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Gaming meets Graphic Design Computer

E

ElevenFingers

Limp Gawd
Joined
May 30, 2008
Messages
194
Hi,

I'm currently putting together a PC and I need your help. This is what I have chosen so far, I'm using my old DvD drives etc... it's from a french website but you shouldn't have trouble reading it.

INTEL Core 2 Quad 2.5GHz Q9300 + Ventilateur [ LGA775 - 6MB - 45nm - 1333MHz]

DDR2 4GB [1GBx4] DDR1066 (PC2-8500) - CORSAIR Dominator DHX [QUAD2X4096-8500C5DF]

MSI P35 Platinum ( Intel P35 - Socket 775 - FSB 1333 )

ASUS Extreme N8800GTX/HTDP PCIe ( GeForce 8800GTX 768DDR TVout HDTV HDCP 2xDVI )

Alimentation 600W OCZ GameXStream Power Supply (NVIDIA SLI-Ready) [OCZ600GXSSLI-EU]

ZALMAN CNPS9700-LED [ Ventilo pour Socket : 775/AM2/754/939/940 ]

SATA300 250GB - 7200 SEAGATE Barracuda ES (16MB) [ST3250620NS]

This costs around $1600... I can go up or down by $200... are there any tweaks you would make or any parts you would switch?
Is the 8800 outdated, should I spend an extra $300 on a new 9800? Which 9800 would you recommend or should I wait untill the next series comes out?

How is this card, how does it compare to the 8800GTX? Is it worth the increase in price? I'm looking for a card that will hold its own in two years time and the 8800GTX is already over a year old...
http://www.prodimex.ch/pInfos.aspx?CODE=31800

I'm thinking now is a bad time to buy a new rig, since all the new stuff seems to be right around the corner... like the GTX 280
 
u can try getting an EVGA 8800GT or GTS and then step-up to the new Geforce in a couple of months
 
What size monitor do you have? The GX2 is only worth it if you have a 24" or larger LCD monitor and want to game at native res with all high settings.

The 9800GTX is basically an overclocked 8800GTS 512MB. So, go with the 8800GTS 512MB instead, as it can be OC'd to outperform the 8800GTX and it also has hardware support to help decode/encode HD video.
 
Im not sure about the exact size of the monitor but its like 1440 x 900... as for overclocking this is my first pc I'm building... I wouldn't know where to start.. I hear it's risky and you need some luck and mad cooling.. I'm not even really sure what it is. Will a 8800GTS/GTX still run games on high in two years time? Is waitingfor those next gen cards just overkill?

'Cause I mean right now all the shops are trying to sell/get rid of the 8800 series, and so prices are at an alltime low... 8 months ago my set up would have cost $2200... my friend got a little worse rig 1 year ago for $2300. Another friend who loves building PCs (done like 20 gaming rigs) says this is the most cost efficient method...

Also... I'm getting into 3D art with programs like lightwave 3D... just as a hobby so the reason for the quad core is so I can do detailed renderings etc.. 'cause I do realise it's unnecassary for a gaming rig.
 
ElevenFingers said:
Im not sure about the exact size of the monitor but its like 1440 x 900... as for overclocking this is my first pc I'm building... I wouldn't know where to start.. I hear it's risky and you need some luck and mad cooling.. I'm not even really sure what it is. Will a 8800GTS/GTX still run games on high in two years time? Is waitingfor those next gen cards just overkill?
Click to expand...

Can't predict whether or not the GTX or GTS 512MB (note the 512MB) will still run games on high settings in 2 years. At least medium settings in 2 years.

For 1440x900, the GTS 512MB is more than enough at that low of a resolution for many many current games out there. And should last you a while. Also, the prices of the newer cards will be highly inflated due to demand so if you're not willing to wait 3 months or so for the prices to drop down on those cards, go for the GTS 512MB. Then again, the release of the new cards might drive the prices down on the older cards.

