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-- AMD X2 6000, or wait for Quad Chips???
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Man - Intel will be far better than the AMD; I'd not leave the Core2 lineup at this point. However, I'd definitely wait until Quad cores are out - thats what I plan on doing, before I move up from this 3000 64.

thanks! ok i've priced some things out from doing some research on my own...tell me what you think! (also if i'm missing something?...i already have my soundcard, so don't need to inlcude that)

Computer Specs:




Component Name Price


Case: Antec P180 $146.99

DvD-Burner: LG Drive $ 41.99

CPU: Intel e6600 $278.99

MotherBoard: Asus P5B-E $175.99

Hard Drives: Western Digital SATA 500gb $139.99
160gb $ 67.99

Memory: OCZ 4GB (2x2) DDR2 800mhz $344.99

Power Supply: Corsair HX Series CMPSU-620HX 620W $169.99

Video Card: XFX GeForce 8500GT $120.99

LCD Monitors: LG L204WTX Silver 20" (x2) $609.98


TOTAL: $1487.91
TOTAL w/tax: $1696.22
TOTAL w/monitors & tax: $2391.59

I personally hate MSI, last few pc's with their mobos i've had has been nothing but trouble.

I just got a new PC with a 2.4 E6600 Conroe, 3gb ram, 8800gtx and an Asus P5N-E SLI mobo, fantastic, not a single problem at all.

quote:

Originally posted by djbruuen Memory: OCZ 4GB (2x2) DDR2 800mhz $344.99 Power Supply: Corsair HX Series CMPSU-620HX 620W $169.99 LCD Monitors: LG L204WTX Silver 20" (x2) $609.98

Couple of things I'd point out here:

1. Unless you're running a 64-bit OS (which I wouldn't - major compatibility issues with audio software), you have absolutely no use for 4 GB of RAM. You won't be able to use more than about 2 GB of it because a 32-bit OS only has 4 GB of addressable space and a lot of it is taken up by other things (video, I/O, etc.). In practice you'll be lucky to have even 3 GB of available memory, so just don't bother - stick to the normal 2 GB.

2. You absolutely, positively, do not need a 620 W power supply for what you're putting together. You should be able to get by on 400 W, but if you plan on adding another video card or something, get 500 W. Don't waste your money on anything more.

3. If you plan on running in a weird widescreen mode like 1680x1050 then that's fine, but if you're going to use a standard resolution like 1280x1024, then there's no advantage in getting a 20" monitor over a 19" monitor. Also, I thought this was just an upgrade - why do you need new monitors?

quote:

Originally posted by jupiterone I personally hate MSI, last few pc's with their mobos i've had has been nothing but trouble.

Back when I was running my "classic" Athlon 1800, I went through two Asus mainboards which both fucked up. Then I got an MSI board for half the price that Asus wanted and it ran great.

Parts are defective sometimes, and it's not uncommon to have a string of bad luck with one manufacturer, especially when you buy almost exclusively from them for a period of time. In general, all mobo brands are about the same in terms of reliability; the only one I would recommend against is Abit because their support is god-awful. And maybe some of the really bizarre off-brands like "ASRock" or PC Chips and so on - stick to the mainstream ones like Asus, Gigabyte, MSI, maybe Tyan.

Anyway, he's already chosen the Asus board.

quote:

Originally posted by DigiNut Couple of things I'd point out here: 1. Unless you're running a 64-bit OS (which I wouldn't - major compatibility issues with audio software), you have absolutely no use for 4 GB of RAM. You won't be able to use more than about 2 GB of it because a 32-bit OS only has 4 GB of addressable space and a lot of it is taken up by other things (video, I/O, etc.). In practice you'll be lucky to have even 3 GB of available memory, so just don't bother - stick to the normal 2 GB. 2. You absolutely, positively, do not need a 620 W power supply for what you're putting together. You should be able to get by on 400 W, but if you plan on adding another video card or something, get 500 W. Don't waste your money on anything more. 3. If you plan on running in a weird widescreen mode like 1680x1050 then that's fine, but if you're going to use a standard resolution like 1280x1024, then there's no advantage in getting a 20" monitor over a 19" monitor. Also, I thought this was just an upgrade - why do you need new monitors?

