First Build (Gaming) please rate/comment

[thorox]

Hey guys and girls, Just wanted to share my future build, let me kno what you think and what i could improve on the system.

I am looking into Overclocking my CPU

well here it is, tell me what you think:

Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P hd 4850 xfire
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128358

Video card: HIS H485QT512P Radeon HD 4850 512MB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161244

Case: Antec 300 case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042

PSU: CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005&Tpk=CORSAIR%20CMPSU-650TX%20650W

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 Yorkfield 2.83GHz 12MB L2 Cache LGA 775 95W Quad-Core
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115041

RAM: G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500)-$49.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231166

HDD: Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136073

CD-ROM Drive: SAMSUNG Black 22X
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151173

OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit for System Builders - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116488

CPU Cooler: ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186134

Thermal Paste: Artic Silver 5
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007

 

[gkay09]

^ Hi not mock you or anything but this build would have been a very good one a year back...I guess you have been out of the circle for long...
Newer CPUs are out from intel and AMD after the Q6600, which perform better than the Q6600 for less...

If you are intel specific, then you should look at the Q8400...If you are OK with AMD, then the P II X4 940...

As for the CPU cooler, the AC Freezer is not the best option now...Get the Sunbeam CCTF
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835207006

 

[gkay09]

Q8400
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115057

Better rated mobo...
GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Winner of Anantech Editor's Choice Award
3x Winner of Customer Choice Award - Intel Motherboards
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128358

 

[thorox]

^ Hi not mock you or anything but this build would have been a very good one a year back...I guess you have been out of the circle for long...
Newer CPUs are out from intel and AMD after the Q6600, which perform better than the Q6600 for less...

If you are intel specific, then you should look at the Q8400...If you are OK with AMD, then the P II X4 940...

As for the CPU cooler, the AC Freezer is not the best option now...Get the Sunbeam CCTF
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835207006

Hmmm i was told L2 cache matters alot the q6600=4MBx2 q8400=4MB

 

[Why_Me]

+1 for the Sunbeam h/s. Also it comes with great thermal compound. This cpu and mobo combo down below is a great deal, not to mention that q9550 is an over clocking beast !

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=MB-E45UD3P Combo Price: $329.99 You save: $ 16.99
GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P Core 2 Quad/ P45/ DDR2-1366/ A&GbE/ ATX/ DES Motherboard
Intel Core 2 Quad Processor Q9550 2.83GHz 1333MHz 12MB LGA775 CPU, OEM

 

[gkay09]

^+1
And thought the Q8400 has less cache, it is a 45NM CPU compared to the 65NM Q6600 and it has better efficieny than the Q6600...It performance would be very similar or better than the Q6600...

 

[thorox]

Hmm the q6600 vs q9550.. so the Asus P5q-E is worthless?

 

[gkay09]

That combo is at newegg too...but is $10 more...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.205130

And @Thorox I dint notice that the Q9550 with that gigabyte combo would come to [price of Q6600 + P5Q...Else I would have certainly recommended that...

 

[Why_Me]

Hmm the q6600 vs q9550.. so the Asus P5q-E is worthless?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115041 <--- that's the q9550 cpu in that combo i linked up above.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128358 <--- that's the same gigabyte mobo in that combo I linked

 

[thorox]

^+1
And thought the Q8400 has less cache, it is a 45NM CPU compared to the 65NM Q6600 and it has better efficieny than the Q6600...It performance would be very similar or better than the Q6600...

That Mobo looks promising, maybe ill go with q9550 with your recommended GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P only $ 9 more dollars than the q6600 on New egg but you kno those few dollars here few dollars there add up

 

[thorox]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115041 <--- that's the q9550 cpu in that combo i linked up above.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128358 <--- that's the same gigabyte mobo in that combo I linked

Thx for the newegg links ha ha but I was hoping to spend around $900 for the whole system the mobo you and gkay09 mentioned is the same price as the asus p5qe. hmm... maybe ill just save my money, no use trying to be a cheapo and regret buying.

 

[thorox]

Hey would the http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813128358
be able to cross fire in the future even tho one pci-e slot is x16 and the other is x8

 

[Why_Me]

Hey would the http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813128358 be able to cross fire in the future even tho one pci-e slot is x16 and the other is x8

links broke, but yep, all those p45 boards are x16 and x8 as far as i know and they xfire just fine.

 

[thorox]

links broke, but yep, all those p45 boards are x16 and x8 as far as i know and they xfire just fine.

mmk I appreciate your help anything else you think I could change? just seen a vid that says if you had xfire the pci would be x8 instead of x16 is that bad?

 

[Why_Me]

mmk I appreciate your help anything else you think I could change? just seen a vid that says if you had xfire the pci would be x8 instead of x16 is that bad?

nope. they did benchmarks on that and there was little diff. if any in most all of them. your good to go with that board in xfire.

 

[thorox]

nope. they did benchmarks on that and there was little diff. if any in most all of them. your good to go with that board in xfire.

Good, now the only thing im worried about is the vista 64 bit OEM....

 

[Why_Me]

Good, now the only thing im worried about is the vista 64 bit OEM....

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/dd353205.aspx?ITPID=mscomsc <--- Save yourself some money on an o/s until March 2010 and dl the 64 bit version of Windows RC 7

 

[thorox]

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/dd353205.aspx?ITPID=mscomsc <--- Save yourself some money on an o/s until March 2010 and dl the 64 bit version of Windows RC 7

Think that would have any problems with drivers/games etc?

 

[Why_Me]

Think that would have any problems with drivers/games etc?

Nope. In fact a lot of peeps are using it as their primary os now instead of dual booting.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum-63.html <--- take a look at that forum. some good info on there. that's a steady os.

 

[gkay09]

^Have seen many people using WIN 7 as their Primary OS...So better check out the WIN forums for your concerns...
And I suggest you change the RAM to this...
intel CPUs dont take advantage of speeds above 800MHz...So better off buying DDR2 800 with lower CAS - 4...
OCZ Reaper HPC Edition 4GB (2 x 2GB)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227267