help building $2000 gaming pc

[sinbad]

hi
im thinking of buying a new gaming pc at around $2000. ive been compiling parts off static ice an this is what ive come up with.

$319.99
Gigabyte GA-X48-DQ6 M/b, 1600MHz FSB, Dual DDR2-1200, Dual PCI E x16, SATA ...
Anypc (NSW) | www.anypc.com.au

$50.18
Corsair TWIN2X2048-6400 2GB (2x XMS2 1GB) PC-6400 (800MHz) DDR2 RAM, 2x240-...
StoneBridge Computing (NSW) | www.stonebridgecomputing.com.au


$53.80
LG GH20Ns10 20x Dual-Layer DVD Writer (Black/OEM/SATA)
PC Express (NSW) | www.pc-express.com.au

$299.95
Intel Q6700 Core 2 Quad CPU, 2.66 GHz, FSB 1066MHz, 2x4MB L2 Cache, Socket ...
Apus Computer & Communication (NSW) | www.apus.com.au

$465.00
1GB 1024MB (2X512MB) Asus 9800GX2 Nvidia Geforce GF 9800GX2 PCI-E VGA Card
MSY (NSW, QLD, SA, VIC) | www.msy.com.au

$171.00
"750W ""Corsair"" TX-750 ATX Power Supply, 140mm fan, Dual PCI-E Graphics C...
XPMicro Computer (NSW) | www.xpmicro.com.au

$210.00
BenQ G2200W 22" wide LCD 5ms response time.DVI Monitor
CCPU Computers (NSW) | www.ccpu.com.au

2X= $248
Samsung 750GB (SATA2/32MB) $124.20
http://www.pc-express.com.au/category120_1.htm

$238.00
Thermaltake Armor+ MX VH8000BWS
http://pcmaniacs.com.au/case-thermaltake-c-62_68.html

Total: about $2045
can anybody reccomend any imorovements without spending more money.
can anybody tell me if there is any unneccesary parts that arent needed to save money.
should i consider the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280 1GB instead of the 9800 GX2 for an extra $100.
Is there any clashing components, will it all go together.
and do individual parts off the net like these come with warranty.

thanks

 

[fromeo85]

I would go with a GTX280 instead of the GX2.
ASUS P5E Deluxe X48 instead of the GB board
Intel E8500 - OC'd

you're golden.


should be cheaper than what you have there for your Mobo, GPU, and CPU

 

[Jospeh]

1. 24" monitor. No exceptions.
2. Dual Core. E8400.
3. Aftermaket heatsink
4. DDR1066 RAM
5. Overclock the E8400
6. Radeon 4870 (upgrade it again later) or GTX280 or Radeon 4870X2. Take your pick
7. I'd get a cheaper case.
8. I'd get a different motherboard. Yours seems expensive (although I don't know AUS prices)

 

[Rydawg5143]

all your doing is gaming on a 24"? you dont need to spend all that.
p5q pro- 100-130
e8400/8500-140-180
4gb g.skill - 60-70
Visiontek 4870- 230-260
Corsair 450 ( 750 if xfire)- 50-70
Xigmatek 120mm rifle 20-35
Samsung DVD- 25

You dont need a x2 unless ur gamign on a huge monitor. a 4870 works great for 24"

 

[Markyip1]

Ditch the Q6700, as it's a poor choice from a price / performance perspective. If you want a quad core, get a Q6600 (which has the same OC headroom) or if you must spend more, a Q9450/9550. I'd also do as others are suggesting and ditch the X-48 board. You don't need a Crossfire setup as at 1920x1200 a single GTX 280 or 4870 X2 will be more than enough. Consider a P45 board, such as the ASUS P5Q-Pro instead.

Lastly, if you go with a Q6600, go with the cheapest PC-6400 RAM you can find from a reputable manufacturer with decent timings, even if you want to OC. PC-6400 RAM is more then enough to match the OC headroom of a Q6600 on air. If you choose a Q9450 or 9550 and want to OC, PC-8000 (1000mhz) RAM may be a better match, as the Penryns have lower multipliers.

I see that you're ordering from Australian stores, so the Newegg deals people often point to may not be of much use for you. Still the same basics should apply.

 

[Rydawg5143]

Ditch the Q6700, as it's a poor choice from a price / performance perspective. If you want a quad core, get a Q6600 (which has the same OC headroom) or if you must spend more, a Q9450/9550. I'd also do as others are suggesting and ditch the X-48 board. You don't need a Crossfire setup as at 1920x1200 a single GTX 280 or 4870 X2 will be more than enough. Consider a P45 board, such as the ASUS P5Q-Pro instead.

Lastly, if you go with a Q6600, go with the cheapest PC-6400 RAM you can find from a reputable manufacturer with decent timings, even if you want to OC. PC-6400 RAM is more then enough to match the OC headroom of a Q6600 on air. If you choose a Q9450 or 9550 and want to OC, PC-8000 (1000mhz) RAM may be a better match, as the Penryns have lower multipliers.

I see that you're ordering from Australian stores, so the Newegg deals people often point to may not be of much use for you. Still the same basics should apply.

