Rate this rig.

[Moshiach]

Budget is $2300AU, this is where I'll be mostly buying from.

I Intend to use this build for mainly gaming and modest overclocking. Don't intend to upgrade for a long while.

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3
CPU: Q6600
Graphics Card: 8800GTS 640MB (not fussed on the brand)
RAM: Kingston 2 x 1GB 667mhz
Hard Disk: Western Digital 500GB

PSU: Coolermaster iGreen 500W
Cooling: Tuniq Tower 120

Case: Thermaltake Soprano DX
Keyboard & Mouse: Logitech Cordless Desktop LX710
Monitor: 22" Benq FP222W

So how's it look? My overclocking aim is to get the Q6600 from 2.4ghz to 3.0ghz, running at 333 x 9 with 1:1 ratio with the RAM.

 

[Lamont Cranston]

You might step up to 800 mhz ram if you plan on doing some Over clocking, but other than that you seem to have a pretty good list there

 

[Bill_Bright]

I note that you have selected the retail or "boxed" version of the Intel CPU, and that you have elected to use a 3rd party cooler. I also note that you intend to overclock. Be aware your CPU warranty is null and void if the CPU fails and you are using ANY cooler other than Intel's supplied cooler, or if you overclocked the CPU!

It's true!

Intel CPU Warranty Information

Intel warrants the Product (defined as the boxed Intel® processor and the accompanying thermal solution... ...if the Product is properly used and installed, for a period of three (3) years.

EXTENT OF LIMITED WARRANTY

This Limited Warranty does NOT cover:

• damage to the Product due to external causes, including accident, problems with electrical power, abnormal electrical, mechanical or environmental conditions, usage not in accordance with product instructions,
misuse, neglect, alteration, repair, improper installation, or improper testing; OR
• any Product which has been modified or operated outside of Intel’s publicly available specifications​

So, what that says is you must use their "thermal solution" (the Intel heatsink and fan) and you must operate the CPU within "normal" electrical conditions (that is, normal voltages, no overclocking). The fact the Gigabyte motherboard allows for overclocking is immaterial.

(Note that AMD CPU Warranty Information has similar, and more clearly written, restrictions.)

Also note these restrictions for both AMD and Intel CPUs do not apply to their OEM versions of the same CPUs, as they do not come with heatsink fan assemblies, and only have one year warranties.

My advice is to skip the 3rd party cooler for now. Since Intel warranties their CPU for 3 years using their cooler, they have designed a cooler that does indeed provide excellent cooling, and it is fairly quiet too. These CPUs run cooler than previous CPUs anyway and with a good case, such as the Soprano, you have adequate cooling.

As for overclocking, while not a fan personally (goes against the technician in me), I accept that hobbyists enjoy seeing what their machines can do. But note that overclocking is a hobby, and should not be done to a production machine where critical work will be done, or where the expense of equipment failure (in terms of money and lost productivity) cannot be tolerated.

 

[Moshiach]

You might step up to 800 mhz ram if you plan on doing some Over clocking

I only plan on running the RAM at it's listed speeds of 667Mhz 5-5-5-15, I can't see the point of 800Mhz RAM unless I was going to push over 3.0Ghz, and even then I can just raise the multiplier so the RAM stays 667Mhz.


Bill_Bright, using that fan doesn't void the warranty, and when they talk about "abnormal electrical use" that doesn't mean you can't overclock at all, it means you can't go over the voltage limits they specify (can't remember off the top of my head what that is, but about 0.25V above stock, which is more than enough for what I need).

Overclocking is not a dangerous thing, the computer doesn't just catch on fire when you push the limits, there are many stability tests, but the Tuniq Tower has a much less likely chance of damaging parts compared to the stock cooler.

 

[Bill_Bright]

Bill_Bright, using that fan doesn't void the warranty, and when they talk about "abnormal electrical use" that doesn't mean you can't overclock at all, it means you can't go over the voltage limits they specify (can't remember off the top of my head what that is, but about 0.25V above stock, which is more than enough for what I need).

Yes it does void the warranty! It clearly states "the Product" is the boxed (retail version) of the CPU and the accompanying thermal solution. And then it states you cannot alter, modify, or use not in accordance with the instructions. It is clear!

Now, how are they going to prove it? They can't. And most likely the language is there to protect them from idiots who remove the HSF and replace it with something not adequate - or run with no HSF at all. But it is still clear you cannot modify "The Product" and expect warranty coverage.

As for overclocking, again, the specifications state the required voltages - overclocking by pure definition, increases those voltages, if you exceed those, and damage occurs, it will not be covered.


And note in the AMD warranty where, with no ifs, ands, or buts, it states (their bold - not mine):

This Limited Warranty shall be null and void if the AMD microprocessor which is the subject of this Limited Warranty is used with any heatsink/fan other than the one provided herewith.

So it is surely unwise to proclaim it does not void the warranty when it is clearly written that it does. Does that mean don't OC? No. But if you fry the CPU because you OC'ed or used some 3rd party HSF, you must understand that AMD and Intel can say, "that's your problem!"

