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Rest of components for good gaming PC within reason?

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I have not built a machine or paid attention to any trends or rule of thumb wisdom for a while. My budget is flexible, I think a great machine should be able to be had for less than $2000?

I would like to build a gaming system, where the components which increase the gaming experience is the most important. I'd like a good headset, mouse, and keyboard. I've played with 19" crt's and been very happy with them. But something like 22" widescreen lcd's are more popular now? Currently, I have a 19" 1440x900 Philips LCD TV (with HDMI, pc inputs) that I'm very happy with for xbox 360 gaming. Do I need a better monitor?

I already have an external DVD writer. Unless skimping on one is not wise because they are only $40, I could do without.

I'll mostly play fps, valve steam games, like tf2 in particular.

I would like an expandable, functional case.

So far, I've found some suggestions on things:

Antec 1200 ATX Full tower
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811129043

Antec TruePower Quattro TPQ-1000 1000W ATX12V
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817371012

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM 16MB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822136218

Can someone help with the:

CPU, Motherboard, Ram, Heatsink, Monitor, Headset, Mouse, Keyboard, Case Fans?

Thanks


Message edited by Anonymous on 09-29-2008 at 05:04:49 AM
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- 0 +

I use a 19" computer screen myself and I'm okay (However I'll come clean and also tell you that in the following months I'm planning to get a 42" LCD TV for my PC). I'll list a good 22" monitor, but it really is up to you.

 

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 Yorkfield 2.83GHz 12MB L2 Cache LGA 775 95W Quad-Core Processor - Retail

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819115041

 

DFI LANPARTY DK X38-T2R LGA 775 Intel X38 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813136045

 

OCZ Reaper HPC Edition 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820227284

 

(2 of these) GIGABYTE GV-R485ZL-512H Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814125238

 

(Choose between these two mice, I own the Diamondback 3G myself and it's amazing)

 

RAZER Diamondback 3G Earth Green 7 Buttons 1 x Wheel USB 3G infrared 1800 dpi Gaming Mouse - Retail

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6826153028

 

RAZER DeathAdder RZ01-00150100-R2M1 Black 5 Buttons 1 x Wheel USB Optical 1800 dpi High Precision Gaming Mouse - Retail

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6826153007

 

Logitech G11 Silver & Black 104 Normal Keys 29 Function Keys USB Standard Gaming Keyboard - Retail

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6823126009

 

SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD+R 22X DVD-R 16X DVD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe - OEM

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827151173

 

SAMSUNG 2253BW Black 22" 2ms(GTG) DVI Widescreen LCD Monitor with HDCP Support 300 cd/m2 DC 8000:1 - Retail

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6824001268

 

ZEROtherm Nirvana NV120 120mm 2-ball UFO Bearing / Transparent CPU Cooler - Retail

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835887011

 

Arctic Silver Ceramique Thermal Compound - OEM

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835100009

 

And choose between these (I personally own the Fatal1ty one, even though it has the lame Fatal1ty logos all over it, it has very decent sound when paired with an X-Fi):

 

SENNHEISER PC151 3.5mm Circumaural Headset

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6826106157

 

Creative FATAL1TY 3.5mm gold-plated Circumaural Gaming Headset

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6826158051

 

Creative HS-900 3.5mm Gold-plated Circumaural Headset

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6826158053


Message edited by emp on 09-29-2008 at 06:31:35 AM
------------------------------ Anxiously awaiting the Hydra 100 and the Hydra Engine...
www.lucidlogix.com
Reply to emp

Thanks, exactly what I needed. Is there any market consideration that the new Nehalem Intel cpus come out in a couple months? Will the price drop on my cpu make me feel like I should have waited?

The only other thing I need is some gaming OS, I suppose 64 bit Vista.

Reply to Anonymous
- 0 +

With 4gb's or more of DDR2 I'd go with Vista 64bit premium for about $100. The rest of what EMP has quoted above looks good.

