Build help?

Here's as good a place as any...

Mike.

<font color=blue>Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside the dog its too dark to read.
-- Groucho Marx</font color=blue>

Yeah post the specs, and the budget.

<font color=red>It's impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious<font color=red>

And hurry up about it - we're WAITING!
*tapping foot...scowl on face*

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<font color=red>You're a boil on the arse of progress - don't make me squeeze you!</font color=red>

In the Other forum.. ask Wingding for advice.. he's good for that.

<font color=red>Sig space for rent. make your offer.</font color=red>

Haha I'm sorry rugger, I just got off required nap   The budget is probably around 1100, which may not even be necessary. I'm building this for higher-end gaming performance, not highest, and I do want to do some overclocking on this. I'm also trying not to build this into a dead end, unlike my S478 here...

Processor: AMD Athlon 64 3000+ Venice <b>$146</b>
Motherboard: DFI Lanparty UT nF4 <b>$129</b>
Video card: BFG Tech 6800GT PCIe <b>$349</b>
Memory: OCZ Gold Series (2x512) PC3200 <b>$138.75</b>
Power supply: Fortron 550-60PLN 550W <b>$96</b>
Case: Lian-Li PC-61 <b>$110</b>
<b>Total: $968.75</b>


As for case I'm pretty close to certain on what I want, but I will look at any suggest aluminum cases. Preferably plain because I want to mod it.

Now here are some questions that I have for you guys.
1. Do I go with the lesser video card and OC it up to Ultra performance, or fork the cash over and get the 7800?

2. The board I listed has 2 PCIe slots but is not SLI. Am I better going with an SLI capable board for the future? I know DFI has a very similar SLI board out there, or do I go with another brand? Also most the reason I chose DFI was for the available voltage for the ram I picked.

3. Stay with OCZ or change it to a less demanding type or switch brands altogether. Mainly just need the ram to keep up with the OC.

4. Power supplies are definitely a weak area for me, for all I know that one is POS. But I did try and research.

Thank you in advance.

1. <A HREF="http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?Product..." target="_new">Enermax 535W Whisper II model EG565P</A>. Free shipping and costs less. Really good PSU.
2. With a $40 rebate, you might want to take a look at this <A HREF="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E1681..." target="_new">Thermaltake Shark</A>
3. Spend the little extra for the 3200+.
4. I'd save a little on the RAM and get the <A HREF="http:// www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820227213" target="_new">OCZ Value VX</A> This RAM should handle a really good OC with that mobo.
5. Vid card is a more personal item...depends on the games you play, the resolutions you want to play at and your standards for graphics. Personally, I'd be mor elikely to go for something like this <A HREF="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E1681..." target="_new">HIS X800XL</A> over the 6800GT.

The changes I listed will reduce your net costs by about ~$65. I believe it will perform at least as well as the system you listed.

BTW the mod to make that mobo into an SLI board no longer works and is disabled in recent BIOS releases. I still don't like the price/perf of SLI, but if that is what you want then you need an SLI mobo....

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<font color=red>You're a boil on the arse of progress - don't make me squeeze you!</font color=red>

Hmm, I'm checking this stuff out as I type this.
1. The power supply sounds like it will be more than adequate for all I'll be putting into it, and for a little less.
3. Any particular reason you think I should up it to the 3200+? Just curiousity.
4. 2-3-3-6 isn't that much worse, would be more than doable.
5. I just got a 19" LCD recently so I would like to game on 1280x1024. I'm pretty much capped at 1024x768 for gaming right now. As for games I play, the most intensive right now are HL2/CS:S/Swat4 and I might try BF2.

Yeah it's definitely kind of a weird board.

The 3200 uses a higher multiplier, so it's easier to get a good OC.
Either the FSP or the enermax should be great. I really like the rest of your choices.

You want the 3200+ because it has a higher multiplier for not very much more money.

The VX Value RAM has slower timings but once you apply about 3.2-3.4V then they will act nearly the same as the one you had originally selected.

If you only want to game at 1280x1024, you will be very happy with a 6800GT(easily OC'd to Ultra speeds for most people) or the HIS X800XL.
If you want to keep your video card stock, get the HIS X800XL, if you want to OC, then i would go with the 6800GT. But then again thats just my personal preferance.

EDIT: MIsread something
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Chaintech VNF3-250/A64 2800+/1GB(512x2) OCZ VX GOLD 2-2-2-5/BFG 6800GT/Thermaltake 420W/WD 200GB/Maxtor 300GB<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by pickxx on 07/12/05 07:30 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

Wow I didn't even know about the difference in multiplier.

The link for the HIS wasn't working for me earlier but I guess now it is. I must say it's a physically beautiful card lol. It makes it that much tougher on me since nVidia has my heart  

If nVidia has your heart then use your brain and make the logical choice for your expected usage.

Pick is right - the 6800GT can OC to Ultra speeds. The question is whether you want to continually run the card at those speeds and were you planning on OCing the vid card? If you answered yes to both, then I would recommend getting a card from a diff mfr - I've heard the BFGs don't OC as easily as some of the other cards. If not, then I would seriously consider saving the $60 and getting the HIS - or the Giga card with passive cooling (easier on the ears). Stash the cash and call it the 7800GTX fund - add $15/week and you'll be surprised how quickly you'll be able to get the GTX...if you even want/need it.

Endyen hit the nail on the head about the 3200+. You should be able to get 3700+ speeds on stock cooling.

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<font color=red>You're a boil on the arse of progress - don't make me squeeze you!</font color=red>

Yes if I got the GT I would like to clock to at least ultra performance. But it would be my first gpu OC so I guess the BFG would be a bad option lol.

Another thing I heard is that GTX prices may drop in August? I don't move back up to school until September so maybe I could try and hold out for lower prices.

Wait 3700+ on stock, that's rediculous!

Stock cooling should get you 2.5Ghz with the Venice core and good mem. Great OC potential!

Prices will always be "about to drop" - especially in the GPU world. You can delay until the cows come home and still be waiting on a price drop. Make the purchase that meets your gaming requirements now and is within your budget. You'll have a lot less stress and a lot more gaming...JMHO.

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<font color=red>You're a boil on the arse of progress - don't make me squeeze you!</font color=red>

Surely more than enough processor right there.

I suppose you're true about gpu prices, I think I saw an oc version of my old card running for Higher than what I bought it at like a year ago!

What was your old card? How much?

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<font color=red>You're a boil on the arse of progress - don't make me squeeze you!</font color=red>

XFX 5700, I saw an ad for a BFG 5700 OC for like 169

I just got paid today, is the $500 7800gtx worth springing for before the deal expires? (Techbargains/Dell)

I think somebody said that he saw the 7800 at $450 you should look into that.
Do a search boards, maybe you can find that post.

<b><font color=green>Celibacy is not hereditary<font color=green></b>

I found some advertising for $463 but it's the same coupon code I have so dell must have raised the price.

I wonder if they're going to have another similar deal or if this is it.

$463 for a brand new high end card that has a MSRP of 599.....It will be around again, but maybe not for a while.

If i had a PCI-e Slot i would bite on this.

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Chaintech VNF3-250/A64 2800+/1GB(512x2) OCZ VX GOLD 2-2-2-5/BFG 6800GT/Thermaltake 420W/WD 200GB/Maxtor 300GB

For me, the question would go back to need. Do you need or just want the performance that the 7800GTX provides? Do you need the money for something else...you ahve to answer those questions for yourself. Just clear your head of hype before and make a logical decision based on your performance needs and budget.

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<font color=red>You're a boil on the arse of progress - don't make me squeeze you!</font color=red>