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.

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

 

[nrage]

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.

But still worth thinking about future proofing. WOW2 might need more grunt.

 

[Rastalovich]

But still worth thinking about future proofing. WOW2 might need more grunt.

Correct. It`s all checks and balances, and justifying spending other peoples monies.

And add to that they`ll likely want to flavor Vista around mid`08, so they`ll need all the help they can get.

EDIT: I also notice that purchasing mobo + cpu at the same time discounts the combo by $30 or so, with a few dependants.

 

[Rastalovich]

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.

Considered the Quad factor for these people, and in all honesty I can`t justify the cost compared with what they`re gonna use these machines for.

Be seriously scouring the net for prices again thursday night, so for my sanity I splam with this:

ABIT IP35-E - Retail $89.99 (x2)

C2D E6550 - Retail $169.99 (x2)

EVGA GeForce 8600GT 512MB GDDR3 - Retail $143.99 (x2)

PC Power & Cooling Silencer 470W $74.99 (x2)

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

$585.99 (x2) (~£290)

Comments always wellcome of course.

 

[Joe]

and lemme guess you will have all of them folding

..... b@stard

well i no a cheaper way to get all that kit ..

I need to buy a boat ticket and burglary set

 

[Rastalovich]

Hmmm, noticing today that the QX9650 is being retailed in the states @ $1348 retail, and in the UK @ £668 - no difference to waive a stick at.

Buying PSUs & drives in the UK too..

Think stores are cottoning on to people buying in the US.

Also think AMD/Abit are gonna let me down this time around in bring out the phenom `capable` (HT3.0) boards by Nov 19th, so the experiment in getting the best of both worlds doesn`t look like it`ll happen yet. It points more towards Intel & Intel for the 2 pcs for myself.

With a matter of weeks or months in between the HT3.0 boards seeing the light of day, buying a HT2.0 is going to be a "waste of money" (don`t read the QX9650 when I say that >.<).

 

[Rastalovich]

Picture whores ?

Just enough time to lay stuff out, take a quick phone pic (sorry about the quality), b4 I fall into bed for a bit. Feel 6 hours behind everything atm >.<

Anybody reckon they can identify a high % of stuff ? Some has been de-boxed coz of space in the case. (boxes mailed onwards with the washing lol)

1 item to come >.<

 

[FarFarAway]

Sex

Damn that's hawt

 

[Rastalovich]

Sex

Damn that's hawt

Thought u`d like to see what sticker is emblazened across the front of the newer IP35 pro boxes too:

Again, sorry about the quality, but it`s an aknowledgement.

 

[Brooksie]

Haha sweet

Lovely pile of parts you have there

 

[Rastalovich]

Fully assembled and settled down now for some serious software installing, besides games

PC1

----

Vista 32 vlited

Abit IX38 QuadGT

QX9650 @ 3.65ghz

Scythe Ninja

4G (4x1G) Corsair Dominator

XFX Dog 670 8800GT 512m @ 710/2000

BFG AEGIA PhysX

Auzentech 7.1 Prelude

Samsung 20x DVDRW

Misc hard drives.

Seasonic M12

SuperPI 13s // 3DMark06 14419 (6057/5780/5038) - Get some nice quicker figures, but not 100% stable higher than this.

PC2

----

Vista 32 semi-full just annoyances removed/disabled.

Abit IP35 Pro

Q6600 @ 3.00ghz

Scythe Ninja

2G (2x1G) Patriot

MSI 8600 GTS 512m with HDMI audio passthrough

Ceative XFi Fatal1ty

Pioneer BluRay DVDRW

Misc hard drives.

Seasonic M12

No idea of benches, just made sure was stable.

Thanks for every1s input. Greatly appreciated.