Is this a good PC?

IModIntel · March 9th, 2007, 02:48 PM

Hey everyone,

My programming teacher wants to buy himself a new computer and i will be the one to design it and build it. He has got a 4000$Can budget. Here is what i came up with:

Motherboard: ASUS Commando P965
CPU: Intel Core 2 E6600
Memory:

4 gb

Kingston HyperX DDR2-800 Low Latency
Power Supply: Enermax Liberty 620w
Video Card: Sapphire X1950XTX (or 2x ASUS EAX1950PRO in Crossfire/same price)
Sound: Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer
Case: Ultra Aluminus
Optical Drives: 2x Plextor SATA DVD+/- RW
HDD: 2x Western Digital RaptorX 150gb (Raid 0)
3 Year waranty on all components

I would like to know if anybody has better suggestions to put better components without modifying the budget.

Th@nks for the help.

Mjoelnir · March 9th, 2007, 03:14 PM

hmm depends.. what things does he do with his PC? CAD or Gaming?

4 GB of RAM.. get a 64 bit XP or VISTA.. otherwise 4 GB are nearly useless because XP is only able to handle 3,25 GB

IModIntel · March 9th, 2007, 04:29 PM

Yeah he's got XP 64-bit already.

Gaming will be the primary use of this system. He's got a separate machine for programming.

gen.Rage1991hrv · March 9th, 2007, 05:39 PM

nice machine

CaNiBuS · March 9th, 2007, 05:55 PM

If i were building that machine, I would get the 8800gts. I have the commando motherboard and I have had some trouble with it. I switched back to my evga 680i. On the commando, when you install certain USB drivers, USB totally stops working and i couldn't find anyway to fix it besides reinstalling windows. Also on the memory, I had some problems with kingston so I bought some Super Talent low latency.

xiaomhome · March 9th, 2007, 06:03 PM

Meh Mjoelnir, you are messing things up, XP (32 bit) can handle 4 gb, but remember ALL memory of all components are being adressed, so if he got 2 x1950xtx 512 mb, 1gb of memory adress is being used already, that sound card has 64 xram, there it goes 1gb + 64mb, it means he will be able to use only 3008 MB of ram. I think im forgeting about something else, but thats it for now. You will need either a 64 bit OS, or if you are going to use linux just unlock the 64gb memory support in your kernel under processor tab. Great system ImodIntel, if you are going crossfire i think youll need a better psu.

Unixlord · March 9th, 2007, 11:00 PM

Did you know the AMD X2 6000+ has the same "peformance/price" as the e6700 and it's on par with the e6600 while being cheaper? Add that to the fact that AMD boards are better and use less power than the equivelant intel with the same nvidia/ati chipset. Add that to a nice crosshair mobo. Ditch kingstone RAM because they are rubbish and get something like corsair/OCZ actually I prefer OCZ. Nobody should be spending their savings on DX9 cards at a time we're so close to DX10 stuff, specially a gamer. Switch to Nvidia 8800 or wait for r600. You'd be wasting the money if you did otherwise. Do not turn to the dark side!

IModIntel · March 11th, 2007, 06:37 AM

Hey guys,

finally he's going to wait for the ATi R600 video cards before buildin it. I don't understand why some of you people don't like Kingston RAM. It what i've had all my life besides the 1gb crucial stick i have in my secondary system and i have NEVER had any problems with it EVER, even in the most memory stressing situations.