Gonna build an awesome gaming PC. Help me please.

Chocki · 26 Dec 2007 at 14:57

Hi all, Well, my over clocked previous system has finally given up and died a death. It served me well, albeit a little noisily!!!

So the time has come to start assembling components for my next build.

Money is not really that much of an issue, but not all in one go.

This time, I want QUIET!!! or as reasonably as is practicably possible on air!!! and no over clocking.

Water cooling is coming later along with over clocking

.

So here goes the startup.

1 x Intel Core 2 Quad Extreme Edition QX9650 "LGA775 Yorkfield" 3.00GHz (1333FSB)

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-183-IN&groupid=701&catid=6&subcat=793

2 x XFX GeForce 8800 Ultra Extreme 768MB GDDR3 HDTV/Dual DVI (PCI-Express) - Retail (PV-T80U-SHE9)
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-102-XF&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1009

Asus Striker II Formula nForce 780i (Socket 775) PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-260-AS&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=174

Corsair 2GB DDR2 XMS2 Dominator PC2-9136C5 TwinX (2x1GB)

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-127-CS&groupid=701&catid=8&subcat=817

After being a Lian-Li fan boy for a long time, I bought my first Coolermaster case some time ago, and havent looked back since, so without any further ado...

CoolerMaster Stacker 832 - Black Trim (No PSU)

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-108-CM&groupid=701&catid=7&subcat=29

Coolermaster Real Power 1000w Modular Power Supply

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-146-CM

2x Western Digital Raptor 150GB 10000RPM SATA 16MB Cache - OEM (WD1500ADFD)
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-069-WD&groupid=701&catid=14&subcat=167

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite Pro 7.1 Sound Card - Retail

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-031-CL&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat=

This is to begin with.....

Any advice and or recommendations on top of this etc.

This rig is due to be built from the new year, and completed by the enfd of February,

I am tempted to wait until more motherboards supporting DDR3 are available but if the price is right.....

Please advise and assist in building an awesome gaming rig.

Thanks. Chocki

Ben M · 26 Dec 2007 at 14:59

imo buy something like 1 GTX and a q6600, then when the new cards and new 45nm quads come out, upgrade then, as it is you're just throwing money away.

also, there's nothing wrong with this size font.

iKettles · 26 Dec 2007 at 15:07

Ben M said:
imo buy something like 1 GTX and a q6600, then when the new cards and new 45nm quads come out, upgrade then, as it is you're just throwing money away.

also, there's nothing wrong with this size font.

Or get an eVGA 8800GT and step up to one of the new cards?

Ben M · 26 Dec 2007 at 15:09

iKettles said:
Or get an eVGA 8800GT and step up to one of the new cards?

as i said, get one cheaper card, and upgrade to a 9 series... which one he picks is up to him, but he seems to want the best, so i suggested a GTX.

iKettles · 26 Dec 2007 at 15:14

Ben M said:
as i said, get one cheaper card, and upgrade to a 9 series... which one he picks is up to him, but he seems to want the best, so i suggested a GTX.

Considering there's an £80 price difference and only a 5%-10% performance difference it seems like a bit of a no brainer to me.

Ben M · 26 Dec 2007 at 15:16

iKettles said:
Considering there's an £80 price difference and only a 5%-10% performance difference it seems like a bit of a no brainer to me.

depends how much you like AA/AF in crysis.

AdladUK · 26 Dec 2007 at 15:18

I think you're making the right choice purchasing a Coolermaster PSU and case. I recently bought similar components from them, and I'm VERY happy with the build quality/reliability etc.

Not to sound rude or anything, but what do you do for a living? "Money is not an issue" is a phrase lottery winners usually say

Chocki · 26 Dec 2007 at 15:28

I was a service engineer for years, never at home, living out of a suitcase and working typically 90 hours a week, so mortgage etc is very paid off.

Now an engineering team leader so pay packet is pretty good (Suffice to say, company approached me rather than the other way round

).

I firmly believe in buying once and wisely which will last me for a number of years, rather than playing catchup all the time.

Oh, and my game is Unreal Tournament and has been since version 1.

I was once ranked 10th in the world, albeit for 1 day!!!

.

The 7.1 surround system, keyboard and joystick (Yes you did read correctly, a joystick!) are all accounted for already. I might upgrade my current Dell 24" Monitor for a sammy though....

Ben M · 26 Dec 2007 at 15:47

Chocki said:
I firmly believe in buying once and wisely which will last me for a number of years, rather than playing catchup all the time.

in which case, buy the processor.

but your two 8800ULTRAS will not be as good as one 9800GT when it comes out, so in this case it isn't wise.

Chocki · 26 Dec 2007 at 16:22

Thanks Ben, this is why I am asking now building in about 2 months.

I'm a little out of touch with whats new and up coming, so asking for advice.

Keep up any advice, loks like graphics cards are gonna be replaced, probably mobo as well when more DDR3 boards are available, but gonna order Case, PSU HD's etc soon.

Ben M · 26 Dec 2007 at 16:24

well it's a while before the high-end 9 series cards are out, the 9600GT is out in february, and the rest of the range some time after that.

OpenToSuggestions · 26 Dec 2007 at 16:35

wait for gf9, or get a 8800gt to last you til gf9 comes out. if you really need to buy a 8800gtx, then just get a regular speed one

Chocki · 26 Dec 2007 at 19:18

OK will look at buying some parts in Jan, then see what's avail graphics in Feb I think.

TheMorningStar · 26 Dec 2007 at 20:09

yeah just another voice to say hold off on the 88ultras new cards are out very sooninfact i wouldnt buy anything untill you are ready to build as prices are always gioing down especially at the very high end. which you clearly are.

jak731 · 26 Dec 2007 at 20:24

i would also look at seasonic PSU as well as they are suppose to be one of the best PSU maunfacturers around, they do build the highly recommened corsair HX520 which seems to go into nearly every spec me thread

Chocki · 27 Dec 2007 at 12:52

Thanks for the advice all. Looks like I might not finish the PC for a few months then, but will be starting it in the new year.

Ranger07 · 27 Dec 2007 at 15:41

IMO if you keep waiting for the next big thing to come out you'd never build anything.

The spec you've stated looks top class,

I would change the mobo to the EVGA 780i as people are getting really good results overclocking with the QX9650 some people are even getting 4.5ghz on the standard intel cooler! You can read more here-

http://www.evga.com/forums/tt.asp?forumid=38

As for graphics cards i probably would just fit a single GTS or GTX for now untill the 9800GTX gets released but as with all new hardware it could easily get delayed another few months so no point delaying your build because of it.