New System Spec Decision- Opinions Please :) (and last minute ram + mobo advice)

[themaidenmaniac]

Hey guys, been narrowing it down for a week now and have come to this conclusion:

Intel Q6600 CPU (G0)
Geforce 8800GT gfx
Abit IP-35, (iP35 Express) - not sure dif between express and pro and normal 100%.
M-audio delta 1010lt Sound card
Atix 720w PSU
4GB corsair XMS2 (although i will still run on a 32-bit OS for a while i reckon)
400gig Sata hdd + a samsung dvd writer.

I'm going for the 720w, but i want to be able to overclock the q6600 up to around 3.5ghz and go as far as i can ideally- ive seen some at 4ghz on air.

Can anybody recommend perhaps some cheaper ram alternatives? The corsair is knocking on the door of £150 which is a bit over the top for me tbh. Ive seen a lot of people about using the balistix stuff, but i can only see 1GB ddr2 sticks, and in the newer motherboards taking up to 8GB i feel it would be a bum decision buying a 1GB stick.

Im also weary of the difference between the abit motherboards? Im looking at the IP35, express, normal and pro. Am I really going to see much difference in overclocking? What is the difference between these boards really, just higher grade electronics? I think i will go for the mid range board, standard IP35.

Cheers for your advice!

[TooNice]

Not saying it's necessarily bad, but Atrix isn't exactly established as far as I know. Does seem you are cutting corners a little there.

[roorooroo]

I think a Corsair HX 620w PSU would be enough to power your rig.

[directhex]

have you factored the cost of windows into things?

[themaidenmaniac]

Thanks so far guys. Ive already got windows so thats cool.

[staffsMike]

corsair 520w HX whisper would probably do the job. 700w enermax or 620w corsair if you really feel the need for more.

What HSF are you planning on using for this? Don't expect it to get to 4.0ghz, you will be very lucky to get a chip that could do that on air. 3.4ish is the norm and thats more than you would need i'm sure.

I don't see a problem going for 1gb sticks.. what are you planning on doing which will use more than 4gb? If you are dead set though computer hardware, components, systems and peripherals at the lowest prices from IT supplier Aria Technology are doing patriot 2x2gb modules for just over £100.

The IP-35pro is the best overclocking board. All solid capacitors and a better cooling solution for the chipset make it a better board for serious overclocking.

You need a case to antec P182 for me.

[themaidenmaniac]

Nice one Mike! You always seem to chime in Ive spotted some geil value memory for about $150... that would translate nicely with the current exchange rate. But will it be ok? Im liking the look of the patriot stuff you've linked.



New GeIL 4GB DDR2 (2x2GB) PC2-5300 667MHz Desktop Kit - (eBay item 120174124143 end time Oct-29-07 16:56:58 PDT)

I am a little worried about the psu. When i did the extreme psu calc, it came out around 830w for a overclocked q6600 (b3 tho i figure) @ 3.6ghz! Case is probably going to be a cheap 27 quid foxconn case from scan i think!

[moogle]

Yea don't get that atrix, i have no idea why scan stocks em, they could possibly cost em a bit. like if you actually bought that psu and it went boom with all those expensive components they'd have to replace it. but like staffordshiremike said get a 520w corsair, or a 620w one if you want to. i think a 520 would do.

[themaidenmaniac]

Really that bad then Moogle! Jeepers lol... I just dont see a 520 doing the job when the calculator is telling me around 800w!?

[staffsMike]

Never overclocked the one I had (b3) but that was on a 520HX with an 8800GTS

The way I see it. If the 620w HX can run SLI 8800GTX's (which it can) then it should easily cope with a single lower power ouptut gpu and overclocking. Certainly don't trust those calculators..i did that with my system and wish I hadn't because it would run on so much less.

The ram looks nice, i do rate geil ram very highly but not sure about shipping it over.

The patriot stuff is the best deal i know of, other than that theres a few here
Components » Memory » DDR2 - PC2-6400 - Overclockers UK

but they will be more expensive than the geil probably, but faster.

Personally i'd get 2 sets of this
GeIL 2GB (2x1GB) PC2-6400C4 800MHz Ultra Low Latency DDR2 Dual Channel Kit (GX22GB6400UDC)

and then if you do feel the need to go to 8gb of ram later you've not really wasted much money lol

Even with serious multitasking I don't think you'll see much of a gain if any from 8gb.

[themaidenmaniac]

Cheers again for your quick replies mate! . Ive been sufing scan yet again for psus in the meantime. Wondering if you chaps would trust EZ cool more than Atix hehe?

I often use around 2 gigs ramwise when running my music software, and have been running 3 recently which has given me a little more headroom. With the 32bit restrictions and all, its never going to see 4gigs used properly anyway, so maybe it could be an idea to go with your latter idea. I am just thinking for the future really!

I guess i'll build a computer for someone between now and the time when such beastly ram is needed, so maybe this isnt such a bad idea lol

[moogle]

yea, i use the psu calculator as a rough margin. maybe 700w one would be alright or a 600w one, names like corsair, seasonic, ocz, enermax, .... , yes thats all the good names i can think of. they do good psu's. corsair ones rock because of the price and their modularness
now i've gone modular mad i'll never go back to the normal one. unless i have a huge case.

remember that about the psu, say one day you decide to upgrade it, you got all these nice components inside and you buy a cheap psu replacement. it's more likely to go bang and take out your kit with it than the higher quality ones with something that stops that. and if it does, i don't think you can get compensation unless you go to the courts for it. best avoid that stuff.
even with a new build it'll be a hassle if it blows. it'll be a hassle for scan if it's in the 14 day period but it'll be more of a hassle for you after that. imagine sending every single part back to be repaired

avoid at all cost's.

8gb of ram hmmmm, i used to think hell yea more ram more cool. but i guess i wouldnt be using that much. 6gb maybe

ballistix rams are pretty fast as well and they only come in 1gb sized sticks. but the geil ones are pretty nice too. i was thinking of getting 8gb of patriot but only because i'd save it (4gb of those 2 x 2 sticks) for my family pc's upgrade

but yea i suppose its a waste


also remember the watt rating isn't always what you should go by. the 12v rail amp rating on the psu is what you should look at too. most high wattage psu's that are cheap usually have a high amp rating on the 5v and 3.3v rails which isn't much use for us except for the cpu overclocking.

[staffsMike]

no problem.

EZ cool are a no no lol

I'd go with either,
FSP
OCZ
Corsair
Seasonic
Enermax

Then
Antec
Coolermaster
Tagan

Then the firework displays like
atrix and ez cool lol

remember the first rule of pc building. PSU is your most important component, as all the valuable one's are connected to it. It should come before cpu's, graphics cards... everything lol

[moogle]

no problem.

EZ cool are a no no lol

I'd go with either,
FSP
OCZ
Corsair
Seasonic
Enermax

Then
Antec
Coolermaster
Tagan

Then the firework displays like
atrix and ez cool lol

thats the rest of the good psus, i was urging my brain get the names but it was just blank

don't forget hiper! Q-tec as well iirc.
fireworks section i mean

[themaidenmaniac]

good stuff guys! From what you chaps are saying then, a good brand and lower wattage should see me through. Im really looking around the £50 margin for this though. Seems i might risk an an early guy fawkes night lol. Right lets see...

[tigerboyce]

nothing beats users opinion as a calculator