Note this is not an arguement with me. You, and any one else reading this, can follow the links provided and see for yourselves. I am only passing the warning along. If you use another fan, or if you OC, and if your CPU fries, you are on your own.

 

[RS3RS]

Eh, people have voided warranties on CPU's, memory, video cards and motherboards for years by overclocking them.

 

[Moshiach]

Jesus, settle down, alright it voids the warranty, I don't care if it does, you acting like I'm going to be committing a crime by overclocking it.

Regardless of the warranty, the stock fan is not an overclocking tool.

 

[crashthenet44]

Yes it does void the warranty! It clearly states "the Product" is the boxed (retail version) of the CPU and the accompanying thermal solution. And then it states you cannot alter, modify, or use not in accordance with the instructions. It is clear!

Now, how are they going to prove it? They can't. And most likely the language is there to protect them from idiots who remove the HSF and replace it with something not adequate - or run with no HSF at all. But it is still clear you cannot modify "The Product" and expect warranty coverage.

As for overclocking, again, the specifications state the required voltages - overclocking by pure definition, increases those voltages, if you exceed those, and damage occurs, it will not be covered.


And note in the AMD warranty where, with no ifs, ands, or buts, it states (their bold - not mine):



So it is surely unwise to proclaim it does not void the warranty when it is clearly written that it does. Does that mean don't OC? No. But if you fry the CPU because you OC'ed or used some 3rd party HSF, you must understand that AMD and Intel can say, "that's your problem!"

Note this is not an arguement with me. You, and any one else reading this, can follow the links provided and see for yourselves. I am only passing the warning along. If you use another fan, or if you OC, and if your CPU fries, you are on your own.

How is any of what this guys running on and on about news?

 

[silent-circuit]

Looks solid over all.

 

[Moshiach]

Does anyone see any possible problems with overclocking on that motherboard?

 

[silent-circuit]

P35's OC just fine. Your other option is a 680i-based board like the eVGA 122-CK-NF68-A1 or NF68-T1, which will also do well and also has 45nm CPU support via a BIOS update confirmed by eVGA. It will run $50-100 more, however.

 

[Bill_Bright]

I don't care if it does, you acting like I'm going to be committing a crime by overclocking it.

Jees, excuse me for giving you a heads up.

the stock fan is not an overclocking tool.

No one said it was.

 

[silent-circuit]

Jees, excuse me for giving you a heads up.

No one said it was.

While you likely meant well, most OCing a CPU are well aware that warranties are about to be voided... and don't care. Based on the setup he posted, I'd say the OP is reasonably tech savvy, and so your numerous and rather over-the-top warnings were... well, over the top.

 

[Bill_Bright]

While you likely meant well, most OCing a CPU are well aware that warranties are about to be voided... and don't care.

Wow! If you saw the number of broken PCs that come across my bench because newbies attempted to OC their systems you would not be saying that! And certainly, his own response proves that he was not aware it voided the warranty!

Based on the setup he posted, I'd say the OP is reasonably tech savvy, and so your numerous and rather over-the-top warnings were... well, over the top.

True, he may be tech savvy but you seem to assume this "open" forum and this post are just for the OP and existing readers, and not for other and future readers that may stumble upon it.

As for "numerous" warnings, I merely pointed out the facts - and the one post (before any savviness became apparent) would have been it had the OP not come in and said what was written in plain English was not so. If someone wishes to take up the "hobby" of overclocking a PC, fine with me. If someone does not care about possible financial risks, fine with me. My only goal as an adviser is to ensure readers who come here seeking advice, current and future readers alike, have ALL the information needed to make an informed decision. If some of the information is irrelevant to them, fine, they can disregard it for themselves. It is better to have too much information than not enough.

Now one thing I am sure we can all agree on is this post needs to get back on track. I have said all I am going to say about warranties.

As far as the motherboards mentioned, I use Gigabyte boards in many of my builds and highly recommend them. Beyond that, in the few cases where there have been problems, Gigabyte stood behind their products. They even recapped a GA-7VAXP motherboard that was 8 months out of warranty, no charge, and paid for shipping. Can't argue with that.

Oh, and something else I still include in my builds is a floppy drive. They are inexpensive but invaluable when it comes to installing 3rd party drivers, testing RAM, and other diagnostics. Sure, you may never need it, but when you do, you do - and usually right now!

 

[Hagrid]

Wow! If you saw the number of broken PCs that come across my bench because newbies attempted to OC their systems you would not be saying that! And certainly, his own response proves that he was not aware it voided the warranty!
True, he may be tech savvy but you seem to assume this "open" forum and this post are just for the OP and existing readers, and not for other and future readers that may stumble upon it.

As for "numerous" warnings, I merely pointed out the facts - and the one post (before any savviness became apparent) would have been it had the OP not come in and said what was written in plain English was not so. If someone wishes to take up the "hobby" of overclocking a PC, fine with me. If someone does not care about possible financial risks, fine with me. My only goal as an adviser is to ensure readers who come here seeking advice, current and future readers alike, have ALL the information needed to make an informed decision. If some of the information is irrelevant to them, fine, they can disregard it for themselves. It is better to have too much information than not enough.