Overclocking is simply making a part of your PC to go faster than it's original specifications called for. Wiki link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overclocking
 
Well I understand that an overclocked GTS > GTX but a GTX > normal GTS right? So.. basically I was wondering how difficult it is to overclock something... I remember seeing a video on youtube where some guy was using dry ice... and I also hear it's got a chance of failing / is unstable.

Maybe this is a stupid question but can't the GTX be overclocked to outperform the overclocked GTS since all "the 9800GTX is basically an overclocked 8800GTS 512MB"?

And if I was to overclock would a 600W PSU (right word?) still be enough? And it says on the wiki that "more expensive motherboards—with advanced settings that computer enthusiasts are likely to use—have built-in overclocking capabilities." I understand that my motherboard is one of the low end quad-compatible motherboards, does it have such capabiltities, because the last thing I want is to fry my PC... and when you overclock warranty goes out the window too right?
 
ElevenFingers said:
Well I understand that an overclocked GTS > GTX but a GTX > normal GTS right? So.. basically I was wondering how difficult it is to overclock something... I remember seeing a video on youtube where some guy was using dry ice... and I also hear it's got a chance of failing / is unstable.
Click to expand...

Depends on the game but generally GTX does beat the GTS 512MB, but not by a large margin.

For a first timer and depending on your level of computer knowledge, overclocking can be easy if you read ahead. Though it can be hard if you have little understanding of how all the FSB, CPU speed and RAM speed work in a system. If you OC right and carefully, there's a very very very low chance of your part failing or becoming stable. And you don't need an exotic solution like dry ice to OC a CPU or GPU. A good HSF is all that you need.

Just noticied that you have a StealthXStream PSU. Are Corsair PSUs sold in Switzerland? If so, I highly recommend going with one of those over a OCZ PSU like that one.
 
The HSF is heat sink fan? I hear that having liquid cooling is quieter and was more efficient (benifit/cost ratio) but that now the thing to do is get one of these fans. One of my friends, for a lack of a better way of saying this has a glow-in-the-dark fishbowl for a computer which just seems like a logistical nightmare. I heard the fan I'm getting in a friends PC, and to tell you the truth it's a little too loud for me... but it may have been any of the other, built-into-the-case fans that were that loud.
 
New post cuz I'm lazy to edit my other one:

PSU is the right word.

Anyway your mobo will more than likely have the neccessary overclocking features. Hell even low end $70 motherboards have some overclocking options in them. As for voiding warranties, if you buy the video card made by eVGA, BFG or XFX, overclocking will not void the warranty. As for CPU, not too sure about that actually. Haven't heard of anyone actually losing an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU to overclocking at all. Therefore no need to test the warranty.

Yes the 8800GTX can be OCd but the problem being is that you can't OC the 8800GTX that high. It's already near the limits of that GPU line.

Yes that's what HSF stands for. And no, liquid cooling isn't always quieter or more efficient in cost to cooling ratio. Air cooling will always win the cost to cooling ratio. With the right selection of fans and heat sinks, you can make a PC virtually silent without having to resort to a crazy mechanism that is water cooling.
 
Danny Bui said:
Just noticied that you have a StealthXStream PSU. Are Corsair PSUs sold in Switzerland? If so, I highly recommend going with one of those over a OCZ PSU like that one.
Click to expand...

I didn't do any of the selection myself, my friend did it. I'm really just here to learn more about what I'm getting into and getting a second opinion. As for corsair PSUs is this what you had in mind? (I hope the link works)

http://www.prodimex.ch/pSearch.aspx?SEARCH=corsair+psu&S=1

Danny Bui said:
...As for voiding warranties, if you buy the video card made by eVGA, BFG or XFX, overclocking will not void the warranty.

Yes the 8800GTX can be OCd but the problem being is that you can't OC the 8800GTX that high. It's already near the limits of that GPU line.

With the right selection of fans and heat sinks, you can make a PC virtually silent without having to resort to a crazy mechanism that is water cooling.
Click to expand...

So wait the card isn't produced by NVIDIA just designed by them?

SO Overclocked GTS > GTX, GTS = GTX or GTS < GTX? Cause the price difference isn't that high.

