Need help with gaming rig!

[kevlee89]

Helloooo, I am new here, and need assistance! Sorry for yet again one of these posts, but I'm really a newbie at all this. Although I've been reading up a bit, I'm still very uncertain on many things.

I'd like to assemble a solid computer mainly for gaming use (mostly more intensive games, like the latest MMOs and such). Price is somewhat of an issue, and I would like to keep it down as low as possible, although atm I do not have a pinpoint number.

In any case, it seems that I should/would like to include:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115017
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220144
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341002
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835200034

Probably getting 4GB ram total. But anyways, now the rest of the things I'm rather confused with. Should I be getting a 8800GT or GTS G92? What's the major difference anyways?
I also need direction in which hard drives I should be looking at (and if I need 2 hard drives or something like that for back up?)

Also, I'm very very confused on what motherboard I should be purchasing, and what would be the best fitting for the above products.

I guess the Antec 900 cases are pretty popular, don't know if I should get that or not?

I'll also be needing a monitor/sound card?/speakers/and anything else I have missed.

If anything I listed can be replaced with something better at a lower or same price, please let me know. If possible it would be great if some of you folk could list what would be ideal, and the estimated price of the finalized rig.

Thank you very much, and your help will be lifesaving!!

 

[vonfeldt7]

Welcome to CF!

Okay first try to give us a general idea of how much you want to spend, even if its not a pinpoint number.

As for video cards, I'd recommend the 8800GT, the G92 8800GTS is better, but much more expensive. I'd also recommend that you wait until the new 45nm chips from Intel come out (and if you do wait for the new processors, then I'd recommend this mobo.

The Antec 900 case seems decent, but I like this one (your choice)

I'd recommend better RAM as well (especially if you're overclocking). Something like this.

After that you'll still need a monitor, operating system, mouse/keyboard, speakers, psu, hdd, and a dvd drive

 

[kevlee89]

Thank you very much!

Well, I guess I would like to spend at the max $1250? Maybe that could be stretched a couple hundred.

So, how long will it be before the new chips come out? Won't they be pricey at first? Also, I heard that the 9600 is due this February. Should I wait for this as well? It seems that the newer stuff will be more expensive, and maybe I should wait either way, since usually the other stuff will drop in price?

Also, would I need 4GB of ram? or would 2GB be sufficient?

 

[PabloTeK]

2GB is the norm for many systems and unless you get a 64-bit OS then you'll only get about 3.25GB of memory. I'd get the 4GB anyway as it's so cheap and then you have the extra memory for if you do go to 64-bit.

 

[kevlee89]

Sorry for the rather newb-like questions, but what's the difference between 64bit and 32bit OS? So, would I also need to purchase an OS?

 

[PabloTeK]

You do need to purchase an OS. Ans the difference between 64 and 32 bit is the data size. In 64 bit this is double of 32 bit and you can also get A LOT more memory, in 32 bit it's about 3.25GB, I think 64 bit is 128GB.

 

[kevlee89]

Alright, so I think I've gotten a lot of things narrowed down now

I really just need to figure out what motherboard and monitor I'll be using

So here's the list that I've compiled

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151153
SAMSUNG Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 20X DVD±R DVD Burner - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021
Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822144701
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD2500KS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102017
Creative SB X-Fi Xtreme Audio 70SB104000000 7.1 Channels PCI Express Interface Sound Card - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341002
OCZ GameXStream OCZ700GXSSLI ATX12V 700W Power Supply 100 - 240 V - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836121126
Logitech X-530 70 watts RMS 5.1 Black Speaker System - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220144
Patriot Extreme Performance 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115017
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz 2 x 4MB L2 Cache LGA 775 Quad-Core Processor - Retail
(Should I be buying this from ClubIt for the G0 step one?)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116204
Microsoft Windows Vista 64-Bit Home Premium for System Builders Single Pack DVD - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835200034
Rosewill RCX-Z300 92mm Ball CPU Cooler - Retail

And a 8800GT

So, that's the list that I've made so far, but I have a couple of questions left still

1) What mobo should I be buying so all this stuff would be compatible? I don't want anything fancy, just something that'll get the job done. Is all this stuff even compatible together in the first place?

2) Should I be buying 2 HDD or just 1? I've heard buying 2 is better for back-up or something like that

3) Do I need to buy some kind of ethernet adapter?

4) What are some more affordable, but good monitors?

5) Have I missed anything? I'm pretty much assembling this ground up so I need everything required to have a computer run.

