Best price search for PC components ... after ASUS A8N-32 SLI Deluxe mobo and more!

jpe20

Hi folks,

I am in the process of building a new PC system for myself and my next purchase is the case.

Here's what I have brought so far

Antec P180B Case 96quid (Overclockers)
Hiper 4M580 580Watt PSU 52quid (Overclockers)
2 x 300GB Maxtor DiamondMax 10 drives 134quid (savastore)
Window Media Centre 2005 76quid (savastore)
Pioneer 111 DVD writer etc 30quid including bits (SVP)
XBOX 360 Universal Media Remote 4quid ....(GAME)

Here is what I am still after (planning to buy)

Motherboard ASUS A8N-32 SLI Deluxe 135quid (dabs)
AMD 64 x2 Dual Core 4400+ CPU 305quid (dabs)
2x SLI GEFORCE asus 7900s 208 quid each (dabs) [sersiously thinking of the faster 7900 (not GTX) overclocked with extra cooling at 255quid a card approx)
orsair 2GB DDR XMS3500LL Pro TwinX (2x1GB) CAS2 206quid .... [Definitely want 2GB but is this suitable memory???]
Decent internal PCI TV card (Twin Tuner ideally) ... Looked at Terratec Cinergy ...... MUST BE MCE Compatable.

Any tips on shopping for prices appreciated and choices of the remaining hardware components.

Thanks

Jules


Possible later purchases

Trackpoint IR .... 100quid
PhysX card 150quid
3 GB memory 200quid
The new logitech wheel due to come out
Better CPU
4x SATA2 drives at 500 GB each in RAID 5 config (3x striped ... 1 error checker)


PS I am thinking of buying the cheaper 2x 7900 ASUS gforce cards and overclocking them myself. To get anywhere near the "TOP" model I need to install some fans and heatsinks myself on the 2 gfx cards. The extra cost to buy the overclocked ASUS cards combined is about 100quid. I want to be saving 50quid min. To make it worth the hassle of doing it myself.

wolfman

Damn it, now I want to upgrade!

zombiecazz

all looks good, but mem wise I'd go for Mushkin HP 3200 2GB kit, tighter timings than the corsair

oh yeah, and don't buy a physx card. big fat waste of money.

we like froogle for shopping btw

sheng719

I was wondering whether one of you guys out there could help me with purchasing a new PC specification wise... I wanted something that could write CD and DVDs for me, store music and photos, and be fast enough to use...Any suggestions? Anything would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks!

jpe20

Zombie I agree ...

At the moment the PhysX card is a waste of money unless it supports a game that you live on!!!! It's a long way down the road purchase Xmas at the earliest .... more like next year if it takes off.

Sheng.... I would go for a cheap dell option .... They come out with deals all the time. That is if you are only going to use it for general use. I think to run the new Windows Vista you will need 1GB ram and 128MB graphics card as a minimum.

To write cds and dvds (if you are doing a self build) I'd take a look at the Pioneer 111 model from SVP communications. About 23-24quid last time I looked.

Value wise it is very hard to beat the cheaper end Dell Systems compared building one yourself. You will be lucky to build one matching the cost of one from Dell (save yourself the hassle and just buy a premade one). Higher end models or specifications you tend to find that you can sometimes self-build cheaper and choose the spex you want (like me!!!).

My main reason for self-build was I like tinkering around ..... I wanted a great motherboard for overclocking and for future upgrade options. Hence the dear motherboard in my spec.

If you are thinking of a self build then let me know and I and others (I'm sure) will "chip" in with some suggestions!!!

Mikeyorks

jpe20 wrote:

Value wise it is very hard to beat the cheaper end Dell Systems compared building one yourself. You will be lucky to build one matching the cost of one from Dell (save yourself the hassle and just buy a premade one).

Agree with that. But whatever - don't finance via Dell. Otherwise it takes you into their Customer Service arena - from which you are lucky to escape without high blood pressure. Buy from them by all means - but finance yourself / elsewhere.

timread

Scan are a good supplier for the kind of hardware you're looking for (good for most PC hardware actually!) https://www.scan.co.uk

Looks like you're aiming high! The choices you've made are good - great RAM. The AMD64 4400 is a good choice too - the first in the range that has the 2MB cache instead of the cheaper ones with 1MB.

