I need some advice.

[H4yd3n]

Update to Mobo and do you think I ought to get an Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 Dual-Core Processor instead of a Q6600?

[FastRedPonyCar]

Get the E8400 wolfdale and don't bother with vista. Just get XP pro and foregoe the outragous price tag... put the money you'll save elsewhere.

don't bother with the 3870 cards... just buy one (or two) of these.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127311

Get something bigger than the dell LCD. You can get a 22" BenQ LCD for around $220~$250 from newegg.

I'd also snag a 75 gig raptor hdd for your OS and the $100 500 gig western digital SATA drive for data storage rather than the seagates. Segates aren't bad drives but I just prefer WD's simply becuase I've never had one fail out of dozens of machines built using them.

Lastly, get this for your cpu.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118019

There are tons of different choices for aftermarket heatsinks but these are considered to be at the top of the picks and it's performance speaks for itself in my system (see sig). The contact point was literally like a mirror also.

[H4yd3n]

WOW that 8800GT is so cheap, two of those are the same price as a 3870 :O

-O.S – Windows Vista Home Premium
-Case – Antec 900 Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Case
-Mobo – Gigabyte GA-X38-DS4 LGA 775 Intel X38 ATX Mobo
-CPU – Intel Core 2 Duo E8400
-RAM – G.Skill 4GB DDR2 – 800MHz Cl4 2x2 GB
-Hard Drive – Seagate 400GB 7200 RPM 32MB cache SATA 3GB
-Video Cards – Dual MSI NX8800GT-T2D512E-OC GeForce 8800GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 HDCP Shader OC 1650MHz Ready SLI Supported Video Card
-Power Supply – 700W GameXStream PSU
-Sound card – I will just use the onboard sound card on the mobo
-Monitor – Acer Black-Silver 22" 5ms DVI Widescreen LCD Monitor 800:1 Built in Speakers
-Input Devices – I already own a Logitech G15 and a Razer Copperhead
-Speakers – Logitech R-20
-DVD/CD drive/burner – LITE-ON Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA DVD Burner
-Extra Fan - ZALMAN CNPS9700 LED 110mm 2 Ball CPU Cooler

[LORD-eX-Bu]

wait what? :confused:

two 8800 GTs are about 2x the price of one HD 3870 :screwy:

[H4yd3n]

wait what? :confused:

two 8800 GTs are about 2x the price of one HD 3870 :screwy:
That's what I though too, then he posted this.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127311

[FastRedPonyCar]

The 8800GT's have always been in that $250 price range since day one.

Any specific reason why you still have vista on there? Is it because you like the way it looks all fancy and sleek?

If so, you can get everything the Aero interface has with this.

http://www.stardock.com/products/windowblinds/

Transparency, vista theme and look, their object desktop package (which I use) has an icon managment program that you can download icon packs (like a vista icon pack), they have desktop widgits just like vista, etc...

the only thing it doesn't have is the desktop flip where you hit some button and it tosses all the windows out cascading. It's a neat parlor trick but object desktop has the windows tab view and thumbnail viewing also. This is the skin I use.

http://www.wincustomize.com/skins.aspx?skinid=5347&libid=1

[LORD-eX-Bu]

:headexplode:

[Toss3]

Why not a q6600 instead of that 8400?

[FastRedPonyCar]

Why not a q6600 instead of that 8400?

because the E8400 has 3.0ghz, 1333 fsb, 6mb L2 cache, 45nm technology and is $60 cheaper. It's going to be pretty much the industry standard go to CPU for Q1/2 this year. (I'm willing to bet)

[H4yd3n]

I hope you guys don't mind that I haven't posted here as much as I hoped to, but I've been really busy trying to get all the right parts I want and need in my budget, and switching stuff around and all with my build. I've also been spending lots of time over at extremeoverclockers.com and have been getting loads of help over there.

Hopefully today, but also maybe tomorrow if I don't have time today, I will post my rig for you guys to look at.

[FastRedPonyCar]

nah man post all the questions you can. better to buy the best for your $ now than buy something else and regret your decision after you discover there were better choices...

But as it stands right now, it's pretty hard to beat the following.

Intel X38 or P35 if you're on a tighter budget and don't need SLI.
Intel E8400 w/zalman or other comparable HSF
Corsair dominator ram (I think you can get 4 gigs of DDR800 for a decent price these days).
Corsair PSU -> golden... I think their beast 1000watt modular psu is right around the corner if not already out.
one MSI 8800ultra oc if you want 1 video card (for the intel board) or 2 8800gt oc's.

I also prefer the samsung writemaster dual layer 20X sata drive and raptor hdd for the OS and newegg has 500 gig SATA western digital drives for $100 now.

there are so many choices that it can get confusing and intimidating but that's what we're here for and of course, my reccomendations are just based on my personal experience building both budget office/home pc's for people as well as overclocked, watercooled gaming behemoths. I've got around 50 builds under my belt and have found myself sort of settling in with certain components build after build simply becuase they always work and always perform well for a great price.

anyways, yeah let us know what your final decision will be.

[H4yd3n]

I'm having trouble posting images...so can you guys go to this link and look at the bottom of the second page for an update on my rig. Thanks. :)

http://forums.extremeoverclocking.com/t282173-2.html

Overall price is about $1,800.00 USD

[FastRedPonyCar]

Why are the HD 8370's still on your list??

The 8800GT is superior and cheaper.

http://www.techspot.com/review/76-asus-radeon-hd-3870/page3.html


And are you still dead set on using vista? You're not missing anything... believe me. You could pass on vista, get the oem XP pro disk and use the money you'd save to buy a WD raptor hdd to load your OS onto and your computer would be faster. I speak from personal experience. Raptors are worth their weight in gold.

[mumstheword]

I'm having trouble posting images...so can you guys go to this link and look at the bottom of the second page for an update on my rig. Thanks. :)

http://forums.extremeoverclocking.com/t282173-2.html

Overall price is about $1,800.00 USD

This is a Crysis forum, and so it's my duty to tell you not to purchase ATI. I'd recommend getting the 8800gts 512mb. You'll save over $100 and you'll get almost equal performance, depending on the game of course. Or you can go with the 3870x2 and hope for new drivers to give it a huge boost but i wouldn't hold my breath.

[H4yd3n]

I don't know, but I think I still want Vista m8.

And if you guys can post a link to the 8800gt on newegg and a nice mobo, then I will re-consider.

[FastRedPonyCar]

Refer to post # 27 of this thread for your video card needs.

The gigabyte board should be plenty adequate.

Also, ditch the barracuda and put your OS on this

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136054

And games/music/movies/misc on this

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136073

[H4yd3n]

How about two of these?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130319

Or two of these ( which is better? )
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127311R&Tpk=NX8800GT



And this?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188024



Is this better than the X38 and the 3870s?

[LORD-eX-Bu]

I would get the EVGA, their customer service rocks! :thumbsup:

MSI has never treated me bad, I've had to RMA two of their cards in a row tho.