High end gaming PC build - my first

[Binman88]

Hello all.

I'm planning on building my first pc within the next two or three months and was hoping you could take a look at what I've picked out so far and see if I'm on the right track.

Mobo: Asus Rampage Extreme (£258.75)

CPU: Intel Q9650 (£446.20)

PSU: Corsair HX 1000W (£177.10)

Graphics Cards: SLi BFG GTX280 OC2 (£343.85 each)

Memory: 6GB Corsair Dominator DDR3 (£263.35)

Hard Drive: Velociraptor 300GBP (£182.85)

Case: Thermaltake Armour

Monitor: Currently have a Samsung 206BW running games at 1680, but will be definitely upgrading to at least 24" for 1920.

I intend on using Vista 64.

Now, I've done a fair amount of research but I'm by no means an expert in this field, so I'm sure theres a few (or more) bad choices in there! This is my first build (current was prebuilt - Abit AW9D-Max, E6600, 2GB Corsair ram, BFGOC8800GTX) and I want this PC to last at least two years and to run pretty much anything thats thrown at it, as smooth as possible and at full detail. I do want the option of overclocking in the future, but not to begin with - so I'm not looking to save money by overclocking a cheaper component, if you get me, eg. buying a q9550 even though I'm sure it can be overclocked past the stock performance of the 9650. Also I'm planning on air cooling it so any advice on a CPU cooler and even the case would be great.

All of the above prices came from the same place (novatech). Seeing as I'm in Ireland, it makes more sense to buy most stuff from the one shop or else I'll get screwed on delivery, but if you think I can get a better deal somewhere else I'd be glad to hear it (scan don't deliver to Ireland and I'm not too keen on overclockers.co.uk anymore). The most I would be willing to spend would be around £2500.

Any and all help is much appreciated!

 

[-VK-]

Rampage Extreme won't support SLi.

 

[Rastalovich]

I think in all honesty, if I`m prepared to spend £250 for a mobo (which is rediculous for a 775 imo), and £446 for a Q9650 ? not a QX9650 ?

I`d seriously be thinking i7.

However, if I intended to get a better mobo for around £150 and banked on getting the QX9650 (or arguably a QX9770) - I`d think differently. Even so, it`s a big outlay for what can currently be presumed as older tech, I`d have to have a reason.

If the reason was the extreme 775 vS a regular cpu in an i7, fair enough. But i7 mobos do both sli & xfire don`t they ??

 

[Binman88]

Thanks for the replies lads.

Rampage Extreme won't support SLi.

D'oh, my mistake - I thought i'd checked that out but I think I may have mixed up the Rampage II specs with the rampage.

I think in all honesty, if I`m prepared to spend £250 for a mobo (which is rediculous for a 775 imo), and £446 for a Q9650 ? not a QX9650 ?

I`d seriously be thinking i7.

However, if I intended to get a better mobo for around £150 and banked on getting the QX9650 (or arguably a QX9770) - I`d think differently. Even so, it`s a big outlay for what can currently be presumed as older tech, I`d have to have a reason.

If the reason was the extreme 775 vS a regular cpu in an i7, fair enough. But i7 mobos do both sli & xfire don`t they ??

Hi Rastalovich, I had a feeling I'd made a few ridiculous choices in that list, but I honestly haven't a clue what sort of price range I should be looking at. I don't want to skimp on any component but obviously I don't need to be throwing money away either.

If an i7 mobo/cpu build would make more sense as far as performance and value for money are concerned then I'd be more than willing to go down that route, even if I had to spend a little more cash in the process. I had a look for an i7 board and came up with the Asus p6T deluxe for the same price as the extreme I listed above.

What i7 processor should I be looking at to go with this; one that has superior performance to the q9650 (again, I don't mind spending more if it will serve me well!) Should I be aiming higher than a i7 940 which goes for around £500?

 

[monkey7]

920 all the way. It's priced at around 250~300 GBP and overlocks like there's no tomorrow. The next option that would make sense is the 965 because of its unlocked multiplier and higher QPI, but a price of three times the 920 sounds a bit high to me...

Make sure to get some kickass cooling for that hot i7 though. Mine is currently pushing out 147Watts of heat at 3.7gHz.

 

[FarFarAway]

It's gotta be an i7, a decent solid i7 mobo and a nice 6GB set of DDR3. Personally I'd not get SLI, but that's a choice you have to make I suppose. Unless something very exciting comes out very soon, I'd grab an HD4870 X2.

 

[Binman88]

920 all the way. It's priced at around 250~300 GBP and overlocks like there's no tomorrow. The next option that would make sense is the 965 because of its unlocked multiplier and higher QPI, but a price of three times the 920 sounds a bit high to me...

