New System Build - Want Opinions

[Crash55]

Hi,

It is about time for me to upgrade my PC and after reading the latest
PC Gamer I started looking at prebuilt systems (a special deal was
advertised). I haven't given up on building one myself though so here
is a possible build:

CPU: Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700
MB: Asus P5N
Memory: 2Gb - Corsair?
Soundcard: SB X-Fi of some sort
Video Card: NVidia 8800GTX
Power Supply: PC Power and Cooling 750W
Case: Antec P180
Optical Drive: Some Dual Layer DVD Burner
HD: 250GB Western Digital
Keyboard: Logitech G15
Mouse: Logitech G5 gaming mouse
Cooling: Zalman 9700 -?
Monitor: Smasung 204B
OS: Win XP Pro with upgrade to Vista

Almost none of this has been nailed down yet except that I want a Quad
Core CPU and a Direct X 10 NVidia card (loayalty based on stock
performance). So I am open to changing almost everything.

Running everything through NewEgg it looks like ~$3500 as listed. What
surprised me looking at prebuilts is that I could get what appeared to
be a comparable one from Aeoncraft for $3483 and Vigor Gaming for
$3900. Alienware with liquidcooling and a special PCGamer discount was
$4200.


Thanks
Andy

 

[Al Pilarcik]

Hi,

It is about time for me to upgrade my PC and after reading the latest
PC Gamer I started looking at prebuilt systems (a special deal was
advertised). I haven't given up on building one myself though so here
is a possible build:

CPU: Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700

Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 $998USD

Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 Conroe 2.66GHz $510USD


The quad-core QX6700 will not help in gaming.

http://www.hothardware.com/viewarticle.aspx
"Our gaming results were nothing to rave about, as we expected, frankly.
Many of the current game engines on the market will simply not offer
significant gains with multi-core systems, until such time as game
developers are coding more with multi-core resources and multithreading in
mind. Future game titles, already in the pipeline, that are significantly
better engineered for multithreading, are coming though."

Power Supply: PC Power and Cooling 750W

http://www.pcpower.com/products/viewproduct.php?show=S75QB&view=techspecs

60A on the +12V rail looks good to me.

HD: 250GB Western Digital

Look at the WD Raptor WD1500ADFD 150GB 10K RPM 16MB ($190USD after rebate)
If you require more space, add a 250-500GB hard drive.

 

[Crash55]

Thanks for teh comments. I know that the Quad Core is not that useful
at present for games but since i keep a PC for about three years I
figure it will be before then. I aso on occasion do some CAD and image
editing work.

Since I first posted the specs I have already decided to go with two WD
Raptors in RAID 0.

Andy