Build Critique

[eckso]

Hi everyone, I'm interested in building a new machine, with a budget limit of around $1300 in mind, not including a monitor/other accessories. What I have in mind for this machine is mostly gaming, but also some work related stuff. If I was going to build this thing, I was planning on getting a nice widescreen monitor, and so would be running games at maybe 1680x1050 or 1440x900.

Well, here are the parts that I was planning on (have to link them separately because I can't get the public wish list on newegg to work)

HD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218
WD Caviar 640GB

Video card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102748
SAPPHIRE Radeon 4870

Mobo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128336
GIGABYTE X48-DS4

CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115017
Q6600

Power Supply: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006
CORSAIR 750W

RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145184
CORSAIR 4GB (2x2gb) ddr2 800

Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119137
Cooler Master RC-690

Optical: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151154
Samsung DVD Burner

Before rebates, it comes out to around $1200.

Any suggestions are welcome, and thanks for all the information on the boards!

 

[dirtmountain]

Get a SATA DVD RW instead of IDE
Good solid build

 

[eckso]

Good catch! Thanks for the reply.

Edited original post to reflect the change.

 

[WR2]

Nice list.

You picked an IDE DVD burner instead of a SATA burner: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106057

You picked a good PSU and it's sized correctly for 2x 4870 in Crossfire. The only niggle is the PSU has only 2 PCI-e connectors and CF 4870 require four. You could cobble together a couple 4pin molex to PCI-e adapters (they come with the video cards). Or for $20 more you could step up a bit to a Corsair 750TX PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006

Planning on trying you hand at some overclocking? If you are not the C2D E8400 might be a better all around choice.

 

[th_username]

everything is okay

 

[eckso]

I'd be completely open to some overclocking, though I've never tried it before. I am slightly hesitant because I'd like this thing to last at least 2-3 years, would that be a feasible life-cycle for an overcloked rig?

That is a better power supply WR2, and $20 is no big deal in this price range. -Edited original post.

 

[WR2]

I'd be completely open to some overclocking, though I've never tried it before. I am slightly hesitant because I'd like this thing to last at least 2-3 years, would that be a feasible life-cycle for an overcloked rig?

A modest overclock to the Q6600 (around 3.0Ghz 3.2Ghz for example) would get about the same performance as the $1000 QX9650 or $1470 QX9770.
That type of OC might reduce your Q6600 life expectancy from ~10 years to ~9 years. An aftermarket heat sink & fan can help keep the CPU running cooler than the stock (included HSF). For that motherboard and Q6600 combo you'd probably expect to be able to get 3.6Ghz as a top overclock with one of the top aftermarket HSFs.

 

[eckso]

Hmm...I thought it would reduce the lifespan more siginificantly than that, I'd definitately try that. What aftermarket cooling system would you recommend? Are water cooling kits a good price/performance tradeoff? The solid watercooling kits I've seen on newegg were at least $100.

I also think I'd stick with the Q6600 over the E8400 because it is quad-core, which will be taken advantage of in more and more games in the future.

 

[WR2]

The things that affect the CPU life span are excess heat, higher voltages and heavy duty cycle. A decent after market CPU cooler will help limit excess heat for a fairly small price. And they perform just as well (and in some cases better) than entry level water cooling. And water cooling brings its own issues and problems (leaks!) into the picture. For the hardcore enthusiast water cooling makes sense. For the rest of us we can get by nicely with air cooling.
For an overclocking goal in the 3.2Ghz range something like the Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro $32 is nice. Not too large, easy to install (it comes with thermal compound already applied) and gets the job done nicely.

If you're thinking you might want to hit the higher ranges of OC'ing with the Q6600 you'd want CPU cooling with a bit more authority.
Many people have reached 3.6Ghz without too much effort and some medium increases in CPU core voltages (life span to ~8 or 7 years).
Any of the ones on the Top10 list @ Frostytech should do good. http://www.frostytech.com/top5heatsinks.cfm

 

[eckso]

Thank you very much! I think I'm going to go with the S1283 with an extra retention bracket, and try to overclock it to around 3.6.