How would you spend my $1500-$1800?

[PaladinPup]

This is my first build. My goals are the best gaming results I can get for the above mentioned price range.

If I can save more and get the price down, let me know. I have looked at some of the packadges or the of the barebones kits. I find some of the components of a bit less quality with a combo, but it will save about $50-100 in total. Not huge savings though.

I do plan to overclock eventually, when I feel comfortable with it.


Here's what I have researched thus far:

Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Dual Core Processor LGA775 Conroe 2.66GHZ 1333FSB 4MB Retail

In Stock 25298 $209.99

Antec Nine Hundred Mid Tower Gamer Case 900 ATX 9 Drive Bay No PS Top USB2.0 1394 Audio
In Stock 21123 $119.99

EVGA E-GEFORCE 8800GTS 500MHZ 640MB 1.6GHZ GDDR3 Dual DVI-I HDTV Out HDCP DIRECTX10 Video Card
In Stock 21406 $472.34

EVGA Nforce 680I SLI LGA775 Conroe ATX DDR2 2PCI-E16 2PCI SATA2 RAID Sound GBLAN 1394 Motherboard
In Stock 23215 $249.99

OCZ Platinum XTC REV.2 PC2-6400 2GB 2X1GB DDR2-800 CL4-4-4-15 240PIN DIMM Dual Channel Memory Kit
In Stock 19337 $149.99

Antec Truepower Trio 550W Power Supply ATX12V V2.0 Active PFC SLI Certified 120MM Fan
2-5 Business Days 21601 $110.20

Western Digital Raptor 74GB SATA 10000RPM Hard Drive 5.2MS 16MB NCQ 5 Year MFR Warranty
In Stock 18013 $204.06

BenQ FP222WH 22IN Widescreen LCD Monitor Black 5MS 700:1 1680X1050 Senseye HDMI VGA DVI W/ Cable $329.00



Thanks,

PP

[sswilson]

First thing that sticks out is your choice of memory.....

With current pricing you'd be better served to pick whatever PC2 8500 is on sale. You should be able to find some for the same price as the 6400 sticks you've picked.

[mailaw]

That looks like it'll be an amazing setup, but there are a few places where you could save some money and make a few adjustments.

1. Not a big thing but canada computers has the same case a little cheaper and is close to where you live.

2. Don't pay that much for that video card - ncix has the card on sale this week for $390 http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...A&promoid=1042

3. I agree with wilson and you could go for some higher end memory on sale, this is an awesome deal and there are some great reviews on this memory. Canada Computers - Memory > DDR2 PC2-8500 1066MHz + : Patriot Extreme Performance DDR2 2GB (2 x 1GB) PC2-8500 Eased Latency DIMM Kit (PDC22G8500ELK).

4. I have no idea where you are buying from, but you save thirteen bucks on your power supply if you buy it at canada computers Canada Computers - Power Supplies/Equipments > Desktop PSUs : Antec TRUEPOWER TRIO 550W TP3 ATX12V 120MM FAN 4 SATA 2 PCIE FCC.

5. Good choice on the hard drive but a way overpriced one, yet again canada computers $165 for the same hard drive. Canada Computers - Hard Drives > S-ATA Drives : Western Digital Raptor Enterprise SATA (WD740ADFD) 74GB 10,000 RPM 16MB Buffer (OEM).

6. If you feel you need the 2 extra inches than this is the right monitor but if you want a better panel on the monitor than go with the 20 inch both from samsung.
The 22inch: Canada Computers - LCD Monitors/LCD TVs > 22" LCD Monitors : Samsung SyncMaster 226BW 22IN Widescreen LCD Black 1680X1050 800:1 2MS VGA DVI-D HDCP.

The 20inch: Canada Computers - LCD Monitors/LCD TVs > 20" LCD Monitors : Samsung SyncMaster 206BW 20" Black Widescreen LCD 1680X1050 300 cd/m2 3000:1 2ms VGA DVI-D HDCP .

Benq Canada Computers - LCD Monitors/LCD TVs > 22" LCD Monitors : BenQ FP222WH 22" 5ms 700:1 WSXGA+ 1680 x 1050 DVI / GA / DMI Senseye Wide .
This is the same monitor you chose, just $50 cheaper

After you check these out you should have a great gaming set up. (srry dont no much about that motherboard) Cheers!!!

[vblanche]

what about this video card: http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...nufacture=ASUS

[pscout]

Another monitor option ... i just picked up a samsung 225bw for 280 at pc village.

I now use it instead of the 205bw i was using so i get bigger characters to improve readablity for my aging eyes

... and gave my son the 205bw to replace his dead 22" crt for gaming. He says it works fine with his games ... mostly WoW. Dunno of the 226 is a better choice or not for gaming (I don't game).

