Will all of this stuff work?

[Star Wolf]

I posted a thread similar to this one only with a few different parts over at SteamPowered.com, but I figured I would get more professional opinions. Do you think all of this is a good comp and will all work PERFECTLY? Keep in mind I do NOT plan on overclocking at all. Thanks!

Case:
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduc...144-089&DEPA=1

Power Supply: (to replace the one in the case)
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...104-152&depa=0

Motherboard:
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...131-517&depa=1

Processor:
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...103-496&DEPA=1

Video Card(s):
2 × http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...130-215&depa=1

Sound Card: (NOTE: Already owned, will be switched ove)
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...102-171&depa=0

RAM: (NOTE: Also already owned)
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...144-137&depa=0

CD/DVD-Rom Drives: (getting two)
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...135-029&depa=1

Hard Drives:
Drive 1 (System files, important stuff): http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...144-164&depa=1
Drive 2 (Storage) This drive is already purchased, a 160 GB Western Digital with all the same properties. Please go to the bottom of this post as I have a question regarding IDE and SATA drives.

Operating System:
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduc...116-194&DEPA=6

Monitor:
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...001-149&depa=0

All comments are appreciated. Thanks.

Also, I have a question about IDE and SATA drives. Is it possible to have one drive running in SATA mode and one in IDE? This is because I will be using 4 of the 4 devices supported by the motherboard if I do it this way (2 CD/DVD-ROM, 2 hard drives). I have no idea how all this stuff works, lol.

Thanks again, I really appreciate it. I don't want to be spending so much money and not get what I want!

PS. I don't believe I am forgetting anything, but if I am I will take suggestions. I have been thinking about getting a new heatsink and fan for it, as well as some Arctic Silver 5 thermal paste. Just tell me if I am missing something!

[myth]

ok..
That hard drive for the os and important stuff is way too slow! You will need to get 2 raptors and raid them together... Next lose that CPU! They are way to pricy and not worth it!!! Just buy a AMD 4000 Next I would go to frys outpost and get 2 ultras instead since they can be bought for 350 instead of that 430 from new egg for the Gts And yes, you can use 2 ide drives and 2 sata or even 4 sata! Or even 8!

Edit: oh, and that case is junk! Stay away, go for a lian li or coolermaster of antec....

[Star Wolf]

I don't really like Lian Li's. I'm not worried about cooling...that thing has 5 fans. What exactly is so bad about it? I'm looking for a good case that looks....like a gaming case.

Also, the reason I am getting those eVGAs is because they have a step up plan that could be useful in the future.

With the FX-55, I've seen benchmarks that really looks like the FX is better.
Two raptors and raid them? Aren't raptors like $160 a shot?

Thanks for your help.

edit: Also, one of the reasons I don't wanna get Ultras is because I don't wanna run low on Expansion slots. Two of those in SLI leave me with 3 left, then my sound card leaves me with 2.

[skuzgib]

Yes it will all work fine.

Myth makes it sound like you HAVE to get all the stuff. You don't, but it seems a bit unbalanced... If I were you, as Myth suggests, spend a bit less on the CPU and get a 4000+/FX-53, even a 3500+/3800+; then spend the money you saved on a 74gb raptor.
It would be a shame not to run that on a nice TFT - it would finish it off nicely.

Case is a matter of preference, but don't forget functionality over looks - make sure there's lots of room with good cooling (at least 2x120mm fans if pos)

[skuzgib]

Also, do you really need 2xDVD-rw drives? A single RW and a ROM drive is more sensible (ie cheaper)

[Butcher]

Raptors won't make that much odds - and they run noisy so if a quiet comp is a concern then you're better off without. If maximum performance is your thing and you have the money then you'll get a bit off a boost from them, but it's hardly night and day.

GTs in SLi work well in my experience, unless you plan to run 1600x1200 ultras aren't worth it. In terms of expanability, there's not a lot in it between ultras and GTs in SLi - they both hog half the board, the GTs may have a lower profile though.

