Help with build - 2600$ Maingear or AVA

Willhcm

Weaksauce
Joined
Apr 24, 2008
Messages
107
Hi i'm looking for advice on builds for a gaming rig for 2600$, I dont need a monitor. I have been looking at mainly Maingear and AVA. I have a couple questions and was hoping some of you guys would be able to help me out.

Some background info: I currently am running a 2.4ghz and x800xl so I'm expecting a very big jump in performance. I would like to game in 1600x1200 with my current monitor and eventually upgrade to 1920x1200. (I think thats the reso).


1. What are the pro's and cons of each vendor, I understand the primary difference is that AVA offers a very very wide selection. Is this bad in some cases as not possible configurations are not fully tested? If I wanted to OC, would there be any possible issues

2. Should I go Vista 64bit or 32bit?

3. I know there is new technology coming out in a few months or in the fall and that we should expect to see big improvements (Gt200?) if not in the summer then in the fall. I would like to be able to have the option of upgrading to these new cards if I feel like it is worth the money. What do I need to take into consideration when building this computer, so that I could be sure the new cards will 'work' ?

I think thats all the questions i have now, but I'm sure I'll be able to come up with more.

Thanks , any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
1. What are the pro's and cons of each vendor, I understand the primary difference is that AVA offers a very very wide selection. Is this bad in some cases as not possible configurations are not fully tested? If I wanted to OC, would there be any possible issues

Both vendors offer good support, so the difference comes down to what you mentioned (wide selection of parts with AVA Direct), and that AVA Direct will probably be less expensive. You could configure a similar config with each company to find out. Both companies test computers before they are shipped out. For overclocking, you should get an aftermarket cooler instead of using the stock cooler that comes with the CPU. You'll also want to make sure you get a good motherboard for overclocking. Here are some suggestions. The prices are from various e-tailers, but they'll give you a general idea of least expensive to more expensive motherboards.

--------------------------------------------
Originally Posted by Danny Bui

Abit IP35-E Intel P35 Motherboard - $90 - (No longer sold?)
Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L Intel P35 Motherboard - $90
MSI P35 Neo2-FR Intel P35 Motherboard - $112
DFI BloodIron P35-T2RL Intel P35 Motherboard - $120
Gigabyte GA-EP35-DS3R Intel P35 Motherboard - $125
DFI LanParty DK P35-T2RS Intel P35 Motherboard - $140
Gigabyte GA-EP35-DS3P Intel P35 Motherboard - $144
Abit IP35 Pro Intel P35 Motherboard - $170
Gigabyte GA-EP35-DS4 Intel P35 Motherboard - $170
Gigabyte GA-EX38-DS4 Intel X38 Motherboard - $207

Just to help you out: If you don't need RAID, more than 4 SATA ports or legacy ports, then the IP35-E is a good choice. If you like the IP35-E but need legacy ports, check out the DS3L. If you need 5 SATA ports, 2 eSATA ports, and a second PCI-E x16 port, then get the Neo2-Fr. If you want heavy overclocking abilities and six SATA ports, check out the Blood Iron. If you like the BloodIron but want significantly better overclock stability, go for the LanParty. If you want 8 SATA ports, RAID, and legacy ports and high overclocks, than the DS3R is a good choice. If you want the DS3R but need Firewire and a second PCI-E x16 port, then go for the DS3P. If you want something that can overclock pretty damn high along with, RAID, eSATA ports and firewire connections, than the IP35 Pro. If you like the DS3P but want better cooling for overclocking, then go for the DS4.
--------------------------------------------

2. Should I go Vista 64bit or 32bit?

If you get 4GB (which I recommend) or more of RAM, I suggest 64-bit. If you get less than 4GB of RAM, it doesn't matter which version you get.

3. I know there is new technology coming out in a few months or in the fall and that we should expect to see big improvements (Gt200?) if not in the summer then in the fall. I would like to be able to have the option of upgrading to these new cards if I feel like it is worth the money. What do I need to take into consideration when building this computer, so that I could be sure the new cards will 'work' ?

Unless you plan on going with SLI (which is two nVidia video cards), I would suggest a P35 chipset motherboard (like the ones listed above). If you want to CrossFire (two ATI video cards), then go with an X38 chipset.