Is my selection of fans / built in heat sink on the motherboard (which looks quite cool) going to be enough to keep this rig cool, even after it's overclocked?
 
Yes that's what I had in mind. I recommend that you get this Corsair PSU instead:
http://www.prodimex.ch/pInfos.aspx?CODE=11170

Main reason why I'm asking you to ditch the OCZ PSU because it is based off the FSP Episilon PSU design which has out of spec ripple, or voltage fluctuations, at high loads that can damage or kill your system. Granted, you may not reach such high loads but why pay for PSU that can kill your system over time?
 
Danny Bui said:
...As for CPU, not too sure about that actually. Haven't heard of anyone actually losing an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU to overclocking at all. Therefore no need to test the warranty.
Click to expand...

I don't mean to be a jerk, but I plan on getting an INTEL Core 2 Quad 2.5GHz Q9300 + Ventilateur [ LGA775 - 6MB - 45nm - 1333MHz] (http://www.prodimex.ch/pInfos.aspx?CODE=15513). Since they're newer is there a change in risk when overclocking? Can they even be overclocked? Wouldn't it just be overkill and unnecessary risk/work to overclock this mother-of-a-CPU?

And on a side note, I want to RAID 0 (spelling?) the two hard drives to make them go faster, so basically what I'm wondering are the SATA300 250GB - 7200 SEAGATE Barracuda ES (16MB) the best choice in terms of cost/benefit. I see that you have SEAGATE's in your rig as well.

I think, since I'm growing slightly impatient, I'm going to go with a slightly cheaper card as a temporary solution and then upgrade in 6-8 months once again. The card that I had in mind was this one: 31630 - EVGA e-GeForce 8800GT Superclocked PCIe ( GeForce 8800GT 512DDR 2xDVI ) (http://www.prodimex.ch/pInfos.aspx?CODE=31630)
It's $65 cheaper than the ASUS Extreme N8800GTS/HTDP ( GeForce 8800GTS 512MB 2xDVI HDTV HDCP ) (http://www.prodimex.ch/pInfos.aspx?CODE=31696) and should hold its own for the next 6-8 months right?

Just a little link: http://www.fudzilla.com/index.php?o...k=view&id=4732&Itemid=40&limit=1&limitstart=1

And I don't think I'm going to overclock at least not yet... untill I know a little more about it.
 
Ok so after consulting my friend I think I may have found the best options for this rig.

EVGA e-GeForce 8800GT Superclocked PCIe ( GeForce 8800GT 512DDR 2xDVI )
http://www.prodimex.ch/pInfos.aspx?CODE=31630
INTEL Core 2 Quad 2.5GHz Q9300 + Ventilateur [ LGA775 - 6MB - 45nm - 1333MHz]
http://www.prodimex.ch/pInfos.aspx?CODE=15513
DDR2 4GB [1GBx4] DDR1066 (PC2-8500) - CORSAIR Dominator DHX [QUAD2X4096-8500C5DF]
http://www.prodimex.ch/pInfos.aspx?CODE=16988
MSI P35 Platinum ( Intel P35 - Socket 775 - FSB 1333 )
http://www.prodimex.ch/pInfos.aspx?CODE=13928
ZALMAN CNPS9700-LED [ Ventilo pour Socket : 775/AM2/754/939/940 ]
http://www.prodimex.ch/pInfos.aspx?CODE=14583
SATA300 250GB - 7200 SEAGATE Barracuda ES (16MB) [ST3250620NS]
http://www.prodimex.ch/pInfos.aspx?CODE=22430
Alimentation 650W CORSAIR TX Series [CMPSU-650TXEU]
http://www.prodimex.ch/pInfos.aspx?CODE=11170

It's only $1360 compared to the original $1560... and I should be able to upgrade to a better GC in 12 months without a problem right? (No compatibility issues you can see?)
Would you make any last changes or is it ready to be ordered?
With a little saved on the GC I can spend a little more elsewhere. Which piece is the weakest in the rig? (Extra/higher quality HSFs / cooling?)
 
