Feedback on my new computer choices.

D

desktop

n00b
Joined
Jan 26, 2008
Messages
40
Hi everyone. I am building my first computer ( *gulp* ) by myself and I would like feedback on the component's I've chosen. I am not interested in overclocking and I do not play PC games. I just want a faster more efficient system to do my graphic design work on.

I have been researching all of this for about three weeks now and I've narrowed it down to two motherboards: Abit IP35 Pro and Gigabyte P35-DS3R. For the CPU I haven't decided if I should get the E6750 or spend a few extra bucks and get the E8400.

For the RAM everyone seems to recommend the G.SKILL DDR2 800 (2 x 1GB) and the A-DATA DDR2 800 (2 x 1GB). According to the spec sheets for both boards this RAM should work fine. For the OS I'm going with Windows XP Home (and OEM version retails for $90 at Newegg).

I already have a Ultra X-Connect 500W PSU and an Ultra m998 case along with two Seagate 300GB SATA HDs.

Your suggestions and feedback is appreciated. Thank you.
 
I got my eye on this XFX GeForce 8600GT. I believe this card will work on either of the boards. I actually need people's opinions on the two boards themselves - IP35 Pro and GA-P35-DS3R - because I still can't decide which one would be right for me.

I'm not sure which board has better audio, but I would like to find out. I'm getting rid of my old Lite-On drive and getting a couple new Lite-On SATA drives for this build so having enough SATA ports would help. USB isn't really a huge deal since I can always get a USB hub for cheap. The important factor is how good is the board and the parts it was made with? I want something that will last and be able to run the new CPU I put into it. I've also read that the Abit board has a lot of RAM compatibility problems.

Thanks for you reply :)
 
Id go with the Gigabit mobo, i like the gigabit brand more than Abit

and your not going to do any gaming, correct? cause from what i heard, the 8600's arent gaming cards, there more graphic's, movie editing ect... cards
 
personally id get the gigabyte mobo. if you dont plan on gaming then dont get the 8600gt. its a gaming videocard but not for serious gamers. just like midrange. heres some cheaper video cards:

hd2400
hd2600
8500gt
8400gs
theres alot more but you dont want to get too out of date :p
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. I guess the P35-DS3R is the winner. I kind of thought this was my best choice. Now for a graphics card how about this one here?

Also, with the P35-DS3R, what type of RAM should I be looking for? I had picked out a couple already - G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) and A-DATA 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) - but those were for the IP35 Pro.

I noticed on the spec sheet for the P35-DS3R that it takes Dual Channel DDR2 1200, but on the specs listed at Newegg it says DDR2 800 / DDR2 1066 (Only support the memory on the Memory Support List on the official website).
 
You could also look at the DFI Blood Iron P35-TR2L. Looking around it gets down to the $100 mark, which is a good bit below the DS3R and IP35 Pro. Has most of the same feature-set, too.

1 PATA channel, 6 SATA ports, RAID support, plenty of USB (12 including headers, I believe).

Did a build for a friend with one a couple of weeks ago and was fairly impressed.

Any DDR2-800 should be fine with any board. CAS5 or lower is what you're looking for, but don't pay a premium for CAS4. Just make sure it's not above 5, pretty much. You should probably consider getting 4GB, as you'll be able to address ~3.5GB even in XP 32bit, and the more RAM the better for design work. It'll be all of $20-30 different to get a 2x2GB kit instead of the 2x1GB kits you were looking at.
 
desktop said:
Thanks for the replies everyone. I guess the P35-DS3R is the winner. I kind of thought this was my best choice. Now for a graphics card how about this one here?
Click to expand...

You don't need a $115 GPU for graphic design. A $50 AR Geforce 8500 GT will do just fine for you. Photoshop, Illustrator and the like, right? No 3D work? Find the cheapest 8500GT you can and go with that. Should be $45-50.
 
silent, thanks for your suggestions. I would like to get a card with dual DVIs, but then I could always use a DVI adapter for my second monitor. The only 3D would be the 3D tools/filters available in Photoshop CS3. This ASUS card looks pretty good.
 
The specs for that card says it requires Windows Vista (64bit). I'm getting XP Home so that won't work.
 
desktop said:
The specs for that card says it requires Windows Vista (64bit). I'm getting XP Home so that won't work.
Click to expand...

