yet another new build (i7?)

L

Lakedaimon

Weaksauce
Joined
Jan 6, 2005
Messages
86
Its finally time to replace my A64 3000 machine

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
3) Where do you live?
4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. Please be very specific.
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
6) Will you be overclocking?
7) What size monitor do you have or plan to have?
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? etc.

And my answers:
1) Gaming - MMOs and FPS - dont care about running Far Cry 2 on fancy settings
2) Id say I could spend $2k total
3) Detroit
4) Have a 21" monitor I think (1600x1200) will need everything that goes in the case
5) NA
6) I will stumble my way through basic overclocks, whatever I can safely get on air
7) 21" now but perhaps I could upgrade to a mid 20s now or even a 30 in the future
8) anytime but not in a huge rush
9) Id kinda like to go with i7, but thats not set in stone. would prefer to go with a 1 vid card solution like a 280 or thereabouts. Obviously that shouldnt be a problem with my monitor. At least 6gigs memory if i7

Im willing to wait a bit if prices are going to fall that much that fast. Im curious to see if Black Friday or this weekend will have any great deals, so you can withhold judgment until then if you like. I kinda dig that Blackline case, so im thinking maybe red fans to go with it (tossing whatever fans/psu comes with it). Not sure what heatsinks will fit. Last machine was silver w/blue lighting so I want to go in a different direction. Im willing to pay a little more for quality parts as long as im not getting totally soaked.

Much appreciation in advance everyone
 
Ideally, when do you want to build your new system?

When "in the future" were you planning on getting your new monitor?

Which games are you playing now? Which games do you want to play on your new system?

Why do you prefer the Core i7?

Which company makes "that Blackline case"?
 
I could start building it now or id be willing to wait till january or so if prices on the new architecture and mobos and ddr3 are going to drop significantly. If were only talking like 5-10% then i might as well build now.

Im playing EVE and a bit of Warhammer right now. Would like to play Fallout 3 and Left 4 Dead, maybe the new CoD

My roommate just bought a 30" and its beautiful but im planning on buying a new car soon too so I think ill wait on another big ticket purchase like that. perhaps mid to late 09. Accordingly id like to pick up a 280 or other robust single card solution so I could in theory use such a monitor without having to further upgrade. But if thats being stupid by all means just tell me.

the case is a NZXT: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146038

Im not opposed to getting a 6600 or other quadcore processor, but I think i7 sounds like a solid new architecture. I realize right now its not exactly a big upgrade for gaming but if games start to get improved multicore support I think it may widen that delta a bit.
 
While Core i7 is better, Core 2 is still going to be a viable platform over the next 6-12 months as we wait for the cheaper, more mainstream Core i7-based components to arrive (the ETA is somewhere between Q2 and Q3 of next year). A good Core 2 setup would cost you around $1000-$1500 and would last you just as long as a Core i7 build. Hell, most games don't use all of the "advanced" features the Yorkfield quad cores (Q9-series) support.

The video card is the fastest depreciating component in your entire system -- we will see an different high-end setup in about 8-12 months from now. I suggest getting a video card that can support your needs now, and get the more expensive high-end card at around the same time you decide to buy the newer, larger monitor. In other words, you don't need the GTX 280 -- the GTX 260 would suit your (current and immediate future) needs just fine.

Out of curiosity, have you figured out what you want your build to look like?
 
ok this is possibly what I could go with:

i7 920 // Mobo // 6 gigs 1333 ram // standard HD (600-750g) // gt260or equivalent // 620w or so PSU // optical drive // Vista 64 // quality heatsink // nzxt blackline case // aftermarket fans // antec silver // retention bracket? I think that should be everything

if thats what you mean by what it will look like.

Ive never actually assembled my own machine before but my roommate and I managed to cobble together his new 6600 build a couple months ago and we actually got everything to work
 
Have you gone to NewEgg -- or your other "favorite" retailer -- and tried to piece together a wish list? How much do you think your proposed build would cost you?

Will the priority of this build be on maximum performance (for your $2000 budget) or the best bang for the buck (and the less money spent the better)?
 
Ill try to put a rough build together tonight after I get home from turkeytime.