My only question is whether it's really worth buying into SLI. I don't think that the boost from SLI is worth the money, compared with putting down slightly less (total) on a better single GPU like the 1900XT, which would cost a bit less than 2x 7800GS, and spend the money you save on a quieter HSF for the card? Two GPUs in SLI are also going to be noisy when you're gaming & pushing them hard.

It depends what resolution you're planning on gaming at (and I'm guessing this is for games!) and whether you're ambitious with the AA/AF settings.

John_LG

jpe20 wrote:

Motherboard ASUS A8N-32 SLI Deluxe 135quid (dabs)

Just to start you off...
http://www.aria.co.uk/ProductsList.asp?Name=asus+939+SLi £131.60
haven't the patience to check more, but I agree that https://www.scan.co.uk is a good site, plus https://www.savastore.com have some cracking deals, and then https://www.aria.co.uk above I use most often.

timread

One more thing - if you're thinking of using aftermarket coolers AND SLI, make sure that whatever you do go for e.g. two Arctic Cooling Accelero X1's will have enough clearance between the PCI-X sockets on the AN8-32SLI... so that everything fits!

Mark_LJ

Have a look at Scan today only - Asus 7900GT's are 'only' £193 (I'd never buy the souped up ones, just change the cooler and clock them myself) and they also have deals on the AMD cpus this weekend. If you want a bit of space between the cards might be an idea to look at the DFI Expert board. I've actually got one and there's plenty of space for 2 cards with extra cooling. I'm not convinced by the benefits of sli atm. I'd probably be more inclined to go for a decent X1900XT or 7900GTX with 512mb of ram.

PSU wise I have a couple of Seasonics and if I was going for a setup like yours I'd probably go for the 600 watter.

ram wise I've always been a big fan of Mushkin and OCZ - not that Corsair have ever let me down.

jpe20

Been thinking on the Sli option!!!....

3DMark05 ..03 or 06.... Cannot find any comparison between the 7900GT and GTX Asus models (NO OVERCLOCKING).

Seems from looking at the forums that the 512Mb GTX model is better suited to 1920x1200 res (My mon. Dell24"FPW). Maybe 1GTX now and 1GTX later is the way to go.

ANYHOW
Dilema I have with the SLI is that it does seem to have a signifant improvement of

around 40% as compared to the ATI crossfire which seems more unpredictable from

looking around 5%-something???..... Ideally I would buy a basic reliable (with

good memory ie samsung) 7900GTX overclock it and add affordable hsink and fan then six-12 mths down the line buy another 7900GTX chipset card and clock both the same for the SLI setup.... Whether this would work or not i dunno ... a gamble IMO unless someone on here knows any different.

So I have 2 options

2 7900GTs at 225quid each = 550(Real Value - Card 1[225] + 40% of card 2[90])=315rv
=
or

Okay I will look at 3DMark05 values (03,06 values intersting)

Here's my dilemma.... Do i buy "ASUS" 2 7900GTs or 1 GTX???? From reading around

the 2nd card in SLi mode offers 40% increase in overall performance(average),

whereas the Crossfire ATI config is unpredictable, offering from 5%- something.

Also ATI seems to have a very marginal/slight advantage in terms of AA/AF power (I

think its the XT1900s ... read more yourself if you are seriously considering ATI).



Anyhow I would like to know of 3dMark0X results for the "ASUS" 2x7900GT

configuration vs the Single 7900GTX config at standard nVidia clock rates (ie no overclocking). Then it will give me a reference maths wise to which setup offers

better "bangs to the buck".

Opt 1 : 2x7900GT(256) ASUS non overclocked(x+0.4x)=V1 total cost 410quid(dabs)=T1
Opt 2 : 2x7900GT(256) ASUS overclock TOP model(x+0.4x)=V2 total cost 450quid

(dabs)=T2
Opt 3 : 1 x 7900GTx ASUS (512Mb) (x) = T3 .... but left with the possible upgrade

at a later date!!!! ... filling 2nd slot

512Mb seems a good option for 1920x1200 games and applics.

Where "x" is the score of the 3dMark0X. Obviously the highest x/(T123) value

represents the best option.

I've had a few beers so forgive me for the over detail / rambling on ......

Jules

Probelms posting..... yeah A MESSY RAMBLING POST .. A POINT IN IN THERE I HOPE!!!!!!!