PC Upgrade - looking for feedback (what a surprise - right?)

[Guest]

Follow suit for most threads on this forum and posting my thoughts on upgrade components... looking for feedback.

Keeping sound card and existing optical and HD's - but most everything else getting replaced.

Primary use is gaming

Current Monitor is Samsung 24" 245BW running at 1920x1200

Pricing info from Newegg

My bottom line price is about right - don't really want to spend much more atm ($866 w/ $90 in mail-ins = $776)


CPU:
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80570E8400 - Retail
Item #: N82E16819115037
$189.99

Mobo
GIGABYTE GA-EP35-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Item #: N82E16813128337
$89.99

RAM
CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X4096-6400C5 - Retail
Item #: N82E16820145184
$86.50 (lpus 20$ mail in)

Video
EVGA 512-P3-N801-AR GeForce 8800 GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card
$169.99 (plus $10 mail in)

Case
Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
Item #: N82E16811129021
$119.99 (plus $40.00 Mail-in Rebate)

PSU
PC Power & Cooling S61EPS 610W Continuous @ 40°C EPS12V Power Supply
$109.99 (plus $20 mail in)

HD (Extra)
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
Item #: N82E16822136218
$99.99


Thanks in advance for the feedback.

 

[dagger]

P35 will not let you oc the e8400 to its 4.3-4.5ghz potiential. You need at least a p45, which is meant to replace the aging p35(soon to be out of production). $99:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130181

$159.99 after mir for a 8800gt isn't the best deal. You can get a better performing g92 8800gts, which also oc better, for the same $159.99 after mir:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814134037

 

[shadowthor]

+1 for dagger, get the P45. P5Q Deluxe, P5Q Pro, P5Q, P5Q-E.

 

[Shadow703793]

+1 for (G92)8800GTS

CPU:
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80570E8400 - Retail
Item #: N82E16819115037
$189.99

Mobo
GIGABYTE GA-EP35-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Item #: N82E16813128337
$89.99

RAM
CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X4096-6400C5 - Retail
Item #: N82E16820145184
$86.50 (lpus 20$ mail in)

Video
EVGA 512-P3-N801-AR GeForce 8800 GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card
$169.99 (plus $10 mail in)

Case
Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
Item #: N82E16811129021
$119.99 (plus $40.00 Mail-in Rebate)

PSU
PC Power & Cooling S61EPS 610W Continuous @ 40°C EPS12V Power Supply
$109.99 (plus $20 mail in)

HD (Extra)
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
Item #: N82E16822136218
$99.99

Looks good. You should wait for the *possible* price drops after the new GPUs are released. You may also want to wait a few weeks for the P45 to mature. Also if OCing get a good HSF like the XIGMATEK S1283. If going with the P35-DS3L don't forget to check out the OCing guide .

 

[shadowduck]

+1 on P45
+1 on waiting for 2xx series video cards.

 

[teaguejb]

What about an X48 chipset board for this build?

 

[shadowduck]

Overkill. P45 will handle everything OP needs.

 

[teaguejb]

Yeah...you're right. X48 would be overkill. However, I would think twice about buying an Asus P45 board. They seem to have removed them from their website. Don't know what's up with that. Go with one of the MSI or Gigabyte boards.

 

[shadowduck]

Asus's website is designed and managed by idiots. You can find the info- just have to search for it.

However the $99 MSI P45 Neo-F is a good buy.

 

[Guest]

Yes, I missed the OC advantage of the P45 - will definitely go with that (the MSI most likely)

...also the comment regarding the use of 1066 memory to provide additional breathing room - found:

OCZ SLI-Ready Edition 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ2N1066SR2GK - Retail
Item #: N82E16820227181
$100.99 (w/ $50 mir)

$50 mir makes this sweet - even if stepping down from 4Gb to 2Gb (I can always get more later on)

What exactly is the dope on the the new cards? I've never owned ATI - been using nVidia since GF3 was the newest and hottest card available (and it really was !). Any links on what to expect and WHEN?

Thanks again for the input.

 

[shadowduck]

When- by the end of the month.

Google for the 4850 bunch of stuff out there.

 

[dagger]

Yes, I missed the OC advantage of the P45 - will definitely go with that (the MSI most likely)

...also the comment regarding the use of 1066 memory to provide additional breathing room - found:

OCZ SLI-Ready Edition 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ2N1066SR2GK - Retail
Item #: N82E16820227181
$100.99 (w/ $50 mir)

$50 mir makes this sweet - even if stepping down from 4Gb to 2Gb (I can always get more later on)

What exactly is the dope on the the new cards? I've never owned ATI - been using nVidia since GF3 was the newest and hottest card available (and it really was !). Any links on what to expect and WHEN?

Thanks again for the input.

That's a bad idea. 2gb isn't enough. Crysis itself hogs 2+gb of ram after a few hours of gameplay, so does Supreme Commander on larger maps/unit counts. Most other new games also hog at least 1gb. Add the 1gb hogged by Vista, your computer will be forced to use page file off vastly slower hdd and lag everything down.

If you have the money, get 4gb of 1066 ddr2, if not 4gb of 800.

 

[Shadow703793]

@OP: Not sure if this applies to P45 chipsets, but you may have compatibility issues with DDR2 1066 RAM. Like dagger said, try and get 2*2GB DDR2 800.