New gaming build.

[sxx]

Hello, i need some feedback in creating my new PC!

This is what i produced in notepad while digging through multiple boards, please help me answering my questions and point out anything whats wrong. Retailer i used is just for examples, i will probably buy from different sites, so feel free to link anywhere you want.


Budget & usage:
Doesnt matter, but trying to stay out of new expensive unnecessary products which is not easy , gonna cut something if it will be too much.
MOSTLY gaming, movies, movie/sound editing, web

CPU:
[strike]intel duo or quad?[/strike]
E8400-E8500
[strike]Q9xx , i7[/strike]
http://www.komplett.ie/k/kl.aspx?bn=11204&mfr=INTEL&filter=A03395.K118363.A00040.3-35.
Thinking of future im more into quad, but if quad then it should be i7 which makes mobo and ram expensive.

Probably gonna choose E8400-E8500 and put in the same socket a much better core2quad when they gonna be cheaper.

GPU:
single nvidia/ati
GeForce GTX 2xx (260, [strike]280,[/strike] 275!)
Radeon HD4870 1GB [strike]/ HD4850X2[/strike]

I think its gonna be the new GTX 275 and sli in 1 year?
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=447164

MoBo:
Intel P45 ? GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P [strike], ASUS P5Q[/strike]
sli/crossfire support
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=391836

[strike]http://www.komplett.ie/k/kl.aspx?bn=10492&mfr=&filter=A00046.K00281.A00050.K262248.A03202.K107284.
I know nothing about mobos, gonna go through most of them soon :/[/strike]

RAM:
2x2GB (maybe x2) DDR2
corsair/gskill/mushkin

800 or 1066?

DISPLAY:
22" 1680x1050
[strike]Dell UltraSharp 2209WA vs[/strike] LG Flatron L227WT

[strike]Depends on final budget,[/strike] looks like LG.

CASE:
Cooler Master 690
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=347261

PSU:
550W-650W Corsair (modular would be nice)
http://www.komplett.ie/k/kcp.aspx?sku=327672&sku=340676

CPU cooling:
I should be fine if i choose any of these low noise ones?
http://www.frostytech.com/top5heatsinks.cfm
also heard something about not taking push-pins...

http://www.komplett.ie/k/kcp.aspx?sku=393520&sku=441227&sku=393518

HDD:
Western Digital Caviar Black 500MB[strike]-750MB - depends on final budget[/strike]
http://www.komplett.ie/k/kcp.aspx?sku=355402&sku=391645&sku=391646
+external later

DVD:
LG DVD±RW GH22NP20 22x
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=358828

SOUND:
Creative SB X-Fi Surround 5.1 USB (external)
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=365973
looks like 7.1 creative front/externals are too expensive

other:
Logitech ultra flat keyboard
http://www.komplett.ie/k/kcp.aspx?sku=389166&sku=341896

Overclocking:
Probably in future, when it starts to be not enough.

OS:
Vista 64


All suggestions are welcome!

 

[aln688]

So, let's start like this; goal : "MOSTLY gaming, movies, movie/sound editing, web", my comments below:

CPU:
For movie editing the Quad's are supposed to be better, but then again for gaming the Duo's are better. I suppose the E8500 would be a good all around choice, then go for a Q9550 Quad when finances allow, although I think you'll be happy with the E8500.

GPU:
I would pick a single ATI 4870 1GB card, considering your goal is gaming, primarily, such as >this< card, the Sapphire 4870 1GB card for 214.

MoBo:
The Asus P5E WS Pro looks better, it's an X38 chipset board, supposedly more performance than the P45 chipset. I was going to suggest the Asus X48 chipset board but it may be too expensive, the P5E WS Pro is >here<.

RAM:
4GB is fine for your use, so that means 2 x 2GB modules. I used the Corsair memory configurator choosing the P5E WS Pro board, it resulted in these >results<.

DISPLAY:
This one is tough, personally I dislike widescreen displays, preferring the traditional almost square shaped displays. Put more money into this component, it's worth it.

CASE:
I would choose a mid-tower (or "midi-tower"), the Antec brand is very good. The Antec Three Hundred is a good choice. It's also got the internal room for a long (11.5") graphics card such as the 4870 X2 or GTX 275/280, something the Antec Sonata III or Antec Solo does not have.