Hope this helps. Disclaimer: All opinions are mine (although Danny Bui would agree with the motherboards <g>), and others may disagree.
 
both are top boutique companies. here are two similar configurations

AVA Direct
SILVERSTONE, Temjin TJ10 Black Tower Case, EATX, No PSU
CORSAIR, CMPSU-750TX TX Series Power Supply, 750W, 80 PLUS®, 24-pin ATX12V EPS12V, Multi-GPU Ready
GIGABYTE, GA-P35-DS3R, LGA775, Intel P35, 1333MHz FSB, DDR2-800 8GB /4, PCIe x16, SATA 3Gb/s RAID 5 /8, HDA, GbLAN, ATX, Retail
INTEL, Core™ 2 Quad Q9450 Quad-Core 2.66GHz, 1333MHz FSB, 12MB (2 x 6MB) L2 Cache, 45nm, 95W, EM64T EIST VT XD, OEM
ARCTIC COOLING, Freezer 7 Pro Quiet CPU Cooling Fan/Heatsink, Socket 775, Ceramic Bearing, Retail
G.SKILL, 4GB (2 x 2GB) PC2-6400 DDR2 800MHz CL5 (5-5-5-15) SDRAM DIMM, Non-ECC
eVGA, e-GeForce® 9800 GX2 600MHz, 1GB (2 x 512MB) GDDR3 2000MHz, PCIe x16 SLI, DVI /2, HDMI, Retail
SEAGATE, 500GB Barracuda 7200.10, SATA II 300MB/s, 7200-RPM, 16MB cache
RAID, No RAID, Independent HDD Drives
SONY, CRX320EE Black 52x32x52-16A DVD-ROM/CD-RW Combo Drive, OEM
MICROSOFT, Windows Vista Home Premium Edition 64-bit, OEM
WARRANTY, Silver Warranty Package (3 Year Limited Parts, 3 Year Labor Warranty)
Total:2123.52



Maingear
Case:Modified silverstone TJ10
Power Supply: 750W Silverstone Strider Power Supply
Motherboard: NVIDIA nForce 780i SLI Motherboard
Processor: Intel® Core™ 2 Quad Q9450 (2.66GHz x 4) 45nm 12MB L2 Cache
CPU Cooling: Intel Quiet CPU Cooler
Memory: 4GB Kingston HyperX 8500 DDR2-1066 (4 x 1GB)
Hard Drive One: Western Digital Caviar SE16 500GB 7200RPM 16MB Cache - SATA II
Optical Drive One: 20X Dual Layer DVD±RW Drive w/ LightScribe Technology - black
Video Card: NVIDIA® GeForce™ 9800 GX2 1GB GDDR3
Sound Card: Integrated 8-channel High Definition Audio
Network Card: Integrated Gigabit Network Card
Game: FREE! Lost Planet: Extreme Condition
Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (64-Bit) SP1
The Final Finesse: Flawless Hand-crafted Wiring and Cable Management
Warranty: 3 Year Maingear Warranty
Total:2713.80




So ya maingear is more expenssive, less configuration options, and do not offer P35 chipsets. They don't sell as many computers as AVA but they are still one of the best.
 
Do you speculate 750w PSU would be enough for the next gen cards?

That is one of my primary concerns, being able to upgrade if the new cards coming out this summer (or fall) are as big of an improvement that most of us are hoping for.

Would I be able to step-up with an evga card if I buy it with an AVA system?
 
unless you're going to quad SLI 9800 GX2, I'm pretty sure it will be enough for the 9900 cards. Corsair makes very good PSUs, but 1000w is only like a $80 upgrade.

about the step up thing, I have no idea.
 
about the step up thing, I have no idea.

The step-up program is usually only for those that purchase cards retail, but there is a short list of system providers that participate in the program, including AVA and Velocity Micro. http://www.evga.com/stepup/default.asp?switch=2

As a side note, the program is only available during the first 90 days after the date on the invoice.
 
