Recommendations for new Desktop

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tehblue

Limp Gawd
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Jan 1, 2007
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I have a few home systems; basic desktop, file server, etc.. but I've mostly used laptops for the past 8-9years. From work to gaming my laptops have 'tried' to do what they can.

Since I'll be spending more time at home and would like to do more I want to build a really great machine. I have a few requirements and would like to hear what you can recommend.

Budget: $2000 (Add recommendations on parts up to $2500 if worth it)

Requirements: Play Crysis, HL2, on medium to high settings with 50+ fps
Run VMWare servers for testing, possibly 2-3 servers at a time.

What I have:
Stacker 832 Black
6 Dell 19" UltraSharp LCDs
Matrox TripleHead2Go (Would ideally want this to connect via SLI and output to 3 LCDs for surround gaming)


Thanks!
 
Step 1: Read some of the stickies and general building guides so you have an idea on where to start.

Step 2: Come up with a preliminary build list.

Step 3: Post this list here so we have something to base advice on.

Thanks :)
 
Yeah one recommendation: Follow Markyip1's steps.
 
I'm not new to building PCs. I'm usually contracted for Trader workstations and servers. I build those on the high end side where money is not really an issue. I don't however just throw together the most expensive parts claiming its a great system. I save my clients money where I can and save myself some time. Hence my request for a gaming rig recommendation within my budget.

With that said here is what I would consider running.

Case: Stacker 832 Black (Already have and would like to use though there are probably some issues with fitting 3 nvidia cards in for SLI)

MB: Awaiting NForce 790i, possibly the ASUS Striker II Extreme, ideally an EVGA offering.

CPU: Undecided

HeatSink: ?

RAM: Can't imagine paying for DDR3 considering current price of DDR2 and dismal performance.(?) Would consider waiting on DDR3 price to come down.

PS: BS Tagan ITZ Series ITZ800-V2 ATX12V / EPS12V 800W Power Supply - $166

HD: 4 x Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3500320AS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA-300 Hard Drive in RAID10 - $476

Video: Another dilema, I would like to go with the best (9800GX2) but out of my budget for the triple SLI. So, 9800GT - 3 x $300 - $900 (Ideally I want enough GPU to push through the Matrox TripleHead2Go unit to 3 LCDs.)

Sound: Not really interested in audiophile quality.

CD/DVD: I have a few drives I could slap in. Not necessary.

Cooling: Usually been comfortable with FAN cooling though most systems I've built are kept in well ventilated and cool areas. Never had the need for anything more. I would consider water cooling if the price is right and performance gain is noticeable. (Considering a portable AC for my data cabinet (7ft full enclosed network rack) and can split the output to next to this PC)

Advice, questions, all are welcomed. Thanks!
 
First and foremost, 790i boards will use DDR3 exclusively. Even if the chipset proves to be better and/or more reliable than past Intel nForce chipsets, the use of DDR3 will significantly limit the board's appeal, especially considering that Nehelem is due out by the end of the year (and Nehelem will require an entirely new motherboard design.)

Buying the best of the best video card setup is often a foolish waste of money. What monitor resolution do you plan game at? An answer to that question is the key to figuring out which graphics card solution will serve you best.

Just some info on SLI / Crossfire: It's absolutely not worth considering if a) you're gaming at a resolution under 1920x1200 (as you'll see no performance benefit over a single card,) and b) if you plan to buy one card now and another later. SLI / Crossfire as an upgrade path is usually a very poor idea, as by the time you're ready to get that second card, a new single card solution will likely be available that will outperform two of your older cards in tandem. Furthermore, there really is no cost benefit to the SLI Upgrade Route, as any additional cost in getting the new card can be easily mitigated in most situations by selling the original. By avoiding an SLI / Crossfire solution when it will not be of benefit, you gain a cooler running, simpler to maintain system and more importantly, access to a much better (and broader) selection of motherboards.

On that last point, there is absolutely no reason to consider an nForce chipset unless you are going to go SLI (hence you have a monitor res of 1920x1200+ and can buy two or three cards now.) If that's not the case, the best motherboards to consider use the Intel P35 chipset. Of these, the ASUS P5K series, the Gigabyte DS3/DS4 series, the Abit IP35 pro, and the DFI LP 35 are the most popular and well respected options.
 
Many things to consider.

Markyip1, your response to the DDR3 issue is noted as it was my concern as well. I will have to go over the prices to see if a box with one of the recommended MB will be worth it compared to waiting for Nehalem. I don't wish to spend money now if Nehalem will be that much better. Then there is the obvious issue of how long will DDR3 sour the market?

I am definitely interested in running SLI with at least 2 cards to start with. As in my previous post I wish to have this setup to provide enough power to my Matrox TripleHead2Go GXM Module for 3 LCDs @ 1280x1024 (3840x1024). From this review, the SLI setup performed much better over its lesser counterparts at the recommended resolution.

Right now I game occasionally on an XPS M1710 but I've yet to try it with the Matrox GXM module. Looks like I'll have something to do this weekend!
 
I'm quite curious about these results, since SLI does not support multi monitor setups. Unless the Matrox offers some proprietary way around this, which it might, gaming with SLI enabled will be limited to one monitor at an 1280x1024 resolution.

If that's the case, all you need is a single 8800 GT 512. Anything else is going to be overkill for that resolution and will provide no added performance benefit.
 
Markyip1 said:
I'm quite curious about these results, since SLI does not support multi monitor setups. Unless the Matrox offers some proprietary way around this, which it might, gaming with SLI enabled will be limited to one monitor at an 1280x1024 resolution.
Click to expand...

Matrox does indeed provide an external solution to multi-monitor gaming through SLI. It is their GXM Solutuion aptly named TripleHead2Go/DualHead2Go. Checkout Hard's review of it and the great results. http://hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTM5Myw3LCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA== . There are also a few people currently using it via SLI. Check out the related post. http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1225164

Markyip1 said:
If that's the case, all you need is a single 8800 GT 512. Anything else is going to be overkill for that resolution and will provide no added performance benefit.
Click to expand...

After reading the Matrox TripleHead2Go review you will understand my want for the SLI setup with at least the 8800GTX.
 
In that case, you would do best by waiting at least until the 9800GX2 is released in the middle of March. Both the GTX and Ultra are old, outdated cards and a single GX2 should provide a considerable upgrade over an Ultra. In fact, depending upon how well the card actually does in games, you may find that a single GX2 is all you need. This would allow you to avoid an nForce board, which is strongly preferable.
 
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