New Build in Progress - Generic so far, would like to add a personality

[Sardonic]

You have all been really great so far. Tough love is a good thing as long as the end-result is favorable! I really appreciate everyone's input.

I made a few changes to make my build a bit more expensive, but I feel good about it so far. Is there anything that looks incompatible? Opinions please!


PSU - 550W XCLIO GREATPOWER
Newegg.com - XCLIO GREATPOWER X14S4P3 550W ATX12V 550W Power Supply 100-240V / 200-240V UL, CUL, TUV, CB, VDE, FIMKO, DEMKO, NEMKO, SEMKO - Retail - $89.99

** **

MoBo - Gigabyte P35-DS3R
Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3R LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail - $129.99

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz
Newegg.com - Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz 2 x 4MB L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor - Retail - $289.99

RAM - Crucial Ballistix - Two 1 GB DDR2
Newegg.com - Crucial Ballistix 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail - $109.99

** **

GPU - SAPPHIRE 100201SR Radeon HD 2900XT 512MB 512-bit
Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE 100201SR Radeon HD 2900XT 512MB 512-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail - $389.99

** **

HDD1 - Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
Newegg.com - Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3320620AS (Perpendicular Recording Technology) 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM - $79.99
HDD2 - Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3320620AS 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
Newegg.com - Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3320620AS (Perpendicular Recording Technology) 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM - $79.99

Optical Drive - Samsung 18x Sata DVD
Newegg.com - SAMSUNG Black 18X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 18X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA DVD Burner With LightScribe Technology - OEM - $33.99

1.44 Floppy - 7-in-1 SD card & Floppy Drive
Newegg.com - Rosewill RCR-FD200 All-in-one USB 2.0 Black 3.5" Card Reader with 1.44MB Floppy Drive - Retail - $25.99

CPU Cooling - Tuniq Tower
Newegg.com - Tuniq Tower 120 P4 & K8 CPU Cooler - Retail - $64.99

** **

Monitor - SAMSUNG 216BW Black-Silver 21.6" 5ms DVI Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 DC 3000:1
Newegg.com - SAMSUNG 216BW Black-Silver 21.6" 5ms DVI Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 DC 3000:1(1000:1) - Retail - $259.99


** ** ** AFTERMARKET ADDITIONS TO COME LATER ** ** **
Sound Card - Extreme Music!
Sound Blaster X-Fi Extreme Audio - Turn your PC into your home entertainment center




So far this build feels great to me! A real beast! My biggest concern is that everything will be compatible, and that I may be overlooking something. I am leaving work for the evening, but I feel like I really got a lot of research done! I am coming away smarter, and that much closer to ordering!

 

[phucng_10]

You're not getting the 8800GTS 320MB?

 

[Sardonic]

I did upgrade to a choice between the 8800 GTS 640mb *OR* the 2900XT. I have multiple copies of the build with different tweaks to throw in or whatnot...but what I posted there is the most expensive copy of the build.

In my mind, I was able to justify the monetary difference between the items for the stat increase. I will probably end up with the Nvidia (I do like Nvidia a lot, I have never bought ATI before!) 640MB, or the ati card.

Currently, I am torn.

 

[phucng_10]

What I'm wondering is, why does the 8800GTS series have a low amount of stream processors while the 2900XT has a wooping 320 stream processor.

 

[b1gapl]

What I'm wondering is, why does the 8800GTS series have a low amount of stream processors while the 2900XT has a wooping 320 stream processor.

The 8800GTS's stream processors run at a faster clock speed of 1350MHz, while the HD 2900XT's stream processors run at 750MHz.

 

[Sardonic]

The reviews led me to believe that the ati card was a better piece of hardware, but limited by its current immature drivers. Meanwhile, the Nvidia is a good piece of hardware, whose drivers are already mature and are making up the majority of its current success. The ati card had a lot of "it's only going to get even better in the future" remarks.

 

[peterhuang913]

The reviews led me to believe that the ati card was a better piece of hardware, but limited by its current immature drivers. Meanwhile, the Nvidia is a good piece of hardware, whose drivers are already mature and are making up the majority of its current success. The ati card had a lot of "it's only going to get even better in the future" remarks.

Very true and insightful.

 

[Sardonic]

The 8800GTS's stream processors run at a faster clock speed of 1350MHz, while the HD 2900XT's stream processors run at 750MHz.

With such a huge difference in speeds, not to mention the GTS's 640MB of RAM compared to the 2900XT's 512MB, I am at a loss to explain the seemingly "common" wisdom on the web that the ati card beats back the GTS in tests.

Also it concerns me that the card allegedly runs too hot.

 

[b1gapl]

Which is why they're supposedly going to release the HD 2950PRO. It's basically a 2900XT, but built with the 55nm process. So it will be just as powerful, while consuming less power. As well as supporting DX10.1/SM4.1...

 

[Sardonic]

As you can see, I went from laying the groundwork (in my first post) to piecing together a theorhetically working system, minus the case. I also learned what parts I have a lot of options in. Now, I think I need to sleep on it.

Thanks, Tech Forums! You're friendly & helpful! Let's go have vanilla bourbon milkshakes sometime!