Gaming Rig Build

F

falconxxxpunch

Limp Gawd
Joined
Dec 18, 2008
Messages
130
I've been researching on this thing for awhile, and here it is:

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3R LGA 775
Memory: CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 800
Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar Black 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 260 Core 216
Case: COOLER MASTER Centurion 590
Power Supply: CORSAIR 750W
DVD Burner: LG Black DVD/R
Monitor (Primary): Acer P243WAid Black-Silver 24"
Monitor (Secondary): ASUS VH226H Black 21.5"
Keyboard: Logitech G15
Mouse: Logitech G5
Headphones: Astro A40 w/ MixAmp

Questions:
- Should I make any changes?
- What do you think the future holds in store for this build?
- How should I go about buying all this stuff?

FYI:
- Like I said, this is primarily for gaming, but I might also try to use my computer for some other things (watching TV, editing movies, etc...)
- I'm going to use my secondary monitor with console gaming (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii) in addition to being a secondary display
- I'm going to use my headphones for Xbox 360 in addition to my computer
- If you want to make any changes try to keep the net price about the same

Thanks in advance to any help!
 
I'd go for the Samsung 22x drive instead of the LG. A lot of people have purchased the samsung and recommended it for just about every build on this forum lately. Also I would go for the G11 keyboard over the G15. I've had a G15 for quite a while (like 2 yrs? longer than 1) and I can honestly say I've never been able to use all of the macro keys and had very little use for the LCD monitor. G11 has much less macro keys and no LCD, but I think it is the better choice since it's cheaper and smaller.

As for the headphones, they seem a little pricey to me, but I haven't really seen many alternatives for both PC and Xbox use at that level of quality.

One more thing to note is that the 295/285 series of nv cards are coming in about a week. This is gonna drop prices across just about all video cards currently on the market and also present nicer 55nm options for the midrange. I'm personally waiting until at least the 3rd week of Jan before I finalize my new build.

One more quick thing is if you're getting an Q6600, do you plan on OCing? If not, and your primary use for the new pc is gonna be gaming, you're probably better off getting an E8400/8500 instead. Either way you can't really go wrong, just saying.
 
I would agree with DarkDonut on the G15 keyboard. My brother has that and he doesn't use all the features on that thing. He just bought it cause it looked cool and high end. Also, the letters on the keyboards have all faded. Personally, I would go with the Saitek Keyboard for $35 w/free shipping. Less than half the cost of that G15 keyboard. Or, go with the Logitech G11 mentioned earlier. Also, on your Q6600 build, make sure you buy the combo deal

Cpu/Mobo (Combo Deal) Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 + Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R($15 MIR) both for $295

Buy the Coolermaster 590 from Provantage for $49.76

Buy the Corsair TX750 for $110($20 MIR) w/free shipping from Buy.com
 
Dunno if this problem still exists but I have a Saitek keyboard (Eclipse II) and the keys are starting to stop responding, little by little. It's under a year old and after a quick google it looks as though this isn't uncommon among these keyboards. With that said my other Saitek (Eclipse I) works just fine.
 
**Updated System**
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3R LGA 775 (may upgrade to UD3P)
Memory: CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 800
Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar Black 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 260 Core 216 (may upgrade to 280)
Case: COOLER MASTER Centurion 590 (not finalized)
Power Supply: CORSAIR 750W
DVD Burner: SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD/R
Monitor (Primary): Acer P243WAid Black-Silver 24" (not finalized)
Monitor (Secondary): ASUS VH226H Black 21.5" (not finalized)
Keyboard: Saitek PZ30AU Black Standard Eclipse
Mouse: Logitech G5 (looking for cheaper alternative)
Headphones: Astro A40 w/ MixAmp (looking for cheaper alternative)

**Responses**
DarkDonut said:
As for the headphones, they seem a little pricey to me, but I haven't really seen many alternatives for both PC and Xbox use at that level of quality.
Click to expand...