Now one thing I am sure we can all agree on is this post needs to get back on track. I have said all I am going to say about warranties.

As far as the motherboards mentioned, I use Gigabyte boards in many of my builds and highly recommend them. Beyond that, in the few cases where there have been problems, Gigabyte stood behind their products. They even recapped a GA-7VAXP motherboard that was 8 months out of warranty, no charge, and paid for shipping. Can't argue with that.

Oh, and something else I still include in my builds is a floppy drive. They are inexpensive but invaluable when it comes to installing 3rd party drivers, testing RAM, and other diagnostics. Sure, you may never need it, but when you do, you do - and usually right now!

The point that people are trying to make is they could give a flying you know what about the warranty. You go into this huge ramble about it, when all that is needed to say is it voids the warranty.. See how much easier that is?

 

[Moshiach]

Does anyone know of any benefits of the Asus P5K over the Gigabyte P35-DS3, there's only a $13AU difference from where I'm buying.

The RAM, is it worth getting some 800Mhz instead and trying to push the CPU a bit higher? Or should I just see if it's stable at 9 x 333 with 667Mhz RAM, then adjust the multiplier for anything further?

 

[Bill_Bright]

The point that people are trying to make is they could give a flying you know what about the warranty. You go into this huge ramble about it, when all that is needed to say is it voids the warranty.. See how much easier that is?

Come on! You come in way after the fact and accuse me of rambling? I "rambled", as you said, by presenting proof from the horses' mouth in a single post and STILL the response was "it does not void the warranty". If I merely said it voided the warranty and left it at that, do you really think everyone would have just accepted my word on it? Get real! And to say that "they" don't care about the warranty is missing the point, and, quite frankly, narrow minded. "They" are not all readers - some folks actually care about losing hard-earned money, warranties, and after sales support. And certainly not all OCers have been OCing for years! This is a fairly busy board. It does not revolve around just 1 or 2 people.

Additionally, I will note that MANY OCers (first timers and experienced) OC not just to OC, but to increase performance/game play without spending additional money on more horsepower, just as Moshiach suggests by his question, "Is it worth getting some 800MHz" instead of the less expensive 667MHz RAM? This is a common type question and clearly indicates some folks are concerned, and do care, about their budgets.

Now, I would suggest to you to let it go and stop "rambling" on and on and on about the warranty issue and get back to the point of the thread!
****
@Moshiach - The ASUS is a good board. However, ASUS' reputation has slid as of late due to using cheap capacitors, perhaps sharing too much with their ASRock budget line. They are coming around but it takes time to get a bitter taste out ones mouth.

As for the P5K - be careful which model you are considering - only the deluxe models (P5K Deluxe and P5K3 Deluxe - 3 for DDR3) have the advanced heat pipe cooling solution, and given you are planning to OC, I think you should go for the better cooling. That said, the Deluxe versions also have WiFi and if you will not be needing that, then the Gigabyte looks like the better deal. In this Gigabyte P35-DS3R mini-review (which includes mini-reviews of the ASUS boards), the reviewer twice makes a point of Gigabyte's use of "nice solid state capacitors".

As for your RAM question, if budget permits, IMO, you should go for the fastest RAM you can afford. It is generally better to slow down fast RAM than it is to push slower RAM. But more importantly, later on down the road, you won't be limited by the slower RAM should something new come along that entices you to upgrade.

 

[Hagrid]

Come on! You come in way after the fact and accuse me of rambling? I "rambled", as you said, by presenting proof from the horses' mouth in a single post and STILL the response was "it does not void the warranty". If I merely said it voided the warranty and left it at that, do you really think everyone would have just accepted my word on it? Get real! And to say that "they" don't care about the warranty is missing the point, and, quite frankly, narrow minded. "They" are not all readers - some folks actually care about losing hard-earned money, warranties, and after sales support. And certainly not all OCers have been OCing for years! This is a fairly busy board. It does not revolve around just 1 or 2 people.

Additionally, I will note that MANY OCers (first timers and experienced) OC not just to OC, but to increase performance/game play without spending additional money on more horsepower, just as Moshiach suggests by his question, "Is it worth getting some 800MHz" instead of the less expensive 667MHz RAM? This is a common type question and clearly indicates some folks are concerned, and do care, about their budgets.

Now, I would suggest to you to let it go and stop "rambling" on and on and on about the warranty issue and get back to the point of the thread!
****
@Moshiach - The ASUS is a good board. However, ASUS' reputation has slid as of late due to using cheap capacitors, perhaps sharing too much with their ASRock budget line. They are coming around but it takes time to get a bitter taste out ones mouth.

