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[godhandiscen]

I read somewhere that the new GPUs will hit in June (end of Q2). would anyone know if that is true or not? because if it is, I'll hold on buying a new PC till then.

sorry for the offtopic question.

Nvidia is launching the GTX285 which is basically an overclocked GTX280. Also, the GTX290 which is two GTX280's sandwiched together in order to compete with the all mighty 4870x2. ATI is launching the 4870XT which is an improved 4870. In which form, I don't know. That's the outline. If you want to wait, go ahead, but the "gains" in fps will be minimal. At most, the current cards will go down in price.

 

[malsumis]

or i might just go with a 320GB drive, unsure about how much space i think i need.

And lastly, all of those drives and things i'll have to purchase new ones, right? And please clue me in on anything else i need to buy, cause i'm not sure if i've covered everything.

Also take it easy on the pc terms, i'm a PC building noob here!

Thanks in advance guys!

1. definitely go with 500GB, you probably won't save that much.

2. If you follow some basic steps to ensure your safety and the safety of your newly bought parts and carefully read the manual, then you'll be fine.

Just remember to discharge yourself before trying to touch anything. Human body can charge up to tens of kilovolts! Now think what would happen to your RAM when you touch it and accidentally discharge.The easiest way to get rid of the charge is to ground yourself. Most of the time it is enough to touch the radiator(not the cpu radiator, the one that heats up your room), or the case of some grounded home appliance.

I find it easier to mount the CPU and RAM to the motherboard on the table before putting the motherboard in the case. This way you have more room for your hands, and since the motherboard is flat on a hard surface you won't bend it. It's also easier to put the radiator with fan on. About that, don't forget to strip the radiator of the foil covering the thermal paste.

Oh, and don't worry about mis-installing anything. Everything has it's own slot, so it's impossible to mount i.e. RAM into PCI-E where the GFX Card would go. One thing that you could do wrong, are the USB front connectors - try to get it right for the first time.

You can go wrong with the front LEDs though. If you do it wrong then it won't work or the LED will be lit all the time. It's documented in your motherboards manual. If you don't get them right for the first time, don't worry.

1. the cpu fan is supposed to be impossible to put on, you will bend your mobo but will not break it

I put together countless PC's and never ever bent the motherboard ;P And I never had any trouble putting fans on various CPUs.

2. wear an anti-static wriststrap

that's a good idea, if you're unsure. Or if you don't want to buy that, look above.

5. you have to push really hard to get the ram to go in

If you "help" it by simultaneously pushing these little thingies by the slot inwards then most of the time it goes smooth. Also, sometimes the RAM stick may be a teeny bit too big, and then you just have to use some force. Everything is standardized, but production varies by a little margin, and if you're out of luck, then the margins add up the wrong way.

6. don't touch the cpu pins, hold it by the side. when mounting it put it as near to center in the socket as you can and EVER SO LIGHTLY push it into place with your index finger (you'll feel it click in)

I'd extend it. Never touch any pins/chips. Discharge and stuff. Better be safe than sorry. That applies even when you wear a wrist strap or discharged properly earlier.

And, there is no need to push the CPU in. The guy will be mounting a LGA755 CPU. Just put the CPU in like detailed in the manual, and then grab the handle. The mechanism will keep the cpu firmly in the socket.

7. dont get worried if it doesnt post perfectly right away, something usually goes wrong but it is often easily correctable

Yup, this.

Most of the time its either(or all of them):
1. Additional GPU power pins not connected. (6 "pins")
2. P4 power not connected. (4 "pins")
3. Something "sticking out". I.E. something is not tightened properly.

 

[1c0n 0f s1n]

building any machine with an i7 chip will be 1000+ minimum, there are few motherboards that support them already and the only ones that do are built for enthusiasts (2-3x pci-e 2.0 slots, ddr3 ram). the mobo, ram and cpu alone would cost ~700 dollars

Ooops, sorry, I didn't notice the 650$ limit...
In any case it's just a matter of time before someone begins to product some entry level mobo. But maybe FromTheFuture has not so much time, then better the dear old LGA 775.

