First Computer Build

[dudemann]

Ok so I've been doing a little research and i want to build a PC i can put in my home theatre on the GIANT projector, but i plan to use it primarily for gaming. I have never build a computer before but I have been a two-channel audiophile geek for years. I currently play Xbox 360 which I really enjoy and use an iMac (PC enthusiasts everywhere shutter) for actual computing, but the Xboxjust doesn't have the same feel as playing an FPS with good old fashioned keyboard and mouse and an iMac is useless for any real gaming. Just want to know if I'm making an major mistakes, and if all goes well I'll probably attempt to overclock so I might be asking for help with that later.

Asus Striker II Formula http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16813131255
Palit 9600GT (x2 in SLI) http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16814261001
Intel Q6600 http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16819115017
Asus Xonar D2X http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16829132005
Corsair Dominator DDR2 4Gb (2x2Gb) http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16820145197
Western Digital 640Bg HD http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16822136218
Lite-On DVD Burner (x2) http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16827106073
Linksys Wireless Adapter (horrible wifi reception in the basement) http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16833124069
Artic Cooling CPU Cooler http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16835186134
XIGMATEK 850W Power Supply http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16817815003
Raidmax Case http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16811156090

Windows Vista 64 or 32 bit?

[slugbug]

I would go with 2 x 8800 GT's and XP PRO. If you really want Vista then 64bit.

[DaIceMan]

Power Supply, I always recommend the PCPower & Cooling Silencer 750. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6817703009 It had been on sale for $149, but it looks like overnight they put on a $30 MIR

You must REALLY be in to sound. $200 for a sound card/processor? I thought I was overspending when I bought my x-fi xtremegamer. I'd like to take that card for a spin in the HTPC I'm going to build soon. Let us know how it works.

[vicaphit]

Frys.com still has the Q6600 for $199. The price drop can only be viewed in your shopping cart.

http://shop4.frys.com/search;jsessionid=3PgWMKRk78pLUeLVVvkuDQ**.node1?cat=-51570&pType=pDisplay

The stock cooler actually does a pretty good job of cooling too, so you may want to consider how much you are going to overclock

[duplo83]

I agree with slugbug's suggestion about the 8800GTs, they've got a little more bang-for-your-buck than the 9600s. I also agree with DaIceMan, you'd probably get the same, if not better, performance out of X-fi's extreme gamer card. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6829102006
Plus, it is the only card I'm aware of that has a port for the front panel audio header of your case (its about dang time!).

The only other suggestion I'd make is from my own personal experience with Arctic Cooling CPU coolers. I had the same model for an AMD board and while it did a decent job, it was nowhere near the performance of my current cooler, the Nirvana NV120. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... &Tpk=nv120

I've got my CPU overclocked 1.2Ghz to 3.8, and my max temp has never once exceeded 52 degrees celsius.

Good luck!

[dudemann]

I think I'm gonna go with the 8800GT's, don't know which brand yet, but thanks for the input. Also about the audio card, my friend has the Creative X-fi and and when I asked him about it, he said "don't waste your time" because the drivers are virtually unsupported on Vista 64. About spending $200 dollars on a sound card, it doesn't seem that bad when you've spent more on your two-channel audio system than your car. I'm still gonna wait a bit to see if anyone else can put in their two cents but I feel pretty optimistic about this system.

[bandieramonte]

I think I'm gonna go with the 8800GT's, don't know which brand yet, but thanks for the input. Also about the audio card, my friend has the Creative X-fi and and when I asked him about it, he said "don't waste your time" because the drivers are virtually unsupported on Vista 64. About spending $200 dollars on a sound card, it doesn't seem that bad when you've spent more on your two-channel audio system than your car. I'm still gonna wait a bit to see if anyone else can put in their two cents but I feel pretty optimistic about this system.

Sorry, but that's a lie, and I can demonstrate this with my personal experience. I have Vista 64-bit along with the Creative X-fi sound card, and the sound works wonders for me in games, audio recording and music. If your friend told you that then probably he did not download the correct driver from the correct web site.
Besides offering great sound potential for your system, I have also proved that this sound card can improve gaming performance up to 15%.

In other words, I think it's a good idea to have this sound card.

[vicaphit]

I don't understand you audiophiles. I can't tell the difference between onboard sound and your fancy PCI audio cards.

Too many rock concerts maybe.