[myth]

Raptors won't make that much odds - and they run noisy so if a quiet comp is a concern then you're better off without. If maximum performance is your thing and you have the money then you'll get a bit off a boost from them, but it's hardly night and day.

raptors are $99 a peice and with the cash you'll save by getting a AMD 4000 you can aford them, as for the difference not being much..... He obviously never had a pair of raid 0 raptors set up properly I get data bursts at 192MB's windows loads in 4 seconds and yea... They are noisy! But thats why I said get a good case, a case isnt all about looks. YOu have to understand that there about noies blocking... like gromets on the hard drives and air intake filters... triple layered doors and sound mats... thermal zones and wire managment... Yes I have a pasion for cases....

[johnnr892]

I totally agreee with myth on the case. If you spend that much on a case, make sure it has 2x120mm fans unless you have 5 panaflos 80mm hanging around because with 120mm it will be quieter, more cooling performance and cost less. Again, the case is a matter of preference but I would go for something more classy like a lian li or something.

[Butcher]

raptors are $99 a peice and with the cash you'll save by getting a AMD 4000 you can aford them, as for the difference not being much..... He obviously never had a pair of raid 0 raptors set up properly I get data bursts at 192MB's windows loads in 4 seconds and yea... They are noisy! But thats why I said get a good case, a case isnt all about looks. YOu have to understand that there about noies blocking... like gromets on the hard drives and air intake filters... triple layered doors and sound mats... thermal zones and wire managment... Yes I have a pasion for cases....

I had 15krpm ultra scsi, which frankly makes the raptors look like a pile of crap, compared to standard 7200rpm the difference isn't that amazing. 192MB/s burst is meaningless - burst transfer rates are not representative of disk speed in general I've had burst transfers of 120MB/s off a single 7200 RPM drive, doesn't mean they get that all the time. For typical usage sustainted transfer rates and access times more meaningful (especially access times and RAID doesn't help those in the slightest). Additionally you're likely to be running software RAID which will slow down any loading because it takes CPU time away from whatever is doing the loading.
Basically the point is raptors are faster than a standard disk, but it's not the massive difference some people like to make out, more of a small speed boost than something you'll go "wow" over.

One thing I will say for scsi though - it handles multiple simultaneous data requests MUCH better than any IDE/SATA controller I've ever used.

[RDL]

If you don't plan on overclocking there isn't any point in getting the FX55 over the 4000 to be honest. Since you don't need an unlocked multiplier.

Get a faster boot drive, as that isn't too good. A single Raptor is fine.

Also, as someone mentioned, save some money and buy one DVD RW drive and one DVD ROM. There is absolutely no point in having 2 DVD RWs.

Other than that, looks good.

[Star Wolf]

Isn't the 4000+ like 2.4 ghz, compared to the 2.6 ghz that the FX-55 is?

Also, would windows XP and other important files (only probably drivers) fit on ONE 37.7 or whatever gigabyte hard drive?

One more question,

Could I have ONE raptor run in Sata, and my storage hard drive run in IDE?

Sorry, don't know much about hard drives...

edit: I see Newegg FINALLY sells LightScribe enabled drives, so I am switching one of those ASUS's over to this: http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduc...140-007&DEPA=0

[BUFF]

Also, would windows XP and other important files (only probably drivers) fit on ONE 37.7 or whatever gigabyte hard drive?

One more question,

Could I have ONE raptor run in Sata, and my storage hard drive run in IDE?

I usually allow 10GB as a partition for XP, drivers etc. (I do move My Documents & my email store off this though - makes future reinstalls easier) with apps etc on other partitions.
& yes, shouldn't be a problem running 1 HDD on SATA & 1 on IDE.

[Star Wolf]

Alright, I will probably get one 10000RPM Western Digital Raptor 74 gigabyte hard drive then. The reason I asked is because I thought SATA only worked when you linked two HDDs together.

Thanks for everyones help.

I have been thinking about maybe going with the FX-53...what exactly are the differences between the two?
Also, what heatsinks and fans for the heatsink do you prefer?

[skuzgib]

I have been thinking about maybe going with the FX-53...what exactly are the differences between the two?

FX-55 = unlocked multi, 1mb cache 2.6ghz
FX-53 = unlocked multi, 1mb cache 2.4ghz
4000+ = Rebadged FX-53, locked multi