Grossly Oversized Autumn Shopping Spree Thread

[Rastalovich]

[put this in here to avoid being shouted at for miscellaneous bumping and editing, and that u can comment as much as u like]

In the enviable/uneviable position of having to put together 6 pcs. Some will involve consolidation of some existing kit, but the others involve some buying. Some by me, some by others.

As it happens, I`ll be in the US around shopping time, which is convenient in that 2 of the pcs are to be installed over there (and I can cash in on some savings).

So to the task:

PC1

Motherboard: ABit IX38 QuadGT

Processor: QX6850 Kentsfield speculative

CPU Cooling: Scythe Ninja

Memory: 2G (2x1G) x2

Graphics: 8800GT speculative

Optical: SATA DVD/RW

Drives: 1x80g + others

Sound: Creative Xfi

Power: Open to suggestions

Extras: AEGIA PhysX

Case: Not required

PC2

Motherboard: ABit AN9 32X

Processor: 6400+ Windsor

CPU Cooling: Scythe Ninja

Memory: 2G (2x1G) stock

Graphics: PCI-e from stock

Optical: IDE DVD/RW

Drives: 1x80g + others

Sound: Creative Xfi

Power: Open to suggestions

Case: Not required

PC3

Motherboard: ABit AV8

Processor: 3800+ Manchester

CPU Cooling: Scythe Ninja

Memory: 2G (2x1G) stock

Graphics: AGP from stock

Optical: IDE DVD/RW

Drives: 1x80g + others

Sound: Creative Xfi

Power: Silverpower 400W

Case: Not required

PC4

Motherboard: ASUS A8R-IV

Processor: 3800+ Manchester\Toledo

CPU Cooling: Scythe Ninja\alternative

Memory: 2G (2x1G) stock

Graphics: PCi-e from stock

Optical: IDE DVD/RW

Drives: 1x80g + others

Sound: not necessary\onboard

Power: Silverpower 400W

Case: Not required

PC5

Motherboard: ABit IP35

Processor: E6600 Conroe

CPU Cooling: Stock

Memory: 2G (2x1G) stock

Graphics: 8600GT

Optical: IDE\SATA DVD/RW

Drives: 1x80g + 160g

Sound: Onboard

Power: Open to suggestions

Case: Nice midi, lots of front ports - cheap

PC6

Motherboard: ABit IP35

Processor: E6600 Conroe

CPU Cooling: Stock

Memory: 2G (2x1G) stock

Graphics: 8600GT

Optical: IDE\SATA DVD/RW

Drives: 1x80g + 160g

Sound: Onboard

Power: Open to suggestions

Case: Nice midi, lots of front ports - cheap

To put u in the picture as to what pc is for what:

PC1: Will be my main for games`n stuff (no mail etc)

PC2: Hobby pc, will handle some conversions, minimal game serving, really want to be inline for getting a quad AMD, so additonal info here is crucial.

PC3: Likely to do all the web based stuff, any office stuffs.

PC4: Storage, downloading - anything I don`t want to tie a pc up with.

PC5 & 6: 2 people moving from K7 low to mid range pcs. Dragging them to the C2D world, they`re gonna be playing WOW almost 90% of the time and next year may well want to install Vista.

All comments are welcome on everything, the stuff in the bold is the stuff looking to buy. Some gear I`m well aware that u don`t save on buying in the US. Hard drives, possibly memory, psus, possibly cpus - but it appears the higher the value of the goods the bigger the gulf.

I do have harddrives coming out of my ears, hence I don`t need them. I also have stock memory just for these.

Conditions: Mobos have to be from Abit - that`s personal, been let down more times with other makes.

Motherboard: ABit IX38 QuadGT (if a DDR3 version is about, I`d seriously look at it)

Processor: QX6850 Kentsfield speculative (big price, but also a big relative saving)

Memory: 2G (2x1G) x2 (want an option to goto 4g so matching would be nice)

Graphics: 8800GT speculative (will be going best next gen next year so this or GTX\Ultra, it`ll be re-sold)

Optical: SATA DVD/RW

Sound: Creative Xfi (looking at a pci-e option)

Power: Open to suggestions

Extras: AEGIA PhysX (looking at pci-e option)

Motherboard: ABit AN9 32X (meh will a quad even work in this ?)