------------------------------ PSU Tiers
GPU Power
8800gtx w/e6600 OC'd will run on Antec 380w w/27A on 12v rail, PSU!!
Reply to lunyone

There are already price drops planned, but nothing that will make you scream in horror at the price you paid for that Q9550. Yes Vista 64

Reply to dirtmountain
- 0 +

Yeah I read at best you would see 15-20$ price drops on cpus.

Especially since its gonna take nehalem a long time to get things running, especially since itll be years before their motherboards become more common than the old sockets

Reply to dcm1602

The final build comes to just over $2000, with 22" lcd and Vista Premium OEM. I will be ordering this evening, as many of the promotions end 9/30.

Thanks, I saved so much time with everyone's help.

-Nate

Here is the build:

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 Yorkfield 2.83GHz LGA 775 95W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80569Q9550 - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819115041
$325

ZEROtherm Nirvana NV120 120mm 2-ball UFO Bearing / Transparent CPU Cooler - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835887011
$50 (-10 MIR)

2 of these:
GIGABYTE GV-R485ZL-512H Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814125238
Total: $340 (-20 MIR)

OCZ Reaper HPC Edition 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ2RPR8004GK - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820227284
$85 (-20 MIR)

DFI LANPARTY DK X38-T2R LGA 775 Intel X38 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813136045
$185

The following 2 are a package deal good until 9/30:
$370
Antec TruePower Quattro TPQ-1000 1000W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817371012
($199)
Antec Twelve Hundred Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811129043
($230)

SAMSUNG 2253BW Black 22" 2ms(GTG) DVI Widescreen LCD Monitor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6824001268
$270 (-20 MIR)

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822136218
$80

SAMSUNG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model SH-S223Q - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827151173
$26

Arctic Silver Ceramique Thermal Compound - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835100009
$5

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit English for System Builders 1pk DSP OEI DVD - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6832116488
$100

Logitech G11 Silver & Black USB Standard Gaming Keyboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6823126009
$59

RAZER DeathAdder RZ01-00150100-R2M1 Black 5 Buttons 1 x Wheel USB Optical High Precision Gaming Mouse - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6826153007
$60

Creative FATAL1TY 3.5mm gold-plated Circumaural Gaming Headset
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6826158051
$50

Total: $2005 - $70 MIR = $1935


Message edited by Anonymous on 09-30-2008 at 06:24:42 PM
Reply to Anonymous
- 0 +

Yeah you better hurry on Twelve Hundred and the TruePower Quattro, just noticed that today is the 30th :P

------------------------------ Anxiously awaiting the Hydra 100 and the Hydra Engine...
www.lucidlogix.com
Reply to emp

I got most of my parts today, except for the video card and mouse.

In assembling the motherboard, cpu, and zerotherm cpu fan, I ran into fitment issues. The zerotherm fan is huge, and the motherboard comes with a northbridge heat sink which prevents me from putting the zerotherm fan oriented with the fan blades toward the bottom of the case.

When inspecting the zerotherm fan, I suspect that it pulls air into the fins from the blades. So, the airflow is through the fan, into the fins, and out the sides or side opposite the fan blades.

So I reason that I'd want the airflow to be upwards (fan blades oriented toward bottom of case) or towards the rear of the case (fan blades oriented toward front of case). The only orientation I can get the zerotherm to fit is with the fan blades towards the top of the case, and then the northbridge heat sink will fit.

This is not ideal, correct? Will it be trouble at all? Could I get a different northbridge cooler? Something flatter might work better. The instructions for the northbridge heatsink also say to use the 2 clips to attach to a cpu fan right onto the blades of the heatsink, but that did not come in the box. With the cpu fan blowing air around very near to it, should that be necessary?

Anyway, for those recommending this DFI lanparty X38 mobo, beware about this. I'm hoping everything will work fine, but I'll probably suffer some increased heat or disrupted airflow.

Thoughts?


Message edited by bigsqueaks on 10-03-2008 at 05:31:04 AM
Reply to bigsqueaks

Usually blow air towards the rear of the case where the exhaust fans are, depends on how you have your fans oriented though. I use intake front, vent side, exhaust top and exhaust rear.

Reply to dirtmountain
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