 

[FromTheFuture]

As of right now I plan to purchase the new PC sometime in December or maybe even in January and later if it would be smarter to wait. Would it be better if I waited?

Also, last time I check, is my current build fine? Not sure if All of it works together. And thanks once again!

 

[a1m]

As of right now I plan to purchase the new PC sometime in December or maybe even in January and later if it would be smarter to wait. Would it be better if I waited?

Also, last time I check, is my current build fine? Not sure if All of it works together. And thanks once again!

The current build looks fine, altho I haven't heard about the PSU but guess it's alright, a bit overkill I, but okay.

If you wanna save money, change the 4850 to 4830 which is almost the same card, just a little slower.

 

[FromTheFuture]

The current build looks fine, altho I haven't heard about the PSU but guess it's alright, a bit overkill I, but okay.

If you wanna save money, change the 4850 to 4830 which is almost the same card, just a little slower.

I just had someone say that I might even need a better PSU? Is it really too much? Do you think I could cut it down a bit? I tried to use a power calculator but quite frankly I had no idea how to work it out. Also, is the difference between the 4850 and 4830 basically insignificant enough that I could go for that instead without performance loss?

 

[1c0n 0f s1n]

I just had someone say that I might even need a better PSU? Is it really too much? Do you think I could cut it down a bit? I tried to use a power calculator but quite frankly I had no idea how to work it out. Also, is the difference between the 4850 and 4830 basically insignificant enough that I could go for that instead without performance loss?

I am that someone! A PSU with 550 watts should work IF you stay on a single 4870 and a low TDP processor. BUT if one day you'll buy a 4870 X2, which you can also use as a BBQ, I don't know if under pressure the PSu can sustain such power request.
All that matters is what you want to do with your PC and, again, at what resolution you play.
In any case, the better the PSU and the newest is the socket, the longest your PC will last in time.

 

[FromTheFuture]

I am that someone! A PSU with 550 watts should work IF you stay on a single 4870 and a low TDP processor. BUT if one day you'll buy a 4870 X2, which you can also use as a BBQ, I don't know if under pressure the PSu can sustain such power request.
All that matters is what you want to do with your PC and, again, at what resolution you play.
In any case, the better the PSU and the newest is the socket, the longest your PC will last in time.

But can't I just upgrade the PSU if necessary? I'm stretching my budget just a tad more than I wanted already. I would feel more comfortable spending a bit more later on over time when and if I get other better components in the future. Either way, if I can find a better PSU, what is a voltage I should shoot for?

 

[1c0n 0f s1n]

But can't I just upgrade the PSU if necessary? I'm stretching my budget just a tad more than I wanted already. I would feel more comfortable spending a bit more later on over time when and if I get other better components in the future. Either way, if I can find a better PSU, what is a voltage I should shoot for?

Oh yes. You can actually upgrade it later BUT. You must open your PC, detach all cables, put in the new PSU and reattach cables. And then sell the old PSU. In other words, an absolutely nuisance. Is NOT because it's hard, or impossible (in fact it is not hard at all, it's like insert the old wood cube in a triangle shape: you cannot do it wrong) it's the time you'll spend on doing those things. The choice is yours.

 

[TheExodu5]

You could probably find an 8800GT/9800GT for a considerable amount cheaper than the 4850, for similar performance. It's a little slower in some games, but NVidia seems to have better support overall due to TWIMTBP. Also, it runs quite a bit cooler than the 4850. Of course, if the difference is only like $20, then I'd get the 4850.

 

[a1m]

A PSU of 550W is really an overkill. If you decide to buy that build you mentioned few posts back, it'll probably use somewhere near +250-300W so I suggest you buy a decent PSU around 400-450W.

The 4830 is a really good card and I would go with that if the 4850 is too expensive. Later on when you want to invest more, you can always buy a new PSU and a gfx card.

 

[1c0n 0f s1n]

A PSU of 550W is really an overkill. If you decide to buy that build you mentioned few posts back, it'll probably use somewhere near +250-300W so I suggest you buy a decent PSU around 400-450W.

