Advice for new system build

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utaustinstud

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Mar 5, 2008
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So my old computer finally bit the dust so I'm forced to upgrade and will only be saving my DVD burner, case, and PSU.

I have a Centurion 5 case and a Corsair 550W PSU.

I was looking at some threads on the e5200 vs. the e7200. I was planning on overclocking the system so the higher multiplier sounds good but from what I've heard/read you have to have fairly high voltages to get it to around 4ghz. I'd be completely happy with around 3.2-3.5ghz. I know you can't increase the cpu multiplier but I know you can decrease it so would I be able to get the e5200 and raise the fsb to 1333 or 1600 and just drop the multiplier to around 9 or 10? Or are there limited options for decreasing the multiplier? I like the 5200 also because of the $30 I'd save as well.

So here are my current system specs I'm thinking about. Any suggestions/recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

CPU:

e5200 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116072 $84
or
e7200http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115052&Tpk=e7200 $120

RAM:

Crucial 2x2GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148212 $56 after MIR

Hard drive:

Seagate 7200.11 x2 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148288 $140

CPU Cooler:

Coolermaster HyperTX2 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103031 $38

So with the e5200 cpu this build so far comes to $318. I have yet to get a MOBO, video card, or TV card.

I'd like to get the P45 chipset but I'm not really sure which one to get. Here are a few I've thought about:

GA-EP45-DS3R http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128344 $116 after MIR I'm liking this one because it has eSATA brackets, and 6 SATA connections, and firewire (in case I ever need it)

Asus P5Q http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131295 $140 I'm liking this for the same reasons as above but I don't see the point in this board for the extra $24 it just doesn't seem as good of a value. And it doesn't have 2 PCI x16 slots (not that I'd use them anyway...just in case I think it'd be nice to have them).

GA-EP45-UD3P http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128358 $146 This seems pretty much exactly like the EP45-DS3R as far as features go so what's the difference between the two? The only difference I can find is the DS3R has a heat sink and the UD3P has a silent pipe.

I'm not sure if I should go the ATI or Nvidia route right now. I'd like a TV Card so if I go the Nvidia route for a video card I was going to get the Hauppauge 1600 T.V. card (for $89) and if I go with an ATI video card I'll either get the Diamond or VisionTek branded ATI TV Wonder 650. They're around $110 and $125. For this reason I'm thinking of going the Nvidia route...perhaps get a 9800GT (probably this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130397 for $114 after MIR.

So I guess with the cheaper motherboard and 9800GT/Hauppauge Video Card it'll cost about $640.

What do ya'll think about this build? I'm very open to suggestions, especially with the motherboard and video card.

Thanks in advance for the help.
 
lunyone

lunyone

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Feb 22, 2006
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You could go with the e5200 and get about 2.8-3.2 ghz with your proposed setup. I think you could go with the e7200 combo with the Gigabyte p45 mobo for:
$235 - $15 MIR = $210!! It'll give you more OC'ing room and only be about $10 or so more than the e5200/Gigabyte setup you mentioned above!!
2nd combo from the bottom of the list!!
Here's the link to the Gigabyte mobo.

Good selections on the rest of the build, so I wouldn't worry much about that.
 
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utaustinstud

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So being that I was picking the 9800GT, what kind of performance in gaming will I get with that card as opposed to the 9600GT? I found some 9600GTs for around $25-$30 cheaper than the 9800GT. The limited gaming I'll be doing would be at 1600x1200 and once I have money for my 24" widescreen would be at 1920x1200. Is the extra $20-$30 worth it?

What about this 9800GT? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121268 I was thinking about the EVGA for the dual slot cooling but would this one provide as good of cooling or even better? It's $5 cheaper and has a DVI->HDMI converter in case I need that later on down the road for an HDTV setup.

lunyone, thanks for the mobo link. I'm thinking I like this one more because the only real difference is the lack of a 2nd PCI express slot and I don't really need that anyway and it's the same price. I guess the silent pipe is better for cooling than the heat sink?

Why would the e7200 give me more OCing room with it's lower multiplier? And by my calculations it's only $205 after MIR meaning it's only $5 more.

Thanks again for the help.
 
D

dirtmountain

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Apr 19, 2008
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I'll agree with lunyone on the combo deal Gigabyte UD3R/E7200. Looks like a good board for what you want. Yeah only one PCIex16 socket, but since you're going for budget Nvidia card i really don't see where it would matter.
The 9800GT at about $105 after rebate is better than the 9600GT at @$75 after rebate and would be better at 1920x1200. All depends on budget. Better cooling = better overclock.
Better cooler and cheaper after rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835207004
http://www.frostytech.com/top5heatsinks.cfm
 
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utaustinstud

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What about using the CoolerMaster Gemini CPU cooler. I bought one of those a few months ago that was free after MIR and $0 shipping. The only thing is I'd have to buy a couple 120mm fans which would probably cost $20-$30 anyway after S&H. If I could only find them for $5/ea at my local store so I wouldn't have to pay more in shipping than for the fans...ha ha
 
lunyone

lunyone

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Well the sweet spot right now in GPU's is the AMD 4850. It's about $150 or so and will give you the best performance for the $. The 9800gt is a good card (just make sure you get a double slotted one) too. I prefer to get the doubled slotted ones, so most of the hot air genereated gets pushed out of the back of the case. I think the $30 more for the 9800gt is a better investment over the 9600gt. The 9600gt is a good card, but the performance difference for $30 more, IMHO, is worth the $.
 
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utaustinstud

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Thanks for the help lunyone. I'm thinking I'll probably get the 9800GT 512MB version simply because of budget constraints.

dirtmountain, thanks for the advice about the Sunbeam tech cooler. It seem like from frostytech's review says it's just as quiet as the stock cooler and a whole lot better and it's MUCH quieter than the hypertx2 AND cheaper. So all around a better cooler and better deal so I really appreciate that advice. Even w/o the MIR it's basically the same price.

So I think this is my final build specs right now:

MOBO: GA-P45-UD3R
Video Card: EVGA 9800GT 512MB
CPU cooler: Sunbeam Tech Core Contact freezer

Everything else is the same.

I think I'm waiting on the TV card after a conversation with Hauppauge on the phone. I can't do what I want to do with those cards if I keep my AT&T UVerse service that's getting installed on Friday--gotta get something that's more than twice the price.

If anyone has other advice/suggestions I'd like to hear it.

My only other question is about the capability of my RAM with my chosen MOBO. The RAM isn't on the list of officially supported RAM for that particular motherboard. Although I don't see that posing a problem with this RAM and MOBO, does anyone think it will be?
 
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