[enaberif]

- Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Dual Core Processor LGA775 Conroe 2.66GHZ 1333FSB 4MB Retail

Antec Nine Hundred Mid Tower Gamer Case 900 ATX 9 Drive Bay No PS Top USB2.0 1394 Audio

Temjin Tj04
Antec p182

EVGA E-GEFORCE 8800GTS 500MHZ 640MB 1.6GHZ GDDR3 Dual DVI-I HDTV Out HDCP DIRECTX10 Video Card

EVGA Nforce 680I SLI LGA775 Conroe ATX DDR2 2PCI-E16 2PCI SATA2 RAID Sound GBLAN 1394 Motherboard
P5N32-E SLI for 680i (If you are going to run SLI)
PB5-E/Plus (If not running SLI)

OCZ Platinum XTC REV.2 PC2-6400 2GB 2X1GB DDR2-800 CL4-4-4-15 240PIN DIMM Dual Channel Memory Kit
Crucial Ballistix pc2-8500

Antec Truepower Trio 550W Power Supply ATX12V V2.0 Active PFC SLI Certified 120MM Fan
Mushkin 550/580

Western Digital Raptor 74GB SATA 10000RPM Hard Drive 5.2MS 16MB NCQ 5 Year MFR Warranty
Seagate Barracuda 320/500 ~ raptors are overrated

[cadaveca]

Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 Dual Core Processor LGA775 Conroe 3.0GHZ 1333FSB 4MB Retail


I'd get the 6850, jsut becuase you can save the difference in price with some of the other components...and more cpu cannot hurt...especially if getting a second card is a possibility in the future...nevermind that the 6850 should clock better, if you overclock.
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Antec Nine Hundred Mid Tower Gamer Case 900 ATX 9 Drive Bay No PS Top USB2.0 1394 Audio


Case doesn't make your pc faster, so whatever you like is ok...but get the cheapest price you can.
----------------------------

EVGA E-GEFORCE 8800GTS 500MHZ 640MB 1.6GHZ GDDR3 Dual DVI-I HDTV Out HDCP DIRECTX10 Video Card (you cna find this for about $400, or less)

----------------------------

EVGA Nforce 680I SLI LGA775 Conroe ATX DDR2 2PCI-E16 2PCI SATA2 RAID Sound GBLAN 1394 Motherboard

there's gotta be a bettter board for you here....@ $300, there msut be an ASUS or MSI or Gigabyte, or something that offers more...

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OCZ Platinum XTC REV.2 PC2-6400 2GB 2X1GB DDR2-800 CL4-4-4-15 240PIN DIMM Dual Channel Memory Kit
In Stock 19337 $149.99


Dude...pc8500 for the same cost, as others have posted. Even if you do not use the full speed of the ram, why buy a lower-grade product for more?

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Antec Truepower Trio 550W Power Supply ATX12V V2.0 Active PFC SLI Certified 120MM Fan
2-5 Business Days 21601 $110.20

No Comment...but there's got to be better for the same price.
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Western Digital Raptor 74GB SATA 10000RPM Hard Drive 5.2MS 16MB NCQ 5 Year MFR Warranty

For what these cost, get 2x250 Seagate 7200.10, and RAID tehm up..it will be faster than the single Raptor in the end. The Seagates match the raptor in perforamnce in MANY benchmarks.

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BenQ FP222WH 22IN Widescreen LCD Monitor Black 5MS 700:1 1680X1050 Senseye HDMI VGA DVI W/ Cable $329.00


--------------------------------
While 22-inch is good, 20-inch will have a more pixels/inch, and thereby allow for a better picture. I've been recommending LG 204WTX monitors for quite some time, and even people that swore by CRT's were very happy with this monitor. It also costs about $239, which is hard to beat ATM...find a similar price at a alocal store and go to futureshop for a pricematch.;)

[PaladinPup]

Fabulous help guys!!! Thank-you so much!!!


PP

[JD]

For that price of the Antec PSU, you might as well get an Enermax.

Definately go to Canada Computers, prefer the North York or Kennedy location. I'd avoid the one in Pacific Mall as its extremely small. You can barely even get in the place most times. You also save all shipping costs by going to a store.

That OCZ RAM you listed can be had for $85 after rebates at Canada Computers. I don't think you can get PC-8500 that cheap... Also PC-6400 is already faster than the CPU, unless you overclock the FSB beyond 400MHz.

If you don't plan on SLI, get the ASUS P5K (Intel P35 chipset) as it seems to be the best board out there at the moment. Otherwise stick with the 680i. eVGA has amazing warranty, so it makes life easier if something happens. My friend got a new motherboard from them as the first revision didn't support quad-core overclocking very well. He got the new updated board for free I believe.

[Somed00d]

Originally Posted by PaladinPup

Western Digital Raptor 74GB SATA 10000RPM Hard Drive 5.2MS 16MB NCQ 5 Year MFR Warranty
In Stock 18013 $204.06

if you do get this drive i would also reccomend another drive for storage because 74gb goes fast..

however. I personally would drop the drive for a seagate 7200.10 drive. or a pair in raid if you want more performance.