DE PC Build

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I dont know much about the Core 2 duo's (C2D), but there are other members here who actualy own one.

A few questions:

What is your budget for this build? You can build a great computer with a budget of around $1,500.

Is there anything else you want to use your computer for besides vista capatable, and playing games?

Are you wanting to store a lot of data, such as lots of movies, music, or photos?

What parts do you currently have already, that your wanting to use on your new build? do you want a new monitor, keyboard/mouse, speakers? have an old harddrive you want to add?

What country do you live in?

Heres some basics I recommend:

2gb of RAM.
DVD burner
250gb SATA drive
500 watt (minimum) power supply
Sound card (optional)
19in LCD, 8ms or lower response time
Dual core processor; either the C2D, or an AMD X2. a C2D would be the better one.

If you wait about a month or so before you buy all your parts, the new DirectX 10 video cards should be out (great with VISTA).

If your in the USA, the top 2 websites to buy computer parts are Newegg, and tiger direct.

quote the slayer

If your in the USA, the top 2 websites to buy computer parts are Newegg, and tiger direct.

Id stick with Newegg UNLESS you have to use Tigerdirect. Newegg has a MUCH higher rating on http://resellerratings.com. Just my thoughts on it.

Go with a Core 2 Duo

If ur building by Xmas i would see waiting to see the pricess on Quad cores and maybe the 8800 GTX's the 8800s being the GPUs and the Quad cores being the Kentsfield processor from intel but idealy Core 2 would be best for now.

What do you think about using two 40gb 10000rpm Raptors in RAID0? I am going for speed, but I'm not sure if there will be too much of a difference between 7200 and 10000 rpm Hds in a RAID configuration. Slayer, when you say that you essentially have three copies of everything, is your PC configured to automatically write everything that is stored on your RAID configuration to the other two HDs, or do you do it manually? I've never had experience with any more than one HD, so I'm not sure how your situation works. I really do like the idea of having two huge HDs in RAID, though. You said that the 2x250gb config yields 500 gb storage; I thought that RAID0 allows for the space of one HD to be used, so that both HDs have the same data, but the hardware "splits up" the access to the duplicate data so that the system performs 2x faster. ack!

CPU Decision
Okay, I'm debating over the quad-core and dual core models; The Duo seems to be a much more reasonable choice. The E6700 at 2.67 ghz looks to be a good overclocker, but I may wait for the price to drop to below $500. I don't think that I will be able to afford the Quad when it comes out, as I am looking to build relatively soon. I think I will use the Intel Core 2 Duo E6700, because of it's high-end gaming performance and overclockability. I will wait until this CPU's price drops to around $400 to begin building; maybe around January?

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 (see below)
Total Cost: $400

edit:
Wow; I didn't realize that the 6600 was so much cheaper. It oveclocks well too. I am just worried about my PC becoming outdated. This seems to be a good performer too. See!

Thanks axforts!

This message was edited by DeltaEpsilon on Nov 03 2006.

This message was edited by DeltaEpsilon on Nov 03 2006.

This message was edited by DeltaEpsilon on Nov 03 2006.

quote DeltaEpsilon

I really do like the idea of having two huge HDs in RAID, though. You said that the 2x250gb config yields 500 gb storage; I thought that RAID0 allows for the space of one HD to be used, so that both HDs have the same data, but the hardware "splits up" the access to the duplicate data so that the system performs 2x faster. ack!

RAID 0 is basically combining the speed and space of 2 harddrives into one.
RAID 1 is having at least 2 harddrives, and having all your data being copied to each drive.

Now, just because you combine 2 very fast harddrives into a RAID0, dosnt mean your going to get twice the speed as a single drive. It dosnt work quite like that.

Say you get 2X 10K RPM raptor drives, and say a single drive does about 150mb/s transfer rate (I dont know the exact numbers on that). If you combine 2 of them, in theory you will have 300mb/s transfer rate. you will actually get something around 270+/-. and just because you have 270mb/s transfer rate, dosnt mean that you will going at 270mb/s 100% of the time. The only time you will see a fast transfer rate is when you are:
1) loading large things like windows, or games
2) reading/writing VERY large files (GB's in size).

And most of the speed depends on your processor and ram.

The big fast raptor drives are great if you just want one, but I suggest just using 2 regular drives in a RAID setup to save money. If you have $500 to spend on harddrives, then go a head and get the big fast raptors.

quote

What do you think about using two 40gb 10000rpm Raptors in RAID0?

That will be great for installing XP, and saving your programs too. It will give you fast loading times for your operating system and programs. I do sugest you get a (single) 250gb SATA drive for all your documents and everything.

quote

Slayer, when you say that you essentially have three copies of everything, is your PC configured to automatically write everything that is stored on your RAID configuration to the other two HDs, or do you do it manually? I've never had experience with any more than one HD, so I'm not sure how your situation works.

I just go through and copy everything over about once a month or so. I have to do it manually. altho I think there is an easy way you can get a program that will copy X folder(s) onto another harddrive for you automatically.

My 2X 160gb WD caviar (regular drives) give me an average of 110mb/s transfer rate. its a combined space of 320, but once its formated out, I only have 298gb left.

This is what I sugest:

2X 40gb WD raptors, or another 10K drive, with 16mb cache, and SATA 3.0gb (giga bits). this will give you about 70gb of space (formated) to install your operating system(s), programs, and games. I have a 40gb partition dedicated to windows xp, and my programs and I only have 11gb used.

250GB+/- SATA drive. a 7200RPM would work fine, with 8 or 16mb cache. You can use this to store everything else; your music, pictures, videos, maybe another operating system (linux?), and what ever else.

That above setup will be great.

Damn, I think thats the longest post ever written about harddrives...

Is there anything else besides harddrives and processor your wanting help finding?

It will dominate ANY amd CPU.

Most boards now a days come with SATA connections, and most (if you buy a decent brand) will come with some RAID configureations, at the least will support RAID0 and 1.

I'm running an AMD x2 4400 with 2X 1mb L2. My school has a video editing computer I've used a few times, with a C2D. I havnt figured out what modle it is, but compared to my system, my X2 kicks that computer's ass. I dont know if its just the schools network has slowed it down, or if its just a lower end C2D, or what, but I know its not very great. Takes about 30 seconds to open up adobe premire, and on my computer it takes about 10. I think its a gateway computer, with 1 or 2gb of ram.

For a optial drive, get a fast DVD RW. I have a liteon burner, and never had a problem with it.

You'll want at least a 500 watt power supply. I'm using a 550 watt ultra X2 connect.