Gaming Computer; Compatibility Questions

[tjc133]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Unsure; possibly next month. BUDGET RANGE: Around $1000

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Gaming, listening to music, surfing the web.

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Monitor, Keyboard, Mouse, Speakers, RAM.

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: I prefer newegg.com

PARTS PREFERENCES: I prefer Intel/EVGA/nVIDIA.

OVERCLOCKING: Maybe ;SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Yes, SLi.

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1280x1024

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: For gaming, mainly WoW. Eventually SC2, Diablo 3, and any other awesome games of the sort. I already have 4GB of OCZ 40-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit.
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Case
NZXT Guardian 921 CS-NT-GD921-B Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146050

CD-ROM Drive
ASUS Black SATA DVD-ROM Drive Model DVD-E818A3T BULK
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135181

PSU
KINGWIN ABT-730MM 730W ATX / BTX SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817121045

CPU Heatsink/Fan
MASSCOOL 8WA741 92mm Ball CPU Cooler
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835150082

OS + Hard Drive (Limited Time Combo)
- Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit for System Builders (I'm not sure if my current computer came with the CD for Vista?)
- Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.186064

Motherboard + Video Card (Limited Time Combo)
- EVGA 132-CK-NF78-TR LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 780i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard
- EVGA 512-P3-1150-TR GeForce GTS 250 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.187771

Processor + Video Card (Limited Time Combo)
- Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 2.33GHz LGA 775 95W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80580Q8200
- EVGA 512-P3-1150-TR GeForce GTS 250 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.190556

Total: $962.75 (With shipping)
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I'm just wondering if everything looks alright. This is just sort of my "dream" system, that I hope to have the guts to make one day. I'm mainly worried about if the components are compatible with each other, and if my PSU is good enough for the whole system.
If anyone could help me out with these questions, I'd greatly appreciate it.

 

[Fortunex]

Never heard of Kingwin, so I wouldn't trust them to power my new rig. Un-popular name brands have a habit of asploding. Corsair is one of the best brands around, grab one of their PSUs.

The Q8200 isn't exactly a gaming processor. You'd be better off with a Q6600 or a strong dual core like an E8400.

I've heard lots and lots of bad things about Nvidia chipsets. I think you'd be better off with a Crossfire setup unless you're going i7/x58. Two OC'd 4770s will be cheaper and perform about the same as two GTS250s. Alternatively, two 4850s will do a little better.

I don't like the CPU cooler, I'd get a Xigmatek Dark Knight or an Arctic Cooling Freezer Pro 7 or whatever it's called.

The Q6600 with G0 stepping should be able to hit 3.2-3.6GHz fairly easily with the Dark Knight, the E8400 should be able to hit 4.0-4.2 with E0 stepping. If you're not really into OCing, the E8400 can hit 3.6 by just upping the FSB to 400MHz. No voltage change, no fiddling around, nothing.

If you want to save some money, you can download the Windows 7 RC and use that.

Good luck.

 

[Proximon]

Hats off to Fortunex. Nailed that one. If you need to save some money for a better PSU etc., look at the triple core AMD 720:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.190734

Throw a 4850 on that, plus some 1066 RAM, and you'll be better off.

Get a decent PSU. Corsair has good deals right now.

 

[Gin Fushicho]

Thumbs up to fortunex.

 

[binwhui]

just like what fortunex said.. go for a trusted psu..
a price tag of $70 for a 730-watt psu is too cheap..
a 500watt corsair psu would do(not for sli or cf)..

right now you don't need to go for slis or crossfires..
refer to this benchmark:
http://www.techspot.com/review/139-geforce-gtx-295/

divide the score of a gtx260 SLi and compare it to the single gtx260..
it doesn't double your performance.. maybe of lack of support for it(sli and cf)

if you plan to oc go for a q6600..
i can't recommend you a quad cpu that's cheaper than q8200..

i suggest that you buy phenom II x3 720 BE rather than the e8400..
refer to the link:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/multi-core-cpu,2280.html
(how many cores do you need)..

and pair with at least a gtx260..

