View Full Version : C2D build, advice and comments please...
so...
i'm mainly an AMD fan, but i've decided to build an Intel system, due to reviews about the C2D.
so '-' i've made a list for a build i hope to purchase at christmas or january =D, but i need comments, what's wrong with it etc and if anything else would work better than what i chose...I also like things to be really quiet, so if you know of any quieter components that do the job just as well...then those would be welcome
I also need a Power supply, but i don't know which to get...so help with that would be perfect, Thanks in advance =D
here's the list, taken from the checkout:
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r283/Holy_order_sol/list.png
Looks good to me, it should be quiet enough i have the 256mb version of that graphics card and its quiet once its booted up and the Zalman should be pretty quiet too so no worries there.
As for psu i would recommend at least 500w and i would also recommend one of these, OCZ 600W StealthXStream (http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Power+Supplies/500w+%2B/OCZ+600W+StealthXStream+PSU+?productId=26933) i have one running my media pc and its very quiet.
my only problem would be spending that amount of money on that sort of spec and only having dx9. perhaps spend more on the gfx card and get a 8800gts 320mb like an EVGA GeForce 8800GTS 320MB GDDR3 PCIE DUAL DV
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Graphics+Cards/PCI-E/nVIDIA+GeForce+8+Series/+EVGA+GeForce+8800GTS+320MB+GDDR3+PCIE+DUAL+DVI?pr oductId=26692
knocks the socks off the x1900 in benchmarks and its future proof.
I can personally vouch for this:
https://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Graphics+Cards/PCI-E/nVIDIA+GeForce+8+Series/+Asus+GeForce+8800GTS+320MB+PCI-E?productId=26540
I recently got one with a C2D build and it blows the socks off everything I throw at it!
Maybe Crysis will be a match for this card 8)
EDIT: Included with the card was a copy of Ghost Recon 2: Advanced Warfighter, a DVI to VGA adaptor, and an Asus CD carry case.
[quote:38ffe28db9=\"alexnifty\"]I can personally vouch for this:
https://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Graphics+Cards/PCI-E/nVIDIA+GeForce+8+Series/+Asus+GeForce+8800GTS+320MB+PCI-E?productId=26540
I recently got one with a C2D build and it blows the socks off everything I throw at it!
Maybe Crysis will be a match for this card 8)
EDIT: Included with the card was a copy of Ghost Recon 2: Advanced Warfighter, a DVI to VGA adaptor, and an Asus CD carry case.[/quote:38ffe28db9]
Its a tiny bit more expensive but its worth it for the stuff packaged with it.
[quote:66b55e7475=\"bouncyb\"][quote:66b55e7475=\"alexnifty\"]I can personally vouch for this:
https://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Graphics+Cards/PCI-E/nVIDIA+GeForce+8+Series/+Asus+GeForce+8800GTS+320MB+PCI-E?productId=26540
I recently got one with a C2D build and it blows the socks off everything I throw at it!
Maybe Crysis will be a match for this card 8)
EDIT: Included with the card was a copy of Ghost Recon 2: Advanced Warfighter, a DVI to VGA adaptor, and an Asus CD carry case.[/quote:66b55e7475]
Its a tiny bit more expensive but its worth it for the stuff packaged with it.[/quote:66b55e7475]
Yeah man, that CD case totally sold it for me :P But seriously, finding AWF was a nice surprise. I just went for Asus because of the brand.
dont lie, it was always the cd case ;)
Ok ok! I admit it. The card is in the bin, I only wanted the cd case.
Oh right! Because you 'recycle' peoples property :wink:
Back on topic, in terms of PSU, the OCZ 600W mac124 suggested looks good, but you might want something with more power if you intend to use crossfire. But then if you buy an 8800 it wont be an option!
Nope because it will then be SLI and you will have to change your board to an Nvidia option such as an 680i chipset. A good example of one of these boards is the
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Motherboards/Socket+775+%28Intel%29/Asus+P5N32-E+SLi+Socket+775+ATX+MOTHERBOARD+?productId=25917
which is an Asus P5N32-E SLi board. Its around the same sort of price as the P35 chipset board you where looking at, and its a good performer (as good as an asus striker board!)
So my recommendations are change your board, and change your graphics card.
and yes im big on recycling, especially gfx card recycling ;)
I have that board, and I can confirm that it is the doggies.
