Simviation Forums

Going to do a swap-and-replace job somewher in July / August

Current config (will become development machine)
AMD 2800XP
A7V333 with ATA133 Raid and onboard audio
SB Live 1024
GeForce Ti4200 128MB
1024 MB RAM (2x 512)
40GB Main + 80GB various stuff + 120GB Unrealtournament / FlightSim

Planned new config
Mainboard:
Asus A8N-SLI (2xPCI-E 16, 4xDDR slots)
Nforce 4 SLI with SATA 150, onboard LAN and audio

Processor:
AMD 64 '3200+'

Memory:
1024MB RAM on two modules

Drives
SATA-150 Maxtor Diamondmax 10, 250GB with 16MB cache and 7200 RPM for the gaming stuff
SATA-150 WD360GD, 36GB with 8 MB cache and 10k RPM for the OS and audio stuff.

Video:
Nvidia GeForce 6600GT PCIe, 128MB

Audio
To be installed later, probably SB Live Audigy

Case:
Aopen H700A (have that already), with 4 casefans (have these already too)

PSU
550W Aopen

Not too bad. If you must go with nVidia look into the 6800 series. Also go with the Ultar Products X-Connect PSU. 500 watts and the cables come pre braided, thus eliminating any messy situations

Not too bad. If you must go with nVidia look into the 6800 series. Also go with the Ultar Products X-Connect PSU. 500 watts and the cables come pre braided, thus eliminating any messy situations

My conputer shop doesn't have the Ultar PSU's (only coolermaster and AOpen)

The 6800 cards are a little bit too expensive at the moment (even though they are definetly better than the 6600), and as this upgrade is a 90% new PC compared to the previous one (only things that aren't changed are the case, the DVD, the cardreader, ZIP drive and floppy disks), i'd rather spend the money on basic stuff like harddisks and the CD burner that i still need to buy

Looks good and 2 6600GTs in SLI will rock the socks off any budget ATI card. Even without sli mind you. Now if I were you I would get 2 WD Raptror 74 Gig each raid 0 them for a totall of 148 gigs of unsurpassed HDD performance. Need more space spend money on a cheap SATA or EIDE. CPU of choice is good get a Venice or San Diego core. Any PC-3200 ram with good lateceys will work if you have no urge to overclock. I do suggest OCZ Platinum Rev 2 ram as it runs PC-3200 stock latenceys of 2-2-2-5, find me a ram that beats that.

Looks good, Ivan: a nice choice of processor and video card; I would recommend that you get RAID Striping on those two hard drives: you WILL get at least a boost of 170% (in speed and transferring and loading files etc.).

I personally also would prefer a higher-end ATi card; ATi have confirmed their first SLI cards (Crossfire?); they should be compatible with current SLI boards meaning you'll be able to add another card as funds allow.

RAID Striping will drastically improve performance and have much faster loading speeds, so will get rid of 'blurries' that people have when loading high-res photoscenery (e.g Megascenery).

Also, consider watercooling. It might be a bit price but allows you to overclock that much further.

So ATI is using Nvidias tech to get SLI going? I bet that cost a pretty penny. Like I said and Rob said I suggest you RAID them and I uggest Western Digital Raptor again.

WD Raptor all the way, infact thats about the only 80 (well 74) gig harddrive that I use in my builds anymore. Also the ATI SLI cards will cost about the same as the nVidia, and nVidia may have come out with it first but ATi will be much better as they have worked out many bugs.

Oh ya and I'm sorry, but Im pretty sure that two 6600GTs SLI-ed woulnt "rock the sox" of a X850 XT

Thats why I said "buget" card. If X850PE is a budget card well shit I want your job. Im sure 2 GTs fully utillizing SLI will for sure give it a run for its money.
   Well the ATI cards may cost the same but if it runs off the same tech as Nvidia(at the moment) wouldint there be patent issues ATI had to work out with Nvidia. The Raptors are so good you wont see much performance increase raiding them or so ive heard

Ya theres no noticable difference in the RAID, but if its running single you see the difference, and you hear it too  ;)