PSU:
Again as with the monitor, put cash into this component. My choice would be >this<, the Corsair 620 modular, meaning you can detach the cables you don't need.

CPU cooling:
Avoid like the plague these heatsink kits that are literally a lump of lead with a fan attached. You do not want a lot of weight hanging off of your motherboard. While I usually choose Noctua U12P, I don't see it on your Komplett site, so the heatsink kit I know of that's just as good performance and weight-wise is this, the Xigmatek S1283 Dark Knight, >here<. Correct, I'd avoid the push-pin system, it's fine on light-weight coolers such as the Intel stock, but for slightly heavier coolers the backplate on the back of the board with four bolts going through the board is best.

HDD:
Your Western Digital Caviar Black 500GB is a great choice.

DVD:
Almost any DVD burner is good, although I prefer the Pioneer 216DBK, the media compabitility is better and Pioneer still issues firmware updates.

SOUND:
The Creative X-Fi XtremeMusic or XtremeGamer is fine, both are good. Anything more than this is excessive.

Hope this helps.

 

[theAnimal]

For your resolution, CF/SLI is unnecessary. Go with the Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R mobo.

The 640GB version of the Caviar Black is a little faster.

For the RAM DDR2 800 is good. I like Mushkin or G.Skill, good timings at low voltage.

 

[xthekidx]

What is your budget?

 

[sxx]

Thank you for strong reply aln688, you cleared up few things!
The only real problem left is GPU, so ill have to go through benchmarks again.
And if its nvidia then ill be switching GA-EP45-UD3P to UD3R (no xfire).


Cant tell how much i can spare, cause i have much more lol
It can be called a common sense budget, trying to stay between mid and high range.

 

[xthekidx]

Well common sense can mean different things depending on what you want for the future. If you can afford say...1500 or so for the box then you should consider an i7 because it is the top of the line and if you go that route you will have the most upgrade options later on, and give you a very noticable boost in your video editing needs. Honestly if I were building a gaming PC right now, I would build a PII 720BE or 940BE on the 790GX chipset if I could not afford an i7, or I would build an i7 if I could afford it, the price difference is roughly $200 or Euros. Currently, a dual core is usually enough for gaming, but games and apps are becoming more multithreaded, so having a tri or quad core CPU would be best if you didn't want to have to upgrade for a while. The LGA 775 is a dying chipset, no faster CPU's will be coming out for it so only go that route if you don't plan on getting a faster CPU until you will completely rebuild the system. If you want to be able to upgrade the CPU later, then get an i7 or Phenom II. Don't go these routes though if it will mean sacrificing on the GPU, as it is the most important component for gaming.

 

[sxx]

Duo will be enough for what im gaming and working on right now. Im on c2duo 2ghz + mobile radeon laptop which 'handles' this soft. Old PC is like: Athlon 3k+, 1gb ram, and some radeon 7200 (dont rly remember) + 19" monitor, but usually its turned on for torrents and used by my bro.
Im not multi tasking (excluding minor tray progs) its either a game or editing.

You say the 775 is dying, but wont it be enough in 1 or 2 years when i could change it to quad/extreme for new games which actually will use it and when GPU is more important? Its not like im gonna play crysis whole day, usually multi games.

I should write all this earlier sry

 

[xthekidx]

Yeah a dual would be enough for a couple years probably, but an i7 or PII 940 would be good for 3, and when you upgraded you wouldn't need a new mobo.

Still though since you do editing, you will see more benefit from a quad or tri-core than the dual, so I would in that case get the PII x3 720 BE (cheaper than the E8500) or if you can the PII x4 940 BE (a little bit more than the E8500). The 720 and 940 do just about as well as the E8500 in single threaded games, and better in multithreaded games, and they have more of an upgrade path.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

+1 for the Phenom II 720. Trust xthekidx on this one. You'll regret going with the LGA775 socket in a couple years when you go to upgrade your CPU and realize there aren't any CPU's worth upgrading to. The Phenom II 720 is an excellent CPU that games just as well as the E8x00 series and is considerably better at video editing. It also has a better upgrade path.

I know xthekidx already mentioned these things, but you still seem to be leaning toward the E8400, so I thought I'd back up xthekidx.