Computer Build - Advice

1. It's hard to beat the value of an 8800GT or GTS. I would probably not sink the money into an 8800GTX. The GTS is just too close in performance for considerably less money. I hate waiting for anything. Particularly when it comes to tech buys. Something better is *always* right around the corner.

2. 850i, no doubt.

3. XP, with the caveat that you cannot run DX-10. I think if you have a powerful enough system, the performance gains of running in XP will not be noticeable in game. Yes, you can see it in benchmarks, but we are talking a difference of 7% in every benchmark I have run in both OS. This is hardly Earth shattering.

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edit: I had posted another config, but this one seems more in line with what you wanted to accomplish. I assume the 850W PSU was in the first config to SLI another GTX down the road. The configuration in the link has SLI at that price. You can lower the purchase price and still upgrade later if that was your intent. Dropping the SLI would allow for the gaming keyboard and mouse to be included at an under $3k price tag, though you could just as easily purchase those items locally.
 
I also went dual boot, so you don't have to decide between OS, and opted for 4GB of RAM and the 64 bit version of Vista so you can enjoy using the OS the way it was intended, while having the assurance of XP Pro as a backup in case you do run into one of those rare Vista conflicts.

If I missed anything else you really wanted in your config, my apologies, too much overtime and not enough sleep dulls the brain.


Edited by Tyler Lowe - 05 Mar 2008 at 3:36am

One of the Two OS I selected is 64 bit. A 64 bit OS will use all of the 4GB of RAM. Vista was really intended as a 64 bit OS from what I've read, and also a feeling I have had for some time. MY guess is M$ was worried about lost revenue, and decided to release it 32 bit by default, and allow people to send in for a 64 bit disk if they wanted.

The performance increase from a 3rd HDD for the OS is modest at best, the primary reason to do this is so that if you have to do a clean install of the operating system (say during that annual HDD cleaning and OS repair/ clean install we all do.... *yeah right*) you don't have to touch your games an other data. If Windows becomes corrupted and you have to do a clean install, it becomes a minor inconvenience instead of a disaster. It's a very cheap upgrade, and one I don't hesitate to encourage people to invest in.

If you really want to gain the absolute most HDD performance without spending Raptor prices:

160GB HDD: OS install
80GB HDD: Swap files (paging files)
2x160GB HDD: RAID 0


Edited by Tyler Lowe - 05 Mar 2008 at 3:44am

Also back to Gpu's, what would be best for running games in 1920 x 1200rez for the money? 

Again thank you Tyler for your input and info, here is my new build config:

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