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Need comments on my buildup!

M

Match

n00b
Joined
Feb 20, 2008
Messages
8
Hi, this is my first time building my own desktop and I seriously need some experts help here! The desktop would be used for normal usage: movie, music, photo sharing, gaming, etc. (Not a hardcore gamer though, but still wants to play most of them games in the market). I do plan to OC things...

So here's the buildup I got so far. Feel free to comment on it and tell me what I should change.

Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
MoBo: ASUS P5K-e w/ WiFi
Video Card: eVGA GeForce 8800 GT 512MB
Power Supply: Silverstone Zeus ST65ZF 650w
Cooler: Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme w/ Scythe S-Flex fans
RAMs: Mushkin DDR2 800mhz 2x2GB
Hard Driver: Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 500GB 32MB
Case: Antec Nine Hundred
DVD Writer: Samsung SH-S203B Black SATA
Monitor: Samsung 226BW 22"in ???

Any comment or suggestions? :confused:
I really want some comment or recommendation for monitors too.
 
more ram... 4GiB at least ;) dont forget x64 windows..

wait do u mean 2 pairs of 2.. its conffuuuusing... u mean 4 x 1GiB?


oh and with the monitor.. dont be a fool like me and run 8800 series silk through a pissy 22" LCD.... 30+ Full HD
 
Sorry.. typo mistake.. I meant 2x2GB (2 of them... so 4gb in total)

and do you have any recommendation for monitor? It would be nice if it is something under 300 though.
 
oh and 500GB suggests to me that you intend on holding a bit of data on there yeah? you should really think of some redundancy or you'll regret it one terrifying day... i suggest a simple 2x500GB raid1 (mirror)... and with the dvd.. just the cheapest you can get... if you use them u need to replace them often anyways..
 
I actually have 3 external hard drives at my disposal, so 500GB should be enough for now (not really needing it for holding anything).

Umm... the dvd drivers, yeah, I know it is the cheapest. :p But I hardly use a dvd burner, so yea. :cool:

What worries me is about the monitor. I been reading a lot lately about the different panels of 226BW! It is also said to be the best 22" monitor? I don't want anything too big (under 24" - but if price is okay I can think about it)
 
Hmm... First and foremost, the ASUS Maximus Extreme requires DDR-3 RAM, yet you have DDR-2 RAM selected for your build. You definitely want to go the DDR-2 route, as DDR-3 RAM is still very pricey--too much so for what will be a minimal performance benefit when paired with your Q6600. Stick with the DDR-2 RAM, and if you want an X38 board, consider the ASUS Maximus Formula instead. However, unless you plan to go Crossfire, and I see that you don't considering you've selected an 8800 GTS video card, you really don't need X38 at all. A good P35 board will perform as well and will be significantly less expensive. The only thing you would give up are two x16 PCI-E lanes, which is arguably only useful when driving dual video cards.

The standard spiel for a dual video card setup goes as follows: It certainly isn't worth considering if you're not gaming at a resolution of at least 1920x1200, as a single 8800 GT 512meg or ATI 3850/70 is more than enough to drive today's demanding games at lower resolutions. SLI or Crossfire also isn't worth it as an upgrade path, as by the time you are ready to purchase that second card, a newer single card solution will likely be available that will outperform two of your older cards in tandem. Even from a cost standpoint, it really doesn't make much sense, as you can always sell the original card to mitigate the cost of the newer one. The benefit of knowing that you won't be utilizing a two card solution with your rig is that you have more (and better) motherboard choices at your disposal. As mentioned above, a P35 board will cost $100 less than the Maximus and will perform just as well. There are many excellent P35 boards on the market: Consider specifically the ASUS P5K series, the Gigabyte DS3/DS4 series, or the Abit IP35 Pro, which may be your best bet when paired with the Q6600.

Second, you don't need RAM faster than PC-6400 / 800mhz with a Q6600. Anything faster is waste of money. On air, most G0 Q6600s max out at 3.6ghz, which matches 1:1 with RAM running at 800mhz. Any theoretical or benchable performance gain from faster RAM will not be realized in daily use. Enginurd has a great cut and paste explaining the math behind this. Check out some of the other build threads; you will see it soon enough.

Otherwise, it looks like a solid setup. The Zeus is a great PSU and will be more than enough to power the components you've selected. The only other recommendation is to perhaps swap the Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme for a Zerotherm Nirvana, which has proven to be just as good of an air cooler, yet costs less and is smaller. Skythe S-Flex fans are certainly very popular options, and they work quite well, yet I prefer Yate Loons. They are just as effective, yet are quieter and considerably cheaper. If you swap for Yate Loons, be sure to buy from Petra's Tech Shop (a favored water cooling component vendor on many forums.) Yates can be difficult to find, and other vendors have been known to sell old or possibly even non-genuine stock.