It'll work fine. Promise you this. I have no idea why it says it requires Vista, but it does not. None of the 8 series require Vista, much less Vista 64bit. The only thing that Vista is required for is DX10, and these cards work just fine in DX9 mode under XP.
 
Ok, here are the cards I was originally looking at:

EVGA 256-P2-N615-TX GeForce 7600GT
SAPPHIRE 100218L Radeon HD 2600XT
EVGA 256-P2-N751-TR GeForce 8600GT
EVGA 256-P2-N758-TR GeForce 8600GT
GIGABYTE GV-NX86T256H-ZL GeForce 8600GT
XFX PVT84JUDD3 GeForce 8600GT

I'm favoring the Gigabyte card because I'm getting the same brand mobo and for the dual DVIs. However, your input and suggestions will be appreciated. Also I would like to know what RAM people suggest. If you own this board let me know what you are running with. Remember I'm not into gaming or overclocking.

Thank you.
 
4GB of RAM:
$88 - A-DATA 4GB(2x2GB) DDR2-800 ADQVE1B16K

If you're not doing any 3D rendering, you don't even need a vidcard. Go with a board with onboard video, and you'll be fine. Check out the GA-G33M-DS2R. If you plan on watching HD video content, get the Asus P5E-VM HDMI instead.

If you'd rather stick with the DS3R, go with the cheapest dual dvi card you can find -- its all you need unless you'll be watching HD content while multitasking. If you will be multitasking and watching HD content, get a card that will help decode the HD video (8500GT, 8600GT, 2600Pro, 2600XT).
$55 - Powercolor X1650PRO512MB Radeon X1650PRO 512MB ($15 MIR)
$70 - HIS Hightech H260PRF256EDDN-R Radeon HD 2600PRO 256MB ($15 MIR)
$95 - MSI NX8600GT-T2D256E OC GeForce 8600GT 256MB ($25 MIR)

The vidcard brand and mobo brand don't mean much -- just that you have one less company to talk to about support if any of your parts are bad.

The IP35 Pro and the DS3R cater to different needs. What do you need in a motherboard? Firewire? eSATA? RAID? 8 SATA ports? legacy ports?
 
Regarding the video card:
$55 - Diamond Viper Radeon X1650PRO Graphics Card - ATi Radeon X1650PRO 600MHz - 512MB GDDR2 SDRAM - PCI Express x16 - X1650PCIE512 ($20MIR)

Regarding the RAM:
Either go cheap:
$80 - pqi POWER Series 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail ($10MIR)

Or aim high:
$114 - G.SKILL 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1000 (PC2 8000) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

I suggest the PQI (unless it is notorious for increased failures), since higher RAM frequency won't yield performance increases (only increased overclocking headroom).
 
enginurd said:
If you're not doing any 3D rendering, you don't even need a vidcard. Go with a board with onboard video, and you'll be fine. Check out the GA-G33M-DS2R. If you plan on watching HD video content, get the Asus P5E-VM HDMI instead.
Click to expand...

enginurd, thank you for taking the time to reply. Although, after weeks of research I really don't need another mobo thrown into the mix, lol. Thanks anyway. Unless of course I was to find that the GA-G33M-DS2R was superior to the DS3R. I was originally going to for the DS3L, but then I wanted the Ultra Durable 2 design and the DS3L did not have it. Photoshop CS3 has 3D rendering tools/filters so I don't know if that counts.

enginurd said:
If you'd rather stick with the DS3R, go with the cheapest dual dvi card you can find -- its all you need unless you'll be watching HD content while multitasking.
Click to expand...

I have no interest (or funds) for HD, although I do a lot of multi-tasking.

enginurd said:
The IP35 Pro and the DS3R cater to different needs. What do you need in a motherboard? Firewire? eSATA? RAID? 8 SATA ports? legacy ports?
Click to expand...

I want a system that's faster and more up-to-date than what I have now: ASUS P4P800, Intel P4 2.4GHz, Radeon PCI graphics card (64MB). I want to be able to do my design work (Illustrator, Photoshop, etc.) and have many programs open (and running) with dual monitors. I have no interest in games, overclocking, or HD/Blu-Ray whatever. I have two SATA HDs and I plan on getting a couple Lite-On SATA DVD burners. I have no IDE devices and forsee no reason to have any in the future, especially with SATA available. I would like decent on board audio so I can make good use of my Logitech X530 5.1 surround speakers.
 
Abu Som3a said:
Or aim high:
$114 - G.SKILL 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1000 (PC2 8000) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
Click to expand...

