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Recommendations for a System Overhaul

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OCcsdude

New Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2006
Messages
14 (0.00/day)
Hi, I am looking for some input on a new system build. I currently have the following:

Abit IC7
P4 2.6c@3.3GHz
4x256mb Geil PC4000 (ddr)
Sapphire Radeon X800 Pro (agp)
Creative Labs Audigy 2 ZS (pci)
Seagate 120gb 8mb cache (ide)
Enermax 431w PSU
Modified case w/ excellent airflow

I am planning on getting the following:

GIGABYTE GA-965P-DS3
Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 Conroe 1.86GHz
CORSAIR XMS2 2 x 1GB DDR2 800 5-5-5-12 1.9V
Sapphire X1800GTO2 512mb 500/500mhz OR MSI X1900XTX (roughtly $80 more w/ rebate)
Keeping my Audigy 2 ZS (pci)
Keeping my Seagate 120gb 8mb cache (ide)
Keeping my Enermax 431w PSU
Keeping my case

What are your thoughts? I know the mobo is solid and am confident about that. I am considering whether I should get the GTO2 insead of the X1900XTX and save up for a dx10 card and/or go for the conroe 6400 or slightly better memory (maybe the corsair with better timings which is about $40 more). Thanks ahead for any help.

EDIT:
MSI X1900XTX for $276.99 w/ rebate on newegg:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814127205

So I would actually only be spending about $80 more than I would getting the X1800GTO2.
 
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OCcsdude said:
Hi, I am looking for some input on a new system build. I currently have the following:

Abit IC7
P4 2.6c@3.3GHz
4x256mb Geil PC4000 (ddr)
Sapphire Radeon X800 Pro (agp)
Creative Labs Audigy 2 ZS (pci)
Seagate 120gb 8mb cache (ide)
Enermax 431w PSU
Modified case w/ excellent airflow

I am planning on getting the following:

GIGABYTE GA-965P-DS3
Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 Conroe 1.86GHz
CORSAIR XMS2 2 x 1GB DDR2 800 5-5-5-12 1.9V
Sapphire X1800GTO2 512mb 500/500mhz OR MSI X1900XTX (roughtly $80 more w/ rebate)
Keeping my Audigy 2 ZS (pci)
Keeping my Seagate 120gb 8mb cache (ide)
Keeping my Enermax 431w PSU
Keeping my case

What are your thoughts? I know the mobo is solid and am confident about that. I am considering whether I should get the GTO2 insead of the X1900XTX and save up for a dx10 card and/or go for the conroe 6400 or slightly better memory (maybe the corsair with better timings which is about $40 more). Thanks ahead for any help.
Click to expand...

GIGABYTE GA-965P-DS3 - max FSB is a little less than 500 from what I read at XS
Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 Conroe 1.86GHz (E6400 would overclock better with your mobo which is a little FSB limited)
Audigy 2 ZS - why not
Seagate 120gb 8mb cache (ide) **** OMFG :( ****
Enermax 431w PSU - definately minimum
CORSAIR XMS2 2 x 1GB DDR2 800 5-5-5-12 1.9V - sure
MSI X1900XTX - the better choice
 
Hi there.

Go for the X1800 GTO or X1900 GT good cards and not so expensive as the XT or XTX.
I have the card my self and i am very satisfied with it.
Earlier i had a EVGA 7900 GT CO. I sold it to get the X1900 GT.

And then wait for Directx10. That is what i would do.
Also i would wait for a few months for buying a new processor. The prices will drop.
Then when dx10 is there for a while get a new card and processor.
 
You should consider getting a more powerful psu in the range of 500+ just to be safe and see what the price is of a radeon x1900xt instead of the xtx which is a waste of money imo. The 120 gig hd is a little weak but i'm sure you'll get a new one when the time comes.
 
