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My first self-build system! Advice needed!

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Hey guys,

I'm all new to this forum, so I hope you wont dislike me because I have only 1 post :laugh:

Anyway, I have looked all over the place to find a cheap computer, and I succeeded every time, however, the computers failed to meet my requirements. So I sat down, looked around, and discovered that even when paying for shipping for each item, it would still be cheaper for me.

Now, I'm on the average to maybe mid-high on the hardware side, and thus, I would like some feedback to the parts I am about to post. The main thing I would like to know is if all the bits and pieces fit and work together, if the brands I found are any good, and if I can get better for the same money, or maybe even a bit more.

So, here goes:

Case: Thermaltake Soprano VB1000BWS Midi Tower (44£ + 25£ Shipping)

Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 1066FSB SKT775 2.4GHz (130£ + 7£ Shipping)

Motherboard: Abit IP35 Pro Intel P35 Socket 775 CrossFire DDR2 (65£ + 20£ Shipping)

Memory: OCZ Reaper 4GB PC-6400 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM (76£ + 5£ Shipping)

Graphics Card: 2x Sapphire ATI HD 3870 512MB PCI-E (220£ + 50£ Shipping)

Power Supply: OCZ GameXStream 700 Watt (87£ + 18£ Shipping)

Hard Disk Drive: Seagate Barracuda 500GB 7200RPM SATA (60£ + 16£ Shipping)

Optical Drive: Sony NEC 20x Optiarc DVD RW Lightscribe Black (20£ + 11£ Shipping)

Total Price: 854£ (1704$) (Including Shipping for all parts)


Thanks in advance,

-Val

P.S. Since I don't live in the US, newegg is not an option for me, even though I have used the site as a reference to quality and prices.
 
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Is that seegayte drive the 7200.10 or 7200.11?
 

ShadowFold

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Wow for a noob you got some great parts :p j/k

The only thing I would change in the mobo, try and shoot for a X38 for the extra gpu bandwidth.
 
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Lol, thanks ^.^

Btw, it's the 7200.10
 
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yeah x38 = 2 full lanes for graphics ...
 
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JrRacinFan

Served 5k and counting ...
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I think it looks fine as is. Nice build and welcome to TPU!
 
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Thanks for the advice, and thanks for the welcome JrRacinFan =)

On another note, I was planning to combine the the 2 ATi HD 3870 in CrossFire. Anyone with some experience of such?
 

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K

kyle2020

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sounds like a very nice setup for a first build, good luck! and welcome to techPowerUp! i have a stickied thread (in my sig) on first time building, dont know if it will help you at all considering your list of parts but have a look! =D
 
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Thanks for the links guys, and for the backup as well =)

Now, I just found out that the ABit IP35 Pro mobo isn't that great for CrossFire, since the main PCI Express x16 works at x16, but the second one works only at x4. So another one is needed..

Any ideas of a CrossFire capable mobo with 2x PCI Express x16 which both works at x16, for a good price?
 

ShadowFold

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Any cheap X38 board. No other chipset that sports quad core support has two 16x lanes afaik.
 
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Thanks for the links guys, and for the backup as well =)

Now, I just found out that the ABit IP35 Pro mobo isn't that great for CrossFire, since the main PCI Express x16 works at x16, but the second one works only at x4. So another one is needed..

Any ideas of a CrossFire capable mobo with 2x PCI Express x16 which both works at x16, for a good price?

x38(ddr2) and x48(ddr3)

i recommend x38
 
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Been looking a bit over in the likes of the DFI LanParty LT X38-T2R, which is very good for CrossFire as well, and has good reviews all over...only bad thing is it's kind hard to get hold of xD And the BIOS is maybe a bit advanced, but hey, need a challenge now and then, eh?
 
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Welcome to the forum stick around!
 
D

Duxx

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All i have to say is... Find some better deals on shipping. 152 pounds is a ridiculous amount to pay on shipping, especially if its from the same place. Look into that, there is no reason you should have to pay 300$(US) for one shipment...
 
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Been looking a bit over in the likes of the DFI LanParty LT X38-T2R, which is very good for CrossFire as well, and has good reviews all over...only bad thing is it's kind hard to get hold of xD And the BIOS is maybe a bit advanced, but hey, need a challenge now and then, eh?

Hello, and welcome to TPU. You've done a pretty decent job with parts so far. I would say, if you are seriously looking at a DFI x38 board, there is a TPU member, Nflesher87 who is currently selling one. He may ship international, and is VERY trustworthy.
 
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Hello, and welcome to TPU. You've done a pretty decent job with parts so far. I would say, if you are seriously looking at a DFI x38 board, there is a TPU member, Nflesher87 who is currently selling one. He may ship international, and is VERY trustworthy.

+1 good option save a few bucks trusted seller.
 
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just curious, as a fellow GameXStream owner, I hear that the 4x 12v18A rails can be a damper on things. Will 18A rails run 3870X2? I figure 18A should be okay for later graphics cards because the newer they get, the smaller they get, the less power they consume, right?
 
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The reason that the shipping is so expensive Duxx, is that I am buying the parts separately, since I can't seem to find a good site where I can get all or maybe most of the parts, which is cheap, good, trustworthy and ships to Denmark. By now I would probably have bought everything of newegg if they shipped to Denmark xD And ideas for some nice value sites?

The card that Nflesher87 sells is also working at 1 x16 and 1 x4 so...not good for CrossFire..

Wish they had more distinguish names, would be easier to know them apart xD All they change is LT, UT, DK xD

However, what I found out is that the DFI LP DK X38-T2R has two x16 so that one would be great for CrossFire =)

And thanks for the welcomes =P

EDIT: But now I just found somewhere else that the DFI LP LT X38-T2R does have 2 x16 o_O Man this is confusing.. Anyone has some definite knowledge of which of them would be the best and if they have 2 x16s? Thanks..
 
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ShadowFold

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X38 = two 16x lanes, any more lanes that are used would be electrical 4x. P35 has one 16x and a second 4x electrical.
 
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Okay, thanks mate =)
 
A

Azazel

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where are you buying your parts..the shipping seem like allot...

and all looks good..and like the others said get a x38 bored
 

HTC

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x38(ddr2) and x48(ddr3)

i recommend x38

Not true, dude: Rampage Formula is a x48 with DDR2.

@ original poster: Have you tried to get all the parts from the same store? That should decrease your shipping value by a great deal, no?
 
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The problem is I know of no store which is cheap and ships to Denmark. Any ideas?

@ azazel: I'm buying all of the parts of different eBay stores, all trustworthy sellers, however, yes, if I could find a good cheap site which ships to Denmark, I could get even better parts for my budget =( All I need is newegg shipping to Europe xD
 
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