How does this sound?

[The Chad]

Hey guys, just put together this build and wanted to run it by your opinions first. It's hard to give you a budget since I work in Rands, incase any of you know what that is its R19 275 in total, (2471,15$).

Please tell me what you guys think, everything compatabile, other options etc! Unfortunately I can't go any higher with the budget.

CPU: Intel i7 920
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master V8
Motherboard: Intel SmackOver DX58SO OEM
Chassis: Coolermaster HAF 932
Harddrive: Seagate Barracude 320Gb
GPU: ATI Radeon HD 4890 1Gb DDR5 (Vapor-X Edition)
RAM: Corsair XMS3 DDR3 1600 2GB
PSU: Corsair TX750
OS: Windows Vista Ultimate 64-Bit
Mouse: Logitech G9
Keyboard: Logitech G15
Monitor: Samsung T220

Thanks your guys' input

 

[Dystopia]

All looks great to me, but go for 4gb RAM! I know you can't go higher in your budget, but maybe you can spend less on other stuff, such as the case, hard drive, etc.

 

[drdallon]

All looks great to me, but go for 4gb RAM! I know you can't go higher in your budget, but maybe you can spend less on other stuff, such as the case, hard drive, etc.

Agreed, 2gb of RAM will bottle neck your system. To save money you could look into getting a GTX 260, that will save you about 25$ to spend on RAM. Plus the 260GTX OC's very well, i know from experience

 

[The Chad]

I thought the RAM would be an issue. I could push for 4Gb of RAM. Won't it be ok if I stick with 2 now and in a month or two after purchase put in more?

For the optical drives I'll just be taking out of this computer now. Is everything compatabile? Like, is it all 64-bit capable and everything?

The motherboard only has 4 RAM slots, making the max amount of RAM 8Gb. Should I rather go with an Asus P6T mobo? Such as the Asus P6T SE.

 

[daisymtc]

RAM - X58 Mobo running Triple channel. Get 3 x 1GB.

Mobo - intel is not good for overclocking. Get Gigabyte or Asus if you can. If you after cheap mobo, Asrock/ MSI/ Foxconn provide good value for money.

Case - Coolermaster HAF 932 is quite expensive, I personally would off to cheaper case like Antec 300 or Coolermaster CM690. Use the money to get ati 5850

OS - Don't get Vista Ultimate. Get Windows 7 Pro/ Ultimate 64bit OEM. It should be out on 22/10/2009

 

[The Chad]

RAM - X58 Mobo running Triple channel. Get 3 x 1GB.

Mobo - intel is not good for overclocking. Get Gigabyte or Asus if you can. If you after cheap mobo, Asrock/ MSI/ Foxconn provide good value for money.

Case - Coolermaster HAF 932 is quite expensive, I personally would off to cheaper case like Antec 300 or Coolermaster CM690. Use the money to get ati 5850

OS - Don't get Vista Ultimate. Get Windows 7 Pro/ Ultimate 64bit OEM. It should be out on 22/10/2009

I've managed to change the mobo and RAM without too much of a increase in price,

The motherboard I'll go with will be an Asus P6T SE, it has 6 RAM slots so more upgrading and its Asus as you said. The RAM is now Corsair XMS3 6GB (3 x 2GB) DDR3 1600. That in my opinion is much better, what about yours?

The HAF 932 I'm getting on special, so it's really cheap. And I've always sorta had a liking to this case. Just one question though, where do I plug in all the fans?

I don't want to get Windows 7 just yet because hardly any games will work with it. At least with Vista I know the games will work..

 

[drdallon]

I don't want to get Windows 7 just yet because hardly any games will work with it. At least with Vista I know the games will work..

I have W7 Enterprise(Windows released it for testers), and it runs any game Vista can. Windows 7 in its core is Vista, they just made some minor(or major depending on how you look at it) improvements, and fixed some old bugs(IE with wireless-g vista would get lag spikes, 7 does not). But if you look at Vista-64 Ultimate It comes with a free W7 upgrade.

 

[The Chad]

I have W7 Enterprise(Windows released it for testers), and it runs any game Vista can. Windows 7 in its core is Vista, they just made some minor(or major depending on how you look at it) improvements, and fixed some old bugs(IE with wireless-g vista would get lag spikes, 7 does not). But if you look at Vista-64 Ultimate It comes with a free W7 upgrade.

The version I've chosen of Vista Ultimate comes with an upgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate. By the time I'll be buying Win7 will be out, so I'll probably go straight to Win7. Thanks for the tip

Got any more answers to my above questions?

 

[drdallon]

I was under the impression that all the i7 system mobos used DDR3 ram. Make sure the CPU and the MoBos pins match. in which case you should look into getting 3x1gb or 3x2gb Sticks of RAM.

