Critique gaming build

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whiteoral

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Nov 14, 2007
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Well, looks like there are already starting to be good deals as BF approaches. Anyway, this is what I have in mind. Please critique in anyway. I will use this for some gaming like hl2, source, maybe some of the new games like tf2, etc. My budget is around $1100. I will not be overclocking until a few months after I get this rig so I can get more money for a heatsink and whatnot.

Case Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021&Tpk=antec+900

Motherboard GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3R LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16813128050

GPU 8800gt, not sure what brand or if OCd or whatnot. Any suggestions?

PSU CORSAIR CMPSU-520HX ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 520W Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16817139001

CPU Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Conroe 2.66GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80557E6750 - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16819115029

RAM Crucial Ballistix 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model BL2KIT12864AA804 - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16820146565

HD Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16822136073

Optical SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S203B - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16827151153

I also plan to get the 906bw
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001094&Tpk=906bw


How does this look? I have a question about the ram. FRYS has the patriot 2x2 for 90 dollers, should i take this over me 2x1 crucial, even though crucial > patriot? And are these patriots even the dx9 chip or w/e? Did I miss anything or are these all the parts I need?

Thank you so much for your time.
 
Looking good with that build, all the parts are solid choices.

About the RAM, both Crucial and Patriot make good RAM. These days, quantity is the most important part about RAM (much more so than timings or speed ratings, which don't have a large impact on real-world performance). Plus RAM is very cheap these days. So, 2x2gb is my recommendation.

You might want to consider a $50 sound card like the X-Fi eXtreme Music and a budget set of speakers (Altec Lansing 2100, Logitech z5300e) or headphones (Koss PortaPros, Sennheiser HD485/HD555) for your setup. There are lots of good options when it comes to speakers / headphones. Many people overlook sound, but it really has a meaningful impact on your overall experience.
 
Woops, guess I should have mentioned, I already have an Xtremegamer in my current build, and I have the HD555s as well, heh. Thanks for the help SEAL. Do you know though if these Patriots have the dx9 chip?
 
The Micron D9XXX chips don't come in the density needed for a 2x2GB module, IIRC. If you don't mind a 3.2Ghz OC (if and when you OC) and want 4GB, go for the 2x2GB Patriots from Fry's. Personally, I went with the Ballistix -- they helped me get my E6750 to 3.8Ghz. :D Since you're not OC'ing right away and probably not much, go with the 4GB.

Get the Corsair PSU from somewhere other than newegg - they're overpriced. Check out zipzoomfly, clubit.com, or buy.com instead.

Get an eVGA brand, non-OC'd 8800GT and OC it yourself. If a better card comes out in 3 months from the date you purchase the 8800GT, you can "step-up" to it for the price difference.

Pickup an Ultima90 and Panaflo fan when you're ready to OC. It keeps my 3.8Ghz CPU at 28°C idle and 52°C at full load (22°C ambient).
$46 - Thermalright Ultima 90 CPU HS + FBA09A12M - Z ($3)
 
whiteoral said:
Woops, guess I should have mentioned, I already have an Xtremegamer in my current build, and I have the HD555s as well, heh. Thanks for the help SEAL. Do you know though if these Patriots have the dx9 chip?
Click to expand...

Anytime!

When you say "dx9 chip", I'm assuming you're talking about Micron D9 chips (excellent overclockers). I'm also assuming this is the RAM you're talking about.

POSSIBLE CONFIRMATION

So, the answer is... maybe. However, even if they are not there is only a small performance cost when running RAM dividers. Under almost all circumstances, RAM speed is not what bottlenecks a system, and will not be noticeable in real-world applications.
 
eng, I was planning on OCing to 3.2 exactly, so I guess the patriot RAM is perfect :) Thanks for the help fellas
 
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