Abu, thank you for replying to my thread. Everyone has recommended the G.SKILL, but this set here is a bit cheaper.

Abu Som3a said:
Regarding the video card:
$55 - Diamond Viper Radeon X1650PRO Graphics Card - ATi Radeon X1650PRO 600MHz - 512MB GDDR2 SDRAM - PCI Express x16 - X1650PCIE512 ($20MIR)
Click to expand...


That deal is almost too good to believe. There's a comparable card on Newegg, but it's only 256MB. I take it the DS3R mobo cannot handle DirectX10 cards?
 
The DS3R / DS3L or pretty much any PCIe motherboard with a 16x slot can handle a DX10 card. DX10 is a non-issue for you, however, as you don't intend to game and don't plan to run Vista anyway (Vista is required to use the DX10 features of DX10-capable cards. They all fall back to DX9 mode under XP)

Abu's 4GB kit is DDR2-1000 rated, yours is DDR2-800 rated. Hence the extra $20. You don't need the faster kit, so save the $20.
Any Adata, OCZ, PQI, Corsair, Crucial, G.Skill, GEIL, Mushkin, Patriot, Super Talent, or TEAM Group RAM kit will work fine. You're way too concerned over this whole compatibility thing. With very few exceptions, RAM is RAM. It'll all work with any board that isn't a total hunk of junk.
 
silent, thank you :)

Been checking out that Diamond Viper Radeon X1650PRO and it seems like a decent card, especially for that price. I think this has become my new favored choice. Thanks, Abu.
 
Thanks, silent. You guys have been a big help. For RAM I have my eye on this Corsair or this G.Skill, although I just had someone in another forum recommend this mushkin RAM. What do you think of the mushkin?

What do you think of that Diamond Viper Radeon X1650PRO card that Abu linked me to? I mean it's a 512MB PCI-E card for less than the equivalent 256MB card on Newegg. I'm on the BUY page now seriously considering it ( *gulp* ).
 
The X1650 Pro will be fine for what you're doing. Go ahead and buy -- it's a good price for a dual-DVI card.

Serious, if you decide to go with 4GB get the OCZ or Geil I linked. No reason to pay more for 4GB. It's the same quality stuff as G.Skill or Corsair. Mushkin is good stuff too, but honestly, brand matters very little with RAM. Most reputable companies have a lifetime warranty on their sticks.
 
Nevermind, I decided not to get that card. With doing graphic design I'd at least want to go with a 3850 or 8600GT, they may be more expensive but i think they'd perform better. That is a killer price, but even for 35 bills I don't want to risk it not being up to par.
 
desktop said:
Nevermind, I decided not to get that card. With doing graphic design I'd at least want to go with a 3850 or 8600GT, they may be more expensive but i think they'd perform better. That is a killer price, but even for 35 bills I don't want to risk it not being up to par.
Click to expand...

Nothing you're doing will benefit from a higher end card. If it has 64MB of video memory and very basic 2D acceleration Photoshop doesn't care. At all. CPU speed is what you need, not GPU.
 
silent-circuit said:
Nothing you're doing will benefit from a higher end card. If it has 64MB of video memory and very basic 2D acceleration Photoshop doesn't care. At all. CPU speed is what you need, not GPU.
Click to expand...

LOL ... you guys are killing me, lol. One person says I should go with a higher end card, then another says cards don't really matter. Ok then, so referring back to the list of cards I posted on the first page any of those would work with the DS3R or the IP35 Pro?

I just had someone link me to the Crucial memory finder for the DS3R here. Aiye, so many choices, lol
 
Stop worrying about the memory you're ordering. Seriously. It's getting frustrating.

Buy the cheapest 4GB DDR2-800 kit you can find. That's going to be around $75. I linked you to two quality DDR2-800 kits above that're $75 AR. Problem solved. Don't pay attention to the Corsair memory selector thing.

Any of the cards will be fine. The X1650 Pro is cheapest of the dual-DVI options. Hence, it is the one you should get. It will work great for what you want to do with it.
 
Frustrating for me, yes. It's just there are so many choices and everyone recommends something different. You're not building this rig, I am, and one person's recommendation isn't written in stone. I appreciate you're help. Thanks.
 
Where else have you posted for help with this new PC?

BTW I concur with silent-circuit on all counts. Photoshop does not need a high-end graphics card. It's a common misconception. Photoshop needs more RAM and CPU power, not GPU power.

