Please Critique My Build

[Anddylanrew]

Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe 2.4GHz LGA 775 Processor

ASUS P5N-E SLI LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 650i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard

Sunbeam NUUO SUNNU550-US-BK ATX12V / EPS12V 550W Power Supply

ZALMAN CNPS9500 AT 2 Ball CPU Cooling Fan/Heatsink

WINTEC AMPX 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model

SAPPHIRE 100186L Radeon X1950XT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 VIVO HDCP Video Card

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD3200KS 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer 70SB073A00000 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Card

Logitech Z-4i 40 Watts 2.1 Speaker - Retail

LITE-ON 18X DVD±R DVD Burner With 12X DVD-RAM Write Black IDE Model LH-18A1P-186

Antec Performance One P180 Silver cold rolled steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

Currently with shipping around 1500 bucks, any suggestions on things I should change before I buy it?

 

[Phantomaniac]

Pretty good build, although there are a couple things...

The X-Fi sound cards are extremely overrated, and its doubtful you would notice any difference between that and the integrated Realtek HD audio that comes on most motherboards these days.

I'm also curious as to why you are buying an Nforce motherboard with an ATI/AMD X1950XT. If you aren't planning to run an Nvidia SLI solution there are much better choices.

 

[Blain]

Originally posted by: Anddylanrew
Please Critique My Build
any suggestions on things I should change before I buy it?

That's very hard to do with the sparce information you've provided.
If you need to do word processing and check email, you're wasting your money.
However, if you're going to do high end video production or CAD work, you're skimping on components.
Give us more detailed information about how you will be using your PC and you can help you find nirvana. :laugh:
Until then, I have to rate your build a 3.75 out of 10.

 

[tcG]

It's cool how you clumped all three of these things together:

Sunbeam NUUO SUNNU550-US-BK ATX12V / EPS12V 550W Power Supply

ZALMAN CNPS9500 AT 2 Ball CPU Cooling Fan/Heatsink

WINTEC AMPX 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model

SAPPHIRE 100186L Radeon X1950XT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 VIVO HDCP Video Card

...because they all need work.

 

[Anddylanrew]

I'll be using it for gaming and school work for the most part. I was going with the sapphire radeon x1950 simply because I read alot of good reviews for it. I was going with the sunbeam because I heard you need long cables for P180 case and it has long cables.

 

[moosey]

It's obvious you're not going to SLI with the video card you chose, so I would go with something on the Intel P965 chipset, like the Gigabyte DS3. Check here
http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2914

If you're not going to o/c anything major, I don't see a problem with the 9500AT, I have one and my system's fine with the same processor. It's nice with the 4-pin PWM fan. If you're going to be o/cing a lot though,you might want something a little better (Zalman 9700, Tuniq Tower etc..)

I don't know about that PSU, $55 for SLI rated and 550W sounds kinda skeptical. Check some other reviews besides newegg's. I'd look here
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817139001

Wintec memory? I'd get this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145590 nice price with rebate

 

[Operandi]

The X-Fi is a waste of money, drop it.

I'm not a fan of the P180 so I would go with the Lian Li PC-7B or something like the PC-101 if you want something with a similar layout to the P180.

I wouldn't buy my PSU from a company thats known for making coffee machines. The 380 watt Seasonic S12 would be my pick.

 

[Operandi]

Forgot to mention the board -- as others have said I would go with an Intel chipset, the Gigabyte GA-965P-S3 would be a good choice.

Also Wintec is fine for RAM.

 

[Anddylanrew]

What other Video cards should I look at?

 

[moosey]

Originally posted by: Anddylanrew
What other Video cards should I look at?

How much do you want to spend? DX10 GF 8800GTS cards are now around $360 w/ rebates. Just depends on budget and how much performance you want.

 

[liberatecuba]

Yeah.. The 8800GTS is a great buy now and its one of only two video cards that are currently DX10 capable. (the other one->the GTX)..

IMO: ditch ATI and go NVIDIA!

 

[Anddylanrew]

Now my computer setup is looking like

LIAN LI PC-7B plus II Black Aluminum ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD3200KS 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

eVGA 640-P2-N825-AR GeForce 8800GTS 640MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 SUPERCLOCKED HDCP Video Card

Rosewill RT550-135-SL 550W 135mm Fan SLI Ready - ATX V2.2/EPS12V Power Supply

GIGABYTE GA-965P-S3 LGA 775 Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard

Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe 2.4GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80557E6600

CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)

Logitech Z-4i 40 Watts 2.1 Speaker - Retail

I'm going to just stick with stock cooling for the time being and get a nice cooler later on when I decide to overclock, any critiques on this build(I haven't decided on a sound card yet)

 

[moosey]

Rosewill is a crapshoot on a PSU, it's like the Newegg house brand or some crap and I'm not sure who makes them. Don't think they're too good though.
Here's a better deal than newegg and I think these Corsair's are made by SeaSonic
http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=203270716&loc=101

This Silverstone is a bit more but if you want to get it from Newegg it's a little less than the Corsair at their price
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817163112
Here are two others that have to be better than the Rosewill that are a little cheaper since it seems like you don't want to spend too much
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817812002
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817189006

Otherwise looks good. Nice case too, I have that one as well, it's really light.

 

[tcG]

All the suggestions I've seen thus far aren't so good...

If I had $1500 to build a new computer, this is what mine would look like.

The Parts:

E6400

BUFFALO Firestix 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800

abit AB9 QuadGT

BFG Tech GeForce 8800GTS 640MB 320-bit

Enhance ENP-5150GH 500W ATX12V

Tuniq Tower 120 P4 & K8 CPU Cooler

Antec P180 One (Silver)

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD3200KS 320GB

DVD Burner

Notes:

CPU: As you know, most average an overclock of around 3.5GHz on safe voltages... is the extra cache REALLY worth the extra money that separates it from the E6600? I don't think so.

Motherboard: The highest FSB-clocking motherboard that maintains a 1066 strap to date. 500FSB+ with this monster... This rig will have an easy OC potential of 3.5GHz+, with RAM that will hit over DDR2 1100+, a motherboard that is capable of 500 FSB, and an E6400, you're theoretical OC potential is through the roof. The only thing that will hold you back is bad luck of the silicon.

RAM: Micron D9/Promos... capable of DDR2 1100+

CPU Cooling: The best sLGA775 air cooling in existence.

PSU: The fabled Enhance 500W...

The Grand Total:

$1410.96 before tax/rebates.

Comes out to around $1420 after rebates and tax, which leaves more than enough room for a soundcard/speakers.