 

[Gin Fushicho]

You never get double the performance with SLI'ing.

 

[macabre215]

You never get double the performance with SLI'ing.

Almost never and thats with cards that love sli/xfire, plus a game that is very well optimized for it.

Stay away from Kingwin, get Corsair or PC power & cooling. I would also settle for a different processor, the Q8XXX series is garbage especially compared to the PII series that is around the same price or cheaper. Since you are gaming and doing light tasks, I would go with a PII X3 720 which is cheaper and much better for gaming. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103649&Tpk=X3%20720

 

[theAnimal]

I would recommend a Q9400; faster than Q6600 clock for clock, runs cooler and OCs pretty well.

 

[tjc133]

Thanks for all your input.
You guys have a lot of good suggestions, but now I have so many options I'm not sure which ones are better.
IE:
AMD vs. Intel?
nVIDIA vs. ATI?
SLi/CF vs. 1 really good GPU...?
And if I do end up using AMD, how does this mobo/CPU look....
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.190731

Thanks!

 

[theAnimal]

Thanks for all your input.
You guys have a lot of good suggestions, but now I have so many options I'm not sure which ones are better.
IE:
AMD vs. Intel?
nVIDIA vs. ATI?
SLi/CF vs. 1 really good GPU...?
And if I do end up using AMD, how does this mobo/CPU look....
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.190731

Thanks!

I'd recommend this combo instead.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.190738

AMD & ATI offer better bang for the buck.

A single GPU is always preferable to SLI or CF. With a low resolution such as yours, an HD4830 would be plenty.

 

[Kill@dor]

Get the blond girl!!! She's hawtness

 

[tjc133]

What is the reasoning behind choosing that mobo combo? Or is it just because it is cheaper...?
and as far as power supply, what is around the right watts for my needs? I don't want to buy one that has way more than I need.

 

[Proximon]

I would spend the extra 10 bucks for the gigabyte 790X board over Biostar 790GX. It's just brand prejudice.

 

[tjc133]

Case
Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021

Video Card
SAPPHIRE 100259-1GL Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102801

CD-ROM/DVD-ROM
ASUS Black SATA DVD-ROM Drive Model DVD-E818A3T BULK - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135181

Power Supply
CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 ... - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005

CPU Heatsink/Fan
XIGMATEK Dark Knight-S1283V 120mm Long Life Bearing CPU Cooler - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233029

Motherboard + CPU Combo
-ASUS M4A79 Deluxe AM2+/AM2 AMD 790FX ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
-AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Black Processor Model HDZ720WFGIBOX - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.190731

OS + Hard Drive Combo
-Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit for System Builders - OEM
-Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.186064

Subtotal: $897.92

Updated; feel free to still pick out anything you would change.

 

[theAnimal]

What is the reasoning behind choosing that mobo combo? Or is it just because it is cheaper...?
and as far as power supply, what is around the right watts for my needs? I don't want to buy one that has way more than I need.

The Biostar is a good mobo, I don't think the ASUS is worth nearly $100 more.

You should get an HD4770 for that low resolution, 4870 is overkill.

A good quality 400W+ PSU is sufficient, such as Corsair or Seasonic.

 

[tjc133]

I'd recommend this combo instead.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.190738

AMD & ATI offer better bang for the buck.

A single GPU is always preferable to SLI or CF. With a low resolution such as yours, an HD4830 would be plenty.

So which one would you suggest, HD4830 or the 4870?
(I also want to leave myself room to upgrade, as far as my mobo/GPU)

 

[theAnimal]

So which one would you suggest, HD4830 or the 4870?
(I also want to leave myself room to upgrade, as far as my mobo/GPU)

HD4770 uses less power but is more powerful than 4830; I'd go with that one.

 

[Gin Fushicho]

I'm an Nvidia fan and always will be, but that hasnt prevented me from useing ATI , I admit I switch to them when they are winning over Nvida. But as of now I would say Nvidia is doing better.

 

[earnfreerupees]

you can check this link. http://astore.amazon.com/hubp0c701-20?%5Fencoding=UTF8&node=124

 

[Kill@dor]

HD4770...good card so far