Hi All,
Im planning on building a new C2D-based system and am looking for advice on my tentative build parts. All of the components below are currently available at New Egg and come in at around $2000 total. My component decisions are based on gaming potential.
All feedback concerning any of these parts and the overall configuration is welcome. However, Ive listed some specific concerns below. Thanks in advance. Ive bottom-lined my primary questions in red.
My Concerns/Questions:
Of course, the memory issues with the EVGA mobo. I am well aware of issues people are having, but it sounds like there are ways around the overvoltage issues that can be taken if youre careful. Ive also chosen the Corsair RAM directly off of EVGAs list of compatible SLI ready RAM. Id love to hear from anyone who has had experience with this mobo (good or bad). Bottom Line: are the EVGA 680i problems really that widespread and numerous that I should be scared away from this board?
Overclockability of the E6400 on the EVGA board. Ive read plenty of positive results OCing with this CPU/Mobo combo, but any other experience OCing with these components would be great. I plan to get as much out of it as I can using air and the 3rd party HS&F listed above. Bottom Line: Are the chances of getting this CPU to 3Ghz as good as many OCers are indicating?
Anyone currently running a similar system in SLI mode? My mobo choice is based on price and the potential it has to allow me to toss in another 8800 card in the near-future. However, I realize that DX 10 cards are probably going to expand in versions and availability over the next year or so (perhaps longer?). So, is going with the DX10 compatible 8800 a good choice here? As an alternative, I can pair my current 7900GT KO 512 with another 7900 GT KO 512 and save $90. Bottom Line: Since Im not using Vista yet, should I stick with the 7000 series and wait on DX 10 and DX10 Cards to mature? Or will a single 8800s performance outmatch SLIed 7900GTs and be worth the extra $90 it will take to build a Vista/DX 10 ready system right now.
Again, any other comments concerning any of the other components are more than welcome. Thanks again.
Im planning on building a new C2D-based system and am looking for advice on my tentative build parts. All of the components below are currently available at New Egg and come in at around $2000 total. My component decisions are based on gaming potential.
All feedback concerning any of these parts and the overall configuration is welcome. However, Ive listed some specific concerns below. Thanks in advance. Ive bottom-lined my primary questions in red.
Video Card: EVGA 640-P2-N821-AR GeForce 8800GTS
Mobo: EVGA 122-CK-NF68-TR LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 Conroe 2.13GHz LGA 775 Processor
Memory: CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)
Case: Thermaltake Armor Series VA8000BWS Black Aluminum / Steel ATX Full Tower
PSU: PC Power & Cooling Silencer 610 EPS12V EPS12V 610W Continuous @ 40°C Power l
HD: Seagate Barracuda ES ST3320620NS 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
HS&F: ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler
Optical Drive: LG Black 18X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 18X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD
Monitor: ViewSonic VG2230wm Black 22" 5ms DVI Widescreen LCD
Input: Logitech G7 Wireless Laser Mouse
Operating System: XP Pro (for now)
Mobo: EVGA 122-CK-NF68-TR LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 Conroe 2.13GHz LGA 775 Processor
Memory: CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)
Case: Thermaltake Armor Series VA8000BWS Black Aluminum / Steel ATX Full Tower
PSU: PC Power & Cooling Silencer 610 EPS12V EPS12V 610W Continuous @ 40°C Power l
HD: Seagate Barracuda ES ST3320620NS 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
HS&F: ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler
Optical Drive: LG Black 18X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 18X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD
Monitor: ViewSonic VG2230wm Black 22" 5ms DVI Widescreen LCD
Input: Logitech G7 Wireless Laser Mouse
Operating System: XP Pro (for now)
My Concerns/Questions:
Of course, the memory issues with the EVGA mobo. I am well aware of issues people are having, but it sounds like there are ways around the overvoltage issues that can be taken if youre careful. Ive also chosen the Corsair RAM directly off of EVGAs list of compatible SLI ready RAM. Id love to hear from anyone who has had experience with this mobo (good or bad). Bottom Line: are the EVGA 680i problems really that widespread and numerous that I should be scared away from this board?
Overclockability of the E6400 on the EVGA board. Ive read plenty of positive results OCing with this CPU/Mobo combo, but any other experience OCing with these components would be great. I plan to get as much out of it as I can using air and the 3rd party HS&F listed above. Bottom Line: Are the chances of getting this CPU to 3Ghz as good as many OCers are indicating?
Anyone currently running a similar system in SLI mode? My mobo choice is based on price and the potential it has to allow me to toss in another 8800 card in the near-future. However, I realize that DX 10 cards are probably going to expand in versions and availability over the next year or so (perhaps longer?). So, is going with the DX10 compatible 8800 a good choice here? As an alternative, I can pair my current 7900GT KO 512 with another 7900 GT KO 512 and save $90. Bottom Line: Since Im not using Vista yet, should I stick with the 7000 series and wait on DX 10 and DX10 Cards to mature? Or will a single 8800s performance outmatch SLIed 7900GTs and be worth the extra $90 it will take to build a Vista/DX 10 ready system right now.
Again, any other comments concerning any of the other components are more than welcome. Thanks again.