Building a Computer... - Graphics Cards?

[Dukes]

If you dont know what your doing when overclocking you have a choice of fried duck and cpu or the roast chicken and fried cpu

I'll take the safe route and go with cereal and an intact CPU.

[Dukes]

I was wondering... you said I had low quality burners on the original list... could you help me find some good ones? Preferably able to burn both + and - DVDs, or one for each kind, either way.

[ctjoyce]

Well I use a Samgsung dual layer DVD burner. Cost me $35 at newegg. There are better ones (lite on, Plextor) but for the money Samgsung is the best.

Cheers
Cameron

[Dukes]

Thanks.

[Dukes]

Alrighty... I think this is final. I  decided to get two standard DVD drives and two burners, all from LITE-ON.

Here is what is effectively the final computer config.

[size=10]Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD3200KS 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM      $124.99      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16822136003

AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ Toledo 2000MHz HT 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket 939 Dual Core Processor - Retail      $460.00      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103546

ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce SPP 100 ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail      $196.99      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131568

eVGA 256-P2-N565-AX Geforce 7900GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail      $339.00      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130282

Hiper Modular Type-R 580W Power Supply - SLI Ready - Blue      $99.00      http://www.frozencpu.com/psu-164.html?id=P6iGn5Go

ZALMAN CNPS9500 LED 92mm 2 Ball Blue LED Light Cooling Fan with Heatsink - Retail      $63.99      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835118223

Thermaltake Armor Series VA8000BWS Black Computer Case With Side Panel Window - Retail      $149.99      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811133154

Creative SOUND BLASTER X-Fi Platinum 7.1 Channels 24-bit 96KHz PCI Interface Sound Card - Retail      $185.00      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829102190

CORSAIR XMS 2GB (2 x 1GB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM Dual Channel Kit System Memory - Retail      $189.00      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145575

Thermaltake Thunderblade A1926 120mm Sleeve Blue LED Light Cooling Fan - Retail - x2      $18.98      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811999127

Thermaltake A2017 90mm 1 Ball, 1 Sleeve Blue LED Light Case Cooling Fan - Retail - x2      $25.98      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811999121

SONY Black Internal Floppy Drive Model MPF920 Black - OEM      $9.99      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16821103116

LITE-ON 16X DVD

[ctjoyce]

Well first off you can get rid of that X-Fi. There are some pretty big issues between NForce 4 and X-Fi. I Suggest [url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829102178]this[/u] Its going to give you the same quality, but be much cheaper. Other than that, the list looks okay.

Cheers
Cameron

PS: Oh ya almost forgot, do you have an OS disk? Make sure to grab a copy of XP home if you dont.

[Dukes]

Well first off you can get rid of that X-Fi. There are some pretty big issues between NForce 4 and X-Fi. I Suggest [url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829102178]this[/u] Its going to give you the same quality, but be much cheaper. Other than that, the list looks okay.

Cheers
Cameron

PS: Oh ya almost forgot, do you have an OS disk? Make sure to grab a copy of XP home if you dont.

I am contemplating Media Center, but if I don't get Media Center, I already have a copy of XP Home ^^ Thanks for thinking of it though. So... this sound card instead, okay ^^ I had the Xi-Fi cause I saw it on an Alienware so figured it was a good thing... anyhow, this sound card it is! Saves me a nice amount too!

So now we have:

[size=10]Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD3200KS 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM      $124.99      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16822136003

AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ Toledo 2000MHz HT 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket 939 Dual Core Processor - Retail      $460.00      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103546

ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce SPP 100 ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail      $196.99      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131568

eVGA 256-P2-N565-AX Geforce 7900GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail      $339.00      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130282

Hiper Modular Type-R 580W Power Supply - SLI Ready - Blue      $99.00      http://www.frozencpu.com/psu-164.html?id=P6iGn5Go

ZALMAN CNPS9500 LED 92mm 2 Ball Blue LED Light Cooling Fan with Heatsink - Retail      $63.99      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835118223

Thermaltake Armor Series VA8000BWS Black Computer Case With Side Panel Window - Retail      $149.99      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811133154

Creative Sound Blaster Audigy2 ZS SB0350 7.1 Channels 24-bit 192KHz PCI Interface Sound Card - OEM      $75.00      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829102178

CORSAIR XMS 2GB (2 x 1GB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM Dual Channel Kit System Memory - Retail      $189.00      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145575

Thermaltake Thunderblade A1926 120mm Sleeve Blue LED Light Cooling Fan - Retail - x2      $18.98      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811999127

Thermaltake A2017 90mm 1 Ball, 1 Sleeve Blue LED Light Case Cooling Fan - Retail - x2      $25.98      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811999121

SONY Black Internal Floppy Drive Model MPF920 Black - OEM      $9.99      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16821103116

LITE-ON 16X DVD

[NicksFXHouse]

Have you read any of the test results on the hiper. The most outstanding one I saw was a FX60 w/ 2 7900GTs in SLi, 2 Rapters, and a 20% overclock on the FX 60. Unless your putting this into a P4 EE envirement I think that it will more than do the job.

