just(finally) ordered my new rig

Tonk · 02-17-2008, 01:21 AM

i would have liked to go Intel but i was on a semi-budget, so i went AMD instead

Processor: AMD 6400+ X2 3.2ghz dual core
Motherboard: ASUS CROSSHAIR AM2
Video Card: Nvidia GeForce 8800GTS(g92) 512mb *
RAM: Crucial Balistixx 2GB (2x1gb sticks)
CPU cooler: ASUS Silent Square Pro
Operating system: Windows Vista x64 (vista doesnt have the problems anymore.. stop being afraid)

i am using my 2 year old antec p180 case, my 5month old antec 650watt PSU my g15 keyboard, 20.1'' Benq monitor, benq dvd+-rw and my (2) 1 year old Seagate 320gb perpendicular recording SATA drives in raid1

system prices are cheap right now... cpu was 166, mobo was 230, ram was 65 gpu was 280, my last cpu (checked it on old newegg orders) cost me $450, my mid grade mobo cost 170, and the ram was 250, and i had a $200 gfx card... the overall bill for my new rig was a few bux over a grand... not bad since my last build was 1700 (case hard drives, psu keyboard/mouse along with it, but still)

* the g92 based GTS(which should have had a diff model name) is not the watered down 90nm but the new (same as the GT) 65nm technology. reviews and benchmarks show that it performs 15-25% better than the GT, and since it is a dual slot, it runs cooler too.. i plan on either buying a second, or doing the step-up(if offered) to the new 9800 comming out soon (might upgrade in the summer or so)

**Axis of Eeevil** · 02-17-2008, 04:33 AM

I have a P180 too--what an awesome case. I reversed the airflow in the top chamber so I exhaust out the front, while the bottom chamber draws from the front, as anexperiment to see if crosscurrent circulation would make a difference on cooling. It didn't by more than a degree or two but I love the fact that I could.

Sounds like a nice rig--been going with AMD for my last 3, never regretted it.

Tonk · 02-17-2008, 05:04 AM

all my built rigs have been AMD, my last intel was a 666mhz pentium 3 i think or 2... but yes, i love the p180, i keep my airflow from front to back for the sole fact of the air filter keeping dust out, i keep all my fans on low (front top is med tho) it is whisper quiet and temps are room temp (in the case)...

if i wasnt on a budget, i would have liked to get the p190-1200

**Bamboo** · 02-17-2008, 11:56 AM

Yeah, that p190 is a monster. Not sure many people would even come close to needing the watts that can put out, but would be so easy to work in. I read one review though that said once you build it and put it in place, it is so big forget moving it again. Crazy......

What is the deal with the $$ of the motherboard. Seems really high, and your link above actually goes to the CPU.

Edit:
I think you just put the price of the GR. card in 2 times, since newegg has it for $229, a bit more reasonable

Tonk · 02-17-2008, 12:48 PM

i fixed the mobo link, its expensive, cause its the best one i could get =) the reason i am building after just under 2 years of a system is cause of my mobo, so im not cutting corners this time
fixed the price too, it WAS 230, it was late, dont blame me, blame the lighting

msdz · 02-18-2008, 11:20 PM

Sounds pretty good but I would have ordered at least 4Gb unless you already have some more to add to the 2Gb you ordered since you are getting Vista x64. I am glad I got Vista x64, it is running really sweet on my new rig and love the eye candy Vista has to offer and some of the new features. The 4Gb I have I have only used about 60% of the RAM at the most so far while playing games. The E8400 processor I have while playing I might have used about 58% at times. For the most part it is barely uses 25% though while gaming. I hthink that it is whatever you can afford and are happy with should be hat you go with in processors(AMD or Intel). I had an AMD system before this new rig and it served me well for over 5 years. If I get that type of service out of this rig with minimal upgrading then I will be very happy.

