Compatibility check

[mcanas]

As far as I can tell, these parts will go together, but this is only my second build and I would like to be sure. Can anybody give me their expert opinion on the compatibility of these components? Suggestions on better parts are welcome. Thanks!

Case:
COOLER MASTER Stacker 830 Evolution Aluminum ATX Full Tower w/ Real Power Pro 1000W Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16811119136

Mobo:
ASUS CROSSHAIR AM2 NVIDIA nForce 590 SLI MCP ATX AMD Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16813131593

CPU:
AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ Windsor 3.0GHz Socket AM2 Processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16819103773

RAM:
A-DATA 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16820211066

A-DATA 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16820211064

GPU:
EVGA GeForce 8800GTS 640MB 320-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16814130071

HD:
SAMSUNG SpinPoint T Series 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16822152052

DVD Burner:
SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16827151154

Case Fans:
Antec 75003 120mm Case Fan
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16835129030

 

[aadamszc]

Do you plan on ever getting another video card? Both your mobo and GPU are SLI compatible, if you aren't planning on getting a second card, then you won't need SLI.

Your MOBO and processor seem to work with each other.

Why the (2x512)? If you can't afford another (2x1GB), then just go for a 1GB stick.

Your GPU is good, but 'word on the street' is there will be a new 8800gts 640MB in roughly mid november. More shader pixels or something.

You case looks cool, but I would not buy a $300 case. If you are buying it for the 1000w psu, then you might as well pick a different case. That PSU is a tier four. Try picking something from tier 2 or 1 for a high-end system.

http://www.tomswiki.com/page/Tiered+PSU+Listings?t=anon

Need anymore help? Let me know,
-Adam

 

[lostandwandering]

Your system needs no where near as much power as that PSU can supply. And like aadamszc said, it's not a highly rated unit. You would save yourself money if you switched the case and went with a different PSU, something like a Corsair HX620 or a PCP&C Silencer 610. If you like the blue look of the case, take a look at the Antec 900 or the Thermaltake Armor/Jr. You'd end up saving about 100 bucks.

 

[mcanas]

Thanks Adam!

I do plan to get another GPU at some point.

I picked two 512 and two 1GB to take advantage of the dual channel kits. I'll probably be using WinXP-32bit for a while yet, so I want to stay at 3GB of total ram... Is my thinking wrong there?

The case/psu choice is for the combo specifically. I like the combination of case size, fan setup, removable mobo tray, and the PSU output. Without the PSU the case is $250, so the $150 difference for the 1000w PSU looked like a good deal.

I appreciate your recommendations though, what would you suggest for an alternative case? Thanks!

P.S. Out of curiosity, how significant is ram voltage in relation to the CPU? AMD recommends 1.8v RAM for CPU I picked, and that influenced my choice of RAM as well.

 

[lostandwandering]

Thermaltake Tsunami ($90 after rebate): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133132

Thermaltake Armor ($120 after rebate): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133154

Antec 900($110, no rebate): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021

I based these off of the amount of cooling. The 900 and Armor have 4 fans and the Tsunami has 3 (combinations of 120mm, 90mm and 200mm fans).

For the PSU's:

Corsair HX620 ($150 after rebate): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139002

PCP&C 610 ($130 after instant savings): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703005

Both have enough power for your system and give you room to upgrade or add another GPU. Both are also high quality Tier 2 units.

 

[aadamszc]

Yeah, your ram decision does make sense.

Regarding the PSU, you probably won't even need 1000W. If you visit THIS website, you may get a better idea of how much power you are needing. Ultimately, choosing for a tier 4 PSU is really a bad idea because it will likely fail in a short period of time.

I'm not really a big help when it comes to cases because I like to cut corners on that part. When choosing a case, it really is just a personal choice. You just need to make sure it has adequate airflow/space. The ones that "lostandwandering" suggested seem to be decent.

-Adam

About the RAM voltage, I can't say I am very experienced with that. Just taking a stab in the dark, I would assume that more voltage to the ram increases the speed, but too much voltage could be a bad thing. I don't think it has a super-high bearing on how the cpu preforms, but what do I know?

 

[desidude006]

everything seems fine, but like just the ram (like mentioned before). Addi tonally you will be better off buying a seperate psu... dont cheap out on those.

 

[systemlord]

Yea that teir 4 PSU is not a good idea, the power supply is the number one most important PC components. If you want a stable PC get a high quality PSU.

 

[mcanas]

Thanks for your recommendations! Especially on the PSU. I'm looking at the following case and psu combo:

Case:
NZXT Zero Black/Silver Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146029

+ I like the size of the case, light weight, and fan configuration.

PSU:
SeaSonic M12 SS-700HM ATX12V / EPS12V 700W Power Supply 100 - 240 V UL, CE, CB, TUV, FCC
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151031

+ Tier 2 PSU, 80+ certified, SLI certified
+ I like the rear fan in addition to the top (bottom) fan
+ I don't think I'll ever need 700w, but I like the extra room just in case.

- I've heard mixed things about modular cable support, but you guys seem to put a lot of weight on it's tier ranking, and modular cables will help with cable management in the case.


Thanks again for your recommendations, really appreciate it.

 

[aadamszc]

A lot of people are probably going to tell you to go with a case without a door. However, it looks like a good case to me.

you can check out jonnyguru's review of your PSU if you have any concerns about the modular cabling.

http://www.jonnyguru.com/review_details.php?id=13

 

[mcanas]

Thanks Paul, i'll look into the case choice a bit more... Do you have any info on the affect of RAM voltage with regard to CPU? Does it matter? Should I focus more on lower latency and timing?

 

[aadamszc]

From this post, http://www.hardforum.com/archive/index.php/t-940596.html , it doesn't really look like it affects it. Thought I would give you some reading until a more informed person came along.

 

[mcanas]

Do you have anything against Patriot memory? I found comparable kits to your recommendations made by Patriot that are a bit cheaper

 

[mcanas]

Ok final rig:

Case:
COOLER MASTER RC-690-KKN1-GP Black SECC/ ABS ATX Mid Tower
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16811119137

PSU:
SeaSonic M12 SS-700HM ATX12V / EPS12V 700W Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16817151031

Mobo:
ASUS CROSSHAIR AM2 NVIDIA nForce 590 SLI MCP ATX AMD Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16813131593

CPU:
AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ Windsor 3.0GHz Socket AM2 Processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16819103773

RAM:
CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16820145034

CORSAIR XMS2 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16820145040

GPU:
EVGA GeForce 8800GTS 640MB 320-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16814130071

HD (x2):
Western Digital Caviar RE2 WD5000ABYS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16822136143

DVD Burner:
SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16827151154

Case Fans:
Antec 75003 120mm Case Fan
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16835129030

HIPER HFF-1B08N 80mm 4 Blue Light LED Case Fan
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16835224001

Thanks guys for your help!