General Discussion

Hello, I am building a custom PC for some good old gaming. I want something that is good and affordable. I don't need it to be top notch, but I want it to be decent, to last and to play some good games. I have built a PC in the past, but it has been two years. My main question is what do you think and do you have any recommendations? Especially on the video card? THANKS! :)

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=13050807

HD: Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

Display: SAMSUNG 2253BW Black 22" 2ms(GTG) DVI Widescreen LCD Monitor

Video Card: EVGA 512-P3-N873-AR GeForce 9800 GTX+ 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card

PS: Rosewill RP600V2-S-SL 600W ATX12V v2.01 SLI Ready Power Supply

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor

MOBO: ASUS P5Q Pro LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

RAM: G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500)

Case: Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127361

Much better card and less money after rebate. Though if you want to spend less money you can pick up a 4850 card for less than your paying for that 9800gtx+ and it has argueably better performance. Depends on the games you plan on playing so I would research that. But I'd definitely not get the 9800gtx+ that your looking at. Other than that you may want to go with a more reputable brand than rosewell for the PS though that one does admitedly seem to have good ratings. Also if you plan on doing any overclocking get a good heatsink and thermal paste.

Terrible video card choice for money/performance. Get a 4850 for $125 or around there after rebate, or if you can spend a little more get a 4870. The 4850 is a better card then the 9800gtx in all aspects. It has enough power to go for a few years and has good scaling when newer tech comes out.

Your PSU choice is terrible because it is Rosewill, not a reputable choice for higher end mid range parts. Look at the ripple that PSU makes it is above 13.00 on ripple on the 12v rail which is a dirty power stream, making any overclocking more unstable. Go with PC Power Cooling they offer good priced PSU's with low ripple and solid voltages, my PCP cooling PSU has a ripple on the 12v rail of 4.06 which is really low, good solid power output. Sorry to throw out some technical stuff but if your paying for good parts you want a good PSU.

PC power and cooling is now owned by OCZ and their new eliteXstream PS is a result of that. I have it and love it and will definitely say that it has the PCP&C quality but at a lower price though it is more than the OP's needs. I've overclocked to the  limits and it is rock solid. If your going to spend 200 that 260 I linked is a hell of  a deal. Otherwise get the 4850 as it is the most economical performance card on the market right now. Though as a 4870 owner I'd say go for that :D

Awesome, thanks so much guys. Yea I wasn't really sure on the graphics card. That is what I wasn't really sure on. Yea, now that I look at it, the PS unit is kinda crappy too.

Thanks again.

Originally posted by Edowin

Hello, I am building a custom PC for some good old gaming. I want something that is good and affordable. I don't need it to be top notch, but I want it to be decent, to last and to play some good games. I have built a PC in the past, but it has been two years. My main question is what do you think and do you have any recommendations? Especially on the video card? THANKS! :)

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=13050807

HD: Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

Display: SAMSUNG 2253BW Black 22" 2ms(GTG) DVI Widescreen LCD Monitor

Video Card: EVGA 512-P3-N873-AR GeForce 9800 GTX+ 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card

PS: Rosewill RP600V2-S-SL 600W ATX12V v2.01 SLI Ready Power Supply

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor

MOBO: ASUS P5Q Pro LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

RAM: G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500)

Case: Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail

I find your collocation is good.but beside for that mobo.others are so good.

Originally posted by Edowin

HD: Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

I have a few of those, together with Seagate the best SATA harddrives.

Display: SAMSUNG 2253BW Black 22" 2ms(GTG) DVI Widescreen LCD Monitor

Good choice, one of the best screens on the market, only other company that makes them so good are Sony.

Video Card: EVGA 512-P3-N873-AR GeForce 9800 GTX+ 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card

I would get the GTX 260 card instead, while the CPU is faster with this card it get's bloody hot and the GTX cards have some new features. It is Ok but not my first choice.

PS: Rosewill RP600V2-S-SL 600W ATX12V v2.01 SLI Ready Power Supply

Go for at least 650W instead. I reccomend Corsairs supply, use Corsair 750W myself, good if you need many HDs and a good GFX card.

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor

Good choice.

MOBO: ASUS P5Q Pro LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

Asus have dropped a lot in quality the last few years while keeping their high prices. Go either for an MSI card or a A-BIT card (Last ones are the best, but only the japanese ones, not their cheap chinese made Fatality cards).

RAM: G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500)

G.SKILL? Never heard of. My reccomendations are off course Samsung or Kingsdale unless these ones costs a lot less and have good waranty.

Case: Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail

Whatever that you like the looks on.

I have built most people I knows computers...

Most of your stuff are good but the power supply just can't take the heat, you need more. You might as well get one that will last for a few years and coun't that you will plugg in 2 more harddrives. 600W isn't enough for the high ends card today, it might just barely keep your rigg running but if you get a litlle better card or SLI it, or another HD you are surely screwed.

And get another MB, MSI are cheaper but holds better quality. Many older persons reccomends ASUS because we remember the great japanese cards with high quility they use to make before moving to Taiwan. The japanese A-BIT are the best on the market still.

Oh, and you can easily clock that processor up without worrying, A-BIT cards have a nice software programming for clocking with them which also monitors everything good.

Good luck, if you need any help, give me a PM

I would wait to see how well the Phenom 2 (Deneb) performs. it might clock up to 4ghz on air, more on water.

And I would definately ditch the 9800+ for a 4850 1gb. Especially since that series has reliability problems. or spend another 100$ and get the 4850x2. Or wait a couple days to order the Powercolor 4850 GDDR4 version

ATI is a no brainer right now especially since their 8.12 Catalyst drivers will have ATI stream rolled into them .

I understand if you are getting it this month a Core2 is the only way to go performance wise. but so is getting an ATI card ATM.

Originally posted by grndzro

I would wait to see how well the Phenom 2 (Deneb) performs. it might clock up to 4ghz on air, more on water.

And I would definately ditch the 9800+ for a 4850 1gb. Especially since that series has reliability problems. or spend another 100$ and get the 4850x2. Or wait a couple days to order the Powercolor 4850 GDDR4 version

ATI is a no brainer right now especially since their 8.12 Catalyst drivers will have ATI stream rolled into them .

I understand if you are getting it this month a Core2 is the only way to go performance wise. but so is getting an ATI card ATM.

Waiting is never right, you will just wait a little longer for the next cool thing all the time. There is always something better coming out.

And ATI isn't the only way, it depends on the game. A GTX 280 outperforms all other cards in Crysis for one game (Source: toms hardware). They are cheaper however. On the other hand, they have more problems with drivers in some games also. I have no complains whatsoever on my GTX 280 'cept it was expensive and uses a lot of power.