Cheers
Cameron

I generally avoid the tech hype write ups and go strictly by the output specifications. That PSU will run the items you mentioned but it will run them stressed based on the numbers.

I prefer to have a minimum of 15-25% overhead current, pay for the extra power and run the PSU cold.

Also, modular power plugs are not good... as an electrical engineer I would never buy or spec a PSU with modular plugs.


http://www.pcpowercooling.com/technology/myths/
3. DON'T LOSE POWER WITH MODULAR PLUGS
Due to their look, convenience, and cost savings for manufacturers, modular plugs have become a popular power supply feature. Unfortunately, there has been little or no discussion of the impact of this feature on overall performance and reliability. The fact is, modular plugs limit power by adding to electrical resistance. The voltage drop can be as much as would occur in 2 feet of standard wire. Worse yet, modular plugs utilize delicate pins that can easily loosen, corrode, and burn, creating the potential for a major system failure. That's why pros specify uninterrupted wire!

[Dukes]

I generally avoid the tech hype write ups and go strictly by the output specifications. That PSU will run the items you mentioned but it will run them stressed based on the numbers.

I prefer to have a minimum of 15-25% overhead current, pay for the extra power and run the PSU cold.

Do you have a PSU suggestion then?

What about this PSU?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6817152026

Or this one?
http://www.xoxide.com/tt-silent-purepower-680w-psu.html

[NicksFXHouse]

Do you have a PSU suggestion then?

What about this PSU?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6817152026

Or this one?
http://www.xoxide.com/tt-silent-purepower-680w-psu.html

The list of components you are running will work fine with the PSU Cameron suggested. I was speaking to Cameron about the FX60 w/SLi and raptors. Your not running that type of hardware.

The first PSU you listed is the same spec as the HyperR, the second one you listed is junk.

The HyperR will work for what you are running. I usually buy a PSU to last for years on end I will look at a few and post back... but they wont be cheap.

[NicksFXHouse]

You would not need the PSU I listed for what you are running... but if you plan to run SLi and RAID with a dual FX processor sometime next year, you may need to upgrade the HyperR PSU... it will depend on the components

I just picked up this one for a system I am building...
http://www.pcpowercooling.com/products/ ... how=T85SSI

[congo]

Drop the souncard altogether Duke, the onboard is fine.

If you feel it's deficient after you get it up and running, it's a simple matter of getting a new one.

The onboard sound on these mainboards is pretty good quality, you have to get a very expensive one to get better noticeable sound quality or performance.

Your CPU choice is excellent and it should overclock easily to 2.6ghz easily with the Zalman 9500, another great choice in CPU cooler.

This business of frying CPU's is getting a bit old, it's not going to happen on that system, there is inbuilt protection if you are a total git, but I'm sure you are not and there is plenty of help here should you ever feel the need to increase your system speed.

[Dukes]

The list of components you are running will work fine with the PSU Cameron suggested. I was speaking to Cameron about the FX60 w/SLi and raptors. Your not running that type of hardware.

The first PSU you listed is the same spec as the HyperR, the second one you listed is junk.

The HyperR will work for what you are running. I usually buy a PSU to last for years on end I will look at a few and post back... but they wont be cheap.  ;D

I just randomly grabbed two 24-pin PSU's off newegg that exceeded 600W, but since you said the current one is fine I will get it ^^

[Dukes]

Drop the souncard altogether Duke, the onboard is fine.

If you feel it's deficient after you get it up and running, it's a simple matter of getting a new one.

The onboard sound on these mainboards is pretty good quality, you have to get a very expensive one to get better noticeable sound quality or performance.

Your CPU choice is excellent and it should overclock easily to 2.6ghz easily with the Zalman 9500, another great choice in CPU cooler.

This business of frying CPU's is getting a bit old, it's not going to happen on that system, there is inbuilt protection if you are a total git, but I'm sure you are not and there is plenty of help here should you ever feel the need to increase your system speed.

Well... if I have a need to increase it, I am thinking I will practice with that blasted HP Pentium 3 machine... cause it just sits around collecting dust anyhow.

[ctjoyce]

You cant overclock OEMs

Their BIOS are limited and locked.

But before we stray too far away, your bost recent list is absolutely fine.

Cheers
Cameron