They definitely are a little pricey, and I am looking for a cheaper alternative. However, I can't seem to find anything that will do the things that the A40's will do (especially the MixAmp feature).

DarkDonut said:
One more thing to note is that the 295/285 series of nv cards are coming in about a week. This is gonna drop prices across just about all video cards currently on the market and also present nicer 55nm options for the midrange. I'm personally waiting until at least the 3rd week of Jan before I finalize my new build.
Click to expand...

Noted. I'm probably not going to buy this for another month (waiting for sports to end), so hopefully a price drop will come by then.

DarkDonut said:
One more quick thing is if you're getting an Q6600, do you plan on OCing? If not, and your primary use for the new pc is gonna be gaming, you're probably better off getting an E8400/8500 instead. Either way you can't really go wrong, just saying.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm planning on overclocking. I'm also going to try to do some video editing along with other stuff that I've heard works better on quad cores.

eggrock said:
Dunno if this problem still exists but I have a Saitek keyboard (Eclipse II) and the keys are starting to stop responding, little by little. It's under a year old and after a quick google it looks as though this isn't uncommon among these keyboards. With that said my other Saitek (Eclipse I) works just fine.
Click to expand...

Anyone know about this?

**Final Words**

Thanks for all the help guys! I'm still open to any quick switches if anyone else has some other suggestions.

Thanks again!
 
Planning on using stock cooling? You mentioned wanting to overclock but not by how much. The quad cores throw off a bit of heat when you start ramping up the clock. And if you're planning to take it to 3.0-3.2GHz (which isn't uncommon) you'll want to stick something on it to keep it chilly.
 
Are you going to be using the stock intel cooler? I just ordered a Xigmatek cooler for my E8400 in hopes of getting it to the 3.6-4.0 range.
 
Nice list. I'd probably switch to the G.Skill RAM for $40 and no rebate instead of $55 w/ $30MIR. Some MIRs just aren't worth the time, IMO, and since this one is effectively $15, I'd skip it for the G.Skill instead.
$40 - G.Skill 4GB (2x2GB) DDR2-800 F2-6400CL5D-4GBPQ

If you plan on OC'ing, pickup these, too:
$37 - XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler
$9 - XIGMATEK ACK-I7751 LGA775 Bolt-Thru-Kit
$4 - Tuniq TX-2 Cooling Thermal Compound
 
GDstew4 said:
Are you going to be using the stock intel cooler? I just ordered a Xigmatek cooler for my E8400 in hopes of getting it to the 3.6-4.0 range.
Click to expand...


GDstew4 - have fun with the E8400 OC'ing. I got mine to 3.6GHz without trying and it's been a hoot. I'm up to 4.05GHz and will be re-posting more testing this weekend. Hopefully you get the E0 stepping which seems to do just about anything you want it to, provided you keep it chilly.
 
***GAMING RIG BUILD***

No SHOUTING in thread titles. And don't use extraneous characters (***) to call attention to your thread.
 
**Updated System**
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3R LGA 775
Memory: G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR2 800
Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar Black 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 260 Core 216 (may upgrade to 280)
Case: COOLER MASTER Centurion 590 (not finalized)
Power Supply: CORSAIR 750W
DVD Burner: SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD/R
Monitor (Primary): Acer P243WAid Black-Silver 24" (not finalized)
Monitor (Secondary): ASUS VH226H Black 21.5" (not finalized)
Keyboard: Saitek PZ30AU Black Standard Eclipse
Mouse: Logitech G5 (looking for cheaper alternative)
Headphones: Astro A40 w/ MixAmp (looking for cheaper alternative)
Cooling: XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle, XIGMATEK ACK-I7751 Retention Bracket, and Tuniq TX-2 Cooling Thermal Compound

How does that look?