I wish people would stop offering a 280 or 4870x2 for a 24" monitor. Thos are really reall really over kill. 260 or 4870 is just perfect for 24". 30+ though and 280/x2 is warranted.

 

[Markyip1]

I wish people would stop offering a 280 or 4870x2 for a 24" monitor. Thos are really reall really over kill. 260 or 4870 is just perfect for 24". 30+ though and 280/x2 is warranted.

I disagree. If you can afford it, a 280 or 4870 x2 will allow you to play the most demanding games with higher settings than a 260 or 4870 at 1920x1200 while maintaining playable frame rates. Granted, the difference may not be too large, but it is there, whereas going with an ultra-high end dual card setup for 1920x1200 (for example) wouldn't be useful as the additional card brings arguably no increase in gaming or graphics quality with current software.

If the OP can afford it, and if he or she cares about the difference a GTX 280 or 4870 X2 provides over a GTX 260 or 4870 at that resolution, then it's worth considering.

 

[Rydawg5143]

i dont liek crysis, but my friend played @ 24" with a 4870 and everything is high etc and he doesnt see a difference between that and his new x2. He is returning the x2.

 

[engiNURD]

I wish people would stop offering a 280 or 4870x2 for a 24" monitor. Thos are really reall really over kill. 260 or 4870 is just perfect for 24". 30+ though and 280/x2 is warranted.

Gameplay... its subjective. You probably don't need a GTX280 or HD4870X2 for a 24"... but they are good options for the performance they offer. Some people see a bigger difference in performance than others do. I don't think an HD4870X2 is overkill for a 24" monitor... however, I do think its overkill for a 22" monitor. I think its a high end solution for a 24" monitor.

 

[sinbad]

yeah im lookuing to cut some money off the motherboard. but i still want a good one that can handle SLI (whats the difference between SLI and Crossfire BTW). Want a motherboard that is future proof.

I dont neccesserily have to have a quad core i just thought that theyd be better than dual core. I want an intel processor though. are the Q6600 or the Q9450 still good processors. What about teh e8400 how does that compare to them.

i found the case for way cheaper almost $100 so might stick with it.

i want a pc that can handle latest games like crysis on high/veryhigh competently. Also want a computer that is futureproof.

cheers.

 

[Dangman]

No PC is ever future proof. In fact, in a few months from now, Intel is releasing a new motherboard chipset and CPU line that is totally incompatible with current Intel CPUs and motherboards. So no matter how much money you spend on a PC, it will be outdated and have limited future proof capabilities the second you buy it. So don't have future proofness has a major concern.

The Q6600 and E8400 are good CPUs. Their gaming performance is virtually the same once you start playing above 1280x1024. So either CPU will work well. Avoid the Q9450 if it's close in price to the Q9550.

The main differences between SLI and Crossfire is that Crossfire is ATI cards only and is open for any chipset manufacturer (Intel, AMD) to use. SLI is Nvidia cards only and can ONLY be used on Nvidia chipset motherboards. And no you cannot use Crossfire on Nvidia chipset motherboards as Nvidia refuses to support that solution.

But SLI and Crossfire do NOT apply to you at all if you stick with that 22" monitor. SLI and Crossfire is only cost-effective if you play on a 24"+ monitor or 1920x1200 and above. So unless you get a 24" monitor and want the absolute max settings possible, then don't bother with any SLI or Crossfire.

Some motherboard recommendations:
Gigabyte GA-EP43-DS3L Intel P43 Motherboard - $87
MSI P45 Neo3-FR Intel P45 Motherboard - $112
Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3R Intel P45 Motherboard - $120
Asus P5Q Pro Intel P45 Motherboard - $140
Biostar TPower I45 Intel P45 Motherboard - $152
DFI Lanparty DK X38-T2R Intel X38 Motherboard - $180
Asus P5E Deluxe Intel X48 Motherboard - $220
DFI Lanparty DK X48-T2R Intel X48 Motherboard - $220
Gigabyte GA-X48-DS4 Intel X48 Motherboard - $225

Just to help you out: All of these motherboards have PCI-E 2.0 which may be useful for future GPU upgrades. If you don't need RAID, more than 6 SATA ports and only need semi-decent overclocking, check out the DS3L. If you need 8 SATA ports, RAID, 4 PCI slots, and legacy ports, then get the Neo3-Fr. If you don't need more than 6 SATA ports but want RAID, firewire, a second PCI-E x16 port, a second gigabit port, support for 16GB of RAM, optional eSATA, x8/x8 Crossfire, and great overclocks, then get the DS3R. If you like the DS3R but need 8 SATA ports, want an onboard pre-installed fast booting Linux setup, just support for 8GB of RAM, and don't need a second gigabit port, get the Asus P5Q Pro. If you want a motherboard with excellent overclocking capabilities above all else (feature wise), go with the I45. If you want Crossfire with full x16/x16 bandwidth, get the Lanparty DK X38. If you have cash to burn, need x16/x16 Crossfire, and don't give a damn about getting the most value for your money, get the Asus, DFI, or Gigabyte X48 motherboards. Do note that the Asus website can be slow sometimes.