Im not really looking for max performance - no extreme edition processors or 1600 speed ram or velociraptors or anything for this build. but at the same time im willing to spend a bit more than just the best bang for my buck. I realize that isnt much of an answer.

Another reason I like i7 is that a lot of MMOs like EVE and Warhammer tend to have somewhat wonky code that forces the CPU to do a lot of work that a GPU should be doing, and does do in your average FPS game. So im willing to spend more to get a nehalem for that reason.
 
tried to do the public wish list thing on newegg, but it isnt displaying any builds from today yet. so ill just do this the hard way I suppose

i7 920 cpu http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202 $300
650w PSU http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005 $100
Mobo http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130216 $221
gt260 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130372 $235
case http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146038 $105
HDD http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218 $70
mem x3 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231150 $165
opti http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151173 $28

thats like $1220 not bad. Im probably forgetting a few things, and as I mentioned im not really sure what heatsink to go with (xigmatek?) or if ill need a bracket. Also fans. The case uses 3 120mm and an 80mm. Dont mind paying extra for good quiet ones. I could go with red LED ones but if they arent going to be as good how about good non-LED fans and maybe ill just toss a cathode kit in there if that isnt too difficult to do. And some antec silver. So id like your recommendation on heatsink and fans

Again if any of these items arent that great please offer me some alternatives. I dont really know much about the PSU or Mobo or Memory to be honest my choices on some of those was just about random.

oh yeah any recommendations on a copy of vista 64 to get? oem system builders version will work fine for me right?
 
Please list the names of the parts as well... others are a bit lazier than I am at viewing links.

The only change I would suggest is that you take advantage of the motherboard's tri-channel memory support by getting either a 3x1GB set or a 3x2GB set instead of three 2x1GB kits. (That said, I do find it a bit silly that three 2x1GB kits are cheaper than one 3x2GB kit.)

CPU coolers have been hit-or-miss lately. Several people who've posted Core i7/X58 builds here have had problems finding the proper brackets for their CPU coolers.

I prefer good sleeve-bearing case fans like the Yate Loon D12SL/M-12 or the Scythe Slipstream series. That said, there are a variety of fans that have similar specs as those two. (I just can't think of any that I would recommend.)

Antec silver? Do you mean Arctic Silver? If so, get some Arctic Cooling MX-2 instead (no curing time, unlike the AS5).

I've got your Vista recommendation right here.
 
Uh, contrary to popular belief, Vista works just fine with 2-3GB of RAM.

Maybe you would be better off with one 3x1GB kit for now.
 
Well alright I surpressed by inner miser long enough to pull the trigger on ordering. Made some tweaks to the build, went with an 216sp gt260 instead of a 192. Had to order (and pay way too much for) a heatsink from another site, so all told it was around $1500. My roommate spent nearly as much on his q6600 build just a couple months ago so im alright with that.

So thank you tiriades for putting up with my sillyness and making some good recommendations. Just need to burn some incense and pray to the RMA gods that everything works the first time around.
 
Don't jinx yourself and use too much incense... your blurred vision and coughing from the smoke could cause you to break off a CPU pin. :p
 
enginurd said:
I'd suggest a BMW, with 0% financing... if you drive aggressively. :D

http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Content/FinancialServices/FinancingOffer/Default.aspx

If you need something cheaper, then the Mazda 3 is a great deal, too.
Click to expand...

All signs right now are pointing to one of the 2010 Mustangs, which come out this spring. Talked to a dealer on Friday and even though its still 2008 you cant even order a 2009 model anymore. Not exactly a great car but they are fairly inexpensive, look decent enough and are actually still assembled in this country (and locally to me even). And I get an employee discount through my father. Getting off topic a bit but I think its funny that even thought the plant is across the street from the dealership they still truck them all the way to Ohio and back first and ding you with an $800 destination charge.

I do think the Mazda 3s are pretty sharp though
 
Ahh well, its hard to beat an employee discount. Post pics of your new car and rig! ;)
 
Have you looked at the reviews on the MSI X58 Platinum ? , worries me.

P6T perhaps.
 
ahh dont say that now I already ordered it!

seems like the biggest complaint is the ambiguity of SLI capability (and certainly thats a legitimate complaint!). But I dont really plan on sticking a second gpu in there.
 
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