ShadowOS

So here's the situation. I'll be buy one PC part per cheque for the next little while, and would like some advice. I want a beastly computer that will last, and I want high end parts. The problem is, I don't really know what compliments what, or what brands are decent, so I need the expert opinions of many people to help formulate something good.

Here are some guidelines:

- High end parts only
- I'm looking to dish out 200-300 dollar per cheque
- I will save up 2 cheques worth if REALLY needed, but prefer not to
- Cooling is low priority
- I'm an AMD fanboy, so keep that in mind. I'll be willing to part with my brand loyalty if it really means a better part.


I'm gonna list the parts in order that I plan to buy first, and you guys fill out what would be best, or just post a great PC set up.

- Monitor (24" WideScreen)
- PSU
- Memory (Really need help with this, as I am least knowledgeable here)
- Mobo
- Processor (Quad suggestions only)
- GPU (planning to SLI/CrossFire something high tier)
- Case
- Cooling
- DVD Drive

Don't worry about HDD's.

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killa_concept

Word of warning: all of the posts after this are going to point out the foolishness of AMD brand name loyalty during these dark, dark times... as for the build:

cpu: Q6600 for quad or E8400 for dual (quad = more heat, lower OC, but +2 cores)
mobo: evga 780i SLI
Memory: any 2x2Kit of DDR2-800 or DDR2-1066 by GSkill, Crucial or OCZ
GPU: 8800GTS 512MB if you plan to SLI later
PSU: Silverstone or PC&P in the 750W range
Case: to use girls as an analogy... we don't know what your tastes are and it's just really a matter of what you think looks good... our job is that of parents - bring one home and we'll tell you if she's well constructed (for birthing?) and if her holes are big enough for child bearing (airflow?) - wait...
Cooling: for E8400 = AC7 Pro (low end), Tuniq (high end), TRUE (OVERkill)
for Q6600 = Tuniq (decent), TRUE (high end), watercooling (high high end but not overkill)

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Iconoclast

While AMD's newer steppings for the Phenom have smoothed out some rough edges, they still don't have anything on Intel. I was originally contemplating a Phenom build before I found out how badly AMD dropped the ball.

Monitor - Samsung SyncMaster 245B
Mobo - XFX 780i - I would suggest EVGA's 780i, but I can't find it on NCIX.
CPU - Q6600
Heatsink - Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme
Memory - G.SKill DDR2 1066 - The ram I would have bought if I hadn't bought into the Crucial hype and could have foreseen my Ballistix dying on me.
PSU - PC Power&Cooling Silencer 750W
GPU(s) - 2x Gigabyte 8800gts G92
Case - Coolermaster Stacker 832
DVD Writer - LG
Case Fans - Scythe Slip Stream Kaze Jyuni - The case has room for 11 of these, plus you can throw 2 on the CPU cooler. With 13 fans, you're going to need a fan controller and some 3 pin Y splitter cables.
Fan controller - Sunbeam Rheobus Extreme

If you're going to buy your parts at NCIX (you should) be sure to price match everything. Take the part numbers for what you're going to buy and go to http://www.pricebat.ca/ and find the cheapest link. At the View Cart screen, scroll near the bottom and hit the "Start Pricematch" button.

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ShadowOS

Hmmm...

What do you guys think about triple SLI 9600GT? I hear they are pretty much the same as 3870's, but a lot cheaper. Would SLI'ing 3 9600GT's beat out SLI 8800GTS's?

I can score 9600GT's for roughly 160-180, so that's why I ask.

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durch

I highly recommend you do NOT buy your parts one at a time over the next couple of months. Save your money instead and buy the build all at once. Whatever part you buy today for $200 will be either cheaper in 2 months or something else will be the better buy at $200. I really can't stress this enough.

For a gaming build w/ a monitor (assuming you already have the operating system, speakers, keyboard/mouse, and HDD which I gather you do from your post) you're looking at about $800 shipped at the bare minimum for anything decent (i.e. X2 5000BE, CPU cooler, 770 mobo, 2x1GB Ballistix, 9600GT, 500W PSU, DVD Burner, CM Centurion case, 19" monitor). I'd recommend kicking the budget up to around $1000-1100 so you can get a quad core, 2x2GB memory, a 22" monitor, and possibly a better video card (8800GTS G92).

And yes, I too recommend Intel. It really is the better buy right now, even with AMD's new Phenoms.

I do not recommend SLI though. SLI is almost always a complete waste of money. I just wrote an explanation on this yesterday: here ya go.

So save up around $1000 and repost!

Iconoclast

He's got a point Shadow. Just go with a single 8800GTS (G92), 9800GTX or a 9800GX2 and save a few hundred bucks.