As for the P5K - be careful which model you are considering - only the deluxe models (P5K Deluxe and P5K3 Deluxe - 3 for DDR3) have the advanced heat pipe cooling solution, and given you are planning to OC, I think you should go for the better cooling. That said, the Deluxe versions also have WiFi and if you will not be needing that, then the Gigabyte looks like the better deal. In this Gigabyte P35-DS3R mini-review (which includes mini-reviews of the ASUS boards), the reviewer twice makes a point of Gigabyte's use of "nice solid state capacitors".

As for your RAM question, if budget permits, IMO, you should go for the fastest RAM you can afford. It is generally better to slow down fast RAM than it is to push slower RAM. But more importantly, later on down the road, you won't be limited by the slower RAM should something new come along that entices you to upgrade.

Somebody needs to find a girlfriend.......
Or with all this preaching are you trying to become a priest? Seriously, its ok, the OP just asked a simple question. Maybe you should just PM the person with the info instead of posting it? Just a thought.

I second getting the fastest ram possible. You never know when you might need it.

 

[magoo]

[H] has good reviews of both the Gigabyte and ASUS 35 chipset boards.
Both are good solid choices in my opinion.
I'd get all the fast RAM you can buy. DDR2 is really cheap right now.

As for the warranty thing.......I think anyone here realizes if they step over the line it voids the warranty. But with the prices of C2Ds dropping like bricks, if I burn up two or three this year it isnt some giant monetary loss.

But I mean come on, look at the nvidia 680i overclocking guide..........if we weren't supposed to do it, these guys shouldn't tempt us so much! and its chock full of warranty disclaimers.

 

[walwalka]

I note that you have selected the retail or "boxed" version of the Intel CPU, and that you have elected to use a 3rd party cooler. I also note that you intend to overclock. Be aware your CPU warranty is null and void if the CPU fails and you are using ANY cooler other than Intel's supplied cooler, or if you overclocked the CPU!

It's true!

Intel CPU Warranty Information



So, what that says is you must use their "thermal solution" (the Intel heatsink and fan) and you must operate the CPU within "normal" electrical conditions (that is, normal voltages, no overclocking). The fact the Gigabyte motherboard allows for overclocking is immaterial.

(Note that AMD CPU Warranty Information has similar, and more clearly written, restrictions.)

Also note these restrictions for both AMD and Intel CPUs do not apply to their OEM versions of the same CPUs, as they do not come with heatsink fan assemblies, and only have one year warranties.

My advice is to skip the 3rd party cooler for now. Since Intel warranties their CPU for 3 years using their cooler, they have designed a cooler that does indeed provide excellent cooling, and it is fairly quiet too. These CPUs run cooler than previous CPUs anyway and with a good case, such as the Soprano, you have adequate cooling.

As for overclocking, while not a fan personally (goes against the technician in me), I accept that hobbyists enjoy seeing what their machines can do. But note that overclocking is a hobby, and should not be done to a production machine where critical work will be done, or where the expense of equipment failure (in terms of money and lost productivity) cannot be tolerated.

This guys title is right he noobie, I'm starting to doubt just by the end of the thread that Bill_Bright so called bench is only imaginary. We know about warrenties big deal the are voided everyday plan and simple.

Looks like a great system you got there, I would stay with the DS3 it so far seem to be a better board then the asus P5K. Buddy of mine had the P5K and it just didn't have the features of my dad's DS3. Overclocking utilities aren't as great as the DS3 on the p5k. the Ds3 has all solid capacitors. I would have rather better electricity flow when overclocking then the looks of the P5k.

 

[taylorwilsdon]

Wow, you guys are jerks. Bill was trying to point out that its a waste to buy the Retail version if you're just going to toss the fan and the warranty, and that you could save money (and your warranty) by going OEM.

And you rip him apart for that? You guys are the ones who need to get a life.

 

[Bill_Bright]

@Hagrid - I don't think my wife, 5 kids, or 8 grandkids would appreciate me getting a girlfriend. And of course, the problem with PMs is no one else benefits or is able to participate and contribute, or offer their opinion - the purpose of open forums, after all.

@walwalka - I may be relatively new to this forum, in terms of posts, but I have probably been working IT/IS hardware issues since before you were born - that is, judging from your "mature" post.

If you guys want to ignore warnings - that's your business, and your right. But to assume everyone reading feels the same way you do, and then to attempt to belittle and personally attack those who don't, that just illustrates your character, not mine.

And your attacks are misguided anyway! These warranties are facts, not my opinion as I stated before, and clearly posted by Intel and AMD.

As for how I ended that post, well, what can I say? If you think it is okay to OC a production machine, well then it should be clear who's the professional. Funny how I'm called the noobie, but then as far a contributing anything worthwhile to Moshiach's questions, you guys essentially repeat what I already said!

If Site Admin comes in and tells me not to point out to users the risks of their intended actions, then I will not post that information here, and will provide my services elsewhere.

@ Magoo

I think anyone here realizes if they step over the line it voids the warranty.

But I mean come on, look at the nvidia 680i overclocking guide..........if we weren't supposed to do it, these guys shouldn't tempt us so much! and its chock full of warranty disclaimers.

