First Build - Advice needed

Sauron

This is my first build and I'm not sure about some components... will be used mostly for gaming and video editing...

Any suggestions appreciated

CPU - already have a E6600 Conroe, and I'm going to use the stock cooler for the moment... is it any good?

Not going to overclock initially but might try to squeeze some more performance from it when the system's finished, nothing too major. Mobo, PSU and RAM are causing most confusion for me.

Mobo - Was looking at a Gigabyte GA-965P-DS4 (965) or an ABIT AB9 PRO, P965, Socket-775.

RAM - Crucial 2GB PC5300 - Gigabyte mobo supports 4300, 6400 and 5300... I'm just a bit confused here... not exactly sure which ram would be best for my system...

PSU - I'm not exactly sure about this... How much power should be adequate for the system? Also, I was looking into some silent power supplies... something like this: http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=311760
Are silent PSUs such as this worth considering?

GPU - Gainward GeForce 7900GTX

Hard Drive - Samsung SpinPoint T133S 400GB SATA2 16MB
- I'm sticking with just this for now... until the system is up and running...

Sound Card - Creative SB X-Fi Platinum

DVD Writer - BenQ DVD±RW burner, DW1655

Case - Thermaltake Shark, Black

I've been chasing this case for a while now ever since it mysteriously disapeared from Komplett... It's sold out everywhere...

Has anyone had any experience with it? and if so, is it even worth waiting for? It seems like it'll be a while before any site will have it...

Failing that... what about this one?

Thermaltake Xaser Tsunami Black

seems fine...


Any suggestions appreciated

Thanks.

8T8

Well a few suggestions;

On the RAM you already have picked DDR2-677 which should be fine some video encoding programs benefit a little more with DDR2-800 but that kind of RAM is much more expensive and frankly I'd go with the Crucial 2GB DDR2-667 over that [unless money is no object].

As for the GPU unless you have a specific desire for the 7900GTX get a X1950XTX instead better performance, image quality options & it has the new quiet cooler, Club3D or Sapphire models.

PSU my vote goes to Tagan, very high quality & quiet but they cost extra as a result but I think it is worth it, get an 480w or Easycon 580w.

I would personally not bother with the X-Fi platinum unless there is something you really need in it the cheaper Music Edition works just as well.

As for cases that is always such a subjective area go with whatever suites your tastes (for instance personally I have never liked a single design Thermaltake has ever produced).

TomCo

CPU - E6600 Conroe

RAM - thats ram is a rip off, go to memory-configurator.com. Get some 2 Gb G.Skill NR PC6400 - €230

Mobo - You're going to have a right pain in the arse getting ram that will work with that mobo, the Gigabyte DS3 works with the NR series ram. A Gskill technician confirmed this.

PSU - Enermax, Seasonic, Tagan, OCZ amongst others these are the quality brands. Get a 500W+ psu.

GPU - 1900XT, trust me. This is the card to get at the moment if you care in the slighest about your bank balance.

8T8

Those Crucial 1GB DIMM's are on the compatibility list for Gigabyte under the Micron name as Micron are the parent company of Crucial so there should be no problem with them booting in the board they use 1.8v

Of course if you know they don't work for sure then Gigabytes list means sod all :eek:

Still might be better off going for the Abit board to eliminate any amount of risk if there is nothing between the two in terms of choice.

TomCo

I've read reports of problems with a lot of P965 boards regards ram incompatibilities so can't really avoid that hurdle by going with Abit.
Best bet is to email the ram manufacturer and take that compatibility list with a pinch of salt.

Also do umpteen google searches with the board name and ram serial no. before parting with any cash!

Creamy Goodness

8T8 wrote:

As for cases that is always such a subjective area go with whatever suites your tastes (for instance personally I have never liked a single design Thermaltake has ever produced).

so true, but any company that rip off case design off other companies just deserve to die tbh.

TomCo

Im waiting for delivery of a Gigabyte Triton (black). Its very reasonably priced, looks the part and vitally, for me, is less than 20.4cm wide.

PogMoThoin

Nice rig m8. just make sure the ram is compatible or else you'll have to boot on other ram & change the ram settings. loads of info on xs about it: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=59

As regards thermaltake cases, the fans are pretty noisy, so you might as well change them. I have. The tt fans have a different connection (4pin molex & single controller wire) which wont allow them to connect to a normal fan controller. I bought akasa 120mm fans in pcworld & replaced them. Not bad cases over all, loads of space, great airflow & good looks. Some others here hate them tho.

Sauron

Thanks for all the advice guys, really appreciate it...

I'll definitely go for the 1900xt gpu,

PSU suggestions noted,

ditto for the sound card... bit extravagent for me in hindsight...

The RAM compatability issues may be a tad annoying, but I'll research as much as I can...

And thanks for the heads up about the thermaltake fans Pogmothoin...