I tried to write a review of it, but I think it broke, or is pending, anyway...
In the box you get:
1 x SLI bridge
1 x ASUS Q-Connector Kit - a special adaptor to make installing your system panel easy.
1 x UltraDMA 133/100/66 cable
1 x Floppy disk drive cable
4 x SATA cables (4!! Usually your lucky to get more than one!)
2 x SATA power cable for 4 devices
1 x 2-port USB2.0 module
1 x IEEE1394a module
1 x Audio Output SupremeFX Audio Card
And of course all the usual, manuals, drivers and utilities.
Lots of overclocking tools included, and the Bios has a lot of options to get stuck into.
I think I'm correct in saying this will support quad sli?
by strange coincidence your review is now on the website ;)
*Don's tinfoil hat* :shock:
P5N32-E SLi + C2D E6X50 + Asus 8800GTS + 2GB RAM = Happy Gamer.
Although the GPU being 2x as expensive as your original choice is going to bump the price...
If you want to make a saving then use an E6750 and the 8800GTS. You will have MUCH better performance than an E6850 and an X1950.
id defo say thats the right choice. the 6750 will easily reach the same speeds as the 6850 if you want to go that way. In the days of the E6X00 series, the E6800 was multiplier unlocked, therefore the hardcore gamer and overclockers choice, however the E6850 is not multiplier unlocked, therefore i see no real advantage.
So currently alexnifty and I would recommend changing the following (just to provide an overview, lol)
X1900 OUT, 8800GTS 320mb IN
Asus P5K OUT, Asus P5N32-E SLI IN
Intel C2D E6850 OUT, Intel C2D E6750 IN
Original cost of those three items = £335.04 (ex) vat
New cost of replacement items = £370.00 (ex) vat
Its not an awful (£34.96 ex vat) lot more for just under twice as much graphics processing power!!! (see http://www23.tomshardware.com/graphics_2007.html?modelx=33&model1=725&model2=778&chart=275 )
[quote:abe701cd0f=\"bouncyb\"]id defo say thats the right choice. the 6750 will easily reach the same speeds as the 6850 if you want to go that way. In the days of the E6X00 series, the E6800 was multiplier unlocked, therefore the hardcore gamer and overclockers choice, however the E6850 is not multiplier unlocked, therefore i see no real advantage.
So currently alexnifty and I would recommend changing the following (just to provide an overview, lol)
X1900 OUT, 8800GTS 320mb IN
Asus P5K OUT, Asus P5N32-E SLI IN
Intel C2D E6850 OUT, Intel C2D E6750 IN
Original cost of those three items = £335.04 (ex) vat
New cost of replacement items = £370.00 (ex) vat
Its not an awful (£34.96 ex vat) lot more for just under twice as much graphics processing power!!! (see http://www23.tomshardware.com/graphics_2007.html?modelx=33&model1=725&model2=778&chart=275 )[/quote:abe701cd0f]
High five that! 8)
ah i do like to cost things,lol.
i have a horrible feeling though that the intended recipient of this information will never read this. :?
ah i do like to cost things,lol.
i have a horrible feeling though that the intended recipient of this information will never read this. :?
=O
He will so~ ! he was just too busy working to check the thread [/pathetic excuse]
'-' hmmm...the changes you guys made seem great, i've added them to the list on the site <.<d
i was unsure about the 8800 due to the cost...but it doesn't seem so bad if i make the changes...
The only thing i'm worrying about with this, are the sata ports and the PCI-E slot...which may sound silly, but where i work, I recently built a C2D testbench, the motherboard was rather cheap and nasty, and when you have a 7950 GTX (i think that was the card) in, it gets in the way of the sata ports....
I doubt this problem is there with this motherboard as it's not so cheap and nasty~
hmm...but i definitely think i'll go for most if not all of the changes '-' i still need to save up though XD which will probably be complete at the start of the year....(unless i buy parts every month..)
anyway, thanks guys for the help b'-'d
I have the Asus P5N32-E SLI with an 8800GTS and there is no conflict with the SATA ports.
If you're bulding this at the start of next year then I would come back and take a look at what new products are available. We're about due for a new wave of GPU's and CPU's from Intel, Nvidia, and Ati. Stay tuned ;)
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