My son and I are getting ready to build our first system - zero experience. I would like to get feedback on the components that we've selected (i.e. will they work together, do they make sense for our needs, are there better choices, etc.). Also, am I missing anything obvious?

We are trying to build a system that would allow my son to play games such as Crysis on high settings. My needs are a lot more basic - photo editing, web site design, etc.

We've gone through several forums and ended up with the following:

• pc case - Thermaltake Armor Series VA8003BWS Black Full Tower Case http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] ull%2bTowe
• processor - Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819115037
• motherboard - GIGABYTE GA-EP35C-DS3R LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Dynamic Energy Saver Ultra Durable II Intel Motherboard http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813128082
• RAM - 4GB kit (2GBx2), 240-pin DIMM, DDR2 PC2-5300 memory module CT2KIT25664AA667
• hard drive - Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD7500AAKS [url] http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] WD7500AAKS[/url]
• graphics card - EVGA 512-P3-N845-AR GeForce 8800GTS (G92) KO 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] KO%2b512MB
• DVD R/RW - Samsung SH-S203B http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 2bSH-S203B
• power supply - PC Power & Cooling S75QB 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply 100 - 240 V UL, ULC, CE, CB, RoHS http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] f%2bEPS12V

Any advice that you can provide would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Moez

Crysis? Full settings? You need SLI or Xfire there mate!
Hmmm....
Case : Antec 900, or Coolermaster RC690
Proc : Q6600 or Q9300
Mobo : GAX38DS4 or P5EX38
RAM : 2x2GB DDR2 800 Crucial or Corsair
HDD : 500GB Seagate 32MB or WD 640GB
GPUs : 2x HD4870
PSU : Corsair 750 or the pne that you've picked.
CPU-Fan : Xigmatek HDT-S1283, Zalman CNPS9700, or Scythe Orrochi.

Crysis at high settings gets 46 fps at 1280x1024 on a system with HD 4870 Crossfire.

WD7500AAKS is in fact a fantastic disk, I have two of them and love them. Massive speed improvement over my older WD5000AAKS. WD6400AAKS is even better.

Here's my list:

RC-690
Q6600
GA-EX38-DS4 or GA-X48-DS4
2x2GB DDR2 800 Crucial or Corsair
WD6400AAKS.
2x HD4870, preferably Sapphire/Diamond/Visiontek, identical of course
Silencer 750W as first choice, Corsair 750TX second, Antec Quattro 850W third
SH-S203B
CPU-Fan : Xigmatek HDT-S1283, with this bracket: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] bretention

The Q6600 will in fact be slower than the E8400 in most games, but that's not important IMO because most games will wait on HDD and GPU rather than on the Q6600 anyway. Also, the Q6600 will be better in games that do support quads (like FSX), or in PhotoShop or video editing software.

The list above is good if you are willing to overclock. If you aren't, take away the Xigmatek things and replace the Q6600 with a Q9450. Make sure the Q9450 is marked Retail, not OEM, so you get a cooler with it.

he said high settings... currently a 4870 can play crysis at 19x12 at high settings no AA... so i'd recommend a 4870

you probably only need a good 600 w power supply

ram... get 800 mhz ram... its pc2 6400

... the case ... you really don't need that... get a Antec p180 or something... or something even cheaper... you don't need those ridiculously expensive cases for a first build



For settings in games... a very important question is... What resolution does your monitor support?

Also you need an OS... just making sure you don't forget that



processor wise... I don't know how long you want to keep the system... but if its over 2 years... i'd recommend getting a q6600... its about 200 on newegg now

So, are you guys saying that the EVGA 512-P3-N845-AR GeForce 8800GTS won't cut it? The description on newegg says that it's SLI supported.

Sorry.... like I said, I'm a newbie - you may have to talk veerrrry slowly for me to get it.

Thanks!

You didn't state what resolution you plan to be gaming at, this makes a difference to the minimum graphics card recommendation. eg 1280x1024 takes a lot less horsepower than 1920x1200.