Also, does anyone know of any cheaper alternatives to the Astro A40's or the Logitech G5's? If there isn't anything cheaper that will perform equally that is fine, but I don't want to waste money on "overkill" products.

Thanks!
 
 
I actually disagree with those who commented on the G15. I think it really depends on what games you play and what software you use. I have had my first gen (blue) G15 for a year and half. I have no wear at all on the keys, I use the LCD panel to keep an eye on Team Speak and Ventrillo (overlay programs are distracting, imo; I can choose when to look at my panel), I use around 50 of my 54 keys (mostly forceclassing commands for America's Army), and it is wonderful for cleaning (keys snap on and off very easily).

On the reverse I just bought a PZ30AU for my dad and he loves it. What games do you plan on playing? Do you use any VoIP software for gaming? Do the games you play have a reason for multiple customizable keys?

Overall, not your biggest concern I realize. I just thought I would defend the keyboard as I absolutely love mine. I really like the rest of the build, though. Good luck!
 
what does the UD3P add over the UD3R besides second lan chipset and 2x pci
 
UD3LR is the base board, with 4 PCI-E1x, 2 PCI, no Firewire, and 4-phase CPU power. UD3R adds Firewire and turns one of the 4 PCI-E1x slots into a PCI, for a total of 3 PCI slots, and 3 PCI-E 1x. It also improves NB/mosfet cooling with a heatpipe and improves CPU power to 6-phase. UD3P turns one of those 3 PCI slots into a PCI-E 16x (8x speed) slot, leaving you with 2 PCI and 3 PCI-E 1x, but now you have Crossfire as an option (8x/8x). It also adds a 2nd GbLAN and even more/better cooling for the mosfets; while also improving to a 2-phase power for the NB and RAM. Good NB/MOSFET cooling and better power delivery typically leads to better OC ability out of the box.
 
hmm i couldn't tell in the pics on newegg that there was better cooling for the mosfets, but I wasn't aware of the 2-phase power for the NB and RAM. I may do a moderate overclock in the future, so how large of a difference in stability is there between the UD3R and the UD3P that can be attributed to the improved 2phase? Or has there not been a noticeable difference?
 
They probably only come into play when doing some high OC'ing.
 
enginurd said:
UD3LR is the base board, with 4 PCI-E1x, 2 PCI, no Firewire, and 4-phase CPU power. UD3R adds Firewire and turns one of the 4 PCI-E1x slots into a PCI, for a total of 3 PCI slots, and 3 PCI-E 1x. It also improves NB/mosfet cooling with a heatpipe and improves CPU power to 6-phase. UD3P turns one of those 3 PCI slots into a PCI-E 16x (8x speed) slot, leaving you with 2 PCI and 3 PCI-E 1x, but now you have Crossfire as an option (8x/8x). It also adds a 2nd GbLAN and even more/better cooling for the mosfets; while also improving to a 2-phase power for the NB and RAM. Good NB/MOSFET cooling and better power delivery typically leads to better OC ability out of the box.
Click to expand...

Could you explain what some of that means? What are PCI/PCI-E/PCI-E16x slots for? Is Crossfire and SLI the same thing? What do Firwire, NB/MOSFET, and phases all do? And how important are all these features to a gaming PC?

Thanks!
 
falconxxxpunch said:
Could you explain what some of that means? What are PCI/PCI-E/PCI-E16x slots for? Is Crossfire and SLI the same thing? What do Firwire, NB/MOSFET, and phases all do? And how important are all these features to a gaming PC?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

PCI is an older expansion slot on motherboards.
PCI-Express (PCI-e) is an updated version of the older PCI slot. They are not compatible. You cannot use a PCI card in a PCI-e slot and vice-versa.
PCI-e x16 is a PCI-e slot which has 16 lanes, allowing for more throughput than a PCI-e x1 (1 lane) or PCI-e x4 (4 lanes) slots.

Crossfire is used with two or more ATI cards, while SLI is for NVidia cards. They use different drivers and different brands of cards, but are basically the same thing.