Oh I call all C2D CPUs derived CPUs, including Core 2 Quads and Pentium Dual Cores, Core 2 Duo CPUs. No change in risk when overclocking. In fact, the risk is a bit lower since the Q9300 uses less energy meaning less heat meaning less chance of frying your CPU. And yes all C2D CPUs can be overclocked. And no, it wouldn't be overkil to OC the Q9300. It's "free performance" in terms of monetary costs.

But you can always OC at a later date when you feel a bit more prepared. You don't have to OC right off the bat. Just an option just in case you find performance to be lacking in a few months or years.

Yeah I use Seagate drives a lot due to their longer warranty. I tend to keep my drives for a long time so that extra 2 year warranty over most other HDD manufacturers is good to have around.

With that said, here in the U.S, those Seagate ES 250GB drives you listed are priced at about the same as this Western Digital drive:
Western Digital WD3200AAKS 320GB 7200RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - $69

There is a newer revision of the above WD WD3200AAKS drive that uses a single 320GB platter and, as result, is just as fast as Raptor drives. So in terms of cost and benefit, I'd get those WD drives instead. You get an extra 70GB more storage as well as superior speeds over that Seagate ES 250GB drive.

However there is a chance that you might get the old revision of that WD drive since WD didn't change the model number of the 320GB to reflect the fact that it now has a 320GB platter. So there's a 50/50 chance of you getting the older, slower than the ES 250GB, AAKS 320GB drive or the newer as fast a Raptor AAKS 320GB drive.

If you don't want to take a chance, get two of these confirmed 320GB platter drives:
Western Digital WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - $115

Yeah the 8800GT should hold it's own for that long at 1440x900.
 
Allright so I guess I'm not 100% ready yet... :) I'll see if I can get similar drives here in Switzerland... If I can find them that's an increase in $40 which isn't so bad.
 
Actually you do have those drives:
http://www.prodimex.ch/pInfos.aspx?CODE=22523 - 320GB AAKS
http://www.prodimex.ch/pInfos.aspx?CODE=22523 - 640GB AAKS

Anyway drop the Dominator RAM. Intel C2D systems do NOT benefit from having faster RAM or having the FSB and RAM ratio at anything other than a 1:1 ratio in real world apps and games. Unless you're planning on doing some heavy duty overclocking, which you aren't, all you need is this set of RAM:
CORSAIR TWIN2X4096-6400C5 DDR2-800 RAM - CHF 112.90

Half the price of that Dominator set yet you lose zero performance.

As for the Zalman HSF, ditch it and go with this quieter and better cooling HSF:
Zerotherm NV-120 Nirvana CHF 71.50

Other than that looks good to me. Shouldn't be any compatibility problems whatsoever down the line.
 
Ok, so I'm going to contact prodimex and ask them which HD type they have in stock, either the fast or slow WESTERN DIGITAL WD3200AAKS 320GB SATA 7200 RPM 16MB Hard Drives. However I was looking at the stats of the WDs vs. the SEAGATES and even the normal ones seem to be better. If all they have are the normal WDs could you recommend any other HDs?
 
Here's my final build (I think). A mere $1200... any last wishes / changes?

SATA300 320GB - 7200 WESTERN Caviar SE16 (16 MB) [WD3200AAKS]
http://www.prodimex.ch/pInfos.aspx?CODE=22523
INTEL Core 2 Quad 2.5GHz Q9300 + Ventilateur [ LGA775 - 6MB - 45nm - 1333MHz]
http://www.prodimex.ch/pInfos.aspx?CODE=15513
EVGA e-GeForce 8800GT Superclocked PCIe ( GeForce 8800GT 512DDR 2xDVI )
http://www.prodimex.ch/pInfos.aspx?CODE=31630
DDR2 4GB [2GBx2] DDR800 (PC2-6400) - CORSAIR [TWIN2X4096-6400C5 G]
http://www.prodimex.ch/pInfos.aspx?CODE=16986
MSI P35 Platinum ( Intel P35 - Socket 775 - FSB 1333 )
http://www.prodimex.ch/pInfos.aspx?CODE=13928
Alimentation 650W CORSAIR TX Series [CMPSU-650TXEU]
http://www.prodimex.ch/pInfos.aspx?CODE=11170
ZerOtherm NV-120 Nirvana - Universal CPU Cooler [ Socket LGA775 / 939 / AM2 / 940 ]
http://www.prodimex.ch/pInfos.aspx?CODE=14713
 
Samsung F1 750GB drives are pretty fast as well.

