High Spec PC - comments pls

[RussA]

I have to put together a high-spec PC for work (and some heavy graphics gaming use - DX10 included), and would like to get some advice and opinions from forum members. I don't want to be re-building this PC every 6-12 months, so want to try and get a good spec with some longevity.

I would like to (as far as possible, and recognising that there's never a good time to build/buy a PC!) put together a spec for a PC that fits, as much as I can, the following spec/guidelines.

Also, I'm trying to work out how much I can future-proof the PC, without paying through the nose for things like DDR3. What observations/suggestions can you make about this base spec;

Spec:

CPU - probably Intel Core2 Quad Q6600 SCLAR (based on price v overclockability) or should I be thinking about Penryn?
New High Speed MHz FSB Motherboard - SLI if at all poss (and maybe DDR3?) suggestions really appreciated here please!
Memory (is DDR3 really worth having) 2GB - suggestions please!
2-3 Samsung 500GB HD501LJ Spinpoint T (perhaps in RAID)
2 x 8800 GTX Ultra or similar or GT? (advice/suggestions please on this one)
PSU - Coolermaster M1000
Screen - Dell 30" LCD (a must-have)
Case - whatever has the space and good airflow.

Issues/Questsions:

CPU - Q6600 or wait a month or two for Penryn or jump in now? I can wait a short while before having to build this PC.

M'board - not sure if any of the new higher-speed FSB boards support SLI but would really like it - does this mean wait for ESkulltrail - anyone know when that might happen?

Disks - will RAID give me much of a performance benefit (I realise in some RAID configs I'll need to pay a lot of attention to backing up etc) or is it really just unnecessary complexity?

Cooling - Could I expect to overclock the Q6600 to 3-3.2GHz with cooling from an Arctic Pro 7 (or similar) or should I use something like the H20 combined h/sink and pump kit?

Memory - Will DDR3 make much real difference to real apps/games or will it only show mainly a difference in benchmarks etc?

Graphics - Will SLI (if its even available on the new higher speed FSB mobo's) make much difference when adding a 2nd 8800GTX or is it uneccessary expense and doesn't add much? Is there benefit in GT v GTX other than price and a few % less performance?

Overclocking - I'm new to overclocking so don't want to take this PC to the edge, just get a bit more out of it).

do you have any other observations???

Many thanks for all inputs.

Neil.

 

[RussA]

Thanks for the thoughts. I do want to go with the 30" screen, but how can I get SLI graphics capability in these latest mobo's, as I'd want to use either 2x 8800GT/GTS(new)/GTX/Ultra and I didn't think these new boards support SLI yet; be great if they did.

Thanks again.

 

[RussA]

This might sound odd - but I'm not working to a specific budget; the business pays for it...

That said, the 30" screen can be treated as a must-have, and I really would like to have SLI, or at least an Ultra class gphx card, so that when I game at 2560x1600 the performance is acceptable (in DX10 games as well).

I don't believe that a totally over-the-top cpu is probably justifiable (and I can always upgrade) hence picking out the 6600 SCLAR.

So feel free to spec a PC around these guidelines and I think you'll be pretty close - my only uncertainty is whether the latest mobo's support SLI which I'd like to have for obvious reasons (the choice to implement it if I want to)...

Thanks for the comments.

 

[RussA]

SLi will only make a difference if you are playing at high resolutions, so yes you will see a large increase in performance compared to 1 card. 2 GTX's in SLi really isn't worth it IMO. I would go for either 1x 8800GTX ( Only a few % slower then a GTX ) or 2 8800GTS ( Far better ) if your budget can take it.

However if you wish to use an SLi motherboard, your overclock on the CPU may not be able to go as far, as the best overclocking board are P35 ( Non-SLi )

DDR3 is not worth it. And if you want a penryn, then simply buy a motherboard which is capable of 45nm and 65nm. However the Q6600 is a brilliant chip and Penryn is only a few % quicker clock for clock. ( Although they do overclock further due to smaller size / less power needed )


EDIT: Something like this, although i'm not too sure on 680 motherboards, but the p35 abit mobos are v.good

Where you say "I would go for either 1x 8800GTX ( Only a few % slower then a GTX )" did you mean 1 x 880GT?

Thanks.

 

[RussA]

Right, so I think I'm looking at a pair (maybe 1 to start with) of 8800GT's then. Certainly for the money they seem to give more bangs per buck. Of course the updated GTS's might be even more interesting...