i'm actually getting a new computer from scratch here. Giving the one i'm using to my parents. I also have a 17CRT monitor, so thats something i'd really like to add to this list.

perhaps you're right about the power supply, i know it stands out in the list as being excessive. I run some demanding programs like 'East West Gold Orchestra etc.' so i've heard mixed things about big power.

would you advise windows xp-64bit? or would i run into a ton of compatibility issues to make it not worth it? Its such a shame to not be able to make use of 4gb of ram right now.

edit: do i also need fans/heatsinks or anything...forgot about that.

quote:

Originally posted by DigiNut Anyway, he's already chosen the Asus board.

well i know asus is a trusted brand for motherboards, and i'm running one in my current setup too without problems. So unless otherwise convinced, asus seems like the safest route to go with mobo's.

buy less ram, and buy a faster hd for windows and programs, 10.000rpm or even better 2 10.000rpm in raid 0 (mb has to support that).

If you plan to play games I'd go for 8800 gts or gtx..

well i'd like to have dx10. i play games time to time, but i'm not so hardcore that i need an $800 video card. i'll consider getting the middle class card, but if i can't afford it, the 8500 should be fine i guess for casual games.

quote:

Originally posted by djbruuen well i'd like to have dx10. i play games time to time, but i'm not so hardcore that i need an $800 video card. i'll consider getting the middle class card, but if i can't afford it, the 8500 should be fine i guess for casual games.

The 8800 gts is around 300$ I think, that's the middle class. Just keep in mind that a big lcd screen needs to run in native resolution to get good quality so a 8500 probably won't perform that well.

- Don't buy an expensive video card, even for bleeding-edge games you don't need it. GeForce 8500 or 8600 GT are just fine; I've got an old-ass ATI X700 that's already fine running my 24" display at 1920x1200, and even the lower-end GeForce 7600GS can run most games.

- Don't bother with Windows XP 64-bit, you'll run into a ton of problems. The DAW world isn't ready for 64-bit yet; wait a couple of years maybe and then upgrade to Vista 64-bit.

- Right now, 4 GB of RAM is past the point of diminishing returns anyway. Trust me, you'll do just fine with 2 GB. Memory is easy to upgrade, so if you do upgrade your OS later, you'll still have the chance to add more RAM and it'll cost less then!

- No matter how demanding your programs are, you still won't need more than a 500 W power supply. The biggest beasts for power in any system are the video card and the CPU, and the ones you've chosen won't even use 150 W at peak load.

- Boxed processors come with fans. You don't need a separate heat sink or fan unless you plan to overclock or cool passively (or both).

Edit: Also, this is up to you, but I'd recommend an Enermax power supply instead. I don't think there's much of a price differential and they're extremely reliable. Some people will tell you Antec, but they've had entire product lines with major defects (once I bought their "Sonata" case which came with a PSU, and lost a lot of data and wrecked a video card because the 12 V rail was running way below tolerance - later on I ran a google search and found that hundreds of people had the same problem).

Enermax, Antec and Thermaltake power supplies FTW.

quote:

Originally posted by Rhythm Enermax, Antec and Thermaltake power supplies FTW.

They're actually quite crap for the price.



Especially "Hi, we advertise efficiencies that are so impressive we don't actually get anywhere near it" Thermaltake.

Get the Corasir HX550. That will be way more than you ever need, but they're good since theyre pretty much the most silent fan powered PSU around. Also, I agree with digi, 4gb of ram is absolutely silly man. I doubt you would even fill 2gb. Video card, make sure it's passive, or can have an after market passive cooler fitted. Case, get the antec SOLO. The hard drive bands in the p180 break over time. Also, consider getting a Scythe Ninja cooler. They should almost run an e6600 passively if you have enough airflow through the case. Even though I bought the Asus board, I would recommend you get the Gigabyte one (I regret it) for two reasons:

1. The Asus website is an absolute PIECE OF SHIT that hardly ever works.
2. The Gigabyte board has TI firewire, which you will need if you get a firewire soundcard. The Asus board has like... VIA or some other gay brand. Seeing as PCI is going out the window, firewire cards will be your best bet before PCI-E cards are released

quote:

Originally posted by echosystm They're actually quite crap for the price. Especially "Hi, we advertise efficiencies that are so impressive we don't actually get anywhere near it" Thermaltake.