 

[sinbad]

thanks heaps
yeah i will get a 24" monitor. i found one on ebay.com.au for $150.
Found the Gigabyte GA-X48-DS4 Socket LGA 775 motherboard on static ice for $236 which again is almost $100 cheaper than current board. Sorry to ask but does that support SLI.

cheers...

 

[Markyip1]

Danny has some great advice above. I suggest you consider his last post carefully.

No, the Gigabyte board is an Intel X-48 board and thus does not support SLI. It does support Crossfire with two PCI-E slots running at a full x16 bandwidth. A cheaper P45 board also supports Crossfire, but at slightly reduced bandwidth (which will only bottleneck the fastest of cards when run in tandem, and only very slightly.) Note that there is no difference in performance when running a single card or a dual gpu / single slot card (such as the 9800 GX2 or 4870X2) on a P45 board.

Only nVidia boards support SLI, which btw, is something you absolutely do not need nor should necessarily want. (and same with CrossFire -- you do not need it.) SLI and CrossFire are typically never worth considering as an upgrade path -- in that you may get a second card later down the road to boost the card you get now. In many cases, by the time you are ready to get that second card, a newer single card solution will outperform two of your older cards in SLI / Crossfire, and it may not even be more expensive if you sell your old card.

SLI or CrossFire are typically worth considering when you have a monitor resolution so high that it requires two cards to drive games with max settings at a native resolution. As a single 4870 X2 or GTX 280 can handle pretty much everything at 1920x1200, so getting a second card for SLI or CrossFire would not increase the gaming or graphics quality. It'll just be a waste of money. The only other time it's worth considering SLI or CrossFire is when there is a cost advantage to getting two slower cards to match the performance of a faster card that's considerably more expensive. For a 24 inch monitor, your best high end options remain a single 4870 X2 or GTX 280. Two GTX 260s will outperform a single GTX 280 (and at times a 4870 X2,) but will be more expensive.

Keeping to a single card solution has a number of advantages. It gives you more freedom in motherboard choices, as SLI boards do not support CrossFire and CrossFire boards do not support SLI (with exception to the very high end dual socket Skulltrail platform and Intel's upcoming X58 chipset.) nVidia based boards in particular have rather poor reputations regarding stability and overall quality, which is another reason to shy away from SLI when it will be of little to no benefit to gaming quality. Furthermore, going with a single card allows you to run a cooler, simpler setup, which will be easier to maintain. Lastly, nothing depreciates faster than a graphics card, and nothing is typically upgraded more frequently. If you're itching to upgrade and you have two cards, that's double the depreciation and double the upgrade cost if you want to maintain a two card solution.

 

[engiNURD]

Danny has some great advice above. I suggest you consider his last post carefully.

No, the Gigabyte board is an Intel X-48 board and thus does not support SLI. It does support Crossfire with two PCI-E slots running at a full x16 bandwidth. A cheaper P45 board also supports Crossfire, but at slightly reduced bandwidth (which will only bottleneck the fastest of cards when run in tandem, and only very slightly.) Note that there is no difference in performance when running a single card or a dual gpu / single slot card (such as the 9800 GX2 or 4870X2) on a P45 board.

Only nVidia boards support SLI, which btw, is something you absolutely do not need nor should necessarily want. (and same with CrossFire -- you do not need it.) SLI and CrossFire are typically never worth considering as an upgrade path -- in that you may get a second card later down the road to boost the card you get now. In many cases, by the time you are ready to get that second card, a newer single card solution will outperform two of your older cards in SLI / Crossfire, and it may not even be more expensive if you sell your old card.

SLI or CrossFire are typically worth considering when you have a monitor resolution so high that it requires two cards to drive games with max settings at a native resolution. As a single 4870 X2 or GTX 280 can handle pretty much everything at 1920x1200, so getting a second card for SLI or CrossFire would not increase the gaming or graphics quality. It'll just be a waste of money. The only other time it's worth considering SLI or CrossFire is when there is a cost advantage to getting two slower cards to match the performance of a faster card that's considerably more expensive. For a 24 inch monitor, your best high end options remain a single 4870 X2 or GTX 280. Two GTX 260s will outperform a single GTX 280 (and at times a 4870 X2,) but will be more expensive.

Keeping to a single card solution has a number of advantages. It gives you more freedom in motherboard choices, as SLI boards do not support CrossFire and CrossFire boards do not support SLI (with exception to the very high end dual socket Skulltrail platform and Intel's upcoming X58 chipset.) nVidia based boards in particular have rather poor reputations regarding stability and overall quality, which is another reason to shy away from SLI when it will be of little to no benefit to gaming quality. Furthermore, going with a single card allows you to run a cooler, simpler setup, which will be easier to maintain. Lastly, nothing depreciates faster than a graphics card, and nothing is typically upgraded more frequently. If you're itching to upgrade and you have two cards, that's double the depreciation and double the upgrade cost if you want to maintain a two card solution.

QFT