[Mumm]

I think I'm gonna go with the 8800GT's, don't know which brand yet, but thanks for the input. Also about the audio card, my friend has the Creative X-fi and and when I asked him about it, he said "don't waste your time" because the drivers are virtually unsupported on Vista 64. About spending $200 dollars on a sound card, it doesn't seem that bad when you've spent more on your two-channel audio system than your car. I'm still gonna wait a bit to see if anyone else can put in their two cents but I feel pretty optimistic about this system.

Sorry, but that's a lie, and I can demonstrate this with my personal experience. I have Vista 64-bit along with the Creative X-fi sound card, and the sound works wonders for me in games, audio recording and music. If your friend told you that then probably he did not download the correct driver from the correct web site.
Besides offering great sound potential for your system, I have also proved that this sound card can improve gaming performance up to 15%.

In other words, I think it's a good idea to have this sound card.

You are only half right. Do they offer drivers that allow sound to come out your speakers? Yes... Do they do so and allow full functionality? No... That has been the heart of the heated debate over DK and his drivers vs the ones Creative released. Some were happy just to get rid of the "Rice Krispy Effects" while others are pissed about Alchemy. I totally understand the lack of desire to fish the internet for hacked drivers. Why bother when you can a different product for the same $$$ and not have to mess with it? And the biggest kick in the pants is this: (From DK's working driver)

Release notes / Known issues:

- WARNING: The included driver supports up to 2Gb of installed RAM
Applies to both 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows Vista.
In case more memory is installed, you will have sound issues and your system will crash randomly.

Source: http://forums.creative.com/creativelabs/board/message?board.id=Vista&thread.id=30593

As for the price I have no issues what so ever paying that much IF the card works and is well supported. I would even pay more if they matched Creative. And if you aren't happy with on board now then its perfectly fine to buy them. A large part of the difference between those who can hear a difference vs those that can't is knowing what to listen for. Its not so much an advanced physical ability.

I am curious as to why you choose to run 2.1 though. Not that its bad but I just don't see many guys that like 2.1 that much.

I'm not all that impressed with the numbers from the 9600 line either. A little too much marketing in reduced features on the same card. Seems like all they do is enable a couple of things here and there and re-release the same damn card over and over. Whats the point.

[dudemann]

It's not that I won't be running through the pc through two channels (which would be 2.0 not 2.1), but rather the 5.1 in my theater room. The two channel system is a more high end system with a Walker turntable in setup more similar to this http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/walker4/sota.html and which I would never attach to a computer. As for the creative card, I have considered getting the Auzentech X-fi Prelude which runs creative hardware but its own drivers and software. I really believe that the Creative drivers suck because I have heard it up close and personal and it sounds like rice-crispys or an old, abused LP. One of the things I kinda want some feedback on is this, if I'm gonna hook my computer up to a projector with 1080 resolution, am I overkilling by putting two cards in SLI? Should I buy cheaper cards and put them in SLI? or should I just buy one expensive card?

[bandieramonte]

I think I'm gonna go with the 8800GT's, don't know which brand yet, but thanks for the input. Also about the audio card, my friend has the Creative X-fi and and when I asked him about it, he said "don't waste your time" because the drivers are virtually unsupported on Vista 64. About spending $200 dollars on a sound card, it doesn't seem that bad when you've spent more on your two-channel audio system than your car. I'm still gonna wait a bit to see if anyone else can put in their two cents but I feel pretty optimistic about this system.

Sorry, but that's a lie, and I can demonstrate this with my personal experience. I have Vista 64-bit along with the Creative X-fi sound card, and the sound works wonders for me in games, audio recording and music. If your friend told you that then probably he did not download the correct driver from the correct web site.
Besides offering great sound potential for your system, I have also proved that this sound card can improve gaming performance up to 15%.

In other words, I think it's a good idea to have this sound card.

You are only half right. Do they offer drivers that allow sound to come out your speakers? Yes... Do they do so and allow full functionality? No... That has been the heart of the heated debate over DK and his drivers vs the ones Creative released. Some were happy just to get rid of the "Rice Krispy Effects" while others are pissed about Alchemy. I totally understand the lack of desire to fish the internet for hacked drivers. Why bother when you can a different product for the same $$$ and not have to mess with it? And the biggest kick in the pants is this: (From DK's working driver)

Yes, you are right, I meant that there are actually drivers that make the X-FI sound card to work, but not 100% properly. In fact, I also sometimes experiment that horrible "Rice Crispy Effect" which makes me feel that my system is obliterated. Does anyone know how to get rid of this effect?

Also, my system has more than 2GB of RAM memory, so I could not use the unofficial driver by forums.creative.