The 4830 is a really good card and I would go with that if the 4850 is too expensive. Later on when you want to invest more, you can always buy a new PSU and a gfx card.

Really, it's not like that a PSU of 450 Watt can withstand a 300 watt load without tremble. Also, there is efficency that in entry level models is about 70%, and the rest is hot air.
I'm saying this because a friend of mine cannot play Crysis because his 400 watt PSU cannnot sustain the current request of his new 4870, and every time is throw back to the desktop.
Now, I don't remember temperature and wattage needed for every processor and graphics card (and I don't want to) but again: he can take a low end PSU, a 4850 and a low TDP processor, and then upgrade in the future; it's only a matter of time, money and selling on eBay the old hardware.

 

[ghst]

A PSU of 550W is really an overkill. If you decide to buy that build you mentioned few posts back, it'll probably use somewhere near +250-300W so I suggest you buy a decent PSU around 400-450W.

bad idea. 550w leaves you room for expansion, which will certainly happen at some point. component wattages are capping out to the extent that 550w should see you through to your next upgrade.

 

[TheExodu5]

A PSU of 550W is really an overkill. If you decide to buy that build you mentioned few posts back, it'll probably use somewhere near +250-300W so I suggest you buy a decent PSU around 400-450W.

The 4830 is a really good card and I would go with that if the 4850 is too expensive. Later on when you want to invest more, you can always buy a new PSU and a gfx card.

Do not listen to this man.

 

[Cday]

But can't I just upgrade the PSU if necessary? I'm stretching my budget just a tad more than I wanted already. I would feel more comfortable spending a bit more later on over time when and if I get other better components in the future. Either way, if I can find a better PSU, what is a voltage I should shoot for?

You don't want to skimp out on the PSU. It's just as important as the gfx card and cpu. Besides, you can get a decent one for $50-80.

 

[a1m]

You don't want to skimp out on the PSU. It's just as important as the gfx card and cpu. Besides, you can get a decent one for $50-80.

Listen to this man, not this V

Do not listen to this man.

That's why I said 'buy a decent PSU', means the efficency % is somewhere near 80-90, like in the Enermax modu82 425w. A good 400-450W PSU > cheap 500-550W PSU IF you're using the kind of system as the op is intending to buy.

 

[kodt]

450W is probably enough for that system but considering if you get something with an efficiency rating of 80 or above then it should not really affect your energy bill. I say go for 550W, the price usually isn't that much different.

However I would not recommend a Rosewill PSU, the PSU is an important component so I don't think it is wise to skimp on it.

Look at Corsair, Seasonic, and Antec.

 

[TheExodu5]

That's why I said 'buy a decent PSU', means the efficency % is somewhere near 80-90, like in the Enermax modu82 425w. A good 400-450W PSU > cheap 500-550W PSU IF you're using the kind of system as the op is intending to buy.

Even with a good PSU though, 425W will be cutting it close. I see not much reason not to sheel out an additional to have that extra piece of mind and future proofing. Systems with high end single GPU cards are taking like 300W+ right now, which is a hell of a lot to ask for a 80-90% efficiency 425W PSU. It'll run it, sure, but you'll be straining it.

Also, doesn't a PSU just use what the system is currently demanding? Or will a 600W PSU always be draining 0.6kWh?

 

[DonasaurusRex]

Thanks for the reply. Is a quad core that is at a lower GHz better than the dual core that i was previously choosing? I don't know much about this.

Also, so do you think it's unanimous that liquid cooling isnt really necessary unless i have a lot of stuff in there? Also, i have tried to take out the intel heatsink before, and boy was that a pain in the ass, so i'll take that suggestion in mind.

atm the 8500 might be the best gaming processor around if fps is your thing but for overall system performance im glad i went with quad core the multi tasking is just too sweet. Yeah so you'll get 199fps instead of 168 fps in certain games meh whatever even the E8500 is last years news so might as well go with the quad. Only part i havent heard of is the power supply so i cannot advise the rest of the system looks solid. When all else fails spend money on your case , psu , motherboard and monitor though they can last ya longer than other components and are a true pain to deal with if something goes wrong. CPU's you should almost always go for the performance part of a cpu family and the 8200 is one of if not the best bang for the buck out there, and its price is only gonna drop once they discontinue it officially in a few weeks. video cards are a dime a dozen and the 4850 just got another price drop...you may want to look for a 4870 deal the 512mb versions of the card are approaching 230 bucks...insanity.