_33 said:
GIGABYTE GA-965P-DS3 - max FSB is a little less than 500 from what I read at XS
Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 Conroe 1.86GHz (E6400 would overclock better with your mobo which is a little FSB limited)
Audigy 2 ZS - why not
Seagate 120gb 8mb cache (ide) **** OMFG :( ****
Enermax 431w PSU - definately minimum
CORSAIR XMS2 2 x 1GB DDR2 800 5-5-5-12 1.9V - sure
MSI X1900XTX - the better choice
Click to expand...

Why buy the X1900 XTX when the X1900 XT is the same card. If you're buying an X1900XTX you are throwing away money.
Overclock it and you have the same card. (Sorry Magibeg did not read your reply)
 
diff psu, and what monitor resolution are you using and what games? because of course the x1900 is more powerful, but if you are only running at 1024x768, so spend that much
 
To make sure you guys are aware of it, there is a MSI X1900XTX for $276.99 w/ rebate on newegg:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814127205

So I would actually only be spending about $80 more than I would getting the X1800GTO2.

I have a Viewsonic VX724 (very nice refresh rates) 17" lcd which supports up to 1280x1024...that's what I play all my games at. But I am looking to get a long-lasting graphics card or a lower end one that will hold me over till I get a dx10 card, not one that just runs good at the resolution I play at.
 
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that's wicked cheap. i will probably buy one of those in 3 weeks or less if they are still at that price
 
get a much higher watt psu and a sata hdd but other than that everything else is great (go for the x1900xtx) try to get somthing w/ ~27amp on the 12v rail
 
Go with an OCZ, Antec, Or mushkin.
 
What is a good SATA hdd to go with the GIGABYTE GA-965P-DS3 that's not too expensive? Also, how different is SATA to work with and setup? I have never worked with non-ide drives. Thanks for all the replies so far.
 
OCcsdude said:
What is a good SATA hdd to go with the GIGABYTE GA-965P-DS3 that's not too expensive? Also, how different is SATA to work with and setup? I have never worked with non-ide drives. Thanks for all the replies so far.
Click to expand...

I was there, Sata is sooo Easy, When I first used it for my clients computer (80gb sata drive), I got jelous, they are so much easier, cleaner and faster...How much space do you need/want?
 
Haha, I am only using up 60GB right now...basically I don't need anything for space. Small and fast.
 
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Thanks for the links cda. Would I need anything else like some pci/pci-e card or cables in order to setup the raid? The board says it supports raid 0/1 and it comes with the cables shown in this picture. Would I be all set just ordering two of those hdd's? I very much appreciate the help I'm getting. These forums rock. :toast:
 
Here are the final parts I think I am going to go with:

GIGABYTE GA-965P-DS3
Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 Conroe 2.13GHz
GeIL 2GB 2 x 1GB DDR2 800 4-4-4-12 2.1V
MSI X1900XTX
Keeping my Audigy 2 ZS (pci)
Maxtor DiamondMax 10 80GB 7200 RPM Serial ATA150 8MB Cache (one for now, will get another later)
Antec 500w (Trading for this, should be good enough...at least better than my 431w Enermax)
Keeping my case

Any last words?
 
You should have a nice little tank of a computer there. Be sure to post us some benchmarks after its made
 
OCcsdude said:
Thanks for the links cda. Would I need anything else like some pci/pci-e card or cables in order to setup the raid? The board says it supports raid 0/1 and it comes with the cables shown in this picture. Would I be all set just ordering two of those hdd's? I very much appreciate the help I'm getting. These forums rock. :toast:
Click to expand...

no the cables included will work fine just make sure if you install xp tell it you need to install 3rd party raid config
 
The stuff has arrived :). I have a quick question about screwing the ds3 into my case. Do I need to put spacers in between the screws and the mobo? The mobo package itself, strangely, provided no screws or spacers. I am used to putting the typical thin, red spacers in...unfortunately I don't have any atm. Thanks.

I am going to pick up some plastic spacers at fry's friday just to make sure I don't see smoke.
 
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