Make sure to get some kickass cooling for that hot i7 though. Mine is currently pushing out 147Watts of heat at 3.7gHz.

It's gotta be an i7, a decent solid i7 mobo and a nice 6GB set of DDR3. Personally I'd not get SLI, but that's a choice you have to make I suppose. Unless something very exciting comes out very soon, I'd grab an HD4870 X2.

Ok, thanks for the input

I've thrown another list together for an i7 build as suggested (see attached). I included the 940 in the list but they offer the 920 for almost half the price, so is there any advantage in buying the 940? - taking into account I'd rather not overclock the PC from the start.

I've also never used ati before and on that (completely illogical) basis, I'll be sticking with nvidia for this build as I'm more familiar with them. Will sli be complete overkill? Bear in mind I want this pc to run any game at max detail.

 

[Ging3r]

That looks a million times better than the original specs.

Any reason you went for the MSI mobo?! Not any problems as far as I'm aware, just interested.

And its also whether you hold out a bit longer and possibly get the new GX295 when it comes out, depending on prices ofc

 

[rrjwilson]

Id assume you were keeping this unit for only a few weeks before i7 as you have triple channel 6Gb RAM kit.

At the prices you are willing to pay i7 & SLi it.

If you're running or will be running Vista get a GTX 295 if your running XP get a GTX280 then SLi later on.

 

[monkey7]

That looks like a solid setup Any reason you chose for the Eclipse board? I've never seen it in OC threads.

The advantage of a 940 is very small. You have a higher standard clock and I remember there being some other completely irrelevant detail that Intel used to make it a bit more attractive.

And about the clocking... Make sure you do not get into the BIOS. Once you are in the OC section of the BIOS nothing will be able to stop you. Believe me, I wanted to prime 48 hours @ stock first. After one night she was running at 3.4 or so.

 

[Ging3r]

Also, get a bigger, nicer case, and watercool it, that will finish it off nicely

 

[rrjwilson]

Yeh not a fan of the armour either but its your case so you must like it.

Not sure about the eclipse either as mobo prices are all aorund that mark i'd go with a Ramp II tbh.

 

[Binman88]

Thanks for all the great advice guys.

I'm not too keen on watercooling myself, I know its unlikely to be problematic but in my hands anything could happen! I'll definitely consider upgrading to watercooling in the future though when I get around to overclocking.

As for the motherboard, I could be wrong but, it seems to be the only one which will decently fit sli gtx280s and my X-fi soundcard (in between them).

I've come up with another almost finalised list (attached). I still have a bit more cash to play with, so if theres an area that you think could be improved upon please let me know!

 

[SwaleSmith]

OK heres my advice for ya I'd consider going the new 260 gtx as the performance is very very closeto the 280gtx you will save a few quid on that definatley go I7 with rampage II i highly recommend my processor i7 920 6gb of triple channel memory, velociraptors (raid 0 perhaps?) again like these myself a good choice leave the armor + out there a bit cheapy had one very cheapo plastic look.

If you want a nice tower heres 3 suggestions comos s or cosmos (black edition looks nice) or I highly highly reccommend the silverstone tj07

 

[HazzyP]

Tj07? You must be kidding right!?

 

[Ging3r]

Tj07? You must be kidding right!?

One of the best cases around.

You could also look at the Lian Li V2010 they are also very classy looking cases, with huge amounts of internal space

 

[rrjwilson]

Tj07? You must be kidding right!?

What? You don't like one of the most purchased cases of recent times? You don't like its proper aluminium construction? You don't like having lots of space with well designed areas to help PC access? You don't like a case that has more options for modding easily than most cases have options at all?

I know the Cosmos has decent room but its not even on the same level as the TJ07 imo.

 

[SwaleSmith]

nope have had planty of cases the TJ07 is the best tower mate, of course you should already know that right ;-)

 

[SwaleSmith]

see what I mean HazzyP LOL

HazzyP has my TJ07

And the cosmos s is certainly not in the class of a TJ07 even Vadim used these cases that can only speak good for them they were one of the best builders to ever exsist, unfortuantley the bad economy has swallowed them up.

What? You don't like one of the most purchased cases of recent times? You don't like its proper aluminium construction? You don't like having lots of space with well designed areas to help PC access? You don't like a case that has more options for modding easily than most cases have options at all?

I know the Cosmos has decent room but its not even on the same level as the TJ07 imo.

 

[HazzyP]

One of the best cases around.

You could also look at the Lian Li V2010 they are also very classy looking cases, with huge amounts of internal space

Yeah I know mate! I just bought swales off him hence the joke!