That's the problem. These companies (mobo and video card, and RAM too) tout the overclocking abilities of their products to entice sales, but then threaten to void warranties if damage occurs due to overclocking. And I also agree that most everyone understands if they "step over the line" they suffer the consequences. The problem I see is these makers obscure the line! Who really reads the warranties? The EULAs? The fine print?
***


@ Moshiach - Sorry for all these unnecessary distractions. I hope now we can keep this thread on track. I notice you did not specify an OS. What are you planning to use? If Vista, I would just caution to ensure your video card maker has working drivers for it already. Sadly, many HW makers are not up to speed yet.

Also, I note your PSU has the following specs: +3.3@20A,+5V@15A,+12V1@14A,+12V2@13A,+12V3@6A,-1 2V@0.5A,+5VSB@3.0A. The BFG version of your video card of choice requires 26A combined on the +12V rails. I think it is safe to assume other versions will have similar requirements. You have 27A on your two primary +12V rails, so technically you have enough. However, I think you should "consider" the following:

• You intend to push your voltages, which increases demands on the PSU,
• You may require additional cooling to compensate for the added heat,
• You only listed a single HD, you may want to add another down the road,
• You did not list any optical devices,
• You might want to upgrade to a high end sound card,
• You may want to add more RAM later on,
  and the biggie
• you may decide you want to double up on your video cards.

If you are certain during the next year or two you will not be doing any of the above, then no problem. But if you are uncertain you will never be upgrading, I don't think you need Thermaltake's new 1200Watt monster, but I do think you will do well to consider something a little beefier. If you like Coolermaster (and they are a good choice) you might want to consider the RS600W, which also has the good efficiency ratings of the iGreen 500W, but does not cost an arm and a leg extra.

I recommend you check out the eXtreme PSU Calculator Lite. Plug in all the hardware you think you might have in 2 or 3 years (extra drives, bigger or 2nd video card, more RAM, etc.). Be sure to read and heed the notes at the bottom. In particular, note 4 if you expect to keep your supply for more than a year. If you participate in distributive computing projects, I recommend setting TDP to 100%. Using your HW and the following:

• 90% TDP,
• 2 HDs,
• 1 DVD-RW drive
• sound card,
• 2 USB devices,
• card reader,
• 2 high performance 120mm fans,
• and 30% aging

I get 501 Watts.

 

[Hagrid]

@Hagrid - I don't think my wife, 5 kids, or 8 grandkids would appreciate me getting a girlfriend. And of course, the problem with PMs is no one else benefits or is able to participate and contribute, or offer their opinion - the purpose of open forums, after all.

@walwalka - I may be relatively new to this forum, in terms of posts, but I have probably been working IT/IS hardware issues since before you were born - that is, judging from your "mature" post.

If you guys want to ignore warnings - that's your business, and your right. But to assume everyone reading feels the same way you do, and then to attempt to belittle and personally attack those who don't, that just illustrates your character, not mine.

And your attacks are misguided anyway! These warranties are facts, not my opinion as I stated before, and clearly posted by Intel and AMD.

As for how I ended that post, well, what can I say? If you think it is okay to OC a production machine, well then it should be clear who's the professional. Funny how I'm called the noobie, but then as far a contributing anything worthwhile to Moshiach's questions, you guys essentially repeat what I already said!

If Site Admin comes in and tells me not to point out to users the risks of their intended actions, then I will not post that information here, and will provide my services elsewhere.

@ MagooThat's the problem. These companies (mobo and video card, and RAM too) tout the overclocking abilities of their products to entice sales, but then threaten to void warranties if damage occurs due to overclocking. And I also agree that most everyone understands if they "step over the line" they suffer the consequences. The problem I see is these makers obscure the line! Who really reads the warranties? The EULAs? The fine print?
***


@ Moshiach - Sorry for all these unnecessary distractions. I hope now we can keep this thread on track. I notice you did not specify an OS. What are you planning to use? If Vista, I would just caution to ensure your video card maker has working drivers for it already. Sadly, many HW makers are not up to speed yet.

Also, I note your PSU has the following specs: +3.3@20A,+5V@15A,+12V1@14A,+12V2@13A,+12V3@6A,-1 2V@0.5A,+5VSB@3.0A. The BFG version of your video card of choice requires 26A combined on the +12V rails. I think it is safe to assume other versions will have similar requirements. You have 27A on your two primary +12V rails, so technically you have enough. However, I think you should "consider" the following:

• You intend to push your voltages, which increases demands on the PSU,
• You may require additional cooling to compensate for the added heat,
• You only listed a single HD, you may want to add another down the road,
• You did not list any optical devices,
• You might want to upgrade to a high end sound card,
• You may want to add more RAM later on,
  and the biggie
• you may decide you want to double up on your video cards.

If you are certain during the next year or two you will not be doing any of the above, then no problem. But if you are uncertain you will never be upgrading, I don't think you need Thermaltake's new 1200Watt monster, but I do think you will do well to consider something a little beefier. If you like Coolermaster (and they are a good choice) you might want to consider the RS600W, which also has the good efficiency ratings of the iGreen 500W, but does not cost an arm and a leg extra.

