ThaMahstah

So yeah:


ASUS 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model DRW-2014L1T

Antec Twelve Hundred Black ATX Full Tower Computer Case

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

Acer P243WAid Black-Silver 24" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor with HDCP Support

SAPPHIRE 100251SR Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB 512-bit (256-bit x 2) GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card

CORSAIR CMPSU-1000HX 1000W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Cabling Active PFC Power Supply

Logitech X-540 70 watts 5.1 Speaker

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1000 (PC2 8000) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8000CL5D-4GBPQ

ASUS RAMPAGE FORMULA LGA 775 Intel X48 ATX Intel Motherboard

Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale 3.16GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80570E8500

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit English for System Builders 1pk DSP OEI DVD


Final Price (Tax and Shipping included): $2471


How's that? Everything compatible and good and all? My primary focus is gaming.

ripe

Thats gonna be a beast of a build :)

kmvasilev

Probably one good cooler for this E8500 ? - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835185046


One good sound card will be suitable to this system ? - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16829102005

And finaly better memory like this (if you prefer G.Skill) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231194

Edit: And for a top configuration RAID 0 is recommend ?

wrench97

That Memory is a little off I don't see PC1000 listed on the QVL at all
I think I would look a Corsair for the Memory.

http://support.asus.com/download/dow...page%20Formula

The QVL is under Manuals at the bottom of the list.

__________________

Power Supply and Selection

ThaMahstah

So the stock heatsink and fan that come with the E8500 aren't good enough?

The Asus Rampage Formula comes with a SupremeFX II soundcard.

I'll take your advice on the memory.

linderman

I would go with the Thermalright ultra 120 extreme cpu cooler


the E8600 is capable of hitting 4.0ghz on stock cpu voltages with a good quality air cooler ......... I wouldnt pass that up .........

and YES your onboard sound will be plenty !

__________________



Never Flash your bios from within Windows !!


Power Supply Selection

DONT RUN CHKDSK ON A FAILING HARD DRIVE OR YOU WILL KILL YOUR CHANCES OF DATA RECOVERY !!

ThaMahstah

Do I really need the Thermalright ultra 120 extreme cpu cooler? My case comes with 5 fans, and is the stock cooler not good enough?

Is the E8600 worth the extra $100 over the E8500?

linderman

I would rather have the E8600 and single GPU like the 4870

over the


E8500 and the ATI 4870 X2




you can get by with the stock cooler until you are ready to get serious about overclocking

__________________



Never Flash your bios from within Windows !!


Power Supply Selection

DONT RUN CHKDSK ON A FAILING HARD DRIVE OR YOU WILL KILL YOUR CHANCES OF DATA RECOVERY !!

ThaMahstah

Can I ask why?

By the way I'm not interested in SERIOUS overclocking.

wayliff

wow - this thing will be a monster!

ThaMahstah

That's the general idea. :)


I can't decide, is the E8600 worth the extra $100 over the E8500?

I've been going over it, and which is the best for gaming?

E8600, E8500, Q9550, Q6600?


The Q6600 and the E8500 are both the same price on Newegg, so in that regard it's just a matter of which is superior, for gaming I mean.

The E8600 is a $100 more than those two, and the Q9550 $50 more than that, and I can't decide

kmvasilev

E8600 is the best for gaming but its price is unjustifiable high. With elementary clock with 8500 you can reach ~170 Mhz difference. So, if you do not interesting of overclocking standart box will be enough. But why you are on way to buy very expensive, top-clocking model mainbord ??

Q9550/6600 only if you working with video/sound processing on pro level. Creative will give you match better sound - the choice is yours, finally we are talking for a top-end configuration, I hope :)

linderman

KMVASILEV is sooooo correct

if you are not into super above average overclocking ....... then E8500 will be the choice

NOT the Q6600 ! Games dont use four threads simulatanously yet ...... they barely use TWO ...... so with any quad core ..... two of your cores will be sound asleep while you game

I know several fellas that had the Q6600 that are now running E8400 to get more usuable speed in gaming

and why the overpriced motherboard if you want to run a stock cooler ?????

The Asus P5Q-E or one from that family would make sooooo much more sense


if you live in the US ....... at mwave.com / click on refurbished / click on motherboards

they have the Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS4 for $100.00 !! thats a steal

and their is an X48 motherboard in there too for $120.00

__________________



Never Flash your bios from within Windows !!


Power Supply Selection

DONT RUN CHKDSK ON A FAILING HARD DRIVE OR YOU WILL KILL YOUR CHANCES OF DATA RECOVERY !!

ThaMahstah

Exactly how long before games make use of quad cores?


Oh I won't, I'll buy another cooler.


Because I'll probably overclock and crossfire, and it's still an awesome motherboard.

ThaMahstah

I've come to a conclusion. I'll buy the E8500. It's good enough to give me good gaming performance and cheap enough that when, say, Nehelam comes out or quads become more useful, it can be easilly replaced. How's that?

ThaMahstah

So:

How's that? It also appears I'm $100 under budget. =)

Anything else I should get or get better of?

linderman

looks very good ....... I think you will be very happy with that rig !!

__________________



Never Flash your bios from within Windows !!


Power Supply Selection

DONT RUN CHKDSK ON A FAILING HARD DRIVE OR YOU WILL KILL YOUR CHANCES OF DATA RECOVERY !!