Firewire is just another connector, similar to USB. I believe it offers a more constant speed than USB 2.0, but USB 2.0 has faster bursts. Usually firewire is used for transferring videos from video cameras, DVRs, etc, where the constant speed provides an advantage over USB 2.0.

Northbridge/MOFSET/Phase...I don't know anything about those. I'll let someone else answer that part. :)
 
DanW said:
PCI is an older expansion slot on motherboards.
PCI-Express (PCI-e) is an updated version of the older PCI slot. They are not compatible. You cannot use a PCI card in a PCI-e slot and vice-versa.
PCI-e x16 is a PCI-e slot which has 16 lanes, allowing for more throughput than a PCI-e x1 (1 lane) or PCI-e x4 (4 lanes) slots.

Crossfire is used with two or more ATI cards, while SLI is for NVidia cards. They use different drivers and different brands of cards, but are basically the same thing.

Firewire is just another connector, similar to USB. I believe it offers a more constant speed than USB 2.0, but USB 2.0 has faster bursts. Usually firewire is used for transferring videos from video cameras, DVRs, etc, where the constant speed provides an advantage over USB 2.0.

Northbridge/MOFSET/Phase...I don't know anything about those. I'll let someone else answer that part. :)
Click to expand...

Thanks, that helped a lot, but I have a few more questions. So this is probably stupid, but what am I plugging into the PCI/PCI-E slots? Are both of these boards (UD3P and UD3R) SLI compatible? (I'm planning on getting a GTX 200 series card)

Thanks again!
 
Here is an explanation of power regulation and phase power!
http://www.thetechrepository.com/showthread.php?t=126

Northbridge. In simple turns is the communication/connection for all ports and connections on your board connecting them to your cpu. (this is why when overclocking in the old day's your bus speeds would go up.)

Mosfet's are used for power regulation and amplification.

phase is the way the signal is manipulated to increase signal strength and accuracy.

Maybe the 2 phase is stability for all the buses?
 
falconxxxpunch said:
Thanks, that helped a lot, but I have a few more questions. So this is probably stupid, but what am I plugging into the PCI/PCI-E slots? Are both of these boards (UD3P and UD3R) SLI compatible? (I'm planning on getting a GTX 200 series card)

Thanks again!
Click to expand...

You plug in expansion cards into those slots. The only expansion card on your list is a videocard.

No, neither board is SLI compatible -- no Intel Core2 chipset is SLI compatible, only Crossfire. SLI is only needed for gaming at resolutions at or above 1920x1080. Otherwise, don't even bother with SLI on a Core2 platform, since the NVIDIA chipsets aren't as stable/reliable as the Intel chipsets.
 
falconxxxpunch said:
Thanks, that helped a lot, but I have a few more questions. So this is probably stupid, but what am I plugging into the PCI/PCI-E slots? Are both of these boards (UD3P and UD3R) SLI compatible? (I'm planning on getting a GTX 200 series card)

Thanks again!
Click to expand...

From what's in your build list, you won't be putting anything in your PCI slots. However, your graphics card goes into your PCI-e x16 slot.

Neither of those mobos support SLI. With LGA775, the only boards to support SLI use NVidia chipsets, which are less stable than the Intel chipsets. The UD3P supports Crossfire. Regardless, unless you plan on moving to SLI soon, there's not much point. By the time most people decide they need to upgrade to SLI, a single card will be more powerful than the two cards in SLI.
 
