Long time Shuttle user going back to full build - Check my spec please

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I've been buying Shuttles for the last 3-4 years now after I used to build my own from scratch but now I'm after a larger case so I can dabble in SLI / Crossfire and run everything a lot cooler and (hopefully) quieter. Mainly I want to be able to run games with all the eye candy at 1920x1200.

So heres my initial spec that I'm thinking of building next month. Would appreciate any suggestions on changes I should make and why :

Motherboard : Asus P5W DH Deluxe
CPU : Intel E6600 2.4Ghz
Heatsink : Scythe Infinity or Ninja
Memory 4GB Geil Ultra DDR2 PC6400 (Unless there are issues with 4GB)
Graphics : Nvidia 7950GX2
Hard Drives : 2x WD Raptor 150GB in RAID
Case : Antec P180 Black
PSU : Seasonic S12 600W
DVD : Samsung SATA 16x DVD-RW (to get rid of any IDE + SATA issues)


I know the P5W won't support SLI when quad SLI is available so either I will have to change to ATI or swap the motherboard....I don't see that as a problem but at the moment the 7950GX2 seems the best card for running at 1920x1200.
 
Same processor, board and memory as me, although only 2GB. WinXP can only really make use of 3GB, and if you're planning to do any clocking then you will be better off with 2GB. Same PSU as well I've just noticed, only got a 7900GT myself, although on the SLI front there are some 'modified' drivers around that activate SLI for Intel chipset motherboards and there is a possibility that Nvidia will be releasing official drivers that enable SLI on this and other boards. All runs smoothly, although I need to tweak the memory settings as it auto-detects it at a lower speed. I'm only using the stock cooler at the moment and the temps are fine, although, as you'll see from other posts the mother board can get a little warm depending on how well the chipset heatsinks are mounted.
 
BeelzebubUK said:
So heres my initial spec that I'm thinking of building next month. Would appreciate any suggestions on changes I should make and why :

Motherboard : Asus P5W DH Deluxe
CPU : Intel E6600 2.4Ghz
Heatsink : Scythe Infinity or Ninja
Memory 4GB Geil Ultra DDR2 PC6400 (Unless there are issues with 4GB)
Graphics : Nvidia 7950GX2
Hard Drives : 2x WD Raptor 150GB in RAID
Case : Antec P180 Black
PSU : Seasonic S12 600W
DVD : Samsung SATA 16x DVD-RW (to get rid of any IDE + SATA issues)


I know the P5W won't support SLI when quad SLI is available so either I will have to change to ATI or swap the motherboard....I don't see that as a problem but at the moment the 7950GX2 seems the best card for running at 1920x1200.

Id check you can run the 7950 on that board, as its still SLI although over one card, should work I guess, wait till you find someone who knows. Id personally get 2x x1950s and crossfire them on that board, much faster, quad SLI gets annilated by this setup, you need high mem bandwidth for high res, and thats what ATI has. Get a better PSU, and if you got 4gb ram use windows X64 edition and check the games you have run on it ok.
 
That sounds good....didn't realise that there would be a possibility of running SLI on Intel boards.

The 4GB is more for 64-bit OS and would rather get it all in one go rather than trying to upgrade to 4GB later and finding out I can't get the same type anymore.
 
The 7950 does run on that board - theres at least one person on the forums who is using one and already verified with him that it works fine.

I have thought about 2x 1950's although I'm already trying to justify the cost as it is.....need to check difference in prices and how much I owe the taxman in January :)

Edit : I guess 2x X1900XT's could be a possibility
 
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UKTopGun said:
Wouldn't space be an issue in that case? I'm not sure if a Sythe Ninja Plus and 2x1900XT would fit?

Hope not....do you think the case is the problem or just the combo of the Crossfire and the Ninja Plus ? Don't want a case any bigger than that really.
 
BeelzebubUK said:
Hope not....do you think the case is the problem or just the combo of the Crossfire and the Ninja Plus ? Don't want a case any bigger than that really.

I dont know really I've just heard its not the biggest of cases.
 
Slightly revised spec now :

Motherboard : Asus P5W DH Deluxe
CPU : Intel E6600 2.4Ghz
Heatsink : Scythe Ninja
Memory 4GB Geil Ultra DDR2 PC6400 (Unless there are issues with 4GB)
Graphics : EVGA Superclocked 7950GX2
Hard Drives : 2x WD Raptor 150GB in RAID
Case : Antec P180 Black
PSU : Enermax Liberty 620W
DVD : Samsung SATA 16x DVD-RW (to get rid of any IDE + SATA issues)

I've checked the forums and everything will fit in that case....I will probably need extender cables for the power to make everything tidy due to the PSU position but thats not an issue. I think I'm good to go with that spec.
 
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