System Build Advice....

FarleyUK

FarleyUK

FarleyUK

Associate
Joined
24 Feb 2003
Posts
162
Hi all,

I'm going to be building a new rig soon, but am having a nightmare on trying to decide what parts to get. Basically, I want to try and be able to use SLi (not Crossfire), and ensure that the CPU fan and HS will fit the mobo!

Currently, I'm looking at:

Coolermaster RC-1000 Case
Zalman CNPS9700-NT CPU cooler
OCUK 9800 GX2 graphics card
Asus P5E3 Deluxe mobo
OCZ 2GB DDR3 RAM
Q9450 CPU
Zalman ZM0850 HP PSU

I understand I can't use SLi on Intel Mobos - is that correct? Can I run a single Nvidia card on them though? Also, which Nforce based mobo would you suggest as a choice for the Nforce mobos with all the above?

I'm very confused!!!!

Thanks!
 
Yes, you cannot use SLi on Intel boards. I had same issue, but when you look at nForce boards, they can't really compete. So it depends what you want more. Think the 680 boards are ok, really ahrd to find good info on them though.

All seems fine though, DDR3, hmm, it's so expensive for what it is at the moment, depends if you got that cash to spare.

Oh, yeh you can use one nvidia card on an intel board. Basically like in my sig, just got the best performance card i could find and put it on the best performance DDR2 intel board i could find. SLi is overkill for most things really at the moment when you got dual GPU cards out (2 in 1)
 
Cool, cheers! Just looking at the ATi 3870X2's instead of the more expensive Nvidia ones. Might be easier, as I can the future proof the mobo if I want crossfire, and it's a good card from what I read....

So I assume the Zalman would fit?
 
Yeh, then eventually you can have two 3870X2's in the future!! That's like 4 GPU's ha. It's the fastest card out as of now i think, so.

Should fit, my board layout is the same, and also have a quad, with same Fan (just mine is manually adjustable), so yeh. Just be wary of the thermal rgease supplied with it, it's very good, but slippery as hell when fitting the fan.
 
OK, thanks! Do you reckon it's not worth going for DDR3 ATM then? If not, which mobo would you suggest for DDR2 in the X38 range?

And would it be better to go for the Tuniq Tower cooler instead?
 
Tuniq Tower fan is very good, i went for the Zalman because it looks cool really, both are excellent though, preference.

DDR3 is like 3 times the price, but certainly doesn't offer that performance. The speeds on offer you wouldn't even use, i mean 1333mhz, thats like 2666FSB?! You'd need to overclock like a madman to use it to it's full, though i could be very much mistaken.

Would be better spending the money on like 4gb of DDR2, and still have money spare.

X38,Asus P5E for DDR2, it's solid. P5E3 for DDR3. The P5E is on offer here at the moment heh. I'm a fan of Asus, but they are so solid, that's why i suggest them, they look cool too.
 
Funnily enough, I was just looking at the P5E! Looks as though the Zalman or Tuniq would fit OK as well. Was going to go for the Corsair 2x2GB 1066Mhz RAM as well i think.
 
Corsair is solid don't get me wrong, works very well, but i was shocked how little it overclocks. I'll be buying some more soon, but may very well give my 2 sticks to a mate and buy some Ballistix.
 
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