both are top boutique companies. here are two similar configurations

AVA Direct
SILVERSTONE, Temjin TJ10 Black Tower Case, EATX, No PSU
CORSAIR, CMPSU-750TX TX Series Power Supply, 750W, 80 PLUS®, 24-pin ATX12V EPS12V, Multi-GPU Ready
GIGABYTE, GA-P35-DS3R, LGA775, Intel P35, 1333MHz FSB, DDR2-800 8GB /4, PCIe x16, SATA 3Gb/s RAID 5 /8, HDA, GbLAN, ATX, Retail
INTEL, Core™ 2 Quad Q9450 Quad-Core 2.66GHz, 1333MHz FSB, 12MB (2 x 6MB) L2 Cache, 45nm, 95W, EM64T EIST VT XD, OEM
ARCTIC COOLING, Freezer 7 Pro Quiet CPU Cooling Fan/Heatsink, Socket 775, Ceramic Bearing, Retail
G.SKILL, 4GB (2 x 2GB) PC2-6400 DDR2 800MHz CL5 (5-5-5-15) SDRAM DIMM, Non-ECC
eVGA, e-GeForce® 9800 GX2 600MHz, 1GB (2 x 512MB) GDDR3 2000MHz, PCIe x16 SLI, DVI /2, HDMI, Retail
SEAGATE, 500GB Barracuda 7200.10, SATA II 300MB/s, 7200-RPM, 16MB cache
RAID, No RAID, Independent HDD Drives
SONY, CRX320EE Black 52x32x52-16A DVD-ROM/CD-RW Combo Drive, OEM
MICROSOFT, Windows Vista Home Premium Edition 64-bit, OEM
WARRANTY, Silver Warranty Package (3 Year Limited Parts, 3 Year Labor Warranty)
Total:2123.52



Maingear
Case:Modified silverstone TJ10
Power Supply: 750W Silverstone Strider Power Supply
Motherboard: NVIDIA nForce 780i SLI Motherboard
Processor: Intel® Core™ 2 Quad Q9450 (2.66GHz x 4) 45nm 12MB L2 Cache
CPU Cooling: Intel Quiet CPU Cooler
Memory: 4GB Kingston HyperX 8500 DDR2-1066 (4 x 1GB)
Hard Drive One: Western Digital Caviar SE16 500GB 7200RPM 16MB Cache - SATA II
Optical Drive One: 20X Dual Layer DVD±RW Drive w/ LightScribe Technology - black
Video Card: NVIDIA® GeForce™ 9800 GX2 1GB GDDR3
Sound Card: Integrated 8-channel High Definition Audio
Network Card: Integrated Gigabit Network Card
Game: FREE! Lost Planet: Extreme Condition
Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (64-Bit) SP1
The Final Finesse: Flawless Hand-crafted Wiring and Cable Management
Warranty: 3 Year Maingear Warranty
Total:2713.80




So ya maingear is more expenssive, less configuration options, and do not offer P35 chipsets. They don't sell as many computers as AVA but they are still one of the best.

Way to stack the cards for ava dude. GG. For one, you picked a P35 board that costs EASILY 100 less than the nforce 780i in the maingear. Also, ava charges 100 to overclock the CPU and 50 dollars for your current setup (mines a bit different but the overclock is the same. maingear does it free and anyone who doesn't pick that is nuts.

They don't actually offer SLi options that I have been able to find... Maybe because they're configurator is terribly hard to read... but regardless, starting with the same 8800GT, I was able to up to TWO 9800GTX's on the maingear (but for comparisons sake took the GX2), and that was a 570$ step, where as the biggest I can find on the ava is about 425 ;) It's not even close. Don;t even ARGUE that the GX2 is the same. Those cards are fucking TERRIBLE to work with. I'd take real SLi over saving some money any day. (im ignoring the 500 dollar 8800 ultra ;) )

Now with all of those changes (SAME memory. I agree with your PSU. Same thermalpaste (AS5 FTW? I See no reason for maingear to not use it. ) AND overclocking options selected (I SHOULD put in their expensive wiring, but it looks terrible from what I've seen so you get a gimme there. )

and low and behold, the maingear comes it at 110 dollars more. For a HELL of a lot better representation on the forums, my money would DEFINITELY go to maingear.
 
They don't actually offer SLi options that I have been able to find... Maybe because they're configurator is terribly hard to read...

You obviously can't read at all if you are not able to find SLI options.


but regardless, starting with the same 8800GT, I was able to up to TWO 9800GTX's on the maingear (but for comparisons sake took the GX2), and that was a 570$ step, where as the biggest I can find on the ava is about 425 ;) It's not even close. Don;t even ARGUE that the GX2 is the same. Those cards are fucking TERRIBLE to work with. I'd take real SLi over saving some money any day. (im ignoring the 500 dollar 8800 ultra ;) )

What the heck were you trying to say here? English please?

