gaming pc

[Infinitive1]

just want to know your thoughts on this setup guys and any improvements that you can suggest, whether i should water cool or not etc:

Intel Core 2 Extreme Quad Core QX9650
Asus Maximus Extreme, iX38, S 775
monitor widescreen 24" Dell 2407WFP-HC
2GB (2x1GB) CorsairTwinX XMS3, DDR3 PC3-14400 (1800)
2x 150 Gb Western Digital Raptor X running in raid 0
500 GB Samsung HD501LJ Spinpoint T166, SATA II, 7200
graphics 768MB XFX 8800 Ultra
Razer TARANTULA Ultimate Gaming
Razer R1M1, Copperhead Gaming
KillerNIC M1 Network Card with 400Mhz
Creative SoundBlaster X-Fi Xtreme Gamer Fatal1ty Professional
1000W Enermax EG1000EWLDXX V2 Galaxy Modular PSU
case zalman Z-MACHINE GT1000
Logitech Z-5500 5.1 Speakers Digital THX

[b0redom]

OS?

Might be worth adding a bit more RAM if you're going so overkill on everything else.

[Aez]

Killer nic is overpriced and is not worth the money from most reviews, personally i would recommend you to drop the ultra and get a gtx there is a nice saving for not much performance at all.
The power supply is over the top you don't need close to that much

[masscrazy]

Im sure your rich but spending this amount of money when computer hardware lasts maximum 6 months, will not give you value for money.

Main issues, processor and gfx card.

£600 on a processor(?), new intel processors are coming soon, Penryn, save it for that. GFX new nvidia range should also be out soon, Ultra was never was worth it.

2 Raptors in RAID 0, would love to see how fast that performs.

My 2cents.

[Infinitive1]

so would you say around a q6600 system then guys coupled with a gtx then or sli gt's

[b0redom]

If you can get hold of one, get an EVGA 8800GT. Their step up program will let you get the new GTS/GTX when it is released. Having had SLi 7800GTXs, I wouldn't recommend it. A single higher powered card is usually much better.

[acrobat]

With that kind of budget, you would be mad to not wait a few months and get the REALLY uber gear. (unless you absolutely have to have it now?).

The new quads are so much better and faster, you mayaswell have one of those instead if you can afford it. The one you listed is already kind of overkill, but if you can afford the best, you mayaswell get the best, and that is due in like 3 or 4 months or so. Its true you can wait forever and never end up buying anything, but there are exceptions, and the next exception is in Q1 2008.

The graphics cards are a more serious consideration though, because the 8800GTX and even the Ultra, is limited in some games already. In the future, its just going to find itself struggling more and more. If I spent that much money on a graphics card and then loaded up Crysis and saw it struggling... I'd be REALLY peaved. But if you could wait a month or two (or three?), you could get the 9800 instead, and that thing will eat *everything*.

Also, I'll need to go and check this... but I think that might be the monitor with the ghosting issue that Dell have bluntly stated they do not intend to fix? I'm not sure, but I can check. If money is no object, I could suggest a better monitor than that, if you like? I also need to look up your hard disks to check that they are the extremely fast raptors at 15,000rpm or something. Because if they aren't they should be with that kinda budget.

As for water cooling, I don't want to pry... but is budget not that much of a big deal? If so, I would just go for it. My concerns about watercooling are that:
a) Its expensive
b) some of them can be noisy if you don't get the right one
c) Its a bit of a faff to fit, especially if you have to remove the heatsink of the graphics card and stuff. And generally.. its just a faff, especially compared to how easy fans are!
d) Its not really essential unless you plan to overclock a LOT
e) modern fans are really excellent. Quiet, good air flow, and insanely cheap.

But personally if money was no object, and I had just bought all the absolute top of the line hardware available to mankind... I would just buy one of the best watercooling kits I could find and relax in the knowledge that I have one of the best PC's in the world


--------edit---------

1) Disks:
Ehh ok, I checked the hard disks. That one is 10,000rpm. The 15,000rpm disk I was thinking of was a SCSI. To be honest, I'm not sure if its actually faster than a raptor (even though it has a faster RPM and a faster read time in m.s). It maybe is faster, or it maybe isn't. Either way, the Raptor you listed is ideal anyway, so I would just get that if I was you. (Actually, I wouldn't get a raptor cause they are a tad noisy, and I'm not that bothered about disk speed time compared to just a good quick normal SATA disk - but that is up to you).

2) Monitor:
I quickly checked on that monitor, and it is the one with the ghosting problem I've read about. It sounds really bad to me... but you might want to research it a bit to make your own mind up. Here is one thread on the matter anyway.

I could suggest a monitor that is as good or better in terms of visual quality and build quality, but it doesn't have any inputs on it. If all you want to do is plug a screen into your DVI slot on your PC, then its perfect. But if you want to plug in video games consoles and stuff, then I wouldn't know what to suggest. Also, the one I would suggest is only 23" (yep 23"), or 30". If you wanted to look at that anyway, here is the link to those. I have the 20" version and I can tell you all about it if you want. I even wrote a very thorough user review for it on another website which I could link if you where interested in it.

[ElCapitan]

£600 on a processor(?), new intel processors are coming soon, Penryn, save it for that.

Actually QX9650 IS 45nm Penryn

[ackrite26]

I would not get a GTX/Ultra at this time,

Also I think there is absolutely no need for the KillerNIC

And in my personal opinion I would change the Razer Tarantula for the Razer Lycosa and Copperhead for the Lachesis.

[d032sh]

Fair enough get an 8800ultra if you want the best possible current performance.. but IMO the DDR3 is ridiculously overpriced. I'd get 4GB of decent DDR2 instead. The NIC really is completely useless too. You won't use anywhere close 1KW on that system either.

Also think about the HSF, If you're getting a QX9650 then surely you're going to want to overclock it

Oh and I hate creative sound cards too

[masscrazy]

Actually QX9650 IS 45nm Penryn

£600 still i way too much, whats the Q6600 of now?

[this_is_gav]

£600 is too much for what you get, but if he doesn't intend to overclock (though I guess he does, given that he's considering watercooling and that motherboard) then he'll just want the fastest he can afford (which doesn't look far off limitless given the spec).

That said, on that spec, 2gb RAM is a massive gaping hole. Should be considering at least 4gb.

Personally, I'd wait until the new 8800GTS SSC is out (or their predecessor) if gaming performance is all that matters or you're running Linux, a HD3870 if you do more than gaming and run on Windows. I wouldn't get that mouse nor that keyboard - the MX Revo and DiNovo Edge if you're not an FPSer (though I'm becoming increasingly frustrated at some teeny little glitches in Logitech's SetPoint, I still love their hardware). I wouldn't get that motherboard (I'm going Abit for my next mobo - ASUS just seem to be developing little glitches here and there... and then there's the Commando, which was... interesting). I'd have the Auzentech X-Fi Prelude over the Creative one (or something not based on the X-Fi's at all if going Vista - I still don't trust their drivers, and they'll probably not work on SP1, just for the sake of it). The PSU would be a waste (to say the least) and what people have already said about the KillerNIC I feel needs repeating once more.

Most of those are little more than tweaks, and completely down to personal preference, but it's what I'd do.

[999tigger]

Again Killer NIC is a no at the moment.

More RAM

Agree on Auzentech Prelude.

Power supply same.

I also have issue with spending ridiculous amounts on the processor if you dont need the power as they update so often its often not worthwhile. The depreciation on it will be very fast. Ypu will be losing money on that setup handover fist, just ask yourself if you need all the latest gear and instead look at the advice about new cards on the horizon.