I'm planning to start ordering in a month or so, maybe a bit later for the processor and whatnot, see if prices will drop when new stuff comes out. Does this seem like a good set-up/plan? If anything should be replaced, please suggest, thanks!

 

[BluePlum]

Get to 8800gt

 

[mep916]

1) What mobo should I be buying

You need a socket 775 mobo. I recommend: Gigabyte P35-DS3L

2) Should I be buying 2 HDD or just 1? I've heard buying 2 is better for back-up or something like that

Sure, you can add a second drive for backups.

3) Do I need to buy some kind of ethernet adapter?

No, that's integrated into the motherboard.

4) What are some more affordable, but good monitors?

What size are you interested in?

5) Have I missed anything? I'm pretty much assembling this ground up so I need everything required to have a computer run.

If you plan on overclocking the CPU, I would get a better heatsink/fan. Looks like you have everything you need, though.

Does this seem like a good set-up/plan? If anything should be replaced, please suggest, thanks!

Looks okay, so far. If you are gonna OC the Q6600, I'd recommend the G0 Stepping from Clubit. Let us know the size of monitor you would like. You'll also need thermal paste: MX-2.

 

[kevlee89]

Thanks a lot for answering and clearing things up for me! Very helpful!

But anyways, I'm not sure what size would be sufficient. I am a pretty hardcore gamer, so I guess bigger the better. 22''? 20''? I'm not really familiar with how big that really is, but I'd definitely like a LCD.

Btw is a sound card necessary? But anyways, what heatsink/fan would you recommend? And the thermal paste is just attached on the processor?

 

[mep916]

But anyways, I'm not sure what size would be sufficient.

I own this one: Acer 22". Samsung makes good monitors as well.

Btw is a sound card necessary?

It's better than onboard sound. If you have a good speaker system, then I think a sound card would be a good idea..

But anyways, what heatsink/fan would you recommend?

Zalman 9700 or Arctic Freezer Pro. Get the Zalman if money is not an option. The Freezer Pro is a good budget alternative.

And the thermal paste is just attached on the processor?

The processor from Clubit does not come with TP. The retail versions come with a stock HSF with TP pre-applied.

 

[kevlee89]

cool, the monitor seems just about perfect!

so should I just get the processor itself and buy HSF and TP on my own, or just get it retail?

 

[mep916]

cool, the monitor seems just about perfect!

so should I just get the processor itself and buy HSF and TP on my own, or just get it retail?

Get the G0 stepping and the other parts I recommended. Get the Zalman HSF if it's within your budget.

 

[oscaryu1]

Rosewill also sells a decent very low priced LGA775 cooler. It cools me E2140 like a pro, and it's also made for the Core 2 Extremes... And it's better than the stock cooler.

I'd get some Arctic Silver 5 or MX-2...

 

[kevlee89]

Alright, cool. Looks like I'm almost set

I've decided to switch to the http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102006

good idea?

and also what's the difference between the GA-P35-DS3R and GA-P35-DS3L
and which should I be purchasing?

well, damn, the Antec 900 just got more expensive, and I keep hearing about how the Antec will not be so swell for a 1st time builder, so I was wondering if there were other affordable towers out there that do a well job of cooling.

and lastly, about the back-up HDD..RAID 0 is that what they call it? In order to do that I need 2 HDD?

 

[mep916]

I've decided to switch to the http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102006
good idea?

That looks like a good sound card. Do some research on the product and make sure it's a good buy. I've never owned a sound card, but I've heard that Creative is among the best.

and also what's the difference between the GA-P35-DS3R and GA-P35-DS3L
and which should I be purchasing?

The DS3R has a RAID controller; the other board doesn't. Honestly, I would get the DS3R in case you decide to create a RAID array now, or in the future.

well, damn, the Antec 900 just got more expensive, and I keep hearing about how the Antec will not be so swell for a 1st time builder, so I was wondering if there were other affordable towers out there that do a well job of cooling.

Bah... the rig in my sig is the first computer I built. It's not difficult with the 900. You've heard legitimate complaints from experienced builders that have a discriminating eye for this stuff. You won't have any problems, and the 900 is one of the top mid-towers on the market. I wouldn't recommend anything else, and the cooling is superior to anything else in it's price range.

and lastly, about the back-up HDD..RAID 0 is that what they call it? In order to do that I need 2 HDD?