(I SHOULD put in their expensive wiring, but it looks terrible from what I've seen so you get a gimme there. )

Have you not seen AVA's wiring job with the Antec 900? And that was with BASIC FREE wiring. Do some research before you attack another company.

and low and behold, the maingear comes it at 110 dollars more. For a HELL of a lot better representation on the forums, my money would DEFINITELY go to maingear.

For alot better representation on the forums? We all know you are "an industry insider" at maingear and have close relations with them, and here you are, attacking them again. What does that say about maingear?



There are so many things wrong with this post....last time I checked, this is what Mr. Kyle Bennett said:

"I think you all need your asses kicked. If I see anything close to what I will consider an "attack" fron an industry insider on another poster here, I will ban you for life. Consider this your warning."




Oh and do us all a favor...go back to school and learn the difference between "Their, there, and they're".
 
0mega does NOT work for MAINGEAR in ANY capacity.

For further questions regarding MAINGEAR products, please send an email to either me or Wallace

chris AT maingear.com or wallace AT maingear.com

We will not be partaking in public "us vs. them" threads anymore on this forum, at any level.
 
I saw you changed your post from "works for Maingear" to:

"We all know you are "an industry insider" at maingear and have close relations with them"

This is also incorrect.
 
hey may not WORK for maingear, but he definitely has close relations with maingear. He even considers himself as "representation of maingear" on the forums and counters anything negative to maingear with immature swearing and attacks. Whoever he is, he's an embarrassment to maingear.
 
Again, I said he has NOTHING to do with MAINGEAR. Unless 0mega can confirm otherwise, I don't even think he's a customer. Please do not spread inaccuracies about our company.
 
Well, i guess it's just a coincidence that you two's posts are always next to each other when attacking AVADirect. Maybe it's a coincidence that you two's names are so similar. Maybe it's a coincidence that at first you didn't admit that you worked for maingear either. Oh wait...
 
Well, i guess it's just a coincidence that you two's posts are always next to each other when attacking AVADirect. Maybe it's a coincidence that you two's names are so similar. Maybe it's a coincidence that at first you didn't admit that you worked for maingear either. Oh wait...


Omaura is the name of one of my companies. And that thread you're referring to? I used to work for Randy Copeland at Velocity Micro. I also used to be the Managing Editor of [H] Consumer. Discussing my financial dealings was not something I was comfortable doing on a public forum. And since Randy knew full well I worked for Maingear, I found the whole thing suspect and didn't want to participate. Of course, it got twisted into something it wasn't, so I set the record straight, which was already pretty clear to begin with.

And that ends my discussion about this matter - back on topic - OP please email me or Wallace if you have any further questions about MAINGEAR, we'd love to help!
 
Man, this thing took a turn somewhere ugly......

Anyway, I have no personal experience with either company.
I have read a ton of posts about each company on this forum and read each and every one of the "old" [H] Consumer reviews of boutique built computers.

Just off the top......look for the best warranty and service you can get. After all that's what you are buying.
Any of us can buy parts and assemble them, they are all basically the same.
What changes in purchasing a computer is that the company you choose builds it and provides warranty service. Personally, I dont like too many choices in a configuration. I can't see how a builder that offers a zillion different combinations can possibly test and reliably guarantee all the possible and nearly infinate combinations of configurations as well as a builder that limits their configurations and has the time to vigorously test that combination.
What you want is: it runs right out of the box, is better than what you have, and will run rock stable. If it doesn't you want it to be easily fixed. Secondary considerations should be upgradability.

I get the feeling, and it's just that, that Maingear is a little more personal that AVA. They seem to me to be more responsive and flexible in dealing with problems and more willing to give the customer the benefit of the doubt and just "make it right".
Yes, Maingear may be a bit more expensive, but I think as always, you get what you pay for.
I do not work for any computer companies.
I have a VelocityMicro Laptop. (very nice by the way)
I have four Desktops that I built myself, and continually upgrade.
Good luck with your new machine.
 
There are so many things wrong with this post....last time I checked, this is what Mr. Kyle Bennett said:

"I think you all need your asses kicked. If I see anything close to what I will consider an "attack" fron an industry insider on another poster here, I will ban you for life. Consider this your warning."