 

[Sanjay]

What kodt said, It all depends on the quality of the PSU. I have a CORSAIR 550W VX and it powers my e8400 oced to 3.8ghz, 4gig ram, 4 HD's, 1 dvd drive and a GTX 260 216.

What I have
CORSAIR 550W VX $97.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004

But you should get
CORSAIR 650W TX $99.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005

I agree with what TheExodu5 is saying, better to just future proof your self but a CORSAIR 400W PSU still packs a punch according to these user reviews.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16817139008

 

[TheExodu5]

atm the 8500 might be the best gaming processor around if fps is your thing but for overall system performance im glad i went with quad core the multi tasking is just too sweet. Yeah so you'll get 199fps instead of 168 fps in certain games meh whatever even the E8500 is last years news so might as well go with the quad. Only part i havent heard of is the power supply so i cannot advise the rest of the system looks solid. When all else fails spend money on your case , psu , motherboard and monitor though they can last ya longer than other components and are a true pain to deal with if something goes wrong. CPU's you should almost always go for the performance part of a cpu family and the 8200 is one of if not the best bang for the buck out there, and its price is only gonna drop once they discontinue it officially in a few weeks. video cards are a dime a dozen and the 4850 just got another price drop...you may want to look for a 4870 deal the 512mb versions of the card are approaching 230 bucks...insanity.

Quad-core does nothing for overal system performance. It only has improvements for specific applications built for multiple cores (Adobe stuff, SupCom, etc...). It will actually be slower for overall system performance, as most applications do not support multiple cores. Quad cores are slower pre-core, more expensive, and heat a lot more. He could get an E8400 and OC it to 3.6GHz on the stock cooler without any hassle. You won't be doing much OC on a quad core with the stock Intel cooler.

What kodt said, It all depends on the quality of the PSU. I have a CORSAIR 550W VX and it powers my e8400 oced to 3.8ghz, 4gig ram, 4 HD's, 1 dvd drive and a GTX 260 216.

What I have
CORSAIR 550W VX $97.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004

But you should get
CORSAIR 650W TX $99.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005

Seems like a good buy to me.

Of course, if he wanted to save money, he could get something like the Antec Sonata III. I'd probably say save up a tiny bit more and get the case and PSU you want though, since you can keep both of those components for future builds. I regret skimping on my case, as I'm going to be buying a whole new one on my next build anyways.

^SanJay...yeah I'm sure the 400W Corsais would do fine. If he needs to save the cash, then it's no problem. If he plans on just building this PC and never re-using components or upgrading, then that's probably what I'd recommend. I just like to spend the extra $30-40 to make sure my PSU is not being overworked (longer life), and I can upgrade whatever I need. Of course, I'm saying that running a shitty 450W Antec PSU, which I can't really stress anymore than I currently am. I will be buying a new PSU and Case soon.

 

[a1m]

Even with a good PSU though, 425W will be cutting it close.

With ops rig, 425w will not be cutting close. Enermax' 425w modu82 is a very high quality PSU.

I see not much reason not to sheel out an additional to have that extra piece of mind and future proofing. Systems with high end single GPU cards are taking like 300W+ right now, which is a hell of a lot to ask for a 80-90% efficiency 425W PSU. It'll run it, sure, but you'll be straining it.

Also, doesn't a PSU just use what the system is currently demanding? Or will a 600W PSU always be draining 0.6kWh?

Well I myself would take Corsairs HX520w (which is better than VX-series), but again it costs extra and is perfectly fine for a good Quad-core + P45 + 4870 etc etc.