PS:3gb will be enough to run most games on decent settings, but you will want to get 6gb sooner or later. Also correct me if im wrong about any of this I cannot find your MoBo btw or i would check.

*correcting my self: "I was under the impression that all the i7 system mobos used DDR3 ram", and DDR3 only came in X3 packs(IE 3x1gb=3gb or 3x2gb=6gb).

 

[The Chad]

Your correct in say i7 systems use DDR3 RAM. I can find DDR3 ram in two sticks (2 x 1GB)? Although you may have a point.

I've changed the ram to 3 x 2GB now, much better than the two I had planned. I've also changed the MoBo to the Asus P6T SE, it has better features and only slightly more.

The HAF 932 I'm getting on special, so it's really cheap. And I've always sorta had a liking to this case. Just one question though, where do I plug in all the fans?

 

[Damorian]

Looks like a good build, but I agree with what some of the other posters suggested. You should probably go with triple-channel RAM. Windows 7 does come out tomorrow, I'd get that instead of Vista (the RC is awesome, so I'm assuming the release will be better). I can vouch for that graphics card. I overclocked it a bit and can run Crysis full settings at 1080. However, it runs very hot (60+ degress load, 50+ idle) since the default fan speed is 20%, I crank mine to 100% but it's loud, not that it matters though, I'd rather keep it cool. I'm not sure if you can use ATI overdrive though in an Intel build. I personally got the Phenom II 955 and O.C.'d to 3.5ghz (not too crazy). Just my 2 cents.

 

[The Chad]

Looks like a good build, but I agree with what some of the other posters suggested. You should probably go with triple-channel RAM. Windows 7 does come out tomorrow, I'd get that instead of Vista (the RC is awesome, so I'm assuming the release will be better). I can vouch for that graphics card. I overclocked it a bit and can run Crysis full settings at 1080. However, it runs very hot (60+ degress load, 50+ idle) since the default fan speed is 20%, I crank mine to 100% but it's loud, not that it matters though, I'd rather keep it cool. I'm not sure if you can use ATI overdrive though in an Intel build. I personally got the Phenom II 955 and O.C.'d to 3.5ghz (not too crazy). Just my 2 cents.

The XMS 3 RAM is triple channel? If I'm not mistaken, which I might be. I'm looking around to check if its triple channel though just to make sure.

If I change to an AMD build it means changing my MoBo, Ram and things. I've always been a Intel man but thanks for the suggestion

I'm going with the 4890 because its in budget just fine and in the future all I have to do is add another one for more power. The chassis I'm getting has great cooling so the card should run fine, or I will up the fan speed too.

I'm worried about the RAM now if it's triple channel or not, I'll carry on looking

 

[Bodaggit23]

Socket 1366 boards with the X58 chipset run Triple Channel DDR3 memory. The memory slots need to be filled evenly in sets of 3 sticks.

Socket 1156 boards with the P55 chipset run Dual Channel DDR3 memory.
The memory slots need to be filled evenly in sets of 2 sticks.

AM3 motherboards also run Dual Channel DDR3 memory which needs to be filled evenly in sets of 2 sticks.

DDR3 is not "Triple Channel" memory, it's Dual Data Rate 3.
DDR2 is not "Dual Channel" memory, it's Dual Data Rate 2.

The motherboard and chipset on the board determine whether the memory will be run in Dual or Triple Channel.

Currently, the socket 1366 X58 motherboards are the only boards that run Triple Channel memory, or sets of 3 sticks.

Hope this helps.

 

[The Chad]

Socket 1366 boards with the X58 chipset run Triple Channel DDR3 memory. The memory slots need to be filled evenly in sets of 3 sticks.

Socket 1156 boards with the P55 chipset run Dual Channel DDR3 memory.
The memory slots need to be filled evenly in sets of 2 sticks.

AM3 motherboards also run Dual Channel DDR3 memory which needs to be filled evenly in sets of 2 sticks.

DDR3 is not "Triple Channel" memory, it's Dual Data Rate 3.
DDR2 is not "Dual Channel" memory, it's Dual Data Rate 2.

The motherboard and chipset on the board determine whether the memory will be run in Dual or Triple Channel.

Currently, the socket 1366 X58 motherboards are the only boards that run Triple Channel memory, or sets of 3 sticks.

Hope this helps.

That was very helpful, thank you! The RAM is 6Gb (3 x 2gb). So it's three sticks and then should work in triple channel mode if I'm not mistaken.

To place the sticks in then, would I have to put in slots 1, 3 and 5 or slots 2, 4 and 6?

 

[Damorian]

To place the sticks in then, would I have to put in slots 1, 3 and 5 or slots 2, 4 and 6?

The motherboard manual will tell you that. But in my experience it's always been 1,3 but I don't think it really matters as long as you don't mix the channels (like going 1,2 if you're supposed to go 1,3). Correct me if I'm wrong though.