Oh and do us all a favor...go back to school and learn the difference between "Their, there, and they're".

I wish I was a fucking industry insider, I'd have a job then! And money! And a nice car! Notice my computer specs in my sig? The ram barely works, the GX2 will NOT run over stock clocks... Yea, I'd also have a real gaming rig :rolleyes:

Have you seen their "split loom" wiring? That is what I was talking about.

Pulling out the grammar nazi card? If that makes you feel better. What the hell is fron by the way?

Again, I said he has NOTHING to do with MAINGEAR. Unless 0mega can confirm otherwise, I don't even think he's a customer. Please do not spread inaccuracies about our company.

Nope, not even a customer. But every single person I have pointed towards you guys has ended up happy. Hence my continued recommendations.

hey may not WORK for maingear, but he definitely has close relations with maingear. He even considers himself as "representation of maingear" on the forums and counters anything negative to maingear with immature swearing and attacks. Whoever he is, he's an embarrassment to maingear.

Dude, shut the hell up about me. You've been here four months and clearly haven't seen shit about me. I recommend whoever the hell I feel is the best at the time. I don't pick sides for any proprietary reasons, If maingear starts slipping I abandon ship, as simple as that. I build my own computers and some for friends, If they don't me to build it, I point them to whoever I feel is best at the time, about two years ago, that was VM, changed to maingear about 6 months ago I think...

Embarassment to maingear? Hardly. Not assosciated with them anyway. I swore once, in reference to nVidias GX2 parts... FYI, you're attacking me, and I've done nothing to you. The system was originally stacked quite against maingear in terms of price and I evened the field. I don;t come to maingears defense in every thread AT ALL. I've defended AVA on more than one occasion too. If you want more specifics, PM me. Don't want to stir up things out here.

Omaura, PM me with some of those sweet insider hook ups ;) Wow.
 
Personally I would avoid all the drama and go with AVAdirect.

Just my opinion...
 
They don't actually offer SLi options that I have been able to find... Maybe because they're configurator is terribly hard to read... but regardless, starting with the same 8800GT, I was able to up to TWO 9800GTX's on the maingear (but for comparisons sake took the GX2), and that was a 570$ step, where as the biggest I can find on the ava is about 425 ;) It's not even close. Don;t even ARGUE that the GX2 is the same. Those cards are fucking TERRIBLE to work with. I'd take real SLi over saving some money any day. (im ignoring the 500 dollar 8800 ultra ;) )

For a HELL of a lot better representation on the forums, my money would DEFINITELY go to maingear.


Could you please explain what the hell you just said above? They don't actually offer SLI options? Dude, first you don't even own a maingear computer, then you don't even read AVA's website. What are you trying to say about the GX2 anyway...you diss a card when we're talking about configurations."I'd take real SLI over saving some money any day."
Lol ??? logic. Maybe this is why you can't afford a good computer.

And yes lets base the decision on forum representation and not price/support. As far as I know, Omaura is the only person from maingear on this forum that's actually posted more than 100 times.
 
Personally I've never dealt with any boutiques myself

Not sure if you checked out www.pugetsystems.com

Any thread I've read with a post from there rep Heather is very professional and there seller ratings are good


Good luck with your new machine wished I had that kind of coin to spend :D
 
Could you please explain what the hell you just said above? They don't actually offer SLI options? Dude, first you don't even own a maingear computer, then you don't even read AVA's website. What are you trying to say about the GX2 anyway...you diss a card when we're talking about configurations."I'd take real SLI over saving some money any day."
Lol ??? logic. Maybe this is why you can't afford a good computer.

And yes lets base the decision on forum representation and not price/support. As far as I know, Omaura is the only person from maingear on this forum that's actually posted more than 100 times.
He has my old GX2, the thing never worked right in SLi. And unless nVidia has fixed them up, It's a terrible idea.

He pointed me to this thread to answer you. Hope I don't offend anyone in the process.

Clarification from 0mega on the last line of his post: "It was a joke, I should have put sarcasm tags. I am in no way an insider at all. 18, unemployed. (sucks) I was under the impression I didn't fall under the warning and continued posting my opinion freely. I apologize if I misinterpreted the warning Kyle, Please get in touch with me. I'd like to clear this up if at all possible. Thanks, -0mega @ white.eagle.14(at)gmail.com"

I've said his bit for him. Thanks for reading he says.
 