**Updated System w/ Price**
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8500
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P LGA 775
Memory: G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR2 800
Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar Black 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache
Video Card: XFX GeForce GTX 260 Black Edition
Case: Xoxide Alien-X
Power Supply: CORSAIR 750W
DVD Burner: SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD/R
Monitor (Primary): Acer P243WAid Black-Silver 24"
Monitor (Secondary): ASUS VH226H Black 21.5"
Keyboard: Saitek PZ30AU Black Standard Eclipse
Mouse: Logitech MX310
Headphones: Turtle Beach Ear Force HPX w/ Astro A40 MixAmp
Cooling: XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle, XIGMATEK ACK-I7751 Retention Bracket, and Tuniq TX-2 Cooling Thermal Compound

Price: $1911.62 (shipping included)

How does my price to performance ratio look? Keep in mind that this price is just from throwing everything into my shopping cart on Newegg (except for the case, headset, and mixamp) without looking around for the best deals. As of right now, that price is definitely in my range because that leaves me almost $1000 to spend on a PS3, a Wii, games, maybe a TV tuner card, wires and cables, a new gaming router, and any other extras I may need/want.

Thanks for any input!

EDIT: Whoops, that first build I posted wasn't the latest updated version, but I changed it to the one that is.
 
enginurd said:
SLI is only needed for gaming at resolutions at or above 1920x1080. Otherwise, don't even bother with SLI on a Core2 platform, since the NVIDIA chipsets aren't as stable/reliable as the Intel chipsets.
Click to expand...

I'm planning on using a 24" 1920 x 1200 monitor. When you say SLI is needed for gaming at resolutions above 1920 x 1080, does that mean I can't use my single GTX 260 for 1920 x 1200?

Thanks.
 
falconxxxpunch said:
I'm planning on using a 24" 1920 x 1200 monitor. When you say SLI is needed for gaming at resolutions above 1920 x 1080, does that mean I can't use my single GTX 260 for 1920 x 1200?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Since there are single cards that can still handle that resolution, and SLI chipsets for Core2 aren't that great, I'd avoid SLI and go with a single card instead. If you don't mind lowering some settings in some games, the GTX260 216sp will be fine. If you want better performance, consider the GTX280, HD4870X2, or GTX295 (may not be out yet).
 
falconxxxpunch said:
I'm planning on using a 24" 1920 x 1200 monitor. When you say SLI is needed for gaming at resolutions above 1920 x 1080, does that mean I can't use my single GTX 260 for 1920 x 1200?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

It doesn't mean you can't. What he means is that after that resolution you will actually start seeing a benefit to using SLI where as at lower resolutions thereis almost no benefit. It may (and should) perform fine in most games with a GTX 260 you can look at benchmarks to see how it performs at higher resolutions some fancier and newer games it may struggle with. Though like everyone else said you might as well stick with single card solutions as the Nvidia Core 2 chips aren't that great.
 
You said you were looking for something cheaper as a mouse alternative. i tried the g7 mx518 and the g5. I ended up with the g3 becasue it feels better to me after gameing sessions. I have a bigger than normal size hand but I finger my mouse. I do like the way the others fit into the palm of your hand but after awhile it just cramps your hand(5-6 hours) so anyway. also the g3 was more accurate then the mx518 by far. I think 800 dpi is the sweet spot for me on 1680 by 1050. I know your going with a diffrent screen res. Optical is not as good at this high res. my g3 can be held about half an inch are so off of the mouse pad and i can hover and move the mouse around and it not jerk on screen. none of the other mice could do that as well. not trying to be bias although i am toward this mice haveing owned all 4 just some info to help.
EC.LOG.9316910403.JPG

34.99 with free shipping.
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Logi...sem/rpsm/oid/161878/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

Edit: also the i hit the button about once are twice a week becasue my hand is bigger. but being nitpicky and only during fast fps. also out of all the other mice there was always something i had to get uesd to. with this one nothing.
 
