[New System Build] Review My System

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GJX

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Dec 4, 2007
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Hello!

I'd like to know how smart were the choices of my new setup.
Keep in mind that I am no hardware freak, but simply a very interested gamer seeking knowledge in the field.

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
CPU Cooler: GlacialTech IGLOO 5700MC
Motherboard: ASUS P5N32-E SLI
RAM: 2x Kingston 1024MB 800MHz DDR2 CL5
HDD: 2x Westren Digital WD3200AAKS 320GB
Video Card: eVGA 8800GT 512MB
Sound Card: Creative SB X-Fi XtremeGamer
PSU: Enermax Liberty 620W
Case: Enermax Chakra ECA5001

In addition I'd like to know if my system is capable and compatible for connecting another 8800GT into SLI.

Thank you!

 
The build looks good. Yes as your motherboard already specifies that its an SLI mobo, you will be able to run 2x 8800GT. I think the PSU is sufficient enough to handle your rig as well.

 
It looks great, just one thing to be aware of:
You'll have to buy a new MOBO down the line if you want the full potential of the 8800GT's unleashed. Since there aren't any SLI boards that have PCI Express 2.0 slots yet, it's just something you'll have to upgrade later.
 
Never heard of GlacialTech. If you're not going to overclock just use the stock cooler. If you do want to overclock look at the Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme, Scythe Ninja and Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro too and then decide. These three are all quiet. The Ultra is the most expensive but cools best, while the Freezer is less competitive but cheap. The Ninja is in between.

The Q6600 will do better than E6750 in a few games and in video encoding and (probably) in most future games. The E6750 will do better than the Q6600 in most current games and it's cheaper. Personally I agree with the Q6600.

I'd get 4 GB of RAM, with DDR2 so cheap these days. Also get a 64-bit Windows. With a 32-bit Windows and two 512MB cards you'd be limited at 3 GB even if you buy 4 GB.

Get this PSU instead, it's better and much more powerful and almost the same price:
PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750 Quad
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703009
There's also a Silencer 610W, which would do for your build even with two cards. The 750W would allow more room for upgrades but it's probably overkill.

Get a single WD7500AAKS, it's faster than the 320GB version thanks to perpendicular recording.

Nice case.

What sort of monitor do you have? If it's 22" or less I'd only buy a single video card for now.
 


AFAIK the 8800 GT works at the same speed on 680i and X38 motherboards, i.e. it doesn't matter if it's in a PCI-E 1.1 or 2.0 slot. I wouldn't worry about that.
 


Well yeah, it's backwards compatible and the software/games we have right now don't demand anything more than 1.1 speeds, so it'll only operate at 1.1 at this time. Just a little FYI that it'll (obviously) need to be upgraded, but it has a good 2-3 years in it before that demand is necessary.
 
This setup cost me around 1500$ including a DVDRW.

Anyway, atm I have a 19" CRT MAG monitor which im getting tired of taking up all my desk space.
Since we live in a time with a wide variety of LCD screens i thought i'd get one of the good ones, after all you don't buy screens every week. I was advised to get an EIZO S1931H since it is one of the best 19" screens out there for gamers. What do you guys think?

Another question I had was, would my 2 WD3200AAKS be faster than a WD7500AAKS if they were connected in a RAID setup?
 
EIZO typically makes excellent monitors for artists and photographers, not for gaming and movies. That is, their monitors cost WAY more than a gaming monitor, they have more realistic colors, sometimes they even come with calibration hardware, but when it comes to response time they are bad. You called yourself a gamer, so I'd say stay away from Eizo and get a Samsung with 5 ms or 2 ms response time instead. Also, get a 22" rather than a 19" because it has a better resolution and the price is very close. The 8800GT will have no problem supporting a 22" monitor.

Here are some good choices:

SAMSUNG 226BW Black 22" 2 ms (GTG) DVI Widescreen LCD Monitor - Retail, $270
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001096

ViewSonic X Series VX2235WM Piano Black/Silver 22" 5ms DVI Widescreen LCD, $280
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824116059

LG L226WTY-BF Black 22" 2ms DVI Widescreen LCD Monitor - Retail, $350
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824005097


About the RAID question: go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAID
RAID 0 will be very competitive as far as speed. Can't say if it's faster than WD7500AAKS or not, but I guess it would be close. However, with RAID 0 there's increased risk of losing files.
 