That's it for now. Good luck on the rig.
 
Here's the cut-and-paste for the Q6600:

enginurd said:
c x [Base FSB speed] = CPU speed (c = CPU Multiplier)
2 x [Base FSB speed] = RAM speed (DDR: double data rate)
4 x [Base FSB speed] = FSB speed (QDR: quad data rate; Effective FSB speed)

Q6600:
Multi x FSB, RAM Speed = Clock Speed
9 x 266Mhz, DDR2 533 RAM = 2.4Ghz <== Stock Speeds
9 x 333Mhz, DDR2 667 RAM = 3.0Ghz <== Good OC
9 x 400Mhz, DDR2 800 RAM = 3.6Ghz <== Excellent OC, About the Max
Click to expand...

As for memory, this is all you really need:

$89.99 - A-DATA 4GB (2x2GB) DDR2 800 dual channel kit (with free shipping & $20 mail-in rebate)

With your current setup, you don't need a 750 watt power supply. Of course you'd want room for future upgrades, but one of the following would fit the bill just as well:

Corsair 550VX 550W PSU - $89
Corsair 520HX 520W PSU - $106
Corsair 650TX 650W PSU - $140
Corsair 620HX 620W PSU - $139
Corsair 750TX 750W PSU - $156
PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750 Quad - $162
 
You guys are awesome! Thanks for all those instant detailed replies.

So now questions are, which mobo is better? One of my friend recommended me on ASUS P5E? What's the rating for ASUS P5E vs P5K series? Also, what does being WiFi-AP mean? (Sorry, I am a total noob in these hardware thingy)

On the RAM, I have changed them to a lower speed that matches the processors. So thanks for the tips here!

Unfortunately, I would have to keep the Thermalright Ultra 120 cooler. I live in Toronto and the places around here either does not sell the Zerotherm Nirvana or the price is actually higher than Thermalright. But one question about the fans though, do I have to get two? Or is one is enough?
 
P5E is Intel X38, P5K is Intel P35. If you don't need Crossfire, then don't bother with the X38 boards.

WiFi-AP means it has an onboard WiFi, that can also act as an Access Point.

You only need one S-Flex fan for the Ultra120eXtreme. Use Yate Loon for any 120mm case fans you need.
 
My opinion on this setup would be to change:

Mobo - get a P35 chipset mobo $100-$180 price range.
Memory - get a DDR 2 800 such as the 2 x 2gig G. Skills for $90 is a very good bargain and good enough for stock and potential to overclock also.

Everything else looks good.


Match said:
Hi, this is my first time building my own desktop and I seriously need some experts help here! The desktop would be used for normal usage: movie, music, photo sharing, gaming, etc. (Not a hardcore gamer though, but still wants to play most of them games in the market). I do plan to OC things...

So here's the buildup I got so far. Feel free to comment on it and tell me what I should change.

Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
MoBo: ASUS Maximus Extreme
Video Card: eVGA GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB
Power Supply: Silverstone Zeus ST75ZF 750w
Cooler: Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme w/ two Scythe S-Flex fans (?)
RAMs: Mushkin XP2 DDR2 8500 2x2GB (2 of them)
Hard Driver: Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 500GB 32MB
Case: Antec Nine Hundred
Networking Adapter: D-Link DWA-542 PCI Wireless
DVD Writer: Samsung SH-S203B Black SATA
Monitor: Samsung 226BW 22"in

Any comment or suggestions? :confused:
I really want some comment or recommendation for monitors too.
Click to expand...
 
I have decided to get a P35 mobo, the P5K series. I just have some questions... what's the difference between a P5K-E w/Wifi and P5K Deluxe w/Wifi? Also does it mean I can forget about buying a wireless networking adapter?

Which one is better and more recommended?
 
The difference between the two are mainly in included features. Simply compare the spec sheets of each. One may have more SATA ports, an extra USB header, etc. If both have WiFi at the end of their names, then both have on-board WiFi chips. You don't need a WiFi adapter.
 
There's tiny extras in the deluxe that make the price so high. I'd stick to the P5K-E if you want to save money -- the tiny extras in the deluxe aren't worth the price, imo.
 
Once again, thank you all that have given me advices!

I have finalized the setup now. Hopefully everything is okay!
 
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