I recommend you check out the eXtreme PSU Calculator Lite. Plug in all the hardware you think you might have in 2 or 3 years (extra drives, bigger or 2nd video card, more RAM, etc.). Be sure to read and heed the notes at the bottom. In particular, note 4 if you expect to keep your supply for more than a year. If you participate in distributive computing projects, I recommend setting TDP to 100%. Using your HW and the following:

• 90% TDP,
• 2 HDs,
• 1 DVD-RW drive
• sound card,
• 2 USB devices,
• card reader,
• 2 high performance 120mm fans,
• and 30% aging

I get 501 Watts.

The point was that people do know about the warranty but choose to ignore it. Quoting the warranty isnt going to stop people from overclocking. Like I said before, the OP didnt ask about the implications of overclocking.

 

[engiNURD]

The RAM, is it worth getting some 800Mhz instead and trying to push the CPU a bit higher? Or should I just see if it's stable at 9 x 333 with 667Mhz RAM, then adjust the multiplier for anything further?

I don't know if anyone pointed this out or not (sorry, it was a long thread, and my eyes are too tired to read it all, lol)... anyhow, you can not raise the CPU multiplier past the 9x max setting on a Q6600.

So, if you wanted to run higher than 3Ghz, you could either simply OC the ram a bit, or buy DDR2-800 instead. If the price difference to you isn't much, then of course, go for the faster rated speed. However, if that price difference is too high, then you can most likely OC the DDR2-667 ram anyhow by feeding it more voltage and relaxing the timings.

 

[Bill_Bright]

The point was that people do know about the warranty but choose to ignore it.

Oh, I see. You think you speak for everyone. I get it. Well, you don't speak for me!

Quoting the warranty isnt going to stop people from overclocking.

Who said it would? Not me. You don't speak for me! NOTHING I said even remotely suggested people should stop overclocking so DON'T TWIST MY WORDS AROUND!

Like I said before, the OP didnt ask about the implications of overclocking.

No you didn't!

First, you think you know everyone's knowledge base, and what they choose to ignore. Then you attempt to twist my words around and FALSELY implied I tried to stop people from overclocking. And now you can't even tell the truth about your own comments! You're some piece of work!

If you have ANYTHING constructive that DOES pertain to what the OP asked, let's hear it. Or do you just wish to "ramble" on with more feculent blather and continue to keep this thread off course?

I vote to drop the side show, and once again suggest we get this thread back on track and help the OP.
****

you can not raise the CPU multiplier past the 9x max setting on a Q6600

Good point - the multiplier is locked at 9. For kicks, I note with alternative cooling, folks "reportedly" have gone much higher than 3.0MHz. See Q6600 World Record db - I would like to see some CPUz screen shots.

 

[Hagrid]

Oh, I see. You think you speak for everyone. I get it. Well, you don't speak for me!

Who said it would? Not me. You don't speak for me! NOTHING I said even remotely suggested people should stop overclocking so DON'T TWIST MY WORDS AROUND!

No you didn't!

First, you think you know everyone's knowledge base, and what they choose to ignore. Then you attempt to twist my words around and FALSELY implied I tried to stop people from overclocking. And now you can't even tell the truth about your own comments! You're some piece of work!

If you have ANYTHING constructive that DOES pertain to what the OP asked, let's hear it. Or do you just wish to "ramble" on with more feculent blather and continue to keep this thread off course?

I vote to drop the side show, and once again suggest we get this thread back on track and help the OP.
****

Good point - the multiplier is locked at 9. For kicks, I note with alternative cooling, folks "reportedly" have gone much higher than 3.0MHz. See Q6600 World Record db - I would like to see some CPUz screen shots.

Rofl. You sure you are as old as you say. You kinda sound like a teenager...
You are the one that started the off topic post and rambled. My biggest post was but a few sentences.

On topic would be best, and from the very beginning, which somebody didnt......

Helping people with what they ask is what the forums is about right?

 

[Hagrid]

I hope the Q6600 goes down to $266 july 22nd that would be a good time to wait. I would also make sure you get 1.8v ram for the DS3 MB!!! I think people have said its an issue with the p965 chipset? that the 1.9-2.1v ram has a cold boot issue....

 

[engiNURD]

I would also make sure you get 1.8v ram for the DS3 MB!!! I think people have said its an issue with the p965 chipset? that the 1.9-2.1v ram has a cold boot issue....

I believe this issue has been resolved. I'm using Ballistix sticks which are rated at 2.2v and my DS3 booted with them fine on the first try; it allowed me to go into the BIOS, increase the vDIMM, and reboot. Then again, I didnt try running it at anything lower beforehand, lol.

 

[crashthenet44]

Good point - the multiplier is locked at 9. For kicks, I note with alternative cooling, folks "reportedly" have gone much higher than 3.0MHz. See Q6600 World Record db - I would like to see some CPUz screen shots.

Just remember kids that using LN2 or phase is not an Intel approved cooling method. The guys in that link voided their warranty. Someone must not have told them.

