Building a new Mid Range Gaming / Multitasking PC

[AleksandarTokarev]

hello all , im building a new pc ( without GPU - i have Inno3D 8800GT 512M atm PCI Express 2.0 but using it on 1.0 )

I have some questions regarding CPU / MB / Memory

CPU - I can choose between ( Wont be overclocking)
Q9300 ( 187 Euro)
Q6600 ( 137 Euro)
Q6700 ( 165 Euro)
E8400 ( 124 Euro)
Q9450 is a good alternative but they dont have it in the store yet

MB - I can choose between ( Wont be overclocking)
P5Q-E ( 111 Euro ) 2x PCI 2.0 DDR2 1200/1066/800 ( 16 GB max ram )
P5Q-PRO ( 97 Euro) 2x PCI 2.0 DDR2 1200/1066/800 ( 16 GB max ram )
P5Q ( 91 Euro ) 1x PCI 2.0 DDR2 1200/1066/800 ( 16 GB max ram )
P5E3 ( 151 Euro) 2x PCI 2.0 DDR3 1333/1066/800 ( 8 GB max ram )
P5K3 Deluxe/WiFi ( 124 Euro) 1x PCI 1.0 DDR3 1333/1066/800 ( 8 GB max ram )
I wont be using SLI or Crossfire , but i prefer PCI Express 2.0
Wont be using DDR3 as well for now since its expensive So DDR 2 1066/ 800 would be it
Is it worth buying DDR3 MB ?


Memory
2 x 2 GB 800 Mhz Corsair with DHX Technology (80 Euro)
2 x 2 GB 800 Mhz Corsair without DHX Technology ( 68 Euro)
2 x 2 GB 1066 MHz Corsair with DHX Technology ( 98 Euro)
4 x 2 GB 800 Mhz PQI ( 104 Euro)
PQI seems cheapest but Corsair is a better brand - and if i go with 8 GB PQI ill be going to Vista 64bit

Im playing games at 1280 x 1024

 

[thepowerofdonuts]

Q9300 is better for video purposes. If you won't be doing any editing or anything, get the Q6600. Q6700 is better for overclocking, but that doesn't matter to you.
No SLI or Crossfire? Get the Gigabyte GA-EP45-D3SL. If you insist on Asus, get the one with only one PCI Express X 16 slot.
DDR 3 memory support usually comes on more expensive boards. You'll be paying more for the memory AND the motherboard. Unless you plan on upgrading to a Nehalem platform that supports DDR3 SOON, stay with DDR2. You should definitely get 64-bit Vista. I'd go with the 4 gigs of 1066 Corsair. Actually I would buy Mushkin. It's rated at lower voltages and is usually cheaper than Corsair, and just as good. What are you doing about the other components? (PSU, case, cooler, video card, etc.)

 

[AleksandarTokarev]

At the store they dont have any Gigabyte MB's so im left to choose only from Asus. They dont have Mushkin as well so im left with Corsair / PQI / Kingston
Im using a Inno3D 8800GT 512 MB GPU , and im not sure about case and PSU ,
They have Cooler Master Extreme Power and Cooler Master Real Power Modular ? Which one should be better?

 

[thepowerofdonuts]

What they have at the store is fine but I don't know about Cooler Master PSU's. I only know that iGreen is better than eXtreme, and iGreen is in the same tier as Real Power, so I'm guessing Real Power is better. Maybe you should consider ordering a Corsair PSU online or something, Cooler Master PSU's aren't that great. Do they have any other brands available?

 

[AleksandarTokarev]

They only have Spire and Delux , but as far as i know CM is the best around in our country

 

[thepowerofdonuts]

You should do some research, I don't know much about Cooler Master power supplies. If you look at the 12V rails, whichever has higher amps on each rail is probably better, or if there's one with a single rail and over 30 amps, get that one.

 

[skywalker9952]

My suggestions:
Q6600 - Really a nice price to performance sweet spot. If you had just said gaming I would recommend the e8400, but if you want the multitasking as well q6600 is the way to go.
P5Q - I would recomend the pro on principle, but you are running an Nvidia card so no need for the crossfire.

PSU wise there is a PSU tier chart I use @ xtreme systems. They are updating it but it gives you a reasonable idea of where your brand lies.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=108088

Coolermaster Real Power is Tier4. Not so great. Extreme power seems to be lower wattage then real power and therefore probably made with cheaper components (and worse).

A Spire Rocketeer V/VI is listed as tier 3 so I wouldn't dismiss them as a quality PSU manufacturer. Stay far away from version IV of the rocketeer as it is crap. Also reviews on versions V and VI are rather positive.

 

[TomCat1]

If you want to save money then you can purchase a new system here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AELZ2IA?tag=informati0c0c-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B00AELZ2IA&adid=17NDWCHT42ASQR6R4NQ2&