Jeez $2600? Spend 1k on the computer, another 1k on a 42in 1080P LCD TV as a monitor, and save the $600. I promise you wont regret the TV - just check my sig :D
 
Personally I've never dealt with any boutiques myself

Not sure if you checked out www.pugetsystems.com

Any thread I've read with a post from there rep Heather is very professional and there seller ratings are good


Good luck with your new machine wished I had that kind of coin to spend :D

Thanks for the mention, tmaxx!

In regards to 0mega, he was actually a customer of mine when I worked for "another" company...which was not Maingear. ;-) He's not affliated with anyone, but when he likes a product, he's not ashamed to say so.

Everyone is entitled to share their opinion--or to ignore the opinions of others. Disagree with someone if you want, but getting petty and nasty doesn't help anyone, it just makes you look small.
 
Thanks for the info about the step up Heather. That is good news for me because I wasn't sure if I should wait for the 9900's.

How long does it usually take to get the computer? 3 weeks?

Invoice is dated the day I pay ?

Is there a noticeable difference between the GSKILL memory sticks versus the other higher priced Corsairs?

Would you recommend getting the rig OC'ed by them?
 
Thanks for the info about the step up Heather. That is good news for me because I wasn't sure if I should wait for the 9900's.

How long does it usually take to get the computer? 3 weeks?

Invoice is dated the day I pay ?

Is there a noticeable difference between the GSKILL memory sticks versus the other higher priced Corsairs?

Would you recommend getting the rig OC'ed by them?

If we're talking puget, I'm not too sure on shipping time.

Invoice I think would be dated on the day you pay... seems logical.

GSKILL memory is osme of the top stuff for enthusiasts. Most chips are sourced from only 2 or 3 companies anyway, so it'll probably be the same or better compared to the corsair anyway, but with less brand name mark up :)

Yes, would DEFINITELY recommend taking the Overclocking option. All of these companies that offer it are quite good at it. I'm sure they get a lot of practice :D
 
I just noticed that if i build the same computer from their Desktop systems versus Barebone systems, it comes out a little cheaper (around 200$) or so. Does anyone know the difference between the two?
 
i say look into Puget too, they even went out of their way to send me another side panel for just buying a case when something went wrong with that, so i know when i get a computer from them i will most likely get the same great service :D
 
Thanks for the info about the step up Heather. That is good news for me because I wasn't sure if I should wait for the 9900's.

How long does it usually take to get the computer? 3 weeks?

Invoice is dated the day I pay ?

Is there a noticeable difference between the GSKILL memory sticks versus the other higher priced Corsairs?

Would you recommend getting the rig OC'ed by them?

The step-up program is a good thing, because sometimes video card release roadmaps are off or inaccurate. In other words, sometimes there are parts delays and it makes sense for whatever reason to order what's available now, and just grab a new card when they come out if you're within that 90 day time frame.

Which manufacturer were you looking at specifically? I know you were on the fence between Maingear and AVA, both of which are worthy manufacturers. The way that invoicing is done varies between manufacturers, and build time varies also, so I can't speak for them about that.

Puget has an average build time of 5 days, and our invoices are dated the day that you've paid for the system (unless it's a purchase order, that's a little different.)

Overclocking is one of those things I'm on the fence about. I do my own, but only for short periods of time just to see how hard I can push my system, then I clock it back down to spec again. We have customers who want us to do it because they feel that it gives them the advantage of having someone experienced do it for you. You'll have to check with manufacturer warranties, too, because there are companies that limit parts warranties on overclocked systems because overclocking does shorten the lifespan of components. So, personal preference.
 
What other case would you recommend? I noticed the

SILVERSTONE, Temjin TJ10

is quite expensive, any suggestions? I'm trying to dumb down the cost a little bit
 
SONY, CRX320EE Black 52x32x52-16A DVD-ROM/CD-RW Combo Drive, OEM

I just wanted to point out that this drive is not even a DVD burner. Too bad the other drama took over...
 
What other case would you recommend? I noticed the

SILVERSTONE, Temjin TJ10

is quite expensive, any suggestions? I'm trying to dumb down the cost a little bit

How about an Antec case....maybe a P182? It's a very popular case, and it's pretty solidly built.
 
How about an Antec case....maybe a P182? It's a very popular case, and it's pretty solidly built.

