Opinions on Gaming Build

[anandamide]

I'm about to order from Newegg. I was hoping for a little feedback first.

CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 $189

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16819115037

GPU - BFG Tech GeForce 9800 GX2 $479

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16814143128

Memory - CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR2 800 $85

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16820145184

Mobo - ABIT IP35 Pro $129

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16813127030

PSU - Thermaltake W0116RU 750W $139

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16817153038

HD - SAMSUNG 750GB 7200 RPM $119

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16822152100

Case - LIAN LI PC-60B $139

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16811112116

Total = $1410

I was specifically wondering if the GPU will fit in the case since I've heard that it's obnoxiously large.

Any other comments or suggestions are very welcome. Thanks

 

[evll_panda]

Only thing i can say is buy an extra GPU and send it my way

 

[evll_panda]

Also I have heard great things about Corsair PSU and there 750w is $20 less than the Thermaltake you have now.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006

 

[aevm]

The Silencer 750W is $120 after rebate and shipping. The Corsair 750TX panda mentioned is actually $110 after rebate and shipping. Both are better deals than the Thermaltake 750W at $140. The Silencer has been around longer and has a ton of awards, and it blows the heat to the back rather than the floor, so I think it's worth the extra $10 over the 750TX.

I love the aBit IP35 Pro, and that's a great price. However, for that video card, I'd pick an X38 motherboard because it has PCI-E 2.0. Check out aBit IX38 QuadGT or GA-X48-DS4 or GA-X38-DS4.

The best 750GB disks out there are WD7500AAKS and Seagate's 7200.11. I don't particularly mind Samsung disks, but I'd prefer one of these other two. Also check out the WD6400AAKS. Samsung is great for burners and monitors, but they're still newbies in the HDD business.

Get a RC-690 case. Quote from a newegg reviewer for the Lian-Li case:

Cons: I had to remove the hdd cage and buy the lian-li ex-33b harddrive expansion [takes up 3x 5.25"" drive bays and adds an additional 120mm fan] when I added a 9800GTX to this case. The card is just too long, and this case was not designed to handle the newer, super-elongated cards that are coming out. Once I did this, the case became rather uncomfortable to work in. As it's only a mid-tower that's understandable however it's pretty disappointing that the once spacious case had now become cramped. I had to relocate the mounting bracket for the side-120mm fan about 1cm because my heatsink was too large [TT Big Typhoon]. The ""cpu-duct"" is worthless when your powersupply is using a 120mm fan to intake/exhaust it before it even gets to your heatsink. I would have preferred 120mm case fans all around instead of 2x 80mm and 2x 120mm.

 

[anandamide]

Thanks for the hard drive and power supply recommendations guys.

Is the x38/x48 chipset preferable to to nvidia's 750i/780i/790i ?

Would anyone recommend getting two 8800 GTS (G92 version) and running them in SLI versus the 9800 GX2?

I suppose the cost might be cheaper and I might have an easier time fitting them into a mid tower ATX case.

I've never run SLI before though and I've heard both good and bad.

Thanks again for the advice.

 

[aevm]

x38/x48 is preferable, yes, but then you have to get the 9800GX2 or two ATI cards, you can't use two nVidia cards with those chipsets. Maybe you should wait a couple of weeks for ATI's new 4xxx series, then get an x38 or x48 and one of those cards. Then you can add a second card when/if you want. Of course it depends on whether those cards are any good...