Should I add a raptor to my build?

[pinoy3000]

Hey guys, Im debating whether I should add a raptor to my build or not. If I do, Im going to make it of course my main hard drive where all of my programs, games and OS are installed.

here is my current build right now, everything has been ordered.

Wish list details

And I want to add this hard drive to my computer....

CompUSA.com: Western Digital Raptor X 150GB Hard Drive - WD1500AHFDRTL - Computer Upgrades » Hard Drives

If i do add that, what should I do with my other hard drive? Is there a way I can like raid both of them together im not quite sure how that works. Or should I just install the other hard drive (320gb) as a slave drive and its where all my documents files and etc will be put.

 

[b1gapl]

The best for the money, would be, is to get another Seagate 320gb, and RAID that with your current hard drive. It will perform on par, with a single raptor. If you get the raptor, you can't RAID it with your current. They need to be the same specs, in order for RAIDing. So you would have to set the 320gb as a slave, for storage, I assume.

 

[pinoy3000]

Ye, but here's the thing. I dont need a lot of storage. I think 320 GB is enough and I have an extra 160 GB WD External Hard Drive that I have been using on my laptop and I can put in my new computer. So that adds up to almost 500GB and plus the raptor would give me an extra 150GB which only cost $150.00 at CompUSA with my discount. So $1.00 per GB.

Ive heard a lot of reviews that the raptor is really amazingly fast and safer than having raid. But still Im not convinced just yet. Though I might get it right when I build the computer together cuz I dont want to have to decide and get it later then reinstall everything and stuff like that especially that the Windows Vista I bought is an OEM and that might be a problem installing it to a new drive.

At first I thought of doing raid and get two 320gb hard drives of the same model and specs but i forgot about it when I ordered the stuff on newegg and only ordered one hard drive. I dont want to have to wait a few more days for the other one to arrive if I do get another one and not be able to build the computer cuz I have to wait for the other drive. And the return policy on the processor is only 7 days.

Some people have been telling me that I should have gotten a 680i motherboard instead of the one i picked considering all the parts I ordered were good all except the motherboard.

So im not even sure about the motherboard, is it good? Can I put a quad processor in there even though it does not support it? I assume you can since it has the same socket.

 

[b1gapl]

I don't know who, told you that, about that motherboard, but I've only heard good things, about the P6N. I'm sure it supports quad core, like it's Platinum brother.
edit: I just looked on the MSI site, and it says, that the P6N SLI-FI, supports quad core:
MSI Computer Corp. - Product

And since you get a discount on the raptor, then go for it, since you already have so much space, from your other drives. It is pretty fast, or so I've heard.

 

[pinoy3000]

I don't know who, told you that, about that motherboard, but I've only heard good things, about the P6N. I'm sure it supports quad core, like it's Platinum brother.

Thanks. That just made me feel good. I guess people who work at CompUSA does not know what they are talking about. They told me to get a 680i motherboard for all the parts I got and get like an ASUS, BFG, and something else but not MSI. Pfft.

As far as the hard drive goes. I was thinking of getting the Z5300 Speaker System from logitech but Im not sure if I even need it since I will be playing mostly at night and I have a baby sister in the house. In that case, I wont be using the speakers. I already have a 2.1 system and I think its good enough sound just for games. Its not like Im playing counter strike or anything where I need to hear exactly where someone is.

So I was thinking of not getting the Z5300 and just get the Raptor instead as I will be seeing a big improvement in performance.

If I spent that much on a computer, wouldnt it be worth it getting the raptor especially I am building it specifically for gaming?

 

[b1gapl]

Personally, I don't find the raptor necessary. I find the raptor, as something to get, when you have the extra money, to throw around, for a boost in performance. But it will decrease your load times. And you're getting a discount, so it's a pretty good deal.

 

[Sora]

Some people have been telling me that I should have gotten a 680i motherboard instead of the one i picked considering all the parts I ordered were good all except the motherboard.

Tell them to shut it becuase they don't know what they are talking about. The ONLY real difference the 650i and 680i chipsets have is that the 680i supports x16 in both PCI-E lanes however that doesn't even matter with SLI 8800GTX's so whatever.

The 650i chipset supports Quad-Core and 1333 FSB really but newegg doesn't get around to updating the specs becuase the company has to do a BIOS update to change support for the FSB and what not. Asus has already changed the specs on their 650i board becuase it does support it. Take a look

Newegg.com - ASUS P5N-E SLI LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 650i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

The board you have will support Quad-Core and 1333 native FSB. Trust me the P6N Platinum is my dream board pretty much...i wan't one so bad haha.

 

[b1gapl]

Argh, they added a SB heatsink to that one. And mine didn't come with one. I probably, have to do a BIOS update, when I upgrade to the Q6600.

 

[siddanth3]

dont get the raptor, raid is good and cheaper and performs very well

 

[Nagasama]

Ive heard a lot of reviews that the raptor is really amazingly fast and safer than having raid.

safer than RAID depends on what type of RAID you do.
read this...a basic guide:

AC&NC | RAID.edu - RAID Levels - RAID Level 0 - RAID 0