Sathsayin said:
You said you were looking for something cheaper as a mouse alternative. i tried the g7 mx518 and the g5. I ended up with the g3 becasue it feels better to me after gameing sessions. I have a bigger than normal size hand but I finger my mouse. I do like the way the others fit into the palm of your hand but after awhile it just cramps your hand(5-6 hours) so anyway. also the g3 was more accurate then the mx518 by far. I think 800 dpi is the sweet spot for me on 1680 by 1050. I know your going with a diffrent screen res. Optical is not as good at this high res. my g3 can be held about half an inch are so off of the mouse pad and i can hover and move the mouse around and it not jerk on screen. none of the other mice could do that as well. not trying to be bias although i am toward this mice haveing owned all 4 just some info to help.

34.99 with free shipping.
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Logi...sem/rpsm/oid/161878/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

Edit: also the i hit the button about once are twice a week becasue my hand is bigger. but being nitpicky and only during fast fps. also out of all the other mice there was always something i had to get uesd to. with this one nothing.
Click to expand...

Noted, thanks.

Anyone else have any suggestions for anything?
 
falconxxxpunch said:
Noted, thanks.

Anyone else have any suggestions for anything?
Click to expand...

oh yeah just noticed you are getting the mx310. it was what i was going with next untill i saw that the g3 was still available. I advise you to buy both and return the one you don't want. it's a good feeling mouse except its optical (the last generation optical was kickass. i had a logitech wheelmouse that lasted 4 years) I assure you that it is not as good as laser though. both of these mice are good choices but do not go with one becasue it's cheaper than the other it's only a 15 -20 buck diffrence for any of the other mice. also gameing this is one of the most neccesity parts. the g3 has the accuracy of a razer (or at least that is what my freind said) but the feel and stability of logitech.
 
Sathsayin said:
oh yeah just noticed you are getting the mx310. it was what i was going with next untill i saw that the g3 was still available. I advise you to buy both and return the one you don't want. it's a good feeling mouse except its optical (the last generation optical was kickass. i had a logitech wheelmouse that lasted 4 years) I assure you that it is not as good as laser though. both of these mice are good choices but do not go with one becasue it's cheaper than the other it's only a 15 -20 buck diffrence for any of the other mice. also gameing this is one of the most neccesity parts. the g3 has the accuracy of a razer (or at least that is what my freind said) but the feel and stability of logitech.
Click to expand...

How does this mouse look? Its laser, Logitech, cheap, and it looks like it got some good reviews.
 
falconxxxpunch said:
How does this mouse look? Its laser, Logitech, cheap, and it looks like it got some good reviews.
Click to expand...

extremely to light and the paint comes off after awhile from what i heard. not sure about the laser though. also i don't know the real size of the mouse. it looks to be ergonomic which means that it fit's in the palm of your hand. I personally don't like them myself. Other than that not sure. Also i will be on hear for awhile if you check back regularly to have a conversation are so. me. I loved the way the mouse felt in my hand (almost any ergonomic) but when you move it you have to keep your wrist a certain way (cup the mouse) are else you have to finger it. and it's really hard to finger a mx518 if you know what i mean. I myself like i said though i didn't finger my mouse untill i got my first ergonomic.

I'm not advising against it although it's not for everyone. Have you had an erogonomic mouse before are is this your first time? I need to know a little bit about that before i make any more suggestions.

Edit: If going optical i would stick with the mx310 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104136/ logitech original wheelmouse. if you finger your mouse. mx518 if you don't.http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104178

If going laser i would go with logitech g3 or razer diamondback http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826153028 if fingering

razer deathadder http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826153007 or g5 (no link)if ergoing.

I advise you to go with laser. If you have never used one before there is a diffrence. The diffrence being from onboard sound to a dedicated soundcard for mice.

if you like a bigger mouse but finger then the razer lachesis is a good choice from it's desing although 4000dpi is plain overkill and stupid imo(may cause problems with older games)http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826153017 although the buttons are harder to press

also if you want a cheap mouse(original logitech wheel mouse) and don't want all the buttons and finger this is perfect in my honest http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104134
had one of the best optical sensors.(unless there has been a revision)

also wait on the gpu the new 295's will only push prices down. so take what you were going to spend and buy a 280
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top