Thermaltake is the most "economic" brand that I listed, but I wouldn't say they're "crap". They're decent for what you shell out.

Corsair - forgot to mention them. Always a quality manufacturer.

I personally have an Antec Neo HE 550W and have been impressed with it.

quote:

Originally posted by echosystm Get the Corasir HX550... theyre pretty much the most silent fan powered PSU around.

No. Antec NeoHE are probably the quietest, with Enermax NoiseTaker being a close second (and a lot more reliable). Corsair makes good memory but as of now I don't believe that they know anything about power supplies.

quote:

Video card, make sure it's passive, or can have an after market passive cooler fitted.

Good advice, if he really minds the noise of a regular one. I believe they are worth it, but good passive video cards are hard to find in stores and he may not want the hassle. The more powerful once (7600 GT or better) also take up two slots, so there's a tradeoff.

quote:

Also, consider getting a Scythe Ninja cooler.

Again, good, if he really wants the noise reduction that much. I'm using one of those myself, but he did say that he was just looking for a performance improvement and not a super-quiet enthusiast PC.

quote:

The Gigabyte board has TI firewire, which you will need if you get a firewire soundcard.

Doesn't make a difference, as I pointed out earlier.

quote:

The Asus board has like... VIA or some other gay brand.

Uh... no. I can't believe you said that. The chipset is Intel P965/ICH8R, not VIA, and the P5B Deluxe uses a Texas Instruments firewire chip (not sure about the P5B-E but I have no reason to believe it's not the same).

quote:

Seeing as PCI is going out the window

Repeating this again and again does not make it true. If PCI were really on its way out, then why does almost every new motherboard still have 3 PCI slots and just one PCI-E (aside from the x16 reserved for video, obviously)?

PCI-E has already been around for over a year. If it hasn't already overtaken PCI 2.0, and it hasn't, then it's not going to for a while longer.

quote:

Originally posted by DigiNut No. Antec NeoHE are probably the quietest, with Enermax NoiseTaker being a close second (and a lot more reliable). Corsair makes good memory but as of now I don't believe that they know anything about power supplies.

"They also happen to be about the quietest fan-cooled PSUs we've tested to date, matching the best of the Seasonic S12s." - Silent PC Review.
They beat the NoiseTakers. By a decent margin.
Not sure about NeoHE, but I'm going to assume the same goes. Seasonic have dominated the low noise market for a long time.

quote:

Originally posted by DigiNut Doesn't make a difference, as I pointed out earlier.

Just because it works for you, doesn't mean it will work for everyone and everything
I for one have had a shit time getting my Firewire Audiophile working on VIA firewire chipsets.

quote:

Originally posted by DigiNut Uh... no. I can't believe you said that. The chipset is Intel P965/ICH8R, not VIA, and the P5B Deluxe uses a Texas Instruments firewire chip (not sure about the P5B-E but I have no reason to believe it's not the same).

I was talking about the firewire chipset, not the north/south bridges. Thats why I put in the same note as the Gigabyte firewaire. Also, DUDE, I HAVE a P5B-E. It is not a TI chip, it is VIA or some yumcha shit. He listed P5B-E, not yours.

quote:

Originally posted by DigiNut Repeating this again and again does not make it true. If PCI were really on its way out, then why does almost every new motherboard still have 3 PCI slots and just one PCI-E (aside from the x16 reserved for video, obviously)? PCI-E has already been around for over a year. If it hasn't already overtaken PCI 2.0, and it hasn't, then it's not going to for a while longer.

[/QUOTE]

PCI phase out is inevitable. It WILL happen. I would rather buy a good firewire interface now and keep it for 4-5 years...

