Building Around E8400, Check please

[theworm1212]

Gonna be building a new computer after finals are over this week for gaming. Looking for the best bang for the buck gaming-wise. I am keeping my current monitor (SyncMaster 930B) which has a maximum resolution of 1280x1024. Also keeping DVD drive and hard drive. Listed are the components I plan to buy. If you see anything that could replaced for a better valued component please let me know. I am also open to waiting for new technology to arrive if it would be deemed worth it. Thanks in advance for any input and help.

Case
Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16811129021

Motherboard
GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX All Solid Capacitor Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16813128059

Cpu
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80570E8400
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16819115037

Cpu Heatsink
ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16835186134

Cpu Paste
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16835100007

Graphics Card
EVGA 512-P3-N801-AR GeForce 8800GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16814130318

Memory
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1000 (PC2 8000) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8000CL5D-4GBPQ
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16820231145

Power Supply
CORSAIR CMPSU-520HX 520W ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16817139001

Operating System
Microsoft Windows Vista 64-Bit Ultimate for System Builders Single Pack DVD - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16832116215

I will probably overclock, but it will be to improve gaming performance, not just to do it, so I think this will be a good start.

Questions
1. Memory looks like good ,name brand value, Anything better?
2. Any reason I should buy a more expensive mobo?
3. Will this PS work for this setup? Is there a better value?
4. I plan to use the Evga Setup program ( i think they still honor that?) and will probablly get the top card in a month or so, will the ps I have provide enough juice?

 

[badge]

1. Memory looks like good ,name brand value, Anything better?

I use 8 gigs of this at P8500 1066MHz. with no problems. Have to adjust the voltage and set speed and timings manually, but this performs great. Will not clock as high as some Micron chips, but does overclock sufficiently nontheless and is the better jap chip out there.

2. Any reason I should buy a more expensive mobo?

No. Not with your future upgrade plans. X38 offers PCIE 2.0 16 x 2 CrossfireX and better overclocking/performance.

3. Will this PS work for this setup? Is there a better value?

Probably a better value, but the PSU will work very well nice choice.

4. I plan to use the Evga Setup program ( i think they still honor that?) and will probablly get the top card in a month or so, will the ps I have provide enough juice?

PSU will work fine.

 

[mysticriver]

Great case... I have one. Make sure you get a PSU with longer cables though, you will need them as the PSU sits in the bottom of the case. Your power supply choice is out of stock though. You could try the PC Power and Cooling 610 watt and is tad cheaper. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16817703005 Everything else looks pretty good. Intel Q6600 maybe?

 

[badge]

Review on the G. Skill PC28000.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=161477

 

[badge]

I just bought the PCP&C 610 as a back up, have not installed it. No modular, sleeved cbling, but powerful and my style. Yes, I have built the Antec 900 and mysticriver is correct, PSU installs in bottom of case long lead cables are needed.

 

[badge]

I have both the Q6600 and the E8400. The quad is very nice and lots of fun to have and use, makes a fast system. The E8400 will overclock to 3.6 with little more than stock cooling and that will spin your video card pretty good if you game a lot, which I don't. E8400 is very fast.

 

[theworm1212]

reviewers on newegg say the ps works fine in the antec nine hundred.

 

[badge]

The Antec 900 is a bit tight to work with, but it has excellent cooling capability. I built the Antec 300 a couple of weeks ag, got it for $49 which was a steal. Also great cooling.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042

Then there is the new 1200 which looks great:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129043

I also took this case apart at Fry's and really liked it.:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119137

 

[badge]

This is some pretty nice 900 modding. The last picture shows the position of the PSU position.

http://www.overclock.net/case-mod-work-logs/253030-project-radioactive-antec-900-mod-56k.html

 

[theworm1212]

badge,
thanks for all the info, those cases look nice
and wow the 1200 lights look amazing, never seen it before
but i think its just too much right now to consider

 

[badge]

I agree on the price for the 1200 being too much. Here is my 900 I built about 6 months ago. My son is gaming with a Q6600 right now.

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/9994/img0115wl0.jpg

I used this PSU with no problem at all. Same as the Game Stream, but without modular cabling.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341010

Review.

http://www.sysopt.com/features/cases/article.php/12024_3684541_3

 

[theworm1212]

you weren't able to route the cables through the back with that power supply? or did you just decide not to?

 

[badge]

I have never tried that. Sure you could cut the back of the case behind the MB if need be and do some routing. But that PSU does not have (unpluggable from the unit) modular cabling. It is sleeved though. The Stealthstream has the same specs as OCZ's gamer edition 600w Gamestream unit. The only difference is modular cabling with the Gamestream. And the price. It's a nice unit, I trust it. Quiet too.

 

[theworm1212]

bump