New Build seal of approval

Redundo

Hey guys. I'm looking to build my first PC and i was hoping you could cast an eye over my parts list and tell me if everything looks hunky dory. Or that i'm off my rocker.....

PSU - OCZ StealthXStream Powersupply ATX/EPS, 600W
CPU - Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4GHz
Memory - Corsair TWIN2X 6400 DDR2, 2048MB
Mainboard - Gigabyte GA-P35C-DS3R, P35, DDR2/DDR3,
Graphics Card - Gainward GeForce 8800GTS 320MB
HDD - Samsung SpinPoint T166 500GB
Monitor - LG 22" LCD L226WTQ-SF
Case - Gigabyte GZ-X1 Black
DVD writer - Samsung DVD±RW burner, SATA
OS - Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium Eng 32bit
Accessories - Keyboard + Cordless Laser mouse (Logitech mx1000)

My total budget is about €1,500 and what i intend is to build a Crysis level PC that should be good for the next 4-5 years with minor upgrades, thats why i chose Quad-Core and a board that can take DDR3 (once prices drop).

The heaviest use my PC is likely to see will be DVDs (hence good monitor), 3D CAD software, Photo editing files up to 250+mb (i scan my own film) and gaming. I'm not a huge gamer so if it can handle Crysis with some comfort i think that'll be enough for how long i intend to keep the PC.

Dcully

Maybe go with more ram?
I think vista uses lots of ram so with 2 gig your not leaving a whole lot for gaming.
Maybe go with more ram on the 8800 GTS?
Also for gaming i personally never go with cordless anything.
Apart from that i think the spec is nice.

Redundo

More RAM?... Hmm. What would you think, keep the two matched 1024 sticks and throw in either a single extra 1024 or another two 512's?

Thats all the extra ram i think i'd be able to afford as i'm getting nervous at the €1,600 price tag already!

PogMoThoin

Minimum requirement for Crysis is 640Mb Gts, also Ocz psu's are rether noisy, well mine is neways.

Get a better cooler, like a tuniq tower, quads run very hot & you'l have the option to overclock

Redundo

Overclocking has never been on my list of requirements, i'm too liable to blow something up.


I saw that the 640 GTS is the recommended level, but the 320 should do too as its well above the Min requirements. I don't need the Graphics to be outstanding, just that they can handle it without freaking out. Well thats the reasoning i based my choice on anyway, let me know if i'm off the mark on that!

PogMoThoin

Looks fine m8, you can easily add a better cooler later & oc if ya feel ya need 2

Good luck

Pog

jonny72

Dell factory outlet on www.ebay.ie (search for Dell PC) seem to be selling off loads of XPS700's recently

Quadcore 6700, 8800 GTX, 2 gigs ram

Checking the completed prices they seem to go for a grand more or less (without monitor)..

They are also selling a lot of the H2O models too.. (although they seem to go for quite a lot more)

Redundo

I'm changing the Graphics card to a Point of View 8800gts 320mb EVO as its only €14 more expensive, but has slightly better numbers and a free game.

Other then that i'm going with whats been mentioned, so unless there are any last minute problems i'll be putting my credit card under severe strain tonight.

dazftw

its going to suffer on the 22" at max res

Im telling you ive been playing the call of duty 4 demo on my pc in my signature and im barely getting above 50fps

TerrorFirmer

dazftw wrote: »

its going to suffer on the 22" at max res

Im telling you ive been playing the call of duty 4 demo on my pc in my signature and im barely getting above 50fps

What's wrong with 50fps? As long as its relatively stable and not dropping below about 30 then all's good!

Rather then the 8800GTs 320mb I would get the 2900Pro. It's the same price and better. Not a whole lot, but noticeably better, the 512mb of ram helps at higher resolutions.

But if you're not overly concerned with running the game with all bells and whistles, the 8800GTS would still do a great job and look good.

The only problem with quads is that they don't overclock as wellas dual cores, and at the moment games are just really taking advantage of dual core, so for a gaming machine, you'd get alot more mileage - at the current moment - out of a faster dual core, and it would overclock much better. But yeah, if you're not overclocking and want to last several years, the quad core prob a better idea long term.

If you're really going for broke, I'd actually get Vista 64 bit and 4gb of ram. But it's by no means essential, but Vista is ram hungry and 32-bit can't see that much ram, so you'd be limited further down the line by the 32-bit OS

Not really much else to say, it looks like a sweet machine. Hard to believe it's only about 10 months ago my 6400 and X1950Pro were the biz.

Redundo

I am a little bothered by getting Vista 32. Because i know well that 64 is on the way and *some of the software i use isn't suited to it. I'm considering sticking to XP and upgrading to Vista 64 once the drivers and software has been adapted.

As for the 4Gb ram, i do agree. But i chose the combo board so i can upgrade to 4Gb DDR3 when it drops enough in price because at the moment that really is well out of my price-range and i don't think there is enough benefit to justify the expense.

witnessmenow

i have that monitor and although things look unbelievable on it when there is faced pace movement(eg playing a game at max resolution,dont know if the resolution matters) bits of green show up, certainly not unplayable but worth considering it. Not the graphics card (ATI 2900) either cause it does the same thing with my PS3

Redundo

Well i got all the parts yesterday and put them all together today. It was only a little nerve-racking and actually a hell of a lot easier then i expected. Installing the CPU and heatsink was the biggest worry as i couldn't get the four pins in right for ages and was afraid to really press hard on the board. It seems to be seated well enough now though.

Everything powered up fine and the Vista install went ok with only a minor hiccup to deal with. One thing i will say is that the 3x Sata connectors on the OCZ StealthXtreme PSU were very awkward. They are all on the one length of cable which made positioning my lone DVD drive and dual HDD kinda awkward.

Here's my final set-up. And yes i did listen to you guys and upped the ram to 3Gb.

PSU - OCZ StealthXStream Powersupply ATX/EPS, 600W
CPU - Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4GHz
Memory - Corsair TWIN2X 6400 DDR2, 2048MB kit + Corsair TWIN2X 6400 DDR2 1024MB kit
Mainboard - Gigabyte GA-P35C-DS3R, P35, DDR2/DDR3,
Graphics Card - Point of View GeForce 320MB extreme ed.
Monitor - Samsung 22" 226BW
Case - Cooler Master Mystique
DVD writer - Samsung DVD±RW burner, SATA
OS - Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium Eng 32bit
Accessories - Keyboard + Cordless Laser mouse (Logitech mx1000)

TerrorFirmer

You should have waited for the 8800GT, costs less then the POV 320mb GTS and is much better. Also there was the 2900Pro option for the same price, better performer in general. Though you could bring in the whole Nv vs Ati one there so forget that even, waiting for the GT would have been a good move though.

It's still a fine build don't get me wrong but for a new gaming machine with a 22" monitor I don't think a 320mb GTS makes much sense...

Redundo

Well considering i got laid off from work unexpectedly a couple days after recieving the parts, if i had waited it would probably have meant i would be aiming for a much more modest build anyway. As it is i'm happy with what i got and i knew before ordering that there would probably be a boatload of christmas time releases anyway.

PC's are like that, there's always something just around the corner, so i decided to hell with it and splashed out.