It will always be draining the amount from wall.

 

[FromTheFuture]

So some new questions have arised:

What would be the ideal wattage i should be going for in my PSU? Is 550W fine? or should i shoot for 600W? I am trying to spend as little as possible but still maintain a good rig that can handle today's and the future's games atleast decently.

How high can you overclock the E8500 and keep it at a stable rate? (I'm a PC noob)

Is the 4830 just as good as the 4850 or should i spend the few extra dollars for the 4850?

I think i had more but i can't remember them... thanks for all the help guys, like i said, i know nothing about this stuff.

 

[Mandewd]

550 watts is fine

 

[Cday]

Is the 4830 just as good as the 4850 or should i spend the few extra dollars for the 4850?

What resolution monitor are you planning on getting?

 

[a1m]

Omg, seriously.

A good quality PSU (400-450W) is totally fine for;

E8400-E8500
P43-P45 -chipset mobo
HD4830 / HD4850
2-4GB DDR2
HDD
DVD-RW

Even if you oc it. 550W-> is for bigger gfx cards and for more oc'ing. If you choose a 550W PSU for that build, it's total overkill, period.

HD4850 is better than 4830, but not by much. You can oc the E8500 to somewhere around ~3.6ghz with the stock cooling.

 

[malsumis]

So some new questions have arised:

What would be the ideal wattage i should be going for in my PSU? Is 550W fine? or should i shoot for 600W? I am trying to spend as little as possible but still maintain a good rig that can handle today's and the future's games atleast decently.

in my opinion 550W is an overkill for this setup. I'd go for 450W, and a good quality PSU. You will not exceed 350W under stress.

How high can you overclock the E8500 and keep it at a stable rate? (I'm a PC noob)

You probably shouldn't overclock anything until you get a better grip on computer hardware, and a better cooling setup for your CPU. It's not rocket science though.

Is the 4830 just as good as the 4850 or should i spend the few extra dollars for the 4850?

I think i had more but i can't remember them... thanks for all the help guys, like i said, i know nothing about this stuff.

The difference is about 10-15% on avg in performance... and 30-40$ in price. 4830 in my opinion, if you want to save.

 

[1c0n 0f s1n]

thanks for all the help guys, like i said, i know nothing about this stuff.

You might find useful infos from the web. Because now you're making questions, but when the time comes you can't risk to blow up thigs. We can help you in many ways, explain things, and so on, but it's not easy when you have in your hands 600$ of hardware for the first time.
So if you know nothing, begin by reading some articles like this to understand how to handle most of the crap:

http://techreport.com/articles.x/13671/1

or this, about PSU:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=307

Chosen randomly by putting on google "build PC" and "Choose PSU". Better get more data as possible before start build a PC. And if you have a friend that understand PCs, well... Time to make a call. ^___^

 

[Brandon F]

I currently have 500W and am thinking of upgrading to a 4850 crossfire setup. Is that PSU acceptable?

 

[1c0n 0f s1n]

I currently have 500W and am thinking of upgrading to a 4850 crossfire setup. Is that PSU acceptable?

IMHO it's better a single 4870. Less problems with Crossfire. But maybe you have already a 4850 and wanna buy a second right? I think searching for some benchmarks on the net about power consuption will be a nice idea. Really, as I said before, I've seen lots of bench but I can't and I won't memorize them.

 

[FromTheFuture]

You might find useful infos from the web. Because now you're making questions, but when the time comes you can't risk to blow up thigs. We can help you in many ways, explain things, and so on, but it's not easy when you have in your hands 600$ of hardware for the first time.
So if you know nothing, begin by reading some articles like this to understand how to handle most of the crap:

http://techreport.com/articles.x/13671/1

or this, about PSU:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=307

Chosen randomly by putting on google "build PC" and "Choose PSU". Better get more data as possible before start build a PC. And if you have a friend that understand PCs, well... Time to make a call. ^___^

Yeah i definately have people who can help, and i don't mean i know absolutely nothing about the PC stuff, i just don't know all that much. I do a lot of research on it, and i had before, before i could even think about buying one. I just need to make sure i have all the components correct, that they work together and that i'm not building a shitty rig that will fail me completely in the near future.