From what i learned during my research on LCD monitors is that the info given from the manufacture is, how shall i say this, subjective.

For example a 2ms screen can sometimes be slower, worse, than a true 6ms screen because the 2ms is actually not really 2ms like the 6ms is 6.
Meaning, the response time sometimes can be from gray to gray, or from white to black to white. Sometimes it even comes down to just software enhancement with response time or contrast, so its not true 3000:1 its actually a 800:1, and a true 1000:1 would look better. It's hard to compare screens just by reading their specs, i hope you agree with me on that.
 
For instances those you posted, are shown as 3000:1, but are really 700:1

Another bad thing about those monitors is their old TN panel.
 
Yeah, it's all confusing and there are often lies in those specs. The OP should go to a local store and see how a monitor feels, and also check it for stuck pixels. I wouldn't buy a monitor online, too risky.
 
I second the questions on the sound card if you are going with Vista...the Creative sound cards don't add the performance enhancements they did with XP...if you going with XP, definately get the x-Fi.

I don't like the memory you have picked out. I would suggest either Crucial Ballistix or G-Skill.

Crucial Ballistix 2x1GB DDR2-800, CL4 (Faster of the two...$50 after rebate)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146565

G-Skill 2x1GB DDR2-800 CL5 (good OC memory, $50 no rebates!)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231098

Other than that, I think it looks fine....I would not run RAID unless you plan on getting a third hard drive to install the OS on. I think you run to great a risk to install the OS on a RAID 1 setup...but then, I'm a Network Admin with a server that must have 99.99% uptime...

Seriously though, if you put one drive, maybe a smaller, faster drive in as the OS (c:\) drive, and a second drive in as the apps drive (install all games on this drive), you should see great performance!
 
If i will OC it won't be by a great deal, only to improve performance in a very big safe zone, and this kingston memory will be sufficient for now.

I am going with XP, hence the 2GB and not 4GB. With Vista running the show 2GB just isn't enough.

About the RAID setup, i find it to be a big improvement compared to normal HDDs, and not by far off from a 10k rpm drive. I'm not worried about them being damageg either, i wont be toying around too much with this comp any time soon.

What i really need is a good 22" LCD screen, that doesn't have a TN panel which in my experience is bad.
 
Your link isn't working again, so I couldn't see the price of the Kingston, but even if it is half the cost, I would still go with the Crucial Ballistix. It will give you a nice boost, as it is CL4 vs. CL5. One thing to consider: Although the Kingston will OC, you may have to raise the timings to CL6 or something like that, whereas the Crucial Ballistix will remain rock solid on a mild-mid OC, not to mention it has heat spreaders and the Kingston does not, so you will get better cooling.

Regarding the hard drives, it really depends on what you plan to do. If you are primarily running office and loading game files, then your setup is fine, as you will geat read performance resulting in low load times. If you are working with video/photo/CAD/database, you will want an OS Drive + Data Drive OR an OS Drive + RAID 0 as you will need simultaneous read AND write and you will be seeing high I/O on your swap file. I run an OS RAID 1 + DATA RAID 5 (3x500GB) with 3GB RAM on Windows 2003 (essential XP+domain/exchange/IIS stuff).
 
I will take your recommendation about the memory to heart. Thank you.

And as for the hard drives, only office, games and other low key software are intended. Once i start upgrading this system, and hopefully moving to Vista, i will probably get an OS drive, and have these two in RAID 0.

Which drive would you recommend as an OS drive?
 
The Seagate 7200.10 series are all pretty good. I also like the Hitachi t7k500 series. If you buy a 320 GB in the t7k500 series, you get great performance and value.

When looking for hard drives, I try to guy the highest density platter with the lowest "sold" space. For instance, the t7k500 series has 500 GB platters. However, Seagate sells 320 and 400 GB drives based on that platter. When selling this way, Seagate more or less disables the innermost part of this disk. Since the outer part of the platter offers the best performance, the critical performance (i.e. random read/write, i/o per second) of the drive increases.

I also like the Western Digital JS and YS series.
 
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