You do not want to setup RAID 0 for backup purposes. That configuration is primarily for speed. RAID 1 and 5 are the arrays you would look at for data protection, but that's not even necessary. If you would like to protect your Windows installation, programs, documents, etc., I would simply purchase this hard drive and run a program such as Norton Ghost or Acronis 11 for regular backups. For more info on RAID, read this thread.

In an earlier post, I recommended the OEM Q6600 from clubit. Unfortunately, that product is currently out-of-stock. If you plan on purchasing within the next couple days, get the retail version.

 

[kevlee89]

Ah alright, I see. That really clarifies a lot! But, as for the RAID configurations..you can create multiple drives within one HDD, right? Or am I wrong here?

By the way Mep, thanks a lot! I really appreciate your help, its helped me so much! Browsing these forums has made me more familiar with computers and whatnot! Thanks a lot!!

 

[mep916]

Ah alright, I see. That really clarifies a lot! But, as for the RAID configurations..you can create multiple drives within one HDD, right? Or am I wrong here?

You can create multiple partitions with one drive, yes. As for RAID, read the 101 link I provided. Praetor provides a pretty good breakdown.

By the way Mep, thanks a lot! I really appreciate your help, its helped me so much! Browsing these forums has made me more familiar with computers and whatnot! Thanks a lot!!

No problem! I'm happy to help. I've learned a ton from being a member of this forum. Stick around, and you'll learn a lot as well.

 

[kevlee89]

I'm planning on probably getting the Arctic Freezer Pro. I've heard it comes with the MX-2 paste already..so, if I buy that, I wouldn't need to buy the paste?

And between Crucial Ballistix/Corsair/and the Patriot memories, which would you recommend? They are all very close in price, and seem to be offering the same thing. The motherboard that I chose (the P35-DS3R) support memory list included the Crucial Ballistix and Corsair but not the Patriot, unless I missed something

EDIT: Okay, so just read the RAID thread. Still a little bit blurry, lol. So just to clear it up, I should be able to configure RAID 1+5 with just that 1 HDD with a GA-P35-DS3R mobo, by creating multiple partitions within that 1 HDD? And that would give me some good fault tolerance? More confusing is though..would you recommend configuring RAID?

 

[oscaryu1]

Alright, so I think I've gotten a lot of things narrowed down now

I really just need to figure out what motherboard and monitor I'll be using

So here's the list that I've compiled

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151153
SAMSUNG Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 20X DVD±R DVD Burner - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021
Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822144701
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD2500KS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102017
Creative SB X-Fi Xtreme Audio 70SB104000000 7.1 Channels PCI Express Interface Sound Card - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341002
OCZ GameXStream OCZ700GXSSLI ATX12V 700W Power Supply 100 - 240 V - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836121126
Logitech X-530 70 watts RMS 5.1 Black Speaker System - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220144
Patriot Extreme Performance 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115017
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz 2 x 4MB L2 Cache LGA 775 Quad-Core Processor - Retail
(Should I be buying this from ClubIt for the G0 step one?)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116204
Microsoft Windows Vista 64-Bit Home Premium for System Builders Single Pack DVD - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835200034
Rosewill RCX-Z300 92mm Ball CPU Cooler - Retail

And a 8800GT

So, that's the list that I've made so far, but I have a couple of questions left still

1) What mobo should I be buying so all this stuff would be compatible? I don't want anything fancy, just something that'll get the job done. Is all this stuff even compatible together in the first place?

2) Should I be buying 2 HDD or just 1? I've heard buying 2 is better for back-up or something like that

3) Do I need to buy some kind of ethernet adapter?

4) What are some more affordable, but good monitors?

5) Have I missed anything? I'm pretty much assembling this ground up so I need everything required to have a computer run.

I'm planning to start ordering in a month or so, maybe a bit later for the processor and whatnot, see if prices will drop when new stuff comes out. Does this seem like a good set-up/plan? If anything should be replaced, please suggest, thanks!

There are $26 SATA Burners...

Antec 900 for that much is NOT worth it. Take a look: http://www.securemart.com/cgi-bin/future/SMA0092053.html?pcode=1

1) P35-DS3L, X38, P31-S3G
2) People are usually getting a Raptor for the main drive, and a larger secondary drive for storing...
3) No. All motherboard have a integrated 10/100 or 10/100/1000 adapter these days.
4) Price range? I have this one: AH191D. Great IMO for the price, performance, and everything else.
5) Nope. Although some thermal paste...