 

[1c0n 0f s1n]

Yeah i definately have people who can help, and i don't mean i know absolutely nothing about the PC stuff, i just don't know all that much. I do a lot of research on it, and i had before, before i could even think about buying one. I just need to make sure i have all the components correct, that they work together and that i'm not building a shitty rig that will fail me completely in the near future.

Very good. So buy a decent PSU. ^^ You can upgrade the rest with ease in the future, but if PSU isn't that good... Let's just say that is like running, breathing with the nose only...

 

[Thorhald]

Throwing a post in here as I too, am looking to buy a new computer, however i'm looking to spend around 2,000 or so since it should last me [like my last one] 3-4 years.

Here's what i'm looking at so far:

CPU:
(Quad-Core)Intel® Core™ 2 Quad Q9550 @ 2.83GHz 1333FSB 12MB L2 Cache 64-bit

MOTHERBOARD:
EVGA NFORCE 680i SLI CHIPSET 1333FSB DDR2/800 SATA RAID W/ USB2.0, 1GbLAN, & 7.1 AUDIO

RAM:
4GB (4x1GB) PC6400 DDR2/800 Dual Channel Memory

VIDEO CARD:
NVIDIA GeForce GTX260 896MB 16X PCI Express

HARDDRIVE:
150GB Gaming Western Digital VelociRaptor 10,000RPM SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16MB Cache WD1500HLFS


So, since I don't know much about CPU and MOBOs, are those pretty good to go? Also, is it worth getting SLI GTX260's ? Or just one is good enough?

 

[1c0n 0f s1n]

Throwing a post in here as I too, am looking to buy a new computer, however i'm looking to spend around 2,000 or so since it should last me [like my last one] 3-4 years.

Here's what i'm looking at so far:

CPU:
(Quad-Core)Intel® Core™ 2 Quad Q9550 @ 2.83GHz 1333FSB 12MB L2 Cache 64-bit

MOTHERBOARD:
EVGA NFORCE 680i SLI CHIPSET 1333FSB DDR2/800 SATA RAID W/ USB2.0, 1GbLAN, & 7.1 AUDIO

RAM:
4GB (4x1GB) PC6400 DDR2/800 Dual Channel Memory

VIDEO CARD:
NVIDIA GeForce GTX260 896MB 16X PCI Express

HARDDRIVE:
150GB Gaming Western Digital VelociRaptor 10,000RPM SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16MB Cache WD1500HLFS


So, since I don't know much about CPU and MOBOs, are those pretty good to go? Also, is it worth getting SLI GTX260's ? Or just one is good enough?

Mmmmmmmmmhhhh... HD is fast, but has low capacity. I think you can buy a larger one (more than double size) for the same price or less. Yes, I know "I have 2000$", but think about it: 150 GB and how many second less to load (5? 7? 15? I dont' think so) but after 3 months it is completely full...
Besides this, if you have time other than money, wait for I7 processor. Your system will last longer.

 

[zoku88]

150 GB seems kinda small, tbh.

 

[1c0n 0f s1n]

150 GB seems kinda small, tbh.

 

[a1m]

post

If you decide not to upgrade to i7 I suggest these,

Q9550
Asus P5Q Pro
Geforce GTX280
2x2GB DDR2
Raptor if you want it + Western Digital SataII 640GB - 32MB Cache
Corsair HX620

One card solution is a better choice. On the other hand if you want the new i7-system,

Core i7 920
X58 -mobo
3x2GB DDR3
Geforce GTX280

 

[Thorhald]

Mmmmmmmmmhhhh... HD is fast, but has low capacity. I think you can buy a larger one (more than double size) for the same price or less. Yes, I know "I have 2000$", but think about it: 150 GB and how many second less to load (5? 7? 15? I dont' think so) but after 3 months it is completely full...
Besides this, if you have time other than money, wait for I7 processor. Your system will last longer.