I doubt that prodimex will know which version they have in stock. Many online stores here don't guarantee getting the new drives. But the product code for the new drives you're looking for is this:
WD3200AAKS-00B3A0

Note the B3. That means that it is the newer drive. See if they have those in stock or let choose specific product codes.

Your build is $400 cheaper than when you began and it's still just as fast and has better quality. Nice!
 
Well yes... I have to say you saved me a lot of money and time. This is a pretty sweet forum, I'm surprised I didn't find it earlier... Anyhow to find that code do I have to open the box and check the code on the actual back of the HD or will it be on the box itself?
 
As for the SATA300 750GB - 7200 SAMSUNG SpinPoint F1 (32MB), they're $100 more but faster than the old SATA300 320GB - 7200 WESTERN Caviar SE16 (16 MB) [WD3200AAKS]. How do they compare to the WD3200AAKS-00B3A0 WDs?
$100 for increased speed and an extra 860 GB Sounds like it's worth it... how are they in terms of warranty? With some of my old HDs included I would have over 2 TBs... >.<
 
ElevenFingers said:
Well yes... I have to say you saved me a lot of money and time. This is a pretty sweet forum, I'm surprised I didn't find it earlier... Anyhow to find that code do I have to open the box and check the code on the actual back of the HD or will it be on the box itself?
Click to expand...

It'll be on the drive itself I believe.
 
Looks like Danny's got you covered, shopping links and all. ;)

ElevenFingers said:
As for the SATA300 750GB - 7200 SAMSUNG SpinPoint F1 (32MB), ... How do they compare to the WD3200AAKS-00B3A0 WDs?
Click to expand...

They're just as fast, or faster, since they also use higher density platters, 333GB/platter, IIRC. Samsung's are known to be quiet. Their warranty is a standard 3yr warranty. Seagate is the only manufacturer with a 5yr warranty for normal desktop drives. WD has 5yr warranty for certain drives (raptors, enterprise drives, etc).
 
One thing that hasn't come up yet is noise. Are all the components relatively quiet because I hate having to turn up the volume to overcome the noise of the PC. I'm willing to shell out extra $ for silence. Would the Noctua NH-U12P be a better choice or is there a cheaper but silent fan out there. If the fan I have in there now is silent enough then forget the fan-related issue.
 
All of the components recommended so far are relatively quiet. So loud noise won't be a major problem.
 
Is there a single loudest component? I'm willing to spend an extra $20 - $30 if it's possible to make sure this baby runs quiet.
 
ElevenFingers said:
Is there a single loudest component? I'm willing to spend an extra $20 - $30 if it's possible to make sure this baby runs quiet.
Click to expand...

Unless I've missed something, I don't see any component you have that is really loud. The Corsair power supplies are really good for low noise. I'm guessing that the loudest component you have is the 8800GT video card. If you can afford an 8800GTS, they are quieter. Then again, the new video cards are being released in a few weeks, so we'll have new video cards to review at that time.

I didn't see you mention a case, so I don't know what case you have or what fans you use in it, but you can get some low-noise Yate Loon fans at http://www.petrastechshop.com.
 
AndonSage said:
I didn't see you mention a case, so I don't know what case you have or what fans you use in it, but you can get some low-noise Yate Loon fans at http://www.petrastechshop.com.
Click to expand...

Petra won't work for him since he lives in Switzerland.

But yeah I concur, the single loudest item will more than likely be the 8800GT. The 8800GTS 512MB supposedly runs quieter but I'm not 100% sure on that.
 
Danny Bui said:
Petra won't work for him since he lives in Switzerland.