Processor: 6400+ Windsor (best I can find atm)

Power: Open to suggestions

CPU Cooling: Scythe Ninja\alternative (wouldn`t mind buying something special and use on the main, freeing up it`s Scythe)

Motherboard: ABit IP35 (good, solid, maybe not even pro)

Processor: E6600 Conroe

Graphics: 8600GT

Optical: IDE\SATA DVD/RW

Power: Open to suggestions

Case: Nice midi, lots of front ports - cheap

Motherboard: ABit IP35 (good, solid, maybe not even pro)

Processor: E6600 Conroe

Graphics: 8600GT

Optical: IDE\SATA DVD/RW

Power: Open to suggestions

Case: Nice midi, lots of front ports - cheap

Other stuff on list atm:

BIG SUITCASE! - yeah I need to buy a new one, I had to borrow some1 else`s in addition to mine coming back last time, so I`ll be using theres to go over and buying a new1 to come back.

Massive USB pen drive

USB backup drive ~120g+

Windows Vista Ultimate 32 & 64

Video Capture device - looking for a SONY HDV or similar

Massive hard drive IF thanksgiving sales suffice

.. additions to be made.

I`ve been saving for the last 9 months, so that`s covered. Some people will be paying for some of the stuff. It`s likely PC5&6 stuff will be ordered Nov.9+ the rest probably Nov.16+

Help urself

[FarFarAway]

Those look all great choices mate, can't argue with them. That's a frig load of cashage

[Rastalovich]

Costing - arg it hurts, all told it can easily hit $4k.

It`s easily clocked up looking at NewEgg and adding kit to the basket. For my stuff, and looking from the travelling pov - those items I get in the same ball-park price, I will order inside the UK. Looking at that also, I may well give some companies a chance to either match/come closer or beat - but I`m not going to waste too much time on that.

EDIT:Just chucked the exact same goods in a Scan basket, subtituting IP35 pro for the IX38 in both cases, and it came to £2639.53 ~$5200. The NewEgg version came to $3910 ($4018-$110 rebate) ~£2000. So £600 or so can be saved. Not to mention there`s some games chucked in the NewEgg order for free.

On a site note, I bought my flight in the US (which saved me £200) - any1 buying this amount of kit for themselves, I suggest paying for a holiday with the difference and buy the goods whilst u`r there

[Toxcity]

Wow Rast, you have some deep pockets!

But yeah as Kemp said.. they all look more of less perfect!

[Rastalovich]

If there was an option to get some basement DDR3 memory, 2g (2x1g) for the equiv of £160 - would this sway u towards buying a MAX version of a mobo - bareing in mind u can cash in getting better memory in a year or so if u wanted to when the price drops ?

Or would u say eff-it, get ddr2, cos by the time ddr3 is more flavorable - a newer mobo may be the better option ?

[jiffz]

Jeez, that's a lot of gear!!! Where in America are ya heading?

I think he's doing all this to beat PV in the folding scene

[Rastalovich]

Darn, u busted me, I`m desperate to get 10k ppd personally >.< TEXAS dood !

Just doing a quick recie of NewEgg..

ABIT IP35-E LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $89.99 (x2)

COOLER MASTER Centurion 532 RC-532-SKN1 Black Aluminum bezel - Retail $49.99 (x2)

Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe 2.4GHz LGA 775 BX80557E6600 - Retail $223.90 (x2)

EVGA GeForce 8600GT 512MB GDDR3 - Retail $149.99 (x2)

OCZ StealthXStream OCZ600SXS ATX12V / EPS12V 600W Power Supply - Retail $89.99 (x2)

SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S203B - OEM $29.99 (x2)

$633.85 (x2)

Think they can live with that pricing (Got Memories & Drives), feel free to jump in with "don`t get that!", especially with psu makers, have no idea about psus in US.

[FarFarAway]

All looks pretty solid, can ya not get a quad at a reasonable price?

[chudley]

Just hope the taxman doesn't nab you on your return mate.

[Rastalovich]

Great point Kemp.

Re-ran through their search process and came up with:

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775 BX80562Q6600 - Retail $279.99 (x2)

Thing with the costing, as far as they`re concerned, I was looking at the price levels of the c2d, going up from 6300 and w8ing for a large just that didn`t seem worth the power difference vS $. $223.90 for the E6600, then a jump to like $280 for the E6700. However, as u point out a Quad for the same jump I can qualify more.

I have to hold my horses a bit tho, cos for what they do with these 2 pcs --- I mean WOW is the hardest thing for it, afaic, and an E6300 will walk it. So I gotta be semi sensible.

Originally Posted by name='chudley'

Just hope the taxman doesn't nab you on your return mate.

The builds for this bit I just posted is for `customers` inside the US. So the taxman can bite me