Any thoughts on the MOBO and CPU? The hard drive, understandably is a bit small ... but was thinking about speed. But if it's not that big of a different, i'll go with a less fast, but larger HD then.

 

[Thorhald]

A1M -

What is the i7 system ... sorry, not that up to date on PC's and what not. Sounds like something I should definately get if I plan on keeping this PC for the next few years eh?

EDIT: Also, I'm going to be building this through CYBERPOWERPC.com ... they don't appear to have any i7 CPUs

 

[a1m]

A1M -

What is the i7 system ... sorry, not that up to date on PC's and what not. Sounds like something I should definately get if I plan on keeping this PC for the next few years eh?

EDIT: Also, I'm going to be building this through CYBERPOWERPC.com ... they don't appear to have any i7 CPUs

They are Intels newest prosessors, read more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Core_3

For you I highly recommend the i7 system, eventho you should change stores - if that's the case.

 

[JSnake]

A1M -

What is the i7 system ... sorry, not that up to date on PC's and what not. Sounds like something I should definately get if I plan on keeping this PC for the next few years eh?

EDIT: Also, I'm going to be building this through CYBERPOWERPC.com ... they don't appear to have any i7 CPUs

Core i7 is Intel's latest generation of CPUs that will completely replace the Core 2 series. btw CyberPowerPC sucks. I recommend AVADirect.com--their build quality and customer service is top notch and their cheapest shipping option does not cost $100+

 

[1c0n 0f s1n]

Any thoughts on the MOBO and CPU? The hard drive, understandably is a bit small ... but was thinking about speed. But if it's not that big of a different, i'll go with a less fast, but larger HD then.

Find benchmarks. There are TONS of mobo, it's impossible to know everithing about all products, so it's better to serch for some HW review on the hundred sites that you surely know.

 

[Thorhald]

They are Intels newest prosessors, read more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Core_3

For you I highly recommend the i7 system, eventho you should change stores - if that's the case.

What other sites do you recommend that build computers [other than the Dells, Gateways, etc].

My last computer was from Cyberpowerpc and I loved it ... which was why I was going back to them, but if there are better, I'm all ears

 

[Thorhald]

Core i7 is Intel's latest generation of CPUs that will completely replace the Core 2 series. btw CyberPowerPC sucks. I recommend AVADirect.com--their build quality and customer service is top notch and their cheapest shipping option does not cost $100+

Thanks JSnake, I'll check them out

 

[Thorhald]

One more question ... is it better to go with the 32 bit version of Vista or the 64 bit?

 

[a1m]

One more question ... is it better to go with the 32 bit version of Vista or the 64 bit?

64bit, definitely.

 

[malsumis]

One more question ... is it better to go with the 32 bit version of Vista or the 64 bit?

3GB of RAM or more, go with 64-bit.

HARDDRIVE:
150GB Gaming Western Digital VelociRaptor 10,000RPM SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16MB Cache WD1500HLFS

So, since I don't know much about CPU and MOBOs, are those pretty good to go? Also, is it worth getting SLI GTX260's ? Or just one is good enough?

If you have 100+ bucks for a HDD get a Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 like this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148337 - sequential read speeds of 120MB/s, about on par with that Velociraptor. You could as: "how come it's about on par with a 10k Velociraptor?" and that' a valid question.

The answer is: less RPM, but the data is packed denser, and because of that more data is read in the same period of time, and that's why the read speed is so high, even though it's a 7,2k rpm hdd.

EDIT: unfortunately it seems some of these new Seagates have some problems :/ although my own 1TB 7200.11 works perfectly fine. If you feel uncomfortable with it, go with a WD 1TB.

 

[Thorhald]

Okay, so the issues of video games having issues on 64 platforms is a thing of the pass?

 

[JSnake]

Okay, so the issues of video games having issues on 64 platforms is a thing of the pass?

yeah basically

 

[FromTheFuture]

Eh one last problem, can someone suggest me a mobo again? I don't know exactly what mobo is compatible with the E8400, and if the mobo has to be a certain type...