But yeah I concur, the single loudest item will more than likely be the 8800GT. The 8800GTS 512MB supposedly runs quieter but I'm not 100% sure on that.
Click to expand...

Well, he can still use petra's to see what the fans are, and find them elsewhere. I don't know which version is usually recommended. Is it the D12SL-12, D12SM-12, or D12SH-12? I think it's this one (D12SL-12)? At least, that has the lowest dBA that I see. Maybe you or someone could link which one is recommended at Petra's, so he knows what to look for?

Based on the reviews I've read that mention it, the 8800GTS is quieter than an 8800GT. I'll find out first-hand in a few weeks when I receive my new computer as to how quiet the 8800GTS is (at least, the BFG Tech OC version) :)

I saw tiraides agree with me in another thread yesterday, and you agree with me today... I'm doing good! :D
 
LOL! That you are. :) You're getting more knowledgeable now.

Anyway, yes the "L" one is that Yate Loon you want.
 
Danny Bui said:
LOL! That you are. :) You're getting more knowledgeable now.
Click to expand...

Thanks! :) One of these days I'm even going to build my own computer :eek: :D Won't be until the Nehalem 32nm refresh, though, hehe.

I looked for one of the reviews that talked about the noise of the 8800GTS vs. the 8800GT, and found one here in this PC Perspective BFG Tech 8800GTS review:

In my testing, the fans on these coolers were pretty damn quiet - much more so than the original heatsinks on the 8800 GT cards which were of a single slot design.
 
For the case, I'm going to use my old one if possible, since it saves me $150. It has a fan on the side and oneon the back. I bought it from one of those 'custom select your pc parts and we will build them sites' that offers discount stuff... www.arlt.de (It's German). I'm guessing to save money they used their $10 fans... and there is no logo to be found anywhere on the case other than arlt so I'm guessing it's their design too... so I may be inclined to 1. either buy new fans or 2. buy a new case, but I'll decide once I see what everything else is going to cost me. It's quite allright in terms of noise...
 
The only Yate Loon fan prodimex has is this one http://www.prodimex.ch/pInfos.aspx?CODE=D80SM-12... I'm guessing it's not that good... can you recommend any others particularily ones that will fit on the side / back of a case? I hear the 120mm ball barings are the way to go...

I'm also not a big fan of neon or flashy lights... if you can cut out/ shut off the LEDs then it's not a problem, but I'm not much for flashy PCs... I like sleek and classy PCs that don't keep you awake at night if possible. At LANs I like it when my PC isn't 100% transparent and people wonder what does he have in there?
 
I was also wondering how my PC ranks on a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of greatness. I still can't believe how cheap this system is for how much output it's going to give me. How much would it cost if it was offered by Alienware / Dell etc... just to put things into perspective for me. And I know that price isn't quality but I'm just wondering whether I could get more for more money and still be efficient (not counting the GC... I'm getting that later).

How do you guys like the Noctua NF-P12 as a case fan? I read a decent review on it. Is there a newer or better fan out there?
A link to that review: http://www.dvhardware.net/review133_2_noctua_nf_p12.html

Or this one? http://www.maximumpc.com/article/coolit_pure
 
ElevenFingers said:
so I may be inclined to 1. either buy new fans or 2. buy a new case, but I'll decide once I see what everything else is going to cost me. It's quite allright in terms of noise...
Click to expand...

If your current case is fine in terms of noise, then there is no reason to purchase another case or fans, just keep what you have.

The only Yate Loon fan prodimex has is this one...
Click to expand...

That seems to be an 80mm fan, and you probably want 120mm. In regards to fan lights, the fan I linked actually had the lowest noise, but the other D12SL-12 fans weren't too much louder. The only other low noise fans that I'm aware of are Scythe S-Flex fans, so you can look into those if you'd like. Danny Bui might have more suggestions. But if you aren't bothered by the noise from your current fans, then don't bother replacing them.

