for a GTX SLI rig:

http://www.slizone.com/object/slizone_build_psu.html

I am not sure about BFG's cards, but I know that you can save yourself some money on eVGA's cards by NOT getting the factory OC'ed card. The 8800GTX is easy to overclock.

Don't forget about the Tuniq 120 Tower cooler. The Thermalright is the best cooler out there, but the Tuniq is right on its heels, is less expensive, and comes with everything including the fan.

The Q9550 is supposed to work fine with the 780i A1 board if you go that route. Like it was said already, though: Nobody knows for sure until the chip comes out.

I would spend the $30 and just get a new SATA Dual Layer DVD/CD Burner. Keep a IDE burner in case you need it (Acronis Drive Image didn't like my Samsung SATA burner), but use a SATA drive for the added speed.

If I am not mistaken, you Audigy card is not going to help out the system like a X-Fi Extreme Gamer card would, and if you do go with a 780i board most all of them come with some pretty friggin nice 7.1 onboard.

There's my $.02

 

[mpavao81]

I dont think ill even use SLI 99.9% sure i wont.

 

[aevm]

Good news, the 8800GTX will fit in the P160W. I did a quick Google search and found somebody who has that combination.
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies-archive.cfm/743570.html

In 4 to 6 weeks I expect the 9800GTX will be out too. Rumors are that it will be around $450 and much faster than the 8800GTX. Physically, I expect it to be 11" too - otherwise nVidia will have a lot of angry customers.

All right, let's forget SLI. This means X38 and P35 are also good options. X38 is better because it has PCI-E 2.0 slots. The 8800GTX doesn't really care about that, but I'm 99% sure your next video card will care. Check out the GA-X38-DS4 and see if you like it more than the Asus Maximus.

Agreed about the Tuniq Tower, that's also a very good cooler. The only problem I have with it is that it makes 46 dB of noise under load compared to 39 dB for the Thermalright. I'm sure lots of people wouldn't know the difference, it's not that big.

 

[resonance451]

Why would you get an X38 mobo?

 

[mpavao81]

Why would you get an X38 mobo?

why whats wrong with X38 is it a bad choice?/

 

[resonance451]

At the moment there's simply no reason to get an X38 chipset. It's better to choose an nVidia chipset, particularly because the only thing the X38 enables you to do is use DDR3, and that's an expensive and mostly useless standard at the moment. Even when it becomes mainstream, the DDR2 will be the cheap and efficient alternative that I will keep going back to again and again. It's better to get an SLI-supporting chipset that supports high-speed DDR2 (1066 or 1200).'

That's the reason I chose my EVGA 780i SLI mobo. With that you have expandability to the 45 nanometer process, as well as triple SLI if you really wanted it (well, you are interested in a BFG GTX OC'd..).

PS - if I'm not mistaken, the Zalman 9700 is one of the highest rated CPU coolers in existence.

 

[aevm]

99.9% sure that it's a good choice. That is, if you do decide you want SLI you'll be sorry you picked X38. If you never want SLI, x38 is a good choice.

 

[aevm]

At the moment there's simply no reason to get an X38 chipset. It's better to choose an nVidia chipset, particularly because the only thing the X38 enables you to do is use DDR3, and that's an expensive and mostly useless standard at the moment. Even when it becomes mainstream, the DDR2 will be the cheap and efficient alternative that I will keep going back to again and again. It's better to get an SLI-supporting chipset that supports high-speed DDR2 (1066 or 1200).'

That's the reason I chose my EVGA 780i SLI mobo. With that you have expandability to the 45 nanometer process, as well as triple SLI if you really wanted it (well, you are interested in a BFG GTX OC'd..).

PS - if I'm not mistaken, the Zalman 9700 is one of the highest rated CPU coolers in existence.

The Asus Maximus Formula is based on X38 and uses DDR2. I wish you hadn't brought up DDR3, it's complicating things for the OP.

The OP doesn't want SLI. Considering this, X38 and 780i are equal for him. X38 has a small advantage because it's Intel's chipset and has a better chance to work well with the Q9550 when it arrives.

The Zalman 9700 is one of the highest rated indeed, but I wouldn't buy it. Look at these benchmarks:
http://www.anandtech.com/casecoolingpsus/showdoc.aspx?i=3068&p=5
http://www.anandtech.com/casecoolingpsus/showdoc.aspx?i=3068&p=7
The Scythe Ninja is cheaper, reaches the same clocks, is less noisy. The Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme is about the same price, reaches higher clocks, is less noisy.

 

[aevm]

How about HD 3870X2? That beats the 8800GTX in a bunch of games (OK, and loses to the GTX in others). With one of those you can have your X38 and still keep the option to add a second card later. The only issue there is you need a PSU with 6/8-pin PCI-E connectors, like the PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750W Crossfire Edition for example.

 

[mpavao81]

i use to be a ATI fanboy had probably 12 different ati cards from 1995 to 2008. But lately it looks like they suck compared to nvidia. And it seems to me anyway that more games are optimised for Nvidia , and i hear there drivers are better.

 

[resonance451]

Even worse, the crippled X38 board without even supporting DDR3.

And it sounds like this user is interested in keeping this computer for a good while, so deciding he'd never ever want to spend another $200 in a year for another card to put it in SLI is a bit far reaching.

The EVGA 780i SLI on average is only $10 more expensive than the ASUS Maximus, supports SLI, supports DDR2 1200, supports the 45nm architecture... I don't see what the reason is to stick with an Intel chipset, particularly when he's interested in getting an 8800GTX overclocked. That screams gamer to me.

Why on earth spend $10 less and not leave yourself the option to SLI?

And considering that the 780i supports the 45nm chips I see no reason why it is any less likely to support the new processor.

 

[mpavao81]

Even worse, the crippled X38 board without even supporting DDR3.

And it sounds like this user is interested in keeping this computer for a good while, so deciding he'd never ever want to spend another $200 in a year for another card to put it in SLI is a bit far reaching.

The EVGA 780i SLI on average is only $10 more expensive than the ASUS Maximus, supports SLI, supports DDR2 1200, supports the 45nm architecture... I don't see what the reason is to stick with an Intel chipset, particularly when he's interested in getting an 8800GTX overclocked. That screams gamer to me.

Why on earth spend $10 less and not leave yourself the option to SLI?

And considering that the 780i supports the 45nm chips I see no reason why it is any less likely to support the new processor.

Yes i do plan on keeping for good while without having to upgrade again,

oh and one more question my brother suggested that i ditch the PC8500 for some PC6400 that had "tighter timmings" and said the PC8500 doesnt make a noticable difference. i dont know if thats true or not. But i just figured faster memory=better.