Hi, First time building a new PC. Current one is years old and can barely run any games. Mostly play MMOs with some FPS every now and then. I plan on OCing around 3.0ghz to 3.6ghz. Any suggestions to what a good number to OC is would be appreciated. I am using a SyncMaster 1600x1200 resolution monitor. I live in Canada, and will most likely buy from NCIX and price match to DirectCanada. The price listed below are from DirectCanada in CAD, including instant/mail in rebates.
CPU $218.88
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Quad Core Processor LGA775 Kentsfield 2.40GHZ 1066FSB 8MB Retail Box
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=22211&vpn=BX80562Q6600&manufacture=Intel
From the comments, it comes with paste applied, should I still buy a Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound?
Since it retails, it comes with a stock fan, I assume. Do I have to remove the stock fan to use the below heatsink?
Heatsink $33.48
Xigmatek HDT-S1283
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=30012&vpn=HDT%2DS1283&manufacture=Xigmatek
Motherboard $182.99
EVGA Nforce 750I Sli FTW LGA775 ATX DDR2
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=29440&vpn=123%2DYW%2DE175%2DA1&manufacture=eVGA
Is the 750i fine? Or would the 780 be better? (Don't want 790 since its DDR3)
I believe the 750i is better since it's all solid, and I only need 2 SLI slots, and don't need the extra 2 SATA slots?
Are there any better 750i boards?
GPU 2x $165.09 = $330.18
2x EVGA E-Geforce 9600GT 650MHZ 512MB $165.09
This is compatiable with SLI, even though it doesn't say SLI Ready like other cards?
There's 2 stock-clocked version. One is 512-P3-N860-AR, the other is 512-P3-N861-AR, for their mft part #.
What's the difference, as the former is ~13 dollars cheaper. (They look different, the latter is more rectangular and the fan 'embedded' in it, while the former has the fan sticking out.)
Former: http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=30029&vpn=512%2DP3%2DN860%2DAR&manufacture=eVGA
Latter: http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=28844&vpn=512%2DP3%2DN861%2DAR&manufacture=eVGA
Since I have money to spare from downgrading from Q9450 to a Q6600, I decided to take the next GPU upgrade according to that list on the GPU forum. I would use 8800 SLI, but many stated there isn't a noticeable difference. Would a single 9800GTX be better? It's only 20 dollars more.
HDD $83.88
Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 3.5IN 500GB SATA2 8.5MS 7200RPM 32MB Cache Ncq Hard Drive
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=27144&vpn=ST3500320AS&manufacture=Seagate
Case $90.78
Antec Nine Hundred Mid Tower Gamer Case 900 Atx 9 Drive Bay No Ps Top USB2.0 1394 Audio
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=21123&vpn=NINE%20HUNDRED&manufacture=ANTEC
Memory $103.35
Corsair XMS2 DHX TWIN2X4096-6400C4DHX 4GB DDR2 2X2GB PC2-6400 DDR2-800 CL 4-4-4-12 240PIN Memory Kit
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=29300&vpn=TWIN2X4096%2D6400C4DHX&manufacture=CORSAIR
DVD/CD Writer $24.88
Samsung SH-S203B Black SATA DVD+RW 20X8X16 DVD-RW 20X6X16 DL 18X/12X INT DVD Writer OEM W/ Vista SW
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=24649&vpn=SH%2DS203B%2FBEBN&manufacture=Samsung
What cables do I need for this, since it's OEM? Any other piece requires cables bought seperately?
OS $110.24
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium Edition 64BIT DVD OEM
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=22438&vpn=66I%2D00788&manufacture=Microsoft
PSU
Need help here.
The total excluding PSU is 1178.66 CAD. I am willing to replace any of the parts given strong reasoning. As for the DVD write, Memory and HDD, I am still fuzzy if these are decent, as there are many similar choices. Are there any pieces (cables? wires?) I am missing for a completly new gameable PC? I have a monitor, speakers, keyboard, and mouse I can use from my old computer.
Thanks.
CPU $218.88
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Quad Core Processor LGA775 Kentsfield 2.40GHZ 1066FSB 8MB Retail Box
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=22211&vpn=BX80562Q6600&manufacture=Intel
From the comments, it comes with paste applied, should I still buy a Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound?
Since it retails, it comes with a stock fan, I assume. Do I have to remove the stock fan to use the below heatsink?
Heatsink $33.48
Xigmatek HDT-S1283
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=30012&vpn=HDT%2DS1283&manufacture=Xigmatek
Motherboard $182.99
EVGA Nforce 750I Sli FTW LGA775 ATX DDR2
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=29440&vpn=123%2DYW%2DE175%2DA1&manufacture=eVGA
Is the 750i fine? Or would the 780 be better? (Don't want 790 since its DDR3)
I believe the 750i is better since it's all solid, and I only need 2 SLI slots, and don't need the extra 2 SATA slots?
Are there any better 750i boards?
GPU 2x $165.09 = $330.18
2x EVGA E-Geforce 9600GT 650MHZ 512MB $165.09
This is compatiable with SLI, even though it doesn't say SLI Ready like other cards?
There's 2 stock-clocked version. One is 512-P3-N860-AR, the other is 512-P3-N861-AR, for their mft part #.
What's the difference, as the former is ~13 dollars cheaper. (They look different, the latter is more rectangular and the fan 'embedded' in it, while the former has the fan sticking out.)
Former: http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=30029&vpn=512%2DP3%2DN860%2DAR&manufacture=eVGA
Latter: http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=28844&vpn=512%2DP3%2DN861%2DAR&manufacture=eVGA
Since I have money to spare from downgrading from Q9450 to a Q6600, I decided to take the next GPU upgrade according to that list on the GPU forum. I would use 8800 SLI, but many stated there isn't a noticeable difference. Would a single 9800GTX be better? It's only 20 dollars more.
HDD $83.88
Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 3.5IN 500GB SATA2 8.5MS 7200RPM 32MB Cache Ncq Hard Drive
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=27144&vpn=ST3500320AS&manufacture=Seagate
Case $90.78
Antec Nine Hundred Mid Tower Gamer Case 900 Atx 9 Drive Bay No Ps Top USB2.0 1394 Audio
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=21123&vpn=NINE%20HUNDRED&manufacture=ANTEC
Memory $103.35
Corsair XMS2 DHX TWIN2X4096-6400C4DHX 4GB DDR2 2X2GB PC2-6400 DDR2-800 CL 4-4-4-12 240PIN Memory Kit
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=29300&vpn=TWIN2X4096%2D6400C4DHX&manufacture=CORSAIR
DVD/CD Writer $24.88
Samsung SH-S203B Black SATA DVD+RW 20X8X16 DVD-RW 20X6X16 DL 18X/12X INT DVD Writer OEM W/ Vista SW
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=24649&vpn=SH%2DS203B%2FBEBN&manufacture=Samsung
What cables do I need for this, since it's OEM? Any other piece requires cables bought seperately?
OS $110.24
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium Edition 64BIT DVD OEM
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=22438&vpn=66I%2D00788&manufacture=Microsoft
PSU
Need help here.
The total excluding PSU is 1178.66 CAD. I am willing to replace any of the parts given strong reasoning. As for the DVD write, Memory and HDD, I am still fuzzy if these are decent, as there are many similar choices. Are there any pieces (cables? wires?) I am missing for a completly new gameable PC? I have a monitor, speakers, keyboard, and mouse I can use from my old computer.
Thanks.