Don't worry about the memory selector item. ANY set of DDR2 800 RAM will work with the DS3R or DS3L. The two different sets of RAM that silent-circuit linked are good choices.
 
I posted on a few other computer forums. I'm going to go for the GeIL RAM that silent recommended, because it has also been suggested by others who already own the DS3R and are using it themselves so I figure it's a safe choice. Plus it has the correct voltage, good timings, and for 4GB seems to be the best deal. I know XP won't take advantage of all 4 gigs, but it will at least recognize 3.

As for that Radeon video card for $54 I went ahead and purchased it. I don't need a higher end card if I'm not into games or anything like that. For that kind of money for a 512MB PCI-E card (and free shipping) I can't see passing it up. Besides, if I save money on RAM and the video card I can put it toward buying a Q6600, which in my opinion (and everyone else's) is likely the most important part of the whole build, next to the mobo, of course.P
 
In searching around I've discovered there are two types of Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600s - one says "GO 2400 MHz Kentsfield" and the other says "B3 2400 MHz Kentsfield". What is the difference and which one should I look for?

I visited Newegg and checked the stats on the one they are selling, but I couldn't find out if it's the B3 or the GO.
 
The B3 Q6600 is the first Q6600 model/stepping. The G0 Q6600 is the second Q6600 model/stepping. The G0 stepping runs cooler, uses a little less power and can OC higher than the B3 stepping. Thats the only differences. You can find the G0 stepping at www.clubit.com
 
desktop said:
What do you think of that Diamond Viper Radeon X1650PRO card that Abu linked me to? I mean it's a 512MB PCI-E card for less than the equivalent 256MB card on Newegg. I'm on the BUY page now seriously considering it ( *gulp* ).
Click to expand...

Its only $5 cheaper than the one I listed from newegg. :rolleyes: :p

The 3D stuff in photoshop isn't demanding enough to require a better vidcard. Now, if you're working with AutoCAD, 3DSMax, Maya, or any software that does a ton of 3D rendering, then you should consider a higher end card. The cards pro's use cost $1500 alone... are you a pro? Didn't think so. ;)

I havent tried any GeiL RAM in my DS3R. I have, however, tried OCZ Gold, OCZ SLI, G.Skill, Crucial Ballistix, and Patriot LLK sticks -- they all work great. For maximum compatibility, look for sticks that operate at 1.8v. Though, I agree with silent-circuit... you're a bit too paranoid.

The G33M-DS2R is better than the DS3R if you need Firewire and onboard video, and don't mind a microATX board. Since you don't adapt well to change, keep the DS3R, lol.

BTW, its "G0" ... not "GO" ... zero. ;)
 
I'm simply trying to figure out what the best components would be in my first system build, much like any one else would in my situation. Since this is my first time building a computer everything is totally new (and confusing) to me and while I appreciate the time everyone has taken to post here and help me out remarks like "you're a bit too paranoid" and "you don't adapt well to change" don't benefit anyone.

If you can tell me what you know and make suggestions that's great - thank you. Otherwise, please leave the personal remarks to yourself.
 
RAM: Get the OCZ Vista Upgrade silent-circuit recommended, since it has dropped in price since he posted. RAM brand doesn't really matter as long as it works fine.

Video Card: The X1650PRO is your best option, not only due to being amongst the cheapest dual-dvi cards out there, but also because of its superior gaming performance if you ever need it (compared to similarly priced cards).

CPU: Q6600 is the obvious choice. CS3 benefits from 4 cores. If you seek higher performance, I recommend you attempt to overclock it rather than spring $250 more on a Q6700.
http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2963&p=7

Motherboard: Since you aren't overclocking, choosing a motherboard will solely be based on its feature pack (RAID, SATA/USB/Firewire ports, multi-GPU capability ...etc).Tell us exactly what you need so we can give better recommendations.
 
Abu Som3a said:
RAM: Get the OCZ Vista Upgrade silent-circuit recommended, since it has dropped in price since he posted. RAM brand doesn't really matter as long as it works fine.
Click to expand...

Ok, so far this is what people recommend I SHOULD get:
GeIL 4GB(2 x 2GB) DDR2 800(PC2 6400)
Crucial Ballistix 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)
G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)

Oh, and a lot of them recommend OCZ as well. It starts to get a little crazy after a while with everyone recommending something different. The RAM suggested above is what I've managed to narrow it down to after researching myself between reviews, forum posters, and the actual spec sheets of the mobo itself. I think in the end it's just a matter of ordering what I feel would work best. If it doesn't work I can always return it and get something else. The goal of course is to try an get it right the first time - waiting is such a pain, lol.