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Cr4zYH3aD

- Monitor (24" WideScreen) - Samsung
- PSU Corsair 750w / Silverstone 750w
- Memory (Really need help with this, as I am least knowledgeable here) OCZ Reaper, Crucial Ballistix, Crucial Ballistix Tracer, XMS2, G.Skill.
- Mobo DFi, etc.
- Processor (Quad suggestions only)Phenom 9850
- GPU (planning to SLI/CrossFire something high tier) 8800 GTX / 3870 X2
- Case Antec 900/ Thermaltake VA8000BS
- Cooling OCZ Vendetta 2 + arctic silver 5
- DVD Drive Lite-on/Plextor/LG multi format combo

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Modded 9800 Pro | GPU-Z VALIDATION
“There's a basic human weakness inherent in all people which tempts them to want what they can't have and not want what is readily available to them.”
- M. Kathleen Casey

Saving cash for a new rig, just before DIII comes out. 600$ / ----$

Waiting for:

DIABLO III and StarCraft II

Cr4zYH3aD

- Monitor (24" WideScreen) - Samsung
- PSU Corsair / Silverstone 750w
- Memory (Really need help with this, as I am least knowledgeable here) OCZ Reaper, Crucial Ballistix, Crucial Ballistix Tracer, XMS2, G.Skill.
- Mobo Asus Striker II, 790i mobo
- Processor (Quad suggestions only) Q6600 (more overclockable) / Q9300 (1333 fsb, 45nm)
- GPU (planning to SLI/CrossFire something high tier) 8800 GTX / 3870 X2
- Case Antec 900 / Thermaltake VA8000BS
- Cooling OCZ Vendetta 2 / T.R.U.E
- DVD Drive Lite-on/Plextor/LG multi format combo

__________________
Modded 9800 Pro | GPU-Z VALIDATION
“There's a basic human weakness inherent in all people which tempts them to want what they can't have and not want what is readily available to them.”
- M. Kathleen Casey

Saving cash for a new rig, just before DIII comes out. 600$ / ----$

Waiting for:

DIABLO III and StarCraft II

ShadowOS

Reading your post, you've convinced me about not using SLI. However, I am extremely impatient and throw my money around, so this is why I'm buying parts separately (no self control to save ).

@Icono

I don't think the 9800's are for me. They cost way too much... Not only that, I can't stand to not apply filters, and an 8800GTX will perform the same given the monitor and settings I'll be using.

So far this is what things are going to look like for me:

From first to last, to avoid price-drops screwing me

Monitor - Samsung 24" (19" LCD died, currently using a fatty CRT 19", so this is why monitor is high priority)
PSU - Silverstone 750W
Memory - G.Skill 2x2Gig 1066 DDR2
Mobo- EVGA 780i SLI
DVD Drive - Lite-on/Plextor/LG multi format combo
CPU - Q6600 Kentsfield (if price drops occur by the time I get to this, I'll buy slightly higher tier)
GPU - 8800GTX 512 (lest there is a 1gig model I'm unaware of)
Cooling - Still reviewing options
Case -Still reviewing options

Now, does this sound good to anyone? Any adustments so far?

The only thing I can think of at the moment is to buy a 3870X2 instead of the 8800GTX, because I like the 1gig of ram.

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durch

I'm glad I was able to steer you away from SLI, but you're not taking advantage of the benefits of a single card with those choices you made.

A) You plan on getting the $260 780i but you're not going SLI. The DFI P35 Blood Iron is not only half the price, it actually overclocks better! Get a P35 motherboard. Other good options would be the Gigabyte DS3L (or DS3R if you want to go RAID0) or the Abit P35 Pro, but the Blood Iron is king Remember, one huge advantage of going with a single card is you can get a much cheaper (but just as good quality) motherboard.

B) You plan on getting the Silverstone 750W for $120 (and this price will shoot up in a couple days), when your system will only need about 450W. The Corsair VX550W for $70 (after $15 MIR) is extremely well built and is more than enough power for the 8800GTX. Remember, one huge advantage of going with a single card is you can get a much cheaper (but just as good quality) PSU.

Next point, The G.Skill 2x2GB DDR2 1066 set costs $145, expensive . The G.Skill 2x2GB DDR2 1000 set costs $100, affordable . The two overclock about the same, it's really not worth the extra $45 IMO.

Here's the order I'd buy the parts if you're sure you can't trust yourself to save:

1) Monitor - These might actually go up in price soon.
2) Memory - DDR2 isn't likely to drop in price again, in fact several months down the road with Nehalem on the horizon, DDR3 will become more popular and DDR2 might actually go up in price as production switches to DDR3.
3) DVD Burner - These don't fluctuate in price much, I really don't see them dropping more than $1 or $2.
4) PSU - These traditionally lower in price slowly, but the deals on Corsair's VX and TX series are so good right now, I'd jump on it in case prices go up.
5) CPU Cooling - Not much fluctuation in this, but I don't see any amazing deals at the moment.
6) Case - Again, not much price fluctuation. My Gigabyte 3D Aurora actually costs more now than it did 2 years ago when I got it (it's overpriced given the cooling beasts that have hit the market since then, look into the Antec 900 or the Cooler Master RC-690). With that said, I've seen the Antec 900 go on sale for $80 on both buy.com and newegg, and the CM RC-690 is usually $80, so maybe wait 1-3 weeks to see if they drop in price again.
7) HDD - Not much fluctuation here, most you'd lose is like $5.
8) Motherboard - These have been holding steady lately. I don't expect any huge price drops to happen soon but as Nehalem approaches they might be reduced.
9) CPU - Intel will have a price cut soon, after that don't expect one until Nehalem. But newegg has a shortened return policy for CPU's, so you want to by this close to your build date in case it's DOA.
10) Video Card - These fluctuate like crazy. As new cards hit the market, older tech prices plummit. Get this last.

And my last suggestion, get the 8800GTS (G92) 512MB instead of the GTX. It's like 95% as good, can be overclocked beyond GTX performance, and costs a heck of a lot less. It also uses much less power, meaning less heat.