Building a computer and could use some help.

thfc1799

New Member
I'm going to be using this comp mainly for gaming, what do you think of these components:


Hard drive:
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive - $64.99

GPU:
EVGA 01G-P3-1180-AR GeForce GTX 285 1GB 512-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - $329.99

Sound card: HT OMEGA STRIKER 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Card - $89.99

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 2.33GHz LGA 775 95W Quad-core processor - see mother board

Mother Board: EVGA 132-CK-NF78-TR ATX Intel Motherboard - Combo with CPU $329.99

Power supply: APEVIA ATX-AS680W-BL 680W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready Power Supply - $79.99

Add-on card:
Rosewill 4+1 VIA USB 2.0 PCI Adapter Model RC-103 - $9.99

RAM:
2X (8G total) CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X4096-6400C5 - (2x $52.99) $105.98

Cooling: ZALMAN 9500A 92mm 2 Ball CPU Cooler - $44.98

I haven't decided on a case, and I already have a monitor, keyboard and mouse. Also, if anyone knows any components that would be better while saving cash, please chime in.
 
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If your going with a decdicated sound card, so with something such as an xfi like this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102006

For power supply, go with a corsair 650W such as this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005&Tpk=650TX

For a cpu cooler go with the xigmatek S1283V Dark Knight, better cooler than the 9500:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233029

By the way... you probably dont need a 4 port usb pci card unless you have a ton of usb devices. There are 6 usb ports on the motherboard, and then a further 4 more via a rear i/o slot panel that comes with the motherboard and attaches to the usb headers, for a total of 10 usb ports.

As far as memory goes, this is 1066mhz and similarly priced after rebate:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227419

Also.. Not sure what kinda budget your looking at, but this cpu has a higher multi and would overclock a bit better than the Q8200(also a combo deal, but with the better edition 780i vs reference 780i):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.189813

What kinda budget are you looking at and maybe we could refine the list a little more?
 
Alright, lets see what we can do with $1200:

Case, just using as a placetaker since you arent sure on a case,although it is a nice case and has free shipping: ($74.99 Free Shipping, $20 Rebate)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811156189

Cpu+Mobo Combo, Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400+Evga 780i FTW: ($367.98, $30 MIR)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.189813

2x Memory, OCZ Blade Series DDR2 1066Mhz ($65.99, $15 rebate, 2x= $131.98)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227419

Power Supply, Corsair 650TX:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005

Heatsink, Xigmatek S1283V Dark Knight: ($39.99 Free Shipping)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233029

Sound Card, Creative Sound Blaster Xfi Xtreme Gamer: ($89.99 Free Shipping)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102006

Hard Drive, Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 32mb Cache: ($104.99 Free Shipping)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136284

GPU, EVGA GTX 275 1792MB, this will perform almost as well as a GTX285, and is a little cheaper than the GTX285 1gb. Also, if playing at a higher res such as 1920x1200 this card will perform slightly better than a GTX285 1gb, as it has almost double the memory: ($309.99)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130476

Grand Total with shipping before rebates: $1,176.64
Grand Total with shipping after rebates: $1,091.64
 
why not get a set of 1066 ram that doesnt need the mir. there are a few sets of g-skill for 45.99 and a few other brands as well. also 4 gigs is enough ram unless he's doing tons of photoshop at once. since he got a twi sli board he should probably get a bigger psu like 750-850 so cut back a little on the gpu/sound card and get a better psu.
 
why not get a set of 1066 ram that doesnt need the mir. there are a few sets of g-skill for 45.99 and a few other brands as well. also 4 gigs is enough ram unless he's doing tons of photoshop at once. since he got a twi sli board he should probably get a bigger psu like 750-850 so cut back a little on the gpu/sound card and get a better psu.

Ram:

If you end up going with 1066mhz, double-check to make sure that the
motherboard can run 4 sticks of ram at 1066mhz.

I bought 1066mhz ram, and now it is running at 800mhz, because the
motherboard won't run more than 1 stick at 1066mhz. So I could have
bought the cheaper 800mhz and saved $45.


Cooling:


If the CPU is not labeled OEM, it already includes a heatsink and fan. So
unless you will be doing overclocking, you won't need to purchase another
cooler for CPU.
 
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I'm going to be using this comp mainly for gaming, what do you think of these components:


Hard drive:
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive - $64.99

GPU:
EVGA 01G-P3-1180-AR GeForce GTX 285 1GB 512-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - $329.99

Sound card: HT OMEGA STRIKER 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Card - $89.99

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 2.33GHz LGA 775 95W Quad-core processor - see mother board

Mother Board: EVGA 132-CK-NF78-TR ATX Intel Motherboard - Combo with CPU $329.99

Power supply: APEVIA ATX-AS680W-BL 680W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready Power Supply - $79.99

Add-on card:
Rosewill 4+1 VIA USB 2.0 PCI Adapter Model RC-103 - $9.99

RAM:
2X (8G total) CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X4096-6400C5 - (2x $52.99) $105.98

Cooling: ZALMAN 9500A 92mm 2 Ball CPU Cooler - $44.98

I haven't decided on a case, and I already have a monitor, keyboard and mouse. Also, if anyone knows any components that would be better while saving cash, please chime in.

everything looks good, but for that price get a good brand power supply like this ocz one here:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341010
 
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