Please review my build!

[Disguised]

Hi all,

I'm planning on building this as a birthday present for my younger brother. It is intended to be a computer that is good for gaming as well as working (software engineering student), and he is a hobbyist 3D modeler running apps like Maya and 3DS Max. I'm going with 4GB Ram and a 32 bit OS initially, but an upgrade to a 64 bit OS could be possible down the road.

Case: NZXT Tempest, $99.99
Controller: NZXT Sentry 1 - $22.95
PSU: KINGWIN ABT-800MA1S ATX / BTX 800W Power Supply, $179.99
MOBO: EVGA 132-CK-NF78-A1 LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 780i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard, $249.99
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775 Quad-Core Processor Model BX80562Q6600, $254.99
HSF: ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler, $26.99
RAM:CORSAIR 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit, $114.00
HD: 2x - Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3500320AS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s, $109.99 each
VGA: 2x (SLI) - EVGA 512-P3-N841-A3 GeForce 8800GTS (G92) 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card, $259.99 each
DVD 2x - SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model SH-S203N, $29.99 each
Speakers: Logitech Z-5500 505 Watts 5.1 Speaker, $262.99
OS: Microsoft Windows Vista 32-Bit Home Premium for System Builders Single Pack DVD - OEM - $99.99
LCD: 2x - Dell 22" Widescreen Flat Pannel Monitor - $284.00 each

Total + Shipping - Rebates = $2664.53 which is very close to my budget for this build.

Main questions concern the RAM, the HSF, and whether or not the 8800 GTS is worth the extra money over the GT. I also may switch out the Q6600 for an E8400 if I can find one this week at my local Frys or Microcenter although the quad core may be better for rendering applications I'm not sure.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[chuckm]

My first question, do you need another brother? My birthday is not until Dec. and I'd be happy with a E21XX and no SLI!
Take a look at this cooler;
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233003
And this PSU;
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703009

 

[geofelt]

Looks good, except:

The kingwin psu is a tier 5 unit on this list: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=108088

A much better tier 1 unit that costs less is the PC P&C silencer 750 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341011

There are academic priced copies of Vista available. Look around.
Alternatively, consider an upgrade version of vista home premium. You get a 32 bit retail version which gives you support. It can be installed new with a simple two step procedure. You can order the 64 bit dvd from microsoft for a $10 processing fee. I recently saw this for sale at Costco for $85.

If the 45nm quads become available, look for one. They should be faster, and run cooler.

 

[oushi]

^ Agree with the above. Besides the PSU, this is one sweet looking rig.

Here is one option that I might consider...
Instead of going with a 780i and two 8800GTS in SLI, you could get a HD3870x2 and a P35 motherboard and put the ~$200 saved into upgrading the CPU to a Q9450. From what I understand, most of 3D rendering is CPU intensive, only the actual output of the image really uses the GPU. Not sure when you need to build this by so waiting for the new quad might not be feasible, but just something to think about.

 

[Disguised]

Hey guys thanks for the replys,

I just got home from Frys, and I picked up an E8400! In the end I just decided that most of what he's doing won't be taking advantage of quad cores so I may as well go for the faster chip since it was actually available to purchase.

The P&C PSU looks nice, although I was kind of hoping for modular cabling hrm. I think I'll give it a shot though!

I also decided to go with a TRUE HSF.

Oushi - A Q9450 would be nice but this build is on a time schedule, and I'm saving that chip for myself :lol: The E8400 will have to suffice for little brother.

But you did get me to read a lot more on the 780i chipset, and quite frankly some of the reviews I read on both the EVGA and ASUS 780i boards were pretty scary. One guy had 5 boards in a row DOA!

And then I got to wondering how beneficial is SLI really at 1680 x 1050? Noticibally? Worth the money? Better than a single 8800GTX and a better board? I read a lot about it, but you get so many conflicting reports, and I have no personal experience with SLI to go on.

I'm confused and I have to order parts tomorrow. Not a good combination.

 

[oushi]

People usually say SLI isn't really worthwhile until you get past 1920x1200. I don't have any experience with SLI either, but that seems to be the general consensus from what I've read. PC Power & Cooling doesn't make modular PSU's. This is their explanation why... (source: http://www.pcpower.com/technology/myths/#m3)

Due to their look, convenience, and cost savings for manufacturers, modular plugs have become a popular power supply feature. Unfortunately, there has been little or no discussion of the impact of this feature on overall performance and reliability. The fact is, modular plugs limit power by adding to electrical resistance. The voltage drop can be as much as would occur in 2 feet of standard wire. Worse yet, modular plugs utilize delicate pins that can easily loosen, corrode, and burn, creating the potential for a major system failure. That's why professional system builders specify uninterrupted wire!

However, if you still want to SLI and are looking for modular cabling, here's are some affordable tier 2 PSU's you can consider: SeaSonic M12 700W or Thermaltake Toughpower 700W (there are higher wattage versions of the Thermaltake if you want to be safer)

I prefer single-GPU systems so I'm a little biased, but you could probably stand to drop down to a single 8800GTS, a P35 mobo, and either a PC P&C 610W or a Corsair 620HX if you want modular cabling.