Help me Build my System...

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jaypamps

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Feb 5, 2009
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My budget will be around 1100-1300$ CDN (this is including taxes) (this is more so of an upgrade as I have my PSU/GPU)

Now here is some background information to help you, help me build a system :)

1) I already have a PSU and GPU
2) I currently have Windows XP Professional 32bit. (so if you recommend i need a 64bit os please factor that into the build)
3) I am a gamer, I play Counterstrike, World of Warcraft, Warcraft III, Call of Duty 4. (also on top of that I do like to fraps/stream my gameplay at times.)
4) I have a current case, its a standard Mid-Tower case all steel construction, with decent ventalation (i keep my computer in my basement and my temps are pretty good)
5) I have a 22" LG LCD monitor W2242TQ

I want this new system upgrade to last me awhile. Also I want it to be SLI cappable (not just crossfire....mainly cuz my current GPU is a nvidia 9800 GTX+ and I may wanna SLI them in the future.)

Now my current build is.

PSU=Ultra LSP 750W
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3276567&Sku=ULT-LSP750

GPU= EVGA 9800 GTX+ 1024mb DDR3
http://www.evga.com/products/moreInfo.asp?pn=01G-P3-N880-AR&family=GeForce%209%20Series%20Family

****These 2 pieces above, i think are definitely salvagable and good enough for my new system build and upgrade. So you do not need to factor those two into the price. ****

CPU= Intel D 945 3.4 GHZ (this thing is pretty lackluster, but its almost 3 years old now soo lol. I have it overclocked to 3.7ghz)

MOBO= Asus p5RD2-VM (this thing is LOL bad)
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131590

RAM= 2x 1gb DDR2 556mhz Corsair (needs upgrading)

HD=random 200gb HD


So things I need,

1) MOBO
2) CPU
3) RAM
4) HD (500gb-1TB is fine)
5) CD/DVD drive??? (tho im sure i can salvage my old one if need be lol...)

Optional/if needed?
New case? Duno if i need one, if I do factor that in

Additional Cooling?
New operating system, if Windows XP 32bit isnt enough? Not sure if windows XP cd's are similar to Vista where u can pick 32 vs. 64 bit.....I have a corporate copy so....

Now other information,

AMD vs. Intel? Personally I dont care...more bang for my buck is all i want (i would also like this build to last awhile)
From what I have been reading AMD is definetly a better buy. the new Phenom II are pretty good for their price (better then quad core but not as good as the i7s) However most AMD mobos dont support DDR3 (but do i need DDR3?)

Should I bother with DDR3? Or is DDR2 1066 good enough?

THANKS!!!!!

REMEBER PRICES SHOULD BE IN CANADIAN DOLLARS!

so newegg.ca or tigerdirect.ca

I prefer tiger simply because there is a Tiger near my house and I can just pick up the stuff at the store and save on Shipping+handling.

If there is anything more I need let me know
 
Btw the sites dont have to be limited to tiger or newegg those were just 2 i hapepned to know and used.

If anyone knows of ones with good/comparable prices I do not mind. This is more so for a specs guidlines etc.
 
see, i would tend to disagree with going for an intel if you go dual core - i would go with the AMD Kuma 7750 - big price difference - similar performance.
 

He has $1300CAD to spend, he isn't exactly pinching pennies. The Kuma 7750 BE is comparable to an E5200...all the other Intel Core 2 duos completely trounce it, no comparison whatsoever.
 
My suggestion: Go i7 if you want to SLI that card. Most other chipsets are unstable for SLI. An i7 will also give you the longest lasting configuration so you can put off upgrading another year or longer if you had gone Core 2.
P6T-$310
http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=35603&vpn=P6T&manufacture=ASUS

i7 920-$350
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202

6gb DDR3-1600 Ram-$210 (you can cut back here and go with 1333mhz to save money)
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=35710&vpn=OCZ3G1600LV6GK&manufacture=OCZ%20Technology

WD Caviar Black 640gb-$105
http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=34286&vpn=WD6401AALS&manufacture=Western%20Digital%20WD

Vista 64-$150
http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=22438&vpn=66I-01939&manufacture=Microsoft

LG DVD Drive-$36
http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=32234&vpn=GH22NS30%20BLACK&manufacture=LG%20Electronics

So that should be under budget, I have no idea what taxes and shipping are in canada though. If you have extra budget then get a CM 690 case and a Xigmatek S1283v dark knight cooler. Even if you have to overspend the budget a little, I think its worth upgrading to the next platform if you want to keep that GPU. Otherwise going with a P45 chipset, you would have to buy a different GPU to upgrade since P45 doesn't support SLI.
 


