E8400 + GeForce 9600GT based system (help please):

[kenratboy]

Hello,

I am considering building the following system:

-Intel E8400 + nice cooler $250 (seems like the sweet spot for me, and 3.6, 3.8, 4.0GHz. on air!)
-GeForce 9600GT $150 (I game at 1280x1024, and I can always slap in a GeForce 10 or 11 later, where as the other stuff is pretty permanent)
-Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L $100 (best rated on Newegg, I don't need SLI, like the price)
-G.Skill 2x2GB DDR2 800 kit $100 (price is right, best rated on Newegg)
-Lian-Li case $100 (I like em')
-Power Supply $100 (not sure what I want, please advice on how many watts a system like this needs)

Other than that, I will get a nice DVD burner, I have a monitor I like, and will use a brand new 320GB Seagate HD. Puts me at about $800 for everything.

My questions are:

-Does the CPU, motherboard, and memory look good? What about the BIOS and this brand new Intel chip (I do not have another chip I can use so I can flash the BIOS)?
-Before, I was dead set on a 8800GT, but it seems the 9600GT comes close for less money. I usually upgrade the video card every few years (where as the CPU, motherboard, and memory should last my habits about 4 years)
-For a system like this, what sort of PSU should I be looking at? I know amperage is the most important thing, but for a build like this, do I really need anything more than a quality 500 watt PSU?
-Any other thoughts or suggestions? If spending an extra $100, $200 will get me a lot more computer, I am all for it.

Thank you!!!

Ken

 

[themyrmidon]

Clubit.com has 4 gigs of patriot viper memory for the same, or 4 gigs of regular for $60. At that res a 9600 GT is overkill, but futureproof. I'd get an E8200, you can find them for $180 if you look in the right places. I'd say 650+ watt psu.

 

[kenratboy]

Thanks!

I will be gaming at 1280x1024 right now...but I will snap up a 24" eventually, so I will keep that in mind (and if not, nice having a future proof card).

The E8400 is $190-200 at Newegg (when its in stock...), I said $250 because I will get the OEM chip + a sick cooler.

650 watt PSU sounds fine (I guess). Any advice as to what a good model would be, or would any quality brand be OK?

 

[oushi]

Hard to say about the BIOS. Some people have it work out of the box, some can post but then have to flash a new BIOS after, and others have to stick in an older CPU to flash the BIOS. At this point I think the chances of the E8400 at least posting are in your favor, but nobody can definitively say either way.

Amperage is not the most important thing when you're looking at a PSU. It's more important to look for the amps on the 12V rail in particular as that's where most of your power is going to be going. A good quality Corsair 450VX is enough to power your system. However, I would upgrade to a Corsair 550VX for $10 more for room to upgrade in the future.

Look at the Xigmatek HDT-S1283 for your CPU cooler.

Both the 8800GT and 9600GT are great cards. I would get the 8800GT personally, but you can't really go wrong either way. Sad thing is that all the nice video card deals went away with the turn of the month...

 

[umich2010]

You definitely do not need a 650W psu with that system. I would go for the 550VX that oushi mentioned, great match for your build.

 

[kenratboy]

I hear about the 12 volt rail, what am I looking for in particular? For my sort of system (no X-treme stuff), how much power would I need?

Yeah, I have a 6600GT (AGP) at the moment, so a 9600GT would be a monster for me. Looks nice $150-175 gets a nice 9600GT, I just can't complain about that.

I am a bit of a Zalman fanboy, anything wrong with this guy?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118223

Thanks!

 

[kenratboy]

Oh, and I wanted to mention that keeping things quiet are important (looks like that 550VX is quiet, and I would gladly put an aftermarket cooler on the vider card if need be).

 

[oushi]

Nothing wrong with the Zalman. Just do a search to see if it will fit okay with the DS3L and case.

I'm still learning myself, but from what I've gathered you're looking for how much of the total rated wattage is on the 12V rails. The big hungry things like your video card and CPU are powered from the 12V. If you look at a crappy psu like this $25 Logisys 550W PSU (check spec's after the jump), you'll see that it has 25 amps total on a 12V rail. 25 amps x 12 volts = 300W available for anything using the 12V rail. On the other hand, the Corsair 550VX (specs) has 41 amps = 492 watts for the 12V rail. Even though both products are advertised as 550W, there's a stark difference in where that energy goes.

According to eVGA's website, the minimum recommend wattage is 312W on the 12V. Even without considering the CPU's power needs, the Logisys is destined to fail. I'm not really sure what other things use the 12V... I'd appreciate it if someone more knowledgeable could tell me.

There are other things that also contribute to the difference in quality between high end and cheapo power supplies such as exaggerated ratings, lower efficiencies, and power distribution among multiple 12V rails... here are some good reads that would be far more enlightening and eloquent than I can present:
PC Power & Cooling's "Power Supply Myths Exposed"
Power Supplies 101: A Comprehensive Guide

 

[kenratboy]

I have a really good (but old) Antec PSU and while this is very subjective, its just been a machine. Not one issue with the system. I have had bad experiences with cheap POS PSU's on friends computers.

Spending $75, 100, 150 for a good PSU that will give you years of reliable service is a small price to pay considering I use the computer 50-80 hours a week.