 

[Moshiach]

You intend to push your voltages, which increases demands on the PSU
You may require additional cooling to compensate for the added heat

The Coolermaster iGreen 500W has 33A on the combined +12V rails, which is plenty for an 8800GTS and a moderately overclocked Q6600.

You only listed a single HD, you may want to add another down the road

Already have another 320GB HD.

You did not list any optical devices

Already have.

You might want to upgrade to a high end sound card

Don't need.

You may want to add more RAM later on

More than 2 x 1GB at the moment is just unnecessary for a gaming rig.

you may decide you want to double up on your video cards

Didn't think these boards support SLI, plus 6 months away the GeForce 9's are being released, so if I'm spending more on a card in the future it'll probably be a 9800 or whatever they plan to call it. I don't intend to upgrade for a long while though.

I don't know if anyone pointed this out or not (sorry, it was a long thread, and my eyes are too tired to read it all, lol)... anyhow, you can not raise the CPU multiplier past the 9x max setting on a Q6600

I just went to read up on this, I think I might look for some 800Mhz RAM.

I hope the Q6600 goes down to $266 july 22nd that would be a good time to wait. I would also make sure you get 1.8v ram for the DS3 MB!!! I think people have said its an issue with the p965 chipset? that the 1.9-2.1v ram has a cold boot issue....

Hmm, could you expand on this?

 

[silent-circuit]

Hmm, could you expand on this?

Many boards, apparently the 965's in particular -- and I would definitely pay a bit more for a P35 as opposed to a 965 board, as I think I've already said at some point in this thread, due to the fact that 965's will /not/ support newer 45nm CPUs, but the P35's will -- have issues starting with higher voltage rated RAM inserted the very first time. A lot of higher end 'enthusiast' level RAM is rated to run at 2.0+v and the board defaults to 1.85 or 1.80v the first time you start, which is not enough for many of these sticks to work properly, or in some cases, to work at all. Fixes vary from buying a small stick of cheap 1.8v rated DDR2 just to boot and set BIOS up with, to trying to boot the first time with a single stick of your higher rated RAM in the fourth slot and just hoping. It seems to be something of a crap shoot. I was lucky in that my own RAM is 2.1v rated, but it runs fine at my 680i board's 1.85v default, at least well enough to get to the BIOS. Others have not been so lucky, regularly.

 

[Hagrid]

Many boards, apparently the 965's in particular -- and I would definitely pay a bit more for a P35 as opposed to a 965 board, as I think I've already said at some point in this thread, due to the fact that 965's will /not/ support newer 45nm CPUs, but the P35's will -- have issues starting with higher voltage rated RAM inserted the very first time. A lot of higher end 'enthusiast' level RAM is rated to run at 2.0+v and the board defaults to 1.85 or 1.80v the first time you start, which is not enough for many of these sticks to work properly, or in some cases, to work at all. Fixes vary from buying a small stick of cheap 1.8v rated DDR2 just to boot and set BIOS up with, to trying to boot the first time with a single stick of your higher rated RAM in the fourth slot and just hoping. It seems to be something of a crap shoot. I was lucky in that my own RAM is 2.1v rated, but it runs fine at my 680i board's 1.85v default, at least well enough to get to the BIOS. Others have not been so lucky, regularly.

Yeah, my gskill booted up but i didnt know about this problem until i had to do some research to find why my system kept restarting. hehehe. Silly problem...

i will just stick the 2gb's i have in one of my kids new comps and buy me another 1.8v set..

I was gonna buy one of the p35 boards but i figure a quad core stock much less overclocked is plenty for me.

 

[silent-circuit]

Yeah, my gskill booted up but i didnt know about this problem until i had to do some research to find why my system kept restarting. hehehe. Silly problem...

i will just stick the 2gb's i have in one of my kids new comps and buy me another 1.8v set..

I was gonna buy one of the p35 boards but i figure a quad core stock much less overclocked is plenty for me.

...why get rid of your RAM? Just set the voltage higher in BIOS, and no more problem.

 

[silent-circuit]

Good point - the multiplier is locked at 9. For kicks, I note with alternative cooling, folks "reportedly" have gone much higher than 3.0MHz. See Q6600 World Record db - I would like to see some CPUz screen shots.

GHz, not MHz. Many, many people have hit and run 3.0GHz constantly with that CPU, it's not like a fabled thing. (and sorry to sound pedantic -- it was just driving me nuts)

 

[StealthyFish]

I note that you have selected the retail or "boxed" version of the Intel CPU, and that you have elected to use a 3rd party cooler. I also note that you intend to overclock. Be aware your CPU warranty is null and void if the CPU fails and you are using ANY cooler other than Intel's supplied cooler, or if you overclocked the CPU!

It's true!

Intel CPU Warranty Information



So, what that says is you must use their "thermal solution" (the Intel heatsink and fan) and you must operate the CPU within "normal" electrical conditions (that is, normal voltages, no overclocking). The fact the Gigabyte motherboard allows for overclocking is immaterial.