I think you might have that confused with the Phenom II X3 720, which can be compared to, say, an E7300 or E8400.
 


You should always read the review carefully.

The AMD board used:
790GX

The Intel board used:
680i

So they used a modern very nice AMD motherboard and an old, Nvidia chipset Intel motherboard.
 



Only thing is those prices are mainly USD and they kinda overshoot the budget just a little bit :s
 
Wow your right I didnt even realize that.

Hmm maybe going the i7 route is better....

If i go hard and get an i7 with DDR3 etc how long do you think the system will last me for?
 
It depends on what you mean by that. GPU's get outdated quickly, yours is on its way out. I would say that the CPU will be very current for 2-3 years, and still be strong enough to last 1-2 after that, depending on how long you like to hold onto a system, some people have to get the newest and greatest hardware every 18 months.
 


Meh for my purposes my GPU will last long enough, and when it gets outdated I can just SLI a 2nd one...

Now however, for my purposes how long will the new CPU/MOBO last if i get an x58 mobo and an i7 cpu? and some DDR3 ram? I assume DDR3 is gonna become the new standard so I dont see it getting outdated at all...if anything Id just need more of it LOL.
 
I'd say your CPU/mobo will be good for 3-6 years, again depending on how much you feel you need the latest and greatest thing. The Core 2 Quad will probably not last longer than 3-4 I would guess. I also believe DDR3 will be the new norm here very shortly, it won't be outdated for a while.
 
I think you can expect one more round of processors for the LGA1366 platform, before Intel transitions to the next generation sometime this year. The new socket is apparently called LGA 1160 and the motherboards and CPUs that go with it will be lower priced than the current LGA 1366 line.

When you buy an X58 board you generally get compatibility with both SLI and crossfire. Of course the board would support the fastest processors made for the desktop, now and for the next 6 months at least.

AMD has just released the AM3 platform, but it's not yet competitive. The fastest offerings from AMD are still the Phenom II 940 and 920, which compete with similarly priced Intel LGA 775 quad cores such as the Q9400 or Q9550.

So, you have with AM3 a platform which may provide some future upgrades but does not perform well now. Or, you have the AM2+ platform and the PII CPUs, which may be around for a while. Your best AM2+ boards are strictly crossfire, the 790GX and 790FX. They use DDR2 not DDR3 like AM3, so that's a plus.

So, it's all a bit murky. Perhaps you should just get whatever is the best bang for your buck today and let the future sort itself out whenever it gets around to it.

You have 4 options.

1) P45 chipset and an Intel CPU

2) 790GX chipset and an AMD quad core.

3) X58 and i7

4) AM3 MB with a slower current AM3 CPU and DDR3.

Options 1 and 2 will cost about the same for similar performance, as long as you are talking quad cores.

Option 3 will cost more, but leave you with more features and configuration options, as well as be the fastest.

Option 4 will maybe leave you with an upgrade path for a few years, possibly. Maybe. If AMD gets the whole DDR3 thing worked out and stable.


 
WEll for my gaming uses what serves me best?

my Budget is around 1000$ CAD.

also i have a 9800GTX+ 1gb DDR3 card....Should i exchange it for a 4870?
 
The 9800GTX+ is a decent card, but if you wanted to add a second one most of us would only recommend and X58 motherboard. If you think it's enough GPU for you, then it doesn't matter.

The best bang for your buck currently, for a pure gaming machine, would be a dual core CPU. That's why I pointed you at my guide in my first post, so that you could decide up front whether you wanted dual core or quad core, and so avoid a lot of hassle 😉

If a dual core fits your computing habits and usage, then that simplifies everything.
 
See thats the thing from what ive been reading etc.

Duo core does fit my needs but I am just worried that a Duo core will get dated FAST!

i want this build to last at least 4 years If i can. (fine my GPU or other things might need upgrading)

But also I noticed some Core 2 Duos are almost as much as some of the Core 2 Quads?

e8400
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3574211&CatId=2396
239

Then theres quads that range from 200-300-The q9400 is 300. the q8200 is 200.

What do I need?

So its mainly gaming needs BUT FUTURE and longevity.
 
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