Quick Review b4 Buy

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cress22

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Jan 21, 2008
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Hi, i'm planning to purchase a pc in the next day or two and i'd love a quick check-over ^^. I've been reading up for some time so i figure its pretty solid build-wise, but maybe u can help me out and see if anything's wrong.

I'll be using it for general use, gaming, a bit of photoshop, and school (excel, etc). I don't plan to use sli.


CPU: e 8400 - $220

PSU: corsair 620hx - $169

MB: asus p5k-E - $139

GPU: evga 8800gt - $260

RAM: gskill 4GB ddr2-1000 - $114

case: lianli pc7-b - $80

HSF: tuniq tower - $44

DVD: samsung sh-s203b - $30


I'll also grab some TIM and some sata cables. I have a 320gb 7200.10 seagate HDD already, but i might grab a new one. As is, everything comes to just over $1000 (newegg) which was my initial price point.

Only thing I'm really debating on is the motherboard and the cpu. The abit ip-35 pro looks nice, but is a bit pricey. Should i go with the ip-35e instead?

I could save a few bucks by dropping the PSU to the 520hx. Is this a good idea? or might i need it if i step-up the GPU when its revised.

Is the tuniq easy to install? It looks like a monster. I chose it for its availability at newegg over the ultima-90. The big thermalright is a bit high. I'd like a nice OC, but i'm not planning to push it to the limits. This will suffice or would you recommend something else?

The other decision, 8400 vs q6600. It's a tossup for me so far, for gaming and use instead of heavy video encoding i thought the 8400 was the correct choice, eh?


The main thing: everything is compatible and will fit in case? Would you feel comfortable with this purchase?

Sorry for the long post and thanks for reading and responses!
 
The board is great, never skimp on the board.....

Looks good....go for it.
 
Well what features are you looking for exactly in a motherboard? High overclock ability? Plenty of SATA ports? etc..

The Tuniq is a bit difficult to install due to its size. Compared to the Tuniq, the Ultima 90 is pretty easy to install. It's also smaller and performs just as well as the Tuniq. If you're willing to deal with the slightly more difficult to install Tuniq Towe, go for it. Otherwise, go for the Ultima 90.

Hmmm how heavy video encoding are we talking about here? It is a pretty much a tossup considering that E8400 can easily OC to 4Ghz+ while the Q6600 hits 3.2 to 3.6Ghz with a high amount of cooling. IIRC, video encoding does benefit from multiple cores while current games with a few exceptions will benefit more from a faster dual-core CPU. How long are you planning to use this system before your next upgrade?

Oh and you can get the PSU for cheaper if you get it from zipzoomfly.com:
Corsair 620HX 620W PSU - $147

It should fit inside the case. As for feeling comfortable, depends on which motherboard and HSF you go with.
 
I agree with Danny, on everything.

The Ultima90 is easier to install than the Tuniq Tower, but I get similar performance out of both, so you can't go wrong with either one.

Definitely get the 520W Corsair, but not from newegg.

If you don't need the features of the P5K-E, don't bother. If the IP35-E suffices your needs, then go for it. An alternative to the -E is the Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L or MSI P35 Neo2-FR.
 
cress22 said:
PSU: corsair 620hx - $169
Click to expand...

Quick rule of the thumb -- never spend more than 1/3 the cost of your CPU on a power supply.

As described, your system will never use more than 250W at load. The Corsair 450VX @ $49.99 AR/GCO shipped is all you need.

If you intend to add a second 8800GT for SLI and overclock to 4+GHz, then you should look at the 520HX or the 550VX for about $10 more. According to Hardocp and SilentPCReview, the VX is the better performer.
 
Ok, i'll check the lower power psu, and check my local compusa while i'm at it to see if they have either of them for 40% off.

For the heatsink, i havent used any stores before that sell the ultima, any place in particular you would recommend? I've used egg in the past with no problems, but that was in the fed-ex days.

As for the video encoding comment, i meant that i would not be using it for that.

Hopefully this will last a few years, i don't upgrade every x/months. The one im using now is about 4 yrs old and has several issues >.<

The mobo i'm looking over atm.

Thanks for the comments.
 
KenF said:
Quick rule of the thumb -- never spend more than 1/3 the cost of your CPU on a power supply.
Click to expand...

However quick that rule of thumb may be, I don't agree with it. Sure, you should make sure you're not overspending on an overkill PSU, but basing your PSU choice off the COST of your CPU just doesn't make sense to me. :confused: Your PSU choice should be based on your power needs, as well as budget, but definitely not on the cost of some other component. Your PSU could potentially take out every component in your system, so don't underestimate its importance.

PSU FAQ: http://www.jonnyguru.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1036 ;)

Example of why I don't agree with the quoted statement...
If you buy an E2160 for $78, 1/3rd of that is $26. Now, if you want to OC that CPU to 3.0Ghz, use 4 HDDs, 2 optical drives, and an 8800 Ultra, plus a WiFi card, you're not going to find a PSU for $26 that will properly power that system. In fact, you most likely won't find a good quality PSU for $26 period (okay, maybe with rebates and coupons, but not MSRP). :p
 
enginurd said:
Example of why I don't agree with the quoted statement...
If you buy an E2160 for $78, 1/3rd of that is $26. Now, if you want to OC that CPU to 3.0Ghz, use 4 HDDs, 2 optical drives, and an 8800 Ultra, plus a WiFi card, you're not going to find a PSU for $26 that will properly power that system. In fact, you most likely won't find a good quality PSU for $26 period (okay, maybe with rebates and coupons, but not MSRP). :p
Click to expand...
I would certainly agree with you there. You are not likely to find a quality power supply for $30 unless it fell off the back of a truck.

My point was really that people vastly (1) overestimate the amount of power they will need, and (2) overspend on power supplies. For the overwhelming majority of DIY systems, a >$100 PSU is overkill. Unless you intend to run SLI or overclock a quad-core to 4+GHz, a quality 450w power supply is more than sufficient.

Here's a nice graph from Anandtech, which shows the power used by an overclocked [quad] Intel QX9650.


Click for page source.
 
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