check on system

[SirCyber]

ok, so my sig lists some of the stuff I'm getting in my build. I have the mobo, stuffed into a powerup case. my question would be:
1: what ram?
-----the 680i supports 667 800 and 1200mHz ram, Dual layer DDR2. the manual with the board says each slot can handle only up to 1GIG ram per slot, but the site I bought the mobo from says it can handle 8 gig (2gig per slot). also, what is the deal about SLI ready ram? speaks about it on tigerdirect and the manual. I've only found one deal for SLI ram, but that ram is no longer available from tiger. does it make much a difference? what is the number for 1200mHz ram? (pc 6400 is currently what I'm looking at but it's only 800)
2: HDD?
-----I'm looking at a 150 gig serial ATA HDD rated at 10000 rpm. (the WD Raptor X). however, there are some rated at 15000rpm on newegg (the fujitsu models) but they only go to 73 gig. is it worth the loss in capacity for faster HDD speeds?
3: graphics card
-----I'm running SLI, and I was going to get the sparkle 8800GTX, but I have to switch my provider, and I haven't even found it again. I'm looking for the best out there. is this it?

that's all for now. thanks

 

[lancec2c30]

1: SLI ready is just some advertising thing, I have not seen any issues with RAM interfering with SLI capabilities. The mhz is just how fast the memory can operate. The most common RAM gamers/overclockers use is 800mhz.

2: In all honesty, the newest sata 3.0gb/s hard drives are a lot better option then the 10k RPM raptors.

3: Sparkle is not a bad company, if you need another Choice, EVGA is just as great. Make sure you run the same brand and model of the GTX in SLI.

 

[SirCyber]

so SLI RAM is basically nothing then? any news of the 1200 mhz, where I can find some, what the benifits would be? the 10000 rpm wouldn't be any better than a 7200 rpm with 3gps? and thanks for the card review

 

[lancec2c30]

Well, 1200mhz ram is insane.. If you want some extreme overlclocking ram. I think 1066mhz is a little more common.


Here is some 1066mhz crucial ballistix.

Newegg.com - Crucial Ballistix 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

 

[SirCyber]

the mobo says it supports only the 667 800 and 1200. I'm looking at newegg right now for the ram, but still looking for imput

 

[SirCyber]

help!

 

[aetherh4cker]

1. I would assume you're talking about DDR2 1200, since I don't think DDR 1200 even exists. Never seen it sold anywhere. DDR2 1200 RAM is in pretty limited supply on Newegg, and to make matters worse, most of what I hear indicates that DDR2 1200 usually has stability issues. The reviews on the 2x 1GB chips seem to support this. The RAM also seems to be really expensive. I'd really recommend just getting the standard DDR2 800; the popular Crucial Ballistix are always a good choice.

2. The only 15,000 RPM drives I know of all use the SCSI interface, which is less popular in home computers, so that likely limits your options. Also, as lancec2c30 said, the SATA 3.0GB/s 7200 RPM drives can outperform those ATA 10,000 RPM drives. Benchmarks at Tom's Hardware seems to support this even more. I'd really recommend going SATA 3.0 GB/s if your computer supports it.

3. EVGA is my (and many others) favorite brand of Video Cards. Though, if you're forking out that much cash, I hear the 8800 Ultra is only a little more expensive. Why not get one of those?

 

[SirCyber]

ok, for some of you out there, maybe someone will know. where can I buy the Sparkle Calibre 8800 GTX? thus far, all tests have proven this has got to be one of the best cards on the market, and I want one lol. I'm in USA, and don't know what moneys are different elsewhere. the memory, crucial ballistix. going with it and thanks for the help. hard drive... still kinda lost. this is a SATA 10000 drive, not ATA. that means it is at the 3.0GB/s mark right?

 

[Invisible]

what core 2 quad extreme are you getting?

 

[SirCyber]

the QX 6800 unless someone has a better idea