I was also wondering how my PC ranks on a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of greatness...
Click to expand...
Wow, that's a tough question. It also depends on if you overclock or not. I'm going to guess it's about a 7, based on using the Q9300. Overclocking a Q9300 could bring it up to an 8, or possibly a 9, depending on how well the chip overclocks. You're using good parts, so that's good. It's a solid system. I don't think you can really get more for the same amount of money. If you were to spend more, I would suggest getting the Q9450 instead of the Q9300. That's really the biggest change I would suggest. Well, using an 8800GTS would make it quieter, though.

You can play around with the Dell web site and other sites if you want to see what they would charge. I'm purchasing a computer from AVA Direct (a boutique vendor in the US), and my configuration and price are in this thread: http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1311103. If you have any questions as to why I chose any parts, feel free to ask.
 
AndonSage said:
That seems to be an 80mm fan, and you probably want 120mm. In regards to fan lights, the fan I linked actually had the lowest noise, but the other D12SL-12 fans weren't too much louder. The only other low noise fans that I'm aware of are Scythe S-Flex fans, so you can look into those if you'd like. Danny Bui might have more suggestions. But if you aren't bothered by the noise from your current fans, then don't bother replacing them.
Click to expand...

The problem is that I can't get my hands on those D12SL-12 or any other similar 120mm fans, I'll check out the Scythe S-Flex and get back to you two. Basically what you're implying is that case cooling isn't that important as long as it's quiet even if you upgrade your stuff? A $15 fan made 3 years ago isn't much worse than a $70 - $100 one made 6 months ago? This case is pretty old too; it was bought in 2005 I think.
 
Got a picture of your case? or can you find another case pic somewhere thats similar? Basically, as long as it has good cooling and is quiet, you should be fine. How many intake fans does it have, and what sizes/locations are they? same question for exhaust fans... finally, if all your stuff can fit, then you're set. Some pictures of the case would help.

As for fans, ball bearing fans are typically louder than sleeve bearing fans, and fluid dynamic bearing fans are typically quieter than ball bearing fans. However, FDB fans are the most expensive, then ball, then sleeve. So, for your CPU HSF, use an FDB fan, and for your case fans, use sleeve bearing fans, to minimize costs. I think your prodimex site has Scythe Slip stream fans, which are also very quiet, though not as cheap as yate loons. Look for something with low dBA rating and high CFM rating. Use the Yate Loons AndonSage linked as examples of what to look for.

Some 8800GT cards come with non-stock coolers... those will be quieter than the stock cooling solution found on most 8800GT cards. Typically, the 2-slot coolers are more quiet.
 
Ok... so it turns out I was wrong about quite a bit. I have no case fans to speak of. It turns out the only fan I have is a little one placed over my motherboard (I think?). However if possible I'd like to save the $100 - $200 on a case. So if you guys could check out the pics of my current rig below (ignore the cob web and dust) and tell me whether I could fit case fans, all of my components, the fan as well as not only the GT GC but also the new 9800 when they come out. I'm thinking it's going to be a tight fit and circulation might be terrible in which case I'd be looking for a classy sleek, non-seethrough and non-neon case. I guess I'll have to take a closer look at those 120 mm fans as well.

Well anyhow here are the pics, sorry for the bad quality, the camera was out of battery and the flash was disabled... I was also only able to take four pics before the camera died altogether.
http://www.gigafiles.co.uk/files/692/DSC07169.JPG
http://www.gigafiles.co.uk/files/692/DSC07168.JPG
http://www.gigafiles.co.uk/files/692/DSC07167.JPG
http://www.gigafiles.co.uk/files/692/DSC07166.JPG

Note that the slits at the front of the PC, into which memory cards would normally fit are purely ornamental. I thought that there was something there but it turns out there is not.

As I was saying... I want to use the old HD as well as the two new 750 GB ones. If possible even a fourth. A floppy drive, a DvD drive, room for my Wireless Card etc... friends of mine have bought specialised rails to convert DvD space to HD space and vice versa to make room for their 8800s... However the case itself is pretty stubborn in the sense that there aren't many screws on the actual outside of the case to customize it so again if it dosn't seem possible then screw it.
 
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