New build

[$cooter]

Here is a list of components I am considering using for my next build. Will be used for the usual spreadsheet, word processing, Photoshop CS2, general internet surfing and hopefully BF 2142, WoW, Oblivion, and HL2. Feel free to shoot holes in this.

Here goes:

Case:
SILVERSTONE TJ09-BW Black (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16811163073)

Mobo:
eVGA 122-CK-NF68-AR(680i chipset) (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16811163073)

PSU:
Silverstone ST75ZF (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16817256006)
I considered a bit of future proofing with the ST85ZF, but I am still having trouble swallowing 750W being needed for one 8800GTX. I have read most of Jonny's recent reviews of qualifying candidates.

GPU:
eVGA 768-P2-N831-AR GeForce 8800GTX 768MB (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16814130072)
I would like to wait till the ACS version is on sale at the egg.

Proc:
Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe 2.4GHz (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16819115003)
Considering E6700, but extra $200 doesn't seem justified when I could OC the E6600 much as 1000 MHz, at least 500 MHz

Memory:
CORSAIR XMS2 DOMINATOR 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16820145168)
Currently $265 with rebate. I considered the PCs 8500, price difference didn't seem justified ($389)... but what do I know.

Storage:
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3320620AS (320GB) (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16822148140) X3,
Would like to attempt RAID 5 configuration.

Cooler:
Tuniq 120 (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16835154001)


Will use existing license for XP Pro, Logitech G-15, MS Habu mouse and Dell 2407. May go dual someday or upgrade to SLI and or 30" monitor.

The hardest thing I am facing now is whether or not to get started or wait till ATI releases R600 to see if it compares and if it impacts pricing by much.

If I posted this in the wrong place or it is inappropriate for this forum, please move or delete.

Thanks,
-Scotty

[madmat]

Sounds like a nice setup. When you build it take the front fan bracket out and pull the mesh out as it's really restrictive.

[$cooter]

Thanks for the heads-up Mat. I also read another post you made in regard to a TJ09 in that it needs 3 additional 120mm to be fully outfitted. I know it needs one for inbetween the HD cages, but I was curious were the other 2 go? Sounds like you have one, do you recommend a specific fan? In my previous builds I have never added or changed to an aftermarket fan and there's not a lot of discussion out there about them.

Thanks again,
-Scotty

[madmat]

The roof needs two fans, nope, they're not included. I'd say go with a pair of S-Flex Scythe fans for the roof, the 60ish CFM 120's are really quiet and when undervolted will be nearly silent. The stock fans are fine in the 09, they're inaudible and flow pretty damned well.

[MrWicked1968]

I'm in the minority on this issue, but I've never liked the idea of using a heatsink that weighs nearly 2lbs that sticks out so far from the motherboard. I'd go for either an AC Freezer 7 or Zalman 9500 AT2.

[$cooter]

Mr.Wicked,

I'm glad to have your input on the heatsink. This specific heatsink is one of the reasons I settled on the cases that I did. My initial build plan was with a Lian Li V1200A Plus but once I decided to go with the cooler I did, I read people were having problems with this case - cooler combination. I personally have only built two systems previously and the last one was 6 years ago. At that time I didn't use a third party cooler, so I have had to rely on what information I can gather from researching the forums. I strictly based my decision for the TT120 on public opinion and overclock reports I have read on [H].

Other reasons I later decided to go with the TJ09 over the LL1200 is that the LL1200 doesn't have a removable motherboard tray, reset button and does have bottom mounted usb/headphone/microphone inputs (my case will be on the ground). Now I have never had a case with a removeable motherboard tray (I think the last case I built in was a Antec ks288) but I started to think I was missing something.

Any opinion on the Noctua series of coolers now available here in the states?

Well, now I have to go back and re-evaluate :wall:

Thanks for the input, and thanks to Mat for his reply as well.

[madmat]

The Zalman outweighs the Tuniq as it's all copper as opposed to the Tuniq having aluminum fins. The Tuniq is lighter than the Ultra ChillTEC and as long as you don't plan to go lanning it'll be fine.

Edit: I know Zalman claims 530G for the 9500, I just can't buy that. I've held on in my hands and it's a heavy bastard.

[MrWicked1968]

so then you don't really know if the zalman is heavier than the tuniq, do you? the Tuniq is 800grams without a fan. plus it doesn't mount as close to the pcb as the zalman.

[madmat]

I know that the Zalman felt about as heavy as the ChillTEC which is 900Gish. This was in the package as opposed to the ChillTEC bare but I can't believe that the packaging weighs close to 300G as it's just a box and blister pack. I'd like to get my hands on one to weigh it but I'm not prepared to spend $50 to satisfy my curiosity.

[whitebrow]

RAM - I looked at this quite a bit in the past week or two, and I settled on some G.Skill DDR2-800 for $225 which I've heard may reach 900 at 5-5-5-15 or better. However, your build is a little higher end than mine and you may want to consider getting ram featuring Micron D9 IC's. The Crucial Ballistix line has them, and any of them will clock very well with voltage. On newegg, there's DDR2-667 for $275, 800 for $290, and 1000 for $340. The 800 would be a great set of ram. Other options for less than the corsair 8500's come from Team Group's Xtreem line (not sold at newegg) and G.Skill's HZ sets. This list is updated fairly frequently as far as the sticks go, but the prices he has on there aren't all correct right now: http://xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=124283

Also, you might want to look into a PCI raid card. I would like to do the same thing as you are in ~6 months or so, when I can afford more drives, but I hear that Raid 5 from the motherboard can put some strain on your CPU's that will slow down other things you're doing. These cards can range from $100+ to over $1000, and I don't know if the less expensive ones reduce any of the work for the processor or not. I haven't looked into this that much yet though and could be misinterpreting what I've found, but its just a thought.

[Hostile]

From what I've seen less expensive RAID cards in the $100-$150 range offload the processing to the CPU.

[GalvanizedYankee]

From what I've seen less expensive RAID cards in the $100-$150 range offload the processing to the CPU.

I was told, by those I trust, to only use a RAID card with a Silicon Image chip.
Last I looked a decent card was $250~$350, iirc.

[$cooter]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. If it is that expensive to do RAID correctly, I will just opt out. Maybe run one raptor for program files and a big 7200rpm for media, photos, etc.

I also appreciate the heads up on the Crucial RAM components. I was going to pick between Corsair or Crucial. The only reason I went Corsair was it seemed to be the most popular for the eVGA mobo I was planning on using.