I personally LOVE my P182. It's pretty and quiet. Plus, it's very easy to work on if you ever need to swap anything. Couldn't be happier (unless it could make me a sandwich)!
 
I ended up ordering the following configuration

# INTEL, Core™ 2 Quad Q9450 Quad-Core 2.66GHz, 1333MHz FSB, 12MB (2 x 6MB) L2 Cache, 45nm, 95W, EM64T EIST VT XD, Retail

# ARCTIC COOLING, Freezer 7 Pro Quiet CPU Cooling Fan/Heatsink, Socket 775, Ceramic Bearing, Retail

# ARCTIC COOLING, MX-2 High-Performance Thermal Compound, Non-Electrical Conductive

# GIGABYTE, GA-P35-DS3R, LGA775, Intel P35, 1333MHz FSB, DDR2-800 8GB /4, PCIe x16, SATA 3Gb/s RAID 5 /8, HDA, GbLAN, ATX, Retail

# G.SKILL, 4GB (2 x 2GB) PC2-6400 DDR2 800MHz CL4 (4-4-4-12) SDRAM DIMM, Non-ECC

# eVGA, e-GeForce® 9800 GTX 675MHz, 512MB GDDR3 2200MHz, PCIe x16 SLI, DVI /2, HDTV/S-Video Out, Retail

# SERVICE, No GPU Overclocking

# WESTERN DIGITAL, 640GB WD Caviar® SE16 (WD6400AAKS), SATA 3.0 Gbit/s, 7200-RPM, 16MB cache

# RAID, No RAID, Independent HDD Drives

# ROSEWILL, RCR-102 Black 52-in-1 Card Reader/Writer Drive, 3.5" Bay, Internal USB

# LITE-ON, LH-20A1L Black/Beige 20x DVD±RW Dual-Layer Burner w/ LightScribe, SATA, Retail

# ANTEC, Performance One P182 Black Mid-Tower Case, ATX, No PSU, Steel/Plastic

# CORSAIR, CMPSU-750TX TX Series Power Supply, 750W, 80 PLUS®, 24-pin ATX12V EPS12V, Multi-GPU Ready

# MICROSOFT, Windows Vista Home Premium Edition 64-bit, OEM
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I recieved it earlier this week. I ran a 3dMark06 benchmark test with all settings at default and scored a 11750. Does this sound low, I'm doing system compares on the 3dmark site and finding other systems with much higher ratings? I just want to make sure the system I configured and that was built for me, runs the way it should.

On a side note, the computer was supposed to be Overclocked for free under AVA's may special, but they had forgot to... hopefully that gets sorted out soon.
 
I ended up ordering the following configuration

# INTEL, Core™ 2 Quad Q9450 Quad-Core 2.66GHz, 1333MHz FSB, 12MB (2 x 6MB) L2 Cache, 45nm, 95W, EM64T EIST VT XD, Retail

# ARCTIC COOLING, Freezer 7 Pro Quiet CPU Cooling Fan/Heatsink, Socket 775, Ceramic Bearing, Retail

# ARCTIC COOLING, MX-2 High-Performance Thermal Compound, Non-Electrical Conductive

# GIGABYTE, GA-P35-DS3R, LGA775, Intel P35, 1333MHz FSB, DDR2-800 8GB /4, PCIe x16, SATA 3Gb/s RAID 5 /8, HDA, GbLAN, ATX, Retail

# G.SKILL, 4GB (2 x 2GB) PC2-6400 DDR2 800MHz CL4 (4-4-4-12) SDRAM DIMM, Non-ECC

# eVGA, e-GeForce® 9800 GTX 675MHz, 512MB GDDR3 2200MHz, PCIe x16 SLI, DVI /2, HDTV/S-Video Out, Retail

# SERVICE, No GPU Overclocking

# WESTERN DIGITAL, 640GB WD Caviar® SE16 (WD6400AAKS), SATA 3.0 Gbit/s, 7200-RPM, 16MB cache

# RAID, No RAID, Independent HDD Drives

# ROSEWILL, RCR-102 Black 52-in-1 Card Reader/Writer Drive, 3.5" Bay, Internal USB

# LITE-ON, LH-20A1L Black/Beige 20x DVD±RW Dual-Layer Burner w/ LightScribe, SATA, Retail

# ANTEC, Performance One P182 Black Mid-Tower Case, ATX, No PSU, Steel/Plastic

# CORSAIR, CMPSU-750TX TX Series Power Supply, 750W, 80 PLUS®, 24-pin ATX12V EPS12V, Multi-GPU Ready

# MICROSOFT, Windows Vista Home Premium Edition 64-bit, OEM
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I recieved it earlier this week. I ran a 3dMark06 benchmark test with all settings at default and scored a 11750. Does this sound low, I'm doing system compares on the 3dmark site and finding other systems with much higher ratings? I just want to make sure the system I configured and that was built for me, runs the way it should.

