ok Final selections for Gaming system, last chance to change my mind :)

[VINMAN]

Ok
Here we go

Case-
ANTEC P180- Just really like the look of this one, good reviews, etc

Best deal i found 122.96 from Page Computer, no idea about these guys though?


http://newsite.pagecomputers.com/store/...5Fname=7g7c56s2202&product%5Fid=779516

PS-
Seasonic S12 600W - Great reviews , solid clean stable power.

Best deal 140.68 from Etech4sale, again no idea on these guys ?

http://www.etech4sale.com/products/partinfo-id-121910.html

Motherboard-

ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce4 SLI X16 ATX AMD Motherboard
Model #: A8N32-SLI Deluxe

Cant find it anywhere in stock but this seems to be the one to get, so i guess will have to wait unless someone knows were to get it


Video Card -


eVGA GeForce 7800 GTX w/ACS3 256MB DDR3/PCI-E/VIVO/Dual-DVI (Retail Box)
Seems like solid card, price is about middle of road 466.70 shipped - Anyone know of better priced/performance one?


http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant...PROD&Product_Code=190469&AFFIL=pg&NR=1



CPU

AMD Opteron 175 1GHz FSB Socket 939 Dual Core Processor - Seems like good processor and will OC well with just standard HS/Fan and no voltage changing, just multiplier stuff

$511.31

http://www.mwave.com/mwave/skusearch.hmx?SCriteria=BA22053

Memory

This seems like smokin memory should allow Stable use and some OC

$297 Shipped

http://www.mushkin.com/doc/products/memory_detail.asp?ID=273

Hard Drive

This WD seems very solid, im wondering can/should i get 2 and just mirror for safety sake? Can the onboard hd controllers do that? i havent done anything with onboard stuff before? let me knwo thoughts on that

$199.90

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD4000KD 400GB Serial ATA 7200RPM Hard Drive w/16MB Buffer ***Free 2nd Day***

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDe...ductCode=101254&affiliate=pricegrabber


Also need a DVD burner for internal i think, any thoughts on that one?

This NEC one seems fairly standard
$43 bux
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16827152058

Think thats about it initially, i think im going to run the onboard sound if i see performance issue i might upgrade. I have Monitor Keyboard speakers etc.

Im also thinking of getting this Monitor for gaming as well


http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.as...id=11042448&ec=BC-EC877-CatHome&pos=13

$1500



Well Let me know final thoughts or if im missing something ? If anyone has better pricing please let me know and if anyone can find that MB let me know. should come in around 2k unless i get the extra HD then little more. Oh and that big monitor will about double it its tempting well i have a few weeks before that extra coupon on it ends, maybe that new dell 30" but i havent seen that anywere yet? i digress please let me know on everything




thx for all the help

Vinman

 

[drsafety]

Seasonic is a great power supply, but you don't need 600W... go with the 430W model unless you are going SLI

But if you are dropping $1500 on a monitor, I guess it doesn't really matter in the grand scheme

 

[n7]

Looks like an awesome rig!

I'd suggest the BenQ DW1640 for a DVD burner if you can still find it.
Look for the WD 400 GB RE2, it uses teh same chipset as teh Raptor, & is smoking fast.
http://labs.anandtech.com/search.php?q=western+digital+400+gb+re2
Grab a Thermaltake Big Typoon cooler for OCing

Oh, & damn, i so want that RAM :evil:

 

[VINMAN]

well for PS i want to make sure no issues, i guess i could go with their 500 w version? my concern is where the PS goes in the P180, needs to be long enough cables to reach from bottom.

I have an external benq 16x i use, just looking for internal one for the case, general use. Will look at that HD? what makes it diff then the one i listed?

anything else ?

 

[VINMAN]

bp

 

[Finns14]

PSU is over kill. Case preference is up to you but think about this cases don't improve computer performance not mattter how much they cost. If you really like the case and have the money then go for it but all I really look for is good air flow. As for memory that stuff is super expensive once again if you have the money go ahead but as for gaming you will experience very little problems with value mem. RAM only affects about 5% of gaming performance.


That TV looks pretty nice

 

[Compuzen]

I have that Mobo and from everything I've read (A Lot) It is the shiznit. It does have Raid 1, which will let you mirror your drive if you decide to.
I'd go with the Corsiar XMS 3500LL Pro. Asus and Corsair say they worked together to optimize this RAM and mobo together. Fact or marketing, it does have damn good timings......2-3-2-6 T1.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145594

Thats a good price for the 175.
Have fun man, it'll be awsome.

 

[VINMAN]

bump

 

[VINMAN]

any more thoughts? recommendations?

 

[VINMAN]

would that seasonic 500 w be enough?

 

[eXx08]

Originally posted by: VINMAN
would that seasonic 500 w be enough?

yes.

 

[ribbon13]

Originally posted by: VINMAN
would that seasonic 500 w be enough?

Yes.

etech4sale gets my stamp of approval. A8N32-SLI can be had from Atacom. They obviously bribed someone somewhere so they can scalp the price because they are the only ones with stock for the time being. I say this in all seriousness because the fscking board is cheaper in Canada

 

[VINMAN]

that is so BS. ok ill go with the 500w Seasonic then, Ive found couple more computer stores around town and im going to check them tomorrow if they dont have that mb i guess ill have to buy it from there then. So ribbon the rest of the choices look good ya think , im still trying to convince myself to get that Spectre

 

[ribbon13]

Originally posted by: VINMAN
that is so BS. ok ill go with the 500w Seasonic then, Ive found couple more computer stores around town and im going to check them tomorrow if they dont have that mb i guess ill have to buy it from there then. So ribbon the rest of the choices look good ya think , im still trying to convince myself to get that Spectre

I don't have access to a nice digicam yet. So if you get it you have to take photos. Here are some from around the web in the mean time.