**Bamboo** · 02-18-2008, 11:53 PM

Isn't it crazy getting a new rig after trying to game on a old one.
Mine is the same way, with CPU usage rarly going over 50%, where as my old one would choke at 100% the moment you double clicked the shortcut, and then still had to run everything on LOW.
Can't wait to see the games that will make this rig choke in like 2-4 years. Good time to be a gamer.

**Rincewind** · 02-19-2008, 04:35 PM

I love my G92 GTS's, you'll love yours

micr0c0sm · 02-19-2008, 05:10 PM

that is a hawt chipset, g92

Tonk · 02-20-2008, 01:53 AM

hey, it was a budget build, i plan on getting 2x2gb in the future, summer maybe. as it is, i dont use the 2gb i have (had) on my old rig, so doing what im doing right now.. ram isnt my choke yet.. ill have 6gb by summer

Tonk · 02-24-2008, 06:38 PM

wow, i officially hate newegg... 8 days later, and 4 attempts from 2 different sources and paypal/newegg is a deushe... i dont have a credit card with over a $750 credit line (no not bad credit, i built my credit already, and i dont need the temptation to spend other peoples borrowed money) so my options are a visa debit card from my local bank, or paypal, which is tied to my bank... so i use my debit card (visa) to complete my purchase, 3 days later (it should have been at my house by now) no parts... i check and it says payment failed authorization, i find out, the debit card issued from my small town bank has alot of problems with authorizing online purchases that use the 1800 number on the back as one method.. i dont know why, im not a banker, so i try paypal with a direct bank withdrawl.. it says bank accounts are an instant transfer... cool right? wrong... 3 days later, i get a gmail that says paypal payment didnt go through in 72hrs, canceling order.... thats what i woke up to in my email... SO what i have to do is transfer money to my paypal account manually, then wait 3-5 business days, THEN make the newegg order... THEN >>>MAYBE<<< it will work... why do things like this happen when you absolutely NEED stuff quick (my desktop is finally 100% done, i even went office-space on teh mobo/gfx card/ ram... lets just say (for those of you who have seen the 'will it blend' clips online... ram blends very nicely)

end of rant..

long story short... in 3-5 business days, i get to start waiting 3-5 business days for my computer parts from newegg

TOOmuchMcLovin · 02-24-2008, 06:41 PM

"Operating system: Windows Vista x64 (vista doesnt have the problems anymore.. stop being afraid)"

Maybe, but from a gaming perspective, vista is 30-50% slower at executing tasks, on the same system compared to xp

look it up hehe

Tonk · 02-24-2008, 06:50 PM

o and i also bumped my ram up to 8gb of geil exotera

**Bamboo** · 02-24-2008, 08:07 PM

Don't be hating on newegg just because your itty bity back is still bank is back in the stone age.

I have had problems with paypal messing up an order with newegg before too, when I tried to use it along with a gift card, but was paypal, not newegg that was the problem.
I have many times had a small problem with a newegg order, and in less than 1 min. had a refund of the difference from newegg, no questions asked.
Once I paid like $10 extra for a faster shipping, cause I thought it would still deliver on the weekend, and after it didn't deliver I chatted with customer support, and they said sorry about your inconvenience , here is $10 back. Blew my mind how easy it was. Placed another order with them like 2 days later for more parts.

And good to hear someone else is smart with their money and credit cards. I am the same way. I have 1 credit card with a $1000 limit that I keep for an emergency and has a $0 balance. If I can't afford to pay cash then I probably shouldn't be buying it.
Just read an article this morning that said taking out a credit card from a store, like the one a sales clerk pitches, drops your credit score 20 points automatically, even if you pay it off as soon as you get home from the store.

Let us know how the system runs with 8 gigs, like what your usage is. I will say this about vista SP1. My idle memory usage went from 1.3 gigs to 1.7 gigs after the update. Still trying to track down why.

Acreo Aeneas · 02-24-2008, 11:30 PM

Get a account with Chase, US Bank, or another large corporate bank. There's no point in staying with a small community bank if they are going to give you a run-around hassle when you try to make some purchases.

*adds Tonk's rig to the growing list of high-end rigs*

Good rig.