Antec P182 case is a good one, quiet, excellent cooling, good wire management, and its not garish looking like the 900.

LOL, you were smart enough to pick the PC Power & Cooling, so you can't possibly be that bad

Avoid nVidia's cards and especially SLI. These days AMD rules in video cards, especially combined with motherboards based on the Intel chipsets x38 and x48.

The HD 4870 is faster than the 8800GTS. The 8800GTS had a good run, it was THE card to buy for a few months, but it's obsolete by now, with the HD 4850 and HD 4870 out and considering current prices.

Thanks aevm! So, the HD 4850 will stand a better chance than the 8800GTS of running Crysis at high settings?

Rgsaunders asked which resolution that I was going to use.... I'm guessing that he'd want to go with the highest. That said, it sounds like we don't stand a chance with our current configuration. Where would I have to improve in order to hit that? Just the graphics card? Would I have to make the jump to the 4870?

Lastly, I will want to keep this PC for a long time - definitely more than a couple of years. Thogrom mentioned that the Q6600 would be the better choice for that. On other forums, I have seen conflicting opinions on the E8400 versus the Q6600. Do you guys all generally agree that the Q6600 is the way to go?

Thanks again!

One thing to understand up front, building a system for Crysis is somewhat of an exercise in frustration. It makes extraordinary demands on the video subsystem, and some future games will probably be even worse. If you are planning to have this system for several years, then its important that you plan with future performance upgrades in mind. That means that you would probably be best off, with the current technology, to look at an X48 chipset board, it is as future proof as it gets right now. A Q6600 processor can be easily overclocked for 3.2GHz without any extreme measures, many people run them at 3.6GHz. The Xigmatek 1283 CPU cooler with the Crossbow retention bracket is an excellent choice for cooling your CPU, regardless of which one you choose. The E8400 vs Q6600 arguments have valid points on both sides, one has to assess their intended usage for the system when weighing the arguments.

Regardless of the components you choose, realize that something bigger and badder is just around the corner, regardless of when you do your build. State of the art in computers lasts for 20 minutes after purchase or 20 feet from the storefront, whichever comes first.

Thanks RG. Yeah, with Crysis, I was just trying to set my "high water mark" for what my current needs are. I completely understand what an exercise in futility that it is to try to stay ahead.

I was mainly just trying to get the best configuration that I can get for about $1100 or so.

I've already been swayed to go for the HD 4850. I was just trying to gather information as to whether or not I should jump to the Q6600 as well. In reality, my son's usage of the system is going to tax it much more than my own.... Turbotax doesn't quite need a high powered graphics card... yet. So, if the Q6600 will run Crysis (on high) and work with the 4850 and my Gigabyte mobo, then I may go there as well.

Nobody has really touched on my motherboard selection yet. I take it the Gigabyte DS3R is a safe choice?

Depends on your future plans, I would spend a little more on the mobo and go with the DS4 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] toreType=0
It gives you 2X PCI-E X16 slots and PCI-E 2.0, which will give you far more headroom for graphics performance than your current selection. Go with DDR2 800 vice DDR2 667, the price is virtually the same, and you can run the memory at stock speed, 800MHz, with a Q6600 overclocked to 3.2GHz (8x 400) or 3.6GHz (9x 400). Synchronous memory operation is optimal for long term use.

okay first off i say drop the750 psu and get the pc power and cooling 610 instead its more than enough as it is, save a couple bucks to pump into a better motherboard

1- I can agree with your case, power supply and hard disk
2- Motherboard: Forget that crap you selected and get
ASUS P5Q Deluxe LGA 775 Intel P45 Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813131297
3- RAM: Forget again the crappy one you selected and get
mushkin 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820146785
4- Processor: If you have heavy use of photo editing go for Q6600
otherwise E8400 is good
5- Graphic Card: Get one 4870 now and when prices drop get another an Cross Fire
to play Crysis on high settings