On a side note, the computer was supposed to be Overclocked for free under AVA's may special, but they had forgot to... hopefully that gets sorted out soon.

3dmark is meaning less, the more OC applied the higher it will go, yet the performance in games in minimal.

Did you do a call in order and ask for the free overclocking? It's not where you order a system online and it'll automatically be overclocked.
 
No I did not call in but I've been in constant contact with a sales associate from there through email and have stated a few times that my intentions were to take advantage of their free overclock special. He had confirmed this , yet the system arrived without any sort of overclock.

Is there a more reliable way to see that the system is performing as it should for peace of mind? I haven't actually got around to installing games yet, only age of conan - which runs fairly well at high settings but still lower than what I was expecting.
 
No I did not call in but I've been in constant contact with a sales associate from there through email and have stated a few times that my intentions were to take advantage of their free overclock special. He had confirmed this , yet the system arrived without any sort of overclock.

Well clearly this is an issue then. They should at lease refund back the full cost of the Arctic 7 Freezer Pro and the MX-2 since those are pretty much pointless for stock clockspeed.

Then OC it yourself :D

Also since you have a Gigabyte board... Its possible that they did overclock the CPU, however those boards have a nasty habit of resetting clock settings to defaults and not informing the user of this. This especially happens when the board if off power for a while (like in shipping...)
 
Their system checklist that came with the system indicated that no OC was done, which is how I'm sure they didn't.

But anyways, the sales associate is sending me instructions to overclock. (I heard its easy but haven't done it before).

Anyways, his suggestion was to change the CPU Host Clock to 450. which I tried and it wouldn't POST, I even tried 425 and it wouldn't make it to Vista. Now he is advising to up the cpu voltage?

Does this sound like its correct? Or could there be something faulty not allowing me to OC?
 
Well its pretty ridiculous that they wanted you to try a 450 FSB right from that start. That is 3.6GHz and not something that is easily accomplished with Q9450 and no experience.

Right now you are running at 8x333 FSB for 2.66 GHz. For a quick and easy start, move that up to 8x375 in the BIOS, this will get you to 3.0GHz, and increase the voltage by .025v (this is a very small voltage increase, but significant). You should be able to load right into windows with no problems at 3.0GHz and a small voltage gain.

Then you have to make sure your CPU is stable at the new speeds and not running too hot. So go download this:

http://www.ocbase.com/perestroika_en/

...and when it opens up, just click the green button. This will do a 1 or 2 hour stress test on your CPU and RAM at the new speed. Its usually best to start with small overclocks and work your way up compared to going for the homerun right at the start. You need to keep doing the cycle of make adjustments -> check stability -> make more adjustments -> check stability -> repeat -> repeat...Also when you start getting into potentially unstable speeds, longer stress testing is reccomended.

After that, the sky is the limit, keep reading and asking questions :D You have come to a good place to learn. Go check out this first:

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1198647

Then read through some threads to see what people are talking about. Keep an eye out for things like adjusting the RAM multiplier. It will start to click after a while... If you just want a light overclock, leave it at 3.0GHz.
 
I *think* , I am not home right now so I can't say for sure, that the multiplier (or whatever you call it) was 7 instead of 8, because when I initially put 450 it went to 3.15ghz or something.

Should it be 8?

Thanks for your assistance!
 
I *think* , I am not home right now so I can't say for sure, that the multiplier (or whatever you call it) was 7 instead of 8, because when I initially put 450 it went to 3.15ghz or something.

Should it be 8?

Thanks for your assistance!

Worry about the multiplier later. For now keep the multiplier as high as it will go (8) and work on the bus speed. Lowering the multiplier so you can increase the bus speed a lot can put a big stress on some extra components.
 
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