01 \ 02 \ 03 \ 04 \ 05 \ 06 \ 07

 

[Boobers]

I've had my Sceptre 37" LCD for about a week now and I am VERY pleased with it.

I will say this though...the Standard Definition (SD) programming looks awful bad (especially with the sets built-in tuner). If you're thinking of using this set for SD, forget it. Use a standard 4:3 tube set for that.

Also, the sets speakers are as cheap as can be and sound very thin. The on-board amplifier in mine has a constant hum at any volume level over half. Completely unacceptable IMO. It appears to me that the hum is caused by the screens backlighting (probably the flourescent ballast). Anyway, I never attached the speakers, and I don't use the on-board amp, so this as a non-issue for me. The line-out from the sets tuner is unaffected by hum, so I've run it to my external amp and the sound is great.

That being said, I will praise this sets ability to show every flaw in the source material. With a resoultion of 1920x1080, compression artifacts are obvious in SD source material. SD looks bad on this set, but the SD source looks bad to start with. You just can't tell it looks bad on a SD 4:3 television because the tube set has such a low resolution.

However, High Def (HD) programming (from HD cable box) looks flawless (using DVI or Component input), with no hint of ghosting. This is one fast panel. But what really blows me away is the computer performance at 1920x1080. World of Warcraft is immense and beautiful in a way I cannot accurately describe with words. My GeForce FX5900 AGP could barely keep up at that res (with details reduced), but my new PCIe 7800GT's running in SLI mode are astounding with max details. (3DMark05 12,000+)

This panel really shines as a computer monitor.

 

[VINMAN]

ok another vote pushing me towards this LCD TV/Monitor

Damn you DAMN YOU ALL


thx for the info, anyone else? im off to check a few local computer stores for that MB. if anyone has any other thoughts on other parts chime in

Ya its always obvious SD tv looks crappy on HD stuff, I have a large HT theater setup in my basement (HD projector on 127" screen) and its very obvious how good the source material is. Even stuff they have on HD channels can look "bad" if they didnt film it with HD equip or used crappy upconversion, that happens with quite a few TV shows that are shown in HD but wasnt shot in HD. Wish they would just shoot everything in HD because it does look GREAT when its done right.

 

[ribbon13]

Originally posted by: Boobers
Also, the sets speakers are as cheap as can be and sound very thin. The on-board amplifier in mine has a constant hum at any volume level over half. Completely unacceptable IMO. It appears to me that the hum is caused by the screens backlighting (probably the flourescent ballast). Anyway, I never attached the speakers, and I don't use the on-board amp, so this as a non-issue for me. The line-out from the sets tuner is unaffected by hum, so I've run it to my external amp and the sound is great.

Behold this panel's deep dark secret! Internal SPDIF Optical Connector

 

[VINMAN]

whats that get me?

anyone know if ya can actually pick this up at Costco? if could save 70bux shipping would be nice

 

[ribbon13]

not much, it's just a cool hidden feature. when you use it as a TV you can output to a receiver with the SPDIF

 

[VINMAN]

just thought for that hd should we go with the WD4000YR or WD4000KD ?

 

[stelleg151]

Im not sure I would drop so much on the motherboard. I know it is an important part, but you can get the exact same functionality and stability and performance etc for much cheaper. I have done two builds with the 80 dollar Chaintech NForce4 ultra, and I leave my computer on for weeks folding, never had any stability issues, even at 300fsb. (you wont need it even close to that high with a 175)

 

[otispunkmeyer]

Originally posted by: drsafety
Seasonic is a great power supply, but you don't need 600W... go with the 430W model unless you are going SLI

But if you are dropping $1500 on a monitor, I guess it doesn't really matter in the grand scheme

ill second that....i got the S12 500 SLI from seasonic, and that powers 2 hdd, 2 xfx 7800GT OC's and a 3200 venice overclocked to 2.5Ghz and it doesnt even get warm.

 

[Boobers]

Ribbon13: BEWARE! That picture you posted is of the 1st version of the Sceptre. That panel has a gray plastic case. They don't make that version anymore.

The 2nd version (which is what is being sold now at Costco) has a black case and the internal circuit boards are different. There is no longer a SPDIF output hidden inside the unit. The new circuit board has some kind of useless USB port.

EDIT: This panel is only available from Costco online.

 

[GamerExpress]

Looks really nice, but I think it's overkill in a couple areas that are not really needed. I would lose that MOBO, why go with SLI??? (total waste of money). The 600w PSU is overkill, it's very nice but you don't need that. I would stay away from the monitor also, for games you are going to get some nasty ghosting on it.

 

[VINMAN]

ya i think im going with 500w seasonic, and im only getting 1 gtx initially but will get another down the road i think, which is reason for sli board and the ASUS one seems like the most solid of them all. If anyone has anything specific to disuade from that ASUS board im willing to hear but im ordering today if i find it

on the harddrive question why choose one of these over the other?

WD4000YR or WD4000KD ?