Building a Gaming Rig.

[LA_MERC_YellowDog]

Ok, I need some input on this setup?

What would you suggest changing, if anything?
Is there anything here you would consider to be overboard, such as the power supply?



MoBo - http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16813131013

Processor - http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16819103758

CPU Fan - http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16835106080

Case - http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16811129021

Power supply - http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16817148022

Video card - http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16814121025

Ram - http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16820145034

Hard Drive - http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16822144701

DVD Rom X 2 - http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16827135141

I want to leave room for upgrading in the future, like running dual SLI, and maybe a High RPM hardrive for loading games on.

I would apreciate any help.. I need it :)

_

[LA_MERC_MadMAX]

Looks fine Parker - If I were building, (as I was before buying this system I'm running now) I would go w/ a Intel Core 2 Duo - even as a longtime AMD fan, the only reason I went AMD this time is because I got a good deal.

Ram - go for more than 2 GB - go ahead and put in 4, it'll give you more overhead in the future, especially if you are going to EVER run vista - I already have a 2GB kit (2x1GB) coming for mine...which'll give me 3GB.

[LA_MERC_LaTech]

Agree about the RAM...especially if you're going to do the Vista Plunge...the rest looks good, then again, I've been out of hardware for a while.

[LA_MERC_MadMAX]

also that CPU fan scares me a bit - I don't like that thing at ALL!

LMAO - I want somthing with a heatsink that sits on top of that chip...LMAO.
IMHO, unless you are overclocking, I would buy a boxed chip that comes w/ the fan rather than an OEM without a fan...but I'm sure many others will disagree w/ me.

[LA_MERC_LaTech]

Speaking of the CPU fan...that's the one I use (or it's older brother). Will see if I can find pics of it tonight if you like

[LA_MERC_eX1|eS' ch1|d]

I'm pretty sure that to get the Warranty for an AMD processor you have to buy the retail version so you can atleast say that you had the stock heatsink/fan on it.

[LA_MERC_YellowDog]

OK, what about this Fan... its only 5 bucks more, but the reviews are good.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835118019

It dosent look as heavy as the T/K fan... or as bulky.. it just a tid bit smaller than the T/K fan.

Give me a sugestion on a CPU that comes with the factory fan from newegg?

BTW... Im sticking with AMD... I dont know anything about Intel Cpu's.

[LA_MERC_MadMAX]

Also Parker - don't be afriad to look at some of the lower end CPU's - i.e., Athlon X2 3800+-4200+. Check out some of the benchmarks on tomshardware.com and anandtech.com...there is usually only a couple or few fps difference beetween the highest and lowest end CPU's in any product line - the rest of the system makes up a lot of the difference. Also, one thing I was careful of was not to build too high end of a system becuase a lot of things are about to change - quad core cpu's - flash memory taking over some of the hdd's functions, etc.

[LA_MERC_MadMAX]

I would look at these Parker -

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103751

or

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103030

or

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103759

The last one seems to be the same chip you had, only boxed, with fan, and cheaper (for some reason)...

[LA_MERC_MadMAX]

Parker - take a look at these two charts that show basically every CPU that could possibly be purchased today - two benchmarks, 3dmark (synthetic benchmarking) and Call of Duty 2 (real-world benchmarking). You could see more of a difference going ahead and putting in 4gb of memory, or def. that 2nd vid card than you would buying the highest end CPU...ESPECIALLY for gaming!

http://www.lamerc.com/uploads/parker1.png

http://www.lamerc.com/uploads/parker2.png

[LA_MERC_YellowDog]

Well now... I must say after looking at this review/comparison...

http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/cpu/amd-athlon-64-x2-5200.html

And the price of the Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe 2.4GHz

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819115003

It makes me wonder if this is the route to go???

With the cooling fan included, I still come out cheaper on the proccessor, than my original plan. _

[LA_MERC_MadMAX]

Told ya :)

The Intel *IS* the better chip right now. I got what I got becuase I got a deal I could not refuse. I had a whole cart of stuff ready to buy in newegg and it was an Intel 6600 for the CPU!

[LA_MERC_Diesel]

yeah do not go with that AMD chip either go duo or go with a cheaper AMD. IMHO
...it should be a no brainer based on the benchmark results

go stock fan unless you want to OC, those things are really nice now.

I would not cheap out on a PSU, would only use Enermax(my suggestion) Antec, or one of the other big names. Certainly do not go below a 650. That single piece of equipment can ruin everything for you. Everything else is looking good. You can always spend more :)

[Rollout]

I second Yellows PS comment, I've always used Antec and I've never had a problem. I've built my computers for tha past six years. It's fun especially with XP, the old windows were mighty buggy!

[LA_MERC_YellowDog]

I would not cheap out on a PSU, would only use Enermax(my suggestion) Antec, or one of the other big names. Certainly do not go below a 650. That single piece of equipment can ruin everything for you. Everything else is looking good. You can always spend more :)

Are you suggesting the PS I have listed might be questionable? I will look a little more to see whats available in the 650 to 700 watts range.

[LA_MERC_Diesel]

no the brand is questionable not power.

[LA_MERC_YellowDog]

no the brand is questionable not power.


Yea, thats what I ment.

The only enermax power supplys i see on newegg are out of my range like 200 $ and up,

however there is 1 antec PS listed on newegg 650 watt..

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817371001

what ya think,,,

if you know of any others im all ears for suggestions. :)

[LA_MERC_Dirge]

Antec is good, antec is wise

[Rollout]

No Yellow, the one you have listed should work fine, I miss typed and meant to say I agreed with Diesel regarding Antec being good. 680W will be great!
Sorry for the confusion I caused.