Abu Som3a said:
Video Card: The X1650PRO is your best option, not only due to being amongst the cheapest dual-dvi cards out there, but also because of its superior gaming performance if you ever need it (compared to similarly priced cards).
Click to expand...

I ordered this card last night, and my only concern is that it doesn't turn out to be a deal that was too good to be true, lol.

Abu Som3a said:
CPU: Q6600 is the obvious choice. CS3 benefits from 4 cores. If you seek higher performance, I recommend you attempt to overclock it rather than spring $250 more on a Q6700.
Click to expand...

Yep. I've already decided to spring for a Q6600.

Abu Som3a said:
Motherboard: Since you aren't overclocking, choosing a motherboard will solely be based on its feature pack (RAID, SATA/USB/Firewire ports, multi-GPU capability ...etc).Tell us exactly what you need so we can give better recommendations.
Click to expand...

My mobo of choice is the GA-P35-DS3R. I chose this board over the DS3L because it has the Ultra Durable 2 design (better components, longer life) and just the features I would need. I don't do any PC gaming, HDTV, video editing, or intensive 3D work so I passed on the ABIT IP35 Pro, which is more for overclockers anyway. As I stated in my first post of this thread I just want a faster more efficient system to do my graphic design work on.

The components I already own are two SeaGate 7200rpm 300GB SATA HDs, an Ultra X-Connect 500W PSU, and a Lite-On IDE DVD burner. I'm going to be getting a couple new Lite-On SATA DVD burners, possibly one more SATA HD, and a PCP&C Silencer 610.
 
Basically, what I'm trying to say is, you can't really go wrong with any of the choices you've narrowed it down to because everything being suggested is good quality -- most people don't recommend crap quality parts.

As far as compatibility goes, people can tell you all kinds of things, that they're 100% sure this ram will work in this board, etc... just know this: there are no guarantees. As long as you're building a system yourself, be prepared to go through the motions of troubleshooting. Though, everything thats been suggested, should work fine.

Honestly, any of those 3 RAM kits you listed should work great. You've already decided on the DS3R, so the mobo is done with, as is the cpu, vidcard, and everything else you already own. It looks like you're all set to go after you close your eyes and pick a RAM kit.

BTW, if you want a modular PSU, the Corsair 520W is the crowd favorite right now. Its silent and delivers great power.
 
enginurd said:
BTW, if you want a modular PSU, the Corsair 520W is the crowd favorite right now. Its silent and delivers great power.
Click to expand...

I already said I'm getting a PCP&C Silencer 610. Much better than a modular unit, and more reliable.
 
desktop said:
I already said I'm getting a PCP&C Silencer 610. Much better than a modular unit, and more reliable.
Click to expand...

I own the Silencer 750 Quad, and yes I agree that PC Power and Cooling makes very high quality PSUs, but no, non-modular is not "much better" and neither is the Silencer line "more reliable" than the Corsair PSUs.

Any electrician will tell you that the amount of resistance and "risk" imposed by a well designed modular connection is negligible at worst and bordering on non-existent at best. The whole "modular is bad" thing is nothing but marketing hype from PC Power & Cooling.

As for the reliability bit, both the PC Power and Cooling Silencer line and the Corsair HX/VX line are actually built and designed by Seasonic. Both are covered by a 5 year limited warranty. They're pretty much identical, save that the Silencers use an 80mm fan with a fairly large gap inside the chassis to reduce noise and the Corsairs use 120mm fans, which are naturally quieter than the 80mm fans and thusly don't need the gap, which makes the Corsairs quieter and smaller.

You could make the (admittedly unconvincing) argument that the HX/VX lines are actually better than the Silencers because their output is rated at 50C ambient rather than 40C like the Silencers. PC Power and Cooling's TurboCool line is rated at 50C ambient... but they're also a good bit louder than the Silencers, which are a bit louder than the HX/VX lines.
 
desktop said:
I already said I'm getting a PCP&C Silencer 610. ...
Click to expand...

Relax man. This forum is for discussion... I'm just throwing a suggestion out there. If you don't want it, thats fine. It was just a simple suggestion.

I like to give people options... let them know what else is out there, so they can make an informed decision.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top