(Note that AMD CPU Warranty Information has similar, and more clearly written, restrictions.)

Also note these restrictions for both AMD and Intel CPUs do not apply to their OEM versions of the same CPUs, as they do not come with heatsink fan assemblies, and only have one year warranties.

My advice is to skip the 3rd party cooler for now. Since Intel warranties their CPU for 3 years using their cooler, they have designed a cooler that does indeed provide excellent cooling, and it is fairly quiet too. These CPUs run cooler than previous CPUs anyway and with a good case, such as the Soprano, you have adequate cooling.

As for overclocking, while not a fan personally (goes against the technician in me), I accept that hobbyists enjoy seeing what their machines can do. But note that overclocking is a hobby, and should not be done to a production machine where critical work will be done, or where the expense of equipment failure (in terms of money and lost productivity) cannot be tolerated.

are you an asshole or what? A Q6600 will be guaranteed to be a heater. If you're telling him to use a stock cooler, I'd recommend you get a 3.2E Prescott and tape the S478 stock heatsink to the motherboard. Tell me how it runs. It's pretty much what you're asking him to do. I'd melt the tape to your fans and your computer would only stay on long enough to see the boot screen before lock up and an attempted re-post with temperatures of around 80-120C. Don't post if you're gonna be an asshat about overclocking. You may call us idiots, just don't bother typing it out cause no one wants to hear it.

Just to tell you, I've pushed 1.7V into this Pentium D 950ES I've got before. It still runs strong after a year @ a constant 1.45 - 1.5V and around 4.7 Ghz with an aftermarket heatsink. I've even lapped the processor with sandpaper. It's not dead and has never been screwy with me.

Anyway, on the brighter side, your CPU won't die immediately when you overclock it and a third market heatsink will CERTAINLY not hurt your processor. This guy's just a douche. I think the DS3 might have some issues handling the power regs for the Q6600 though. You might want to look into a higher end motherboard or maybe 975X for higher quality? AW9D-Max, Intel 975XBX2, and MSi 975X Platinum Power Up all come to mind. The MSI motherboard seems to have gotten pretty cheap, atleast in the states.

 

[Bill_Bright]

You guys win. You killed the asshole messenger. I'm unsubscribed and out of here.

 

[LstBrunnenG]

Looks like a good system, a few pieces of advice though.

First is just personal preference, if you're buying the case, don't. Get an Antec Sonata II instead. I hate Tt. Plus the Sonata comes with a good PSU - maybe not beefy enough to run the kind of video card you're looking at, but a good PSU in its own right.

Second is, as others have said, you may want to spring for the 800 MHz RAM. Paying a little more for the extra headroom is almost always a good decision. You don't want to get your Q6600 to 3.2 GHz, only to hamstring your system by running the RAM at less than stock so it's stable.

As for an OS, don't believe all the negative hype about Vista, but don't ignore it either. I'm fortunate that my video drivers give me great performance in my games, equal to or greater than XP. With an 8-series card though, that might not be the case. Do research, and be sure to pay attention to what driver version is being used by the person whose report you're reading.

 

[SippieCup]

my gtx gets only about 10 fps less than in xp in most games.

it seems like a big difference, but it isnt when you are running consistence 120-130 FPS

 

[Irishllama]

What the shit? Why would you flame bill? Be it he is new or not he was trying to help.

Congrats on winning the e-peen asshole award.


On topic: I do suggest a beefier PSU

 

[silent-circuit]

Looks like a good system, a few pieces of advice though.

First is just personal preference, if you're buying the case, don't. Get an Antec Sonata II instead. I hate Tt. Plus the Sonata comes with a good PSU - maybe not beefy enough to run the kind of video card you're looking at, but a good PSU in its own right.

Second is, as others have said, you may want to spring for the 800 MHz RAM. Paying a little more for the extra headroom is almost always a good decision. You don't want to get your Q6600 to 3.2 GHz, only to hamstring your system by running the RAM at less than stock so it's stable.

As for an OS, don't believe all the negative hype about Vista, but don't ignore it either. I'm fortunate that my video drivers give me great performance in my games, equal to or greater than XP. With an 8-series card though, that might not be the case. Do research, and be sure to pay attention to what driver version is being used by the person whose report you're reading.

Other points are solid, but I don't agree with the case recommendation at all. The PSU that comes with the Sonata II is insufficient, plus they're tiny and not all that pleasant to work in (I had a Sonata I, it's about the same case, so I'm not jut making stuff up here). I also trust Antec PSUs about half as far as I can throw them, based on previous experience (again, I have owned several from a 250 watt model to a 550 watt model) so steer clear of those as well.

Before the cries of "Blanket statement!" rise up, I'll add: some Antecs are fine. Some aren't. It's kind of like Thermaltake PSUs: the Toughpower line is good, most others are not so good. But I don't know the 'rule' for Antecs, and don't care enough to find out. The guys can make cases, and they really should stick to cases. I've had /numerous/ Antec products over the course of numerous years, and I've been disappointed by just about everything, save the cases. And yes, I love my P180B.