So, basically all your points are invalid (bar the NeoHE, which I cbf finding evidence for). I actually own a P5B-E, so I think you should just SHHH

The Gigabyte board is the same price as the Asus one, and is of equal quality (theyre both among the best...), with exactly the same chipsets and everything else. The only difference is that the Gigabyte has TI firewire and a different layout. Also, that gigabyte board has better quality capacitors too, that are less prone to leaking or busting etc.

Saying Antec etc. are crap for the price was a bit harsh. Sorry about that. BUT... that said... Antec, afaik, are just rebadged Seasonics. So, considering that Seasonics are quite a bit more affordable, you're best off going that route.

the p5b-e board is about $50 cheaper than the p5b deluxe. What is the real advantage to going deluxe?

the gigabite drive is $20 cheaper than the p5b-e. Would i be missing anything here over the gigabite?

edit: what about the MSI P965 Platinum?

its in the same price range, but reviews say it offers more, such as a second pci express slot.

quote:

Originally posted by djbruuen the p5b-e board is about $50 cheaper than the p5b deluxe. What is the real advantage to going deluxe? the gigabite drive is $20 cheaper than the p5b-e. Would i be missing anything here over the gigabite? edit: what about the MSI P965 Platinum? its in the same price range, but reviews say it offers more, such as a second pci express slot.

p5b deluxe has wireless, TI firewire and supports Crossfire. The second PCI-E x16 slot will let you plug in two ATI cards (read: ATI ONLY, NOT NVIDIA) and use them both to crunch out game numbers. You need SLI support for nVidia cards, not Crossfire. Seeing as you want to get an nVidia card... this extra feature is pretty well useless.
I'm not 100% sure on this, but I'm pretty sure you also cant plug standard PCI-E devices into that slot. Hence, you're losing a PCI-E device slot for a PCI-E "graphics" slot you probably won't use.

The Gigabyte motherboard is better than the P5B-E, as I have already said; everything else is the same.

I haven't really had any good experiences with MSI tbh. The entire time I worked at a computer shop, we had more dead MSI motherboards than any other brand - even more than those random ones like "epox" and "pc chips" lol. A lot of the time we got MSI boards with capacitors that were bulging and cracked after only like 2 years... Which seriously just SHOULD NOT happen. Intel, Asus, Gigabyte and Abit are the way to go.

ok, the gigabyte mobo is cheaper, so why not...i priced everything out and plan to order tomorrow, unless anyone wants to stop me lol.

Component Name Price


Case: Antec P180 $141.35

DvD-Burner: LG Drive $ 40.39

CPU: Intel e6600 $265.99

MotherBoard: Gigabyte GA-965P-DS3 $150.80

Hard Drives: Western Digital S-ATA 500gb $137.99
160gb $ 72.10

Memory: Corsair XMS2 DHX 4GB DDR2 2X2GB PC6400 $316.16

Power Supply: Corsair HX520 CMPSU-520HX 520W $109.99

Video Card: XFX GeForce 8600GT $173.57



total: $1408.34CDN + $50 off after rebates.

4gb of ram still

Just get 2. In the extremely unlikely event that you actaully max that out, you can always just go and buy another stick, its not going to go UP in price you know!

true. i forgot to change that, i'm sure two will be fine aswell. Other then that, i think i'm pretty happy overall. This computer will give me a lot more breathing room then my old AMD.

i wouldn't say its unlikely though...when i work on documentaries, i'm always using East West Gold Orchestra, plus a few other equally demanding apps...after you have a few instances of that going on, its not long before things start maxing out.

quote:

Originally posted by djbruuen true. i forgot to change that, i'm sure two will be fine aswell. Other then that, i think i'm pretty happy overall. This computer will give me a lot more breathing room then my old AMD. i wouldn't say its unlikely though...when i work on documentaries, i'm always using East West Gold Orchestra, plus a few other equally demanding apps...after you have a few instances of that going on, its not long before things start maxing out.

I use 2 and it's HEAPS.

Like the others have said, you don't need more and if you ever do, RAM is quite cheap and takes about 5min to install.

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